A pastoral letter regarding man and woman roles
In 1993, after years of scriptural study, our synod in convention adopted the doctrinal statement “Scriptural Principles of Man and Woman Roles.” Like all f...
We know the results
By the time you read this, people in the United States already are going to the polls for early voting. Election Day itself is Tuesday, Nov. 5. By Wednesday, No...
Alone time
No matter how much of a social animal you are, no matter how much you love to spend time with friends and family, everyone needs some alone time once in a while...
More than a job
When I was a senior in high school, I found myself in a difficult dilemma. I was the youngest of eight children. By the time I was ready to graduate from high s...
Waiting: Never easy but always a blessing
“Wait for the LORD; be strong and take heart and wait for the LORD” (Psalm 27:14). Sometimes our waiting comes to an end when the Lord answers our prayer wi...
A laudable goal . . . with some questions
The 2023 synod convention adopted an ambitious plan with the stated goal of opening one hundred new home missions in the next ten years. That effort began last ...
Faithfully serving you
This June, two men who have served faithfully as district presidents will conclude their time in that office. Jon Buchholz, president of the Arizona-California ...
God is still building his church
The apostle Paul had been called by God to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ in many places and to many people. He watched as God caused the seed of the gospel ...
The mission of WELS schools
Christian parents holding their newborn baby are overwhelmed with emotions. They are thankful for the miracle of life that God has created. They are also filled...
Blessings in tragedy
Sometimes a tragic event can result in great blessings. That was the experience of the Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod (LCMS). This year marks the 50th anniver...
Confusion or comfort?
There are few doctrines in the Bible that are as misunderstood as the doctrine of election. This isn’t because the Scriptures are not clear. It happens becaus...
Never take it for granted
Religious freedom—the freedom not only to believe and worship according to one’s conscience but also to proclaim publicly and faithfully what God’s Word c...
A season of miracles
We tend to use the term miracle incorrectly. “It was a miracle that our football team won the game in the last seconds!” “It was a miracle that I didn’t...
Don’t miss the point
Sometimes it’s easy to miss the point. Jesus was talking to people who asked him about some Galileans whom Pontius Pilate had killed while they were worshipin...
Another humbling experience
The year was 2007. I had just completed my 18th year as president of one of our synod’s ministerial preparatory schools. I had the privilege of being part of ...
Our cross and crown
A portion of the “President’s report” that President Mark Schroeder presented to synod convention delegates on Aug. 1. As we embrace the cross and anticip...
The public ministry and the divine call
What does it mean when an individual receives a call to share God’s Word with other people? Every Christian has been given the task of sharing and proclaiming...
No fear of bad news
You can’t escape it. Bad news is everywhere. Open the newspaper or turn on the TV, and the bad news will come at you with full force—about the economy; a ma...
Big challenge, bigger blessings
The 2021 synod convention was presented with an ambitious proposal. The Board for Home Missions asked the convention to consider approving a plan to start one h...
Our worldwide fellowship
When you think of the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod (WELS), no doubt you think of it in terms of 350,000 people in the United States and Canada united by...
Seize the opportunities
When the apostle Paul, Silas, and Timothy were in Galatia on Paul’s second mission journey, they made the prayerful decision to head north with the gospel. Th...
The Lord takes care of his church
In 2015, there were 77 vacancies for pastor-trained positions in our synod. That represented a vacancy rate of about 5 percent. Today, there are more than 140 v...
Savor the rain
Martin Luther was not only a student of the Scriptures but also a keen observer of history. He was well aware of how the Christian church spread and grew from i...
Up close and personal
Nothing brings WELS’ world mission work to life like visiting those missions in person. I had such an opportunity last October. Along with WELS World Missions...