The Magazine

Mighty Little Words

by Rev. Dr. Greg Wismar The vocabulary of the church is filled with big words, large and meaningful words that sum up a great quantity of theological content. There are words like redemption and sanctification, words like liturgy and sacramental and words like propitiation and atonement. These great words may well need some reflection and

10 Minutes with . . . Dr. Paul L. Maier

by Adriane Dorr Dr. Paul L. Maier is a true Renaissance man—professor, campus chaplain, author and lecturer who just so happens to serve as the Synod’s third vice-president. He also recently retired from teaching in Western Michigan University’s Department of History for the past 50 years. He is the author of several best-selling books, such

Rev. Glenn Merritt (web exclusive Q&A)

by Kim Plummer Krull One year after a magnitude 7.0 earthquake devastated Haiti, more than 1 million people remain homeless, and the Western Hemisphere’s poorest country has struggled with a cholera epidemic. But amid huge challenges, LCMS World Relief and Human Care’s (WR-HC) Rev. Glenn F. Merritt says that the Synod’s mercy ministry, with the

To the Reader

by Adriane Dorr I miss Holy Week,” a friend of mine sighed as we left church a few weeks after Easter. I knew what she meant. For many of us, there are particular seasons in the Church Year that stand out in our minds, certain services or commemorations that open God’s Word up to us

Exorcism as Mercy

Most of us equate exorcisms with scary Hollywood movies, but Rev. Geoff Boyle explains how pastors in Madagascar use the rite to cast the demon out and speak Christ in.

Strengthening Single-Parent Families

by Monique Nunes Traditional, two-parents families are, sadly, no longer necessarily the norm. How can the church assist single parents juggling work and children? The reasons really do not matter. The personal pain or historical circumstances that have led to the reality are not a priority. What matters most is this: How can the church

The Language of Christ’s Church

by Rev. Mark Sell I sat behind the lectern of Springs of Life Lutheran Church, trying to figure out where the service began. The pastor sent hand signals across the altar, and I strained to hear the words of the opening hymn. Got it! Sort of. I had no clue what I was singing. Or did

Name That Tune!

by Rev. Dr. Greg Wismar Aberystwyth. Alabare. Angelus. Aurelia. Azmon. All of these words that begin with the letter A can be found in most Lutheran hymnals. Why? Because they are the names of hymn tunes that are sung by Gods people from the pages of their hymnbooks. Just as every text that is used

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