Dealing with a virtual death

Today, many in the virtual Christian blogosphere are dealing with the news that Michael Spencer (known as Internet Monk on his blog or @imonk on Twitter has stopped his cancer treatment and has elected hospice. I've followed him off and on since 2004. The news is also being discussed at Boar's Head Tavern.

Death and sin are ugly realities of our world. Anger is justified. Our source of hope is clear.

Peace to the Spencer family.

Fear And The Word, part 2

I had a wonderful conversation with a co-worker last night. We had both stayed late on a Friday night, which in hindsight is rather unusual. I was making up time and she was getting things organized for her vacation next week. As we walked back and forth in the office, each taking care of our business, I kept noticing that something just wasn't right with her. A well-meaning friend had cast judgment on her based on nothing but speculation and fear. We were led into a long discussion of our former backgrounds in fundamentalist Christian practice, discovering balanced law and gospel churches, the depravity of our souls and our wonderful gift of undeserved grace and of the true meaning of freedom in Christ. It was obvious to both of us that God had ordained that very moment at the copier where we suddenly were open to each other's state of being. And it wasn't just me somehow reassuring her through Christ's words; I was also healed and refreshed in a very unexpected way. I HATE mushy stuff like that, which made it all the more amazing! :)

Break over.

Break over. Time to start writing again. Writing is a funny thing. For years words can pour out like rain or tears and then there's suddenly nothing left to say. At least for a while. I am so thankful that I have this record of my thoughts as a I transitioned from a fundamentalist lifestyle to a grace-based lifestyle. Does anyone blog anymore? Do any of my old readers even check this blog any more. I'll find out, I guess. I spend a lot of time on Twitter because it suits me well. I follow several of the old Confessional Lutheran bloggers gang of 2004. I've also met some new Lutheran bloggers through Twitter. That's cool!

What have I been doing for the past couple of years? Mostly working for my dad, trying to keep a warm and loving home and dealing with the chronic pain God has chosen to allow in my life. Also, what has kept me from writing is the less-controllable later teen years. When my kids were younger teens, I did not feel uncomfortable detailing their experiences (always anonymously). Then the later teen years hit, life got less picture-perfect (for me anyway) and I no longer felt that I had a right to write anything about them. What is left to write when your children are everything about you? As I've made the transition from living 24/7 with my children to being there for them, as they need, while forging their adult lives, I can see now my ability and right to reclaim my writing for myself. I am no longer 100% my children. I am slowly learning how to be me again. It was sad, at first, but now I am seeing the light at the end of the transitional tunnel. My husband and I are beginning to remember that we really like each other and like being with each other. That's pretty cool, I think. What a huge blessing. So many of our dear friends have discovered the opposite and have separated. At least 50 to 75% of our hockey friends are now divorced, baseball less so. Don't know why. Thankfully, most are pretty civil toward each other and tolerate us remaining friendly with both "sides".

Pain is also a very difficult and distracting companion in my life. It robs me of my thoughts or at least bends my thoughts towards it. That sucks. I am so ready to be done defining my life by pain...and yet it is still with me. My leg rarely stops aching. I'm like the fictional Greg House, thankfully without the Vicodin. But I do live with my friend, Tramadol. He's a distant cousin of Vicodin...related by marriage. My lower back is recovering, but the compression on the nerve cannot, so far, be lifted. I am continuing to battle, but progress is slow. What needs to happen is that I keep swimming (literally, in a salt water pool), continue with massage and chiropractic, move around as much as I can without actually walking (that's a trick) and become very lean. I would like to lose 50 pounds, which would make me very lean, but would help greatly going forward.

Work is the other tricky thing in my life. I need to work, but I'd like to develop a different way to earn the income needed. I sit all day long and this only compounds my pain problem. My work situation is very toxic for my body, currently. On the other hand, I really enjoy working for my father, I love the sales environment and the customer service aspect of my job. And I really enjoy the people of this office! I need to evaluate what I am good at, what interests me and what is good for me.

I continue on at King of Grace and am thankful every day that I found that church! I still continue my good Baptist habit of taking sermon notes. I also still believe I am the only one who does that! Thankfully, I don't do it to "look good", cuz the opposite would be true at my church. I do actually review my notes each week, so there!

Life is rarely fair; God is always good.

