This is the October Bible study for our LWML (Lutheran Women’s Missionary League), which focuses on the challenges that exist for the Lutheran Church today.
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On September 10, 2011, LC-MS President, Matt Harrison, spoke to the Lutheran Church of Nigeria on this topic: “Lutheranism: Challenges, Problems, and Opportunities.” President Harrison listed five areas of particular challenge to the Lutheran Church today. They are 1) theological education, 2) Lutheran worship, 3) Islam, 4) the rise of Paganism, and 5) liberalism and secularism. We will be looking at four of these areas.
Theological Education
[Harrison:] “Lutheran Missions must lead to Lutheran Churches.” This requires Lutheran pastors who are “apt to teach,” who have been meticulously trained in Lutheran doctrine and practice…. If Lutheran Churches worldwide are going to address the growing religious and theological assaults on the true faith, they must have theologians and pastors and laity who are thoroughly trained in Lutheran theology.
1 Timothy 3:1-3:
[The Apostle Paul writing to Pastor Timothy:] 1The saying is trustworthy: If anyone aspires to the office of overseer [bishop/pastor], he desires a noble task. 2Therefore an overseer must be above reproach, the husband of one wife, sober-minded, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, 3not a drunkard, not violent but gentle, not quarrelsome, not a lover of money.
Titus 1:7-9:
[The Apostle Paul writing to Pastor Titus:] 7For an overseer [bishop/pastor], as God’s steward, must be above reproach. He must not be arrogant or quick-tempered or a drunkard or violent or greedy for gain, 8but hospitable, a lover of good, self-controlled, upright, holy, and disciplined. 9He must hold firm to the trustworthy word as taught, so that he may be able to give instruction in sound doctrine and also to rebuke those who contradict it.
– To be “able to give instruction” implies what for the pastor?
– For a pastor to be able to “hold firm to the trustworthy word as taught [apostolic doctrine],” means what for a pastor?
Lutheran Worship
[Harrison:] Lutheran missions must lead to Lutheran churches with Lutheran worship, that is, the Lutheran liturgy and hymnody.… Doctrine and practice are inseparably united. Lutheran practice reflects, teaches, and confesses Lutheran doctrine.
One of the major challenges to Lutheran churches around the world today comes from the adaptation of revivalist and neo-Pentecostal worship forms and music. There is a saying that goes back to the 5th century and is attributed to a man named Prosper of Aquitaine: “The way you worship determines the way you believe.” … Lutheran worship makes Lutherans and keeps them Lutheran. The Lutheran hymn writer Stephen Starke correctly observed, “There are Lutheran pastors who would never permit a Baptist pastor to preach a sermon in their pulpit, but see no problem in regularly putting the words of Baptist hymns into the mouths of their people.”
James 2:21-25:
[James writing to the church at large:] 21Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered up his son Isaac on the altar? 22You see that faith was active along with his works, and faith was completed by his works; 23and the Scripture was fulfilled that says, “Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness”—and he was called a friend of God. 24You see that a person is justified by works and not by faith alone. 25And in the same way was not also Rahab the prostitute justified by works when she received the messengers and sent them out by another way?
– James says that there is a link does exist between faith (doctrine) and works (practice) in a Christian’s life. Discuss.
– How does this link between faith (doctrine) and works (practice) work at a congregational level during worship?
Islam
[Harrison:] In recent years, [Islam] has become increasing aggressive in spreading its beliefs around the world. Thousands of mosques are not only being built in countries that border historically Islamic nations, they are now being erected in great numbers throughout Europe and North America. As the financial resources of Christian churches in Europe and North America are declining, the wealth from many Islamic nations is being used to spread the worship of Allah.
Galatians 1:6-8:
[Paul writing to the churches in Galatia:] 6I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting him who called you in the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel—not that there is another one, but there are some who trouble you and want to distort the gospel of Christ. 8But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach to you a gospel contrary to the one we preached to you, let him be accursed.
John of Damascus, (665-749), the “glory” of the Arab Christians, said that Islam was a Christian heresy. Muslims believe the angel Gabriel revealed to Muhammad the words of the Qur’an.
– Discuss the challenge of Islam in light of Paul’s admonition.
Liberalism
[Harrison:] [In liberalism,] God the Father is either eliminated or replaced with a Mother God. Christ becomes “Christa.” Baptism in the name of “God the mother, child and spirit” is not Christ’s baptism and gives no forgiveness of sins, life, and salvation. It gives only death…. Lutheran bishops and churches worldwide need to muster the courage to stand up against this apostasy even when it means they will suffer the financial consequences.
Matthew 28:19-20: [Jesus speaking to the Eleven:] “19Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”
– How has God revealed Himself to us?
– What happens when we change to truth of God to suit our tastes?
Discussion
– Concerning these challenges, what is SOTHLC’s LWML currently doing to help in these mission areas?
– Does our LWML want to:
- expand its focus?
- change its focus?
- sharpen its focus?
