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
The Magazine
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
Shedding Some Light
Heavenly Yoga? Josiah, my 6-year-old grandson—a “preacher’s kid”—prays each night for those who are sick. He has his own system: If they are mildly sick, he asks God to “put Your hand on him.” If they are very sick, he asks God “to put two hands on him.” When a family friend lay gravely ill
Degrees of Glory?
Recently, in a Sunday School class I was visiting in an LCMS church, someone asked a question—and the pastor answered—regarding “degrees of glory.” Is this something the Lutheran Church teaches? I have been a Lutheran Christian all of my life and don’t recall ever having heard about “degrees of glory” before. Or have I just
How Good is Good Enough?
An email exchange about a sermon theme posted on a church sign leads to a conversation about people’s perceptions of Jesus Christ and eternal life.
The Prodigal Father
by Rev. Ben Eder Sunday, June 15, is Father’s Day. A familiar Bible text regarding fathers is the Parable of the Prodigal Son. Although this story is usually told from the perspective of the “lost son,” what about the father in the story? What was his responsibility? And how does he respond to the wanderings—and
It Is My Father’s Word
What greater service can a father render to his children than to point them to their Father’s Word?
Two-Timers
We have all met them. They walk in, talk to a few people they know, leave after the service, and are not seen again until another holiday.
Does Everything Mean Everything?
For a fire-department chaplain, an EMT, and a pastor, the greatest faith-strengthening role he’s ever had is that of dad.
Making Choices in the Civic Arena
by Dr. Leslie (Jack) Fyans I turned 18 this year, and I am excited to vote in the upcoming presidential election. I’ve been following the race and talking with friends and family about my views. My parents and I disagree about presidential candidates for a number of reasons. They imply that I’m wrong because I’m
Shedding Some Light
Why Go to Church? A reader wrote a letter to the editor of his local newspaper and complained that it made no sense to go to church every Sunday. “I’ve gone for 30 years now,” he wrote, “and in that time I’ve heard perhaps 1,500 sermons. But for the life of me, I can’t remember
Peace in Anxious Times
We are living in a time of anxiety, conflict, and concern. People are anxious today about employment and job stability; about the price of gas, other fuels, and food; and about the future leadership of our country.