Our extended family is reeling from a cancer diagnosis. At first, we were incredulous, then upbeat and now angry at the very real possibilities of a cancer diagnosis. I've been reflecting on the saying, "life is not fair." It reminds me of that metal poster on the wall of Jimmy John's sandwich shop. No, I wouldn't send these words to someone with cancer.. but the list helps put the rest of life's annoyances into proper perspective. Life is rarely fair. God is always good. That is somewhat illustrated in Job 1. I think I will work on reading Job this week.

Job 1

Prologue
1 In the land of Uz there lived a man whose name was Job. This man was blameless and upright; he feared God and shunned evil. 2 He had seven sons and three daughters, 3 and he owned seven thousand sheep, three thousand camels, five hundred yoke of oxen and five hundred donkeys, and had a large number of servants. He was the greatest man among all the people of the East.

4 His sons used to take turns holding feasts in their homes, and they would invite their three sisters to eat and drink with them. 5 When a period of feasting had run its course, Job would send and have them purified. Early in the morning he would sacrifice a burnt offering for each of them, thinking, "Perhaps my children have sinned and cursed God in their hearts." This was Job's regular custom.

Job's First Test
6 One day the angels [a] came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan [b] also came with them. 7 The LORD said to Satan, "Where have you come from?"
Satan answered the LORD, "From roaming through the earth and going back and forth in it."

8 Then the LORD said to Satan, "Have you considered my servant Job? There is no one on earth like him; he is blameless and upright, a man who fears God and shuns evil."

9 "Does Job fear God for nothing?" Satan replied. 10 "Have you not put a hedge around him and his household and everything he has? You have blessed the work of his hands, so that his flocks and herds are spread throughout the land. 11 But stretch out your hand and strike everything he has, and he will surely curse you to your face."

12 The LORD said to Satan, "Very well, then, everything he has is in your hands, but on the man himself do not lay a finger."
Then Satan went out from the presence of the LORD.

13 One day when Job's sons and daughters were feasting and drinking wine at the oldest brother's house, 14 a messenger came to Job and said, "The oxen were plowing and the donkeys were grazing nearby, 15 and the Sabeans attacked and carried them off. They put the servants to the sword, and I am the only one who has escaped to tell you!"

16 While he was still speaking, another messenger came and said, "The fire of God fell from the sky and burned up the sheep and the servants, and I am the only one who has escaped to tell you!"

17 While he was still speaking, another messenger came and said, "The Chaldeans formed three raiding parties and swept down on your camels and carried them off. They put the servants to the sword, and I am the only one who has escaped to tell you!"

18 While he was still speaking, yet another messenger came and said, "Your sons and daughters were feasting and drinking wine at the oldest brother's house, 19 when suddenly a mighty wind swept in from the desert and struck the four corners of the house. It collapsed on them and they are dead, and I am the only one who has escaped to tell you!"

20 At this, Job got up and tore his robe and shaved his head. Then he fell to the ground in worship 21 and said:
"Naked I came from my mother's womb,
and naked I will depart. [c]
The LORD gave and the LORD has taken away;
may the name of the LORD be praised."

22 In all this, Job did not sin by charging God with wrongdoing.

Discussing religion...

There are lots of places on the internet to discuss religion. When I first started writing on this blog, I was really sorting out my faith journey. I don't have much figured out yet, but I am at a place where I prefer to listen, learn and attempt to discuss without seeming to attack. That is not always possible though, because one person's perception discussion is often another person's perceived attack. What to do?

When discussing various facets of Christianity, you invariably end up discussing denominational differences. Calls for unity without examining the underpinnings of a denomination are not workable. Scripture calls us to examine teachings and avoid what is not compatible with scripture. Words of wisdom came today in an unusual place:

Secular Bible Study casts wide net
by JEFF STRICKLER , Star Tribune
February 20, 2009

As if it's not unusual enough that Trinity United Methodist Church and the Minnesota Atheists have joined forces to promote a project, wait till you hear what the project is: a Bible study class.

Granted, it's not your normal one. At least, that's the hope. Called Secular Bible Study, the program aims to "foster and nurture relationships between folks who would otherwise avoid each other," said Chester O'Gorman, community outreach director for the northeast Minneapolis church. "Secular Bible Study hopes to attract a variety of people -- Buddhists, atheists, agnostics, Christians and even Jews and Muslims."

