The Kyrie
In many of our churches, the customary order of worship includes a section known as the Kyrie (pronounced KEER- ee-eh ). In The Lutheran Hymnal, it can be found on page 7 (also pages 17,…
God’s Amazing Redemption Center
“And if you call on the Father, who without partiality judges according to each one’s work, conduct yourselves throughout the time of your stay here in fear; knowing that you were not redeemed with corruptible…
Everlasting Meaning Is Found Only in Jesus
“Vanity of vanities, all is vanity.” (Ecclesiastes 1:2) In the first two chapters of Ecclesiastes, Solomon relates how he examined the best that life had to offer, especially if one has unlimited resources. His conclusion?…
The Right Tool For The Job
“ Thesis XXIII–In the nineteenth place, the Word of God is not rightly divided when an attempt is made by means of the demands or the threats or the promise of the Law to induce…
The Vicarious Atonement
"The Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all." (Isaiah 53:6) When I was young, I saw a choir program that featured a woodcut by Reformation-era artist Albrecht Dürer. The stark black-and-white panel…
The Gloria Patri
“Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Ghost; As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.” Some Lutheran churches have begun…
How Should We Then Live?
“Therefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and rest your hope fully upon the grace that is to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ; as obedient children, not…
The Two Natures of Christ
This series offers an overview of the chief teachings of the Christian church. DNA testing has become popular as curiosity about ancestry leads people to investigate family roots. Is my family lineage limited to one…
“Awakening” and “Conversion”—A False Dichotomy
One of the hallmarks of the Lutheran Church is its proper understanding and application of the Bible’s two main teachings—Law and Gospel. Dr. C.F.W. Walther’s seminal work, The Proper Distinction Between Law and Gospel is…
We’re the “For” Church
What do others say about your church? Do you hear, “Oh, you’re the church that’s against abortion. Your church is against same-sex marriage. You’re against praying with other Christians”? Sometimes the perception is that we…