Devotion: Joyful repentance
“When you fast, do not look somber as the hypocrites do, for they disfigure their faces to show others they are fasting. Truly I tell you, they have received their…
Continue Reading
Devotion: Joyful repentance
President’s message: Blessings small and large
It’s easy to be thankful for the big blessings that come our way. But when you stop and think about it, we’re also thankful for the little blessings, even though…
Continue Reading
President’s message: Blessings small and large
Bible study: God’s inspiration
Verbal inspiration means that God inspired the authors of the books of the Bible to record not just the thoughts but also the very words God wanted recorded. First Corinthians…
Continue Reading
Bible study: God’s inspiration
My Christian life: Once a detective, now a pastor
A former detective-turned-pastor shows the importance of reaching individuals with the gospel—one by one. In my former life, there were times if someone did not step up to lead, people…
Continue Reading
My Christian life: Once a detective, now a pastor
Please explain: Why did God cruelly command Abraham to sacrifice his son?
For many people, it’s an Old Testament Bible story that is confusing, even alarming. For every Sunday school student who has colored the picture of Abraham lifting his knife over…
Continue Reading
Please explain: Why did God cruelly command Abraham to sacrifice his son?
The Bible still matters: Part 1
Only the Bible teaches us about God’s grace. Jesus taught two little parables. The first is about a man who found a treasure and was so filled with joy that…
Continue Reading
The Bible still matters: Part 1
Q&A: How is the Bible God’s Word?
Why do we say that the Bible is God’s Word when people wrote it? The Bible is God’s breath The Bible teaches the doctrine of plenary verbal inspiration. Literally, the…
Continue Reading
Q&A: How is the Bible God’s Word?
Faith and the thinking Christian: The limits of science
A friend recently joked that he was going to legally change his name to “The Science.” With so many people claiming they “follow the science” these days, my friend would…
Continue Reading
Faith and the thinking Christian: The limits of science
In Christ
My handwriting is bad. So bad, in fact, that even doctors—infamous for the unintelligible scribbles—look at my handwriting and say, “What did you write?” With that mea culpa (or if…
Continue Reading
In Christ
Lent: Remembering his sacrifice
Lenten traditions help us focus on Jesus. Lent is a time to concentrate on Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross. In preparation we contemplate our own sins and why we need…
Continue Reading
Lent: Remembering his sacrifice
A thought: The path of the righteous
A few weeks ago when I was taking a walk, I passed a car with the license plate “PVB 3V5.” It dawned on me that the plate was a Christian…
Continue Reading
A thought: The path of the righteous
Parent conversations: How can I explain the Sixth Commandment to a young child?
Recently my six-year-old came home from his Lutheran elementary school, and I overheard him ask his older siblings, “What is ‘adultery’?” Apparently his class was memorizing the Sixth Commandment, and…
Continue Reading
Parent conversations: How can I explain the Sixth Commandment to a young child?
Confessions of faith: Kaitlin Lamb
A college student learns the truths of God’s Word and discovers a church family for the first time. In her early years, Kaitlin Lamb felt the tug of the Holy…
Continue Reading
Confessions of faith: Kaitlin Lamb
Moments with missionaries: Timothy Spiegelberg
I don’t know about you, but one of the most dangerous things I did during this pandemic was to turn on Home and Garden Television (HGTV). I know, I live…
Continue Reading
Moments with missionaries: Timothy Spiegelberg
Ministry in action
Martin Luther College (MLC) students began the fall 2020 semester with in-person classes but needed to transition to online learning at the end of October. When students arrived back home,…
Continue Reading
Ministry in action
Mid-year MLC graduates
Even though on-campus learning at Martin Luther College, New Ulm, Minn., was interrupted late in 2020, 22 students completed their studies and graduated mid year. Three students graduated with a…
Continue Reading
Mid-year MLC graduates
Building a congregation’s outreach culture
The Commission on Evangelism has developed a new program called Everyone Outreach to help focus congregations and their members on Jesus’ command to make disciples. “If you look at WELS…
Continue Reading
Building a congregation’s outreach culture
“It’s good to be here”
“I feel like I’m on top of the mountain of transfiguration! Everything is happy and bright, but I know it won’t stay this way forever.” Russian seminarian Andre Gydkov expressed…
Continue Reading
“It’s good to be here”
Book nook: Whatever is True: A Christian View of Anxiety
William Woodington writes from years of personal experience dealing with anxiety while he searched for answers in a myriad of self-help books. One of these books especially spoke to Woodington,…
Continue Reading
Book nook: Whatever is True: A Christian View of Anxiety
District news: February 2021
Arizona-California On Dec. 5, 2020, Grace, Casa Grande, Ariz., participated in a community light display to replace the annual Christmas parade. Northern Wisconsin Winnebago Lutheran Academy, Fond…
Continue Reading
District news: February 2021
Give to Caesar and to God
As Christians, our first allegiance is to God, but we also owe the government obedience, honor, and respect. A few weeks before last fall’s election, a homemade sign on a…
Continue Reading
Give to Caesar and to God
Being Christ’s witnesses
As Americans become less interested in church, showing our neighbors sincere love and genuine friendship can offer opportunities to share the gospel. The American Christian church seems to be unraveling.…
Continue Reading
Being Christ’s witnesses