Category Archives: Lutheran

The Call of the Cottonball

Leave a reply

Vocation and God’s calling has always been an interest of mine. I blogged about a few times.  How do we discern what God is calling us to do with our lives?  How do young adults discern their career path?   Too often the church has restricted God’s callings to specific Christian ministries like pastors or missionaries.  But God calls us to love our neighbor in such a wide variety of ways.  Here is a post from a college student who is beginning to grasp her calling as a teacher:  Catapulting Cotton Balls.

When I read this blog, I had a strong sense of pride, hope and humility.   I had the strong sense of pride because my daughter is connecting her vocational calling to her Christian faith.  I had a sense of hope because she and many, many other young adults see their vocation as a way of serving the world and not simply a way to make money.  And humility that she is learned this in spite of my sporadic, often absent, parenting skills.   God is truly good.

How have you experienced God’s calling in your life?  In your family life?

Lord Jesus, remind me again today that I am called to love my neighbor.  Call me once again to be your hands, feet, voice and heart in the world.

On the seventh day they had a picnic

Leave a reply

Yesterday was the kick-off to the fall season for Resurrection Lutheran. Under bright beautiful sky we had our church picnic after worship. The tempting smell of grilled brats, the energetic conversation of friends and neighbors and the loud squeal of dunk-tank participants permeated our church grounds. In the morning worship I joked that for one afternoon we would be Resurrection “Baptist” Church as people were fully submerged in the dunk tank. When my turn came, I was thankful for the cool water on a very warm afternoon.

Two thoughts popped in and out of my head as we celebrated our Vibrant Life in Christ. They both arose from our worship text in the morning: Genesis 1 where God creates the heavens and the earth. Throughout the chapter there is the constant refrain: “And God saw that it was good.” The goodness of God’s creation was being experienced by picnic participants; the joy and wonder on their faces reflected that goodness.

A second thought followed the first. The thought came from part of the Genesis story that I had skipped over in my morning sermon.

So God blessed the seventh day and hallowed it because on it God rested from all the work he had done in creation. Genesis 2:3.

God’s rest on the seventh day is a powerful reminder that as God’s creatures we need rest as well. The third commandment flows from this: Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy. I sensed that many of us were “resting” at our church picnic, even as we scurried around. Much of my normal week is spent sitting indoors/the opportunity to be outdoors, enjoying a beautiful fall afternoon was restful. And when I engage in meaning conversation with other saints it is holy. The morning worship and the afternoon picnic provided me with a healthy dose of rest and remembrance.

Pastor John becomes John the Baptized

And, to top it off, I had the opportunity to remember my baptism as I went into the tank!

How do you find ways to remember the day of rest?

Lord Jesus, help me to remember the gift of the Sabbath each week.

Labor Day Ministry

Leave a reply

As we enter the Labor Day week-end, I am mindful of the various ways we labor. Our careers or vocations can dominate our lives, though we rarely take time to reflect on their significance. Yesterday I explored my daughter’s vocation; today I will reflect on my son’s. (Part of my vocation as a papa!)

I have written on Luther’s concept of vocation in the past (Light work and Deep Gladness). Luther’s emphasis was that our daily work was where we love our neighbor, where we make the world a more trustworthy place for all, Christians and non-Christians alike.

The prince should think: Christ has served me and made everything to follow him; therefore, I should also serve my neighbor, protect him and everything that belongs to him. That is why God has given me this office, and I have it that I might serve him.. . . When a prince sees his neighbor oppressed, he should think: That concerns me! I must protect and shield my neighbor….The same is true for shoemaker, tailor, scribe, or reader. If he is a Christian tailor, he will say: I make these clothes because God has bidden me do so, so that I can earn a living, so that I can help and serve my neighbor. When a Christian does not serve the other, God is not present; that is not Christian living. “Sermon in the Castle Church at Weimar” (25 October 1522)

Recently I met my son, Jonathan, for lunch. He and friends are starting their own business which will be serving our neighbors by providing safe, non-skid floors for pools and bathrooms. The product is called Life Floor.

Often people think that the Christian ministry needs to be done in or through a church and that it must be tagged with the name of Jesus. That is too narrow. Ministry or service happens in our homes, schools, offices and community centers when we serve others.  Our love of God is reflected in our love for our neighbor.

