Lutheran Witness: June/July 2012
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.”
The Magazine
Teach Us To Pray
Our Lord bids us to pray, but where do we start? by Gregg Hein It is bedtime. My younger children–ages 10, 8 and 5–have just finished jostling for position to brush and spit and complete the rest of the routine. The obligatory debate about whose room we’ll be praying in tonight is set-tled by my
Q and A
by Rev. Dr. Jerald C. Joersz Q: In both the Apostles’ and Nicene Creeds, we confess that Jesus “rose again” from the dead. English versions of the Bible also say in a few passages that Jesus rose again (e.g., Mark 8:31 and 1 Thess. 4:14). Doesn’t this imply that Jesus rose a second time? Why not
Blossoms All Around
by Rev. Dr. Greg Wismar “The flowers in church today are given to the glory of God by . . .” For most churches, having a weekly display of flowers in the chancel is a virtual expectation. Hard-working flower committees (or altar guilds or chancel societies, depending on local custom) see to it that appropriately
Shedding Some Light
A teacher by any other name . . . My brother Jerry and I were both Lutheran school principals. When I retired, I often substitute-taught at his school. I was teaching in a second-grade class when a little girl said, “That’s weird.” “What’s weird?” I asked. “It’s you and your brother,” she replied. “Well, it’s
Not Absent
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
Church Shopping and Hopping
by Rev. Ray Mirly You have been baptized and catechized in the Christian faith. At your Baptism, the Holy Spirit worked faith in your heart to believe in Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior. At the time of your confirmation, you acknowledged that God, at your Baptism, gave you faith in Jesus, forgiveness of
Partnering for the Sake of the Gospel
The Lord is working through His people to build up the Church in the Dominican Republic.
The Gift of Prayer
Knowing how and what to pray can be difficult, but God has taken great pains to help us learn to pray.
Even Atheists Pray
Discover why so many Americans still pray, even though they admit they don’t believe in God.
No is a Good Thing
It’s easy to know when God has answered our prayers, but what about the times when prayers seem to make no difference?
He Speaks, We Listen
What makes the Lord’s Prayer different? See why God loves to hear you pray this prayer. by Rev. Paul Beisel If Lutherans followed the advice of Martin Luther, they would find themselves praying the Lord’s Prayer five times per day. Luther took prayer seriously. In the Small Catechism, he instructs Christians to pray the Lord’s