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Wonderful quote

Dark My RoadWhen I was on vacation a couple of weeks ago, I had lots of time to do nothing while sitting on the plane.  I had ordered a book just prior to my leaving, but couldn’t wait for it to arrive.  Fortunately, there was an option of downloading the book in PDF form, so of course, I did.  I printed it the day I left for my vacation and read the first 70 or so pages of it (it’s only 95 pages) before I touched down in Indy.  I would have probably finished it on the flight, but I don’t think they would have liked it if I stuck around on the plane just to finish reading the last 20 pages.  🙂

What is the book you’re wondering?  What is the quote you’re wondering?  The book is entitled “I Trust When Dark My Road: A Lutheran View of Depression” by Rev. Todd Peperkorn.

The following is a quote from chapter eight of the book entitled “Forsaken.”

God’s Word does what it says.  When you can’t “inwardly digest” the Word as you wish, it still does what our Lord promises.  When confession is lost upon your lips, our Lord forgives your sins out of His mercy, for He will not let a sickness or weakness on your part deny you what you truly need, namely His healing Word of forgiveness.  And when prayers is something that you used to do, the Spirit prays with you and for you, in ways that we cannot even fathom.

I think this is just a wonderful quote all around!  It not only speaks about the sickness and disease of depression, but it speaks about the sickness and disease that we all face, that being of sin.  Because of our sin, we can’t “inwardly digest” God’s Word.  Because of sin, confession is the last thing that we want on our lips because if we confess, that means we did something wrong.  Through all of our sin, God continues to be there.  His Word continues to be there and His promise of grace through our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ continues to be there.

Note: Soon I hope to have a review of this book posted.  Watch for it in the future.

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Ordination anniversary

Four years ago today, I was ordained into the office of holy ministry.  On April 26, 2005 when I received my first call to be a pastor, President Wenthe read these words to the men who had just received calls:

Go, then, take heed unto thyself and to all the flock, over which the Holy Ghose hath made thee an overseer, to feed the Church of God, which He hath purchased with His own blood.  Feed the flock of Christ, taking the oversight thereof, not by constraint, but willingly; not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind; neither as being lord over God’s heritage, but being an example to the flock.  And when the Chief Shepherd shall appear, thou shalt receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away.  The Lord bless thee from on high and make thee a blessing unto many, that thou mayest bring forth fruit, and that thy fruit may remain unto eternal life.  Amen.  (The Lutheran Agenda, p. 109)

These words are a very tall order.  They should put the fear of God into a man who has received a call into the office, for it is indeed a very important office which we undertake.  These last four years have been challenging, both on a personal and spiritual level.  However, if asked if I would trade my vocation for that of another, my answer would wholeheartedly be no.

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Going on vacation

I’m officially on vacation!  Finishing up some email and other stuff.  Gotta fold some laundry and take out trash, grab some lunch and then off to the airport.  Going back to Indiana for two weeks, for a couple of family reunions and an all-around much-needed time away.  Postings will be sparse (aren’t they already!), but if there’s anything important, I’ll post it.  Later peeps!

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Holy Trinity Sunday and the Athanasian Creed

Early in the fourth century, a north African pastor named Arius began teaching that Jesus Christ was not truly God. The Church responded decisively in AD 325 with a statement of faith (The Nicene Creed), which confessed that Jesus is, in fact, true God. Toward the end of the fifth century, another creed was written that delved further into the mystery of the Trinity. Though attributed to Athanasius, a fourth-century opponent of Arius, this anonymous creed clearly came at a later stage in the debate.

The Athanasian Creed declares that its teachings concerning the Holy Trinity and our Lord’s incarnation are “the catholic faith.” In other words, this is what the true Church of all times and all places has confessed. More than fifteen centuries later, the Church continues to confess this truth, confident that the triune God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, has given Himself for our salvation.

