Summary: This long series of about 30 posts narrates Jeremy’s own spiritual journey from 2000-2007 exploring his radical transformation in college, vocational doubts in seminary, a long season of “tent-making” jobs in Mound, and the God-encounters that led Jeremy to plant a new, apostolic youth ministry — The Revolution — reaching teens for Christ in … More Divine Summons: A Spiritual Memoir 1
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
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
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
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
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
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
In the “Divine Summons” series, I am sharing an exciting season of obedience and Revolution ministry in Mound from 2005-2007. All Things to All People The Apostle Paul was willing to wear a lot of hats and learn to navigate many worlds in order to be a more effective servant of the gospel. As he … More Divine Summons 10
Nothing to Write Home About I have always imagined the apostle Paul spending every waking hour of his life teaching in a synagogue or preaching on a street corner somewhere. I doubt I’m the only one who has drawn this inaccurate assumption. I mean, this is the impression the writings give us — especially the … More Divine Summons 9
The Danger of the Day to Day Paul had direct orders to bring the gospel to the Gentile world. Aside from a short period of preparation in Arabia, Paul didn’t waste time in getting at it. I, on the other hand, had absolutely no direction for my future. Sure, I was investing years of study … More Divine Summons 8
2 The Trials & Triumphs of Tentmaking But when God, who set me apart from birth and called me by his grace, was pleased to reveal his Son in me so that I might preach him among the Gentiles, I did not consult any man, nor did I go up to Jerusalem to see those … More Divine Summons 7
This is my version of the story after years of reflecting back upon that night in the dining center with my new Bible. I have not tried to embellish it or exaggerate the claims. Though, truth be told, you might get a very different story if you asked someone who was close to me during … More Divine Summons 6
Hearts Burning & Worldview Turning I was no different than the two disciples on the road to Emmaus as I walked across the Bethel campus through the cool spring rain to the dining center toting my new Bible. My future was filled with uncertainty. The story I had been living in — one of my … More Divine Summons 5
A Cliffhanger And It’s Sequel Take a survey sometime of Bible reading Christians and ask them if they’ve spent more time reading the Gospels or the Book of Acts. The answer is will always be the Gospels. And it’s not even a close contest. But why is this? I think the answer is quite obviously … More Divine Summons 4
1 In My Former Book In my former book, Theophilus, I wrote about all that Jesus began to do and to teach until the day he was taken up to heaven, after giving instructions through the Holy Spirit to the apostles he had chosen. After his suffering, he showed himself to these men and gave … More Divine Summons 3
A Story of Stories My story begins somewhere in the middle of this human struggle to trust my life to God while maintaining control of my own destiny. I was steadily plodding along in my second year of college at Bethel University (then Bethel College). I was doing my best to write my own story, … More Divine Summons 2
“I will remember the deeds of the LORD;
yes, I will remember your miracles of long ago” (Psalm 77:11).
We gain the confidence to face an uncertain future by remembering the faithfulness of God in the past. We are entering a season of uncertainty. Keri and I are preparing to close another chapter in our life of ministry together, and begin a new chapter soon.
Yet, our current chapter at Faith Covenant Church came unexpectedly and all too suddenly for me. When we arrived at Faith in the fall of 2007 I wasn’t ready to close the book on the previous chapter of ministry in Mound. We were seeing a genuine movement of God explode in my hometown, as The Revolution ministry I planted was steadily gaining steam. … More Divine Summons: Introduction
Coffeehouse Live at Ground Zero The next outreach event would be similarly geared towards drawing the local musicians in the school. Many decided they wanted to take the stage after seeing the first Battle of the Bands. But I wondered if we could cast the invitation even wider than just musicians. We decided to inaugurate … More Divine Summons 30
Prepare For Battle My conversation with Bryan Royle in the park had convinced me that the best way to draw a crowd and get the attention the students in town was to host a Battle of the Bands. I immediately began planning the big night. This is when the Kingdom mustard seed began to grow. … More Divine Summons 27
Chapter 6 Let’s Make Some Noise “Soon the whole city was in an uproar. The people seized Gaius and Aristarchus, Paul’s traveling companions from Macedonia, and rushed as one man into the theater. . . The assembly was in confusion: Some were shouting one thing, some another. Most of the people did not even know … More Divine Summons 26
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
Jeremy L. Berg 