by Rev. Kevin Bergmann
“Practice makes perfect” is a common saying that is true if you are learning to play the piano or trying to perfect your golf swing. But how about in relationships like marriage? Is a couple better off if they practice being married by living together before the wedding? While some might expect the answer to that question to be yes, it actually is a resounding “No.”
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 David L. Strand With this issue, we say “God speed you,” Carla J. Dubbelde. For the past 22 years, Carla has held a key position: editorial manager of the stitched-in district editions of The Lutheran Witness. As the name implies, these editions are publications within a publication—the monthly news of LCMS districts bound within
by Dr. Jerald C. Joersz A member of my family (raised LCMS) will not allow his children to be a part of anything connected to a church. He wants them to “make their own decisions regarding religion when they are old enough to understand.” How can I approach him about this without causing resentment? Your
Children are a heritage from the Lord—a gift from Him—and that good gift is received, not manufactured or made. In His wisdom and time, God makes mothers of women.
by Kim Plummer Krull Amputees and prosthetics typically aren’t uppermost on the minds of most college students. But for Jonathan Naber and Adam Booher, the quest to develop an affordable prosthetic arm for people in developing countries has dominated much of their time at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Naber, 21, is president of
We can’t say enough about the new LW format and content and especially appreciate the theme-based issues. It really helps deliver a complete perspective on the subject matter. Beth and David RitterBrainerd, Minn. Thank you for your outstanding work in reshaping The Lutheran Witness. The design is pleasing and modern, while the content has improved
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