Northwoods Seelsorger

In the mail this week I also received an additional book discussing doctrine, this one published by the Synod itself. Entitled This We Believe - Selected Topics of Faith and Practice in the Lutheran Church Missouri Synod , the preface notes that this work was commissioned by the president of the Synod as a "brief summary of the official position of the Synod on important matters of doctrine and practice" in response to numerous requests from members of synod for information where the Synod stands on various issues. 88 pages long and containing sections on dozens of topics ranging from Abortion to Worship Practices, This We Believe provides a much needed resource to the church and its leaders in addressing the many questions and inquiries of our members. The booklet also includes three appendices with the "Brief Statement," "A Statement of Scriptural and Confessional Principles," and "An Introduction to the Synod President's Report to the 2009 ...

I recently received a copy of A DayStar Reader , dated this year and edited by Matthew Becker. As a follower of the website (although, as many will note, certainly not a supporter!), this volume was received with intrigue and curiosity as to the direction of this decade old movement. It seems odd, however, that the official DayStar Network site fails to note such a significant contribution. In fact, as noted before by the Northwoods Seelsorger, the site remains 'stuck' on Easter 2009, showing no new postings now for the better part of a year. The volume appears to mainly contain an anthology of past articles previously published on their website with some possible new material and now offered in printed form with the purpose of spurring "the reader to further reflection." Dr. Becker describes this collection as "a kind of '95 Theses' for the contemporary LCMS." "As with those original sixteenth-century theses," Becker writes, "the des...

Benny Hinn proclaimed the unlimited power of the Spirit and claimed to heal the masses. Crowds swelled worldwide to hear the charismatic speaker and watch his Pentecostal production as the money and fame flowed in unabated. Yet for all this seeming success the one thing closest to him has now failed. The AP reported today that his wife of 30 years recently filed for divorce citing "irreconcilable differences." His immediate family and friends are said to be "shocked and saddened to learn of this news without any previous announcement." Does this mean that they didn't see it coming, that there were no 'signs' of trouble in the marriage? Or does it imply that they assumed that with all their money and fame and Holy Ghost power that their marriage was beyond such a crisis? In an official statement from Benny Hinn Ministries as summarized by the AP, it is claimed that "Pastor Hinn faithfully endeavored to bring healing to their relationship bu...