Lutheran Liturgical Reform, Part 2
Ever wonder why we Lutherans use the form of worship we do? In this series we examine the depth and meaning of the various elements of our worship service, beginning with the history of Christian…
Our “Go-To” Lord and God
“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,…
The Gospel Is Not a Preaching of Repentance
“Thesis XV—In the eleventh place, the Word of God is not rightly divided when the Gospel is turned into a preaching of repentance.” Have you ever been misunderstood in a text that you have sent?…
Lutheran Liturgical Reform, Part 2
Ever wonder why we Lutherans use the form of worship we do? In this series we examine the depth and meaning of the various elements of our worship service, beginning with the history of Christian…
The Sufficiency of Scripture
This series offers an overview of the chief teachings of the Christian church. Owner’s manuals, employee handbooks, and college catalogs are examples of documents people use as guidance for their new appliance or how to…
Do You Have a Secret?
I’ve got a secret. Can you guess my secret? Can you keep a secret? So it’s often said. I even heard of a kids’ club, entry into which required the telling of a secret. The…
The Efficacy of Scripture
Teachers of writing often encourage students to strengthen their writing by moving key ideas away from the nouns to the verbs; in other words, to put the action where it belongs—with the action words. For…
The Lord Has Anointed Me to Preach
Several Old Testament prophecies declare that the Messiah would be a preacher. Jesus verified that, saying, “I must preach the kingdom of God . . . because for this purpose I have been sent!” (Luke…
Your Word Should Be Sufficient
“But above all, my brethren, do not swear, either by heaven or by earth or with any other oath. But let your ‘Yes,’ be ‘Yes,’ and your ‘No,’ ‘No,’ lest you fall into judgment.” (James…
What Do You Mean by Faith?
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…