by Rev. Matthew Wietfeldt A recent study by the National Center of Health Statistics shows that the number of unmarried, cohabiting couples having children has quadrupled since the 1970s. Should this surprise the Christian? Absolutely not. Why? Sin. Sin destroys everything and everyone that it touches, including marriage and the family. However, our Lord loves

Although the weather outside may change from week to week and season to season, there are always showers of blessing in worship for the people of God. by Rev. Dr. Greg Wismar Eight for the April rainers counts out a line in the old English folk song Green Grow the Rushes, O.  Interestingly, the April

by Rev. Donald Jordan “Christ is risen. He is risen, indeed. Alleluia!” With that joyous acclamation to one another and to the world, one would think that Easter and the resurrection of Christ from the dead would not only be a joyous day but an exuberant time as well. In reality, however, Easter seems to

by James R. Gimbel Grandma Timm died April 13, 1987. It was a shock, but then death somehow always is. Yet, in another way, it came as no surprise, for she had suffered for a long time, and there had been many close calls before. Her frail body had gone through a lot. I shall

by Jeni Miller Lutherans make quite a fuss about Law and Gospel.  And for good reason, since distinguishing Law and Gospel is the crux of how we read Scripture and relate to one another as Christians. Attorney Ann Stillman may be well-versed in law, but she still packs plenty of Gospel punch in her everyday

Thank you for the strong affirmation of the importance of residential education in the cause of ministerial formation, which remains at the heart of both our seminaries and which we will abandon to our peril (February). But it should also be noted that such high value does come with a significant cost, and that this

by Rev. Mark Lovett We confess that there are two realms, the church and the state. They shouldn’t be mixedthe church is governed by the Word of God, the state by natural law and reason, the Constitution,” said LCMS President Rev. Dr. Matthew C. Harrison recently before the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee. “We

Today’s culture offers countless religious options, but none of them offer persuasive, factual evidence. See why our Christian faith offers the answers. by Craig A. Parton America is a product of three centuries of secular culture. The roots of that culture are found in the earliest at-tempts to engage in what was thought to be