Midwest Flooding

Here's a report on what's going on with the LCMS and the Midwest Flooding:

Members turn to each other for help after flooding hits Midwest

By Linda C. Hoops

While storms continued to sweep over much of the Upper Midwest Thursday (June 12), LCMS congregations and members began assessing damage, but still managed to find some rays of hope amidst the devastation.

Read the full article

Issues, Etc

You may have heard about LCMS radio show, Issues Etc. that was taken off the air. Here's a Wall Street Journal Online opinion piece that is helpful in understanding what's happening.

WSJ

HOUSES OF WORSHIP

Radio Silence
By MOLLIE ZIEGLER HEMINGWAY
March 28, 2008; Page W11

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB120667366412170875.html

The folded napkin

There is a story floating around the Internet on the folded napkin mentioned in John 20:7. The interpretation given in this e-story is that the folded napkin is a symbolic message from Jesus meaning that Jesus is coming back. I had never heard this story before, so I thought I'd check out what commentators say about John 20:7. The ones that I checked were unanimous in saying that since things were orderly in the tomb, this meant that there had not been a grave robbery.

None of them mentioned a symbolic meaning, "I'm coming back." Of course we believe that Christ will return but probably the folded napkin is not a coded message from Jesus. It seems that this story originated in 2007. No one knows where. Here are a couple of places that you can check this out.

JerusalemPerspective.com Exploring the Jewish background to the Life and Words of Jesus
http://forum.jerusalemperspective.com/viewtopic.php?t=377

Truth or Fiction.com The Folded Napkin in Jesus' Tomb
http://www.truthorfiction.com/rumors/f/folded-napkin.htm

Forgery Trial In Israel

As you may know I have an interest in Biblical archaeology. A number of years ago an ossuary (bone box) with an inscription “James, son of Joseph, brother of Jesus," came to light. It became quite famous. Eventually the Israel Antiquities Authority declared it a forgery along with some other rather famous artifacts. It seems to some that the story is over but in fact nothing has been settled yet. A number of scholars believe that the James ossuary inscription is authentic. Read a commentary on the Forgery Trial here. http://bib-arch.org/trial/bswbTrialIntro.asp

Lutheran Church Burned in Kenya

Springs of Life Lutheran Church, nursery school, and the newly remodeled Luther Health Centre in Kibera, Kenya, were looted and set ablaze Thursday afternoon as riots continued for the fifth day following heated presidential elections. "No amount of pleading would stop them," said Rev. David Chuchu, Project Coordinator for ELCK (Evangelical Lutheran Church Kenya). He also said a neighboring African Inland Church was burned.

Read More

LCMS missionaries OK in Kenya

Two Lutheran Church--Missouri Synod missionary couples stationed outside of Nairobi, Kenya, are safe and do not appear to be in harm's way despite five days of post-election rioting in the city that has led to more than 300 deaths, widespread destruction of property, and the displacement of more than 100,000 people.

Read More

Gospel of Judas - a correction

If you have been following the news about the so-called Gospel of Judas, this New York Times Article will be of interest to you . Apparently the National Geographic Society got the translation of the Gospel of Judas wrong.

April DeConick, a specialist in Gnostic Christianity, writes that the National Geographic Society made important errors in its publication ofThe Gospel of Judas.

Here is another article from the Christian Century that covers the same subject. It pays to wait until all the evidence is in.

The Golden Compass

Here are some Lutheran Church--Missouri Synod resources on The Golden Compass

Thoughts on The Golden Compass: C.S. Lewis and His Anti-Self

by Dr. Joel D. Heck

FREE "Golden Compass" Downloadable Study Questions from CPH!

California Fires

LCMS Provides Aid to Wildfire Victims

In its role as a first-responder when disaster strikes, LCMS World Relief and Human Care, the mercy arm of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod (LCMS), is assessing needs and determining ways the church can render aid in fire-ravaged Southern California. Assistance will include providing grants to the LCMS Pacific Southwest District so that along with emotional and spiritual care, the district also can provide financial assistance to its congregations, members, and neighbors in need.

There are some 216 LCMS congregations in Southern California with 70,393 members. At present, no LCMS churches are reporting damage, though many members’ homes have been destroyed or damaged. At least two congregations are in the line of fire—Mt. Calvary Lutheran Church in Lake Arrowhead and Light of the Valley in Valley Center.

