This is our pastor’s article for the February edition of our congregational newsletter. The longer I’m a pastor, the more I find that what we bring to the table shapes our understanding of Scripture and, thus, the faith, even more than what a Scripture passage may say! Let me give you a personal example. About […]
Misreading Scripture Alone
June 11, 2015 by
This is an article that pastor came across last autumn. The author, Matthew Block, writes how many have succumbed to ancient heresies that the Church has long ago refuted. He also explains why he thinks this is the case. When the author uses the word “evangelical,” he means Protestant Christians who do not consider themselves […]
1 Corinthians, Lesson 18: God’s Tradition
May 3, 2015 by
We see Paul start this section doing something that he rarely did in 1 Corinthians: He praised them! In this case, Paul praised them for keeping the traditions that he had passed on to them. Thus, we learn, that keeping the right traditions are something important for us to do in Christ’s Church. Tradition […]
Augsburg Confession, Article 24
August 4, 2014 by
AC XXIV: The Mass (Pt 1) Our churches are falsely accused of abolishing the Mass. In fact, the Mass is retained among us and is celebrated with the greatest reverence. Almost all the customary ceremonies are also retained, except that German hymns, added for the instruction of the people, are interspersed here and there among […]
The Chasuble
June 19, 2014 by
This is our pastor’s article for the summer edition of our congregational newsletter. ———— Some of you have asked me over the last several years about the chasuble, the outer, poncho-like garment, I wear during the Lord’s Supper. I hope this article will help explain the origins of the chasuble and why your pastor wears one. […]
Augsburg Confession, Articles 15-16
June 18, 2014 by
AC XV: Church Ceremonies Our churches teach that those ceremonies should be observed that can be observed without sin. Also, ceremonies and other practices that contribute to peace and good order in the church, such as holy days, festivals, and the like, should be observed. Yet, the people are taught not to be burden consciences […]
Tradition in Christ’s Church, Part 2
May 20, 2014 by
This is our pastor’s newsletter article for June, 2014. In last month’s newsletter article, we learned that tradition is not a bad word. In truth, we learned the opposite: Tradition is a good word. However, what matters about tradition is whose tradition we are following. The Apostle Paul wrote to the congregation at Thessalonica: “So […]
Tradition in Christ’s Church According to the Bible
April 23, 2014 by
This is our pastor’s newsletter article for May, 2014. Today, many are practicing “Christian freedom” by living a way of life that is contrary to the Christian faith! One way of doing that is by seeing faith as only something personal, not communal. It’s both! Just read the New Testament. It’s true: no one can […]
The Didache, Lesson 8: Tradition and Confession
February 18, 2012 by
Following Tradition 4:12 Hate hypocrisy and everything that is not pleasing to the Lord. The Didache’s warning, in its context, is that we should guard against every sin and not be inconsistent (hypocritical). Specifically, this ties in with protecting and not losing what our Lord has commanded, which the next verse states explicitly. Deuteronomy 4:2: […]
