Notes from Pastor Renstrom |
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On this page, you can read selected Grace Notes articles from Pastor Tim Renstrom from past months and study them in closer detail. Enjoy!
JUNE 2018
On English Royalty, Weddings and June…
But be filled with the Spirit, addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with your heart, giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ. (Ephesians 5:18b-21)
[Jesus said,] ‘Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh[.]’ So they are no longer two but one flesh.
By now everyone in the “English-speaking” world has, at least, heard of the wedding in May where the young English prince married the American woman. I didn’t watch it. I haven’t even paid any attention to the pictures of it, although I’m sure there are bounties of them on the internet. I’m sure it was filled with scads of pageantry appropriate to wealthy royalty having a major event in their lives. I wish them the best…but I haven’t paid hardly any attention to it, simply because I’m not all that interested in weddings. But it, and the June calendar with all the wedding anniversaries on it, bring up a good subject for an article.
OUCH! Pastor said he isn’t interested in weddings!!! GASP! Isn’t that one of the tasks he is called to perform as pastor of our churches? SHOCK! Now, catch your breath, everyone…it isn’t what it seems!
Nearly everyone who has come to me to have me officiate at their wedding has heard me say, “I don’t do weddings. I do marriages.” Well, they may not have ‘heard’ it, but I almost always say it. What’s the difference, you ask?
Weddings are a one day event filled with stuff: pageantry, emotions, expenses, family gatherings…stuff like that.
Marriages are a lifetime of hard work filled with God and based on his Word: (see Bible passages above)…mutual submission under God’s mission, leaving families of origin to start a new oneness together.
Because of who we are in Christ (Ephesians 4:32) we are being subject to one another. We don’t get to choose this. It is who we are. And as Christians who are being subject to one another, when we are married, husbands and wives are being subject to one, with the husband being commanded by God to sacrificially love his wife, just as Christ loved the Church, and the wife encouraged, by God, to respect her husband.
Obviously there is much more to this than can be put into a 500 word article, but this gives us enough to ask, “How many of our marriages look like this?” Well, I can’t claim that even my own marriage looks like this…When I was young, my parents often asked me, when I was pointing at one of my sisters, saying that she did it, “How many fingers are pointing back at you?” Yeah. We all sin in our marriages: husbands often lording it over wives; wives not finding anything in husbands to respect… We need the sacrificial gift of Christ on the cross.
And he gives it to us. We are forgiven, by grace, through faith. In repentance he changes our hard, proud hearts to be more like his. He walks with us as he changes us once again, moving us away from a “one day wedding” to a “lifetime marriage.” He separates us from our parents and makes us ‘one flesh’ under him. In his forgiveness we find we have the forgiveness to forgive each other, and the strength and courage to change ourselves to be the spouse Jesus wants us to be.
Marriage is far more work than even the most complex wedding. Thanks be to God that He is the one who does most of the work and helps us to do our part!
On English Royalty, Weddings and June…
But be filled with the Spirit, addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with your heart, giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ. (Ephesians 5:18b-21)
[Jesus said,] ‘Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh[.]’ So they are no longer two but one flesh.
By now everyone in the “English-speaking” world has, at least, heard of the wedding in May where the young English prince married the American woman. I didn’t watch it. I haven’t even paid any attention to the pictures of it, although I’m sure there are bounties of them on the internet. I’m sure it was filled with scads of pageantry appropriate to wealthy royalty having a major event in their lives. I wish them the best…but I haven’t paid hardly any attention to it, simply because I’m not all that interested in weddings. But it, and the June calendar with all the wedding anniversaries on it, bring up a good subject for an article.
OUCH! Pastor said he isn’t interested in weddings!!! GASP! Isn’t that one of the tasks he is called to perform as pastor of our churches? SHOCK! Now, catch your breath, everyone…it isn’t what it seems!
Nearly everyone who has come to me to have me officiate at their wedding has heard me say, “I don’t do weddings. I do marriages.” Well, they may not have ‘heard’ it, but I almost always say it. What’s the difference, you ask?
Weddings are a one day event filled with stuff: pageantry, emotions, expenses, family gatherings…stuff like that.
Marriages are a lifetime of hard work filled with God and based on his Word: (see Bible passages above)…mutual submission under God’s mission, leaving families of origin to start a new oneness together.
Because of who we are in Christ (Ephesians 4:32) we are being subject to one another. We don’t get to choose this. It is who we are. And as Christians who are being subject to one another, when we are married, husbands and wives are being subject to one, with the husband being commanded by God to sacrificially love his wife, just as Christ loved the Church, and the wife encouraged, by God, to respect her husband.
Obviously there is much more to this than can be put into a 500 word article, but this gives us enough to ask, “How many of our marriages look like this?” Well, I can’t claim that even my own marriage looks like this…When I was young, my parents often asked me, when I was pointing at one of my sisters, saying that she did it, “How many fingers are pointing back at you?” Yeah. We all sin in our marriages: husbands often lording it over wives; wives not finding anything in husbands to respect… We need the sacrificial gift of Christ on the cross.
And he gives it to us. We are forgiven, by grace, through faith. In repentance he changes our hard, proud hearts to be more like his. He walks with us as he changes us once again, moving us away from a “one day wedding” to a “lifetime marriage.” He separates us from our parents and makes us ‘one flesh’ under him. In his forgiveness we find we have the forgiveness to forgive each other, and the strength and courage to change ourselves to be the spouse Jesus wants us to be.
Marriage is far more work than even the most complex wedding. Thanks be to God that He is the one who does most of the work and helps us to do our part!
MAY 2018
Dear Sisters and Brothers in Christ,
On Tuesday evening, April 24, Charlotte and I attended the Call Service at Concordia Seminary, St. Louis, to show pastoral care and support to a man from St. Stephen’s who received his first call into the pastoral ministry. (Mike Metzler—his first call is to St. Paul’s Lutheran Church, Hinckley, Minnesota.) During that service the preacher used an illustration that I had read long ago and forgotten about. I believe that it’s good enough to share with you. It’s from Minister’s Prayer Book edited by John W. Doberstein, first printed in 1959, affectionately known as “Doberstein” by the pastors who have been introduced to it and used it over the years.
The Sheep Dog
We offer ourselves, one way or another, to try to work for God. We want, as it were, to be among the sheep dogs employed by the Lord Shepherd. Have you ever watched a good sheep dog at work? He is not an emotional animal. He goes on with his job quite steadily; takes no notice of bad weather, rough ground or of his own comfort. He seldom or never stops to be stroked. Yet his faithfulness and intimate communion with his master are of the loveliest things in the world. Now and then he looks at the shepherd. And when the time comes for rest, they are generally to be found together.
Let this be the model of your love.
--Evelyn Underhill
Doberstein puts it in his little book to draw pastors’ attention to their calling. I’m not sure who Underhill’s original audience was, but I’m thinking it wasn’t just pastors. Bible passages such as Psalm 23:1, “The Lord is my Shepherd”; John 20:20-21, “Jesus said to them again, ‘Peace to you. As the Father has sent me, I also send you’”; and Matthew 28:19, “Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit…” remind us that all of us, as disciples of Christ Jesus, are all trying “to work for God”, to use Underhill’s words.
I prefer Finke’s words from our study on Joining Jesus on His Mission. We join Him in the work he is already doing: saving people from eternal damnation through His Gospel. And I find the picture of us doing it as “sheep dogs” a good reminder of how we are to join Him. We aren’t looking for “atta boys” or an easy time of it. We just join him because…well, just because.
In the end, we will join Jesus in rest. And the rest, by grace, through faith, is the most glorious rest, beyond any of our imaginations. But, again, we don’t join Jesus for the rest—we join Him in rest because we like to be with Him.
Your “sheep dog” in Christ,
Pastor Tim J. Renstrom
Dear Sisters and Brothers in Christ,
On Tuesday evening, April 24, Charlotte and I attended the Call Service at Concordia Seminary, St. Louis, to show pastoral care and support to a man from St. Stephen’s who received his first call into the pastoral ministry. (Mike Metzler—his first call is to St. Paul’s Lutheran Church, Hinckley, Minnesota.) During that service the preacher used an illustration that I had read long ago and forgotten about. I believe that it’s good enough to share with you. It’s from Minister’s Prayer Book edited by John W. Doberstein, first printed in 1959, affectionately known as “Doberstein” by the pastors who have been introduced to it and used it over the years.
The Sheep Dog
We offer ourselves, one way or another, to try to work for God. We want, as it were, to be among the sheep dogs employed by the Lord Shepherd. Have you ever watched a good sheep dog at work? He is not an emotional animal. He goes on with his job quite steadily; takes no notice of bad weather, rough ground or of his own comfort. He seldom or never stops to be stroked. Yet his faithfulness and intimate communion with his master are of the loveliest things in the world. Now and then he looks at the shepherd. And when the time comes for rest, they are generally to be found together.
Let this be the model of your love.
--Evelyn Underhill
Doberstein puts it in his little book to draw pastors’ attention to their calling. I’m not sure who Underhill’s original audience was, but I’m thinking it wasn’t just pastors. Bible passages such as Psalm 23:1, “The Lord is my Shepherd”; John 20:20-21, “Jesus said to them again, ‘Peace to you. As the Father has sent me, I also send you’”; and Matthew 28:19, “Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit…” remind us that all of us, as disciples of Christ Jesus, are all trying “to work for God”, to use Underhill’s words.
I prefer Finke’s words from our study on Joining Jesus on His Mission. We join Him in the work he is already doing: saving people from eternal damnation through His Gospel. And I find the picture of us doing it as “sheep dogs” a good reminder of how we are to join Him. We aren’t looking for “atta boys” or an easy time of it. We just join him because…well, just because.
In the end, we will join Jesus in rest. And the rest, by grace, through faith, is the most glorious rest, beyond any of our imaginations. But, again, we don’t join Jesus for the rest—we join Him in rest because we like to be with Him.
Your “sheep dog” in Christ,
Pastor Tim J. Renstrom
April 2018
Dear sisters and brothers in Christ,
Again, I submit the following to you for your prayerful consideration. How does it pertain to us? Pastor Tim J. Renstrom
Three Problems with Disciple-Making
March 15, 2018 - by Peter Meier
How are disciples made?
One disciple at a time.
Those of us who are passionate about church multiplication know that disciple-making is critical to multiplication. Multiplication begins with the making of disciples who make disciples.
