Everyday Lutherans

Once again, another young theologian raised a great question that I just had to answer: Why should I read stories that I have already read within the Bible? The stories within the Bible are rich stories that have within them many layers that can and should be examined. The Bible contains stories of faith in which a person's life along with their relationship with God and others among them is discussed and sometimes analyzed.  Along with that, your own life (the events that are currently happening) help you realize the some of the various layers that are present within the stories.  Perhaps also you have yet to realize that there are sometimes not just one story but the same story told in various forms, from different points of views.  No, I am not simply talking about the gospels (those first four books of the New Testament) but there are actually several creation stories, there are several places in which the Ten Commandments are noted, and this is just the tip of the iceberg.  Th

How true this is.  I mean we should be ready to go out into the world and spread the good news of Jesus Christ into the world.  However, one thing that did strike me about this is we are already IN the world.  We are already in the world and have relationships with people so instead of getting ready, how about we actually do.  I realize just being in church does not make a good Christian, I have heard that excuse a number of times.  However, dwelling in the very Word of God is something that nourishes your soul and fills that whole that you have been trying to fill within your heart.  Walking with one another in a community is important, it is for you and for the other person.  And yes even that person who is walking with you in faith, well they are not "ready". For they are a sinner just as much as anyone else is, which is why we need God's grace and mercy. Anyone who thinks that they are "ready" or think that they have generally scares me and I think that unle

Goodreads | Luther: Echoes of the Hammer by Susan K. Leigh - Reviews, Discussion, Bookclubs, Lists : Check out my review of this book here.

The Future of American Religion | Via Meadia : I have seen a lot of the same articles.  Not that they are the exact same but their message is the same.  While I agree that the culture has changed. I think that the basis is still the same. People are looking for a genuine relationship with not only a community but also with God. I think that we need to get back to a wholistic approach to be Christians. That we realize that every part of our life has to do with our Christian journey. So while the "old ways" are not going to look the same. I think that we can learn a great deal about them so that while we are cutting off the fat from the meat, we are not throwing away a lot of the good meat along with it. I mean if we continue to talk about how we are shrinking and the church needs to change or it will die.  Then we begin to grasp for anything that draws people.  However, more often than not, these messages display that we are not being faithful and placing our trust in th

For years, I have learned and studied.  Yet now, that I am teaching others, it is now that I am facing some rather difficult and complex questions.  As one enters into relationships with others, it is here that the complexity of God's relationship reveals itself among our own relationships.  A young theologian approached me and asked the question: "How does God judge us? I mean especially after the cross, do we feel the same suffering because we have the Holy Spirit?" I wrestled for a few days over this question and pondered how to answer and this is what I came up with: You ask a very good question and even have a rich understanding of how God is active within your life.  Let's talk about the questions separately and then return to both at the end. Therefore, you asked the question, How does God judge us? God judges us based upon the lives that we lead and how we handle the relationships that we are blessed with. For it is through the gift of the Ten Commandments tha

Yes I am that guy who will take this wonderful cartoon and turn it into an article for my blog because I think that both are needed.  This is truly a great cartoon and one that speaks volumes.  (I often enjoy the work from www.reverendfun.com if you have not done so you should definitely check them out.) They are right, there is an app for everything that you could ever want.  Although this is not necessarily what they had in mind.  Technology as a whole is moving so quickly and the church is not really catching up. In fact, I have seen some church that have not changed a thing and actually they are fairing better than some of the congregations that have tried to put together various ministries within the web.  I recently went to a conference and they told us that we should all have webpages for our church.  It should be simple and clean cut and most important of all accurate with current information.  One of the biggest things that I have seen is that people are so focused on the tec

Ash Wednesday is one of the hardest days for me.  It is one of that hardest days because it is one of the days in which I actually go up to each of the people who I care about and serve within the flock that God has given to me to remind them that they will one day be placed into the ground.  That they will indeed cease walking this Earth. I first experienced this within my year of Internship.  The night of Ash Wednesday was both shocking and emotional.  I could hardly believe it but I realized as I went to each person how I could possibly bury each one of them.  I could preside at their funeral.  It made me really stop and realize just how precious life truly is.  Just how much I cared for each one of the people.  Tonight was no different.  Going up to each person, I was reminded of how much life is truly a gift.  How it is not something that should be taken lightly while at the same time it should not be locked away into a cage to be protected.  Whether the person was a child or a gr

Goodreads | Heaven is for Real: A Little Boy's Astounding Story of His Trip to Heaven and Back by Todd Burpo - Reviews, Discussion, Bookclubs, Lists : This is a book that many people have read and many people in congregations have started to talk about. It was not until it was brought before me by others, that I actually stopped and took the time to read through this book. For many people who long to know more about what Heaven looks like and what it is that God has in store for them in their lives. This is a great book to start the conversation of what it is that God is doing in the world and precisely the relationship that God wants for you and for all of us. It does not use big churchy language. It gives an account in rather simple language that God does indeed love his children and does not want you to suffer and get lost within this world of sin and seek only things for your own account. Yet I think that there lies the problem with the book. It is too simple. While it de

I can not believe that it has been nearly a month and a half since I blogged last.  January has proven to be a busy time for Pastors.  Between the wind down from Christmas, having several baptisms and then gearing up for Lent.  Then to top it off, I had two conferences to go to.  One of the conferences was FCTE (First Call Theological Education).  This is basically a gathering of new pastors to get together and talk about what is new and what is difficult.  This was a really good conference to get to talk to others and find out how they are doing and share what I have been doing.  The second conference was for Mid Winter Convocation at Luther Seminary.  Many of the topics and speakers was much of what I had heard within seminary.  It was good to stop and reflect on some of the good things that we have done and continued within the congregation that I am currently serving.  It was also great to see some seminary friends.  However, there was one person who I wish had not come but unfortu