Absence Makes the Heart Grow Fonder?

Well, did it? :-)

Took a long break from the ol' blog. Been quite busy. But hopefully I can post a little more . . .

I'll start with this past weekend. I was in Saint Louis for the pre-Synodical Convention Floor Committee weekend. I was asked to serve on committee #5 - Theology and Church Relations. It was interesting. Theology-wise, there were overtures dealing with creation, cremation, and Scripture, (and probably a few others), and Church Relations-wise, there were overtures dealing with altar and pulpit fellowship with other Lutherans in Belgium, Portugal, Denmark, South Africa, and Sri Lanka. We had one on changing our relationship with Canada, and another on the Lutheran World Federation - the worldwide association of (mostly) liberal Lutheran churches. (I was on the subcommittee on our relations with other church bodies.) I learned a lot - not only about how this whole process works, but also about how complex our relationships with other church bodies around the world can be.

Of the 42-some overtures we were given, we boiled them down to 13 resolutions (if I remember right!) for the convention to consider . . . that is, if there is enough time to get to all 13. Each committee is given an allotment of time on the floor, and depending on how much conversation and debate there is, may not get to them all. So we also had to prioritize them, most important ones first.

Our Floor Committee will also meet the day before the convention begins. First privately, in case anything has come up between now and the convention that may necessitate a new resolution or adjusting one of the ones we drafted this weekend. And then second, there are open hearings the morning of the start of the convention when others can come and speak to each Floor Committee with any concerns they may have. That should be interesting, too!

I got to worship in the International Center Chapel a few times while there - that was nice. Wonderful organists played, and I got to enjoy listening to some sermons. We finished a little early, so I bumped up my flight home and for some reason, they seated me in First Class for my flight from Saint Louis to Philadelphia! That's the first time I've ever gotten to fly that way. Nice. A guy could get used to that.

March for Life 2017

Another great March for Life this year. It is such a joyous (and important) day. A bunch of folks from my church went and I met friends from all over the country as well. Notice all that different states represented . . .

Here are some pictures:

Young ladies from my church with a friend they met at a Higher Things conference from Illinois.

GMU student and organizer of our campus ministry Bible study there, with another wonderful lady from my church.

LCMS President Harrison leading us in prayer before the March.

More folks (two wonderful families) from my church.

They let their kids have off from school to come to his great learning experience!

Dr. Wenthe, past president of our Ft. Wayne seminary (Indiana), and Pastor Linthicum from Maryland.

Pastor Beinke from Connecticut (a friend of mine when I was in NY and now my sister's pastor).

Pastor Zill, head of our Synod's LCMSU program (lives in New Mexico).

Folks from my church again . . . :-)

Pastor Grewe from New Jersey (who I had the privilege of installing this past summer).

Pastor Shultanis, a neighboring pastor.

Nancy Nus, a good friend from Wyoming.

Pastor Lange, president of the Kansas District (and my Greek teacher at seminary when he was a graduate student).

Pastor Espinosa from California and adjunct professor at Concordia, Irvine.

Pastor Jagow, another neighboring pastor from here in Virginia (I also knew him in NY).

Peter, who I got to know as a student at Patrick Henry college, and who is now at Concordia, Seward (Nebraska) studying to be a Lutheran school teacher.

So how many states is that? And I didn't even get all the pictures I wanted (my pastor friend from Michigan, another state, for example).

It's easy for me to go, living right here in Washington, but for all these folks to come from all over the country is something pretty special. So come next year! It really is a wonderful time and important to keep standing up and speaking up for life. (And you might just get an attractive lime green hat!)