Biblical disciple-making is making disciples (one at a time) who then make more disciples, who make more disciples. This is multiplication. Jesus sends disciples (John 20:21) to go and make more disciples (Matthew 29:18-20). These disciples then gather in faith communities and send and go and make more disciples who start new faith communities - and on and on into infinity it goes! This is how God Himself designed movement to take place.
However, in our addition-growth culture, we face three significant problems.
First, we replace Jesus' design for making disciples (one at a time, who make more disciples, etc.) with man-made growth strategies (marketing, outreach, programs, etc). These are not bad or evil things in themselves, but they end up appealing to cultural Christians ("members") who desire to be kept happy. Ever-expanding growth strategies replace simple disciple-making as churches work harder and harder to accumulate and keep members rather than send and multiply disciples. If we concentrated on intentional disciple-making, which includes the sending of disciples to reach new people in new places, God would open our eyes to the most powerful growth strategy. After all, He designed it! (Read about it in the book of Acts!)
Second, many churches position evangelism against disciple-making. Many don't even realize they've done it. We are so focused on efforts to make converts, or to gain new members, or get new people who gather in our site(s) for worship, that Biblical disciple-making is not an intentional part of who we are. This results in an unnecessary imbalance of evangelism and disciple-making where these strategies should be balanced and integrated. Evangelism is simply the sharing of the Good News, but, as Alan Hirsch points out in his free e-book, Disciplism, "Evangelism gets done along the way as we do discipleship... The Great Commission is just about discipling the nations. Know what happens? As you disciple people, evangelism takes place because it's done in the context of discipleship." I've often called evangelism the "secret sauce" of church multiplication, but only as it takes place within the process of making Biblical disciples.
The third, and perhaps the biggest problem, is that we have found ourselves making cultural Christians rather than focusing on making Biblical Disciples who follow Jesus and invite others to follow Him too. A normal part of Christian maturity is making other disciples, just as a normal part of human maturity is having children who will mature and have more children. One becomes many (although in the case of human beings, two are needed). Cultural Christians, on the other hand, consume. You add one and then continue having to feed them to keep them happy. They never fully mature and reproduce.
Consequently, we double down on addition-growth strategies. We add more staff and classes and small groups, we create more worship services and programs, we do more marketing, and add more space and larger mortgages in order to increase our numbers. Our measurement of success becomes how many people come to events, worship services, classes and so on. Instead of intentionally making disciples who mature to make more disciples, and then blessing and sending them to start new faith communities and make even more Biblical disciples, we find that we are struggling to stay "even" or grow slightly (addition). We are lacking in multiplication.
What's the solution to these three Disciple-making problems? Start by recognizing them in your own experience. Then prioritize disciple-making as your primary purpose, both for yourself and for your church. That will drive your decisions and your actions in new ways to advance God's Kingdom. That's God's growth strategy. It's called multiplication!
Is your church making and sending Biblical disciples, or are you focused on making cultural Christians and keeping them happy? Why is this distinction so important? Why is this so challenging for so many of our churches today?
The Center for US Missions exists to equip disciples to multiply faith communities. If we can help you in your goal to multiply, give us a call!
Rev. Dr. Peter Meier is the Executive Director of the Center for United States Missions. You may contact him at peter.meier@cui.edu
Dear sisters and brothers in Christ,
Again, I submit the following to you for your prayerful consideration. How does it pertain to us? Pastor Tim J. Renstrom
Three Problems with Disciple-Making
March 15, 2018 - by Peter Meier
How are disciples made?
One disciple at a time.
Those of us who are passionate about church multiplication know that disciple-making is critical to multiplication. Multiplication begins with the making of disciples who make disciples.
Biblical disciple-making is making disciples (one at a time) who then make more disciples, who make more disciples. This is multiplication. Jesus sends disciples (John 20:21) to go and make more disciples (Matthew 29:18-20). These disciples then gather in faith communities and send and go and make more disciples who start new faith communities - and on and on into infinity it goes! This is how God Himself designed movement to take place.
However, in our addition-growth culture, we face three significant problems.
First, we replace Jesus' design for making disciples (one at a time, who make more disciples, etc.) with man-made growth strategies (marketing, outreach, programs, etc). These are not bad or evil things in themselves, but they end up appealing to cultural Christians ("members") who desire to be kept happy. Ever-expanding growth strategies replace simple disciple-making as churches work harder and harder to accumulate and keep members rather than send and multiply disciples. If we concentrated on intentional disciple-making, which includes the sending of disciples to reach new people in new places, God would open our eyes to the most powerful growth strategy. After all, He designed it! (Read about it in the book of Acts!)
Second, many churches position evangelism against disciple-making. Many don't even realize they've done it. We are so focused on efforts to make converts, or to gain new members, or get new people who gather in our site(s) for worship, that Biblical disciple-making is not an intentional part of who we are. This results in an unnecessary imbalance of evangelism and disciple-making where these strategies should be balanced and integrated. Evangelism is simply the sharing of the Good News, but, as Alan Hirsch points out in his free e-book, Disciplism, "Evangelism gets done along the way as we do discipleship... The Great Commission is just about discipling the nations. Know what happens? As you disciple people, evangelism takes place because it's done in the context of discipleship." I've often called evangelism the "secret sauce" of church multiplication, but only as it takes place within the process of making Biblical disciples.
The third, and perhaps the biggest problem, is that we have found ourselves making cultural Christians rather than focusing on making Biblical Disciples who follow Jesus and invite others to follow Him too. A normal part of Christian maturity is making other disciples, just as a normal part of human maturity is having children who will mature and have more children. One becomes many (although in the case of human beings, two are needed). Cultural Christians, on the other hand, consume. You add one and then continue having to feed them to keep them happy. They never fully mature and reproduce.
Consequently, we double down on addition-growth strategies. We add more staff and classes and small groups, we create more worship services and programs, we do more marketing, and add more space and larger mortgages in order to increase our numbers. Our measurement of success becomes how many people come to events, worship services, classes and so on. Instead of intentionally making disciples who mature to make more disciples, and then blessing and sending them to start new faith communities and make even more Biblical disciples, we find that we are struggling to stay "even" or grow slightly (addition). We are lacking in multiplication.
What's the solution to these three Disciple-making problems? Start by recognizing them in your own experience. Then prioritize disciple-making as your primary purpose, both for yourself and for your church. That will drive your decisions and your actions in new ways to advance God's Kingdom. That's God's growth strategy. It's called multiplication!
Is your church making and sending Biblical disciples, or are you focused on making cultural Christians and keeping them happy? Why is this distinction so important? Why is this so challenging for so many of our churches today?
The Center for US Missions exists to equip disciples to multiply faith communities. If we can help you in your goal to multiply, give us a call!
Rev. Dr. Peter Meier is the Executive Director of the Center for United States Missions. You may contact him at peter.meier@cui.edu
March 2018
Dear Sisters and Brothers in Christ,
I have been very interested in Christian outreach for many years. You know, the commission our Lord and savior has given to all of us: “As you are going, make disciples of all nations…” As a result of that interest, after a significant amount of study, I came up with “my” 3-legged stool of evangelism (telling the good news) training:
I was delighted to see that our Synod is trying to also say somewhat the same thing. In a blog with a long title, “‘Relationships, not programs’: Youth Ministry shares research on young adults” (https://blogs.lcms.org/2018/relationships-not-programs-youth-ministry-shares-research-on-young-adults), Cheryl Magness reported on a symposium held this January in St. Louis and shared the following information:
Factors that were identified in the LCMS study as positively influencing retention [of millenials] included:
When [2,000 young adults, ages 18-35, that have at some point had a connection to the LCMS were] asked who has had the greatest influence on them spiritually, they responded as follows:
The majority of respondents in the Young Adult survey (around 1,400) are still active members of LCMS congregations. Commonly reported factors in this group were:
I invite feedback to hear what you think of the article and its findings. And I have some questions for us to ponder: Are we building relationships with our youth (at very young ages) so that they want to come to church with us? Even when it’s hard to do so? (Who’s the adult and who’s the child?) Parents…how do we talk about church when we are at home with our spouse (children over-hearing the conversation) or with our children…or with our friends?
Probably the best summary statement that comes from the article: “Young people don’t want more to do. They want safety, authenticity and the sacred” (Dr. Kevin Borchers). What do you think?
Your servant in Christ,
Pastor Tim J. Renstrom
Dear Sisters and Brothers in Christ,
I have been very interested in Christian outreach for many years. You know, the commission our Lord and savior has given to all of us: “As you are going, make disciples of all nations…” As a result of that interest, after a significant amount of study, I came up with “my” 3-legged stool of evangelism (telling the good news) training:
- The foundation is the Word of God
- One leg of the stool is prayer
- A second leg of the stool is patience
- And the third leg of the stool is relationships
- All of which, then, give a structure to tell others about Jesus’ love!
I was delighted to see that our Synod is trying to also say somewhat the same thing. In a blog with a long title, “‘Relationships, not programs’: Youth Ministry shares research on young adults” (https://blogs.lcms.org/2018/relationships-not-programs-youth-ministry-shares-research-on-young-adults), Cheryl Magness reported on a symposium held this January in St. Louis and shared the following information:
Factors that were identified in the LCMS study as positively influencing retention [of millenials] included:
- having adults on staff who work with youth (not necessarily paid);
- having a Lutheran school;
- having the same pastor over a long time; and
- involving young people in church leadership.
When [2,000 young adults, ages 18-35, that have at some point had a connection to the LCMS were] asked who has had the greatest influence on them spiritually, they responded as follows:
- 29 percent – parents;
- 13 percent – pastor of home church;
- 12 percent – other family members;
- 12 percent – teacher;
- 11 percent – another pastor; and
- 10 percent – youth minister.
The majority of respondents in the Young Adult survey (around 1,400) are still active members of LCMS congregations. Commonly reported factors in this group were:
- parents who actively practice the faith;
- healthy relationships in which they were comfortable talking with parents about faith and doubts;
- a pastor who showed personal care for them;
- attendance at an LCMS Gathering and/or Lutheran camps;
- remaining geographically close to their home church; and
- involvement in LCMS campus ministry (either a Concordia or another LCMS congregation or campus ministry) during college.
