Bewildered. That’s how I would describe so many faithful Christians recently. They’ll express a deep confusion about how so many people could exist without faith of any kind. They’ll wonder how so many Christians could embrace teachings and lifestyles that are clearly against God’s created order and even spoken against by Jesus. They’ll speak with … Read more
I just bought a brand new smartphone. It’s fun to play with all the new features and enjoy the afterglow of having something new and admirable. But I’ve been through this before. Soon the feelings fade and I’m left with an electronic device that will either be a help or a hinderance. It can be … Read more
The year was 2009, and I can remember the meeting vividly. The Leadership Team of our congregation passed a sabbatical policy for called staff. I felt it was a nice gesture but honestly had no intention of using it. I love my job. It doesn’t get much better than walking with people through the ups … Read more
Holiday travel time is upon us. Chances are at one point or another in the next month or so you will travel somewhere for an extended period of time. I know how it is with traveling. Packing is the worst part. As my family has grown through the years, it has gotten rather ridiculous. How … Read more
When I was in college I took music composition lessons with a seasoned composition professor. He was the most patient and loving man, and truly wanted all of his students to succeed. One day I brought in a new choral piece. It was a dynamite dazzling gift to the choral world. I proudly brought it … Read more
Over the last two years, God has led me on a journey of deepening my discipleship. By his grace, the beautiful simplicity of Jesus’ teachings has been revealed and rooted in me. As I listened to Jesus, a marvelous picture of the Christian church became clearer and clearer. Unfortunately when I looked at the broader … Read more
“…be ready in season and out of season.” – 2 Timothy 4:2 In that quote, Paul is encouraging the young Timothy to always be prepared to communicate the good news of Jesus no matter what the situation. It doesn’t take much to admit that a long, hard, cold Minnesota winter puts a damper on our mission … Read more
The heart is a tricky thing. In one sense, it’s that rhythmical muscle in our chest, pulsing with life. In another sense, it’s the deepest of emotions, both positive and negative. There is yet another sense that Jesus uses when he talks about “heart.” Check it out: “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they … Read more
It’s no wonder why we love to read Paul’s letters. We love to dive into the depth and the logic of Paul. We love his systematic approach to Law and Gospel. We love Paul’s passion and his steadfast adherence to the confession of Jesus Christ. Paul makes sense to us! In so many ways, Paul … Read more
There are few things that get me more excited than a baptism. Seriously, it’s thrilling. I find it especially exciting when I get to perform the baptism, but just witnessing someone’s new birth in the Triune name of God does it for me too. It’s such a deep reaction. It must be the Holy Spirit … Read more