‘Through Christ, God has adopted us into His family. This is the greatest reason of all for us to give Him thanks “at all times and in all places” . . . .’

Though we affirm the demands of God’s Law without reservation, we Christians confess that the sins of the world have been forgiven through Christ’s suffering and death on the cross.

I cannot help but thank God for blessing us with so many individuals who love the Lord Jesus and who are passionately committed to the proclamation of the Gospel.

At one convention, . . . I got a question I don’t recall having been asked before: ‘If you could change one thing in the LCMS, what would it be?’

May we all be moved by our Father’s love to share that love with others!

In addition to preaching and teaching matters of faith and life on the basis of God’s Holy Word, pastors are called to be a part of the lives of people in good times and bad, in happy times and sad.

Notwithstanding any natural skepticism and doubt, we have God’s promise and assurance that we, too, will be raised with Christ!

It is important for us to emphasize our thanks to God for life—and His care for life—throughout its earthly duration.

Despite its current economic or political clime, Bethlehem is still the place where Christ was born—where many still travel to remember a night long ago in this little town when the Light of the World came into its ‘dark streets.’

It’s become clear that ongoing vigilance is required if traditional marriage is to be protected and preserved for future generations.

During this Christmas season, may your hearts and homes be filled with the sometimes quiet, sometimes exuberant joy of this blessed time of year.

As we approach the Thanksgiving season, I thank God for the blessing of being an American citizen and a member of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod.