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.
I’ve been reading Neil Cole’s book “Organic Church” recently. I love his passion and ideals. But his optimism and idealism should be balanced with other voices who’ve learned their own lessons while “digging in the dirt” of organic church leadership. Here’s a great article for organic church planters and leaders from Leadership Journal by Brian … More A Lesson for Organic Church Leaders
The Aftermath That first Battle of the Bands event was great success and a major breakthrough for the Revolution. I felt even more like apostle Paul now, as I went back to my daily grind of juggling three jobs plus pioneering an groundbreaking ministry. At school the following week I was met with a buzz … More Divine Summons 29
Welcome to Ground Zero The night arrived and I was giddy with anticipation and quite nervous as well. I had never planned an event of this caliber. I had spent a couple months networking with local churches and leaders, arranging for sound equipment, chasing flighty teenagers around trying to get the bands to commit and … More Divine Summons 28
A Less Eventful Upper Room Experience You would laugh if you saw what our first youth group gathering looked like. On an unusually warm Indian summer night in September, our “youth group” huddled together for the first time in our own upper room, much like the first followers of Jesus did in Acts 1. It … More Divine Summons 20
Revolutionary Christianity The early Jesus movement was a revolutionary force for good. Though it didn’t spread across the Roman empire without stirring up a good deal of trouble (as we saw above). Consider Paul’s visit to Thessalonica described in Acts 17. When the Jesus-movement came to town the whole city knew about it; but they … More Divine Summons 19
A Sleepy Church or Sleeping Giant? Bethel Methodist Church is a small, aging congregation struggling to grow and bring in younger families and youth. Sunday attendance would average just around 100. It’s glory days were well over a decade behind them. Gray hairs filled the pews and youth and children were scant. Pastor was probably … More Divine Summons 18
Partners in the Work of the Gospel Anyone who has been involved with church ministry knows that ecumenical efforts are difficult to pull off. While local churches in smaller communities like to talk about mutual respect for and general partnership with neighboring churches in serving the community, rarely do you see them coming together for … More Divine Summons 25
I Have Many People in this City Once again God spoke most clearly to me through the story of Acts. I recalled the story of Paul’s time in Corinth where he too run up against obstacles and began to doubt himself and his mission. For all we know, Paul may have gone on his own … More Divine Summons 24
Loneliness is a Bitter Friend My story so far has been one of significant loneliness. The two years of college (2000-2002) following my deep inward shift of faith from my encounter with the Book of Acts were the loneliest of my life. There is a loneliness far worse than the lack of friends. It’s the … More Divine Summons 23
Chapter 5 I Have Many People in this Town “One night the Lord spoke to Paul in a vision: “Do not be afraid; keep on speaking, do not be silent. For I am with you, and no one is going to attack and harm you, because I have many people in this city.” So Paul … More Divine Summons 22
“Most educated atheists are much more likely to be suddenly ambushed in the heart by poetry than they ever are likely to be converted by a reasoned argument. A lot of what is conveyed by Christianity has to be conveyed in this form because words, even the most beautiful words, can never convey them.” – … More QUOTABLES: Peter Hitchens
I wonder what you think about Donald Miller’s post below. Thoughts? A couple times at a church I’m familiar with, here in Portland, the lead pastor, has very kindly asked people to leave. I remember a specific time he just stood up and asked how many people had been coming to church for a year … More Asking People to Leave Church (Miller)
I wrote this caption below on December 28, 2009, after our youth group Christmas party. About a week later I found out that my ministry position was being cut in the spring and this would be my last Christmas party with Fusion. For some reason I didn’t post this, thinking it may send the wrong … More An Extended Photo Caption
“Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed. Simon and his companions went to look for him, and when they found him, they exclaimed: “Everyone is looking for you!” Jesus replied, “Let us go somewhere else—to the nearby … More Adventures in Mark 3 (1:35-39)
How do you celebrate Earth Day? How do Christians be faithful to our divine mandate, the Bible and navigate the politics of the modern day Environmentalism movement? Kevin DeYoung has some thoughts for Christians on Building A Better Earth Day HERE. He begins: Today is Earth Day, the fortieth anniversary in fact. It’s hard for me … More Kevin DeYoung on Earth Day
I love Erwin.
After John was put in prison, Jesus went into Galilee, proclaiming the good news of God. “The time has come,” he said. “The kingdom of God is near. Repent and believe the good news!” As Jesus walked beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting a net into the lake, for they … More Adventures in Mark 2 (1:14-20)
“They Met In Their Homes” We spent the duration of the first school year meeting together with our small motley crew. One significant move we did make, and would become a hallmark of the Revolution, is we moved our gatherings out of the church and into our home. I felt that the church building carried … More Divine Summons 21
“Real grace is simply inexplicable, inappropriate, out of the box, out of bounds, offensive, excessive, too much, given to the wrong people and all those things.” -Michael Spencer, Internet Monk
This weekend the 19th Annual Wheaton Theology Conference featured a fruitful engagement with the scholarship of N.T. Wright. Thanks to the internet, you didn’t have to drive to Chicago to hear the great bishop and the other keynote speakers engaging and critiquing his works. Now, you can watch the videos or download the mp3 audio … More N.T. Wright Conference at Wheaton College
May God bless you with discomfort at easy answers, half truths, and superficial relationships, so that you may live deep within your heart. Amen. May God bless you with anger at injustice, oppression, and exploitation of people, so that you may work for justice, freedom and peace. Amen. May God bless you with tears to … More A Franciscan Blessing
I went today. I am fascinated by the Dead Sea Scrolls, and have had the opportunity to take classes on them a number of times — including with Dr. Michael Wise, a renowned DSS expert who teaches at Northwestern College and Bethel Seminary. I have taught a class on them, and have read several books … More Dead Sea Scrolls Exhibit
Kingdom Harbor 