Prescient

Hence, while the tyranny of Rome is the supreme authority of the Church over conscience, the tyranny of liberal Protestantism is the supreme authority of every man's conscience over the Scripture and the Church. Both positions are extreme and sceptical [sic]. That of Rome distrusts the Truth in its power over the individual conscience, while that of liberal Protestantism suspects the Truth of Scripture and the Church, and does not believe that there is one objective and stable centre of truth revealed from above in which the consciences of all perfect men can believe and unite. As against the scepticism [sic] of the isolated, thinking Protestant, Rome is almost sure to win in the end, for having tried every position of solitary speculation, the mind, exhausted and unwilling to abide all alone, will yield to the fundamental craving for authority, and fall back helplessly into the strong arms that seem to offer it certainty in a guaranteed and absolute sense. The end of Protestantism without the Word of God as the one common and absolute authority is either skepticism or Romanism. 

~ Theodore Schmauk, 1911 [emphasis mine]

New LCMS President?

I'm sure this will be fixed by the time you read this, but when I went to the LCMS web site and clicked on the link to read about the announcement of the presidential election, I was taken to the page entitled "Who is Jesus?"  :-)  And I didn't even know he was on the ballot!

Anyhow, here's the evidence . . .

If you click on this picture to make it bigger and then look at the bottom left of the window, you can see where clicking the link will take you: "lcms.org/jesus"! Not sure if this was intentional or not, but gotta love it! (Well, the "missionals" won't, but that's another story . . .)

March for Life

Went to the March for Life yesterday. It was a good year this year. I think the 40th anniversary of Roe v. Wade brought more people out. Also had more than the usual number of Lutherans due to the Life Conference taking place today. I was talking to one of the speakers who said they are going to do a conference like this every year in conjunction with the March - I hope so! It will be good to get more Lutherans here every year to participate. Sadly, though, we weren't really organized and got split up during the March and so didn't stay together as a group.

Got to catch up with some friends as we walked, which was nice. It was cold and snowed a lot of the way - but I was bundled up well and the snow really made it pleasant. But the March is always pleasant! The people who March are always upbeat and positive - there's rarely anything untoward. Maybe because we're marching in love for something instead of angrily against something. I don't have a picture of our group, so the generic picture above will have to do. We didn't get a good group picture at the end of the March like usual - I think because there were more of us than usual, we got split up, and it was still very crowded around the Supreme Court when we arrived. But a good day, all in all.

UPDATE: Here are some pictures of the Lutherans in the March. Like the nice neon green hats? :-)

Lord God, bring an end to the horror of abortion in our day, that all people you create be loved and welcomed into the world as a gift from you. Amen.

A God Who Bleeds

A sermon from LCMS Pastor Bryan Wolfmueller of Hope Lutheran Church in Aurora, Colorado, whose church is not far from the sight of Friday’s movie theater massacre.

John 10

“A God Who Bleeds”

Dear Saints,

The devil comes to kill and steal and destroy. He delights in every drop of blood split, in every tear, in every heart broken, family torn in two, every last breath. The devil loves death, he loves violence, he loves darkness; he loves this tragedy that has unfolded in our neighborhood this week.

But he is never content. He kills, and he wants more. He destroys, and he wants more. The devil is not sitting back tonight, shaking the dust off his hands, content with the pain already inflicted, he wants more. He wants you wrapped up in the chains of the fear of death. He wants your mind and heart to be draped with despair.

As the dust settles around in Aurora, the devil comes to you to tempt you, to tempt you to anger, to tempt you to fear, to tempt you to despair, perhaps worst of all, to tempt you with the idea that because you are suffering God has deserted you, has left you to yourself, that God is far away.

“Where is God in all this? He must hate you, or worse, He must not care.” That, dear friends, is the devil’s voice, the devil’s temptation, and we’ve heard enough of that voice.

We are gathered here this evening to hear the voice of Jesus, your Jesus, who is not a stranger to suffering. Listen, Jesus is not a stranger to suffering. You do not have a god who sits far off, who is distant, who sits on top of the mountain, or is beyond the clouds, who is looking the other way. No, you have Jesus, the Good Shepherd, the one who doesn’t just watch over the sheep. He lays down His life for the sheep. He takes His life and His righteousness to the cross for you. You, dear friends, have a God who bleeds, who bleeds for you, who suffers with you, who hears of the death of His friends and weeps, weeps over death, and fights against death for you. Jesus stands under the devil’s torment, under God’s wrath, under the condemnation of the law, stands with you, stands in your place, and suffers for you.

