by Prof. John T. Pless One should avoid going to a restaurant where the chef cannot tell the difference between cyanide and salt. A pinch of salt flavors the food, but a dash of cyanide would be lethal. Distinctions matter. Where they are improperly made, the results can be deadly. Pastor C. F. W. Walther
Steve Jobs, the head of Apple Computers who died Oct. 5, was by all accounts a brilliant man, a visionary. No one can deny that Steve Jobs was gifted. And gifts imply a Giver. No one can deny that Steve Jobs was good at his jobs. He had a vocation, a calling. And a calling implies a Caller.
Matthew C. Harrison commemorates C. F. W. Walther, the Synods first president, by recalling Walthers desire to return to Scripture and to the Confessions.
by Melanie Ave The Rev. Matthew Heise serves as a career missionary to Russia and other former Soviet republics for The Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod (LCMS). This October, as we celebrate World Mission Month, Heise (www.lcms.org/heise) offers a glimpse into his life overseas. The following is an edited Lutheran Witness (LW) interview with Heise (MH): LW:
by Adriane Dorr C. F. W. Walther didn’t look like much of a leader. His hair wasn’t perfect. His suits weren’t pressed. His beard wasn’t trimmed. By today’s standards, he looked unkempt and unhealthy. But our mothers were right when they told us not to judge a book by its cover. For hidden behind sunken
Following a devastating earthquake in Peru, the LCMS continues to reach out in mercy to those who are suffering.
by Kim Plummer Krull Helping congregations bring neighborhoods back to life by sharing Christ’s love: That’s one simple way to describe the work of Lutheran Housing Support (LHS), say Deborah Rutt and Nicole Ridley. But the challenges these women tackle are anything but simple. “We work with and walk alongside congregations as they work to
by Dr. Beverly Yahnke In most churches, as we gather each Lord’s Day, we recite either the Apostles’ Creed or the Nicene Creed. We find both joy and certainty in our profession of faith. We speak the words with confidence, binding ourselves to one another within the Body of Christ and worshiping our God who
In this special edition of The Lutheran Witness, we give thanks to God for Carl Ferdinand Wilhelm Walther, the first president of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod.
by Dr. Jerald C. Joersz Q: Tattoos are all around us. As a 60-something lifelong Lutheran, I’ve never liked them or wanted one. Recently someone in my church strongly disagreed with me about this. On the basis of the Bible, what should we say about this practice? A: As far as I am aware, only
Words Save Lives This morning, the kids and I were talking about upcoming events, and we came to the topic of our pastor’s retirement. I said, “In a few weeks, it will be Pastor’s last day at church because he is retiring. Then we will get a new pastor.” My son Matthew asked, “Then what
by Rev. Travis J. Scholl If you’ve ever been there, it is impossible to forget Pentecost Day at Redeemer Evangelical Lutheran Church in the Bronx. The church is awash in red— deep, bright, fiery red. The red of vestments and altar linens, the red of balloons and banners, the red of people. Shirts, ties, jackets,