A day in the life of a future pastor
Life is busy for your future pastors as they study for the ministry at Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary. Micah Koelpin 5:30 A.M.—I reach over to turn off the alarm on my…
My Christian life: Camp BASIC
Going to Camp BASIC is a family affair for volunteers and campers. Laura Schaefer Picture, if you will: wheelchairs being pushed on grassy paths by hardy counselors so their campers…
A Bible story just for me: Grief
Grieve . . . but with hope Gregory C. Lyon From time to time, we face realities that we simply can’t do anything about. God chose Mary to be the…
The path to Easter
We need Easter, but we need Maundy Thursday and Good Friday too. Shelly Hahm When I was young, I didn’t like Maundy Thursday and Good Friday. It was uncomfortable to…
Holy Week is coming!
Andrew C. Schroer My favorite Christmas movie of all time is the movie Elf. In the movie, Will Ferrell plays a man who was raised as an elf at the…
Parent conversations: How can I stay calm when my child is out of control?
Warning: The two articles this month are a completely accurate portrayal of life with children. Tantrums happen. Parents lose it. If we’re being honest, most of us will admit that…
Q&A: Does God help those who help themselves?
I have been going through a string of bad luck lately. It seems like everything I do ends up in failure. I have a friend who shared the encouragement: “Just…
Easter is life
Easter brings us victory over death and gives us new life. Joshua E. Stahmann The young man across the table from me was in tears. There was no doubting the…
President’s message: What kind of leaders?
Mark G. Schroeder 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…
Bible study: God helps those who cannot help themselves
David Scharf Recently in a stadium packed with people, these words were preached: “If you continue to say something, eventually it will become a reality. Whether you realize it or…
Confessions of faith: Sherry Deaton
The seed of the Word fell on rocky ground but over time sprouted and grew. Amanda M. Klemp In 2005, an agricultural expert grew a date palm tree from seed…
A thought: Outing death
John A. Braun “Don’t forget, you’re going to die,” the message on the screen read. It was from an app that sends five e-mails each day with the sober reminder…
Devotion: Death dies on this mountain
“On this mountain he will destroy the shroud that enfolds all peoples, the sheet that covers all nations; he will swallow up death forever. The Sovereign Lord will wipe away…
We look for the resurrection of the dead
Though we die—really die—we really will live again, all because of Jesus Christ . . . all because of Easter. Jonathan D. Quinn Do you want your Savior to fix…
Please explain: Why can’t my sister have communion with us?
Why can’t my sister have communion with us? Gary A. Pufahl How do I answer that question “Why can’t my sister have communion with us?” without knowing either the person…
Parent conversations: Should I give something up for Lent?
Should I or shouldn’t I? It’s a question I ask myself each Lenten season. Should I give something up? I know I don’t need to, but would it help me…
A Bible story just for me: Depression
Longing for the mountaintop, sitting under a shrub: Depression Gregory C. Lyon Loneliness. Hopelessness. A lack of motivation. A lack of purpose. It’s been described as a black cloud that…
My Christian life: Spencer Beach
A modern-day Job story reminds us of God's grace and love. Julie K. Wietzke For most people, it would have been the worst day of their life. Maybe it was…
Teen talk: You are not alone
When you feel at the bottom with nowhere to go, turn to the Lord. Emmilee S. Hillier Empty. Forgotten. Worthless. Defeated. Hopeless. Alone. I feel all these things when I’m…
Dust you are
The smudged ashes announce that our story does not end in the dust of death. Peter A. Panitzke Look hundreds of people in the eye and tell them that they…
Devotion: Jesus’ last will and testament
“And he took bread, . . . saying, ‘This is my body given for you; do this in remembrance of me.’ . . . He took the cup, saying, ‘This cup…
Please explain: Whom do we blame for bad things?
Whom do we blame for bad things? Jeffrey L. Samelson It’s a question the disciples asked Jesus, and it’s not an unusual one: “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his…
Ever been tempted like that?
We are all tempted and often fail. Only Jesus has been perfectly obedient. Stephen G. Helwig Have you ever fasted 40 days and 40 nights out in the wilderness? Have…
Q&A: How can we say that the Old Testament God is the same as the New Testament God?
The God of the Old Testament wiped out the world with a flood, sent plagues on the Egyptians, and commanded his people to kill the Canaanites. He revealed himself only…
President’s message: What’s love got to do with it?
