Northwoods Seelsorger

One of the issues with Evolution that seems to go unnoticed by many is its potential effect on the traditional understanding of our theology.  The claim put forth usually makes it seem like nothing really changes.  We simply need to approach Genesis differently so that its message and what is claimed by evoutionary theory agree.  Thus what began as narrative history now becomes symbolic.  Yet it doesn't end there.  A whole host of doctrines ultimately need to be reexamined.  Genesis 1 - 3 sets the stage for all that comes after this.  Adherence to Evolution of necessity brings into question the doctrine of sin, how we understand death, and salvation.  These doctrines are morphed, it appears to me, into this kind of thinking: If Adam and Eve do not represent real, historical figures, then their recorded actions are merely symbolic and not related to any particular action.  Thus, their disobedience and the consequence of that disobedience, ha...

The title to this post, while reflecting a recent article on the subject ( "Are the Media Giving Pope Francis a Pass?" - RNS), is a bit misleading on the point of this post.  My point, then?  I have to admit that this brief article revealed some simple, yet signficant points that could be incorporated by many Lutheran pastors in their own ministries.  Sounds odd, I suppose, for Lutherans to be taking pointers from a pope, but you should be perceptive enough to spot these things when you see them.  I would recommend reading the article for yourself, but here are the main points made (although not all are equally applicable).  Why does the media seem to like Francis more than Benedict? -  1.) Few knew him before he became pope, 2.) Francis is empathetic and humble, 3.) Style becomes substance, 4.) He practices what he preaches, and 5.) Francis is not Benedict.  Francis connects with people with a sense of genuineness that also betrays the ability to tru...

Another professor is returning to parish ministry.  Dr. Reed Lessing will be leaving a position at our seminary in St. Louis, where in addition to teaching various course offerings in the Old Testament he was also director of the graduate school.  These transitions facinate me.  After being in parish ministry for so long one has a tendency to think that positions such as Dr. Lessing's are seen as 'higher' than the common pastorate.  After a seeming 'promotion' to teaching future pastors, and that at a graduate level, you wonder what would move a man to go back to the parish.  Having known nothing other than the parish, I am admittedly at a loss to relate.  I realize that academics has its own downside.  One can probably feel a bit 'cut off' from the real world of the Church, left dealing with a somewhat artificial world instead of the flesh and blood people a pastor has to minister to in real time.  Perhaps one misses the relationships formed in ...

My congregation was blessed yesterday by a wonderful message from the Rev. Dan McMiller, executive director of L uther Academy, who came as part of our annual mission festival.  His sermon and presentation following the service provided us with a true tour de force in presenting the extensive work of his organization in international mission efforts.  Luther Academy is a small organization with a big mission and worthy of our support.  Pastor McMiller serves as the only paid staff, serving the many needs internationally by a team of very qualified volunteers.  They fill a unique niche in mission work by providing several annual pastoral conferences to pastors throughout the world who would otherwise not have this valuable resource which we in this country take for granted.  I would encourage you to check out their website and review their various projects and the teachers and presenters they employ.  Luther Academy was the brainchild of Dr. Robert Preus, t...

In our increasingly politically-correct culture coupled with an incredible ignorance of biblical truth, it should not be surprising to hear of those who are offended by even the most simple hymns.  But they are.  In the article "Hymn Writers Won't Change Lyric for Presbyterians" we read that those who are responsible for the new hymnal in the Presbyteriann Church (USA) will not include the popular hymn "In Christ Alone" because of one verse.  They asked the authors if they could change it.  The authors refused.  Good for them!  The verse in question was: " "On that cross as Jesus died, the wrath of God was satisfied."  Apprently substitionary atonement is out of vogue now with Presbyterians.  They preferred instead: "the love of God was magnified."  As the article's author notes at the end: "Bringle writes that most committee members didn't want the new Presbyterian hymnal to suggest that Jesus' death on the cross was ...

It may be hard to believe but I haven't bought a car in about 7 years.  The last purchase was a 2001 Subaru Outback which I paid for outright with money I inherited after my grandmother's death in 2006.  With the exception of a head gasket repair, for which Subarus are notorious, it has been a tough and reliabe vehicle.  Purchased with 107,000 miles, it now boasts 222,000.  Since my son needs a car at college, we will be selling it to him, knowing that it will be a good dependable first purchase.  Now I am the proud owner of a 2004 Honda Accord Sedan LX. Well, I will be later today once the loan is approved and I claim the vehicle from the dealer. My wife and I researched this to death and we narrowed the field down considerablly before settling on this model.  Basically we crossed off most, if not all, domestics.  Toyotas, Hondas, and other similar makes seem to have the best track record overall in terms of dependability and longevity.   A...

