Starting on Sunday, I will begin preaching on Bethel’s core values. I am hoping you will either come to church and hear about what we value or listen in via podcast or download. These two sentences may cause you to yawn or even second guess coming to church but I want to tell you that…
I hope you take the time to watch the video above. This comes from our Presiding Bishop of the ELCA; Elizabeth Eaton. This video will be shown at the synod assemblies across the United States, however I believe this is too good not to share with you! Bishop Eaton is reflecting on the future of…
Last Sunday, I talked about “spiritual light.” You can listen to the sermon here: https://benbergren.com/sermon-lighting-the-way/ . Having only a limited amount of time on Sunday morning, I can only go so far before someone in the sound booth turns off my microphone. I know you are thankful that there are “checks and balances” at Bethel…
A Day in the Life of Your Pastor… Today was the day. Bethel Lutheran School students and staff duct taped me to the “ball wall” on the playground. No, I wasn’t ambushed or held hostage. (However some students asked if I was going to be there all night.) I actually agreed to this. This was…
According to Luke who wrote both The Gospel According to Luke and Acts of the Apostles researched the life of Jesus in order “to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus, so that you may know the certainty of the things you have been taught.” (Luke 1:3-4) Luke investigated the life of Jesus…
It is Maundy (Commandment) Thursday (as I write this). Later today we will remember the covenant God made with us through His son Jesus. The bread and wine of Holy Communion are the means by which that covenant is experienced. The Lord’s Supper is such a wonderful gift! Every time we gather at…
We are almost to Jerusalem… As “mainline protestants” we are a week away from the season of Lent ending and entering into something called Holy Week. For those who are not a part of a historic liturgical church—church seasons seem odd and out of place because they are not found in the Bible. That point…
Indeed, the greatest need of all is to pray for our civil authorities and the government, for chiefly through them does God provide us our daily bread and all the comforts of this life. Although we have received from God all good things in abundance, we cannot retain any of them or enjoy them in…
I recently read an article that made me shake my head in agreement from a periodical named the Christian Century. The Christian Century is a well-respected Christian journal. No fly-by-night operation here. They do good work. This article is by William Willimon. William Willimon is an American theologian and bishop in the United Methodist Church,…
Faith is such a personal thing we don’t like to talk about it to just anybody. Anymore, conversations regarding faith are limited to the closest of friends and family. Discussions of theology are much safer in a crowd. Faith, not so much. I get it—I often use the false statement of “my faith.” The trust…
