Posted on 10/25/2008 8:49:34 PM PDT by Charles Henrickson
Ping.
Lutheran Ping!
Wishing a Blessed Reformation Sunday!
It appears to me that the Lutheran practice of evangelising within the United States could use some improvement in various regions. (A 2001 study by AAL said only 20% of congregations were growing.) Of course, in Luther's time, the basic assumption was that all people in Christendom were baptised and merely needed to be taught the right things, so he wrote a catechism. The thought of taking the Word to the unchurched in the next village was not necessary.
We are on the verge of an election that may have severe consequences to our country. We may end up taking a strong turn towards socialism, and towards an un-Christ-like way. The more Christ is taught, and the more people that are affected by his love and promise of salvation, the more people will see the evil in socialism.
Churches need to step up their evangelizing efforts within this country, to save more people, and to mitigate the evil that is within us as a country.
Uh, the only place I "dug it out" of was my head. :-) I wrote the "article"/sermon tonight.
Thanks, though, for the kind word!
Ok, let me rephrase this. "Great sermon! Thanks!"
God bless you and your congregation!
I dunno...I’m partial to “The Church is One Foundation” myself....
(Martin Luther - 1529)
A mighty fortress is our God
A bulwark never failing
Our helper He amid the flood
Of mortal ills prevailing
For still our ancient foe
Doth seek to work us woe
His craft and power are great
And armed with cruel hate
On earth is not his equal
Did we in our own strength confide
Our striving would be losing
Were not the right man on our side
The man of God's own choosing
Dost ask who that may be?
Lord Sabbaoth, His name
From age to age the same
And He must win the battle
And though this world with devils filled
Should threaten to undo us
We will not fear for God hath willed
His truth to triumph through us
The Prince of Darkness grim
We tremble not for him
His rage we can endure
For lo, his doom is sure
One little word shall fell him
That word above all earthly powers
No thanks to them, abideth
The Spirit and the gifts are ours
Through Him who with us sideth
Let goods and kindred go
This mortal life also
The body they may kill
God's truth abideth still
His kingdom is forever
A blessed Reformation Day to all, and to you, Pastor Charles, for doing the Lord's work here on FR.
Leni
bttt
Indulgences were the religious equivalent to today's carbon credits.
And did I ever need that this week. This one left a huge footprint all over my county.
Sad to hear about that. Any suspects yet?
We’ve had several ECLA members visit our services and may join because of the rainbow issue.
My dad was an ELCA pastor, and he retired about five years ago. Last Jan., my parents joined a Missouri Synod church. About six months ago, my dad told me that the ELCA committee on sexuality announced that the ELCA should never ordain gays and that the ELCA should never hold gay weddings. I’m surprised that they needed to think about it for about 10 years. The conclusion should have been obvious to anyone who has read a Bible.
The woman who struck the officer stopped right away. She has a record of distracted/aggresive driving citations going back four years in three different counties.
Today yours truly will be on the Internet/radio program “Issues, Etc.” as part of a Pastors’ Roundtable discussing the Seventh Commandment, “You shall not steal.”
You can listen live today, 3:00-4:00 (Central), by going to the program’s Home Page:
http://www.issuesetc.org
And you can listen later, any time, by finding Thursday, October 30, archived at the On-Demand Page:
http://www.issuesetc.org/ondemand.html
And, yes, I am thinking of talking about “redistribution of wealth” as a form of stealing.
Even the secular philosopher Bastian recoginized the theft of "legal plunder". Too bad the modern secularist party can not...
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