After James, the Bishop of Jerusalem, presided over the Church’s first council, Paul decided to visit the congregations in Asia Minor to “see how they are.” But after having a disagreement with Barnabas about John Mark (who would later be the writer of the Gospel of Mark), Paul and Barnabas choose not to travel together. […]
Acts: Lesson 17: Paul’s Second Missionary Journey (with Silas, Timothy, and Luke)
October 15, 2014 by
Infant Communion and the CTCR’s Response
October 13, 2014 by
This is a theological paper that our pastor originally presented at his circuit winkel in November 2011. It looks at infant communion from the Scriptures and also from within the history of the Church. To open or save the PDF document, click on the link below. Infant and Early Communion (with Appendix) On September 13, 2014, the Lutheran […]
Pr. Richard Peckman to preach and teach on October 5 and 12
October 2, 2014 by
Pastor Richard Peckman will be our guest adult Sunday School teacher and preacher in the Divine Service on October 5 and 12, 2014. Pr. Peckman recently retired and moved to Springfield, MO after serving as pastor at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Coffeyville, KS. He is the son of missionary and pastor, Reverend Henry F. […]
What role do emotions have in the Christian Life?
September 28, 2014 by
This topic goes back to an article I wrote about why we sing what we sing in church. In that article, I mentioned one hymn that wrongly points us to our subjective experiences as a way to “know” God. I come to the garden alone while the dew is still on the roses; and the […]
Sermon for the Wedding of Richard Bell and Diane Sancken
September 27, 2014 by
Our pastor had the joy of joining Rick Bell and Diane Sancken in holy matrimony at Big Cedar Lodge, Ridgedale, Missouri. They are members of an LC-MS congregation in northern Illinois and received all their marriage counseling there. Then, wanting to be married amid the beauty of the local area, the actual marriage rite took […]
Acts, Lesson 16: The Church’s First Council
September 24, 2014 by
Paul and Barnabas returned to Antioch (in Syria, not Pisidia) and remained there “no little time with the disciples.” Judaizers in the Church Read Acts 15:1 What were some in the Church insisting concerning Gentile believers? Read Genesis 17:9-14 Leviticus 12:3: [The Lord told Moses,] “On the eighth day, the flesh of the baby’s […]
Dealing with Our Culture’s Sexual Standards
September 23, 2014 by
This is our pastor’s article for our October, 2014 newsletter. Dealing with Our Culture’s Sexual Standards By Pr. Rich Futrell An older person may feel out of step because he has spent much of his life living in another culture–the culture that once was. Think back to when you were a child. Do you […]
St. Matthew, Apostle and Evangelist– Matthew 20:1-16
September 22, 2014 by
While walking one day, a pastor noticed a place where many people of Middle-Eastern descent would meet. Later, this pastor found out that the FBI was secretly watching that meeting place because ISIS was using it to recruit people to become terrorists. One day, while walking past that place, that same pastor met a man […]
What is our true comfort in death, our souls being in heaven or our body and soul being reunited on the Last Day?
September 18, 2014 by
Introduction The typical North-American Christian worldview is one that values the spiritual but often sees little value in how God uses the physical. After all, Protestant America often views baptism as something that a Christian does to show that he is a Christian; the water may simply be incidental. The wine (or grape juice) and […]
