Organic Unity of Worship

The Missouri Synod has a percieved lack of unity among its 6000+ congregations. Those looking at us from the outside would probably view us as lock-step in agreement. And, as our Synod President has pointed out time and time again, we are in total agreement about the major doctrines of the Faith. But one of the greater reflections of this disunity is the so called, "Worship Wars" that have been going on for close to 30 years. Dr. Andrew Bartlelt of Concordia Seminary recently wrote an article about the new Missal the Roman Catholic Church is introducing in the coming months. Click here to read his article.
I fully agree with his point that "the worship in any part of the Church is the worship of the Church, not just the local congregation." We are all one body in Christ. While moment in time and culture and context creates diverse expressions of worship - and thats okay and actually good right and salutary. Yet there should be an inherent order in worship recognizable by Christians in all places. In other words, Christian worship of the one True God by Christians should generally look and sound and feel at least somewhat familiar. Congregations are not merely "independent cowboys" doing whatever they want. Each congregation is also part of the trans-congregational church - accountable to one another in matters of doctrine and practice.
What do you think?

The New Righteousness

Every human has an innate desire to be righteous - to know that who they are and what they are doing is "right." Feelings of guilt arise when one discovers that what they are doing is not right. But how does one define what is right? How can they know? Each of us has a built in system for this - what we have termed our conscience. But if you spend any time around other people and get to know them, everyone seems to have a defined righteousness for themselves in different ways. Nevertheless, we all seem to have a basic, general understanding of what is right: killing or hurting others is not right, stealing from others is not right, telling lies is not right, and so on.
But when one does wrong, and feels guilt, what can you do about it? Usually, we try to make up for it, to pay for it, to make it right. A hot topic of righteousness in our culture is our personal righteousness with respect to the environment. One of the unintended consequences of the Environmental Movement is guilt - being guilty for our very existence. We humans have to consume part of nature to continue our existence: we breathe in oxygen and release carbon dioxide, we consume water and food, and we return waste products to the earth. Each of us is responsible in some part for the pollution of the environment. We even have a term for it now: carbon footprint. We are now able to scientifically estimate how much we pollute - we can weigh and measure our guilt. "He who has the greatest carbon footprint is the most guilty and must make it right to be environmentally righteous again" so goes the thinking. And we make ourselves righteous again by buying "green" products, driving fewer miles in cars, recycling more, and the like, to justify ourselves. But how much is enough? How much "green" will make you feel righteous?
Is having an even balance sheet with Mother Nature our righteousness? No, Christ is our righteousness (2 Corinthians 5:21). His death on the cross is what has paid for our unrighteousness - all of it. And his righteousness is given freely through faith in him. And declared righteous by God through Christ and freed from guilt, we are free - free to serve. And freed from guilt, we can freely serve one another and be the stewards of the earth that God intended for us to be. We are free to use it without guilt, but do so wisely. Not to be righteous, but out of love for God and neighbor.

Besides, doesn't the Earth do a very good job of absorbing our carbon footprint? - photosynthesis!

Forty One

Yesterday was my birthday - my 41st. I woke up thinking it wasn't going to be a big deal. But it evolved into something somewhat significant for me. The first moments of the day included receiving gifts from Sheri and the girls: An iPod Touch (how cool is that) and a couple of nice dress shirts with matching ties - very nice. Later, I got to work and at 9:00 am, the entire staff met for our usual Monday Morning meeting. As each staff member entered the room, the told me "Happy Birthday." And then they decided to take me to lunch. Later that afternoon, I opened up Facebook and found that dozens of my friends from all over the country had taken the time to wish me a happy birthday. That evening, I enjoyed a nice dinner at home with my family, followed by phone calls from my sister and from my parents.

I was just going to write off the day as a tick on my personal odometer. But all of these people in my life made it so much more. I am truly blessed beyond imagination. I, a sinner worthy of nothing, have been chosen by my God to be his child through baptism and has called me to be an ordained servant of the Word among some amazing people. My Heavenly Father has taken care of all my needs - most especially the gift of salvation through my Lord Jesus Christ. I have a wife with whom I am privileged to share my life and she shares her life with me. We have been blessed with the gift of two beautiful and incredible daughters. And yesterday, so many people took the time to share in my day.

Forty One isn't so bad after all.