And if your Jesus suffers for you, then He will certainly suffer with you. When you suffer it does not mean that God is far away. He finds you in suffering; He saves you by suffering. When your friends and neighbors are suffering it does not mean that God has forsaken them or abandoned them. He can’t. He loves them, He loves you too much.

Jesus cries out from the cross, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?” so that you never would. He prays Psalm 22 so that you can pray Psalm 23, “Yeah though I walk through he valley of the shadow of death, Thou art with with.” In the shadow of death, He is with us. In the shadow of violence, He is with us. In the veil of tears, He is with us. He cannot leave you or forsake you, He has bound Himself to you, written His name on you with His blood, claimed you as His own and promised you life, His life, eternal life.

Jesus is not far away. The One who died for you now lives for you, prays for you, helps you in time of trouble. He sends His Holy Spirit, the Comforter, to comfort you with His presence and His promises, His forgiveness.

And it is His forgiveness, at last, that sets us free, even from the fear of violence, even from the fear of death. For in life and in death you are the Lord’s, your life is His, and because for you to live is Christ, for you to die is gain. Amen.

And the peace of God which passes all understanding, guard your hearts and minds through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

+ + +

Pastor Bryan Wolfmueller

Hope Lutheran Church | Aurora, CO

More on the Healthcare Mandate

These videos have been posted by many others, but just in case you haven't seen them . . .

President Harrison's testimony to Congress on the Healthcare Mandate

President Harrison explaining our concern over the Mandate

Obama & Health, Part 2

Well, when is an "accommodation" not an accommodation? When is a "compromise" not a compromise? When it comes to Obama's Health Care mandate to religious organizations to cover "Women's Health Care," abortions. I watched his announcement on Friday and thought to myself, "That solves nothing." And it truly doesn't. For example, my church body has its own health insurance. So, when he says that churches will not have to pay, but the insurance companies still will, how does this help us? And church bodies like ours? It doesn't. Even if we had a separate insurance company, we would still have to pay them to give the coverage to others. It's all a shell game. Even though many in the media hailed this compromise from Obama, the lawsuits and battles will continue. Nothing has changed.

I had taken comfort in our plan being "grandfathered," but apparently that is only until 2015 or until *any* change is made to the plan. So the problem is still there. Continue to keep this in your prayers - there is much at stake here for all churches fighting for the sanctity of life.

Also, there *was* a petition on the White House web site to sign protesting this action. It looks like they have closed the petition since they believe Obama has answered it and therefore it is not needed anymore. Go to wwws.whitehouse.gov/petitions/ and check for a new petition to be posted there about this and sign it. Keep letting your voice be heard!

Obama's Health Plan

It has been much in the news recently, that the Obama administration is forcing religious organizations (outside a very narrow exception clause) to supply what they call contraceptive coverage. I say "what they call" because the "Morning After Pill" they call contraceptive, but it is really abortive. (The Morning After Pill prevents a fertilized egg from implanting in the womb. They say this is preventing pregnancy and therefore contraceptive. But if life begins at conception - which we believe - then it is abortive.) The Roman Catholic Church has been mostly in the news opposing this action, and they seem to be the organization that will feel the greatest impact. But I have been wondering: does it impact the LCMS also? Will our Health Plan now have to supply what we believe to be sinful?

President Harrison issued a statement today saying NO. Concordia Health Plan opted to be "grandfathered" in under Obamacare. I am not exactly sure what that all means, but apparently it means they will be exempt from a lot of the new changes and are allowed to operate as they have been all along. This is most certainly good news! But please keep those who are now "under the gun" in your prayers. I am sure there will be lawsuits aplenty coming soon, and this is likely to drag on for awhile. Pray for our country and world to return, as John Paul II put it, to a culture of life rather than a culture of death.

