Dear Pastor,
June 30 marks the eight-year anniversary of the return of Issues, Etc. In 2008, Issues, Etc. was being heard on more than 100 radio stations nationwide, on Sirius-XM satellite radio, and worldwide via the Internet. It was shut down and silenced during Holy Week of that year. The previous leadership of The Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod cancelled Issues, Etc. Click here to read a Wall Street Journal column written shortly after those events in 2008.
Jeff Schwarz and I learned the hard way that it really does matter who we elect to lead the LCMS.
Two years later, we learned that lesson again – but in a much better way. In 2010, the LCMS elected the Rev. Matt Harrison to serve as president, and he has served most faithfully. During the last six years, we have witnessed a renewal in the LCMS in proclaiming the pure Law and Gospel, both domestically and abroad. President Harrison has provided bold leadership in standing up against encroaching governmental efforts to infringe on our religious liberties. We have witnessed excellence in sending out missionaries, providing disaster relief, and in providing passionate pro-life leadership. The LCMS is, for the first time, engaged in serious discussions with our former partners, the Wisconsin Synod and the Evangelical Lutheran Synod, and is in serious conversations with other church bodies who share our respect for the Bible and our concern over the devastating trajectory of social issues in this nation. In fact, the LCMS is leading a shift toward biblical fidelity in world Lutheranism as has never been seen. The LCMS has come a long way since 2008!
However, there are current and aspiring leaders in the LCMS who would like to turn the calendar back to 2008 – back to a time when an outreach program like Issues, Etc. was silenced without warning. Let’s not allow that to happen!
If you’re a voter for the LCMS presidential election, please vote to re-elect President Harrison. Voting takes place June 11-14, 2016. If you’re not a voter, encourage your pastor or your congregation’s lay voter to vote for President Harrison.
Thanks for your consideration!
Wir sind alle Bettler,
Todd Wilken, host
Issues, Etc.