Stephen Ministry in the News

Hope Lutheran Church, my congregation, is a Stephen Ministry congregation. We have a group of Stephen Ministers that extend care in the Name of Jesus Christ - multiplying the efforts of Pastor Ralph and myself.
Click here for a great story published by PBS about Stephen Ministry.

R.I.P.

Abby and Emma and some of the neighborhood kids were all playing early this evening. Abby came running toward our house and said, "I need some tape." And I, of course asked why. She said, "For the roly poly grave. She died." Apparently, they found a dead roly poly and they decided to give it a proper burial. One of the other kids made the tombstone. In case you can't read it in the photo. It says, "Mrs. Roly Poly died here." with an arrow pointing to down to the very spot where they laid her to rest.
I'm pleased my daughters and their peers are realizing their importance as stewards of God's creation.

What's in a Name?

When my girls were younger, knowing a name was important to them. I remember trips to the zoo when the girls would see an animal they didn’t know and the first thing out of their mouths was, “What’s it called?” And I or Sheri would tell them – or we’d have to find out from the posted sign the name of this or that strange creature. When Abby or Emma would get a new doll or stuffed animal, the first thing they’d do is give it a name. Or even when reading a book with them, they would see the illustration of an animal or person in a book and before I could begin to read, they already wanted to know its name. Learning a name or giving a name gives the creature or the stuffed animal or the concept or person on the page of a book life - life in their minds.
When the Almighty God created all things, he spoke all creation into life by saying the name he had given it – “Light, sky, land, sea, creatures.” God spoke its name, and it had existence – it had life. Our God is a life-giving God through his Word. And he has done this to you. In baptism, you were given life by God and new-life by water and his Word. In Baptism, God gave you new life, by giving his name to you – “In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.” His spoken name connected to your spoken name in baptism gave you new life and new identity as God’s child, freed from slavery to sin and alive through the work of the Son of God, Jesus Christ.
Mary Magdalene went to the tomb early that first Easter morning. What was she thinking as she walked to the tomb? Certainly sorrow over Jesus’ death. St. John’s account of the Crucifixion says that she was there to see his death. Jesus was in fact dead – she was a witness. And if she truly believed that Jesus was not only the man from Nazareth, but also her Lord, the very Son of God, Yahweh, God of Israel – then her God was dead as well. She was without her God. And if her God was dead, then everything Jesus said and did really didn’t matter. His life ended in defeat. The horror of being without your God! She must have been absolutely crushed, in despair, without any hope. But as Mary approaches the tomb, she finds that it’s open! The stone is rolled away! So what does she do? She starts assuming – something we’re all very good at doing. Mary doesn’t even look in. Somebody has taken the body of Jesus! She panics and runs to tell the others. Not only is Jesus dead, but someone has desecrated his tomb. She returns with John and Peter, they have the good sense to at least look in. They find no body. And they go away.
So what’s there left to do? Just cry and weep and mourn. Jesus is dead, God is dead. And if God is dead, then I am too. Have you ever felt like that? Felt like God has abandoned you – causing you to question the existence of God and of Jesus. In the times when we are suffering and mourning, it’s easy to think that way. It’s easy to assume that God is dead and all these words of Scripture and all the stories are dead. And if God is dead, then we are dead. Mary doesn’t know it, yet but there’s Jesus – alive. She talks to him, but doesn’t recognize him – thinking him to be the gardener. And then, Jesus says her name, “Mary.” Jesus says her name, and everything changes. Jesus says her name, and gives her life again. Mary is alive again because her God - Jesus - is alive and with her here and now. She is no longer without her God. With a name - “Mary” - life is given and relationship is restored.
So when you feel like your God has abandoned you or you are questioning the existence of God and of Jesus during the dark times in your life or when the devil has a strangle-hold on you. Remember, your God has said your name and you have life. In baptism, he has attached himself to you. In baptism, you have died with Christ and have risen with Christ. You have a name, you have your God, he is alive again, and his name is Jesus Christ. And one day, he will call your name again. When he comes again, he will call your name and you will rise and join him in resurrection. And he will continue to be your God, not by faith, but by sight. Like Mary, Jesus will say your name and everything will change. You will have life – eternal life - because he knows your name and has called your name. And that eternal life in Christ starts today, and every day. Because Christ is risen, he is risen indeed. Amen.