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 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
This photo has been making the rounds in the blogosphere this week. I can’t resist sharing it, too.
“Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them. Does he not leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it?” (Luke 15:4) I suspect Jesus wouldn’t last long in churches today before being fired for “irresponsible” leadership. What pastor in his right … More Leaving 99 to find 1
Today we begin an ongoing series of reflections on Mark’s gospel. Saddle up for a discipleship adventure! At that time Jesus came from Nazareth in Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. As Jesus was coming up out of the water, he saw heaven being torn open and the Spirit descending on him … More Adventures in Mark 1 (1:9-13)
I just discovered that one of my previous articles was picked up and published at Youthworker.com recently under the title “Feeling Inadequate: Encouraging Words for Self-Doubt.” You can check it out HERE if you would like.
Keri and I had the wonderful opportunity to fly to Nashville and participate in an intense church leadership assessment process with some 13 other couples. For four days we were observed, went through several interviews, had some sessions with a therapist exploring our marital and emotional health, participated in a number of case studies where … More Seeking God in Nashville
The angelic voice and raw faith of Jennifer Knapp provided the soundtrack for much of my own college days as God was helping me discover who I was and where my journey was heading. She came on the scene quickly, making an impact, attracting a large, loyal fan base and selling a lot of records … More Jennifer Knapp Comes Back and Out
On a prayer walk last night around midnight I was walking down the boardwalk connecting the public docks near the center of the town. The breeze was light, and there was lightning flashing on the western horizon — a beautiful display of light-works for a soul awaiting my own enlightenment. I found a large boulder … More Empty Docks and Wayward Vessels
The past week I’ve been mourning the loss of a good friend — though we never met in person. If you never knew the Internet Monk, Michael Spencer, it is never too late to get to know him. He has left us a treasure trove of writings and podcasts that will continue to reach many … More Remembering Michael Spencer (1956-2010)
Martin Luff pointed me to the Tall Skinny Kiwi’s good thoughts in response to this video where John Piper comments on the ‘Emerging Church.’ Check out the video and then read this response. What are your thoughts?
Michael Patton of Reclaiming the Mind runs the Credo House of Theology, a theology hub and coffee house in Oklahoma. I have to say that this would be a dream job for me someday. Anyone up for for some coffee, community and some conversation about the things that matter most in life? Keri makes some … More Living the Dream
My phone rang today. I picked it up to hear those exciting words: “Congratulations! You have won a free cruise!” Yeah, right. What’s the catch? This must be a scam. I’ve never won any drawings I’ve entered. Even though the voice on the other end was friendly and sounded sincere, I was a mean sounding, … More Too Good To Be True
Kingdom Harbor 