Be sure also that this kind of persecution will continue. The Scriptures promise it. As our culture continues to degrade, the church which becomes more and more countercultural will face more and more pressure to do what the world wants and says is right. Not only with regard to issues like health care, but also with, for example, gay marriage. How long till the government tries to say that churches must marry whoever or lose their right to perform marriages? Or lose their tax exempt status? Or have to pay fines? It's coming.

But whatever happens, whatever threats are made or carried through, the church must remain faithful to the Word. "And take they our life, goods, fame, child, and wife, let these all be gone, they yet have nothing won, the kingdom ours remaineth." (from: A Mighty Fortress by Martin Luther.)

Presentation Response

Below is the response I wrote to the presentation at my district pastoral conference which I referenced in my prior post.

---------------

A Pastoral Response to “Spiritual Warfare”

Presentation of Pastor *****

General Pastoral Conference, October 18, 2011

The Evangelical Lutheran Church of Dr. Martin Luther, Chicago, IL

On Tuesday afternoon of our recent General Pastoral Conference, Pastor ***** gave a challenging presentation on his ministry and theology of healing. I call this presentation “challenging” because he seems to be challenging the classic Lutheran understanding of the extraordinary gifts of the Holy Spirit, acknowledging several times during his presentation that “this isn’t what they taught me at the seminary.” For Pastor *****, something new has happened to him, and he desires to share this with others.

The purpose of this paper is not to attack Pastor *****, nor to question his motives (which I am sure are honorable and Christian), nor to argue with his experiences. This would be foolish, since I was not there when Pastor ***** was healed and I have not witnessed any part of his healing ministry. I cannot say what has happened. Also, let me say that I rejoice with Pastor ***** that he was healed from his very serious affliction. The purpose of this paper is also not to provide a theology of the extraordinary gifts of the Holy Spirit - that is too big a topic for a short response paper. My goal is simply to provide a corrective to what seems to me to be some possibly inaccurate and misleading assertions made by Pastor ***** in his presentation - again, not to attack him, but because I am concerned for my brothers in the ministry who heard his presentation and may have questions about the presentation in general and about their own pastoral ministry.

My goal is to be scholarly and sober in discussing these issues. To be otherwise would be of no help to anyone. If I am mistaken in any of my assertions, I am open to correction, especially since I am only relying on my memory and notes from his presentation. 

(1.) “Jesus did it, so we should do it.”

This was Pastor *****’s rationale for why there should be a healing ministry in the church today. Several times in the course of his talk, he asked the question why, if Jesus was preaching, teaching, and healing, do we only do the first two? We should do as Jesus did. Along this same line of argumentation, he also talked about the apostles and quoted Mark 16:20: “And they went out and preached everywhere, while the Lord worked with them and confirmed the message by accompanying signs.” His conclusion being: Jesus healed, he confirmed the message of the apostles through signs (healing), and so it is today as well.

Quite simply, I question the soundness of this hermeneutic. Just because Jesus did something does not, in fact, mean that we should do it. In his Genesis lectures, Luther talks at length that not every word of God is for every person (Luther’s Works, Volume 2, p 271). Certainly, all the Scriptures are God’s Word and all are for our learning, but not all are for us to do and imitate. Two examples Luther gives are God’s command to Abraham to sacrifice Isaac, and Jesus’ command to the rich young man to sell all his possessions and give to the poor (Mark 10). Luther takes the monks of his day to task for applying this latter statement to the entire church, when, he says, it is a command only to the rich young man. Since I do not expect Pastor ***** to do this, nor do I expect of him to sacrifice his children, there seems to be a bit of an inconsistency in his argumentation here.

Further, there are many other things Jesus did that we do not do, including walking on the water, cursing a fig tree, feeding the five thousand, and pulling a coin from a fish’s mouth. Therefore, Pastor *****’s rationale here simply will not do. Not all of Jesus’ words and commands are directed at us today. It would be a legitimate debate and a perhaps helpful discussion to talk about which are and which are not, but to simply issue a blanket statement that “because Jesus did it, we should do it” is simplistic and misleading.

