by Roland Lovstad What does it take to be an LCMS pastor? And what makes the seminaries that form those pastors so unique? What comprises a seminary curriculum? Pastoral ministry students at the LCMS seminaries—Concordia Theological Seminary (CTS), Fort Wayne, and Concordia Seminary (CSL), St. Louis—can be divided into two categories: residential and contextual (distance
by Dr. Lawrence R. Rast Jr. Economic collapse, rapid social change, troubling finances . . . is this the LCMS of 1911 or 2011? Climate change, economic collapse, familial displacement, rapid social change, changing morals—so chaotic were the circumstances of life that some began to predict the imminent end of the world. These were the
by Jerald C. Wulf Why do we give to the church? Is it because it makes us feel good or because everything we have is the Lord’s? It is suppertime, and the telephone rings. With a certain amount of apprehension, you pick up the receiver. Caller ID does not show a familiar name, so you
by William D. Cochran Q. How have LCMS schools grown over the last 40 years? A. There has been a steady growth in the total number of Lutheran schools, which peaked at 2,525 schools in 2006. That includes a significant growth in the number of free-standing early childhood centers, which reached a high of 1,406
I read with great interest Rev. Derek Roberts’ story, but wanted to add one question to the top of his “Technology Litmus Test.” I think that the first question would be more like, “Why not?” If we have access to media and technology that will allow others hear the message of Jesus in a myriad
A commentary by Rev. William Weedon on life, death, Lent and Japan.
by Adriane Dorr If Christ has not been raised, The Lutheran Witness has no value. It has nothing to offer, nothing to which your faith can cling, nothing that can tell of you of Christ’s humiliation and death on your behalf. But if Christ has been raised, if Satan has lost and his head has
I read with great interest the article “Being a Christian in a High-tech World” (February). I disagree that the church is necessarily “borderline archaic” in terms of technology and media when we Lutherans pride ourselves on using new media first. Surely we can do better in today’s setting than to encourage our congregations to be
Sin makes life messy and dirty. But it is Christ’s resurrection that cleanses, renews and restores us!
Excellent article in the February Lutheran Witness (“A Heavenly Reunion”). One of the best that has appeared in the magazine. George Menghi Houston, Texas Read More Letters to the Editor Send letters to “Letters,” c/o The Lutheran Witness, 1333 S. Kirkwood Road, St. Louis, MO 63122-7295; or send them via e-mail to Lutheran.Witness@LCMS.org.
Third-generation candy store owner Devon Nau opens up on everything from fudge to faith.
by Rev. Dr. Robert Rosin Five centuries before Christ, as Athens headed toward the end of its golden age, the city found itself in conflict with rival Sparta. One year into the Peloponnesian War, the leader of Athens—a general and statesman named Pericles—delivered a funeral oration made famous by the historian Thucydides. Pericles lauded the