Embracing Your Lutheran Identity
How much do members of Lutheran congregations know about the history and heritage of the Lutheran Church? Most probably know little more than what they picked up in a few conversations or classes about Martin ...
The Book Your Pastor Wishes You Would Read
Overview In 1 Peter 5:3, Peter appeals to church elders: “Shepherd God’s flock that is among you, serving as overseers, not grudgingly but willingly, as God desires, not because you are greedy for money but because you are eager to ...
The Challenge of Acts: Rediscovering What the Church Was and Is
N.T. Wright is a giant of New Testament studies, a scrupulous historian, and a Christian who believes in the inerrancy and the power of the Scriptures as the Word of God. In his “brief, ...
Prayer in the Night: For Those who Work or Watch or Weep
As I write this review, the sunset in Boston is 4:12 PM. The nighttime is long. Those who live in the northern part of the country can relate. However, I also know that soon enough ...
Telling People What to Think: A Concise Homiletics for Lutheran Parish Pastors
“I get paid to tell people what to think.” That’s the “cocktail party job-description” LCMS pastor and district president Heath Curtis suggests for pastors (2). Curtis argues that his pithy description can apply to almost every aspect of our varied ...
Limping with God: Jacob & The Old Testament Guide to Messy Discipleship
A man and a divine messenger grapple on a canvas of deep blue. They are locked in a struggle on the surface, but their faces betray something deeper between them. Though intertwined in tension, ...
Acedia and Its Discontents: Metaphysical Boredom in an Empire of Desire
“Mom, I’m bored!” complains a young girl only days into summer vacation. Her mother motions to a closet full of toys and then to the trampoline and playground in the backyard, only to hear ...
Day 7: For Work, Rest, or Play
Christians have long debated the Sabbath. Is Sabbath a moral law that requires obedience? Is the Sabbath simply a natural law principle, a reminder that people need to rest? Does it merely mean to hear God’s ...
The Common Rule: Habits of Purpose for an Age of Distraction
I didn’t carve out quiet time with the Lord today. I haven’t prayed yet. I skipped lunch. I’ve spent way too much time scrolling on my phone. I’m tired and distracted and I’m not keeping up. Sound familiar? It’s the all-too-common day’s review for believers who want to follow ...
The Surprising Rebirth of Belief in God
Over the last few decades, the tide of faith has been going out. Church membership has been declining, believing in God has been out of style, and general interest in religion has been waning. But ...