Now that's Dedication

The son of some of our friends is on a mission trip down in the Dominican Republic.  We received a letter from him the other day that made me laugh.  Here's a little of what he had to say:

It is sometimes difficult to go day after day and pour yourself out to these kids when it's hard to see if there is any fruit but I was really encouraged when I heard a boy about 10 years old singing.  He was singing "Christo es mi Superhero" which means, Christ is my Superhero, to see the joy on these kids faces as they sing about Jesus is amazing.  We have also been doing about two dramas everyday which have been really good, except on our first time where my friend Gabby broke her tooth during the drama.  No one knew it happened until we finished and she got it fixed the next day.  So yes the dramas do get pretty intense sometimes.

photo credit: that.girl

The Parental Office

My friend Brian Yamabe and his co-blogger Joshua McNary are the authors of a blog/podcast called The Parental Office.  They're both fathers of younger kids, and are thus called by God to teach the faith to their kids.  They are producing a series of podcasts in which they discuss their parental vocation, including ideas on how to raise their kids in a God-pleasing way using Lutheran theology and resources.  As Brian states:

One issue that has stuck with me the last couple of years is how to pass on the faith to my daughters. What can we do better at home? What can we do better at church? What has worked with my daughters? What has worked for others? What should we avoid? I’m hoping the podcast can be a platform for exchanging information that helps parents integrate their children into the Christian life.

I like what they're doing.  This is more than just a "how to" show, it's a resource that might very well reorder your thought processes on how to raise your kids from a Biblical, Lutheran perspective, and cause you to reconsider you vocation as parent. 

You can follow Brian and Joshua on Facebook or Twitter.  Their podcasts are available on their blog, and are available on iTunes.

Continuing the Emphases of Witness, Mercy, and Life Together

Hanging in our church is a banner of the now-familiar tripartite logo which emphasizes Witness, Mercy, and Life Together. These emphases have been very well received throughout the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod. At the last synodical convention it was mandated that synodical emphases now be determined by the national Synod in convention (see Bylaws 4.2.1(b) and 3.8.2.4). I'd encourage anyone interested to consider the following resolution for adoption in your circuit and district convention, which promotes the continuation of this three-fold emphasis of Witness, Mercy, and Life Together. This resolution was first published on the Brothers of John the Steadfast website. The WMLT logo is used with permission.



A Resolution Suggesting a Triennial Mission and Ministry Emphasis for the Synod


WHEREAS at the 2010 Synodical Convention the Lutheran Church — Missouri Synod adopted a process whereby the triennial emphasis is established by suggestions forwarded through the adoption of resolutions at the congregational level, then by circuit forums, then district conventions, and finally the synodical convention, and

WHEREAS no triennial emphasis could be adopted at the 2010 Synodical Convention because this process had been newly established, and

WHEREAS the Synodical President and his staff developed an emphasis for this first triennium based on the ancient description of the Church, and

WHEREAS congregations, circuits and districts of the Synod are asked in Bylaw 4.2.1 to submit mission and ministry emphases for consideration by the synodical convention, and

WHEREAS the current mission and ministry emphasis of Witness, Mercy, Life Together holds much potential for further growth and implementation throughout the Synod,

therefore be it

RESOLVED that we, __________ Congregation of __________ submit the mission and ministry emphasis of Witness, Mercy, Life Together for consideration as the continued mission and ministry emphasis for the Lutheran Church — Missouri Synod for the 2013-2016 Triennium, and be it further

RESOLVED that we memorialize the _________ District to adopt the above resolution, and be it finally

RESOLVED that we memorialize the _________ Circuit Forum to adopt the above resolution.

You're Invited to Repentapalooza

Christ Rescues You from Yourself

Quoting Dr. Martin Luther from his lecture on Galatians 1:4, 5:

Therefore since Christ rescues you from the world, He certainly rescues you from yourself as from the worst enemy of all, just as Paul says in Rom. 7:18: “Nothing good dwells with me, that is, in my flesh.” By your own strength, therefore, you will not overcome the evil world and your own vices; your works are in vain unless Christ alone delivers you. So beware lest fastings, vigils, zealous efforts, temperance, sobriety, and other virtues make you an incorrigible hypocrite.

Martin Luther, vol. 27, Luther's Works, Vol. 27 : Lectures on Galatians, 1535, Chapters 5-6; 1519, Chapters 1-6, ed. Jaroslav Jan Pelikan, Hilton C. Oswald and Helmut T. Lehmann, Luther's Works (Saint Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1999, c1964), 27:174.

Ash Wednesday 2012: Our Lenten Journey Begins

American Politics: A Portrait of Sin

Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod President Matt Harrison, on his blog Mercy Journeys with Pastor Harrison, discusses his recent appearance before the House Committee on Government and Oversight. It is a very sad commentary on the state of U.S. politics. The grandstanding, misrepresentation, and generalized incivility towards anyone not "just like me and what I think" demonstrated at the hearing by the congresspeople and the media coverage that followed highlight the depravity of our sinful nature. Thanks be to God that He sent His one and only Son to rescue us from this body of death. Here's the last three paragraphs of President Harrison's post:

The hearing was a sideshow. I was asked by folks back home, "It seamed speaker after speaker on the democrat side had not heard what you just said!" Said, I, "They didn't. You see each person simply came in with the talking points for the cameras and blasted away only to leave as soon as they did the grandstand." All was twisted. "You really want to get rid of birth control, right?" Harrison: No. We're not against Birth Control, but only abortion causing drugs. "You really don't care about women right?" Harrison: No. I've spent years assisting them. I knew my dear wife was at home no doubt yelling at the T.V. Wished she were there instead of me at that point.) Republicans wanted to draw me into condemning Obama outright. Wouldn't do it. I was representing the Missouri Synod. We haven't condemned Obama care, or even ruled on it. And we won't. Our problem is the government forcing religious people to act contrary to their doctrine and practice.

