Down Time

I'm leaving with Mitzi and the boys after church today and going to Bah-ston via Niagara Falls.  So, no posts in the coming week as I go "incommunicado."  It'll be wonderful to slow down and shut down a bit and just relax with the fam.  I was thinking this morning, Christian is twelve now, and in a few more years, he may not think it's "cool" to do this sort of thing.  So we'd better take advantage of the time God has given us now!  His incredible peace and strength to you in the coming week.  Keep us in your prayers!

The Time is Now!

This morning, as we do every morning of VBS, I began the day with our crew leaders in the sanctuary for a beginning-of-the-day devo.  Today, I shared some thoughts of one of my favorite people from the Bible, the Old Testament figure and prophet Nehemiah.  If you remember his story, he, along with most of Israel, had been exiled throughout the middle eastern area, specifically to Persia (what is now modern-day Iran).  Having been away from Jerusalem for so many years had begun to soften the thoughts he must have had that his precious city might be falling into disrepair and despair.  But it was true, as various reports had come in confirming his fears. 

As soon as he heard the news, he did some amazingly faithful things.  First, he simply prayed.  Even in his devestating grief, he knew that he had nowhere to turn but to God for confession and repentance, on his behalf and the behalf of all of Israel, and also that He would reveal to Nehemiah what part (if any) of a plan God had in mind to restore the city of Jerusalem. 

And God confirmed this, after a short time of waiting and being still (Psalm 46:10).  In his position of cup-bearer to King Artaxerxes, he had found favor in the king's eyes.  God opened the king's heart to first ask what was bothering his servant (unheard of!), and then to grant Nehemiah God's plan of sending him back to Jerusalem to lead the rebuilding of the city walls.  The amazing "God thing" that we take from this portion of the story is that the window of opportunity to respond to the king's offer was quickly closing.  No matter how close you were to him, it was always his prerogative to retract whatever offer he had previously given upon his whim.  So Nehemiah knew that he may not get another opportunity to be a part of God's plan there.  The time was now!  And off he went, with the king's blessing and cooperation from those whom Nehemiah needed help from, in procuring materials and safe travel to and from Jerusalem.

What's our 21st C takeaway in all of this?  Simply this:  THE TIME IS NOW.  Each and every day people are dying without a saving knowledge and faith in Jesus their redeeming Savior.  Turning a blind eye to it or claiming that "my God would never be that cruel to do that to someone who never heard the Word of Christ" doesn't make the situation go away.  The second option just listed actually makes you God and takes from Him His right to do as He pleases, which is always good and right and perfect and holy (Deut. 32:4).  I don't relish the thought of taking the place of God!

Let's join hearts and hands in allowing the Holy Spirit to renew each of us, and His Church to wake up to the call that THE TIME IS NOW! to be Christ's ambassadors to the world around us.  Peace...

VBS Week @ ILC

Woo-hoo!
It's Vacation Bible School (VBS) week here at Immanuel.  What an incredible God-filled, Jesus-enriching, Spirit-driven week where 300 or so little precious ones of God come through our building to hear once again (or for the first time) the love Jesus has for them.  It is truly amazing what God does here each year in VBS.

We have been blessed with a congregation that is wholly behind this holy adventure each summer, including a group of incredibly talented people who come together and, with the general theme in mind (this year it is a "High Seas Expedition"), they make it all come alive with amazing decoratoins, transforming the building into ships and harbors and the like. Thank you, especially, to Lisa Whittlesey and her decoration crew that worked tirelessly once again to make it come alive.

Thanks also to all of the other volunteers who are giving a week of mornings this week to be crew leaders and key leaders and snack makers and registration takers.  So much time has gone into the preparations for this, with an uncountable amount of volunteer hours, and that continues this week as they lead the little ones from place to place each morning.  Thank you!  Thank you!  Thank you!  To God be all glory and honor, and for the benefit of these little ones.

Going Home!

Well, I'm sitting in the Starbucks by the hotel as I make my way back from the convention on its last day, to check out and get to the airport in time.  A lot of things went on this week.  I saw a lot of old friends I hadn't seen in a while; I saw a lot of good work done to move our beloved synod (which means literally "walking together") forward in the shared mission of the Gospel of Jesus, the Savior of the world; I saw a lot of "politics" that also slows all of this down too.

