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.
Hi blog readers and friends! I’m enjoying my “blog-cation” this July. Providing “daily” illumination everyday for the past 500+ days straight was…well…time consuming work. Plus transitioning into the lifestyle of a church planter this summer has added a whole new intensity and work load to my life. But this new ministry adventure also brings fresh … More Personal Update – July 2010
Continued growth is the key to success in any arena of life. The same holds true with love and marriage. I have never loved my bride more than I do today on our 5th anniversary. We have never been healthier and more satisfied in our marriage we are today. But our first couple years of … More Five Years of Marriage
I need a “blog-cation” — a vacation from blogging. I need to step completely away for a month. I may post a couple of personal updates during July, but I need to free myself from the self-imposed pressure to provide new content daily. This is long overdue. Pray for us when you think of us. … More See you in August…
I’m grateful for culturally engaging Christian networks like Origins. From Scot McKnight at Jesus Creed: The Church in America is changing, and Origins is at the forefront. Origins is a worldwide network of leaders who follow Jesus thriving on the diversity and creativity growing in the Church. It’s an externally-focused network of creatives, business leaders, … More ORIGINS: The Forefront of Future Christianity
Just a personal update for some of you who only keep up with me through the blog these days. We’re busy sharing the vision of MainStreet Community in Mound this summer with family and friends from the area. We’re inviting people to join the launch team for this different kind of church community. To give … More NEW! MainStreet Community website!
CLARIFICATION: The “Divine Summons” series is telling the story of my call to Mound and the Revolution ministry we planted back in 2005-2007. This is not to be confused with our current efforts to continue that work with MainStreet Community. =) An Open Door of Ministry With the opposition-filled narrative-world of Acts shaping my personal … More Divine Summons 17
“This is the reason why a person is unable to find peace: they instill human apprehensions, preferring the pleasure of the present to the promise of the future. For they do not know what great torment the pleasure of the present brings, and what delight the promise of the future brings.” – From 2 Clement, … More QUOTABLES: 2 Clement
IV A Mustard Seed Revolution Begins When they arrived, they went upstairs to the room where they were staying. Those present were Peter, John, James and Andrew; Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew; James son of Alphaeus and Simon the Zealot, and Judas son of James. They all joined together constantly in prayer, along with … More Divine Summons 16
1. New churches are needed because the large majority of Americans do not attend a local church. About 17% of Americans attend a local church on any given Sunday. Many of those attend a church where they do not clearly hear the message of salvation in Jesus. 2. New churches are more effective than established … More Top 10 Reasons to Start New Churches
Are you afraid of failure like me? Do you celebrate your successes publicly and quietly sweep your not-so-successful ideas and attempts under the rug to save face? Here’s a good word for us by Mike Foster in an article called, “Snuggle Up With Failure.” Here’s a snippet below and a link to the full article: … More Mike Foster & the Value of Failure
This series tells the story of the Revolution in Mound back in 2005-2007. Divine Encounters and Open Doors I don’t think it was more than a week later that Keri and I were out on one of our walks about town. We stopped by Caribou Coffee as part of our normal routine. We struck up … More Divine Summons 15
The Lord still calls loyal servants to accomplish tasks far too great if He didn’t give us the power. This morning I went down to the lakeside, perched myself on the rocks and opened my Bible for my morning devotions. As I stared out at the islands and shoreline of Lake Minnetonka, I was given … More “Is It too Small A Thing?”
Walkin’ After Midnight It was episodes like Paul’s Macedonian Call that so enraptured me that night some five years ago in the dining center as I read the Acts of the Apostles for the first time. The question that haunted me from that day forward was simply this: Do I have the same God as … More Divine Summons 14
The Macedonian Call Paul was both an “Apostle” and “apostle.” The big “A” Apostles are in a class all by themselves. They played a unique, God-chosen role in the expansion of the church in those early days following Jesus’ Resurrection and Ascension. They had to have seen the risen Christ. Luke restricts this this to … More Divine Summons 13
The past 7 months have been filled with unexpected endings and goodbyes as well as thrilling new ministry horizons, conversations, training seminars, prayers and visioning work. Much of it I have not been able to share publicly — until now. What ministry is God calling us to next? Read and find out the journey the … More PERSONAL UPDATE 6/13
“Why do so many seekers report that they are attracted to Jesus but not to the church? Perhaps the problem is that the church has done a splendid job of concealing the powerful life-giving Jesus. We domesticate him; we make him our servant; we assume that people have more knowledge about him than they do. … More QUOTABLES: David T. Olson on Domesticating Jesus
I’ve been pulling DI classics out of the old archives this summer. The following is one of the more random posts I’ve written — hence, the title! Honestly, I wonder what exactly I was trying to say. But I feel today that same anticipatory spirit I was feeling back then in ’06. God is preparing … More Out of the Silent Fog to the Tuna Juggling Spectacular
Drivers Ed Car Confessions “Turn left up here. Now, let’s pull over and try an uphill park. Don’t forget to S.M.O.G. Do you remember what S.M.O.G. means? Yes, Signal, check your Mirrors, look Over your shoulder, and if it’s clear you can Go ahead.” Now, imagine carrying on like that for 4 hours straight, 5 … More Divine Summons 12
From Doug Fields and Matt McGill on growing and utilizing student leaders: Summer is a great time for you to develop student leaders and get them more involved in the youth ministry and feeling like they are making a difference. In order for this to happen, the youth ministry leadership team will need to “raise … More Expect More From Student Leaders
The political climate in America this week is boiling hot on the heals of Sunday night’s signing of the Obamacare proposal. There is an apocalyptic like mood on the conservative right, with talk show hosts prognosticating on the eventual collapse of America as we know it. Today, I walked to the gas station for a … More Which Government Do You Serve?
3 A Vision in the Night Paul and his companions traveled throughout the region of Phrygia and Galatia, having been kept by the Holy Spirit from preaching the word in the province of Asia. When they came to the border of Mysia, they tried to enter Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus would not allow … More Divine Summons 11
Here’s a great evangelism resource from James Choung. Can you articulate the full story of the gospel and what God’s doing in the world in Christ through the church? Here’s a great start.
I received this story by email. A good challenge. A few years ago a group of salesmen went to a regional sales conventionin Chicago . They had assured their wives that they would be home inplenty of time for Friday night’s dinner. In their rush, with ticketsand briefcases, one of these salesmen inadvertently kicked over … More “Excuse me. Are you Jesus?”
I’m reading a great book by David T. Olson, a church planting guru for the Evangelical Covenant Church, called “The American Church In Crisis.” Here’s an excerpt providing some perspective the older generation needs to wrestle with as we explore how the church can effectively engage 21st century America and reach the emerging generation with the … More Younger Christians’ Perspective
Kingdom Harbor 