This past week three college students of mine met up at Gale Woods Farm to go on a nature walk together. Not just any nature walk; a Jesus Walk aimed at letting the sights and sounds of nature amplify some core teachings of Jesus. The vision for “Jesus Walks” was hatched last spring in Australia while sipping chai tea on sabbatical. … More Jesus Walks and Kingdom Talks
Educational models today are more focused on efficient content delivery than the teacher’s pedagogy and relationship with students. I fear we’re delivering disembodied ideas and degrees, but less and less embodied wisdom. … More Teachers, Students & Effective Education
Throughout the Gospels, Jesus drew huge crowds. There was an irresistible enigma to him. He is the ultimate charismatic teacher and leader. What is it about Jesus’ teaching and his style of teaching that was so attractive? … More Wise Teaching
The most formative influences in my life, after my parents, have been my professors. My life’s trajectory changed 20 years ago after sitting in Professor Holmes’ Life & Teachings of Paul class and Professor Eddy’s Historical Jesus class in college. My view of reality and the Christian faith was revolutionized by a paper I wrote for Professor Scourgie’s Intro to … More Call Me Prof!
For some say, “Paul’s letters are demanding and forceful, but in person he is weak, and his speeches are worthless!” (2 Cor 10:10) Have you heard of the 10,000 Hour Rule? Associated with popular writer Malcolm Gladwell and his book Outliers, the principle holds that 10,000 hours of “deliberate practice” are needed to become world-class in any … More Only 5,275 Hours to Go!
I often talk about church as a car repair shop rather than a Sunday trip through a car wash. While the latter may feel nice and give your exterior a little extra shine for a few days, it does not address the ‘engine’ inside that makes us go. At MainStreet we desire to open the … More Epictetus: Soul-Wrenching Work
This is an excerpt from a much longer essay I wrote called “Royal Scribes in the King’s Court: Ancient Education & Christian Discipleship” published in a little book of essays called “Life in King Jesus’ Colony” from my doctoral studies. I hail from good Lutheran stock from the Midwest (Minnesota) where we shared … More Political Discipleship in the Christian Colony
Here’s a portion of my latest doctoral essay exploring the power of “Embodied Wisdom.” This section looks at the role of emotional vulnerability in a pastor’s leadership and example. A popular phrase I’m hearing these days is “People don’t care how much you know, until they know how much you care.” I’m a guy who … More The Emotionally Real Pastor
My current doctoral research has me exploring the relational dynamics between ancient Greco-Roman moral philosophers and their students. I’m hoping the historical context will shine fresh light on the Apostle Paul’s interactions with those under his care and teaching. I’ve been digging into the likes of Plutarch, Seneca, Epictetus, Cicero, Lucian, Quintilian, Dio Chrysostom as … More Teachers & Role Models in Ancient Times
If you’re one of the 2 people out there curious about the kinds of things I’m exploring in my doctoral program, here’s an essay from my last seminar on scribes and literacy in the ancient world. This essay addresses the question: “To what extent did literacy play a role in the spiritual development of Paul’s converts?” Enjoy … More Learning & Literacy in Paul’s Churches
In this series I’m sharing some Bible verses that have been pivotal in my personal faith formation and life journey. For each time I speak….the word of the LORD has resulted In reproach and derision all day long. But if I say I’ll never mention the LORD or speak in his name, his word burns in … More LIFE VERSES 5: Jeremiah 20:9
Most colleges and university programs have favorite professors who sometimes have long waiting lists to get into their most popular classes. When I was an undergrad at Bethel University (1998-2002), one such class was “The Life & Teachings of Paul” taught by Dr. Michael Holmes. (The only class in the Bible & Theology department that … More Sages Then & Now: Philo
In 2012 a newspaper article was published describing the original vision for our MainStreet location, and I encourage you to go read it here. Here’s a taste: MainStreet will soon open a new center in the Stonegate Plaza in Mound. Hometown Pastor Jeremy Berg is quick to make clear, “This is not a church building; … More NEW: Three Taverns @ MainStreet
Matt Friedeman’s book The Master Plan of Teaching (1990) examines Jesus’ teaching style and suggests the following formula emphasizing that content alone is not enough, but the teacher-student relationship is a central ingredient: COMMUNICATION = CONTENT + RELATIONSHIP He then offers some steps toward effective interpersonal relationships in the graph below. Pastors and teachers who want to … More Teaching & Interpersonal Relationships
As my 35th birthday approaches, I’m looking back through some old journal entries. In my mid-twenties I had one big aspiration for my life: to put my knowledge to good use by becoming a teacher/college professor. The problem was I had no clue how to teach, and learning and teaching are too very different things. I … More Like a Unicorn at a Balloon Popping Party (or The Joy of Teaching)
Another excerpt from Will Willimon’s book “Pastor.” In this section, Willimon addresses a mindset common among Baby Boomers (and passed down to their children, I might add): “A few years ago, three sociologists, noting the huge decline in memberships being suffered by mainline (now fast becoming the old-line or sidelined) denominations, described what they termed … More Pastor 9 – Baby Boomers’ Bondage to Self
Jeremy L. Berg 