It's been a while since I posted on the progress of my thesis.  Unfortunately it's taken a while to get through the proposal phase.  My first proposal simply didn't work, and although my advisors were kind in their contructive comments, I could see that the topic was mired in a swamp of ideas and wasn't going to gain the traction it needed.  So I started over.  Practically from scratch.  A thesis or even a dissertation on the lectionary issues surrounding the Apocalypse of St. John still retains much potential, but it was too much work for what I need to accomplish right now. I submitted my revised proposal this past spring, but with the usual complexities of forms and paperwork coupled with the inevitable confusion of changing staff, it slowed down considerably.  Finally, I was told by the advisor of my program (which has changed a couple of times since I started in 2010) just to start writing, which my thesis advisor had told me at the beginning of t...

Back in 2008 I wrote an article on "Survival Skills," mainly commenting on some material I had read by Laurence Gonzales in National Geographic's magazine, Adventure .  Ironically, five years later, I just finished reading his book Deep Survival: Who Lives, Who Dies, and Why (2003).  Like so many books I read this one was picked up from my local Good Will store (the best used book store in town, I might add).  Yet it was not purchased on a whim.  I have always been very interested in the essence and art of survival.  My library has a small, but growing section on this topic, and I continue to look for those principals that inform not just outdoor survival, but the skills and mental toughness necessary to survive the ordinary rigors of regualar living. Survival, as Gonzales outlines in his book, is as much about the mindset of surviving as it is about any techniques or equipment one possesses, probably more.  For he fleshes out his book with several surv...

I've seen this blog article referenced at least a couple of times on FB, and after reading it thought it worth archiving here.  For those so interested in the failure of trying to make the church relevant for our youth, see here . 

I ran across a blog article about Joel Osteen that demonstrates why one should be deeply concerned about the theological aptitude of this self-proclaimed pastor.  It includes an interview he had a while back with Larry King.  The author of the article highlights the number of times Osteen says "I don't know," and it's shocking.  True, pastors don't know everything and we should be willing to admit that.  But to not have a good answer for the fundamental questions King asks?  Read the article and see for yourself: "Why Seminary? Exibit A: Joel Osteen."

I stumbled on this at FB (that was taken from LinkedIn here ), but wanted to leave it on my blog for my own reference - and for anyone else that it might inspire :) It's likely that one of your excuses is that you don't have enough time, so let's get right to it: 1. I can't get anyone to listen. People will listen to anything that is entertaining, interesting, heartfelt, amusing, shocking, informative, titillating, stupid, satirical, controversial, sad, silly, sexy... If you can't get anyone to listen, they aren’t the problem: You’re the problem. What you want to say is irrelevant; change your message so it means something to the people you want to reach. Then they'll listen. 2. I'm too scared. Join the club. Everyone is scared. So you have a choice: Let your fears hold you back... or use those same fears as fuel to do whatever it takes to succeed. Complacency is the enemy of achievement; use your fear to drive complacency away. 3....

I read about this book on another blog, and considering how I have addressed the topic of exorcism here in the past, it seemed appropriate to inform you of it.  It is published by Concordia Publishing House and is entitled I am Not Afraid: Demon Possession and Spiritual Warfare.  The author is the Rev. Dr. Robert Bennett.   You can read a brief but informative interview with the author here.   Please note that by clicking on the author's name you will go to his personal web page where you can learn more about him along with other books he has written.  The book above retails for $24.99.  You can order the book here .

Ran across this article and wanted to pass it on to you.  Probably one of the most balanced and mature insights into the realities of what church membership really means.  He notes that the difference in those who seem not to be disappointed and those who are is in the level of involvement. He writes: So, the best way to avoid finding yourself in a disappointing church is to limit your involvement. Only go to worship. Don't volunteer. Be friendly, but don't make friends.  Sing, clap and give a little money. Stay at the edges. You have probably noticed, if you compare worship attendance with the totality of those showing up for anything else, that many Americans have already figured this out. The rest of the article is good and ought to be read by all church leaders, pastors and lay.   You can read the article here . 

