By Paul Koch - We have all known those people who seem to take joy in tearing down what we’ve built up. Perhaps it is the kid at the beach that just can’t help kicking over the sandcastle that you just finished building. Or it is the big sister who knocks over your stack of … Continue reading Uncommonly Common
By Paul Koch – Ever since my first foray into the study of theology proper, I have heard professors and pastors alike say that the church’s liturgy can operate as a sort of safety net for Gospel. After all, the liturgy contains confession and absolution, leads through the reading of the Word, and culminates in … Continue reading The Sacrament as Crutch
By Paul Koch - I remember years ago, I think it was when I was still in high school, we had a class assignment where we wrote out our own obituary. Now, that may sound a bit dark, but I think the goal of the exercise was to cause you to think about your future: … Continue reading For All the Saints
By Joel A. Hess - You have seen the small white sign as you have pulled out of plenty of church driveways. “You are now entering the Mission Field.” Inspiring, right? Surely it was put there with good intentions. What better than to remind folks who are leaving the Church service that there are people … Continue reading You are (now entering) the mission field
By Paul Koch - The great Reformation of the church is, in many ways, an explosion of what was falsely imprisoned. That is, it was the result of what happens when you try to bottle up something that simply cannot be contained. In this case, what was bottled up was the simple and beautiful Good … Continue reading But Now…
By Paul Koch – In 1849 Wilhelm Löhe wrote an examination of the relationship between the pastoral office as it comes to us from the pages of the New Testament and the congregations that hold firm to those very Scriptures. He made note of a trend he had observed in the church, a trend that … Continue reading Authorized to Preach
By Joel A. Hess - Sell all your stuff and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Seriously! I’m not sure most people take Jesus’ response to the rich young man seriously. The guy asks a valid question. Bravo to this kid. What do I have to do to inherit eternal … Continue reading Sell all your stuff and give to the poor!
