The Rev. Dr. Jeremy Berg is the founding and lead pastor of MainStreet Covenant Church in Minnetonka Beach, MN, where he has served since 2010. He is an adjunct professor of Biblical and Theological Studies who has taught classes at Bethel University, University of Northwestern—St. Paul, North Central University, Crown College, and Solid Rock Discipleship School. Jeremy earned a doctorate in New Testament Context under Scot McKnight at Northern Seminary (Chicago). He and his wife, Kjerstin, have three kids, Peter, Isaak and Abigail.
Snow is finally falling, and it looks like a winter wonderland outside. Many people are cranking up Christmas music for the first time, and heading out shopping. Here’s one of my favorites.
Frankly, I don’t know which view of God’s foreknowledge is ultimately correct. For centuries, people have generally fallen into either the Calvinist camp or the Arminian camp. We were all settled into this deeply entrenched, long-standing either-or match when this pesky Open View came along creating more confusion and stirring up new debate. What if … More Greg Boyd & the Open View of God’s Foreknowledge
This week we’re kicking off MainStreet LifeGroups. Most churches over the past couple decades (especially) have realized the need to move people beyond the Sunday morning worship service and into deeper fellowship. Small Groups have been the answer. Unfortunately, even while Small Groups have become a regular item on every church’s program offerings, and leaders … More Naked Church 2: Key Elements of Church
What is the essence of ‘church’ when you strip it down to it’s naked core? When you get below all the cultural trappings and stylistic garb we dress her in, what is the church really? We tend to focus on the external forms and activities of the church – buildings, programs, services, worship styles, liturgy, … More Naked Church 1: What’s it Really About?
“Don’t you have a saying, ‘It’s still four months until harvest’? I tell you, open your eyes and look at the fields! They are ripe for harvest” (John 4:35). There’s a powerful lesson and warning to the church in this passage I’ve never noticed until today. It seems as though Jesus is confronting a popular … More When Conventional Wisdom Reaches it’s Expiration Date
I highly recommend attending this event.
Hi blog friends, My dear wife, Keri — the warmer, lighter side of this marriage — has been keeping a “secret blog” for the past several months. Not really secret, but for the past year she has been quietly chronicling the crazy season of transition we’ve been experiencing in leaving Faith Covenant, venturing into Church … More Keri’s Secret Blog (Sshhhh!)
I saw this today at Jesus Creed: “At the end of the day, elections don’t shape or influence our cultural imaginations. On the contrary, our imaginations influence our elections, as the naive nation builders who thought that bringing elections to Iraq would transform the country discovered, much to their dismay. As the midterm elections approach, … More QUOTABLES: Russ Reno on Elections & Imagination
For all the good ministry Mark Driscoll does for the Kingdom, there is still enough bad in my opinion to require a clear “Warning Label” on his teachings and ministry. When hammering out the essentials of discipleship and faith, I can stomach his teachings and be challenged and sharpened by him. Yet, he’s notorious for … More Driscoll on Husbands as Stay-at-Home Dads
Does Halloween have Christian origins, pagan origins, or both? I’ve heard much of the ancient celtic Druids and the pagan festivals of the dead, and so on. Yet, today I read another perspective that challenges the pagan origins and argues that Halloween has very pure, Christian roots. I highly recommend reading “Concerning Halloween by James … More The True Origins of Halloween
Jesus was not seeker sensitive. He was not after the crowds. Obviously, his signs and wonders, and authoritative teaching naturally drew crowds. But in the scene below we find Jesus trying to escape the clamoring crowds and find a moment of solitude. Even more shocking, when his disciples tell him of a crowd of people … More The Day Jesus Skipped Church (Mark 1:35-39)
This is a repost from last year. -JB It’s that diabolical week again. This Sunday night many paranoid Christians will be once again hunkered down in their basements (if not at a “Harvest Party” at church) with their front porch lights off holding prayer vigils to ward off those sinners who participate in this evil … More Just Lighten Up & Give Them Candy
I went there to look for a new book to read, but found myself reading the bookstore and its shoppers instead. Let me share what I observed. Steady traffic by the Diet and Cookbook section. Many people concerned with their physical appetite and eating habits browsed through Magic with Meats, Vegetarian and natural food options, … More Lazy Day Observations at Barnes & Noble
Do you ever feel like God has left the building? Ever feel like your prayers are bouncing off the ceiling? Ever desire to rekindle those old feelings of passion and intimacy with God you once felt? What do you do when you just don’t feel like loving God anymore? Brian McLaren offers some great pastoral … More Q&A: How do I rekindle my love for God?
Here’s another repost from the past. Life is a little busier these days and I haven’t had time or energy to invest in many new posts. As you can probably see, my time has been going into videos rather than blogs. ‘Tis the season we’re in right now. Peace, JB I always heard that San … More God, Seasons & Spirituality
WARNING: Heavy Sarcasm. If you’ve never been around a church plant, you may miss this humor. Enjoy.
Scot McKnight at Jesus Creed is raising that touchy but crucial issue of national idolatry. I love America, democracy and the freedoms we enjoy in this great nation. I listen to my share of political talk and love keeping up on the latest debates. BUT….I also see many Christians who are far more interested and … More Church or State: Where do our hopes & passions lie?
This summer Keri and I began sharing the vision of MainStreet Community with others in Mound. A few months later, we are seeing God add to our number daily those who are catching the vision and joining the mission. We’ve had 40 or so people part of our Sunday evening Launch Team gatherings, and each … More Voices of MainStreet Community
In 2005, I was part of spearheading a teen ministry in Mound called the Revolution. This ministry used music outreach events to draw teens to hear about the revolutionary message of Jesus. Out of these “attractional” events, we invite students to join the revolution by attending The Way of the Revolutionary Bible Study that began … More MainStreet Revolution Kick-Off – Oct. 25 @ Threshold
This is a big deal for those like me who find themselves, as the Internet Monk used to say, “wandering about in the Evangelical wilderness in search of a more Jesus-shaped Christianity.” I think Scot McKnight is spot on in his analysis of the recent Albert Mohler cover story in Christianity Today and I stand … More McKnight on Al Mohler & the ‘Evangelical Shift’
Kingdom Harbor 