After the Boy Scouts of America lifted its historic ban on openly gay scouts, many Christians indicated deep disappointment and concern.  Some, including many Baptists, are now talking about cutting ties with the organization all together.  As an adult scout leader I have concerns as well and am contimplating my own actions once the ban lift officially takes effect in January of next year. However, many had to be equally stunned by the recent report of uniformed scouts and adult leaders taking part in a gay pride parade in Salt Lake City.  As one who wears not only the uniform of the BSA, but also of my volunteer fire department, my initial anger was over the politizing of the uniform itself.  But my additional concern is how the flood gates have opened and this once esteemed youth organization now appears vulnerable to all the political social activism seen elsewhere.  The idea was to be neutral, but the move has only invited a tsunami of potential change tha...

I recently read an article on Real Clear Religion by Robert Barron entitled "Sympathy for the Devil" that I would like to pass along.  It is quite relevant in light of the latest move by the ELCA to elect an openly gay bishop.  Brings to mind the familiar words of Is. 50:2 - "Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness, who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter!" 

At its recent convention last mont the ELCA moved the denomination one more step in the direction charted in 2009 when openly gay candidates were deemed eligible for the pastoral ministry. You may read here of the election of the Rev. Dr. Guy Eriwin as biship of the Southwest California Synod. As was observed by someone else, the ELCA is precisely 10 behind the Episcopal church when it elected Gene Robinson as bishop of New Hampshire in 2003.  For those who might have stilll held on to a slim hope of some reconciliation with our Lutheran counsins, this should demonstrate that our charted paths are diverging at ever-wider tragectories.  Kyrie eleison.....

In light of the ongoing debate over Creation vs. Evolution within the LCMS, I recently decided to add my support to a relatively young organization in Synod set up to promote creation studies.  As a pastor I was eligible for "associate membership" as regular membership is reserved for those active in teaching and administration of colleges and universities.  I would encourage you to check out their site and see if you might support them also. Link: Society of Creation

The May issue of the Reporter announced an upcoming conference on the subject of creation to be held at Concordia University - Wisconsin on  July 8-10.   The conference will feature two keynote speakers: Dr. Danny Faulkner, an astronomer at Answers in Genesis, Petersburg, Ky., and Dr. Don DeYoung, chairman of the science and mathematics department at Grace College, Winona Lake, Ind. Other speakers will include Dr. Joel Heck, theology professor at Concordia-Texas.  You can find additional details of the conference and speakers on the website of the Society of Creation . As a side note check out the list of professors who are public members of this society as well as the opportunity to join as an associate member.  The Northwoods Seelsorger has applied for associate membership and invites all Missouri members who support the biblical teaching on creation to do likewise. The announcement of this conference predictably arroused the attention of Dr. Matthew Becker, a ...

This evening one of my confirmation students gave me a bulletin from another LCMS church.  In today's parlance it would probably be called a "blended" service.  However, as I reviewed the order of the service I strained to find the actual order of the historic Mass, not to mention the content of that ancient service.  True, one could find 'hints' of it in designated readings, in a confession (without a real absolution), and in other sections.  Yet, in the end it was not the order handed down to us.  It was created for one particular church in one particular place, as far as I could tell. In the Missouri Synod today this is not uncommon at all and it is tearing at our unity.  I fear that what binds us now is simply a corporate identity and some doctrinal statements.  The words of our worship, the expression of our living faith, are so different from one church to the next one would be hard pressed at times to know we are from an identical church body....

Reading RNS this morning I noticed an article talking about how the Catholic church is trying to 'soften' its approach to gays and the gay marriage issue.  The author also talked about something we all know is here as well: a growing shift in public opinion.  Often it is the pressure from the general population that forces change more than anything else, at least in the political realm.  The president understands this well and has used the 'court of public opinion' to his advantage many times in battles with congress. Yet the question on my mind is not whether gay marriage will be legal one day in all the states of the union.  Like many I see this as inevitable.  My question is also not how the church should respond.  Those denominations that have capitulated on this issue did so long ago.  Many conservative churches will remain opposed, although how they express that opposition may be a debated issue for the future.  An article on Richochet n...