My son’s work is a form of ministry, of serving and loving our neighbor. He will soon install Life Floor in my mother’s apartment bathroom. This will be a true benefit for her since she recently fell while showering and made a trip to the emergency room. Life Floor will be a benefit to my mom. Seeing and addressing the needs of others in our complex world is Christian ministry.

How is your vocation serving your neighbor?

Lord Jesus, may my daily life become a path to love and serve my neighbor: at home, at school or work, or in my community.

In Our Midst

Leave a reply

At Camp Wapogasset this week, a college-age counselor spoke during chapel about the significance of Christian community.   She evoked the camp theme “In Our Midst,” based on Jesus’ promise, “For where two or three are gathered in my name, I am there in the midst of them.” Matt 18:20.  The counselor spoke of the challenges her family faced when her father was laid off from his job and had to search 18 months for a new job in a different state.  She knew that God was giving her strength through the Christian community she experienced on staff at Camp Wapogasset. Her words in turn gave hope and life to those who listened, including me.

Near the end of her talk she quoted from Dietrich Bonhoeffer’s book, Life Together, in which Bonhoeffer described his work to build a confessing Lutheran Seminary in Nazi Germany.

But God has put this Word into the mouth of men in order that it may be communicated to other men. When one person is struck by the Word, he speaks it to others. God has willed that we should seek and find His living Word in the witness of a brother, in the mouth of man. Therefore, the Christian needs another Christian who speaks God’s Word to him.  He needs him again and again when he becomes uncertain and discouraged, for by himself he cannot help himself without belying the truth. He needs his brother man as a bearer and proclaimer of the divine word of salvation.  p. 23

Campers Enjoy Community

God has created us to be in community, but we often resist it.  Our American culture celebrates the rugged individualist who creates success by his or her self: the self-made man or woman.  Yet I cannot be fully human without being connected to others.  God made me to be with others, with my faults and inconsistencies as well as my strengths and gifts.   Only in community with other Christians do I fully experience the vibrant life of faith in Jesus.

I am so thankful the children and youth have the opportunity to experience Christian community, with all its joys, sorrows, sweat and discomfort through mission trips and Bible camp. Remember, wherever two or three are gathered in his name, Jesus is in our midst.

In what ways or places have you experienced authentic Christian community?

Lord Jesus, show me the path that leads me to community with others.

Youngdahl, Pastor Of Largest ELCA Church In Nation, Dies « CBS Minnesota

Leave a reply

Youngdahl, Pastor Of Largest ELCA Church In Nation, Dies « CBS Minnesota.   I remember meeting Pastor Youngdahl as a student at Luther Seminary.   Mt Olivet offered a retreat to all senior seminarians during which he and the staff would offer pastoral insights and tips that they had learned over the years.  Though several of my classmates were suspicious of his church’s “success,” I found him to be a gracious pastor who truly cared about each of us as future pastors.   I pray for his family as they grieve his sudden death and for Mt. Olivet as they seek to transition to new leadership.

Name that Commandment Part II

1 Reply

The ninth and tenth commandments*, “You shall not covet,” are the two most challenging commandments in our culture today.  Our consumer society is built on the idea that an individual does not have enough. It is the economic law of supply and demand.  We must create a “want” for more stuff, so that we have a demand to produce more stuff.   If there is no demand for something, there is no reason to produce it.    

Yet our mass market culture is good at producing wants.  We are constantly seeing/hearing/experiencing messages that tell us to want something, anything and everything. We are caught in the game of “wanting” the newest whatever because everyone else has it and we “need” it.  Our culture constantly stokes the fire of desire.   So when we hear the commandment, “you shall not covet,” it seems so bizarre and difficult.  Confirmation students are not the only people wrestling with this.  

Several years ago I took a group of seniors on a tour boat ride around Lake Minnetonka.  The tour guide started telling us about the large homes that surround the lake. “This property was purchased for $5 million dollars, and the new owner remodeled with another $5 million.” Or “That property was purchased for $7 million, the old house torn down, and a new house built for $10 million.”  After the boat ride, I told the group of seniors, “We just spent the afternoon breaking the tenth commandment.”  Now we may not  want a house on Lake Minnetonka, but looking and pricing such homes rarely feeds our contentment center.  