The weekly class will focus on the Bible's historical and cultural context. Organizers have drawn up a set of ground rules designed to keep participants from proselytizing, but that doesn't mean that they want to discourage disagreement. Just the opposite.

"We've discerned that people have lost or lack the skills to engage in constructive and respectful dialogue in the context of profound disagreement," O'Gorman said. "An emphasis will be placed on dialogue among the group of small groups (emphasis mine)."

I don't know the faith of Mr. O'Gorman, but I certainly agree with him that people have lost or lack skills to engage in constructive and respectful dialogue. That is a goal of mine which I imagine will take years to refine, God willing.

Mom, sing me that song....

I'm not great singer, but I love to sing. Both my husband and I were in various choirs as youth and we have been blessed with a songstress for a daughter. Our son also has a fine voice, but has refused to sing since becoming a teen. When my kids were younger, I sang to them a lot at bedtime. We had a cassette tape of Michael Card's Sleep Sound in Jesus to go along with the book. I had all the songs memorized. I also would make up songs to sing them at night. The other night, my daughter called me from college and asked me to sing one of the songs to her. Later, her friends called and asked me to sing it to the whole gang. They must have been having a group hug session and needed a reminder that they were once children and are still loved very much.

A pastor once suggested I learn some of Paul Gerhardt's hymns for encouragement. I've been slow at that suggestion, but I still end up "discovering" Gerhardt's hymns again and again. Last night for Lenten service we ended with Now Rest Beneath Night's Shadow. I found myself loving the words and wishing that I had been Lutheran when my kids were younger. This hymn would make a great nighttime song for a mom and her kids.

Now Rest Beneath Night’s Shadow
Words: Paul Gerhardt.
Music: O Welt, Ich Muss Dich Lassen, 15th Century German melody;
adapted by Heinrich Isaac, 1539;
harmony by Johann S. Bach, 1729 .

Now rest beneath night's shadow
The woodland, field, and meadow,
The world in slumber lies;
But Thou, my heart, awake thee,
To prayer and song betake thee;
Let praise to thy Creator rise.

The radiant sun hath vanished,
His golden rays are banished
By night, the foe of day;
But Christ, the Sun of gladness,
Dispelling all my sadness,
Within my heart holds constant sway.

The rule of day is over
And shining jewels cover
The heaven’s boundless blue.
Thus I shall shine in heaven,
Where crowns of gold are given
To all who faithful prove and true.

To rest my body hasteth,
Aside its garments casteth,
Types of mortality;
These I put off and ponder
How Christ will give me yonder
A robe of glorious majesty.

Lord Jesus, who dost love me,
Oh, spread Thy wings above me
And shield me from alarm!
Though evil would assail me,
Thy mercy will not fail me:
I rest in Thy protecting arm.

My loved ones, rest securely,
For God this night will surely
From peril guard your heads.
Sweet slumbers may He send you
And bid His hosts attend you
And through the night watch o’er your beds.

This is my Son, whom I love. Listen to him

Today's sermon for Transfiguration Sunday had a timeless message for our family: It is good for us to be here! It was based on Mark 9: 2-9.

The Transfiguration

After six days Jesus took Peter, James and John with him and led them up a high mountain, where they were all alone. There he was transfigured before them. His clothes became dazzling white, whiter than anyone in the world could bleach them. And there appeared before them Elijah and Moses, who were talking with Jesus.

Peter said to Jesus, "Rabbi, it is good for us to be here. Let us put up three shelters—one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah." (He did not know what to say, they were so frightened.)

Then a cloud appeared and enveloped them, and a voice came from the cloud: "This is my Son, whom I love. Listen to him!"

Suddenly, when they looked around, they no longer saw anyone with them except Jesus.

As they were coming down the mountain, Jesus gave them orders not to tell anyone what they had seen until the Son of Man had risen from the dead.