A review of my latest thesis proposal has been made by my two advisers and with a few corrections and adjustments it is ready for submission to the committee.  I am confident that after so much review and critiquing it will pass and be approved to write.  I had no idea that there was so much involved in this.  When I finally finish it will feel as great an accomplishment as my M.Div was over 25 years ago.  Except this time the research and writing is much more demanding.  I probably included it on an early post, but the proposed title of the thesis is: "A Study of the Influence of the Church's Liturgical Forms on the Literary Structure of the Apocalypse of St. John." By the way, for those interested in Nashotah House , there was an interesting article online from the Journal Sentinel back in 2011.   It was written around the time when they were getting ready to install a new dean.  I have only one correction to the article, though.  The author ...

On another site it was recently suggested that no one appears to really be interested in Christian unity.  Obviously a bit of a hyperbole as there exist both national and international organizations for that very purpose.  However, it caused me to think about the issue.  What would constitute true Christian unity, and is it even a realistic goal? It appears to me that when such unity is attempted it brings about a semblance of that unity by using either a lowest common denominator approach, or by simply avoiding traditionally divisive issues, such as the sacraments.  Or, unity is just declared with the understanding that those so united can 'agree to disagree' on various items while retaining the right to claim unity.  So, not only is Christian unity a difficult reality to achieve, defining what that unity is presents an equally large challenge. Personally I don't see outward visible unity as a realistic possibility this side of heaven, at least not legitimate...

Andy Andrew's little book The Noticer (2009) reminded me of Og Mandino's books of another era.  He uses a simple story to make a larger point, not entirely unlike the use of a parable.  Andrew's book, admittedly is not an overtly religious work, even though published by Thomas Nelson.  Still, it's an engaging story and quite practical with natural applications to a Christian life.  The subtitle explains the heart of the tale: "Sometimes all a person needs is a little perspective."  As an old Chinese proverb states, "if you want to know what water is, don't ask the fish."  Or as Ravi Zarcharias notes, "total immersion deprives the mind of a counterperspective and, for that matter, an honest evaluation."  To put it more simply: we often lose perspective when we are too close to the issue.  In Andrew's story an indigent old man named "Jones" provides this perspective to a number of people in crisis.  For some it's a mari...

The pastoral office is central to the church.  We operate seminaries for the primary purpose of preparing men for this very important office.  Yet it seems, at times, that so many other positions compete in importance with that office.  It's not hard to see how a pastor could see other positions in the church-at-large as promotions from the pastorate.  One position would be teaching at a synodical university or seminary.  Another could be a director of some department within the International Center at the LCMS in St. Louis.  Obviously these require special skills and education above and beyond the 'entry level' position of parish pastor, right? After spending over a quarter of a century in the pastoral office I have come to see that such thinking is dangerous and misguided, if tempting to be sure. It has certainly captivated my own thinking.  Not that the larger church does not need such specialists, or that they are not important.  However, te...

Every now and than an article from Biblical Archeology Review catches my eye.  One in particular from the current March/April issue interested me in particular.  The article by Larry W. Hurtado is "The Staurogram: Earliest Depiction of Jesus' Crucifixion" (see here for a somewhat abbreviated version by BAR on their website.)  The symbol to the right was an early Christian representation of the crucifixion (combining the Greek letters tau and rho, no doubt from the Greek word for cross - stauros ), intending to serve as a kind of pictogram of a figure hanging on a cross.  What makes the article most interesting is that this symbol has been discovered in a papyrus fragment dating to 200 AD.  And why is this significant?  For the simple reason that it provides an example 150 to 200 years earlier than the earliest depictions of the crucified Jesus.  This challenges what the article's author noted has been a "commonplace belief among historians of the ear...

Every pastor experiences at least one member who makes his ministry and life difficult.  Some endure people who make it a living hell.  Robert Nichols, unfortunately, had to have the latter.  Having worked through many of my own traumatic issues over the years with some incredibly challenging parishoners, I do have to say that Nichols tops it all.  You simply have to read the book from cover to cover to really appreciate what this man went through.  However, it's easy to get caught up in the horror of it all and miss the real point of the author: forgiveness.  To tell the story in full here would be to spoil the ending if you don't already know it.  So I won't share too much, except to encourage you to read the book.  The book's author, Rebecca Nichols Alonzo, shares an incredible tale of survival on a physical, mental and spiritual level.  You find yourself wondering if you could have survived all that she endured.  Yet it also remind...