I felt like I was in monkey cage frankly. But the media circus followed. The Dems lost the argument in the hearing, so they sent in the troops to obfuscate and create drama for the ever willing press. So the story is turned to something like this: "Why do you guys hate women?" "Why do you want to take our contraceptives away?" "How can you men be testifying about women's health?" There were some exceptions. Tim Townsend gave us an accurate piece in the St. Louis Post Dispatch. The New York Times wasn't all bad. Others were pathetic. Nancy Palosi was blasting away on the Sunday morning shows with the obfuscation. (I regard that attack as a badge of honor.) The panel photo even appeared on SNL. More nonsense. I couldn't care less.

The constitution is with us. And like Hosanna Tabor, it may take some time, but I believe the HHS provisions are going to fall with a crash in the Supreme Court. And we'll have another shot at talking about what the "real" issue is.

Photo credit: Christopher Chan

Free Is Good: Audio Recordings of the Book of Concord

It’s not often you come across a deal this good. Pastor Paul McCain, on his blog Cyberbrethren, recently reported that the entire Book of Concord has been recorded, and is available for free. The text for these audio recordings comes from the Book of Concord, the Triglot Concordia, and are thus a part of the public domain. They are read by Librivox volunteer Jonathan Lange.

Not only can you listen online, you can also download all of the recordings for free. You could burn these to a CD and listen to them while you’re driving, or put them on your iPod to listen to them as time allows. You pastors out there might want to copy the whole thing to distribute to your congregants.  What a great way to become more familiar with the book that contains all of the Lutheran confessions.

For more information, visit The Book of Concord website here.

Here's a sample recording:

5 MONTHS IN AFRICA: Paul Schulz Kenyan Adventure

I recently discovered that the son of one of my Facebook friends is assisting with missionary work down in Kenya. His name is Paul Schulz. A recent grad of the University of Missouri, Paul is working with Pastor James May, the head of Lutherans in Africa (LIA).

As many of you know, the Lutheran population in Africa is rapidly growing, and with it there is a growing need for Lutheran pastors, evangelists, and deaconesses. Lutherans in Africa helps fill that need by training native Africans to teach the faith. Paul has been assisting in catechizing the local youth by teaching them hymns, as well as traveling great distances to distribute aide to poor families.

I asked Paul to write a short introduction. Here's what he has to say:

Hi everybody,

My name is Paul Schulz, and I'm living/working in Africa for 5 months. Actually I've been here for about 3 weeks already, so just over 4 months to go. I am working/volunteering for an organization named Lutherans In Africa. I recently graduated from the University of Missouri with a Bachelors in Linguistics. Pr. James May, who heads up LIA, visited my house last June, and after not much time, I was fully convinced of the work he is doing here in Africa, and decided to come and lend my assistance however I could. There are many organizations who send bibles and other literature to this area of the world, but what struck me about LIA as being especially unique was their focus on teaching, catechism, and the saving power of baptism.

Paul with Bishop Asiago.

Paul has a blog titled 5 MONTHS IN AFRICA, in which he reports on his work and travels in Kenya. I like Paul's blog because he writes from a “regular Joe's” perspective, or in Kiswahili, a mzungu's perspective (a "white guy's" perspective), describing his surroundings and the people in their everyday lives, providing photographs as well. Here's a sample of Paul's writing:

...If you want to go somewhere on the main road and want to spend less money, you wait for a “matatu.” These are more public van taxis that resemble a VW van in design only squarer and a little smaller. These literally never stop moving. They come flying down the road with one man driving, 10-12 people inside, and one man hanging out the sliding door yelling what I assume to be is their destination. If this is the one you want, you wave, the man hanging out the door hits the roof twice, and the driver slows down just enough for you to jump in, and then you get settled, sometimes on top of another person as the driver guns it ahead. Now these vans are usually in a greater state of disrepair than the car taxis, and one ride is all you need to understand why. Potholes here are huge, and everywhere, as are speed bumps. So, in order to keep their speed and passengers adrenaline levels up, all rules of the road are ignored. Passing a semi sized water truck uphill around a curve? No problem. Too many potholes? Drive on the sidewalk/side of the road to avoid them. Car in front of you going too slow? Honk the horn a few times and drive towards oncoming traffic to get around them. Many of these vans are plastered with stickers that say “Only God Can Save,” or “Trust In The Lord,” which I can only assume are being employed in place of airbags or seatbelts.

You can find Paul's blog here. If you're interested in learning more about Lutherans in Africa, or perhaps lending them a financial hand, their website is here.

Here's a couple more photos from 5 MONTHS IN AFRICA:

A Lutheran Church near Kibweze.

A view of the Great Rift Valley at sunset.

A Nicely Decorated Retirement Home

I'm pretty sure after we get through putting both our kids through college, this will end up being our retirement home. I'm not really happy about that - I was hoping for something with no yard to mow.

photo credit: Stuck in Customs