There were several scripture references that I didn't catch, but I'll get them and update this post. I appreciated a classic Lutheran sermon reminding me of why it is so good to be in God's house hearing God's word. In hearing God's word, I am preparing for the future and getting a glimpse of glory. His Word convicts me; it shows me my sins. His Word also shows me why I can hope for glory. His Word reminds me that wrath, condemnation and anger are all gone through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

Facebook and church fellowship

I had the opportunity to hear a sermon by an ELCA pastor this past Sunday. This church is home to my brother's family. My nieces and nephews hear the gospel preached in this church and I am thankful for it. Still, my synod and their synod are not in altar fellowship. I did not join them in holy communion and I did not join in the prayers. I sang the hymns I knew and confessed our agreement in the Apostle's Creed. I was happy to know that my godson, a confirmand on that day, knew the saving gospel of Jesus Christ. I was curious, to say the least, to hear the pastor's sermon for that special day. His sermon title: Remembering and Responding. How did he start? Yep, with a Facebook story. He told a story about finding an old friend on Facebook and renewing the friendship. I'm pretty sure he figured he would draw in the confirmands with the mere mention of Facebook and he was probably right. In his story, he made a very clear point about fellowship...a point that I don't think he intended to make. In fact, I'm probably the only one who drew that point. He was commenting on how you become friends on Facebook and how it is a somewhat safe platform because two people become friends based an agreement. Yeah, I'm pretty sure I'm the only one who saw the irony in his Facebook story. Agreement on Facebook is important. AND... church fellowship - agreement on what scripture teaches - is also very important.

The Lutheran Confessions

How and why do people find and join a church these days? In my 30+ years as an adult Christian, I mostly chose a church because I liked the people and the music, along with the scripture-based sermons. Before joining our last and current church, our family didn't really know anyone and we weren't real keen on the "old-fashioned" hymns. However, the draw of a church, pastors and congregants who were dedicated to the concept of Sola Scriptura was like water to our parched throats! We each were given an opportunity to study scripture and learn about the Lutheran Confessions under the instruction of a pastor; my husband and I through Adult Instruction and our kids through a formal Confirmation program. Some Christians might wonder what exactly are the Lutheran Confessions. Some Lutherans might wonder why we need to even bother studying them. I found a great explanation, Why Study our Lutheran Confessions, while looking through my synod's website. It was written by Pastor Ted Gullixson. I have posted it here, in its entirety, based on the Creative Commons License.

“For every new book you read, also read three older books,” said the sainted Prof. Glenn Reichwald of Bethany Lutheran College. This advice has much wisdom. It is easy to lose one’s perspective in religious matters if one is reading what modern authors are saying about truth or the Bible.

One older book that is always worthwhile reading is the Book of Concord. This book contains the six confessions of the Lutheran Church and the three confessions to which all Christian churches claim to adhere. All but one of these confessions were written during times of doctrinal strife in the Christian Church. They were written to confess the truth which the authors found in the Bible.

As we read the Book of Concord we note that many Bible passages are quoted. The reason is that the confessors understood that the Bible is the only source of truth. This is proclaimed in the Formula of Concord: “We believe, teach, and confess that the prophetic and apostolic writings of the Old and New Testaments are the only rule and norm according to which all doctrines and teachers alike must be appraised and judged, as it is written in Ps. 119:105, ‘Thy word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.’” If the Bible is the only source of religious truth, it follows that “other writings of ancient and modern teachers, whatever their names, should not be put on a par with Holy Scripture.” (Tappert, pp. 464-465). This rule applies to the Lutheran Confessions also.

The Book of Concord is important for us to read because in this book are confessed the doctrines that the Holy Scriptures reveal to us. These confessions are “witnesses and expositions of the faith, setting forth how at various times the Holy Scriptures were understood by contemporaries in the church of God with reference to controverted articles.” (Tappert, p. 465)

This gives us another important reason to read the Book of Concord: the Lutheran Confessions are expositions of the faith and the Bible. Reading these confessions will give us a correct understanding of what God’s Word says. This is especially important when it comes to the biblical teaching that we are justified by faith alone. For the enemies of the gospel will point to many passages in the Bible that seem to teach that good works at least help get us to heaven. For they will point to texts such as Matthew 19:17, “If you would enter life, keep the commandments,” and Romans 2:13, “The doers of the law will be justified.” The Apology of the Augsburg Confession explains how these passages are to be understood: Keeping the law “cannot happen until, being first justified and regenerated, we received the Holy Spirit. For, it is impossible to keep the law without Christ; it is impossible to keep the law without the Holy Spirit.” (Tappert, p. 124)

