The Magazine

LCMS Schools: A Snapshot of LCMS Pre-K–12 Education

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

Lutheran Witness: May 2011

Join with us in celebrating the incarnation—and Christ’s death and resurrection too—in the December issue of The Lutheran Witness.

Death’s Precarious Toehold

What is the source of our Resurrection joy? President Harrison reminds us that Jesus’ death is our hope and comfort in the midst of life and especially at Easter.

God’s Foster Child

Some of us struggle with realizing peace and joy. The answer? The comfort of Christ’s death and resurrection on our behalf.

To the Reader

by Adriane Dorr If Christ has not been raised, The Lutheran Witness has no value. It has nothing to offer, nothing to which your faith can cling, nothing that can tell of you of Christ’s humiliation and death on your behalf. But if Christ has been raised, if Satan has lost and his head has

Spiritual but Not Religious?

by Rev. Stephen Wenk As a chaplain in a university hospital setting, I have the privilege of speaking with people of all faith backgrounds, usually about the role their belief plays in facing a medical crisis. Frequently, patients tell me they are “spiritual but not religious.” I confess that too often when I hear those

What was Paul’s ailment?

by Rev. Dr. Jerald C. Joersz Q: In 2 Cor. 12:7, Paul mentions that he was given a “thorn in the flesh,” a“messenger of Satan” sent to “torment” him. Do we know what Paul’s ailment was? A: Stretching all the way back to the second-century church father Tertullian—who thought Paul suffered from headaches— there has

His Resurrection Means Your Resurrection

by Rev. Terry Cripe When was the last time you gathered with family and friends to celebrate the Russian Revolution or the signing of the Magna Carta? Those events, along with many others, don’t seem to have much relevance for most of us. But what about Easter? Christians don’t gather on that day simply to

A change for the worse

I was terribly disappointed at what appeared (by Synod convention resolution) in the January Witness. I believe this resolution does a great disserve to the deceased workers of Synod, as well as their families. To allow only two lines for their “In Memoriam” is a shame. Why can’t we as a Synod still honor and

The Overlooked Evangelist

by Rev. Dr. Greg Wismar The date makes the difference. That simple observation is true for many situations, especially so for annual calendar celebrations. It is not always so great to have a special day near a bigger special date. People who have birthdays within a week or three of Christmas (like me) know that

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