At this past Lenten Wednesday service we (Divine Savior Lutheran Church, Shepherdsville, KY) had an opportunity to introduce a couple of young men into the service of our Lord. Many parishes often times have struggles with getting the young to want to participate in the service. It may be serving as an Acolyte or a Crucifer. But we have to ask the question why are so many of our young people unwilling or not wanting to serve the Pastor in delivering the Gospel? There is an innumerable amount of publications that teach us how to raise our youth so that   More…

We all know that Lent is a time for repentance, reconciliation amongst the brethren, and even suffering. It’s even an occasion for a fish fry or two. However, one thing that most often gets left out is using the Lenten season as a time for reflection. It’s important that we take the time everyday to contemplate, meditate, and reflect on the suffering, death, and resurrection of Christ. Why? Because we baptized have traveled the same travels with Christ. This is made more evident to us during the repentant season of Lent. In baptism we suffer as Christ suffered, we die   More…

On April 12th 1861 one of the most famous battles in American History began and opened up the flood gates to the bloodiest and costliest war that America had ever seen. The battle of Fort Sumter started a war that would leave 625,000 Americans, on both sides, dead. Three days after this battle Governor John W. Ellis wrote a letter to Simon Cameron, the Secretary of War and to the administration of President Abraham Lincoln. This letter read: “For dispatch is read and if genuine which its extraordinary character leads me to doubt I have to say in reply that   More…

I’m a young Pastor. I’m not apologetic about it. It is what it is. I haven’t been through the wars. I haven’t seen all that there is too see. I haven’t been in the old fashion trenches. There is much respect that should be given to those who have. I respect them immensely. That is, I respect those who have been through the wars and come out on the other side as confessional and evermore steadfast in the faith in our Lord Jesus Christ. I haven’t seen what many think should be seen to gain any kind of “creditability.” Fine.   More…

Nothing calls for confession quite like getting caught red handed. At least that is what Lance Armstrong is coming to learn. The 7 time Tour de France winner has been accused time after time of cheating by using performance enhancing drugs. He has denied it time after time. Okay. Who cares? But let’s take it back to confirmation class. If you lie, you confess. When you sin, you confess. We seek absolution for our offenses. Lance Armstrong knows this why else would he be going to confession with the great and powerful Oprah? Yes, Oprah. The post-modern, new age, check   More…

Meditation on New Years Eve Scripture Reading: Romans 6:1-4: What shall we say then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? By no means! We are those who have died to sin; how can we live in it any longer? Or don’t you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may have a new life. Meditation for New Years   More…

When you think of Higher Things what is the first thing that comes to your mind? Awesome conferences, right? They should! Because the Higher Things conferences are fantastic and because of them Higher Things has become a Lutheran staple in the catechesis of our youth! These conferences are great ways of remembering our heritage as the Church, being catechized in the true faith, and most importantly receiving the forgiveness of sins. But why should these learning opportunities come a few times a year? The truth is that these opportunities don’t only come once a year! Higher Things offers retreats throughout   More…

“These are not floor plans but explorations of forms that distinguish relationship between congregation, presider, and the transcendent.” –Father Gilbert Sunghera Ahhhh, the sweet sight, sound, smell, touch, and taste of liturgics! How wonderfully important it is that we receive the truth in a blissful, heavenly, and sacred space. Liturgics gives us a fantastic platform from which we receive the proclamation of the Gospel every single Sunday. Never should we just shrug off the importance of a beautiful sacred space in which we receive God’s gifts which are given to us so freely from our Lord Jesus Christ. Being from   More…

Lutheran theology is hard. Most of all for culture. Even other denominations have a hard time delving deep into the beautiful and rich understanding of steadfast Lutheranism all across the world. Growing up in the Bible belt, however the theology often played “second fiddle” to our theology in practice. My friends of evangelical roots could never quite grasp the understanding of the Divine Liturgy. They would ask; “Why all the standing up and sitting down?” “Why all the chanting?” “How can the Pastor forgive my sins… only God can do that?” For me this was a nearly every day conversation.   More…

Here it is folks! Lives ending to rousing applause. Why? For the sake of reducing teen pregnancy in the State of New York. Because certainly there can be no other way to avoid teen pregnancy other than murder… right? Many schools in the State of New York have been giving students Plan B, also known as, the morning after pill to reduce the number of teen pregnancies. If only there were another way, like teaching our children abstinence and a scriptural understanding of the evils of premarital sex. But nope, murder is in fashion this season and the ivory towers   More…

There is nothing quite like the sweet stench of being reminded just how human you are! It is one thing to proclaim that we bare the cross loudly and proudly when there is no suffering anywhere to be found and another when you are knocked to your knees with the reminder that you, yes even you, will suffer. Often times when one thinks of suffering we think of the humble tax collector in Luke 18 who wouldn’t raise his eyes to heaven and repented feebly for God to, “Have mercy on him, a sinner,” but normally what it looks like   More…

I must admit that like most of America I watched every moment of the Women’s team and individual gymnastics. What these women are able to do is simply amazing to say the very least. I know Aly Raisman did at least 14 back flips before landing back on the balance beam. I can’t seem to keep my Durango in between the white and blue line, but these 17 year old girls can land one toe on a dime. It was quite inspirational to watch our American ladies represent our fine country, however no one won the hearts of America Like   More…

Good grief! I don’t know about the rest of the faithful readers of BJS, but if you have had your eye on any societal media in the past 2 years there is a noticeable trend that is undeniable and disheartening: Intolerance is intolerable. But it seems that the one thing that society is the most intolerant against is the Gospel. This makes it increasingly difficult to live in our society (the common “good”) and have a true confession of Christian ideals, ethics, and proclamation of basic Christian truths. At least the world sees it this way. Our society is engaging   More…