Further, Pastor *****’s choice of Mark 16:20 is interesting. His assertion is that this text shows us that Jesus continued to do signs and wonders (including healing) through the apostles after His ascension. But that is begging the question. That fact clearly cannot be disputed, as is clear from many other texts in the Acts of the Apostles. Nothing is proven by this verse. The questions are, rather: Can this statement be extended beyond the apostles? Did the apostles have a unique place in the church? Again, that is a legitimate question for debate and discussion, but simply asserting this verse proves nothing.

In fact, to return to the initial statement of Pastor ***** referred to here, that Jesus was “preaching, teaching, and healing,” and so we should do the same and not just the first two, one could point to the Great Commission, where preaching and teaching are mentioned, but healing is not. An interesting omission, yes? Could this verse not be used as a counter assertion, that these are exactly the two things we should be doing? Perhaps that is the reason this verse is used in the rites of ordination and installation of a pastor.

(2.) Cessationism as a product of John Calvin

During his presentation, Pastor ***** asked the question: “Do you know why we believe these gifts stopped? Because John Calvin said so.” I believe the meaning of such a point is to say that cessationism is a new teaching in the church, one that is un-Lutheran and perhaps also unknown in the church before the time of John Calvin. But history shows that this is simply not true.

St. John Chrysostom, in a sermon on 1 Corinthians 12 (concerning spiritual gifts) says:

This whole place is very obscure: but the obscurity is produced by our ignorance of the facts referred to and by their cessation, being such as then used to occur but now no longer take place. And why do they not happen now? Why look now, the cause too of the obscurity hath produced us again another question: namely, why did they then happen, and now do so no more? (NPNF, First Series, Volume 12, p 168)

And then also in a sermon on Romans 8:

But the Spirit Itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.” This statement is not clear, owing to the cessation of many of the wonders which then used to take place. (NPNF, First Series, Volume 11, p 447)

A little later, St. Augustine would write:

For the Holy Spirit is not only given by the laying on of hands amid the testimony of temporal sensible miracles, as He was given in former days to be the credentials of a rudimentary faith, and for the extension of the first beginnings of the Church.  For who expects in these days that those on whom hands are laid that they may receive the Holy Spirit should forthwith begin to speak with tongues? (NPNF, First Series, Volume 4, p 443)

Although not as clearly stated as St. Chrysostom, Augustine seems to be saying here that the “temporal sensible miracles” that were given in the past are no longer seen or expected in his day. The reason for them was to “credential the rudimentary faith.”

I quote these church fathers not to be definitive statements upon which we should base the teaching and doctrine of our church. In no way! Yet they do clearly show that the teaching of cessationism has a very long history and was in existence in the church long before John Calvin. Already at the end of the third and the beginning of the fourth centuries, it seems as if this is a given in Constantinople and Hippo (Carthage).

Now, it could be that Chrysostom and Augustine are wrong (and again, this could be a topic for discussion and debate), but except for making for a good sound bite, pointing to John Calvin as the basis of this teaching is not something we could point to and say, “This is most certainly true!”

(3.) The presence of sin “blocks” Jesus’ ability to bless.

In relating stories that have happened in his travels, Pastor ***** made several assertions of this nature - that the presence of sin in our lives, for example, the sins of anger or unforgiveness, prevent Jesus from healing and blessing. Now, certainly, it should be the desire of every Christian to root out of our hearts and lives anger, bitterness, and a lack of forgiveness towards our neighbors. This is most certainly true! But to assert that this is the basis for healing or not, for blessing or not, is troublesome and could be damaging to faith.

For even though Pastor ***** (and others that day) repeatedly said that “this is all about Jesus,” in actuality he made it all about us, by focusing on what we have to do in order to receive healing and blessing. This is the message he conveyed when saying that we have to get rid of our sin first. This is, in reality, the preaching of the Law, the solution to which is not to tell us to do more or do better, but to direct our eyes to the cross of Christ. For there is the solution to our spiritual sickness, the forgiveness He won for us not with gold or silver, but with His holy precious blood and His innocent suffering and death. Without this teaching, we are left in our sin and despair. 

