Author Archives: Paul Harris

About Paul Harris

Pastor Harris retired from congregational ministry after 40 years in office on 31 December 2023. He is now devoting himself to being a husband, father, and grandfather. He still thinks cenobitic monasticism is overrated and cave dwelling under.

A Synod of Benefits not Faith

Even when I was in the LCMS, I thought this. What we all waked together in, what we were really a synod in more than name only, was the Concordia Health and Retirement Plans. A confessional pastor observed after I … Continue reading

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Does Rome still teach Ex opere operato?

I’ve been on  2-year quest, odyssey really, to answer for myself if Rome still teaches ex opere operato. Based on the quote below from Rome’s official catechism of 1994, I doubt it.

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GodConnect Videos – Connecting With the Video Generation

I grew up when the marks of the Lutheran Church Missouri Synod were the “L’s”. Lutheran Layman’s League, Lutheran Women’s Missionary League, and Aid Association for Lutherans. You saw these “L’s” and you knew you were home where, to steal … Continue reading

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Pete Seeger was right

If you’re going to listen to Pete Seeger’s antiwar anthem, written in 1955 but made popular in the 60’s, listen to the Kingston Trio’s 1962 version. Songfacts.com says, “Pete Seeger wrote this song as a call for peace.

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It’s Baack!

It’s baack, and you’d sooner have a poltergeist than this spirit. I’ve predicted for over 20 years that the Charismatic Movement that disrupted Christendom from circa 1965 – 1980 would be back. It was driven to the Side-Show Bob of … Continue reading

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Religion and Politics

Caution, disclaimer, advisory if you think there is nothing to laugh at in regards to Covid and/or politics, stop reading, now.

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The Trolley Problem, FSD Mode, & ATOO

The trolley problem is a thought experiment in ethics in which in a fictional scenario an onlooker has the choice to save 5 people in danger of being hit by a trolley, by diverting the trolley to kill just 1 person. … Continue reading

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PFocus – Visit to Pflugerville Community Church

I struggle to write concise blogs of my visits to other churches. Pflugerville Community Church is just like the dozen other Contemporary Worship churches I have visited. The leaders all, including the LCMS and WELS churches, address the congregation as … Continue reading

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Let’s Stop Putting a Question Mark over Baptismal Regeneration

For centuries, the practice among Lutherans has been to ask the sponsors on behalf of the infant to be baptized to confess the faith and renounce the devil for him. Once ordained in 1983, I used the liturgy as then … Continue reading

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That Don’t Impress Me Much

Crosspoint Church, Georgetown, Texas is my third outing to a Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod church. At the following link you can view the one I attended on 23 April 2023: https://crosspointgtx.wpengine.com/liveworship/ . But if you want to know where the … Continue reading

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