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.
My blogging friend and brother in Christ, Michael Spencer, the Internet Monk, has gone home to be with the Lord tonight. I’ll bet he was hanging on to celebrate one more Easter Sunday on earth before he went to thank Jesus in person for his costly sacrifice. I will miss Michael’s writings and voice greatly. … More Michael Spencer, 1956-2010
Every Easter my wife gets a call from her dad singing this song from the top of his lungs! But he’s no match for this puppet choir! HAPPY RESURRECTION DAY!!
Joel Hanson, formerly of PFR, leads worship at Church of the Open Door (my second church home). He recorded this song some years back with the angelic Sara Groves. It has always had a way of moving me to tears of joy — and I don’t get misty too easily. The meaning is even more … More Travelin’ Light Because of Christ
In a religiously pluralistic world where all religions are supposedly equal and tolerance is the highest value, many Christians are dancing creatively around some of the less tolerant teachings of Jesus. What do we do with sayings like, “I am the way, the truth and the life; no one comes to the Father except through … More Emergent Theology and the Exclusivity of Christ
My recent post on Vocation and calling featured at Jesus Creed evoked some great comments that were helpful in taking my thoughts forward. Michael Kruse’s comments in particular are worth sharing repeating here. I found his reference to a trinitarian framework for calling very fascinating: I don’t know if you have ever read any of … More The Trinitarian Calling
These are the words that came to me on a prayer walk last night around midnight.
I’m pretty sure I cannot post this little tribute to my angel too many times! Here it is again: “Angels In The Skies” by yours truly. A free cookie to anyone who can name all the instruments I played in this hack-job recording.
I have a love-hate relationship with personal assessments. I love self-discovery and hold the ancient motto of Socrates in high regard: “Know thyself” and “The unexamined life is not worth living.” I’ve done the Myers-Briggs, StrengthsFinder, Spiritual Gifts inventory, EQ assessments, and currently doing some church planter assessments. Here’s my main frustration and source of … More Limitations of Personal Assessments
Regular readers of DI may have noticed a drop off in more personal, new content. As an internal processor and someone who likes to share my inward journey with God with others, the past 2 1/2 months have been hard for me. I have not been able to share openly about some personal circumstances that … More My Lenten Journey Through The Darkness
A good reminder for all Christian leaders by Pete Johnson from YouthWorker.com. His article begins, This issue of YouthWorker Journal contains some great articles about resources, methods and techniques, which can improve our effectiveness in working with teens; but I want to remind all of my fellow youth workers that all this stuff doesn’t mean a … More Our Lives are the Best Curriculum
The Josiah Smith Band have been a special part of my season of ministry at Fusion. They have been part of nearly all of our Fusion retreats and have left an impact on our group with their music and their sincere love of our students. One neat moment was when Josiah came to our morning … More Josiah Smith Band – “With Open Hands”
I’m sharing some noteworthy excerpts from one of my favorite, most influential books — “Resident Aliens: Life in the Christian Colony” by Stanley Hauerwas & William Willimon. Chapter four addresses Christian social ethics as faithfulness to the community’s normative story — in this case the Jesus-shaped story. “The habit of Constantinian thinking is difficult to … More Resident Aliens 4
This is a growing collection of resources to help familiarize Christians with the current debate on what the Bible teaches about homosexuality and how we can better love and minister to the GLBTQ community. WHAT DOES THE BIBLE TEACH? Here’s a good place to start if you’re wondering what the Bible teaches and how both sides make their … More Jesus, the Bible, & Homosexuality – Resources
“Nothing is impossible for the man who will not listen to reason.” -John Belushi (in the film “Animal House”)
As a sophomore in college two friends bought me a new study Bible as a gift. I took that Bible to the dining center and began reading the Acts of the Apostles for the first time. Something happened that night as I read this seemingly harmless story of the birth and expansion of the early … More ESSAY: The Collision of Stories: An Exploration in Narrative Theology (2002)
I’m sharing some noteworthy excerpts from one of my favorite, most influential little books on church engaging culture — “Resident Aliens: Life in the Christian Colony” by Stanley Hauerwas & Will Willimon. Chapter 3 is my favorite chapter of all, recasting the entire Christian life and experience of salvation as the invitation into a new, … More Resident Aliens 3
I found another great political insight at Jesus Creed Blog today. Sorry for so much political banter at DI lately. I hope my heart for a more balanced, nuanced and open-minded debate, and less polarization and stone-throwing is coming through in these posts. -Jeremy David Brooks gets it when it comes to how people are … More Sketching Obama
Chapter 2 of “Resident Aliens: Life in the Christian Colony” by Hauerwas & Willimon engages the issue of the church’s engagement with the powers-that-be. In typical Hauerwasian fashion, they suggest the church focus it’s energy on being the church — a distinct, alien tribe that remains faithful to it’s own life shaped by in the … More Resident Aliens 2
UPDATE: Albert Mohler has a fair critique of the situation from a conservative angle worth reading HERE. Can’t we just get along? Well, probably not. But can’t we just at least try to listen to and respect those on the other side of socio-political issues? I’ve been posting lately on the political question sparked by Glenn … More Polarized & Perplexed About Helping the Poor
Already 21 years old, “Resident Aliens: Life in the Christian Colony” is a little book by the Duke duo Stanley Hauerwas and William Willimon that purports to offer “a provocative Christian assessment of culture and ministry for people who know that something is wrong.” Two decades later, something is still wrong. This book speaks powerfully … More Resident Aliens 1
Recently Glenn Beck warned Christians to be suspicious of churches that promote “social justice.” His exact words on his March 2 show were: “I beg you, look for the words ‘social justice’ or ‘economic justice’ on your church Web site. If you find it, run as fast as you can. Social justice and economic justice, … More Witherington’s Response to Glenn Beck
“We have short attention spans. Having been introduced to God, we soon lose interest in God and become preoccupied with ourselves. Self expands and soul atrophies. Psychology trumps theology. … [And this] usually adds up to a workable life … But — it is not the practice of resurrection, it is not growing up in … More QUOTABLES: Eugene Peterson
Kingdom Harbor 