Understanding the Bible and knowing its truths are two important reasons to read the Book of Concord. This book also teaches us God’s truth. In his preface to the Large Catechism, Dr. Martin Luther wrote, “I do as a child who is being taught the Catechism. Every morning, and whenever else I have time, I read and recite word for word the Lord’s Prayer, the Ten Commandments, the Creed, the Psalms, etc. I must still read and study the Catechism daily, yet I cannot master it as I wish, but must remain a child and pupil of the Catechism, and I do it gladly.” (Tappert, p. 359)

Luther further states that “nothing is so effectual against the devil, the world, the flesh, and all evil thoughts as to occupy oneself with the Word of God.” (Tappert, p. 359) By studying the Bible and the Book of Concord we fill our minds with what God has revealed. This is especially important since we live in a world filled with many temptations to regard science as more truthful, to regard fame and possession as providing a happier life, and to regard religion as being more harmful.

We live in a society which values experience and feelings as agents that validate the choices of one’s life. Society “forgives” a person who feels remorse but labels people as intolerant who believe they know the truth. The Book of Concord is filled with statements of biblical truth about the triune God, about Jesus as God and man, about Jesus as the only way to heaven, and about salvation through faith alone in Jesus. Reading this book will direct our thinking to know that truth is not what we feel but what God says. For Jesus said, “For this cause I have come into the world, that I should bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth hears My voice” (John 18:37).

We have just celebrated the 475th anniversaries of the Augsburg Confession and the Apology of the Augsburg Confession. They were written to confess the truth that sinners are justified alone by faith in Jesus Christ. Reading these confessions in the Book of Concord will bless us with the same faith that many others, who now reside in heaven, once confessed here on earth amid great difficulties.

It's a marshmallow world v.2009

We elves try to stick to the four main food groups: candy, candy canes, candy corns and syrup.

~Buddy the Elf

It's just snowed a few powdery inches and now the temperature has plummeted well below zero. Out the window, it looks like a marshmallow world! For the few readers I have left, I've been thinking lately about why I haven't posted to Be Strong in the Grace for a while. Have I quit attending my fantastic church? Nope. Has my church changed and I've become disillusioned? No. Have I run out of thoughts? No. Have I allowed careless comments to bother me and make me second guess any thoughts of blog posts? No. Do I seem to have less time for posting? Yeah, I think that is it. Is Elf still one of my favorite movies of all time? Oh yeah!

Back in 2006, I must have been bothered by a few things. I wrote on this blog,

"In a perfect world, not only would I live at Santa's workshop with an all-candy and cocoa diet (watch Elf), there would also be no synods...only one perfect church. Seems I'm going to have to learn to live with the fact that not only is there no perfect synod, but I will also have to remain vigilant. I must accept the fact that others will criticize me and that I will sometimes need to criticize others. I will also have accept the fact that I must eat good meats, whole grains, salads, fruits and vegetables, with only the occasional candy cane and cup of cocoa."

At the start of 2009, I am bothered by fewer things. Mostly, time speeds by. Having a child in college is way different than I thought it would be. Dealing with my back injury seems to take up a lot of my time, oddly enough. And I'm really trying to stay on top of homemaking and other creative endeavors. I do expect to post more often in 2009, so stay tuned...

Mom, the stalker

"Mom! That's like....like...stalking me!"

Ouch! My son caught me in a lie the other day. Not a big lie...just one of those little lies parents might tell their kids to cover some secret parental spying that might make their child mad but is actually for their own good. You know, one of THOSE lies. I'm not even going to say what it was because it was really stupid. But it mattered to my nearly grown son and he knows what it was. I will tell you the shameful details. When I was first caught, I denied it. I even tried to blame his sister. Then I tried to blame my son. This was all in the first couple of minutes. As words came out of my mouth, I was disgusted with myself. Why was I lying? I hadn't done anything wrong. I was just embarrassed. I'm 48, a pretty good parent and here I was making really stupid lies. I quickly recovered, told him what I had done and gave my justification. What I had done wasn't wrong; lying about it was. God is good and He helped us in the next few days to have two good discussions about it. I have apologized to my son; no amount of good parenting can justify a lie...at least not the way I did it.

I cringed today when I read Pastor Walter Snyder's excellent commentary on lying, Leaving a Life of Lying. Ouch! How did he know? ;) He knows because we all are liars, whether we admit it or not. Some of us have practiced it too well and others battle some other sin, but we've all lied.

