Is there a difference between being spiritual and being religious? by Rev. Travis J. Scholl You know this one-liner by now, don’t you? You’re talking with somebody in the grocery store, and somehow your church comes up. Then you get the look: the tilt of the head, the naive smile, the dewy eyes, the feigned
Religious life has become a buffet of beliefs, but does the First Commandment allow this?
USA Today reveals a drift from organized religion to do-it-yourself theology.
What the Church teaches and how she worships is utterly foreign to the world. Is that the way it is suposed to be? by Peter Berg If any people are predisposed to the lure of do-it-yourself religion and designer spirituality, it’s Americans. Our forefathers’ rugged American individualism, coupled with democratic ideals, led to a fierce
Children learn from their parents’ actions. How can you as a parent teach the faith to your kids? by Rev. Daniel A. Hinton A recent trip to the dentist with three young boys began, as it always does, with filling out the checklist. Two pages full of questions covered every possible facet of dental health.
The First Commandment forbids us from having other gods. Does that rule still apply, or is it just a dusty, archaic command? by Rev. Gaven Mize Have you ever heard of a Labradoodle? How about a Bullhuahua? Certainly you have heard of a Schnoodle, right? No? They are designer dogs–canine creations that allow you to
by Rev. Dr. Greg Wismar As the days of summer bring us more daylight for enjoying the full creation with which God has blessed us, we think about expanding our time spent getting some beneficial exercise. Health professionals have often noted that cardio exercise is great for people in many ways. Cardio receives its name
The April 2012, issue of The Lutheran Witness was excellent. It covered the testimony given by President Harrison to the House of Representatives’ Committee on Oversight and Government Reform very well. It was very much to the point and left no doubt as to where the LCMS stands on current political and moral issues. Hopefully
Only You Can Prevent Church Fires A few years ago in December, I visited my friend’s church. The service was beautiful, but when it came time for the sermon, the pastor spoke a long time and my attention waned. Suddenly, I heard him call out, “There’s a fire going on in here!” Thinking that
by Rev. Joshua Hayes Newer is better. We want our devices to be cutting-edge and fast and highly personalized. When it comes to the things of God, however, the Scriptures teach us that newer is not always better, nor should we each have a personal version of the faith. Rather, we are to share and
This issue discusses the trend of “do-it-yourself” or “cafeteria” religion—what one of our authors calls choosing our doctrines from a “buffet of beliefs.”
by Rev. Joshua Hayes We believe that Christ “ascended into heaven and sits at the right hand of God the Father Almighty.” For 40 days after He rose from the dead, Christ appeared to the apostles and preached to them about the kingdom of God (Acts 1:3). He was then “taken up into heaven and