- lack of care for them by their church at a time of crisis;
- feeling that the LCMS is exclusionary, unwelcoming or dismissive, including to them personally;
- disagreeing with the LCMS on social issues;
- lack of support/opportunities for them to get involved;
- preferring a different kind of worship; and
- finding people in the LCMS to be “inauthentic.”
I invite feedback to hear what you think of the article and its findings. And I have some questions for us to ponder: Are we building relationships with our youth (at very young ages) so that they want to come to church with us? Even when it’s hard to do so? (Who’s the adult and who’s the child?) Parents…how do we talk about church when we are at home with our spouse (children over-hearing the conversation) or with our children…or with our friends?
Probably the best summary statement that comes from the article: “Young people don’t want more to do. They want safety, authenticity and the sacred” (Dr. Kevin Borchers). What do you think?
Your servant in Christ,
Pastor Tim J. Renstrom
February 2018
Here’s food for thought! What do you think? Pastor Tim Renstrom
Smelling the Coffee: Seven Sins of a Dying Church by Mike Ruhl
This article first appeared in the August 25, 2006, Mission Moments newsletter from the Center for U.S. Missions. Permission is given to copy this article for distribution within your own congregation. Please credit the author and the Center for U.S. Missions in Irvine, California, www.centerforusmissions.org. For more information, contact the Center at 949-854-8002 x1780.
The Missional Church Consultant was deep in prayer, thanking God for the privilege of studying and coming alongside dozens of congregations, helping them to straighten out priorities, strengthen their missionary zeal and operate with healthy organizational structures. He recalled that the average life span of a Christian congregation in the United States is less than 100 years (somewhat longer in rural areas), and he winced at the alltoo-frequent tendency of dying congregations to deny their own decline and impending death.
He also was deep in prayer because, after months of careful analysis, measurement and interviews, he was convinced that this 78-year-old All Saints congregation was dying. He knew that the congregation leaders could be upset and angry over the specific dysfunctional realities which he had noticed and had imported into his consultation report.
He prayed that God’s people would be guided by the Holy Spirit to repent of these observable “sins” of a dying congregation, catch a new vision for what it truly means to be a “faithful and missional” congregation, and commence on an exciting journey of spiritual renewal.
Barnabas-type missional church consultants (like Thom Rainer of LifeWay Christian Resources) are aware of seven “sins” (common characteristics) of congregations that are in precipitous decline and impending death.
1. Doctrinal Dilution -- One dying church conducted a group “Bible Study” on whether or not non-Christians might go to heaven. After much debate, the conclusion was that God would indeed allow people without faith in Christ into heaven. What a terrible tragedy--diluting biblical doctrine in order to make it “easier” for people to unite with the church! By the way, studies indicate that non-Christians are less likely to attend churches with weak doctrinal beliefs than those with strong ones.
2. Loss of Evangelistic Passion -- It is no surprise that dying churches have little passion to bring the Gospel of Jesus Christ to “lost people.” One study indicates that, when the Senior Pastor either lacks or loses passion for reaching the lost, then the saints of those congregations tend to follow suit.
3. Failure to be Relevant -- Many dying churches are “out of touch” with the trends, values and struggles of people in their mission field. Some are functioning like an 8-track cassette in a DVD world! The opposite extreme is noticeable also, as some dying churches abandon some of the cardinal doctrines of the Christian faith in their quest to be relevant.
4. Few Outwardly-Focused Ministries -- One study of established congregations in the US found that around 95% of the church’s ministries were for the members alone. When churches seek to care and minister only to their own, it can suggest that decline is in motion and death imminent.
5. Conflict over Personal Preferences -- Energy and focus for advancing the Kingdom of God can be consumed by conflicts over building programs, church and school rivalry, preferred worship style, color of paint for a room and type of sanctuary carpeting. Personal preference rigidity can turn some churches into a war zone.
6. The Priority of Comfort -- Can you imagine someone leaving his car outside the garage for a full year just because the remote door opener has dead batteries? Definitive decline often accelerates as members simply will not move beyond their couches of comfort, rather than expend energy becoming uncomfortable in the world outside the walls of the church.
7. Biblical Illiteracy -- Only 3% of US churches have a planned method for instructing their members to learn the Bible in its entirety. Biblical illiteracy can lead churches into disobedience to the Scriptures because people do not know what the Bible says.
Can you identify one or more of these “sins” in your congregation? If that is the case, do not lose hope. Consider inviting a Barnabas-type interventionist (such as your District Mission and Ministry Facilitator, or a consultant team from the Center for United States Missions) into your congregation to help you smell the coffee of ministry realities, repent of “decline and death sins,” vision and plan for missional advance and be renewed in mission through the Holy Spirit and the Word.
Here’s food for thought! What do you think? Pastor Tim Renstrom
Smelling the Coffee: Seven Sins of a Dying Church by Mike Ruhl
This article first appeared in the August 25, 2006, Mission Moments newsletter from the Center for U.S. Missions. Permission is given to copy this article for distribution within your own congregation. Please credit the author and the Center for U.S. Missions in Irvine, California, www.centerforusmissions.org. For more information, contact the Center at 949-854-8002 x1780.
The Missional Church Consultant was deep in prayer, thanking God for the privilege of studying and coming alongside dozens of congregations, helping them to straighten out priorities, strengthen their missionary zeal and operate with healthy organizational structures. He recalled that the average life span of a Christian congregation in the United States is less than 100 years (somewhat longer in rural areas), and he winced at the alltoo-frequent tendency of dying congregations to deny their own decline and impending death.
He also was deep in prayer because, after months of careful analysis, measurement and interviews, he was convinced that this 78-year-old All Saints congregation was dying. He knew that the congregation leaders could be upset and angry over the specific dysfunctional realities which he had noticed and had imported into his consultation report.
He prayed that God’s people would be guided by the Holy Spirit to repent of these observable “sins” of a dying congregation, catch a new vision for what it truly means to be a “faithful and missional” congregation, and commence on an exciting journey of spiritual renewal.
Barnabas-type missional church consultants (like Thom Rainer of LifeWay Christian Resources) are aware of seven “sins” (common characteristics) of congregations that are in precipitous decline and impending death.
1. Doctrinal Dilution -- One dying church conducted a group “Bible Study” on whether or not non-Christians might go to heaven. After much debate, the conclusion was that God would indeed allow people without faith in Christ into heaven. What a terrible tragedy--diluting biblical doctrine in order to make it “easier” for people to unite with the church! By the way, studies indicate that non-Christians are less likely to attend churches with weak doctrinal beliefs than those with strong ones.
2. Loss of Evangelistic Passion -- It is no surprise that dying churches have little passion to bring the Gospel of Jesus Christ to “lost people.” One study indicates that, when the Senior Pastor either lacks or loses passion for reaching the lost, then the saints of those congregations tend to follow suit.
3. Failure to be Relevant -- Many dying churches are “out of touch” with the trends, values and struggles of people in their mission field. Some are functioning like an 8-track cassette in a DVD world! The opposite extreme is noticeable also, as some dying churches abandon some of the cardinal doctrines of the Christian faith in their quest to be relevant.
4. Few Outwardly-Focused Ministries -- One study of established congregations in the US found that around 95% of the church’s ministries were for the members alone. When churches seek to care and minister only to their own, it can suggest that decline is in motion and death imminent.
5. Conflict over Personal Preferences -- Energy and focus for advancing the Kingdom of God can be consumed by conflicts over building programs, church and school rivalry, preferred worship style, color of paint for a room and type of sanctuary carpeting. Personal preference rigidity can turn some churches into a war zone.
6. The Priority of Comfort -- Can you imagine someone leaving his car outside the garage for a full year just because the remote door opener has dead batteries? Definitive decline often accelerates as members simply will not move beyond their couches of comfort, rather than expend energy becoming uncomfortable in the world outside the walls of the church.
7. Biblical Illiteracy -- Only 3% of US churches have a planned method for instructing their members to learn the Bible in its entirety. Biblical illiteracy can lead churches into disobedience to the Scriptures because people do not know what the Bible says.
Can you identify one or more of these “sins” in your congregation? If that is the case, do not lose hope. Consider inviting a Barnabas-type interventionist (such as your District Mission and Ministry Facilitator, or a consultant team from the Center for United States Missions) into your congregation to help you smell the coffee of ministry realities, repent of “decline and death sins,” vision and plan for missional advance and be renewed in mission through the Holy Spirit and the Word.
February 2018 - BONUS
Article for website (adapted from the 2018 annual report for St. John’s)
A Church on the Move
I found this picture somewhere sometime ago...and I found it interesting. It kind of begs the question: Is this your ‘picture’ of a church on the move? The old-timers in the St. John’s Lutheran Church that I serve tell me that their building was moved from Rush Lake into Rush City many years ago like this, with the pastor ringing the bell all the way from the lake to the city lot!
But when I talk about a church on the move, this is not what I have in mind. Let me share a definition of ‘church’ with you, paraphrasing the Rev. Dr. Peter Meier: a church is a group of people who regularly meet for Biblical worship, learning and mission.
Let’s break that down…
God has blessed us with his saving grace. In that saving grace we look forward, seeking where God is leading us, seeking God’s desire. God’s desire is that we are the bride of Christ—the church of Christ. God’s desire is that we are church—a church on the move, following his commission, living in his grace, seeking and saving the lost in his name. In his saving grace, we are just that.
Article for website (adapted from the 2018 annual report for St. John’s)
A Church on the Move
I found this picture somewhere sometime ago...and I found it interesting. It kind of begs the question: Is this your ‘picture’ of a church on the move? The old-timers in the St. John’s Lutheran Church that I serve tell me that their building was moved from Rush Lake into Rush City many years ago like this, with the pastor ringing the bell all the way from the lake to the city lot!
But when I talk about a church on the move, this is not what I have in mind. Let me share a definition of ‘church’ with you, paraphrasing the Rev. Dr. Peter Meier: a church is a group of people who regularly meet for Biblical worship, learning and mission.
Let’s break that down…
- People. Not a building. Not even the organization. But people—breathing, living, hurting, hoping, enjoying, celebrating, struggling, sinning—as they go about their faith-filled lives. People believing the Bible. People believing that they are sinners. People believing the promise of God that they are forgiven because of the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross. People believing that life is worth living because the Son of God died and rose for them. People are the church.
- People who meet. People who regularly gather around Word and Sacrament, receiving God’s grace in Jesus Christ through the Means of Grace—the way which he has promised to give it. This, of course, means that if you do not meet, if you do not regularly gather around Word and Sacrament, you are not church.
