I grew up in a LCMS church in the 60s - mid 80s. Though there were times in those years when I declined to go to any church, but that was not the fault of the church. When I returned to the church in which I was confirmed, all the young people I had gone through confirmation and youth group had all left for college, or had families of their own. The congregation was now full of our aging parents and grandparents. I was a single in my early 20s seeking to have fellowship with others of my age. My mother, who was also in Bible Study Fellowship at the time suggested I attend a Covenant Church where her BSF group met. I was also part of a IVCF at a Community College. I took her up on her advice and started attending the Covenant Church. They were a big congregation compared to what I was used to growing up. I soon became a member and was part of the Singles ministry there. Skip ahead about 6 years and I was now married and had a child, I left the Covenant church and became a member of a Community Church and for the purposes of becoming a member was baptized again (though I now regret it and hold to my infant baptism in Oct 1961).

It took me almost 15 years in the American Evangelical movement to realize I didn't belong there. I belonged in the Lutheran Church. I filtered back in through the ELCA, but that was temporary and then to the LCMS. Along the way, I learned that Traditional Divine Services and the Office services were more fulfilling as vehicles of worship that I had been attending in those American Evangelical years. I became interested in doing mission work, but found my real interest was in becoming a Pastor. I went to the Seminary in Fort Wayne beginning in 2006 and graduated in Nov. 2010. Unfortunately, my first marriage didn't survive the seminary experience, but I took the necessary 2-year sabbatical and came back to do another vicarage in preparation for ordination and service. I have also now left the LC-MS and belong to The American Association of Lutheran Churches.

I see now the shallowness of the Contemporary Worship in any church body. Lutherans don't do a very good job of it and it often feels like something that was done in the 70s. The music itself is not conducive to good worship and it's hard to find a contemporary song that is in line with the lectionary readings and thus any sermon you write. I much prefer the Hymnal and choosing the Hymn of the day to accompany the message God has placed on my conscience to share with the people of my congregation. The number of people in the pews is not something I worry about. My job (I hate that word) is to proclaim Christ to them and give them his word in Law and Gospel. After that, it's the Holy Spirit that does the rest. As the original article says, we are here to prepare people for the Church Triumphant. That's the church we all want to join.