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Fall is the time of year when most congregations begin to discuss and plan their budgets for the coming year. Ministry plans are developed, and then those plans are prayerfully…
When do you find it easiest to place your trust in God and to remember his promises? Wouldn’t you agree that it’s easiest to place your trust in God’s care…
Earlier this year, I was asked to make a presentation on the topic, “What will the Wisconsin Synod look like one hundred years from now?” It was a daunting assignment…
Last spring, the United States and countries around the world responded to the COVID-19 pandemic in unprecedented ways. In most states, many businesses were forced to cease operations, and schools…
As I write this in April, our world is in the midst of what most would agree is an unprecedented crisis. The COVID-19 virus has had serious effects on almost…
I’ve done a lot of remodeling and woodworking projects over the years. Most of what I’ve done has been self-taught, and my lack of expertise means that projects take a…
Six billion, 450 million. That’s not the world’s population. That’s how many results you get if you Google the word leadership. What exactly does it take to be a good…
From time to time I receive questions about why our synod puts a particular doctrine into practice the way we do. I had such a question recently about closed (or…
Mark G. Schroeder In June 1940, fear and despair gripped the people of Great Britain as the Nazi German armies rolled across northern Europe, conquering Belgium, the Netherlands, and eventually…
Mark G. Schroeder It’s easy to forget that gospel ministry—and even living as a confessing disciple of Jesus Christ—can be risky. Recent political unrest in Ethiopia caused some frightening moments…
Mark G. Schroeder People who are near-sighted can see clearly what is right in front of their eyes. But when objects are farther away, they get blurry and out of…
Mark G. Schroeder How would you describe the perfect congregation? Would the perfect congregation be one in which every sermon is clear, interesting, practical, and holds your attention for 20…
Mark G. Schroeder Twelve years ago, I was first given the privilege of serving as your synod president. And now, after serving three terms, you have given me that privilege again. I thought it would be…
Mark G. Schroeder Apparent contradictions—with the emphasis on the word apparent. Apparent contradictions happen when two true statements appear to contradict each other, but in the end, there is no contradiction at all. Here are some examples: God…
Mark G. Schroeder The news usually comes in an announcement after worship. Your pastor or one of the teachers in your school has received a divine call to serve in another place. That announcement comes as…
Mark G. Schroeder What does it mean when your pastor or teacher receives a call to serve somewhere else? How is it that they were chosen to receive a call? If a call is divine (from God), why do they get to choose whether to accept…
Mark G. Schroeder Every congregation has them. Every member in our congregations knows them. They may be out of sight, but in Christian congregations, they should never be out of mind. “They” are members of…
Mark G. Schroeder “One generation commends your works to another; they tell of your mighty acts” (Psalm 145:4). There is no doubt that every “older generation” tends to view the “younger generation” with a…
Mark G. Schroeder “For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb” (Psalm 139:13). David knew. He knew that his life began not when he was…
Mark G. Schroeder Twenty-five years ago, in the spring of 1994, our synod was facing a time of uncertainty and divided opinions. Eight months earlier at the 1993 synod convention, the synod approved,…
Mark G. Schroeder It was their wedding day. The bride and groom stood in front of me, looks of excitement, nervousness, and happiness on their face. It was time for the wedding sermon.…
Mark G. Schroeder My wife and children absolutely hate it when I made predictions. That’s because my predictions more often than not are wrong. They cringe when I predict a…