- Biblical worship. Worship centered in God’s Word—his law and his gospel, both proclaimed in their respective fullness in word, action and song. Biblical worship is not about style. Biblical worship is about content. That content proclaims what we have failed to do, what we have done that is wrong, and what God has done to set us right, by grace, through faith, to give us life—abundant life here and now and everlasting life in heaven.
- Learning. One of my dad’s quotes is, “You never stop learning. The day you don’t learn something new you’re dead.” I’ve been hearing it for over 60 years! I believe that it’s true about individuals and that it’s also true about organizations—which means it’s also true about church. All of God’s revealed truth is laid out for us in the Bible, but we didn’t learn all of it when we went through confirmation and Sunday School. I’ve been teaching confirmation and Bible studies for well over 20 years—and I learn something new each time I teach; and each time I sit at the feet of a teacher.
- Mission. Matthew 28:18-20: “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me, therefore as you are going, make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all I have commanded you. Behold, I am with you every day, to the end of the age.” Mission—it bears repeating—is assumed in Jesus’ commission to the church before he returned to heaven. Mission is doing something. For the church, those who regularly meet for Biblical worship and learning, our mission is Jesus’ mission: to seek and save the lost. We can be people who meet for Biblical worship and learning, but without mission—are we church?
God has blessed us with his saving grace. In that saving grace we look forward, seeking where God is leading us, seeking God’s desire. God’s desire is that we are the bride of Christ—the church of Christ. God’s desire is that we are church—a church on the move, following his commission, living in his grace, seeking and saving the lost in his name. In his saving grace, we are just that.
January 2018
Dear sisters and brothers in Christ,
On January 21 (location to be announced) we are having a Circuit meeting to discuss Christian mission outreach in the fast growing Isanti area of our Circuit. The following is an article written by the speaker who has been invited to present. I hope you find it informative as you pray about this opportunity. Pastor Tim J. Renstrom
Church Planting for Breakfast
December 20, 2017 - by Peter Meier
I enjoyed breakfast with Ed Stetzer in November.
The Center for United States Missions is a member of Ed's Church Planting Leadership Fellowship, a group of 70 or 80 church planting leaders, who gather several times a year to learn together and to stay on top of what's happening in the church planting world. This year, we met in New York City, at Calvary Baptist Church on West 57th Street.
On one morning, Ed invited leaders of national groups for breakfast. Ed sat with us, engaging in conversation with about other six leaders at our table. After breakfast, he spoke to the larger group of denominational leaders on the future of church planting in North America.
Ed encouraged us to think of church planting strategies like a golf bag filled with various clubs. Each of them is a legitimate option, depending on where your ball lies and its distance from the pin. Four strategies in particular are worth noting.
Traditional.
This is the one most people think of right away when we use the term "church planting." It was the methodology most used 20 or so years ago. Most of us are familiar with calling the planter to gather a core group to start a new church made of already-Christian folks from other churches who want something different than they are getting at their current church. Usually, this includes buying land and erecting a new church building with the idea, "Build it and they will come." It tends to be an expensive venture. Overall the goal is to plant a fast growing church which reaches 200 -500 people within the first three to five years. This is a bit of a caricature, I acknowledge. Ed noted that this is still a legitimate strategy. Multi-site church planting is a type of this strategy.
Missional Incarnational Planting.
This is a much more organic form of planting. It has been popular in the last eight or so years. It was made popular by planters like Neil Cole (Organic Church) and Hugh Halter (BiVo) and others. This model takes longer to develop than the Traditional model, and often requires a bivocational planter/pastor. We have learned that the growth of organic, missional community type churches is very slow. Funding needs to be done differently for this model than for a traditional model, fewer dollars up front, and stretched out over a longer period of time. Missional Community types of church plant cannot merely be populated by people who are disaffected church people. Rather, this type is intended to make new disciples by living life together in community.
House Church Model.
The glamor of this type of church appears to be fading, but don't dismiss this model either. It was over-promised and under-delivered. Often House Churches remain a small group of people who gather together weekly for informal church; it's like a family group. Like the Missional Community model, it is slow-growing, and requires a different funding strategy. Even though the house church is a small group (limited by the house/space in which they meet), it tends to be attractional in the sense that it attracts people who have an affinity for low-structure and organization, and high personal relationships.
Both the Missional Incarnational and House Church models, in order to be successful, require catalytic, apostolic planters -planters who, after establishing the new plant, are always ready to move on to start the next church.
I agree with Ed when he noted that there is no church planting movement among the majority peoples of the western world. The church in the western world tends to be highly organizational and lacking in deep spiritual practices and passion. With a focus on level three church growth (growing larger by adding disciples and disciple-making capacity within the established church), there will be no multiplication movement (level five, the "sending" church).
The fourth model offers great hope, in my opinion. It is a re-emphasis on Ethnic Church Planting. The energy in church planting today is not among anglo churches. The majority of new starts today is not Anglo. It is ethnic (either culture-specific or multi-ethnic) church planting. The deep spirituality and emphasis on reaching new immigrants along with starting new churches to reach 2nd and 3rd generations accounts for significant church planting growth overall.
The fact is that by 2040, we will all be ethnic. There will be no one majority ethnic group. Multi-ethnic church planting will be the norm, particularly in our growing cities and metro areas.
I suggest that a fifth strategy exists, one which is often used today, and is a variant of the missional incarnational model. We call it the gospel outreach ministry strategy. This strategy is not church planting in the traditional sense in that its goal is not to become a chartered congregation. Rather, the goal is to reach new people by establishing relationships around shared interests or needs or location. This becomes the platform for disciple-making and multiplying.
On a higher level, this strategy includes microchurches which develop intentionally as people make disciples and gather for worship, learning and mission. The goal is not to establish a large church numerically, but to establish a group focused on Biblical disciple-making and then multiplying by sending disciples to start new groups or microchurches. In so doing these groups fill every nook and cranny of a target area, establishing the presence of the Kingdom throughout the community.
Breakfast with Ed. It was nourishing, informative, and encouraging!
Stay tuned for more in 2018!
Rev. Dr. Peter Meier is the Executive Director of the Center for United States Missions. You may contact him at peter.meier@cui.edu
Dear sisters and brothers in Christ,
On January 21 (location to be announced) we are having a Circuit meeting to discuss Christian mission outreach in the fast growing Isanti area of our Circuit. The following is an article written by the speaker who has been invited to present. I hope you find it informative as you pray about this opportunity. Pastor Tim J. Renstrom
Church Planting for Breakfast
December 20, 2017 - by Peter Meier
I enjoyed breakfast with Ed Stetzer in November.
The Center for United States Missions is a member of Ed's Church Planting Leadership Fellowship, a group of 70 or 80 church planting leaders, who gather several times a year to learn together and to stay on top of what's happening in the church planting world. This year, we met in New York City, at Calvary Baptist Church on West 57th Street.
On one morning, Ed invited leaders of national groups for breakfast. Ed sat with us, engaging in conversation with about other six leaders at our table. After breakfast, he spoke to the larger group of denominational leaders on the future of church planting in North America.
Ed encouraged us to think of church planting strategies like a golf bag filled with various clubs. Each of them is a legitimate option, depending on where your ball lies and its distance from the pin. Four strategies in particular are worth noting.
Traditional.
This is the one most people think of right away when we use the term "church planting." It was the methodology most used 20 or so years ago. Most of us are familiar with calling the planter to gather a core group to start a new church made of already-Christian folks from other churches who want something different than they are getting at their current church. Usually, this includes buying land and erecting a new church building with the idea, "Build it and they will come." It tends to be an expensive venture. Overall the goal is to plant a fast growing church which reaches 200 -500 people within the first three to five years. This is a bit of a caricature, I acknowledge. Ed noted that this is still a legitimate strategy. Multi-site church planting is a type of this strategy.
Missional Incarnational Planting.
This is a much more organic form of planting. It has been popular in the last eight or so years. It was made popular by planters like Neil Cole (Organic Church) and Hugh Halter (BiVo) and others. This model takes longer to develop than the Traditional model, and often requires a bivocational planter/pastor. We have learned that the growth of organic, missional community type churches is very slow. Funding needs to be done differently for this model than for a traditional model, fewer dollars up front, and stretched out over a longer period of time. Missional Community types of church plant cannot merely be populated by people who are disaffected church people. Rather, this type is intended to make new disciples by living life together in community.
House Church Model.
The glamor of this type of church appears to be fading, but don't dismiss this model either. It was over-promised and under-delivered. Often House Churches remain a small group of people who gather together weekly for informal church; it's like a family group. Like the Missional Community model, it is slow-growing, and requires a different funding strategy. Even though the house church is a small group (limited by the house/space in which they meet), it tends to be attractional in the sense that it attracts people who have an affinity for low-structure and organization, and high personal relationships.
Both the Missional Incarnational and House Church models, in order to be successful, require catalytic, apostolic planters -planters who, after establishing the new plant, are always ready to move on to start the next church.
I agree with Ed when he noted that there is no church planting movement among the majority peoples of the western world. The church in the western world tends to be highly organizational and lacking in deep spiritual practices and passion. With a focus on level three church growth (growing larger by adding disciples and disciple-making capacity within the established church), there will be no multiplication movement (level five, the "sending" church).
The fourth model offers great hope, in my opinion. It is a re-emphasis on Ethnic Church Planting. The energy in church planting today is not among anglo churches. The majority of new starts today is not Anglo. It is ethnic (either culture-specific or multi-ethnic) church planting. The deep spirituality and emphasis on reaching new immigrants along with starting new churches to reach 2nd and 3rd generations accounts for significant church planting growth overall.
The fact is that by 2040, we will all be ethnic. There will be no one majority ethnic group. Multi-ethnic church planting will be the norm, particularly in our growing cities and metro areas.
I suggest that a fifth strategy exists, one which is often used today, and is a variant of the missional incarnational model. We call it the gospel outreach ministry strategy. This strategy is not church planting in the traditional sense in that its goal is not to become a chartered congregation. Rather, the goal is to reach new people by establishing relationships around shared interests or needs or location. This becomes the platform for disciple-making and multiplying.
