Gospel Determinism: A Preview
Elements Gospel determinism has two elements. We know the Gospel. Gospel determines everything. The elements are simple. Together they are total. The Gospel…
Category: Steadfast in the Pew
Baptism: More Common Questions Answered, Part 2
Introduction In Part 1, we introduced a set of sermons by Martin Luther that answer many common questions about Baptism that are both…
Scriptural Hermeneutics Bibliography for the English-Reading Layperson
Barrick, William D., “Exegetical Fallacies: Common Mistakes Every Student of the Bible Must Avoid.” (article, 12 pp.) (PDF, and online edition is here)….
Christian Dogmatics Bibliography for the English-Reading Layperson
UPDATE NOTE: Thanks to Eric Obermeyer for contributing links to online editions that we have added since the original publication of this bibliography….
Defending Concordia University System Schools from Ideologies
Introduction This article provides a thumbnail sketch of what Kenneth Minogue calls the “pure theory” of ideology and applies it to destructive ideological…
Baptism: Common Questions Answered, Part 1
Introduction You hear questions about Baptism. You have your own questions. Many of these questions are common and are asked repeatedly. Many…
Baptism Bibliography for the English-Reading Layperson
Buchanan, Colin, A Case for Infant Baptism, rev. ed. (Cambridge: Grove Books Limited, 1984). Chemnitz, Martin, “Original Sin” in The Doctrine of Man…
A Lay Delegate Report on the 2019 LCMS Synod Convention
The Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod holds a synod-wide convention every three years. The convention receives reports, elects leaders, votes on proposed resolutions,…
Unavoidable Personal Evangelism
Lay Lutherans and personal evangelism have a strained relationship. First, we are tempted to think that only pastors should witness for Christ. If…
Do I need church? Do you need church? What’s the draw?
Do I need church? Do you need church? Some say they are Christians, but don’t need the church. They worship at home or…
Safely Betting the Farm: Recommendation of Jack Kilcrease’s Book on the Atonement
In this book (Jack D. Kilcrease, The Doctrine of the Atonement from Luther to Forde (Eugene, Oregon: Wipf & Stock, 2018), Dr. Kilcrease…
Fathers, your influence is built into nature. Nuture it.
[Photo of Sahar Sadlovsky Gold and child used by permission of Sahar Sadlovsky Gold. Thank you!] The child is with her father….
Aids for Voting Delegates to the 2019 LCMS Convention
A voting delegate to a synodical convention has a duty to vote well. To vote well, one needs to study and understand the…
Would you like some help to be repenting?
For many Christians, repentance is a confusing topic and a frustrating experience. Let’s take a look at: the secular background of the word…
Memorizing the Catechism: False Dichotomy between Words and Meaning or, How to Forget the Faith
When I was a child, we already had the Small Catechism memorized before we entered confirmation instruction. We recited portions in Sunday School…
Why is preaching a big deal? Why this book of sermons?
Foreword from A Year of Law & Gospel Preaching: Postil of Sermons on the One-Year Lectionary by Rev. Rolf Preus Being called to…
The Hellacious Cost of Making the Creed Palatable
The presiding bishop of a Lutheran body said during an interview by reporter Robert Herguth during his podcast “Faith to Face” that there…
Lutherans revert to hushing Christ’s Words of Institution of the Sacrament
At the time of Luther, the practice of the Sacrament of the Altar by papists inflicted many abuses upon the laity. These included…
Would you deny Real Presence to escape the jaws of beasts?
A vogue phrase today is, “to die for.” “This chocolate is to die for.” “That dress is to die for.” A lifestyle clothing…
Baptism: Mercy for Worship
Here is something that is not to be done: stepping on the train of a king’s robe. With that in mind, recall what…
The Word and Faith
Faith does not spring from nature, nor from our own reason, strength, or will. The Holy Spirit creates faith by the Word and…
The Evangelical Kyrie
The character of Lutheran worship is a rich tapestry of traits. It is like the catechism: it can be learned by a child,…
What was I thinking when reciting the Creed?
A mindless repetition. That is what critics of creeds say about reciting the Creed. Opponents of liturgy call it a vain repetition. Of…
The Second Petition and the Sacrament in Leviticus
Leviticus was used widely in the early church and later to preach the Gospel. The modern church generally ignores Leviticus.[1] Leviticus is a…
Book Review: Thank, Praise, Serve, and Obey by William Weedon
Jesus lived a perfect human life. We know that. But it is easy to miss some of his practices. It might sound strange,…