Like all their descendants, you’ve inherited our first parents’ sinful natures, including a similar gullibility regarding lying and honesty. As a Christian, you’ve also discovered the truth of Saint Paul’s lament: “I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I keep on doing. (Romans 7:19)” Lutherans call this situation simil iustus et peccator, meaning “at the same time saint (a justified believer in Christ) and a sinner.” Read more...

Ok, here's what I did. I was looking at his Facebook page one day - a given in our household. I have the right to see what my kids are writing when they are under age 18 and living at home. I visited some of his friends' pages and copied a few photos of him and his friends to my hard drive. As I was doing it, a little voice in me mentioned that, perhaps, I should ask him because I knew he might get weird about it, but I instead justified my actions by reminding myself that I had so few photos of him and his friends. The pics sat on my desktop for a month before he noticed them (I had forgotten). He immediately got upset, I think because of a photo of him and a particular girl, and him and a boy who is now in jail. That's when I started lying....ugh! Like I mentioned already, it turned out well, but I do wish I had quickly asked God for the grace to just be honest. Am I a chronic liar? No. Will I lie again in my lifetime? Probably. God give me strength!

St. Michael and the dragon

I don’t remember ever attending a service for the Festival of St. Michael and All Angels, so yesterday’s service at Bethany Lutheran College was particularly meaningful since it was the first time we got to see our daughter sing in the BLC Concert Choir. BLC doesn’t have regular Sunday services (students are encouraged to become part of local congregations or travel to their home churches), but they hold services on special occasions, such as the annual Fall Festival.

The service followed the Office of Matins. I really miss use of singing psalms! It reminded me of my ALC days in the 70’s. Chaplain Don Moldstad gave a good sermon on the corresponding scripture of the day. He gave an excellent message about the goal of the devil (to destroy your soul forever) and of angels (to protect your soul to heaven). He explained that sin is not just specific acts that the devil might convince you to do, but part of an overall plan to create a way to separate you from God…a pattern of guilt…a weaker friend who will seemingly try to pull you away from God. Sin isn’t just an act; its part of a plan to pull us away from God. There was also a reminder that the world will continually tell Christians that their faith in Christ is irrelevant, out-dated…like walking around wearing night goggles during the day (a reference to an earlier comparison of faith in Christ to wearing night goggles). Your church is one place to recognize your fellow soldiers, where your “night goggles” of faith won’t look out of place. Beautiful choir music, directed by Dennis Marzolf, and wonderful band pieces directed by Adrian Lo. I enjoyed singing two ELH hymns I’d never sung before, to my knowledge: I Walk With Angels All The Way (ELH 252) and We Sing Thy Praise, O God (ELH45).

On voting for a woman ...

As a Confessional Lutheran Christian, I have been pondering the issue of men, women and headship in relation to the upcoming elections. I've done some research and found a very profound and timely commentary at WELS.net:

"...there may indeed be times when a Christian may come to the conclusion that a woman running for the office of president may be the best available choice. We may decide to vote for that candidate even though we would know that in a perfect world it would be otherwise. Often, it may be a judgment on the men of a nation that no well-qualified men step forward to lead.

Perhaps it may also help us to consider that even among God's Old Testament people, there was a time that he raised up a woman to lead Israel. In Judges 4-5 we see God using Deborah to help lead Israel against a nation that was oppressing God's people.

Yet before we make too much of that bit of Israelite history, we must remember that the book of Judges hardly holds before us an ideal part of Israel's history. In fact, the book of Judges reveals Israel often at its worst. What is more, Deborah's own words clearly indicate that things were not as they should have been in Israel. She vainly struggles to get Barak to take the lead of the armies of Israel without her by his side (see Judges 4:9)."

The purpose (and power) of God's Word

I read something really great in my daily Meditations booklet today. Here are some excerpts and corresponding scripture:

All are forgiven, but not everyone will enter eternal life. Is this because God does not desire everyone's salvation? Consider that question in the light of Jesus' crucifixion. No, the damned are ultimately responsible for their own fate.

God is both just and loving, as it is written: "The LORD is slow to anger, abounding in love and forgiving sin and rebellion. Yet he does not leave the guilty unpunished." Numbers 14:18

The problem is not God's lack of love but their own hard hearts that refuse to be loved. And so, after continual rejections or indifference to the gospel, the gospel will stand as a testimony against them, as Jesus himself says,

"There is a judge for the one who rejects me and does not accept my words; that very word which I spoke will condemn him at the last day." John 12:48

There is a mystery here, to be sure. Only God can break through the hardness of a person's heart. Yet people are condemned for having hard hearts. How can that be? Scripture does not answer that question. Scripture only holds before us God's universal will for all people and points us to the Word, God's powerful tool to break through hard hearts and lead people to repent and believe.