On a higher level, this strategy includes microchurches which develop intentionally as people make disciples and gather for worship, learning and mission. The goal is not to establish a large church numerically, but to establish a group focused on Biblical disciple-making and then multiplying by sending disciples to start new groups or microchurches. In so doing these groups fill every nook and cranny of a target area, establishing the presence of the Kingdom throughout the community.
Breakfast with Ed. It was nourishing, informative, and encouraging!
Stay tuned for more in 2018!
Rev. Dr. Peter Meier is the Executive Director of the Center for United States Missions. You may contact him at peter.meier@cui.edu
December 2017
God said, “I have indeed seen the misery of my people...I have heard them crying out...and I am concerned about their suffering.
So I have come down to rescue them.” (Exodus 3:7 NIV)
“So now, go. I am sending you.” (Exodus 3:10)
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year
from Pastor Tim and Char Renstrom!
God said, “I have indeed seen the misery of my people...I have heard them crying out...and I am concerned about their suffering.
So I have come down to rescue them.” (Exodus 3:7 NIV)
“So now, go. I am sending you.” (Exodus 3:10)
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year
from Pastor Tim and Char Renstrom!
November 2017
500 years
Lutherans should be well aware that this year, on October 31, 2017, we mark the 500th anniversary of the start of what has simply become known as the “Reformation”. We Christians most often focus on the reformation of the heretical teachings of the medieval Christian Church. We also recall that, at the turn of the 21st century, Martin Luther was identified by many as one of the top 5 most influential people during the last millennium for his work not only in theology, but also education, society and politics.
It all started with a monk, turned priest, turned college professor, who was frustrated by the money making actions of the leadership of his Church.
Of course, for Luther, it wasn’t just the heavy-handed stewardship tactics being used—it was the fact that it was taught, contrary to what God says, that people could buy their way into forgiveness of sin, salvation from hell, and eternal life in heaven through special indulgences. He knew that the Bible proclaimed the forgiveness of sins, salvation and eternal life to sinners, such as us, by grace (a free gift that delights the giver and receiver), by faith (believing, living, and confessing God’s promise is for ‘me’), because of the life, suffering, death and resurrection of Jesus.
And so Luther posted 95 Theses—points of argument—on the castle church door at Wittenberg on that All Saints (All Hallows) Eve in 1517. God used this simple action to start a reformation that continues through this day. Our churches teach this same simple faith: We are saved by ‘Faith Alone, Grace Alone, only because of the work of Jesus, as proclaimed in the Bible Alone.’
Many of us can likely quote—or think we can quote—Martin Luther’s famous saying, “Here I stand. I can do no other. God help me!” This quote comes at the Diet (assembly) of Worms in April of 1521. The full quote is more substantial. Translated into English goes like:
Unless I am convinced by the testimonies of the Holy Scriptures or evident reason (for I believe neither in the Pope nor councils alone, since it has been established that they have often erred and contradicted themselves), I am bound by the Scriptures adduced [reasoned] by me, and my conscience has been taken captive by the Word of God, and I am neither able nor willing to recant, since it is neither safe nor right to act against conscience. God help me. Amen. (Schwiebert, Luther and His Times, © CPH 1950, p. 504)
Or, as Kittelson, in Luther the Reformer, quotes it:
Unless I can be instructed and convinced with evidence from the Holy Scriptures or with open, clear, and distinct grounds and reasoning—and my conscience is captive to the Word of God—then I cannot and will not recant, because it is neither safe nor wise to act against conscience.
He then added, “Here I stand. I can do no other. God help me! Amen.” (© Augsburg 1986, p. 161)
And, finally, in Life of Luther, Julius Köstlin writes that, after Luther said that it was unwise to act against conscience, a few more words were exchanged with Eck (the official of the Archbishop of Treves) before Luther “concluded with the famous words: ‘Here I stand, I can do no otherwise. God help me. Amen.’” (© Charles Scribner’s Sons, 1933, p. 240)
So why am I doing all the quoting? It’s not intended to bore you, even if it has had that effect! The repetition is to drive home the point that our namesake stood on the Word of God—the Bible and the Jesus proclaimed therein—and only on it. He was willing to stake his life on it…and for the rest of his life, until he died in February of 1546, he was, as declared by the Emperor and the Church, an outlaw who could be killed at anytime without repercussion. Still, he stood only on the Word of God.
If it’s that important that a man would put that much emphasis on it, perhaps we, who carry the Luther tradition, ought to do the same? But how many of us take our Bibles off the bookshelves each morning and each evening? How many of us are familiar enough with it that we can find Genesis without looking in the Table of Contents? Or Matthew? Or the Christmas story? Or Romans? Or Galatians? Or Psalms? How many of us can name the Patriarchs? How many of us can find and tell the story of the exodus? Or the first Passover? Or the Last Supper?
It is not expected that we would each be Bible scholars. But, since our faith is built on the foundation of the Bible, it would seem reasonable that each of us, according to the grace given to us by the Holy Spirit, should have a basic familiarity with the foundation—at least as much familiarity with it as we have with our own neighborhood. After all, knowing our neighborhood only gets us to our earthly home. The Bible, God’s Holy Scripture, gets us to our eternal home!
Good news! If you are feeling discouraged because you don’t think you can find John in your Bible, or because you feel you don’t have enough time to open yours and read a verse or two a day, or you just haven’t done so for so-o-o long—our salvation isn’t dependent on our works! We are saved because of the work of Jesus! We are forgiven all of our sin! And we get to start fresh each day. Tonight we can start to read the Scriptures anew! (I suggest Mark, if you want a Gospel that reads quickly. Or Luke, to give you a ‘leg up’ on the Christmas story as we look forward to Advent. Or…well, you can’t go wrong, God is a great writer wherever you start!) The Holy Spirit brings us back into the focus of the faith he has given us as we are moved to read God’s Word.
500 years. 500 years of starting over, again and again with the Word, knowing that we are saved by grace, through faith, because of the work of Jesus.
500 years
Lutherans should be well aware that this year, on October 31, 2017, we mark the 500th anniversary of the start of what has simply become known as the “Reformation”. We Christians most often focus on the reformation of the heretical teachings of the medieval Christian Church. We also recall that, at the turn of the 21st century, Martin Luther was identified by many as one of the top 5 most influential people during the last millennium for his work not only in theology, but also education, society and politics.
It all started with a monk, turned priest, turned college professor, who was frustrated by the money making actions of the leadership of his Church.
Of course, for Luther, it wasn’t just the heavy-handed stewardship tactics being used—it was the fact that it was taught, contrary to what God says, that people could buy their way into forgiveness of sin, salvation from hell, and eternal life in heaven through special indulgences. He knew that the Bible proclaimed the forgiveness of sins, salvation and eternal life to sinners, such as us, by grace (a free gift that delights the giver and receiver), by faith (believing, living, and confessing God’s promise is for ‘me’), because of the life, suffering, death and resurrection of Jesus.
And so Luther posted 95 Theses—points of argument—on the castle church door at Wittenberg on that All Saints (All Hallows) Eve in 1517. God used this simple action to start a reformation that continues through this day. Our churches teach this same simple faith: We are saved by ‘Faith Alone, Grace Alone, only because of the work of Jesus, as proclaimed in the Bible Alone.’
Many of us can likely quote—or think we can quote—Martin Luther’s famous saying, “Here I stand. I can do no other. God help me!” This quote comes at the Diet (assembly) of Worms in April of 1521. The full quote is more substantial. Translated into English goes like:
Unless I am convinced by the testimonies of the Holy Scriptures or evident reason (for I believe neither in the Pope nor councils alone, since it has been established that they have often erred and contradicted themselves), I am bound by the Scriptures adduced [reasoned] by me, and my conscience has been taken captive by the Word of God, and I am neither able nor willing to recant, since it is neither safe nor right to act against conscience. God help me. Amen. (Schwiebert, Luther and His Times, © CPH 1950, p. 504)
Or, as Kittelson, in Luther the Reformer, quotes it:
Unless I can be instructed and convinced with evidence from the Holy Scriptures or with open, clear, and distinct grounds and reasoning—and my conscience is captive to the Word of God—then I cannot and will not recant, because it is neither safe nor wise to act against conscience.
He then added, “Here I stand. I can do no other. God help me! Amen.” (© Augsburg 1986, p. 161)
And, finally, in Life of Luther, Julius Köstlin writes that, after Luther said that it was unwise to act against conscience, a few more words were exchanged with Eck (the official of the Archbishop of Treves) before Luther “concluded with the famous words: ‘Here I stand, I can do no otherwise. God help me. Amen.’” (© Charles Scribner’s Sons, 1933, p. 240)
So why am I doing all the quoting? It’s not intended to bore you, even if it has had that effect! The repetition is to drive home the point that our namesake stood on the Word of God—the Bible and the Jesus proclaimed therein—and only on it. He was willing to stake his life on it…and for the rest of his life, until he died in February of 1546, he was, as declared by the Emperor and the Church, an outlaw who could be killed at anytime without repercussion. Still, he stood only on the Word of God.
If it’s that important that a man would put that much emphasis on it, perhaps we, who carry the Luther tradition, ought to do the same? But how many of us take our Bibles off the bookshelves each morning and each evening? How many of us are familiar enough with it that we can find Genesis without looking in the Table of Contents? Or Matthew? Or the Christmas story? Or Romans? Or Galatians? Or Psalms? How many of us can name the Patriarchs? How many of us can find and tell the story of the exodus? Or the first Passover? Or the Last Supper?
It is not expected that we would each be Bible scholars. But, since our faith is built on the foundation of the Bible, it would seem reasonable that each of us, according to the grace given to us by the Holy Spirit, should have a basic familiarity with the foundation—at least as much familiarity with it as we have with our own neighborhood. After all, knowing our neighborhood only gets us to our earthly home. The Bible, God’s Holy Scripture, gets us to our eternal home!
Good news! If you are feeling discouraged because you don’t think you can find John in your Bible, or because you feel you don’t have enough time to open yours and read a verse or two a day, or you just haven’t done so for so-o-o long—our salvation isn’t dependent on our works! We are saved because of the work of Jesus! We are forgiven all of our sin! And we get to start fresh each day. Tonight we can start to read the Scriptures anew! (I suggest Mark, if you want a Gospel that reads quickly. Or Luke, to give you a ‘leg up’ on the Christmas story as we look forward to Advent. Or…well, you can’t go wrong, God is a great writer wherever you start!) The Holy Spirit brings us back into the focus of the faith he has given us as we are moved to read God’s Word.
