In this episode I share a word on our upcoming Country Jam event this Wednesday, and a short reflection from a brief encounter with my high school cross country and basketball coach on a wooded trail one morning. Coach’s cliche coaching advice strangely lined up perfectly with the Holy Spirit’s whisper in my ears these days. … More Podcast #201 – Keep Shooting!
A lady has been walking down our road every day for nearly a decade. I usually pass her in my car, try to make eye contact and wave good morning. She never waves back. Always stern-faced. Never a hint of a smile. Today, I was at the bus stop with Abby when she appeared out of the fog like a character in Scooby Doo. To my shock, the woman was beaming with a smile and she spoke! … More Foggy Morning After
A shocking, even offensive detail, jumped out as I read the account of Bartimaeus, a blind beggar, this time. Why would Jesus ask a blind man to come to him? Wouldn’t it be easier and more considerate for the able-bodied man to go over to the disabled man? Perhaps there’s a deeper spiritual lesson here to ponder. Let’s dig in. … More Blind Obedience
In Mark 7, we encounter a Jesus who is a bit more intrusive and hands-on than we were prepared for. We want God’s healing touch, but we would prefer if he worked the miracle from a safe distance. We desire God’s healing and pray for him to show up in our lives, but are we willing to embrace the messy, personal boundary-breaking processes by which God may choose to show up? … More The Sigh of Jesus
Physical touch has profound effects on well-being, as shown in studies, yet many feel deprived. This week’s Gospel lesson of the woman healed by touching Jesus’s cloak emphasizes the significance of physical contact. In today’s digital world, there is a growing need to prioritize face-to-face interactions and embrace the healing power of physical touch. … More Healing Touch & Touch-less Faith
I love reading familiar Bible stories with an eye for the odd and often missed detail that invites further inquiry. In the beloved story of Jesus calming the storm, we jump right over one strange detail and focus on the storm, the frightened disciples, Jesus sleeping on the cushion, and his divine power over the sea. But what ever happened to the “other boats” that set out on the seas with Jesus that stormy night? Buckle up. … More What about the Other Boats?
My kids are learning to play the piano. While we could have had them watch YouTube instruction videos, we signed them up for private lessons. Once a week they sit side by side at the piano, Miss Liz “taking them by the hand” and tailoring lessons to their skill level and needs, manipulating their fingers, correcting and encouraging, addressing their questions and meeting each student where they are at. This reminds me of Jesus and discipleship. … More Parables and Private Lessons
Let’s dig into Genesis 3, a text ripe and juicy with deep insights. Humanity, estranged from God after disobeying, feels exposed and fearful, hiding from God. But God seeks them out, asking where they are not for location, but for the state of their souls. They are covered in grace, as God clothes them, revealing His relentless pursuit of His wayward children. … More Evening Breeze in the Garden
This week a PGA golfer was found dead in his home by suicide at the age of 30. He had battled depression and anxiety for years, being quite open about his struggles. I have also faced recurring bouts with depression and anxiety. I call it a “dark cloud” that occasionally settles over my thoughts and emotions, blocking out the light and leaving me in the shadows. Psalm 139 can help us through the darkness and back into the light. … More Weighty Thoughts: On Depression
My mom took us three kids to the mall when we were at prime begging age. Mom probably intended to simply return something and come home empty handed. Instead, she came home with a kitten from the mall pet store. That lucky kitten was rescued from bondage, adopted into a new family, and brought into a new realm of life and possibilities. Let’s explore Romans 8:12-17 in this light. … More “Here, Kitty, Kitty!”
Today I compare God’s transforming power to a home renovation project, emphasizing the importance of visualization and imagination. Did you know Ezekiel’s vision of the valley of dry bones played a pivotal role in the launch of MainStreet? I share how and explore the need for God’s transformative breath to revive and transform souls, and the need for a vivid, colorful vision of God’s desired future for us to enliven dead faith. … More Dry Bones TV Network
The “truth” has always been a slippery thing, easily manipulated, easily spun, misplaced or lost in the couch cushions of public discourse. The atomic, bone rattling, earth-shaking radioactive Truth Bomb of the ages is that since the incarnation of the Word, all human ideas, arguments, concepts, abstractions, formulas, presentations, editorials, principles, etc. of “truth” must now stand before and buckle its knees in the presence of the Truth Incarnate. … More Truth Bomb
We walked into the travel agency and nervously picked through the brochures on the wall, each advertising exotic destinations filled with sun and ocean-scapes. We were teenagers dreaming and scheming about our senior trip that spring. After much deliberation and bargaining with our parents, me and my five best friends were preparing for a spring break cruise together in the Caribbean. … More Jesus, Travel Agent
The passage from Acts 8:26-40 reminds us to be open to the Spirit’s leading, even when we don’t understand why. Jeremy then offers a spiritual reading of the Ethiopian’s “Chariot” encouraging us to seek out spiritual mentors and sacred spaces where we can go for “chariot chats”: asking questions, grappling with Scripture, learning and worshiping and growing together. … More Your Chariot Awaits!
