by Heidi Sias We sat in the car in stunned silence during what seemed like the longest ride home we’d ever taken. The doctor’s words kept echoing in my head: “I’m very sorry to tell you that your baby’s heart has stopped beating.” Was this really happening? Did I do something that caused this? How
We need to preach more about the Gospel!” a wellmeaning pastor admonished his brothers at a pastoral conference.
I agree with Rev. Herb Schiefelbein 100 percent regarding The Lutheran Witness allowing only two lines “In Memoriam” for our deceased workers of our Synod. Please, let’s return to our previous way of informing readers about these deceased workers and their families. Doris LusskyGainesville, Fla. Abbreviating the obituary information of those pastors and teachers who
by Kim Plummer Krull In 1971, a peak high of more than 350 LCMS missionary families dedicated their lives to serving the Lord in foreign fields. Today, 59 such career missionary families (which often include both a husband and wife with calls to serve) work in other countries. But instead of focusing on decline, Dr.
by Kim Plummer Krull How much has the capital campaign raised, and what’s left to go? The capital fund-raising campaign Fan into Flame has led to blessings as well as challenges. That’s important for LCMS members to know, says LCMS President Rev. Matthew C. Harrison, because “in order for us to solve our financial challenges,
by Kim Plummer Krull We were spending a lot more than we were receiving,” says South Wisconsin District (SWD) President Rev. John Wille, explaining as simply as possible why that district had fallen into an operating deficit of $880,000 and a capital indebtedness of $5.5 million when he became president in 2006. Today, the SWD
Concordia Publishing House Synod’s Publisher From coal-fired steam presses in 1869 to the most advanced digital technology today, the purpose of Concordia Publishing House has remained the same: to provide the churches, schools and homes of The Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod with resources that are faithful to the Holy Scriptures and the Lutheran Confessions. CPH is
by Roland Lovstad What does it take to be an LCMS pastor? And what makes the seminaries that form those pastors so unique? What comprises a seminary curriculum? Pastoral ministry students at the LCMS seminaries—Concordia Theological Seminary (CTS), Fort Wayne, and Concordia Seminary (CSL), St. Louis—can be divided into two categories: residential and contextual (distance
by Dr. Lawrence R. Rast Jr. Economic collapse, rapid social change, troubling finances . . . is this the LCMS of 1911 or 2011? Climate change, economic collapse, familial displacement, rapid social change, changing morals—so chaotic were the circumstances of life that some began to predict the imminent end of the world. These were the
by Jerald C. Wulf Why do we give to the church? Is it because it makes us feel good or because everything we have is the Lord’s? It is suppertime, and the telephone rings. With a certain amount of apprehension, you pick up the receiver. Caller ID does not show a familiar name, so you
by William D. Cochran Q. How have LCMS schools grown over the last 40 years? A. There has been a steady growth in the total number of Lutheran schools, which peaked at 2,525 schools in 2006. That includes a significant growth in the number of free-standing early childhood centers, which reached a high of 1,406
by Adriane Dorr Q. What is the Concordia University System (CUS)? The CUS consists of: Ten colleges and universities 27,000 students Over 2,000 full- and part-time faculty Over 200 programs of study One solid foundation, God’s Word, for a Christ-centered educational environment Q. What is the current number of students enrolled in a church vocation,