Persistence in Prayer

“O LORD my God, I cried to you for help and you have healed me.” — Psalm 30:2 ESV

I am struck by the beauty and simplicity of Psalm 30. Is there a more complete prayer in such few words than here in verse two? This verse sums up the entirety of our stories. As David prays these words, he calls on God by name as he cries out, addressing the depth of our brokenness. And in the same breath, healing. For we have a great God who saves, who gives us the chance to live again. What a gift from God is prayer!  Continue reading “Persistence in Prayer”

A Christmas Message – Quiet Joseph Is An Example Of Faithfulness And Discipleship

Dear Disciples of Christ Jesus,

Martin Luther had much more to say about Mary, the mother of our Lord, than Joseph. Yet Luther gives thanks for this guardian of our Lord. He commends Joseph as a saint who strengthens our faith by his faithful obedience, his sacrificial love for Mary and his protective care for Jesus.  Continue reading “A Christmas Message – Quiet Joseph Is An Example Of Faithfulness And Discipleship”

Advent – A Time to Point to Jesus

Dear disciples of Jesus throughout the North American Lutheran Church:

The season of Advent is a wondrous time of preparation and anticipation. I encourage you to immerse yourself in this season, instead of enduring it as a necessary requirement in order to get to Christmas — the true focus of our energy and attention. One of the key figures in this season is John the Baptist and his message and ministry. Continue reading “Advent – A Time to Point to Jesus”

The North American Seminary Seeks New President

The North American Lutheran Seminary Presidential Search

The Board of Regents of the North American Seminary and the Presidential Search Committee invite applications for the position of president of the North American Lutheran Seminary (NALS) in Ambridge, Pennsylvania. The NALS presidency offers the exciting opportunity to lead an ambitious theological school well-positioned to achieve its next level of success through a continued commitment to academic rigor, student-centered success, the Great Commission and strong articulation of the Core Values of the North American Lutheran Church. The NALS is the sole seminary of the North American Lutheran Church and is yoked with Trinity School for Ministry. Applications are entirely confidential, reviewed by the Presidential Search Committee only, and should be submitted no later than February 15, 2019.  The next president will assume office on or around July 1, 2019. Refer questions about the position to Dr. Roy Schwarz, Chair NALS Board of Regents, at 540-678-8748.

Fulfilling Our Ministry and Mission Through Ecumenical and Inter-Lutheran Efforts

I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, beg you to lead a life worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all lowliness and meekness, with patience, forbearing one another in love, eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of us all, who is above all and through all and in all. (Ephesians 4:1-6)

With these Scriptural words quoted in the Initial Statement on the Ecumenical and Inter-Lutheran Commitment of the North American Lutheran Church, approved at the 2011 NALC Convocation, we acknowledged the goal for which our Lord prayed at the Last Supper, as He said, “Holy Father keep them in thy name, which thou hast given me, that they may be one, even as we are one…that they may all be one, even as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that thou hast sent me.” John 17:11b, 22-23. And more than acknowledging our Lord’s prayer, we committed ourselves to working together within the kingdom for unity in the Body of Christ, that increasingly, the world would see that “There is one body and one Spirit…one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of us all…”  Continue reading “Fulfilling Our Ministry and Mission Through Ecumenical and Inter-Lutheran Efforts”