Commentary by Rev. Dr. Mark J. Schreiber Military planners have often remarked that the best of battle plans never survive first contact with the enemy. No matter how thorough the military strategist, no matter how penetrating the intelligence, no matter how long the experience of the war-gamer, all contingencies and possible responses can never be
by Rev. Dr. Greg Wismar For Lutheran Christians, the month of November brings a very special day: the anniversary of the birth of Martin Luther on Nov. 10. In 1483, the day after he was born (Saint Martins Day), his father brought him to the parish church at Eisleben, Germany, to be baptized. As such,
Not Everyone Gets to Be an Astronaut Several years ago, when my daughter, Emma, was just barely four years old, our pastor gave a sermon about being a sheep and following the shepherd or being a goat. After he had finished, I turned to my daughter and asked her if she was going to be
Our adoption into Christ’s family is the focus of this month’s issue of The Lutheran Witness.
by Adriane Dorr C. F. W. Walther didn’t look like much of a leader. His hair wasn’t perfect. His suits weren’t pressed. His beard wasn’t trimmed. By today’s standards, he looked unkempt and unhealthy. But our mothers were right when they told us not to judge a book by its cover. For hidden behind sunken
Following a devastating earthquake in Peru, the LCMS continues to reach out in mercy to those who are suffering.
by Kim Plummer Krull Helping congregations bring neighborhoods back to life by sharing Christ’s love: That’s one simple way to describe the work of Lutheran Housing Support (LHS), say Deborah Rutt and Nicole Ridley. But the challenges these women tackle are anything but simple. “We work with and walk alongside congregations as they work to
by Dr. Beverly Yahnke In most churches, as we gather each Lord’s Day, we recite either the Apostles’ Creed or the Nicene Creed. We find both joy and certainty in our profession of faith. We speak the words with confidence, binding ourselves to one another within the Body of Christ and worshiping our God who
by Rev. Dr. Greg Wismar The calendar of the Christian Church is filled with special observances. Some are called feasts while others are festivals. The month of October brings both kinds of celebrations. But what is the difference? Is the distinction between feast and festival an important one? Perhaps it is. A look at the
Rev. Dr. Jerald C. Joersz I have a question about prayer. A friend of mine lost her only sibling to cancer in 2005. Shortly after that, her husband discovered that he had cancer. He died in 2009. And then her mother died. Now she just found out that her childrens father, whom she divorced but
Yes, It Is Finished In the Christian Church, we dont make amends; because Christ did it for us, we gladly make amens. Rev. Greg EilersPort Hope, Mich. Mirror, Mirror on the Wall Theres always a lot to be thankful for if you take time to look for it. For example, I am sitting here thinking
by Rev. Dr. Andrew Steinmann In American culture, the month of October is highlighted by Halloween celebrations that have grown increasingly elaborate. In fact, Halloween has become the fastest growing annual celebration in our culture. Sales of Halloween costumes for adults have skyrocketed. It is not unusual to see yards decorated with ghosts, spiderwebs and