Practicing Christian freedom
In the first installment of "Free in Christ," you learn how two congregations offer adult Bible classes to their members. The approaches are different, but the goals and outcomes are…
Opening doors in Advent and beyond
I grew up with Advent calendars. You know, the kind that are printed on thick stock paper and have little doors that, when opened, reveal a lamb or a shepherd…
Thankful saints
November can be a cruel month. For people who live in the northern climes of our country, November is the bridge from the colorful landscape of fall to the cold…
Pastor and wife appreciation month
Praise Martin Luther? No, praise the Lord! Praise the Lord for what he accomplished through reformers like Martin Luther. In our praise to the Lord, it is common and appropriate…
Remembering a rite
Imagine a Lutheran pastor beginning a baptism service by blowing three times under the child’s eyes and then commanding the unclean spirit in the child to depart and make room…
Sympathy +
“I’m so sorry.” “I’m sorry for your loss.” “You have my sympathy.” I’m sure you recognize those statements, and you can probably picture a very common setting where they are…
A memorable Trinity Sunday sermon
My first year as a pastor was coming to an end, and I was working on a sermon for Trinity Sunday. There was just one problem: I had writer’s block.…
Appreciating the clouds
A cloudy day or a sunny day? What would you rather have? I think most people would choose a sunny day. If that is you, I am hoping that by…
One little word
The title of this article can get you thinking about Martin Luther’s Reformation hymn “A Mighty Fortress Is Our God” (Christian Worship 863/864). The third stanza ends with the observation…