Category Archives: For Pastors Only
Battle Fatigue, Old Sergeant’s Syndrome, and Grace
You can’t miss that St. Paul likens ministering to soldiering. In reference to paying pastors, he says in 1 Corinthians 9:7, “Who serves as a soldier at his own expense?” In Philippians 2:25 he calls Epaphroditus “my brother, fellow worker … Continue reading
The Piety of the People
While St. Kurt (Marquart) lay dying from ALS, a Reverend David Petersen collected stories of the good saint to present to him before he entered Paradise rather than to each other after he had. That was a good idea. One … Continue reading
Talking Peace While Bomb Dropping
On August 8, 1945 the United States became the first nation to sign the United Nations Charter in hopes for continued peace after World War II. The next day the United States dropped the second atomic bomb on Nagasaki (This … Continue reading
Is or Isn’t it Enough?
Thirty years ago a Texas District official said in the District newsletter that some Ivory Tower theologians believe all that you have to do is preach the Gospel purely and administer the sacraments rightly and the church will grow. He … Continue reading
Emptiness in Preparation for the Empty Tomb
“The beautiful Easter Story itself with its message of victory over death is the best Easter sermon. It needs no clever introduction to stimulate the once a year churchgoers. Why should we pattern a sermon with those in mind who … Continue reading
A War of Words
Do you consciously say “chairwoman” or “spokeswoman?” How about making sure you refer to him or her and always having to follow up with he and she? You could resort to what Anthony Burgess does in his book 1985. He … Continue reading
You’re not listening to me
So says the parent to the child, spouse to spouse, and pastor to people. It can be said in anger but more often than not it’s in heartbreak.
Concerning Visitation and Other Ways to Cut Pastors off at the Knees
President Harrison’s latest Lutheran Witness article is entitled “Concerning Visitation.” He makes some powerful assertions in this article. Now, he does throw us all under the bus with his closing statement: “Absent visitation, we paralyze the ‘legs of the Gospel’ … Continue reading
Where Have all the Criminals Gone?
I’ve always liked “Where Have all the Flowers Gone?” Most people think it cheesy. It began as Pete Seeger folk song in 1955 with three verses. In 1960 Joe Hickerson added the rest turning the song into a circular hit … Continue reading
In a Heep of Trouble
You bet you are pastor. You are in a heap of trouble if one member tells you another member needs pastoral care and you don’t act on it. I know so because Uriah Heep showed me so.