"Your labor is not in vain." It's one of Paul's most direct declarations in 1 Corinthians 15, and Dr. Jennifer Pietz, Assistant Professor of New Testament at Luther Seminary, believes it has everything to do with how church leaders carry their work today. In this Easter reflection, Jenny addresses three common misconceptions about resurrection that quietly hollow out hope in ministry, and grounds each one in what Paul actually argues in 1 Corinthians 15.

Resurrection isn't only about Jesus. It isn't only a future promise. And it isn't an escape from the world. It's the present foundation of Christian vocation, and the reason your labor in the Lord is never wasted. If you're a church leader who is tired, discouraged, or simply hungry for a word that goes deeper than Easter Sunday optimism, this reflection is for you.

• Mary Magdalene, La Malinche, and the Ethics of Interpretation by Jennifer Vija Pietz (Lexington Books/Fortress Academic, 2022)