500 years. 500 years of starting over, again and again with the Word, knowing that we are saved by grace, through faith, because of the work of Jesus.
October 2017
Looking the Right Way
The doctrine of creation points Christians back into their own lives to see in them the will and purposes of God. Within the brokenness of human lives God still works his ways and wills that his human creatures be his believing and obedient people. To live such a life in faith and in love is to confess that God is one’s own Creator and, moreover, that he creates us and sustains us out of pure love and goodness “as a kind father who cares for us so that no evil may befall us” (LC II, 17). To confess God the Creator in this way is no less difficult than to confess God as the Savior who will raise his children up from the dead. For in both cases one must see the good and gracious God under the sufferings of cross and death. The doctrine of creation, therefore, does not remain “at the beginning” but necessarily includes also the re-creating work of Christ and the coming of the Holy Spirit, active at the beginning, and still present through Word and Sacrament in the lives of God’s people. (Confessing the Gospel: A Lutheran Approach to Systematic Theology. Editor Samuel H. Nafzger, CPH, 2017. Volume One, pp. 125-6)
In the beginning…
God …
created…
Such simple words. So hard to believe...so hard to comprehend…at least for many people! And yet so fundamental to saving faith.
As many of you know, Char and I just returned from vacation (thanks for giving us the time to do that!). And, as some of you know, we spent part of it at the Creation Museum and Ark Encounter in northern Kentucky (just south of Cincinnati). It was time well spent. We highly recommend people visit it (we spent about 3 hours at the Creation Museum and 4 at the Ark Encounter). I hope that I can create some enthusiasm and excitement among our members so that we can organize a group tour to the sites…at least of ‘confirmation’ students!
But back to the main thread…this doctrine, this teaching of basic faith is critical in our understanding of saving faith. As the quote above points out “[it] necessarily includes also the re-creating work of Christ and the coming of the Holy Spirit.” This teaching does not stand alone as a doctrine we can choose to believe, or choose to throw away. To throw it away is a quick step down the slippery slope that leads to unbelief…that leaves us damned to Hell in our sins.
In the beginning, God creates our ancestors purposely and lovingly, without sin, with the ability to remain without sin. Things were perfect in a way that our sin-shadowed minds cannot conceive. They were the crown of God’s work, given the responsibility to care for and rule over God’s creative work as stewards manage the sty for the owner. In six days (the seventh he rested), God made all that we see: light, earth, waters—and separation of waters, green stuff (technical term!), sun, stars, moon, birds, livestock, and creepy crawly things (another technical term!), and…finally, man and woman. As the apostle John tells us, the Word made this—the Word who became flesh to dwell among us, to remove our sin through his sacrificial death on the cross and resurrection from the grave—the Word whose name is Jesus. And, going back to Genesis, the “Spirit hovered over the waters”, the same faith-giving Spirit who comes to the disciples on Pentecost, who comes to us through Baptism and the spoken Word to give us faith to believe the promise of God to us in Jesus that “whoever believes in him shall not perish, but will have eternal life.”
We perish, because we sin. Adam and Eve disobeyed God by eating from the forbidden tree. We inherited that trait, and we also disobey, for in our natural state we can now do no other than sin. We struggle to believe God has it all under control. We want to think that we can take care of things—at least certain things, part of the time. Many struggle to believe all of this was created by a caring and loving God who still purposely and carefully keeps it all going, despite our sin.
Into this reality God came in the flesh—Jesus. Into this reality Jesus came to us in Baptism. Into this reality our sin is removed. Into this reality the Holy Spirit works faith in us to believe that this truth—in spite of our skepticism—is saving truth, and we are forgiven—saved. In this saving truth we are turned to look the right way, to the saving God who, in the beginning, created us.
Looking the Right Way
The doctrine of creation points Christians back into their own lives to see in them the will and purposes of God. Within the brokenness of human lives God still works his ways and wills that his human creatures be his believing and obedient people. To live such a life in faith and in love is to confess that God is one’s own Creator and, moreover, that he creates us and sustains us out of pure love and goodness “as a kind father who cares for us so that no evil may befall us” (LC II, 17). To confess God the Creator in this way is no less difficult than to confess God as the Savior who will raise his children up from the dead. For in both cases one must see the good and gracious God under the sufferings of cross and death. The doctrine of creation, therefore, does not remain “at the beginning” but necessarily includes also the re-creating work of Christ and the coming of the Holy Spirit, active at the beginning, and still present through Word and Sacrament in the lives of God’s people. (Confessing the Gospel: A Lutheran Approach to Systematic Theology. Editor Samuel H. Nafzger, CPH, 2017. Volume One, pp. 125-6)
In the beginning…
God …
created…
Such simple words. So hard to believe...so hard to comprehend…at least for many people! And yet so fundamental to saving faith.
As many of you know, Char and I just returned from vacation (thanks for giving us the time to do that!). And, as some of you know, we spent part of it at the Creation Museum and Ark Encounter in northern Kentucky (just south of Cincinnati). It was time well spent. We highly recommend people visit it (we spent about 3 hours at the Creation Museum and 4 at the Ark Encounter). I hope that I can create some enthusiasm and excitement among our members so that we can organize a group tour to the sites…at least of ‘confirmation’ students!
But back to the main thread…this doctrine, this teaching of basic faith is critical in our understanding of saving faith. As the quote above points out “[it] necessarily includes also the re-creating work of Christ and the coming of the Holy Spirit.” This teaching does not stand alone as a doctrine we can choose to believe, or choose to throw away. To throw it away is a quick step down the slippery slope that leads to unbelief…that leaves us damned to Hell in our sins.
In the beginning, God creates our ancestors purposely and lovingly, without sin, with the ability to remain without sin. Things were perfect in a way that our sin-shadowed minds cannot conceive. They were the crown of God’s work, given the responsibility to care for and rule over God’s creative work as stewards manage the sty for the owner. In six days (the seventh he rested), God made all that we see: light, earth, waters—and separation of waters, green stuff (technical term!), sun, stars, moon, birds, livestock, and creepy crawly things (another technical term!), and…finally, man and woman. As the apostle John tells us, the Word made this—the Word who became flesh to dwell among us, to remove our sin through his sacrificial death on the cross and resurrection from the grave—the Word whose name is Jesus. And, going back to Genesis, the “Spirit hovered over the waters”, the same faith-giving Spirit who comes to the disciples on Pentecost, who comes to us through Baptism and the spoken Word to give us faith to believe the promise of God to us in Jesus that “whoever believes in him shall not perish, but will have eternal life.”
We perish, because we sin. Adam and Eve disobeyed God by eating from the forbidden tree. We inherited that trait, and we also disobey, for in our natural state we can now do no other than sin. We struggle to believe God has it all under control. We want to think that we can take care of things—at least certain things, part of the time. Many struggle to believe all of this was created by a caring and loving God who still purposely and carefully keeps it all going, despite our sin.
Into this reality God came in the flesh—Jesus. Into this reality Jesus came to us in Baptism. Into this reality our sin is removed. Into this reality the Holy Spirit works faith in us to believe that this truth—in spite of our skepticism—is saving truth, and we are forgiven—saved. In this saving truth we are turned to look the right way, to the saving God who, in the beginning, created us.
September 2017
Dear Sisters and Brothers in Christ,
The following was a post I found on the internet…http://concordiatheology.org/2017/06/six-elephants-in-the-room/. I found it interesting and thought provoking as we consider how to proclaim and live the Gospel to/in the culture in which we found ourselves. As a side note, Dr. Raabe was one of my Old Testament professors when I went to seminary. Please, let me know what you think. Your servant in Christ, Pastor Tim J. Renstrom (The underlining below is not part of the original text. I added it in an effort to clarify.)
Posted June 16, 2017 by Paul Raabe in Blog, Feature on CSL Homepage 5297
Six Elephants in the Room
Imagine seeing six elephants in one area. Such mammoth creatures would dominate that particular setting. This image comes to mind when I think of the challenges we face in the U.S. in 2017, challenges that are interconnected.
Elephant 1. The challenge of a geographical mismatch by which most congregations and schools of the LCMS are located in the middle of the country and in rural areas but most of the population lives on the two coasts and in huge metro areas.
Elephant 2. The challenge of the multi-ethnic population in the U.S., of reaching and attracting Hispanics, Africans, and Asians into our predominately Caucasian congregations.
Elephant 3. The challenge of non-church-attendance. Surveys reveal that on any given Sunday only 18% of the U.S. attends a church. There are numerous reasons why over 80% do not attend, but in the end most Americans are simply not “into” church. As Robert Putnam would put it, they go “bowling alone.” [In his book Bowling Alone, Putnam draws on evidence including nearly 500,000 interviews over the last quarter century to show that we sign fewer petitions, belong to fewer organizations that meet, know our neighbors less, meet with friends less frequently, and even socialize with our families less often. We’re even bowling alone. More Americans are bowling than ever before, but they are not bowling in leagues. Putnam shows how changes in work, family structure, age, suburban life, television, computers, women’s roles and other factors have contributed to this decline. (From http://bowlingalone.com/)]
Elephant 4. The challenge of working in a multi-religious environment not only with non-Christian religions but also with many different versions of Christianity. For example, liberal churches typically substitute a radical-left ideology of inclusivity for the biblical gospel. Prosperity groups substitute the demand for “health, wealth, and happiness” from heaven for the biblical gospel. The Americans we seek to evangelize are not tabula rasa [blank slates—minds with no preconceived opinions]. They already have preconceived notions about Christianity, notions that are typically distortions of the Christian faith and life.
Elephant 5. The challenge of biblical illiteracy among church-going Christians. Surveys indicate the prevalence of biblical illiteracy, especially when it comes to Moses and the Prophets but also concerning the Gospels and Epistles. Many Christians cannot speak and think in biblical ways; they only know a few biblical soundbites. Along with this goes an unfamiliarity with theology and doctrine, for Lutherans, an unfamiliarity with the Small Catechism not to mention the Large Catechism.
Elephant 6. The challenge of living in a Christian way in this time and place. What writes the script for non-Christians writes the script for many Christians as well, dominant influences such as the entertainment industry, social media, corporate America, radical individual autonomy, and popular ideologies. As a result, the actual life of many Christians differs very little from that of non-Christians.
