Summer is upon us! It may not be technically summer until June 21st, but the unofficial beginning of summer (at least for me) begins when the kids get out of school at the beginning of June. What is your plan for the summer? Are you going anywhere? Does your routine change? Or. . . is…
https://vimeo.com/129489153 Great video by Bishop Wayne Miller of the Metropolitan Chicago Synod of the ELCA. He has some great insights regarding the future of the church.
In the Lutheran Church—Pentecost kind of seems like a minor holiday. It is not as important as Easter or Christmas, but it should be remembered. It is more on the lines of Epiphany or Reformation Sunday. (If you have no idea what I am talking about, just read on. . .) I am not…
I have always been intrigued by the dedication of missionaries of the 19th century. When they left their home for another country it usually meant they were never coming back. That reminds me of the conversation between a chicken and a pig: The Chicken says: “Hey Pig, I was thinking we should open a…
Are you as busy as I am? I think a lot of you are. If you are not working, then you are working around the house. When God commanded that we take a “Sabbath day of rest” it was meant for us. God knows us better than we know ourselves. God wants us to take…
A joyful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones. Proverbs 17:22 Often what is going on inside of us is reflected on our faces specifically in our eyes, our brows and on our lips. Solomon writes that a joyful heart is a good thing, but what if you don’t have one at…
“If Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins. Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ are lost. If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are to be pitied more than all people. But Christ has indeed been raised from the…
I stumbled across this article by Pr. Rick Warren of Saddleback Church. This is a wonderful approach to team ministry. The picture is my own addition. 8 Values of TEAMWORK That Keep a Church Healthy By Rick Warren The success of your ministry depends largely on developing a strong team with a deep sense…
A “sign” like this often freaks people out because we have been trained to tell people what our “religion” is when asked by others. However, Christianity is different. It is not a religion (a set of religious rules), Christianity is a relationship with Christ. Lent (for us mainline protestant types) is a time to reflect…
Satan Is a Theologian Who Doesn’t Love God By: Stephen Mattson Satan is a master theologian. He’s talked to God, interacted with God, believes in God’s existence, and knows more about God’s attributes and abilities than most…and yet Satan doesn’t love God. Knowledge about God doesn’t equal faith in God. Just because you have a…