As many are observing the new pope as a humble man with a heart for the poor, the following quote from my breviary seemed apropos.  It is from the great Lutheran scholar Charles Porterfield Krauth . Ch arity's is the face of Christ.  He is gone - yet lo, he is here always, dwelling in the faithful and the holy.  Oh, if Christ, the suffering, Christ, the hungering and thirsting, the naked and the sick, the stranger and prisoner, still abides on earth in the persons of those who suffer, abides in their persons because his love makes him one with them - Christ the pitying and relieving moves among us in the persons of those who pity and relieve, moves in their persons because his grace makes them one with him.  As the burdened and sorrowing "fill up the measure of the afflictions of Christ," so do the loving and helping become channels of that stream of his love which yet remains to be poured upon the world through every age, filling up the measure of the benedictions...

Over ten years have passed since I came to my first meeting.  At the time I knew precious little about real firefighting or the culture of a volunteer fire department.  Wading into unfamiliar waters was compounded by the need to create a non-existent position without experience.  We started slowly.  None of us knew quite what we needed, although my reason for pursuing this course was grounded in previous traumas.  Even volunteers will face unspeakable horrors at times.  Young people laying bloody and lifeless on the pavement, dead from a stunt gone tragically wrong.  A small child pinned under a rolled over pickup that careened into a ditch when the driver dozed off.  An EMT stabbed by an intruder with her colleague attempting to revive her while her husband keeps watch with a loaded shotgun.  An elderly couple hit head-on by a teen racing down a country road, body parts littering the asphalt.  Such incidents may occur only once every de...

Sometimes you simply have to step back and take another look.  For me it involved my thesis proposal.  After soliciting input from my advisers it was clear that something wasn't working.  The concept had potential, but the scope seemed too broad.  I discovered I lost passion for it, in part because I no longer felt that I could do it justice.  Add to that my sense of not possessing quite enough depth of learning and understanding to adequately handle the growing number of issues I had put into the proposal.  So I stepped back, took a deep breath, cleared my head, and took another look.  Might there be something I could salvage here?  I really didn't want to start completely from scratch. In the third part of the proposed outline I found a place to begin.  Massey Shepherd's book, The Pascal Liturgy and the Apocalypse (1960), had been a key volume in my original bibliography.  As part of my original research I had planned to examine the p...

The other day I discovered that the first volume of my four volume prayerbook had become water damaged with coffee.  It was a stupid mistake.  Replacing the volume, which is still technically useable, would run $35, so I'm not too eager to shell out the money at this point.  However, I thought it might be a good time to check out CPH's prayerbook Treasury of Daily Prayer .   Happily I found that the price for this single volume work was $30, hardback (It's on sale at the moment.) Then I saw they had an e-pub version.  Great!  I own a NOOK, so this could be an option.  Then I looked at the price.  It was $19 more!  What?  You've got to be kidding!  A paper copy is cheaper than an electronic copy?  How does that work?  Well, I guess there are a number of things I didn't understand in the new world of printing and books, especially the costs associated with e-books.  Even though storage is considered virtually, it comes ...

Every now and then one finds a succinct statement about worship worth repeating.  This one was found on the website of the Anglican Catholic Church : While contemporary worship may entertain, it also tends to isolate us from the historic and universal Church by reflecting back to us our own culture and tastes.  The Anglican tradition emphasizes the timeless nature of Christian worship.  Our liturgy (literally "work of the people") encourages us not only to know the Jesus of the Bible, but to experience Him through the sacramental life, drawing us out of our narrow and self-contained existence and into the loving presence of God. My summary: Contemporary worship reflects us back to our own culture and tastes.  It is therefore bound to a small range of experiences and personal desires and not reflective of the communion of saints throughout time.  Traditional, thus liturgical worship, emphasizes the timeless nature of Christian worship.  It ne...

Preaching the Kingdom of God presents a unique challenge to the preacher.   This challenge arises not because the concept lacks clear and sufficient reference in Holy Scripture, but rather due to its understanding in the mind of the modern hearer, especially the American hearer who has no connection with a functioning royalty or monarchial rule.   Instead, the modern hearer may encounter the word “king” more in connection with its secondary definition, namely “ one that holds a preeminent position; especially : a chief among competitors.” [1]   Thus, in hearing the word “king” the hearer might associate the word with an eating establishment (e.g.: Burger King) or a famous singer (e.g.: Elvis Presley, king of Rock of Roll; Michael Jackson, king of Pop), or the famous late 20 th century civil right leader Martin Luther King, Jr. Then again, a younger hearer familiar with the film trilogy based on J.R.R. Tolkien’s writings, where they encounter kings in a surreal quas...