jskogerboe.com :: one thing

I haven’t had a single preaching class yet.  No formal hermeneutics training on my resume.  No Greek or Hebrew language study…  yet.  I start Seminary in 5 days.  So I’ll probably learn all this stuff in class.  But until then, I have an honest question… Does every message I give need to be a presentation [...]

There was a little get together this weekend on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial.  Attendance reports vary from 87,000 (CBS news) to over half a million (Sky News) largely conservative (including many evangelical Christians) gathered for… um… a non-political, pro-conservative, limited government, support-the-troops, uh… revival meeting. I’ll put my cards on the table.  More and more, Glenn [...]

It seems every Hollywood movie marketed to main stream adults these days has one thing in common…  a bed-room scene. I’m talking about that poignant moment in every film when the tension in the plot line is cut, and heart-strings are pulled, and we begin to truly empathize on an emotional level with our protagonist.  They [...]

  Almost two weeks ago now, novelist Anne Rice (famous for her “Vampire Chronicles” series, including Interview With the Vampire) did something, because of her faith in Jesus Christ, that resonated with a lot of people. She left Christianity. July 29, 2010, on her Facebook page, Anne posted the following: In follow-up posts and interviews, Anne has continued to espouse [...]

  May 9, 2010.  Living Hope Church in St. Michael-Albertville, MN.  I taught some practical Biblical principles to help make a wise choice when we face a big decision.  The kind that will change the direction of our life.  Should I take that job?  Where do I go to school?  Should I ask her to marry [...]

May 9, 2010.  Living Hope Church in St. Michael-Albertville, MN.  This was our Mother’s Day message, but let’s be honest…  Moms deserve this kind of encouragement every week.  Am I right, or am I right?  Moms, we love you.  God knew we needed you, and His perfect design had you in mind.  I hope this message fills [...]

I’m ready for this discussion. The Church needs to have it. John Piper has a word of warning for both those who abandon or avoid sound theology for emotionalism -AND- those who abandon a simple, passionate love relatonship with God for love of theological debate. Emotional existentialism. Doctrinal dogmaticism. Both are IDOLATRY. “You must love [...]

The first memory I have of Auntie Natalie is eating frost she had scraped out of the freezer on the farm in Karlstad, MN, out of a plastic glass with a metal spoon.  Like a naked snow cone.  And listening to a Steve Martin album in her bedroom.  I must have been five or six, maybe.  [...]

  Over the last three days I’ve been engaged in a fascinating and heart-churning discussion with an old friend.  We use to lead worship together.  Now, he’s abandoned faith for reason, and considers God worse than a fairy tale.  I’m deeply glad we’ve connected again. And here’s the deal… I’m not responsible for his relationship to [...]

You can’t argue someone into – or out of – belief. I could end this post right there. But I’ll add this much…  I embrace these Biblical principles of faith that live in tension with each other: 1) We need to think.  Logic and reason and thorough examination of our faith claims is a necessary part of [...]