The Convention Workbook 2016 of the Lutheran Church – Missouri synod contains these two overtures: 4-23 To Settle Prof. Jeffery Kloha Controversy 4-24 To Request Public Clarification of Kloha Paper This article is part 1 in a series triggered by … Continue reading
In its mission, the church always has run up against some recurring stock errors in the world’s thinking. These errors have a strong hold on the minds and hearts of people, and they are obstacles to people hearing or believing … Continue reading
We can use Arch Books coordinated with the Lectionary to engage young children in the Divine Service. We can reap other significant benefits at the same time. We have a problem with young children in the service. They are a … Continue reading
Many years ago when my wife and I started dating I was excited to learn she was Lutheran. Looking back at that time it is interesting to note that I had no idea what being Lutheran really meant. I grew … Continue reading
Napoleon moved with his army through Switzerland. People hailed him everywhere with thunderous applause and cheers. He seemed unimpressed. Someone said, “Isn’t it great, this roaring support of the people?” Napoleon replied, “The same people cheering for me today would … Continue reading
Pastor Michael Mohr, Grace Evangelical Lutheran Church, Strasburg, Illinois (LCMS) has developed a complete program of congregational catechesis. This is a coordinated approach for the whole congregation. In this program, youth are not over in one mind while adults are … Continue reading
Dr. Martin Luther said, “Let everyone know therefore, that it is his duty … to bring up his children above all things in the fear and knowledge of God.” A beautiful tool to help parents with this is On My … Continue reading
Here are some comments and questions from Lutherans on Facebook when they saw the post on LutheranCatechism.com titled, “Catechesis: The Quiet Crisis, in Three Parts, at Brothers of John the Steadfast.” [See Part 1 , Part 2, or Part 3.] … Continue reading
LutheranCatechism.com provides without charge bulletin inserts for Lent, Holy Week, and Easter that present readings from Luther’s Large Catechism. The selections are edited from the Meissner schedule for the one-year lectionary. Simply download and print the inserts. Links to the … Continue reading
My congregation recently ran into an obstacle concerning use of the 1986 LCMS English translation of Luther’s Small Catechism. This was not about the Explanation. This was about the translation of the German text as Luther himself published it. Mrs. … Continue reading
My wife commented on what I had known for months, “You have a lot of pastors on your Facebook”. They have been added over the years during my journey into the world of Confessional Lutheranism and because of my writing … Continue reading
A new website, Lutheran Catechism, promoting the use of Luther’s catechisms went live January 4, 2016. As a new site, it is still small, but here is what it is developing: Blog. A blog with posts of quotations, links to articles, pointers … Continue reading
Real Men Don’t Eat Quiche was the title of a best-selling book by Bruce Feirstein published in 1982. Supposedly, a real man would eat egg and bacon pie if his wife made it, she served it to him, and she … Continue reading
My aunt, Gladys, was a manager in the U. S. Geological Survey. As a federal government employee, she had excellent health care. The plan included frequent checkups and examinations. But it failed her. My Dad from North Dakota visited her … Continue reading
How did the Christian faith come from my grandparents to my grandchildren? It came by mission, but not by missionalism. If this mission were given a slogan, it would be, “Start true to reach true.” Truth was the first thing. … Continue reading
In Junior Confirmation, we read through the Old Testament. We didn’t get very far before I was having trouble. In Genesis 5, we hit “the begats.” “The begats” is a listing of the generations from Adam to Noah. They were … Continue reading
I work every other Sunday, it’s one of the few things I dislike about my job. Back when I started 13 years ago I didn’t attend church and wasn’t even a member of a local congregation. Working on Sundays didn’t … Continue reading
Before 1700, common folk had wooden spoons. Well off people had silver. The saying, “He was born with a silver spoon in his mouth,” views a high-born person as knowing nothing about the struggles of life. As the Son of … Continue reading
This is Part 2 of a report on the 2015 Montana District LCMS convention. This part reports on Resolution 5-04, “To Call Upon the Synodical President to Invoke the Procedure for Expulsion from Synod the Rev. Paul Linnemann, District President … Continue reading
This is Part 1 of a report on the 2015 Montana District LCMS convention. Part 2 will report on Resolution 5-04 “To Call Upon the Synodical President to Invoke the Procedure for Expulsion from Synod the Rev. Paul Linnemann, District … Continue reading
In part 1, we saw how a congregation of my friends suffered the tyranny of a bishop concerning their pastoral vacancy, and the imposition of a pastor who teaches heretical doctrine. We contrasted that to the experience I recently had … Continue reading
Some friends in a Lutheran congregation of a different synod from mine have been in a long pastoral vacancy. The bishop expressly refused to give the congregation any names of candidates for a long time until many in the congregation … Continue reading
This year I turned 62. As we age, we learn more about bereavement. My latest bereavement is the Boy Scouts of America. The first funeral I attended was as a preschooler. They included me in standing before the open casket … Continue reading
[NOTE: This article was written before the recent announcement by Dr. Mathew L. Becker that his ecclesiastical supervisor, the District President of the Northwest District of the LCMS, had initiated procedures to expel him from synod following a charge by Rev. … Continue reading
Artist Francis B. Carpenter said Abraham Lincoln had “the saddest face I ever attempted to paint.” His law partner said Lincoln’s “melancholy dripped from him as he walked.” His life was an unceasing litany of sorrows, tragedies, and dangers leading … Continue reading