Now, perhaps Pastor ***** assumed that because he was speaking to a room full of pastors this did not need to be said. But it does need to be said! Pastors are sinners just like everyone else, and also need the assurance of the Gospel. We need not only direct our parishioner’s eyes to the cross, we need to be directed there as well. Pastor’s conferences are the perfect time to do this, an opportunity that in this case, was missed.

But there is another, bigger problem here as well: with this teaching, levels of Christians and faith are set up. This is the problem in all churches (charismatic and otherwise) that direct us to our faith and works as the basis of receiving the blessings of God. There are those who are blessed and those who are not. There are those who can and those who can’t. There are those who have gifts and those who do not. Or, to put it in a way some churches do, there are those who are real Christians, real disciples, and those who are aspiring to be but haven’t made it yet.

Again, I do not believe Pastor ***** was purposefully putting himself above others; he himself recognizes the need for humility. But as I add it up, the result of his theology is to do this very thing. This teaching, along with his teaching already addressed, that “if Jesus did it, we should do it,” carries with it the implication that if you’re not doing these things, if you are a pastor doing “only” Word and Sacrament ministry, you are not being all you can be, or should be, to your people. There is more for them that you are not doing. Just like those who need to put away their sin in order to be healed or blessed, you, too, need to raise yourself up and be this kind of pastor.

This is a damaging teaching. We have many fine and faithful pastors who are laboring hard for their flocks in teaching and preaching and giving the Sacraments of our Lord, visiting the sick, forgiving sins, reaching the lost, caring for young and old alike, and for them to be implicitly (or explicitly) told: you are not being the pastor you should be for your people, is crushing.

For I believe that every pastor knows he is not the pastor he should be. No matter how much we do, there is always more we could and should be doing. The needs of our flock are never ending. The pastors of our district and synod need uplifting and encouragement, not simply be told to do more.

Unfortunately, while this encouragement was given the first day - especially in Pastor McMiller’s excellent sermon! - it was not in Pastor *****’s presentation. To this sinner’s ears, there was only Law that left the hearer questioning and in doubt. Now, perhaps this feeling was mine alone and was not shared by the brothers; perhaps I am overly sensitive. But in speaking with many afterwards, I found that I was not alone.

Finally, the biblical witness does not confirm that the sin in us prevents Jesus from blessing us. If that were true, we all would be lost. One need only think of the many sinners Jesus dealt with in His public ministry. Sinners who were unworthy but were not told to believe more or clean out their hearts before Jesus could do anything for them! He came to them and gave them the faith, forgiveness, blessing, and sometimes yes, the healing, they needed. Sadly, this presentation did not direct us to this assurance, the assurance of the cross, but to the doubt and uncertainly of our own hearts and lives.

Conclusion

It is no secret that there is disagreement in our synod these days over a number of issues. Yes, there is much we agree on, but also things that we do not. It is helpful to recognize these difference and to discuss them, not ignore them. Pastor *****’s presentation at our General Pastoral Conference revealed one of these areas of disagreement. To respond is not something that I gladly or even willingly take upon myself, nor am I the most qualified to do so. But I felt such a response was needed for the sake of my brothers - especially those younger and newer pastors and vicars - who may have had questions and concerns arise from this presentation.

As I said, it is not my desire to attack Pastor *****. He is a brother in Christ and is and remains in my prayers. But a public presentation such as this needs a public response. I hope that my paper addressed some areas of concern in a Christian and helpful manner. 

Pastoral Conference, Day 2

Well, Day 2 did not live up to the promise of Day 1. Some of the presentations and discussion were not bad, but whereas the Gospel was so evident on Day 1, it was church growthism and modern day charismaticism that soured Day 2. We heard of church starts that really aren't churches, but coffee houses, and an hour and a half on one pastor's healing ministry. (What does that mean? Think a "Lutheran" Benny Hinn.) So whereas I left Day 1 filled with the Gospel of forgiveness and hope, and I left Day 2 filled with the Law and sadness.