If I’m being honest, my heart has been condemning me quite a bit lately. My heart desires to honor God by living a life of love and acting in ways worthy of Christ. But I keep falling short. I keep missing the mark. This week’s lectionary text brings us into a section of 1 John that is equal measures reassuring and unsettling. … More Ease Up, My Heart
Recently a very popular pastor came under public attack, lost numerous speaking invitations, and had his radio program canceled. What was his sin? He counseled a grandmother to attend her trans grandchild’s wedding. The pastor himself is extremely conservative on matters of marriage and sexuality, and his theological position on these issues has not changed. … More Fundamentalism’s Folly (Skye Jethani)
The story of Jacob’s dream in Genesis 28 reveals a stairway connecting Heaven and Earth, with angels ascending and descending. This reminds us of God’s presence in our lives – especially in the dry seasons – bringing hope and carrying our burdens. Jesus, as the gateway to Heaven, brings the heavenly realm to Earth, uniting believers with God’s supernatural activity.
… More Angels in the Desert
This week’s psalm lands us on the Divine Counselor’s couch, and we pour out our soul in his presence. If you think you’re having a bad day, sit in on the psalmist’s session and count your blessings! Some days we study and learn from Scripture. Other days we curl up in the fetal position and groan along with Scripture. … More On the Divine Therapist’s Couch
The Fifth Sunday in Lent reminds us of the necessity of enduring hardships for growth and maturity, both spiritually and in all aspects of life. Just as a diamond forms under pressure, Jesus’ suffering leads to glorification. We are called to embrace present challenges for future joy, allowing God to shape us into immortal diamonds through adversity. … More Crushed Bones into Spiritual Diamonds
Remember the moment on “Little House on the Prairie” when Mary goes blind? Drawing a parallel with the story in Numbers 21 and emphasizing the importance of looking at God with the eyes of faith, Jeremy urges a deeper, all-senses kind of seeing to live faithfully. … More Blind, Now I See
Ephesians 2:1-10 expands our understanding of salvation, highlighting the ongoing battle against the unholy trinity. Salvation is not just about forgiveness, but about being raised up with Christ and fulfilling our divine role as rulers over creation. This calls for a deeper engagement with the Church’s role in manifesting God’s kingdom on earth. … More Seated in Heavenly Places
The most important interpretive decision I ever made was to let Jesus be God’s definitive and final Word. He is my north star. He is my hermeneutic. Echoing C. S. Lewis, Jesus guides my reading of Scripture not only because I see Jesus in the text, but because by Jesus I have come to see everything else in a new light. … More Gold, Honey & Jesus
The Gospel reading for this week gets to the heart of everything. This is it. Choose the scandalous Way of the Cross and be a disciple of Jesus, or keep stamping Jesus’ name on the Ways of the World and be Satan’s sucker. There’s no neutral ground beneath the cross: you’re either mocking or marveling. … More Mocking or Marveling at the Cross?
While we may be foolhardy and fumble footed in our efforts to bear fruit, God wants to step into our weed-infested lives and dilapidated dreams to grow something in us! And if God can make a wrinkly 99 year old on viagra exceedingly fruitful, then imagine what kind of a beautiful garden he can make out of your life? … More Exceedingly Fruitful
This exposition of 1 Peter 3:18-22 emphasizes a spiritual battle between good and evil forces, urging Christians to be aware of this cosmic struggle. It highlights the role of Jesus in overcoming evil and calls for believers to resist being manipulated by worldly powers. The text also stresses the importance of having a clear conscience before God, rather than pursuing selfish desires or political victories. … More An Appeal for a Clear Conscience
Jeremy L. Berg 