1 Whoever desires to be saved must, above all, hold the catholic faith.
2 Whoever does not keep it whole and undefiled will without doubt perish eternally.
3 And the catholic faith is this,
4 that we worship one God in Trinity and
Trinity in Unity, neither confusing the persons nor dividing the substance.
5 For the Father is one person, the Son is
another, and the Holy Spirit is another.
6 But the Godhead of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit is one: the glory equal, the majesty coeternal.
7 Such as the Father is, such is the Son, and such is the Holy Spirit:
8 the Father uncreated, the Son uncreated, the Holy Spirit uncreated;
9 the Father infinite, the Son infinite, the
Holy Spirit infinite;
10 the Father eternal, the Son eternal, the Holy Spirit eternal.
11 And yet there are not three Eternals, but one Eternal,
12 just as there are not three Uncreated or three Infinites, but one Uncreated and
one Infinite.
13 In the same way, the Father is almighty, the Son almighty, the Holy Spirit almighty;
14 and yet there are not three Almighties, but one Almighty.
15 So the Father is God, the Son is God, the Holy Spirit is God;
16 and yet there are not three Gods, but one God.
17 So the Father is Lord, the Son is Lord, the Holy Spirit is Lord;
18 and yet there are not three Lords, but one Lord.
19 Just as we are compelled by the Christian truth to acknowledge each distinct person as God and Lord, so also are we prohibited by the catholic religion to say that there are three
Gods or Lords.		 20 The Father is not made nor created nor begotten by anyone.
21 The Son is neither made nor created, but begotten of the Father alone.
22 The Holy Spirit is of the Father and of the Son, neither made nor created nor begotten, but proceeding.
23 Thus, there is one Father, not three Fathers; one Son, not three Sons; one Holy Spirit, not three Holy Spirits.
24 And in this Trinity none is before or after another; none is greater or less than another;
25 but the whole three persons are coeternal with each other and coequal, so that in all things, as has been stated above, the Trinity in Unity and Unity in Trinity is to be worshiped.
26 Therefore, whoever desires to be saved must think thus about the Trinity.
27 But it is also necessary for everlasting
salvation that one faithfully believe the incarnation of our Lord Jesus Christ.
28 Therefore, it is the right faith that we
believe and confess that our Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, is at the same time both God and man.
29 He is God, begotten from the substance of the Father before all ages; and He is man, born from the substance of His mother in this age:
30 perfect God and perfect man, composed of a rational soul and human flesh;
31 equal to the Father with respect to His
divinity, less than the Father with respect to His humanity.
32 Although He is God and man, He is not two, but one Christ:
33 one, however, not by the conversion of the divinity into flesh, but by the assumption of the humanity into God;
34 one altogether, not by confusion of substance, but by unity of person.
35 For as the rational soul and flesh is one man, so God and man is one Christ,
36 who suffered for our salvation, descended into hell, rose again the third day from the dead,
37 ascended into heaven, and is seated at the right hand of the Father, God Almighty, from whence He will come to judge the living and the dead.
38 At His coming all people will rise again with their bodies and give an account concerning their own deeds.
39 And those who have done good will enter into eternal life, and those who have done evil into eternal fire.
40 This is the catholic faith; whoever does
not believe it faithfully and firmly cannot be saved.
Translation of Athanasian Creed for Lutheran Service Book copyright © 2005 by LCMS Commission on Worship.
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Currently reading: Already Gone

Already GoneI’m currently reading a new book entitled, Already Gone, by Ken Ham and Britt Beemer.  The premise of the book is “why your kids will quit church and what you can do to stop it.”  From the book’s website:

Nationwide polls and denominational reports are showing that the next generation is calling it quits on the traditional church. And it’s not just happening on the nominal fringe; it’s happening at the core of the Faith.

What are the factors that could cause the next generation to be lost from the local church? Ken Ham from Answers in Genesis commissioned Britt Beemer from America’s Research Group to find out. In the first scientific study of its kind, Beemer surveyed a thousand 20-30 year olds who used to go to Evangelical churches on a regular basis but have since left it behind. The results are not just surprising; they are shocking:

Those who faithfully attended Sunday school are more likely to leave the church than those who do not.
Those who regularly attended Sunday school are more likely to believe that the Bible is less true.
Over half of those who faithfully attended church feel that church is not relevant to real life today.

Statistics reveal a huge disconnect taking place between our children and their church experience. The trends are frightening, but Already Gone shows how to fight back for our families, our churches and our world. We can make a difference today that will affect the statistics of tomorrow!

We’re starting this book for a summer Bible study next Wednesday.  Look for a review of the book later this summer.

