Rev. Dr. Michael Berg
Tuesday, Jan 24
3:15 – 4:30 pm
Living in Two Kingdoms
God rules two kingdoms: the kingdom of his left hand (the world) and the kingdom of his right hand (the church). These two kingdoms overlap in the life of every believer but should never be confused or blended. This doctrine is tested in every generation by the temptation to advance the cause of the church through politics or even open rebellion. Yet the central concern for those who take two-kingdom theology seriously is the clear proclamation of the gospel—not the promotion of a style of government, the advancement of a partisan agenda, or even the ambitious remaking of culture. The gospel itself is lost whenever the two kingdoms are mixed. An unnecessary barrier is placed between the sinner and the Savior when political arguments or cultural battles replace sound theology and faithful preaching.
The antidote is to actually preach the gospel—not just about the gospel—and to replace shallow labels and tired slogans with the robust and profound message of Christianity that truly changed the world. In this session we will refresh our understanding of two-kingdom theology and discuss practical ways to speak truth and love in a polarized culture without ceding the truth of Christ.
Rev. Dr. Michael Berg is an associate professor of theology at Wisconsin Lutheran College in Milwaukee, Wis., where he teaches Apologetics, Christian Worship, Life and Thought of Martin Luther, Christ in the Old Testament, and Christ and Culture. He is married to Amanda and together they have three daughters. Before moving to Milwaukee, the Bergs lived in Wood Lake, Minn., where Michael served as pastor of St. John’s Lutheran Church and Amanda as the director of St. John’s Lutheran Preschool. Dr. Berg is a graduate of Martin Luther College; Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary; The International Academy of Apologetics, Human Rights, and Evangelism; and Biola University. He is the author of Vocation: The Setting for Human Flourishing (1517), The Baptismal Life (NPH), On Any Given Sunday (1517), and an upcoming book entitled Peter: Theologian of the Cross (NPH). He is also co-host of the podcast Let the Bird Fly.