Every generation is called to be faithful in its own time and place, to confess the truth of the gospel (Galatians 2:5), to teach the written Word of God in its truth and purity (2 Timothy 2:15; 3:15-17), to walk in the ways of the Lord (Isaiah 2), to proclaim repentance unto the forgiveness of sins to all nations (Luke 24:44-49). With such huge, overwhelming, elephant-like challenges facing us, we are tempted to lift up our hands and cry out in utter despair, “What’s the point?” But it is 2017 anno domini, in the year of the Lord. Jesus the Messiah, crucified and risen for all, is Lord. Therefore our labor in his name is not in vain.
Are there other elephants in the picture? What elephants do you see in your context?
Dear Sisters and Brothers in Christ,
The following was a post I found on the internet…http://concordiatheology.org/2017/06/six-elephants-in-the-room/. I found it interesting and thought provoking as we consider how to proclaim and live the Gospel to/in the culture in which we found ourselves. As a side note, Dr. Raabe was one of my Old Testament professors when I went to seminary. Please, let me know what you think. Your servant in Christ, Pastor Tim J. Renstrom (The underlining below is not part of the original text. I added it in an effort to clarify.)
Posted June 16, 2017 by Paul Raabe in Blog, Feature on CSL Homepage 5297
Six Elephants in the Room
Imagine seeing six elephants in one area. Such mammoth creatures would dominate that particular setting. This image comes to mind when I think of the challenges we face in the U.S. in 2017, challenges that are interconnected.
Elephant 1. The challenge of a geographical mismatch by which most congregations and schools of the LCMS are located in the middle of the country and in rural areas but most of the population lives on the two coasts and in huge metro areas.
Elephant 2. The challenge of the multi-ethnic population in the U.S., of reaching and attracting Hispanics, Africans, and Asians into our predominately Caucasian congregations.
Elephant 3. The challenge of non-church-attendance. Surveys reveal that on any given Sunday only 18% of the U.S. attends a church. There are numerous reasons why over 80% do not attend, but in the end most Americans are simply not “into” church. As Robert Putnam would put it, they go “bowling alone.” [In his book Bowling Alone, Putnam draws on evidence including nearly 500,000 interviews over the last quarter century to show that we sign fewer petitions, belong to fewer organizations that meet, know our neighbors less, meet with friends less frequently, and even socialize with our families less often. We’re even bowling alone. More Americans are bowling than ever before, but they are not bowling in leagues. Putnam shows how changes in work, family structure, age, suburban life, television, computers, women’s roles and other factors have contributed to this decline. (From http://bowlingalone.com/)]
Elephant 4. The challenge of working in a multi-religious environment not only with non-Christian religions but also with many different versions of Christianity. For example, liberal churches typically substitute a radical-left ideology of inclusivity for the biblical gospel. Prosperity groups substitute the demand for “health, wealth, and happiness” from heaven for the biblical gospel. The Americans we seek to evangelize are not tabula rasa [blank slates—minds with no preconceived opinions]. They already have preconceived notions about Christianity, notions that are typically distortions of the Christian faith and life.
Elephant 5. The challenge of biblical illiteracy among church-going Christians. Surveys indicate the prevalence of biblical illiteracy, especially when it comes to Moses and the Prophets but also concerning the Gospels and Epistles. Many Christians cannot speak and think in biblical ways; they only know a few biblical soundbites. Along with this goes an unfamiliarity with theology and doctrine, for Lutherans, an unfamiliarity with the Small Catechism not to mention the Large Catechism.
Elephant 6. The challenge of living in a Christian way in this time and place. What writes the script for non-Christians writes the script for many Christians as well, dominant influences such as the entertainment industry, social media, corporate America, radical individual autonomy, and popular ideologies. As a result, the actual life of many Christians differs very little from that of non-Christians.
Every generation is called to be faithful in its own time and place, to confess the truth of the gospel (Galatians 2:5), to teach the written Word of God in its truth and purity (2 Timothy 2:15; 3:15-17), to walk in the ways of the Lord (Isaiah 2), to proclaim repentance unto the forgiveness of sins to all nations (Luke 24:44-49). With such huge, overwhelming, elephant-like challenges facing us, we are tempted to lift up our hands and cry out in utter despair, “What’s the point?” But it is 2017 anno domini, in the year of the Lord. Jesus the Messiah, crucified and risen for all, is Lord. Therefore our labor in his name is not in vain.
Are there other elephants in the picture? What elephants do you see in your context?
August 2017
Living in Conflict
Conflict seems to have become a normal way of life. At least that’s the way it appears as we look at life around us! Nations seem in constant conflict with each other: If it isn’t North Korea this week, it’s France or Venezuela or some other country that either has offended us. Or we have offended them! And it’s not just nation vs. nation! Politicians seem to have ‘cornered the market’ on conflict! When was the last time you noticed the men and women we have elected to lead do anything except scrap like 3 year-olds over the same ‘favorite’ toy? Nor do we need to look that far away; neighbors, families, husbands and wives also all seem to have fallen into the pattern of constant conflict. So, is it normal? Is it really new?
Yes, it’s normal. No, it’s not new. Ever since Eve and Adam ate that fateful fruit in the Garden of Eden and brought sin into our world, we’ve had conflict. The first brothers, Cain and Abel had conflict that led to the first murder, not long after the Creation of all things. It’s not new, and yet it seems that it’s the ‘new’ normal.
The ‘new’ normal: it’s not what we were created to be…and it’s not the condition God desires us to be in. But it’s who we are and what we do. Still, St. Paul tells us, “Aim for restoration, comfort one another, agree with one another, live in peace” (2 Corinthians 13:11 ESV). We are to care for each other and figure out how to solve our disagreements without being disagreeable. But how do we do that in a world that increasingly makes its living with ‘shock-jocks’?
The first rule in resolving conflict is that all sides have to want to resolve the conflict. Sounds simple enough. But it’s not as simple as it sounds! I have to want to resolve the conflict more than I want to hang onto my position—and all parties involved have to want this. And this is where negotiating resolution to conflict usually fails: one or more parties do not see a benefit to stop ‘warring’.
And how do we get to this attitude? For the secular world there is a cost/benefit ratio that needs to be struck. For the Christian in faith, it should come by our new spiritual nature. The Christian has been called by the Good News that Jesus has “broken down the dividing wall of hostility” (Ephesians 2:14) between God and man by His death on the cross and resurrection from the grave. We are no longer at war with God, because God has declared peace between us and Him on account of the work of Jesus. So we no longer have a reason to be at war…with God or with each other. How do we get this attitude? It is given to us through the Word. It is given to us through the Sacraments of Baptism and the Lord’s Supper. We receive it by grace, through faith, when God forgives our sins in confession and absolution. All of these are fancy ways of saying that those who believe in Jesus get this attitude as a gift from God.
So why is there still conflict between Christians? Because we reject God’s work. We remain selfish and self-centered. It’s wrong. It’s sinful. And again, the solution is the cross of Jesus! Always!
Rev. Tim J. Renstrom
Living in Conflict
Conflict seems to have become a normal way of life. At least that’s the way it appears as we look at life around us! Nations seem in constant conflict with each other: If it isn’t North Korea this week, it’s France or Venezuela or some other country that either has offended us. Or we have offended them! And it’s not just nation vs. nation! Politicians seem to have ‘cornered the market’ on conflict! When was the last time you noticed the men and women we have elected to lead do anything except scrap like 3 year-olds over the same ‘favorite’ toy? Nor do we need to look that far away; neighbors, families, husbands and wives also all seem to have fallen into the pattern of constant conflict. So, is it normal? Is it really new?
Yes, it’s normal. No, it’s not new. Ever since Eve and Adam ate that fateful fruit in the Garden of Eden and brought sin into our world, we’ve had conflict. The first brothers, Cain and Abel had conflict that led to the first murder, not long after the Creation of all things. It’s not new, and yet it seems that it’s the ‘new’ normal.
The ‘new’ normal: it’s not what we were created to be…and it’s not the condition God desires us to be in. But it’s who we are and what we do. Still, St. Paul tells us, “Aim for restoration, comfort one another, agree with one another, live in peace” (2 Corinthians 13:11 ESV). We are to care for each other and figure out how to solve our disagreements without being disagreeable. But how do we do that in a world that increasingly makes its living with ‘shock-jocks’?
The first rule in resolving conflict is that all sides have to want to resolve the conflict. Sounds simple enough. But it’s not as simple as it sounds! I have to want to resolve the conflict more than I want to hang onto my position—and all parties involved have to want this. And this is where negotiating resolution to conflict usually fails: one or more parties do not see a benefit to stop ‘warring’.
And how do we get to this attitude? For the secular world there is a cost/benefit ratio that needs to be struck. For the Christian in faith, it should come by our new spiritual nature. The Christian has been called by the Good News that Jesus has “broken down the dividing wall of hostility” (Ephesians 2:14) between God and man by His death on the cross and resurrection from the grave. We are no longer at war with God, because God has declared peace between us and Him on account of the work of Jesus. So we no longer have a reason to be at war…with God or with each other. How do we get this attitude? It is given to us through the Word. It is given to us through the Sacraments of Baptism and the Lord’s Supper. We receive it by grace, through faith, when God forgives our sins in confession and absolution. All of these are fancy ways of saying that those who believe in Jesus get this attitude as a gift from God.
So why is there still conflict between Christians? Because we reject God’s work. We remain selfish and self-centered. It’s wrong. It’s sinful. And again, the solution is the cross of Jesus! Always!
Rev. Tim J. Renstrom
July 2017
Again…something I found very interesting. This is from Pastor Greg Finke’s blog. Some of us have or are working through his training on how to be an everyday missionary…May God bless your study. Pastor Tim J. Renstrom
My Small Part of God's Great Big Mission
Greg Finke
June 12, 2017
"What difference can I make?"
As I talk with people across the country, I find that one of the biggest reasons people shrink back from getting up and getting started with joining Jesus on his mission is that the mission itself seems overwhelming.
And it is.
After all, the mission of God is global in its scope. It is by definition massive. It includes every person in every community in every nation. As I write this, there are approximately 7.2 billion people spread out over 57.3 million square miles on the face of the earth. How in the world can our small lives make a difference when the mission of God is so enormous?
Well, hold on there. Before we give up, let’s do some math. You see, while there are 7.2 billion people on the face of the earth, 2.2 billion of them are baptized Christians. That leaves 5 billion unbaptized people. Still overwhelming, right? But if we do the math, do you know how many unbaptized people there are per Christian on earth? Not millions or thousands or even dozens. There are two.
