by Rev. William M. Cwirla Halloween has become a major commercial holiday in this country, second in potential profit making only to the Christmas season. The average American family now spends well over $100 each year in tricks, treats, and scary decorations. What do we Christians do with Halloween? Is it innocent fun or something
On God rests my salvation and my glory; mighty rock, my refuge is God.
by Dr. Lane R. Seitz This past Sunday I worshiped in one of the smaller congregations in our district. There were approximately 50 people in wor-ship. We have approximately 40 congregations in our district that average less than 50 people in worship each week. In most of those situations, the congregation is served by a
Ever wondered why a Catholic monk nailing a piece of paper to a door 493 years ago affects you today? Dr. Robert Kolb explores the impact Dr. Martin Luther’s work.
My mother, Louise Cady, was a hard-working farm wife and mother of five. She never claimed to be a noted scholar, a talented musician, or a great educational leader. But she loved God…
The Lutheran Witness receives a steady supply of letters from our readers. Although we can’t answer every letter personally, we read every one and appreciate receiving them. Each month, we normally have space to publish only four or five letters, so the competition is tough. Still, letters from readers add vitality to a magazine, and
Two phrases in the August Lutheran Witness report on the recent LCMS convention impressed me. One was by President–elect Rev. Matthew Harrison who used the phrase “guided by the Spirit of God.” The other was in the final sentence of the convention by President Gerald Kieschnick: “May our almighty God lead this church by the
We read and hear about homelessness on a regular basis, but encountering it can be an unsettling experience.
by Paula Schlueter Ross It’s been five years since the Aug. 29, 2005, landfall of Hurricane Katrina. And today–even with five years of restoration efforts involving millions of dollars and untold hours of volunteer labor–the parts of New Orleans that were damaged are still only “26 to 60 percent recovered,” according to Rev. Kurtis Schultz,
“Thy Word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.”
These words from the Book of Psalms have been spoken and sung frequently, especially after they were put to music by Amy Grant.
by Rev. Ken Lampe It’s popular today to talk about being spiritual but not religious. Some people want to be considered spiritual, but they are not sure they want to take a stand for Jesus. Other people tend to think about religion in terms of family or tradition. Children or spouses act as though someone
In the opening paragraph of your story on the LCMS’ Houston convention, you described Houston as the “fourth-largest metropolitan area in the United States.” Unfortunately, you are misinformed. The fourth-largest metropolitan area in the United States, behind New York (19,069,796), Los Angeles (12,874,797), and Chicago (9,580,567), is Dallas–Fort Worth (6,447,615). Houston (5,867,489) comes in at