The LCMS

First Day of School

by Rev. Terence Groth Early every fall a milestone event takes place all across America: Mothers send their children off to the first day of school. For some pupils this is a partial day in preschool or kindergarten. For others, it is a full day as a first-grader. For still others, it is the first

Degrees of glory

Regarding “Degrees of Glory” (“Q&A,” June/July): Jesus’ parable, “Laborers in the Vineyard” (Matt. 20:1–16), does not support the response to the question. See verse 12: “‘These men who were hired last worked only one hour,’ they said, ‘and you have made them equal to us who have borne the burden of the work and the

“Just Bring Yourself”

by Paula Schlueter Ross Brenda Johnson (at right in above photo), the head cook at Camp Restore, New Orleans, invites just about every volunteer group at the camp to stop by her house, which had five-and-a-half feet of floodwater post-Katrina and now “is gorgeous,” she says. Thanks to Lutheran volunteers, Johnson got back into her

The older brother

Several times I have listened to sermons about the prodigal son and have been disappointed that the older son’s reaction is either ignored or taken to such an extreme it is hard to personally relate to his reaction toward the return of his younger brother. Once again, in June’s “Searching Scripture,” the older brother was

All This Jazz

The “Jazz Song” Christians sing–The Gospel–preaches a more powerful sermon than any silver-tongued orator ever could.

A dedicated servant

Thanks for the beautiful article “When at Last I Near the Shore” by Edie Sodowsky in the May Lutheran Witness. Mrs. Esther Wilke was a member of the church we have attended for many years. She was a quietly faithful and dedicated servant of the Lord in church, in the LWML, in helping with the

Much Ado About Nothing

When you take away the hype, the poor scholarship, and the overblown misinterpretations, all that remains of many biblical “discoveries” is “more junk on Jesus.”

Is a New Beginning Possible?

by Dr. Randy Schroeder I found out recently that over a six-month period my husband had an affair with one of his co-workers. I was so devastated and heartbroken that I told my best friend. She said I should divorce him because I have biblical reasons. I don’t know what to do. I thought we

A Shabby Approach to Outreach

In Christ Jesus you are all sons of God, Through faith. For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. –Gal. 3:26-27 ESV

Being drawn inside

Thank you for your cover on the May 2008 issue of The Lutheran Witness. I have waited for such a cover for years. This is what God’s people are all about: 2008, new life, Baptism, joy, sharing, calling to confession, receiving forgiveness, vibrant, full of the power of the Spirit, and, you guessed it, it

Confronting Suicide

by Theresa M. Shaltanis I don’t have a question, but I have an observation that may help others. My 17-year-old son lost his best friend to suicide earlier this year. In the days following that tragedy, well-meaning friends and family questioned (judgmentally, it seems to me) how a teenager could reach such a point of

Positive covers revisited

Dorothy Staub writes concerning “grotesque, repulsive covers for The Lutheran Witness” (“Positive covers, please!” May 2008, Letters), specifically in apparent reference to the March 2008 issue featuring the painting The Three Marys at the Tomb, by William-Adolphe Bouguereau (1825–1905). In response to Mrs. Staub’s concern, I would like to offer a couple of points. First,