Mark G. Schroeder 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…
Confessions of faith: Holly Vaden and the Thorsons
The Holy Spirit used individuals, life circumstances, and a yearning for clarity to draw three friends around God’s Word. Rachel Hartman More than 20 years ago, Holly Vaden and Anna…
A man with unclean lips
Glenn L. Schwanke The word “hell” keeps popping up in my reading these days. No, I’m not talking about my daily study of Scripture. I’m talking about the newsfeeds on…
Bible study: God has not grown soft on sin
David Scharf God certainly showed himself to be holy and willing to punish sin and disobedience in the Old Testament. At the same time, he also desired the salvation of…
A thought: The Christ
John A. Braun Christianity is not just a label, a category, or a space to be filled in for some pollster. We are named after Christ. The shepherds heard the…
Lent means love
Lenten Bible readings and hymns remind us of God’s love and our opportunity to reflect that love. Mark W. Tiefel Each year, as winter yields to spring and as February…
Bible study: Only one path leads to God’s presence
David Scharf Imagine you are stepping out onto the streets, and you ask this question to a cross-section of people: “How would you describe God and who he is to…
Devotion: Repent of deception
“When such a person hears the words of this oath and they invoke a blessing on themselves, thinking, ‘I will be safe, even though I persist in going my own…
Campus cornerstone: 4 ways to keep your faith strong
How to stay close to Jesus when college life threatens to pull you away. Hannah White Where is Jesus in your life? It’s a good question for every Christian and…
Much more than hymns
The new hymnal will help us plan worship, sing, and grow in our Christian faith. The phrase “just the tip of the iceberg” existed long before 1912, but the sinking…
Jesus is the prophet
Jesus was anointed to be our Prophet, Priest, and King. As our Prophet, he proclaims God’s message of sin and grace. Kirk E. Lahmann When you think of a prophet,…
Please explain: Are sins of thought as bad as committing the actual sin?
Are sins of thought as bad as committing the actual sin? Nicolas C. Schmoller We know how laws work in our world. Different crimes necessitate different punishments. Can you imagine…
A thought: Trusting what we cannot see
Trusting what we cannot see Seeing the little baby in the manger at Christmas fills us all with joy and wonder. It is a universal experience because we have all…
A Bible story just for me: Trauma
When Jesus feels, but he doesn’t change the situation. Gregory C. Lyon On April 19, 1995, at 9:02 a.m., the Alfred P. Murrah building in Oklahoma City was bombed, claiming…
The Father to the fatherless
Snowden G. Sims Being fatherless is a reality in our world today. Serving in a midwestern urban setting, I encounter single mothers with children who may not see their fathers…
Confessions of faith: Delaney Leffel
Music becomes an invitation to learn of Jesus. Gabriella Blauert Our parents are often our first role models. They are the ones we look up to for guidance and moral…
Q&A: Is Jesus the only way to get to heaven?
My neighbor does not believe in God, but he is the nicest person I have ever met. I have heard that some denominations say that Jesus is not the only…
Agape love
The Bible uses agape, the Greek word for love, to describe perfect love. Rhoda Wolle First Corinthians defines agape love like this: “Love is patient, love is kind. It does…
My Christian life: Mission opportunities in South Asia
God provides exciting new mission opportunities through a Christian from South Asia. “Put the best minds in World Missions in a room. Tell them to come up with a plan…
President’s message: Whose finest hour?
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…
Parent conversations: How can I keep my child engaged in attending church?
Let’s be honest. Worshiping with children does not always feel . . . worshipful. I believe that most parents desperately want to engage their children in worship—but we just don’t…
A life like Mr. Panza’s
Andrew C. Schroer Mr. Panza is 97 years old. He lives in the nursing home down the road from my house. Over the last year, he and I have become…
A Bible story just for me
Using Bible stories to examine characteristics of God that we never thought about, characteristics that apply to what we’re facing right now. Gregory C. Lyon Take a few moments to…
A thought: Partners
Partners I admit that sometimes when I read the epistles of the New Testament, I easily skip over the first couple of verses. In those verses, Paul, who wrote most…
The divine family
The Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit are united in planning and carrying out our salvation. Joel J. Gawrisch Marriage requires commitment and unity. Once husband and wife begin…
Please explain: What makes God unique?
What makes our Christian God different from other gods? Daniel N. Balge Sometimes a question does not really need an answer. Sometimes a question is actually making a statement and nothing…