I find it ironic that in the very first paragraph of the article “A Hand of Life-Giving Love,” it speaks about the Great Commission in Matt. 28:18-20 “being caught, thought, and taught incompletely and even inaccurately” when the article itself incompletely presents that very Scripture. Finger number 4 on the outstretched palm and paragraph no.
I read with interest President Kieschnick’s article, Pastors Wanted, projecting the synod’s need for pastors in the next 10 years and appealing to congregations and pastors “to think of men to whom the Lord has given such gifts (for the pastoral ministry)” … and to “encourage these men to consider the ministry.” This past April,
St. Paul asks in Romans 10, “How are they to believe in Him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching?” Synod’s congregations will need around 2,700 pastors in the next 10 years, an average of 270 each year, just to fill retirement vacancies.
“Lord, make this the shortest operation of its kind on record, and give him a complete healing. Amen.”
Putting Together the Pieces Two-year-old Katelyn was watching the children’s TV show “Blue’s Clues.” The episode featured a pizza, which Katelyn repeatedly referred to as “Pastor’s Pizza.” Pastor’s Pizza? What could that be? Befuddled, her family finally figured it out—the pizza was cut in the shape of a cross. Two-year-olds do see Jesus! —Rev. John
by Rev. Jeffrey Sippy An old adage says polite gentlemen do not speak poorly of another man’s bride. Can you imagine? Can you imagine someone speaking poorly about your spouse? Yet the Bride of Christ is often maligned and insulted by reckless and thoughtless words—sometimes by its own members. Criticism, complaint, and gossip are the
Regarding February’s Family Counselor, “Playing Second Fiddle”: One might point out to the husband who feels like a second fiddle that life is a matter of the choices one makes. He may choose to feel like a second fiddle and put pressure on his wife, making her defensive, and at the same time inducing an
In his article “No Longer Captive: Alleluia!” in the March Lutheran Witness, Rev. John T. Pless speaks of the sting of death, that is, sin, but he fails to address the power of sin, that is, the Law. Yet, the Holy Spirit teaches us through His servant, the apostle Paul, in Rom. 7:6: “But now,
Being in the seventh decade of my life, I have long wondered why you so frequently choose such grotesque, repulsive covers for The Lutheran Witness. The March special issue was no exception. It just made me shudder. No wonder we are losing so many of our youth. It is as if we are stuck in
Thanks for the free copy of the January Lutheran Witness. Our former congregation’s pastor chose to discontinue the blanket congregational subscription offered through the New Jersey District in a cost-saving move. The savings are minimal, but I suspect this attitude is prevalent among many pastors and congregations. I feel this to be very foolish. The
Mom had long ago lost touch with reality…but a beloved hymn cut through the fog.
by Roland Lovstad It’s fair to say no two ministries–or congregations–in the LCMS are alike. They may be small churches in rural America, “megachurches” in the suburbs, or historic congregations in urban settings. Surrounding these congregations are wonderful opportunities to bring God’s Word to immigrants, ethnic groups, blind or deaf people, families, children, military personnel,