Rev. Glenn Merritt, director of disaster response, and Rev. Carlos Hernandez, director of districts and congregations, both for LCMS World Relief and Human Care, are in Southern California meeting with LCMS pastors and Pacific Southwest District staff to identify resources. Early response and assistance includes: Members of Trinity Lutheran Church in Temecula are volunteering at the local Red Cross shelter to help their neighbors in distress; St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Pacific Beach is accepting donations to distribute to thousands of evacuees at Qualcomm Stadium and Del Mar Fairgrounds; Rev. Douglas Jones of St. James Lutheran Church in Imperial Beach spent Monday and Tuesday at Qualcomm Stadium providing spiritual support in the medical section; Several churches, including Community Lutheran Church in Escondido, are serving as shelters for some of the displaced persons.

LCMS World Relief and Human Care made an initial disbursement of $50,000 today to the Pacific Southwest District office to be distributed to congregations to assist members who were evacuated. “Financial assistance, volunteering, and providing shelter are just some of the ways we are providing immediate assessment and response,” said LCMS World Relief and Human Care’s Hernandez. “Much work lies ahead of us as needs continue to surface in the aftermath of what is being called one of the worst fire disasters in California history.”

For more information on the LCMS response to the Southern California wildfire disaster, visit http://www.lcms.org/pages/internal.asp?NavID=12681.

Issues Etc and Small Groups

Sunday night Issues Etc. had an interesting two hour show on small groups.

Rev. Tim Rossow of Bethany Lutheran Church Naperville, IL is the featured guest.

Pastor Rossow and I have taken many Doctor of Ministry classes together. He is an extremely intelligent and articulate man. Here is a link to the Issues Etc site.

Reformation Worship

I hope that you will take advantage of both Reformation worship opportunities.

1. Christ Lutheran Church - October 28 8:00 & 10:45 a.m. Christ Lutheran Brass and Christus Choir. I'll be preaching.

2. St. Joseph Circuit Reformation Service, St. Paul's Lutheran Church, Niles, Mi. 4 p.m. Preacher: The Rev. Dr. Cameron A. MacKenzie

Dr. MacKenzie is supervisor for my Doctor of Ministry project/dissertation!

Interesting things I've listened to recently

These are mp3 that I've listened to and recommend:

• First is a discussion of the Easter Hymn "Christ Has Arisen, Alleluia" by Dr. Arthur Just Concordia Theological Seminary, Ft. Wayne on Issues, Etc. -- April 8 .

Click here for the page.
Click here for the mp3

• Second is a discussion of of the "New Athiests" by Dr. John Warwick Montgomery on Issues, Etc. -- April 29.

Click here for the page.
Click here for the mp3

• Third is a discussion of the "National Day of Prayer" by Chris Rosebrough ExtremeTheology.Com on Issues, Etc. --- May 3. I acutally downloaded this one because I was interested in the discussion about the volume level of church music but it turned out that the first half of the show is on the National Day of Prayer. It is an interesting discussion, hope you enjoy.

Click here for the page.
Click here for the mp3

If you listen to any of these shows, let me know what you think

Greensburg Tornado

Thirteen member families of Peace Lutheran Church, Greensburg, Kan., "lost all their possessions" to the May 4 tornado that all but flattened the town of 1,500 and killed 10 residents.

Here's the Story

Message of Hope from Pastor Ken Klaus

Daily Devotions from Lutheran Hour Ministries

"Hope"

April 18, 2007

Now may our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and God our Father, who loved us and gave us eternal comfort and good hope through grace, comfort your hearts and establish them in every good work and word. 2 Thessalonians 2:16-17

As this devotion is being written, the body count on the Virginia Tech campus is still rising. Parents are still trying to find out if their children are safe. Families and students are in shock, and the entire world is in mourning and looking for answers.

In the days to come, stories of heroism and fear will be told. Questions will be asked, and some will be answered. Most certainly many will be asking, “Where was God when a gunman roamed the dormitories and classrooms? If He loves us, and if He is all-powerful, why didn’t He stop this horrible tragedy? Why didn’t He strike down a bad person before He could do this horrible thing?”

Are there any answers for Christians? I believe there are.

First, we must confess that this action dare not be laid at the feet of God. He who gave His Son to live, suffer, and die so this world might be given forgiveness, peace, and heaven would not cause such a thing. The motivation for these murders will not be found in heaven. Rather, the motivation stems from a sinful human heart where Satan’s seeds of hatred found suitable soil for success.

