October 2020“Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear.” Ephesians 4:29As one whose calling it is to do a lot of communicating, I must always stress that the verse above is my goal.  Considering the tense times we live in where communicating is hard to do on a good day, the challenge is c...  Read More

In the translator’s note, The Lutheran Prayer Companion is humorously described as the “prayerbook to end all prayerbooks.” In any case, it contains a ton of centuries-old prayers — 482 to be exact, drawn from various sources, and then 106 hymns.  Read More

It’s been said that 2020 has been a year for toppling idols. Many things we put our trust in have been shaken, the crutches we used to prop ourselves up have been torn out from under us. The Unholy Trinity, published in 2016, takes an incredibly insightful dive into idolatry that hits all the closer to home during a pandemic.  Read More

Faith in the Shadow of a Pandemic is a timely resource in uncertain times. Lutheran authors John Pless and Jacob Corzine undertook the task of writing this small, 110-page book after a conversation on Easter, when churches were forced to celebrate with empty pews and adapt to virtual services.   Read More

What a year we have had so far, and we are only 2/3 of the way through! It has been a time of testing, blessing, endurance, and change. Frankly, it has been a time to be the people that our Lord Jesus Christ has called us to be. And I am excited now to be doing that with all of you. I am reminded of the wisdom from Proverbs, “as iron sharpens iron, so does one man sharpen another.”   Read More

Our own Rebecca Belt shares her love of Arch books for kids, a selection of which are available right now in the church library and are the featured books for this month! (See below for catalogue):  Read More

Yesterday was one of those days. Put too much salt in my oatmeal. Mistimed my morning run, and the storm hit right when I was ready to step out the door. Kept forgetting my facemask. Concentration was nonexistent. Yes, one of those days, except I haven’t had a day like this in over 21 years, well, maybe ever. I had to get up in front of the congregation and all the people I deeply love and tell them that I have accepted a call to be the pastor at another church: St. Paul’s in Beatrice, Nebraska.   Read More

One of the things that I love about the book of Acts is that it quickly shifts from one scene to another. It almost reads like a comic book. From panel to panel the story moves. The coming of the Holy Spirit, miraculous healings, Apostles arrested, trials, Saul persecuting, Saul converted, Gentiles believers, shipwrecks, conspiracies, angels, dissensions, risks, arduous journeys, all in service to the proclamation of Jesus Christ.  Read More

The 21st Century Christian view of sexual ethics is countercultural when it comes to same-sex marriage, promiscuity, and temptation. But the same could be said of Jesus’s day — in fact, the situation was much worse. As Rueger explores, the Romans and Jews each had views that were often set in direct opposition to the growing church.   Read More

“For we are not, like so many, peddlers of God’s word, but as men of sincerity, as commissioned by God, in the sight of God we speak in Christ.”  2 Corinthians 2:17There is no greater, pathetic sight in our day than the sight of a church that grovels.  Not groveling at the feet of her Lord, which is the picture of prayer.  But groveling, begging for a place among the voices of the world that clamo...  Read More

To my dearest brothers and sister in Jesus Christ,As you might have already heard that I have received and am currently considering a divine call to St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Beatrice, Nebraska.  Karen and I flew down for a visit last week to talk with them there.  We’re still in the middle of the decision process.  It is an especially difficult decision for many reasons.  We’ve been here at C...  Read More

I remember a professor of mine saying this to our class in college: “Our faith is like the ocean. It is shallow enough that even a child can wade through it, but deep enough that you can grab snorkeling gear and never be finished searching the nooks and the crannies far deep below.”   Read More