This Side of the Pulpit

Thoughts on Using a Prepared Sermon Series

I’m using a Lenten series this year written by Concordia Seminary President Dale Meyer and his homiletics students. I’ve only used a sermon series written by someone else a few times in my near-ten years of ministry, and those were for the Lenten “round-robin” services I’ve participated in from time to time. In fact, apart [...]

Blue Ribbon Task Force and Analysis Part Three:The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly

The Good
Again, I was impressed with the overall demeanor and forthrightness of the Task Force. They have been responsive to questions and criticism and changed much of their recommendations over time. They do appear to be genuine and actively listening to the concerns and needs of those who have responded.
And many of their recommendations are [...]

Ash Wednesday

Remember you are dust, and to dust you shall return.

Lost Man Found and Answered Prayer

Ed Sutter, a friend of a member here, went missing Sunday morning. He left for his church at 9:30 and never showed up there, nor back at his home. At 88 and in poor health, his friends and family were very worried about him.
Sheriff’s deputies, search and rescue and observation planes looked for him Monday [...]

Man in “Vegetative State” Answers “Yes” and “No” Questions

In a study that challenges the diagnosis of vegetative state, doctors found that the brain of a seemingly unconscious, vegetative man responded to yes-or-no questions in the same fashion as an alert, conscious person. This discovery not only complicates the medical definition of consciousness, but seems to call into question centuries of philosophy dealing with the [...]

Lost (and Found–at least for Sayid. Or Maybe Not)

For you non-Lost viewers I will not bore you with a long post, but will give a few spoilers on last night’s episode. Be warned.
One thing I enjoy about Lost is the amalgamation of spiritual references the show does not shy away from. No, Otten would not endorse it. It is not a Christian allegory [...]

Pre-Lent Has Begun

We’ve entered the season of Pre-Lent, for those of you who don’t follow Vatican II. In other words, Lent begins in sixteen days and now is the time to begin preparing for that. Preparing to prepare for Easter, if you want to think of it that way.
So how do you prepare for Lent?
First, remember that [...]

Today’s To-Do

God is good and merciful and does not treat us as we deserve.
Repeat as necessary several times an hour.

Romans, Justification and Talents

We’re studying Romans in my adult Bible study. We’re about four chapters in and have stalled out a little, due to the very insightful comments and questions I’ve been getting.
But yesterday was a kind of watershed event for me. The questions raised really got me thinking on the nature of faith and our response in [...]

Must Read on Worship

My friend and colleague Mason Beecroft apparently gave the most controversial presentation at the recent LCMS Theological Convocation on Worship. Doesn’t surprise me. He’s a great guy (this is not a non-sequitur).
So what did he say? What was the problem? His conclusion was nothing radical. Every congregation ought to use the LSB, i.e., the hymnal and liturgy [...]

Recent Comments

Categories

Archives

Catholic

Internet-thingies

Linux and Computers

Lutheran

Orthodox

writing

Find Me on Facebook

Twitter