My word that goes out from my mouth: it will...achieve the purpose for which I sent it." Isaiah 55:11

Be certain whom you are rejecting...

Quote of the week, at Cranach blog:

"Do not let people, especially God’s people, sour your taste for religion. One’s eternal destiny is not worth it. But if it is God that is not palatable to you, that is quite a different matter. No one can offer a better description of who God is, who we are, and what He requires of man than He has himself made clear in His word. This you seem to have rejected. There is no other offer on the table. And none else but Christ can persuade you."

~ Robert Landrum, Religious Contemplations

What does effective youth ministry look like?

The Internet Monk, Michael Spencer, lists some aspects of what a post-evangelical youth ministry looks like. Not surprisingly, it probably looks a lot like what youth ministry looked like before we invented it.

1. It would be very open to the “Family centered” model that puts youth ministry firmly in the ministry of parents, and would utilize “youth ministers” only as a supplement and facilitation of that model.

2. It would never separate young people from the multi-generational nature of the church, but would instill in them an appreciation for the Christian tradition, and the compromises and gifts of the multi-generational model.

3. Age segregated Bible study would most likely be de-emphasized, if not eliminated as much as possible.

Read on for other points.

The last point is key:

9. This does not mean the elimination of “youth ministry,” but it does mean that any specific ministry will find its definition and direction from the overall character of the community to which it belongs. Whatever activities, actions or processes occur, they will be evaluated by the whole community and not by separate standards derived from “youth ministry” as a self-defining parachurch movement.

I think this last point is key to Lutherans retaining their youth. We left our former evangelical mega-church when our kids were in 5th and 7th grade. I was alarmed at the lack of depth of Christian education and the generational separation of the very large and very well-known youth ministry. We left for a much smaller church that espouses many of the aspects mentioned by Michael Spencer. Ironically, though, people occasionally suggest that our church should take a cue from our former mega-church youth ministry program. I have struggled to put into words why I consider this the wrong approach to the strengthening of our youth. These points will help me do that.

Believing in Jesus

While researching a topic, I came across this excellent response to a question on how we are to come to faith in Jesus on the WELS Living Bold website. The site is designed with youth in mind, but the resources are ageless.

Question: I know that I can't believe in Jesus without the Holy Spirit. But after the Holy Spirit comes, do I (or someone else) make the choice to belive in Jesus? I mean, it's my choice to get baptized or confirmed, right?

Answer:

You ask a very important question. Many Christian churches in our world today use their human logic to answer it by saying each individual person has some goodness or power within themselves to accept Jesus as their personal Savior. The technical term for this is "decision theology." They believe that Jesus has done everything to save them for eternity, but I have the choice to decide whether I want to accept or reject him as my Savior. That makes sense logically to my human reason, but that isn't how God says a person comes to believe in Jesus.

God tells us in Scripture that every human being is conceived and born spiritually dead (Ephesians 2:1-3), blind to the truth of God's Word (1 Corinthians 2:14), and enemies of God having no power in ourselves to change our unbelieving condition (Romans 8:7). By nature we are conceived and born as rejectors of God, but by nature we have no power to decide one day we want to believe in Jesus as our Savior. Salvation and faith (the ability to believe in Jesus and say you believe in Jesus) is completely the work of God the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 12:3) working through the Word of God (Romans 10:17) and the Sacrament of Baptism (1 Peter 3:21, Titus 3:4-7, Galatians 3:26-27, John 3:5). Salvation and the ability to believe (faith) that Jesus has saved me for eternity are both gifts that God the Holy Spirit gives to us(Eph. 2:4-9).

Read on...

What to do...