So how do we obey this commandment?  By shifting our focus away from this constant barrage for “bigger, better and more” to the Gospel message that I am loved and accepted by God just the way I am.   My real identity is not a consumer who needs more, but a steward who hold everything as a trust from God. I truly need to hear God’s message of gracious acceptance on a consistent basis.  Otherwise the culture’s message that “You are not good enough, unless you buy this or pursue that’ will win our souls. 

 How do you define “coveting?”  How do you deal with it?

 Lord Jesus, help me to seek you with all my heart and soul.

 *Martin Luther in his catechism followed the Roman Catholic tradition from St. Augustine in numbering the commandments. Presbyterians, Episcopalians and others use a slightly different system that combines the ninth and tenth commandments.

Death of Osama

1 Reply

Seeking Justice

There has been considerable reflection on the death of Osama Bin Laden and the impromptu celebrations that broke out in parts of America.  NPR asked the question, Is it wrong to celebrate Bin Laden’s death.  I have my own two-part response.

My first response revolves around the issue of justice.  When evil has done harm to people, as a culture we seek justice.   We punish those who have caused the harm with the hope of redeeming the loss.  When a hit-and-run driver leaves the scene of an accident, we feel it is just to find the driver and have that driver pay for any/all damages.  If there is a loss of life, the driver receives a punishment of prison and/or probation based on his or her responsibility for the crime.  Cain was punished for the murder of his brother, Able, in Genesis 4. Punishment is a means for restricting further violence and sin.  Lutherans call this the first use of God’s law, to curb our violent and selfish ways.

Bin Laden claimed responsibility for the tragedy of 9/11.  We had a moral right to seek justice with him regarding this crime.  I trust the statements that the SEAL strike team was seeking first to capture Bin Laden, but had to execute him as a combatant.  I see partial justice in his death and I hope his death will stop further acts of violence.  But we have no guarantee of that.   

Now comes the second response regarding the celebration of his death.   God created all human being with purpose and meaning.  God loves all human beings, even when they turn away from God’s purposes and ways.  God’s law shows us our sinful nature and our need for a savior.   Lutherans describe this as the second use of the law: our profound need for Jesus’ mercy and grace.  So what I celebrate today is the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

The Roman Catholic Church responded to the news of bin Laden’s death with this statement: “Faced with the death of a man, a Christian never rejoices, but reflects on the serious responsibility of everyone before God and man, and hopes and pledges that every event is not an opportunity for a further growth of hatred, but of peace.”

That is my prayer today.  That peace and justice might reign, not more death and destruction.

Lord, have mercy.

Saint and Sinner – Stoning Greg Mortenson

2 Replies

How do you use stones?

This is a rare second posting, but I want to respond to all the recent accusations surrounding Greg Mortenson, the author of Three Cups of Tea and Stones into Schools.   The mission of his foundation, Central Asia Institute, is to build and support schools in the isolated mountain villages of Afghanistan and Pakistan.   Mortenson has received incredible publicity and significant donations for this work.  No one denies that he and his foundation have done incredible work for the children of the region.

However the TV show 60 minutes and the author Jon Krakauer have made substantial and credible accusations that Mortenson partially fabricated some of the stories in his books and that he has mismanaged funds.  Mortenson has not totally denied these accusations, but continues to stand by the work he has done. 

I cannot discern who has the total truth in this tempest.  I suspect the truth is somewhere in middle.  

What disturbs me is how quick I was “to judge” Greg Mortenson.   I felt this incredible disappointment as I read the Jon Krakauer’s report and saw some of the major blemishes on the “saintly” portrait I made of Mortenson.  I discovered that my hero has feet of clay.  But this should not surprise me.

Greg, like I, grew up a Lutheran and one of Martin Luther’s contributions to our spiritual heritage is the concept of saint and sinner: simul Justus et Pecator or simultaneously saint and sinner.   We are all sinners by our actions.  We all have self-serving hearts that seeks only our interests.  Greg Mortenson is a sinner just like me.  When Jesus was confronted with the woman caught in adultery he responded by asking the person without sin to cast the first stone.  Her accusers all slipped away one by one, leaving her alone with Jesus.  He did not condemn her, but sent her away to sin no more.  (John 8:1-11)

Greg Mortenson will need to be held accountable for any mismanagement he has done.  His foundation will need to take drastic steps to rebuild the trust that is being eroded by these reports.  I am praying that such steps will be taken wisely and courageously.

