World news and commentary: August 2025
New pope, same story On May 8, 2025, the Roman Catholic Church elected a new pope, and Cardinal Robert Prevost became Leo XIV. He is the first US pope, having…
Continued conversations
Leaders from the Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod, WELS, and the Evangelical Lutheran Synod regularly meet informally to discuss church life and doctrine. Once a year since 2012, leaders from the Lutheran…
The seesaw battle
I ride a teeter-totter every day—the battle between my old self and my new self. Teeter-totters. I hate them. I love them. I always have. Teetering in the sky I…
Q&A: Are there different levels of hell for different degrees of sin?
Are the levels of hell determined by how “bad” a sinner someone was? Is one sin, therefore, worse than another? There is not a plethora of information provided by Scripture…
Parent conversations: If our kids are to be the church leaders of tomorrow, what should we be doing to prepare them today?
Laying the foundation for a child’s life of faith is a critical part of a Christian parent’s job. Clearly it’s important for the child, but it’s also vital for a…
A year of challenges and grace
WELS’ 2024 statistical summary weaves a narrative of challenge, resilience, and Christ’s abounding faithfulness. Numbers tell stories. WELS’ 2024 statistical summary weaves a narrative of challenge, resilience, and Christ’s abounding…
Confessions of faith: Tao Nguyen
A Vietnamese man discovers God’s peace in Jesus and shares that peace with many more Vietnamese people—including his parents. My name is Tao Duy Nguyen. I’m currently serving as pastor…
Please explain: Is it sinful to be wealthy?
Is it sinful to be wealthy? If we want an answer to the question, “Is it sinful to be wealthy?” then we need to be clear about what we are…
Distorted Bible passages: John 8:32
Examining misquoted, misused, and misapplied Bible verses. "The truth will set you free" (John 8:32). Etched in stone above the main entrance of the Administration-Library Building at the University of…