Second, we must acknowledge that God’s great grace and unrelenting love have the ability, even now, to bring comfort to those who are mourning. It can bring strength to those who are destroyed and hope to those who are filled with hatred and despair. We must remember that when Jesus died upon the cross, He saw this terrible tragedy, along with every other horror that has been birthed by sin and Satan. So that God’s people might know that despair and desolation will not have the last word, Jesus rose from the dead. With the power of the resurrection, He promised to be with us always. It is a promise He keeps. Believers are given eternal comfort and hope, even when looking down the barrel of a gun or standing beside the casket of a murdered child or classmate.

Lastly, we need to remember that Christ’s people are custodians of hope—hope that is found in Jesus alone. When the Amish children were killed in Pennsylvania, one old grandfather said, “Even now we are praying for the families of the children, but we are also praying for the family of the man who did this. We want them to know we have forgiven them already.” Grandpa understood. The Savior’s people, who are forgiven of their sins, can use this moment of mourning to let the world know that Christ can comfort hearts that are hurting.

THE PRAYER: Dear Lord, we pray for those whose lives will never again be the same. We ask the Holy Spirit to descend upon those who mourn, hate, or feel loss. May He turn their hearts from this horror and cause them to look upon their Savior who wishes to make them more than conquerors in this catastrophe. Use us, wherever possible, to point people to a loving Lord who gave His Son so that all might be filled with eternal comfort and good hope. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.

In Christ I remain His servant and yours,


Pastor Ken Klaus
Speaker of The Lutheran Hour^®
Lutheran Hour Ministries

Click Here for daily devotions

Responding to Tragedy

Here are free downloadable study resources from Concordia Publishing House.

Responding to Tragedy

How can a kind and loving God allow terrible things to happen? In times of tragedy, we turn to God and His comforting Word. As a response to the recent Virginia Tech massacre, Concordia Publishing House offers the short, one-session Bible study, “The Puzzle of Pain: Where Is God in Human Suffering?” Free download. Discussion questions and leader’s guide included.

Statement Regarding Virginia Tech

"We offer our deepest sympathies to and sincere prayers for the families and friends of the victims, as well as to the faculty, staff, and students at the university."

Dr. Gerald B. Kieschnick
President, The Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod
(Click for full article)

Virginia Tech Tragedy

In your prayers, remember the parents and loved ones of those killed and injured today at Virginia Tech. This is more evidence of sin in the world! For comfort and strength read Psalms 121, 27, & 23.

This is not the first such horrible thing to happen in a world of sin. It is important that we do not blame God for the evil that is done by men.

Doctor of Ministry Project

My Doctor of Ministry Project is finally off and running! It's been a long time in the making and I hope that it will all fall together.

The project is titled: Concordia: Discovering the Book of Concord

The official project site is: www.pastorq.com

Please go there and click on the link to take my Initial Project Survey!

Thanks

Today Hilary of Poitiers, church father, is commemorated

This is Hilary of Poitiers day. He is a church father who was born in the late third century and served in the fourth century. He is renouwned for his defense of the historic Christian faith against the attack of Arianism. You may read more about in Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

January Lutheran Witness available

The January Lutheran Witness is available for download as a PDF file. It is about 10 pages shorter than the print version but there are some very good articles this month including:

THE SPLENDOR OF EPIPHANY
by Charles Knippel
This wonderful season still 'epiphanizes' christians to be the light of the world, sharing Christ with people who cry out for the "Light of light.'

THE STEM 'SELL'
by James Lamb
Despite what its proponents say, the fact remains that human cloning for any reason cannot be justified.

PRAYERS FOR BABY TERRI
by Marvin Platten
A determined church staff goes to its knees to save an unborn child.

TWO KINGDOMS VS. 'ONE ME'
by Uwe Siemon-Netto
The Lutheran doctrine of two kingdoms explains how God works in His spiritual kingdom and His earthly kingdom. Unfortunately, man's selfish nature is to trump both with 'me.'

GODPARENTING FOR DUMMIES: A PRACTICAL GUIDE
by Gerry Draper
What does it mean to be a godparent? It means traveling a lifelong faith journey with your godchild.

These are all good articles. If you are a godparent or sponsor, please read GODPARENTING FOR DUMMIES.