But I also want to state that Greg is still a saint in my eyes.   Our sainthood is not based on our reputation, but on the grace of God.   I am praying that Greg will find his faith and mission strengthened and renewed by God’s Spirit, just as I am praying that prayer for myself and my congregation.  After all I prefer stones to be used in building schools, not attacking reputations.

Stories Shape Us

Leave a reply

The Story of Coke

This morning Rolf Jacobson told a story.  His sixth-grade daughter had a science project in which she tested people’s taste and perceptions.  First she had people do a blind taste test of three cola drinks: Coke, Pepsi and a generic supermarket brand.   Not knowing which cola was which, they split pretty evenly, but the generic was the winner.  Then she had the taste testers go into a second room and try the same three drinks but this time they knew which drink was the Coke, Pepsi and generic.  Coke and Pepsi were the easy winners.   Rolf  saw this as the victory of American brand marketing, a kind of story telling.  We believe in the Coke’s (or Pepsi) story and identify with their products.  Their story has shaped us.

Rolf, a Luther Seminary professor, connected that successful story-telling to the church’s failure to tell the Biblical story in as convincing fashion.  For many the Bible has become a dusty ancient book about some strange people, events and ideas that are jumbled together with God and Jesus.  We recognize bits and pieces of the story, but it rarely has connection to our daily lives.  Though most Lutheran pastors use a Biblical text in their preaching, the over-arching story of the Bible has been lost or never known. 

Rolf has proposed a new worship schedule of Bible readings that would guide a congregation through the Old and New Tesatment story in nine months. More information is at narrative lectionary.

Stories shape us.  Today I had lunch with two running buddies and I realized that running has been one of the stories that has shaped my life for the past ten years.  Because of injury, I miss not being able to run, but I also miss my story/identity as a runner.  I continue my physical therapy in hopes of restoring that activity and identity.   

Still a deeper story is at work.  It’s a story I have heard over and over in worship and study.   My truest identity is as not as a runner, but as a child of God.  Jesus lived, died and rose again to give me that identity and I can not run away from his story.

How does your life story connect with the Biblical story?  Has worship and preaching helped make those connections?

Love Wins or the Great Divorce?

5 Replies

C. S. Lewis's Great Divorce

Yesterday I finished Rob Bell’s book, Love Wins.  I understand how evangelical can be upset with him, but as a Lutheran I don’t feel such judgement.   If I could use one word to describe God it would be Gracious.   God’s grace is infinite and total and I see it extending beyond this life.   Like Bell, I don’t understand how God can condemn someone to eternal, infinite punishment if they never had the opportunity to hear the gospel of Jesus Christ.  I remember conversations I had with fellow students at Fuller Seminary where some thought that the church had the obligation to proclaim the Gospel to keep people from going to hell.  They believed that we HAD to preach it or else unbelievers would burn, even those in distant lands.

I do believe in proclaiming the Good News of Jesus Christ, but not as some cosmic obligation to keep people from hell.   I preach the good news because I am in love with Jesus, the creator of the universe and I am excited to have others experience that liberating love as well.  I am a participant in the new creation with Jesus and I am humbled that God can use someone like me to accomplish God’s will.  

Rob Bell does a great job of describing the incredible, awesome, overwhelming love of God for us.  However I do have qualms with him, such as how he misquotes Martin Luther as if Luther was a closet universalist.  Carl Trueman, Departmental Chair of Church History at Westminster Theological Seminary in Philadelphia, has written a length blog post on this very subject. See http://www.reformation21.org/articles/easy-virtues-and-cruel-mistresses.php.  Then again I disagree with Carl Trueman’s comparison of Love Wins with Dan Brown’s Da Vinci Code.  But disagreements are part of  a healthy theological conversation.

In an earlier post, I wrote that I have been rereading parts of C. S. Lewis.  When I finished Bell’s book, I discovered that he had a section for further reading.  His second reference is this: “On hell, see C. S. Lewis’s The Great Divorce.”  Later in the acknowledgments he thanks his parents for suggesting that while in high school he read C. S. Lewis.   I must agree.  I appreciate both writers, but the better IMHO is C. S. Lewis.  Next week I will move on to other topics.

What writer or artists has best help you see the magnificent love of God?