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Top Ten Reasons You Will Love The Lutheran Study Bible

The Lutheran Study Bible10. The Lutheran Study Bible’s hardback edition is burgundy, a beautiful color, with a Luther Rose stamped on the front cover. Big “wow” factor. Need we say more?

9. The Lutheran Study Bible is available in a larger print edition, as well as a regular print edition. Not that our eyes are getting older, type is just getting smaller.

8. The Lutheran Study Bible has better cross-references than any other study Bible available today, carefully prepared and supplemented with historic Lutheran cross-references and notes dating back to the Luther Bible of 1534. It is chock-full of historic Lutheran goodness.

9. The Lutheran Study Bible has thirty-six custom-designed maps, which are linked to from over 880 references throughout the Bible, more map references than any other Bible. Especially helpful for some of us who refuse to stop and ask for directions.

8. The Lutheran Study Bible has over 31,000 concordance entries, helping you locate important topics and issues throughout the Bible. If you check one reference a day, the fun won’t end for 84 years!

7. The Lutheran Study Bible has more notes than nearly any other study Bible available today: over 26,500, all researched, written and edited by faithful Lutheran Bible scholars, pastors and Bible teachers. This is most certainly true.

6. The Lutheran Study Bible has over 120 diagrams and charts, prepared exclusively for this Bible to highlight and underscore key concepts, terms, teachings, events and people in the Bible. We know you like pictures. We do too.

5. The Lutheran Study Bible has over 220 thematic articles offering discussions on a wide variety of topics, issues and concerns dealt with in the Bible. Faithfully Lutheran, practical and relevant: can’t beat that combination.

4. The Lutheran Study Bible contains an extensive introduction on how to read and understand the Bible, with reading plans, Luther’s Catechism, and all kinds of other helps. But wait, there’s more!

3. The Lutheran Study Bible contains many comments and insights from the entire history of the Christian Church: Early Church, Middle Ages, Reformation Era, contemporary theologians, drawing you into the rich conversation around God’s Word that has been going on for millennia. Pull up a chair, listen in and join the conversation.

2. The Lutheran Study Bible gives you practical helps and aids to strengthen your life of prayer and meditation on God’s Word with life-application notes and prayers throughout the Bible. A good study Bible does not have to read like stereo instructions.

1. The Lutheran Study Bible is the first, and only, study Bible in English prepared entirely from the ground-up by Lutherans, offering a uniquely keen focus on the proper distinction between Law and Gospel, shining a brilliant light on the heart and center of the Scriptures: Christ and Him crucified, risen and ascended for your salvation—its all about Jesus, in every way, for you.

(Originally posted by Rev. Paul McCain)

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Five cops on paid leave after 1 flushes fetus

This appeared under the “States in brief” section of today’s paper.  The following story comes from Mesa, Arizona.

Police in Arizona say five officers have been placed on paid leave after one allegedly flushed a fetus down a toilet.

Mesa Police Chief George Gascon says four officers responding to a call about a possible miscarriage at a motel on Monday discovered a woman who apparently lost a fetus estimated to be 12 to 14 weeks old.

Gascon says an officer who wasn’t at the motel instructed the four over the phone to flush the 4-inch fetus down the toilet rather than take it to a hospital.

A supervisor who was reading incident reports came across details about the disposal of the fetus and shared them with a superior.

Apparently, life, dead or alive, is not important to these officers.  It’s good to see that they will continue to be paid so as not to cause any inconvenience to them.

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Congregations and New Pastors: A How To Guide

My installation (7-17-05)Rev. Paul McCain from Cyberbrethen posted a wonderful article entitled “Congregations and New Pastors: A How To Guide.” This is a wonderful article and I encourage all pastors to read this! It is sound advice for congregations which will receive a newly ordained candidate, churches who will call a pastor from the field, and finally, for ALL churches with a pastor.

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I’m a big boy now

So Wesley has managed to stand up with the assistance of the baby gate or the crib. Every morning when he wakes up, he’s jabbering along and standing straight up. Not only that, he’s started to gnaw on his crib; so much that he’s put teeth marks into it. Since the crib rail curves, you can’t put the traditional plastic crib guard on it (not like you could even get that in Gillette anyways), so my wife had to get creative. This hopefully will help deter Wesley from gnawing on the bed.
Crib rail