Here's some really good, scriptural and common sense advice, from Pastor Joel Brandos, for those who are in a liberal-leaning Lutheran church and you are a layperson:

1) Support your pastor. Encourage him to speak the truth in love. If he complains about how bad things are, urge him to keep commending what is good, right, and salutary;

2) Show up at local and regional meetings and conventions;

3) When you are at these events, don’t get angry. Don’t even look perturbed. Instead, take along with you one or two Bible passages and one or two quotes from Luther and the Confessions, not more than one paragraph long. Find the opportunity to share them with the group, telling people how much these words mean to you. To start out with, don’t speak against things — tell people what you are FOR and why you are for it. Identify people in the group who are interested in your words, even if it is only one or two. Make their acquaintance; get their e-mail; get to know them, but don’t be psychotically overwhelming. You might point them to one or two constructive blogs and The Wittenberg Trail;

4) If you find someone who doesn’t agree with you, first of all, just LISTEN to them and ask clarifying questions. Don’t get into a knock-down drag out argument. Sometimes you will hear them make outlandish statements. Press them hard to give evidence and make them PROVE that what they are saying is true. Don’t let them make generalizations. After you listen, THEN you may explain to them once again what you think is helpful and important based on the Scriptures, Confessions, and Luther’s writings;

5) Buy a copy of “What Luther Says.” This publication is full of excerpts from his writings on many different subjects organized alphabetically by Topic. Read it;

6) Read the PREFACES to Luther’s Large and Small Catechisms. Amazing! Read the Large Catechism if you have never done so. Re-memorize the Small Catechism as part of your daily devotions;

7) Get a copy Bente’s “Historical Introductions to the Book of Concord.” Understand Lutheran theology in its historical context - very important! Note how it was all LAYMEN who signed the Augsburg Confession.

On choosing a redeemer...

I read a quote today that will compel me to read a book:

“…’I mean–I mean that I have given Him my heart.’ The older man’s face became suddenly as solemn as the grave. ‘Do you consider that something to give Him?’ … ‘But sir, if you do not give your heart to Jesus, you cannot be saved.’ ‘You are right, my boy. And it is just as true that, if you think you are saved because you give Jesus your heart, you will not be saved. You see, my boy, … it is one thing to choose Jesus as one’s Lord and Savior, to give Him one’s heart and commit oneself to Him, and that He now accepts one into His little flock; it is a very different thing to believe on Him as a Redeemer of sinners, of whom one is chief. One does not choose a Redeemer for oneself, you understand, nor give one’s heart to Him. The heart is a rusty old can on a junk heap. A fine birthday gift, indeed! But a wonderful Lord passes by, and has mercy on the wretched tin can, sticks His walking cane through it and rescues it from the junk pile and takes it home with Him. That is how it is.’ … ‘And now you must understand that these two ways of believing are like two different religions, they have nothing whatever to do with each other.’”

~The Hammer of God, by Bo Giertz

Differences among synods

The latest battle in the Missouri synod has people searching on the internet for alternatives. My blog's search statistics show that. It is my own opinion that most confessional Lutherans refuse to look at other synods seriously because of a long list of mis perceptions and hearsay. I know the pain of switching synods; I did so myself about five years ago. The only thing I can offer is that once you do make the switch with a whole heart, the pain goes away. The things that I thought might bother me, i.e. the role of women in ministry and close communion, were not issues for me once I was sold on the ELS' ability to preach the gospel.

I would never encourage anyone to leave their synod or church, but if you feel that it is what you are being called to do then I hope you consider the ELS. I have been (mostly) very happy there. The ELS, though not perfect, is remaining faithful. We are small, manageable and pretty transparent. If I wanted to I could make an appointment with our president and ask him any question. There is no division among pastors, beyond the usual human divisions (style, age, personality, which football team they cheer for, etc). Do your research from there. I can also tell you that the ELS is not the same as WELS, yet we are in fellowship with WELS. A WELS pastor writes:

If you find differences, then, it is more likely to be in the area of culture or ways of doing things aside from Bible doctrine and practice. Norwegian and German people (and their descendants to a degree) don't always reflect the same personality traits or enjoy the same food or entertainment. And many ELS churches use different editions of catechisms and hymnals than most WELS churches do. Welcome to America and cultural diversity. But especially give thanks that these two church bodies enjoy confessional fellowship centered in Christ and his Word.

Are you looking for another confessional Lutheran synod? Ask others. Pray. I found this opinion at WELS.net Q & A feature very interesting...

...the majority of truly conservative or orthodox pastors and congregations have already left the LCMS or have chosen to hunker down to protect their own parish as long as they can. And they will die or retire before they do much else.