Now, why is that? Because what was communicated through these presentations (usually implicitly) is that if you're not doing these things, you are failing people in your ministry, you are not being the pastor God wants you to be, you need to be what we are. Really? And so I worry about the new pastors and the younger pastors in the district who hear these words, and the burden that they must feel. And I am saddened. Many of them are in challenges places, doing their very best, faithfully proclaiming God's Word and giving His Sacraments. But then they are told: That's not good enough. You're not good enough.

You know what? We know that. I think all pastors know that. We're not good enough. There's always more we can and should be doing. Why can't we build up our pastors at these conferences?

Perhaps (to put the best construction on this), the district thought they were. Perhaps they thought these presentations were uplifting and edifying. If so, I must tell them: No, they aren't.

I have the outline of a response that I will be writing on one of these presentations and sending to the District President, my Circuit Counselor, and (I hope) will be sent to all the pastors in the district, to challenge some of what was asserted. It will not be an attack, but rather (I hope) a scholarly critique of what was said, a correction of some of the assertions, and a questioning of the assumptions. I will post it here when I am finished, too.

Finally, my presentation, you ask? Well, I thought it just okay. Thinking back, I could have presented some things better, and the projector didn't work as I had hoped, so that interfered a bit. But, I had several guys come up to me afterwards who appreciated it, so hopefully God will bring some good out of it. :-)

So, that's it. I'm glad I went, though I had to miss the last half-day because I had to return late Tuesday night for my class on Wednesday. It was good to reconnect with many guys, meet the new pastors, and even to hear the not-so-good-stuff so that I can respond and hopefully provide some small bit of correction.

Pastoral Conference, Day 1

A good day yesterday. The major presenter was Dr. Joel Elowsky, a good friend, who talked about the Church Fathers and early African Christianity. Then there was a presentation from the South Wisconsin District Mission developer on "Bridging Cultural Barriers" since a lot of our conference is about cross-cultural outreach. He was engaging and, I must say, not your typical mission developer! I say that because - sad to say - most mission folks beat people up with the Law. They simply stand up there and say "You have to reach more people! You have to go! You must . . ." and we all know that. We all know that, no matter how much we are doing, there is more we could be doing, and so just wind up feeling like crap. But this man was - thankfully! - different. In fact, one of his greatest lines was: "BEWARE of those who come to you and say: "You must change or die."" YES! He emphasized not losing who you are and what you are about for the sake of mission, and using the Small Catechism for your outreach. THAT is what people need and are longing for. I hope people were listening. I couldn't agree more.

This man then also preached for the Divine Service after dinner. And He preached the Gospel! Again, sadly, I can't tell you how many times at these kinds of gathering, people think they have to preach such a wonderful sermon and have to be so mission oriented that it winds up as all Law. Last night, we received the Gospel - in a wonderful and well done liturgy, good preaching, and the Lord's Supper. So my thanks to Rev. Dan McMiller and, if you ever need a mission person for a presentation, I would recommend him.

We had some fellowship time after the service, and it was good to sit around with the brothers and talk, and to catch up with some old friends. Met lots of new guys to the district as well. We'll see what today holds. My presentation is in the coveted right-after-lunch-slot (!), so hopefully I can keep people awake! :-)

Pastoral Conference

I'm in Chicago for a pastoral conference for a few days. I haven't traveled much the last few years, since I started back in school, but it felt like the airlines had pushed their seats closer together since the last time I flew. When at looked at the little space they wanted me to squeeze into . . .  :-)  But I made it, though it wasn't the most comfortable.

Went to Giordano's for dinner with a friend and had some deep dish pizza. Good, but (I have to say) not as good as Lou Malnati's! Then, we got a few beverages and spent a while talking over lots of stuff until late. Which is good . . . except for having to get up early this morning. I forgot about the time change to Central time here, and so had to get up and ready for Morning Prayer at 6! Ohhh, that was tough this morning! But all went well. The hotel was extremely nice and let me use another room for it so I wouldn't have to bother my roommate, who had gotten in well after midnight. I think they'll let me do the same tomorrow.