I'm deeply conflicted, so I'm praying for God to continue to show His grace and sort it all out in my superbly finite mind.  Ultimately, I trust in Him that His will is done, working through sinful human beings like myself and my fellow delegates that His mandate to "gospelize" (Thank you, Dr. Bunkowske!) the world continues.  I've missed my amazing and beautiful wife and my dear boys so very much this week.  I've missed being a pastor to my family at Immanuel also. I look forward to being with them and in the pulpit tomorrow, bright and early.  To God be all glory and honor!  His humble servant,  Pastor D

The Christian-Lutheran Basics

Well, we're on the downwind run of the convention!  Still got lots to discuss and vote on, but we've accomplished a lot already, by God's amazing and limitless grace, as He works through frail and weak human vessels.

It was a "God-thing" this week, being here at the Convention, and preaching on Sunday with the theme:  "Summer HABITS - The Basics of the Bible." How appropriate.  We came here to affirm and confirm those basic and foundational Biblical things that bind us together in faith as Christian-Lutherans.  What is that theme, which I'll be talking about on Sunday?  God's Love, of course.  But more specifically - and this distinction MUST be made - it is His redeeming love for the world.  Redeemed from what?  Our sins that we were each born into.  We are all beggars before God, but through the blood of Christ that stigma is removed, yet at the same time we live with it until we are called to heaven through faith.

Redeemed for what?  To praise God's name and share His love with those who don't know Him yet.  That''s why we're still living and breathing and existing on this big blue ball we call 'earth.'  Let's help others find out where they're to be going.  (You'll find out what I mean on Sunday!)  Peace ya'll!

Just How Stubborn Are Lutherans?!?!

OK,  this one's for the "just when you thought you've seen it all" file...

Today at the LCMS Convention, there was a motion to commend Lutheran military chaplains for all of their hard work and dedication to serving our Lord and this great country He's given us.  Pretty simple, huh?  Nothing more and nothing less.  No dollars involved.  Nothing out of line.  AND WE COULDN'T EVEN GET A UNANIMOUS VOTE ON IT!  Like one or two persons voted against it.  Probably just because they can.  And because they're stubborn, more than likely.  Hmmmmm....  And the theme has been reconciliation and forgiveness and unity.  God help us.

New LCMS President

Well, the Big Day finally came today at the LCMS (Lutheran Church -Missouri Synod) Convention.  Typically, the most important piece of business to be done is the election of a new president for a three year term.  We had lots of other important things to discuss and vote on, that were initiated at the last convention in 2007, before we could take care of any other new business, like the election of a new president, so it had to wait.

Long story short, Rev. Matthew Harrison succeeds Rev. Gerald Kieschnick as our new synod president.  I have mixed feelings about this.  Although President K did a great job, he had become somewhat of a lightning rod for polarization within our synod, even though I truly believe that was never his intention.  At the same time, when a coach or a manager of a sports team finds himself or herself in similar situations, most times, it's best to bring in a new person to lead the team and initiate healing and unity and harmony.  I pray that this will happen within our beloved synod.  We move forward, forgiven through Christ our Lord.

Texan Grammar

I'm reminded once again of how to "speak Texan."  I was given my first lesson back at the sem by a classmate of mine, and was reminded this week again.  Here goes:  When you speak of someone in a singular sense, they are referred to as "ya'll."  As in, "Ya'll wanna go to the movies tonight?"  But if you're speaking to more than one person, they are collectively referred to as "all ya'll," as in, "why are all ya'll pointin' them guns at me?"  (note:  we're staying in downtown Houston.)

All in all, the convention is going well, I guess.  Pretty slow, as parliamentary procedure is followed for everything.  So, I guess we're making progress.  As always, we leave it confidently in God's hands, though He works through fallible individuals like myself.  He is good and faithful through it all, in spite of ourselves.

The theme for the convention is "One People - Forgiven."  We've been led each morning with great devo's regarding forgiveness and renewal through Christ's atoning sacrifice for us.  I think we take this for granted so easily, don't we?  It's truly a life-changing thing, to know that we are made brand new through the Cross of Jesus, which allows us to live in Him now and with the promise of living with Him forever in heaven.

Peace out, ya'll.  I mean all ya'll.

Got too cool in Michigan - had to come to Houston

Hey all!


First off, mucho apologies for no posts for many, many moons.  Busy is the default excuse, but it is what is is.  


Next, the news of the day is that I'm in Houston, TX for the triennial Synod Convention of the Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod.  Lots and lots of collars and black shirts (I don't really seem to fit in too well).  There's a lot of "business" that comes with the operation of an organization as big as our synod, so this is how we take care of it.  


One of the things that this reinforces for me is that as different as we all are as Lutherans, we still are in agreement on theology and doctrine, drawn directly from the Word of God.  That's what I believe sets us apart as Lutherans!  If we aren't in agreement on these "basics" of theology and doctrine, then we really aren't walking together in faith as Lutherans.  


I will blog each day with my thoughts as the days unfold.  Peace in Jesus our Savior.


Pastor D