STUDIES IN THE NEW TESTAMENT “Come now, you rich, weep and howl for the miseries that are coming upon you! Your riches are corrupted, and your garments are moth-eaten. Your gold and silver are corroded and their corrosion will be a witness against you and will eat your flesh like fire. You have heaped up… Seeking Wealth, Gaining Misery Read More

STUDIES IN THE NEW TESTAMENT “Adulterers and adulteresses! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God. Or do you think that the Scripture says in vain, ‘The Spirit who dwells in us yearns jealously’?”… Best Friends Forever Read More

STUDIES IN THE NEW TESTAMENT “With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in God’s likeness. Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers, this should not be. Can both fresh water and salt water flow from the same spring? My… Forked Tongue Issues Read More

It may end up becoming the 2020 phrase of the year, as it has dominated our lives over these last months. You guessed it: social distancing. Maintaining a safe distance from others who may be virus-infected not only helps “flatten the curve,” but also is the safest and healthiest course for ourselves and our loved… Spiritual Distancing Read More

People often ask, “Why the name Berea?” With a large Twin Cities metro area filled with Protestant and Lutheran churches with familiar names, the name Berea does indeed stand out. More importantly, it has a rich biblical significance (Acts 17:10-12) as a city visited by the Apostle Paul and commended as a flock which “received… Berea Lutheran Church Inver Grove Heights, Minnesota Read More

“Treasuring Our Heritage of Truth” – Third of Three… The divinely inspired letter to the Ephesians is all about the Church of Jesus Christ – of which we are members by the grace of God, redeemed and forgiven by the blood of Christ, built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Jesus Christ as… The Testimony Of Confidence Read More

50th Anniversary Observance “Berea–Then and Now” was the theme of Professor Steven Sippert’s message to 50th anniversary worshipers at Berea Lutheran Church of Inver Grove Heights, Minnesota, on June 20, 1010. Exterior of Berea Lutheran Church, Egan, MN Prof. Sippert called attention to the fact that, guided solely by the truth of God’s Word and… Berea — Then and Now Read More

“Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray. Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing psalms. Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer of faith will save the sick, and… Our “Go-To” Lord and God Read More

Matthew 22:1-14 THE GREAT INVITATION There are invitations and there are invitations. A casual, spontaneous call to a friend or loved one to meet them for lunch is one thing; a formal, personal, in-advance invitation to a banquet feast with a dignitary is something else. The first in an invitation which may or may not… Parables Of The Master Read More

ETERNITY’S SONG In our Advent, Christmas, and Epiphany celebrations at Berea (Inver Grove Heights, Minnesota) we have been singing and scrutinizing the songs of the season–our beautiful carols and cherished hymns which lyrically and musically set forth the story and significance of our Savior’s birth. From David’s Psalms to Mary’s Magnificat to Simeon’s prophetic prelude;… As A New Year Begins — Read More

Coordinating Council The Coordinating Council will meet at Immanuel Lutheran College in Eau Claire April 10, 11, 2002. Board meetings begin on the 7th or 8th of April according to the discretion of the respective boards. Sessions of the Coordinating Council will begin after chapel on April 10. –Daniel Fleischer, President Termination Regretfully, fellowship with… Announcements Read More

Football And Faith If spring is the time when a young man’s fancies turn to . . . , then fall is the season when watching the great American pastime of football takes over the spare time of many armchair quarterbacks. In tough times and in good, Americans have found escape and enjoyment in sports–playing,… FROM A PASTOR’S DESK– Read More

THE BILLBOARD GOSPEL I still remember from childhood the well-spaced “Burma Shave” road signs–little gems of advertising wisdom which caught our curious eyes, particularly in areas where little else did along the roadside. Recently some of you may have noticed the large, strategically-placed billboards all over the country bearing brief religious messages, all signed “God.”… FROM A PASTOR’S DESK– Read More

Luke 19:11-28 STEWARDS OF THE GOSPEL “MINA” (From the Greek word “mna”) Although there are similarities to the Parable of the Talents (Matthew 25:14-30), the different context, audience, and mina* distribution clearly establish it as unique. A short time earlier, Jesus had spoken in plain language of His impending suffering, death, and resurrection, but to… Parables Of The Master Read More

Luke 18:1-8 KEEP ON PRAYING We’ve all seen this familiar parable ‘scenario’ played out in our own lives. As children we at times played the role of the persistent widow in relentlessly pestering until we got what we wanted; as parents we may have assumed the judge’s role in ultimately being worn down by the… Parables Of The Master Read More

Luke 16:1-13 The Parable Of The Unjust Steward To retell Jesus’ parable in a modern setting: “A wealthy businessman had an administrator whom he had hired to manage his financial affairs. Through poor decision-making the administrator had ‘managed’ to squander some of the businessman’s financial empire. “About to be called to account and soon fired,… Parables Of The Master Read More

(This is a portion of an address given as part of the 1994 Area Reformation Festival Service at Immanuel, Mankato, Minnesota — Ed.) …Against (the) assaults of Satan we must pray for the spiritual strength to continue contending for the faith once delivered to the saints. For the cause and strength are not ours, but… A Key Word: “ALONE” Read More

The IRS defines a dependent as one who relies on his parents or someone else for more than half his support. According to God’s family design “growing up”, in most cases, involves moving from a state of dependency to a state of independence. Yet even the most independent among us realizes that term is purely… Divinely Dependent Read More

It makes for a captivating, albeit often tragic, story or TV drama. A seaworthy vessel with supposedly capable seamen at the helm loses its power or moorings while at sea and soon finds itself adrift — at the mercy of the currents, the elements, the wind and waves. Compounding the problem are a scarcity of… ADRIFT ON THE SEA OF THEOLOGY Read More

Across the CLC we are privileged to have a number of large families who for a long time have anchored our CLC congregations and church body. Their blessed tentacles extend far and deep, going back to the very establishment of our churches and synod, reaching forward to the next generation of faithful that will fill… The Radichel Family Reunion Read More