I'm now on my second cup of coffee, and my head is still a bit foggy. Might just be one of those days. The conference starts at noon. My friend is presenting today, so that should be good. I'll have to try to think up some tough questions for him! I don't present until tomorrow. Tonight after dinner is the Divine Service. I'm looking forward to some time to just sit and listen and visit with the brothers.

Finally, the Eagles won yesterday! Before my flight I sat in the airport and watched some of the game and was pleased to be able to cheer the Eagles in the midst of a bunch of forlorn Redskins fans! Hopefully they can build on this and salvage the season before its too late.

A Daily Litany

Several folks have pointed out in their blogs that our synodical president has suggested that we pray the Litany every day during Lent. I think that is a splendid idea! It is on pages 288-289 of the Lutheran Service Book. I'd post it here, but am afraid I'd get reprimanded by the copyright police of the synod. So if you need a copy, tell me in the comments with your e-mail address and I'll send you one to use.

Thumbs Up for CPH

I think Concordia Publishing House has some of the best customer service around. Whenever I call them, they always cheerfully make the problem right. Thank you, CPH!

I'm Back

We got back from vacation last night. It was a good two weeks, but as usual, went by awfully fast! But it is good to be home, in my own bed, and back in the regular routine. I now have approximately a month to get my summer projects done before school starts in late August.

But just a few getting back thoughts . . .

(1.) From Morning Prayer this day, in the reading on St. Mary Magdalene, this line struck me: ". . . Jesus lets it be clearly understood that with these three courses (Mary's tears, kiss, and anointing) Mary served a much more glorious meal than the host of the home himself." This was written with the belief that Mary was the "sinful woman" who anointed the feet of Jesus at the home of Simon the Pharisee in Luke 7. Whether or not she was, what a great thought - a more glorious meal she served than Simon. I love it. (Watch for that in the sermon next time this reading comes around!)

(2.) While on vacation, the LCMS Convention both came and went. I usually try to follow these as closely as I can while they are going on, and I certainly was interested in the years leading up to this. But while on vacation, I forced myself to stay away from all computers and e-mail - so I could enjoy the downtime and family time. So coming back is very weird; it has all come and gone. Now I have the task of catching up on all that has happened. I must say that I am pleased with the election of Matt Harrison as our new president. I am very hopeful for the future of our synod now. Which leads me to . . .

(3.) I watched the video of the presidential election being announced. How hard it must have been for current President Kieschnick to stand at the dais and announce his own defeat. Wow.

(4.) Before the convention, there was a movement afoot to move the presidential election up to the beginning of the convention, instead of dealing with the restructuring first and then proceed with the regular convention type stuff. This was actually talked about by both supporters of the main candidates for president - for different reasons. This was brought to the floor of the convention, but was rejected by the delegates - which I think was good. For while I still need to catch up on how everything unfolded, it seems to me best to deal with the restructuring on its own merits, not on the basis of who got elected or not.

And finally . . .

(5.) While we were away, we asked a friend to watch our house for us - which means pick up stuff left on the doorstep, feed our fish, water our plants, stuff like that. Well . . . I cannot tell you how surprised we were when we got home to find that not only had she done this for us, but left all sorts of goodies in the kitchen to greet us when we got home! A gallon of milk, fresh fruit, homemade soup, and other goodies, so that we wouldn't have to run out to the grocery store today! :-) What a great idea, and what love shown. I and my wife are overwhelmed. And to conclude this post similarly to the way it started, her love and thoughtfulness are a more glorious meal for us than the wonderful food she left. How blessed we are!

LCMS President Candidate Questions

Here is a link to how the candidates for LCMS President answered questions put to them. Although there are five candidates listed, the contest is really between the top two - Harrison and Kieschnick. Once you read the answers, it will be clear to you which man should be our next president and lead our church body forward.