This Side of the Pulpit

The Call and the Ministry and the Battle

March 5th, 2012 | 6 Comments

Which place does God want me? I mean seriously…which place does God want me to serve, at Redeemer in Enid, or at Grace in Tulsa? That’s the $64,000 question, isn’t it? So I should pray and pray and even fast maybe (it is Lent, after all) and figure out where God wants me. Except it’s not that hard. God has issued a divine call to both places. I still have the divine call to serve Redeemer Lutheran in Enid. And I have the divine call to serve as senior pastor at Grace Lutheran in Tulsa. Both apply. Both are real. Both are divine calls, God’s will expressed through the congregation, through God’s people. He has called me to be in two places at once. So I have freedom. Freedom to decide where … Read entire article »

Filed under: Uncategorized

Call Received

March 4th, 2012 | 4 Comments

Dear Readers, Today I announced to my congregation that I have received a divine call to serve as Senior Pastor of Grace Lutheran Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma. I humbly ask your prayers for me and my family and for the two congregations involved as I deliberate this call. Thanks! … Read entire article »

Filed under: Personal

Pastor Peters and Policing

March 1st, 2012 | Add a Comment

Pastor Peters’ blog Pastoral Meanderings is a real gem. He offers the kind of pastoral wisdom that comes from years of experience, but retains the courage and conviction that all too often dies out as years in the pulpit increase. He posts today about a Roman Catholic priest removed for refusal to pray the Mass according to the rubrics. He does not advocate such policing in the LCMS but raises the point: whatever happened to submitting to one another for the sake of good order? Go over there and read his blog and add it to your reader. You’ll be enriched because of it. … Read entire article »

Filed under: Theology

There is Only Today

February 29th, 2012 | Add a Comment

It’s an extra day. The world lengthened just a few hours, a 29th in a world of 28ths, an eighth day in a week. What to spend this extra day doing? For most of us it’s just the same: work and the usual Wednesday commitments. The same old same old grind. And its February. But it’s another thing. It’s “Today.” It is the day of salvation. Heaven and earth, angels and demons hang on this day and … Read entire article »

Filed under: Theology

Specific and Particular

February 27th, 2012 | Add a Comment

I am called to particulars. I serve and minister to particulars. A pastor is called to such-and-such congregation and those actual, living, breathing people there in the pews and walking in the doors. There are no generic congregations, and there are no generic Christians, and there is no such thing as generic people. God’s Law is proclaimed and applied to that person, sitting right there, and the death of Christ is for this person’s salvation, sitting right there. This is how God works–He gives His eternal Word, but not in a vacuum. He gives it to this or that person, each one. This is the way God works. He became man–but not men, or humanity: Jesus is a guy. A dude. With a Mom, holy and virgin, but Mom nonetheless. God … Read entire article »

Filed under: Theology

Does Pastor Have an Opinion?

February 26th, 2012 | Add a Comment

“How does Pastor feel about that? Does he have an opinion about it?” Such a loaded question! Yes, you can be sure pastor does have an opinion about it. Pastors are human; we have opinions about having opinions and more opinions about not having opinions. Of course we have our own ideas and expectations. But the pastoral ministry means realizing that you have opinions about half of everything and of those, half you really feel strongly about. Half of those may be things that need to be addressed sometime. Half of those things need to be addressed soon, and half of those need to be nipped in the bud. That leaves us at about 3%. That still may be too high. Maybe it’s only 1/4 of things that you have opinions of. The … Read entire article »

Filed under: Theology

President Harrison Goes to Washington

February 16th, 2012 | Add a Comment

Matthew Harrison, President of the LCMS spoke to the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform today regarding the HHS decision to mandate contraception and abortificant pharmaceuticals for all heath care providers or insurers. Below is the transcript of his opening remarks. You can also find links to the video of the testimony, including questions and answers and other information at the LCMS Website. “Mr. Chairman, it’s a pleasure to be here. The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod is a body of some 6,200 congregations and 2.3 million members across the U.S. We don’t distribute voters’ lists. We don’t have a Washington office. We are studiously non-partisan, so much so that we’re often criticized for being quietistic. “I’d rather not be here, frankly. Our task is to proclaim, in the words of the blessed … Read entire article »

Filed under: The World, Theology

The Philosophy of Lutheran Sermons

February 15th, 2012 | 1 Comment

Lutheran sermons don’t just teach you what the Bible means. Lutheran sermons are not intended to give you simple information. They are not for instruction purposes. Oh sure, we do instruct and explain the word of God. We tell you what the parables mean, and who the central players are, and what some of the background of the text is. But this isn’t the primary purpose of the Lutheran sermon, just like the primary purpose of Scripture is not to give information*. The primary purpose of the Lutheran sermon is to confront you with the word of God. The Lutheran sermon is experiential–or existential of that other word gives you heartburn. The Lutheran sermon is an experience of being shown, or exposed to, or receiving the Spirit of Christ. It is hearing … Read entire article »

Filed under: Theology

Darkness of the Human Heart

February 11th, 2012 | Add a Comment

Susan Powell went missing on December 7, 2009 after her husband left the home for a sub-zero, spur of the moment camping trip in the middle of the night, only to return later the same day. Joshua Powell was under investigation for her disappearance and presumed murder. He lost custody of his two children in September 2011 after his father was arrested for child pornography and voyeurism charges. He had been living with his son and grandchildren. On February 12, 2012, Joshua separated his children from a social worker during a supervised visit, locked them in his home and then engineered a gas explosion. Later investigation suggests he took a hatchet to his own children before carbon monoxide poisoning killed him and the children. How can such things happen? You can blame demon possession, I suppose. … Read entire article »

Filed under: The World, Theology

Fasting Fast Approaching

February 8th, 2012 | 1 Comment

I haven’t been good about fasting for the past….well, let’s just say a while. But with Lent approaching fast, the fast is fast approaching. Here is a link to a document I prepared for my congregation. It includes Scripture and the Confessions on the value and command to fast, articles from the Lutheran Witness and the LCMS website, as well as (simplified) guidelines for how and when to fast as we do in the western tradition. The … Read entire article »

Filed under: Uncategorized