Five billion unbaptized people divided by 2.2 billion baptized people is roughly two people each. Millions or thousands or even dozens would be overwhelming. Two is not. Two is doable. Looks like Jesus’ overwhelming mission isn’t so overwhelming after all. All that needs to happen is for each of us to take up our very small part of his great big mission.
You see, the scope of God’s mission is, indeed, global. It is as massive and expansive as the earth and everyone in it. But the focus of God’s mission is radically local and radically personal. We don’t start with the whole earth. We start with our nearest unbaptized neighbor or friend. We can’t win the world for Christ until we meet our neighbor who needs Christ. So, what’s their name? What’s their story? As simple as it sounds, getting to know and offering friendship to one or two of them is how we engage the massive, global mission of God. And if each of the 2.2 billion Christians on the face of the earth took up their small part? Wow…
Imagine 2.2 billion Christians taking the next year and starting to get to know and offer friendship to one or two of the unbaptized people nearby? What if we stopped being overwhelmed by the 4,999,999,998 unbaptized people who we don’t know and started to invest in the one or two who are already nearby? The magazine “Christianity Today” recently reported that in the U.S. 20% of unchristian people don’t know even one Christian personally. Is it because no Christians live nearby or work alongside them? Is it because no Christians hang out at the same coffeehouses or brew houses? Is it because no Christians work out at the same gym or have kids in the same school? Hmm….
But this could change. And easily.
What if all the people in church worshipping Jesus this Sunday went home and did the one thing Jesus gave us to do? What if all the people in church worshipping Jesus this Sunday went home and started loving their neighbor? Not the nations, not the city, not thousands or hundreds, just the few already nearby.
By the way, mission is much easier and a lot more fun when we get to know our neighbor’s name and a little of their story. Fred Rogers, from “Mr. Rogers’ Neighborhood,” used to say, “It’s hard not to like someone once you know their story.” Are you tempted to dislike your neighbor, judge your neighbor, or avoid your neighbor because they are so… whatever you disapprove of? Then draw deeply from the grace God offers you, and invite that neighbor over for a meal. During your time together, have the goal of getting to know a little of their story. Then replace your neighbor in the story with yourself. What would you be like if you had grown up in the environment they had? What would you be like if you had been caught in the consequences of one or two of your bad choices like they had? What would you be like if what had happened to them had happened to you? And if you had ended up “that way,” wouldn’t it be a blessing from God to have a neighbor nearby who treated you with the kind of love you didn’t deserve but needed so badly? Wouldn’t it be a blessing from God to have a neighbor who took time to get to know you and really listen to you? Wouldn’t it be a blessing to have a neighbor nearby who wasn’t repelled and judgmental like a Pharisee but patient and redemptive like Jesus?
This is who we are. This is what we do. We aren’t given the job of fixing our neighbor or saving our neighbor. Our job is much simpler. We are to love our neighbor, as the Father has already loved us. This is our small part of His great big mission.
If 2.2 billion of us each took up our very small part, his great big mission would come to pass.
Again…something I found very interesting. This is from Pastor Greg Finke’s blog. Some of us have or are working through his training on how to be an everyday missionary…May God bless your study. Pastor Tim J. Renstrom
My Small Part of God's Great Big Mission
Greg Finke
June 12, 2017
"What difference can I make?"
As I talk with people across the country, I find that one of the biggest reasons people shrink back from getting up and getting started with joining Jesus on his mission is that the mission itself seems overwhelming.
And it is.
After all, the mission of God is global in its scope. It is by definition massive. It includes every person in every community in every nation. As I write this, there are approximately 7.2 billion people spread out over 57.3 million square miles on the face of the earth. How in the world can our small lives make a difference when the mission of God is so enormous?
Well, hold on there. Before we give up, let’s do some math. You see, while there are 7.2 billion people on the face of the earth, 2.2 billion of them are baptized Christians. That leaves 5 billion unbaptized people. Still overwhelming, right? But if we do the math, do you know how many unbaptized people there are per Christian on earth? Not millions or thousands or even dozens. There are two.
Five billion unbaptized people divided by 2.2 billion baptized people is roughly two people each. Millions or thousands or even dozens would be overwhelming. Two is not. Two is doable. Looks like Jesus’ overwhelming mission isn’t so overwhelming after all. All that needs to happen is for each of us to take up our very small part of his great big mission.
You see, the scope of God’s mission is, indeed, global. It is as massive and expansive as the earth and everyone in it. But the focus of God’s mission is radically local and radically personal. We don’t start with the whole earth. We start with our nearest unbaptized neighbor or friend. We can’t win the world for Christ until we meet our neighbor who needs Christ. So, what’s their name? What’s their story? As simple as it sounds, getting to know and offering friendship to one or two of them is how we engage the massive, global mission of God. And if each of the 2.2 billion Christians on the face of the earth took up their small part? Wow…
Imagine 2.2 billion Christians taking the next year and starting to get to know and offer friendship to one or two of the unbaptized people nearby? What if we stopped being overwhelmed by the 4,999,999,998 unbaptized people who we don’t know and started to invest in the one or two who are already nearby? The magazine “Christianity Today” recently reported that in the U.S. 20% of unchristian people don’t know even one Christian personally. Is it because no Christians live nearby or work alongside them? Is it because no Christians hang out at the same coffeehouses or brew houses? Is it because no Christians work out at the same gym or have kids in the same school? Hmm….
But this could change. And easily.
What if all the people in church worshipping Jesus this Sunday went home and did the one thing Jesus gave us to do? What if all the people in church worshipping Jesus this Sunday went home and started loving their neighbor? Not the nations, not the city, not thousands or hundreds, just the few already nearby.
By the way, mission is much easier and a lot more fun when we get to know our neighbor’s name and a little of their story. Fred Rogers, from “Mr. Rogers’ Neighborhood,” used to say, “It’s hard not to like someone once you know their story.” Are you tempted to dislike your neighbor, judge your neighbor, or avoid your neighbor because they are so… whatever you disapprove of? Then draw deeply from the grace God offers you, and invite that neighbor over for a meal. During your time together, have the goal of getting to know a little of their story. Then replace your neighbor in the story with yourself. What would you be like if you had grown up in the environment they had? What would you be like if you had been caught in the consequences of one or two of your bad choices like they had? What would you be like if what had happened to them had happened to you? And if you had ended up “that way,” wouldn’t it be a blessing from God to have a neighbor nearby who treated you with the kind of love you didn’t deserve but needed so badly? Wouldn’t it be a blessing from God to have a neighbor who took time to get to know you and really listen to you? Wouldn’t it be a blessing to have a neighbor nearby who wasn’t repelled and judgmental like a Pharisee but patient and redemptive like Jesus?
This is who we are. This is what we do. We aren’t given the job of fixing our neighbor or saving our neighbor. Our job is much simpler. We are to love our neighbor, as the Father has already loved us. This is our small part of His great big mission.
If 2.2 billion of us each took up our very small part, his great big mission would come to pass.
JUNE 2017
I found this interesting...I hope you do also. Pastor Tim J. Renstrom
On the Reformation’s 500th anniversary, remembering Martin Luther’s contribution to literacy
May 15, 2017 8.53pm EDT
By Richard Gunderman, Chancellor's Professor of Medicine, Liberal Arts, and Philanthropy, Indiana University
This year marks the 500th anniversary of Martin Luther’s famous 95 Theses, which helped spark the founding of the Reformation and the division of Christianity into Protestantism and Catholicism.
The 95 Theses critiqued the church’s sale of indulgences, which Luther regarded as a form of corruption. By Luther’s time, indulgences had evolved into payments that were said to reduce punishment for sins. Luther believed that such practices only interfered with genuine repentance and discouraged people from giving to the poor. One of Luther’s most important theological contributions was the “priesthood of all believers,” which implied that clerics possessed no more dignity than ordinary people.
Less known is the crucial role Luther played in making the case for ordinary people to read often and well. Unlike the papacy and its defenders, who were producing their writings in Latin, Luther reached out to Germans in their mother tongue, substantially enhancing the accessibility of his written ideas.
In my teaching of philanthropy, Luther’s promotion of literacy is one of the historic events I often discuss with my students.
Early years
Born in Germany in 1483, Luther followed the wishes of his father to study law. Once, while caught in a terrible thunderstorm, he vowed that if he were saved, he would become a monk.
Indeed, Luther later joined the austere Augustinian order, and became both a priest and a doctor of theology. Later he developed objections to many church practices. He protested the promotion of indulgences, the buying and selling of clerical privileges, and the accumulation of substantial wealth by the church while peasants barely survived. Legend has it that on Oct. 31, 1517, Luther nailed his 95 Theses to the door of the church in Wittenberg, the town where he was based.
He was branded an outlaw for refusing to recant his teachings. In 1521, Pope Leo X excommunicated Luther from the Roman Church. His patron, Frederick of Saxony, saved Luther from further reprisal and had him taken in secret to a castle, where he remained for two years.
It was during that time that Luther produced an immensely influential translation of the New Testament into German.
Impact of Luther’s writing
Gutenberg’s earlier introduction of the printing press in 1439 made possible the rapid dissemination of Luther’s works throughout much of Europe, and their impact was staggering.
Luther’s collected works run to 55 volumes. It is estimated that between 1520 and 1526, some 1,700 editions of Luther’s works were printed. Of the six to seven million pamphlets printed during this time, more than a quarter were Luther’s works, many of which played a vital role in propelling the reformation forward.
Thanks to Luther’s translation of the Bible, it became possible for German-speaking people to stop relying on church authorities and instead read the Bible for themselves.
Luther argued that ordinary people were not only capable of interpreting the scriptures for themselves, but that in doing so they stood the best chance of hearing God’s word. He wrote,
“Let the man who would hear God speak read Holy Scripture.”
Luther’s Bible helped form a common German dialect. Prior to Luther, people from different regions of present-day Germany often experienced great difficulty understanding one another. Luther’s Bible translation promoted a single German vernacular, helping to bring people together around a common tongue.
Expanding literacy
This view, combined with the wide availability of scripture, shifted responsibility for scriptural interpretation from clerics to the laity. Luther wanted ordinary people to assume more responsibility for reading the Bible.
In promoting his point of view, Luther helped to provide one of the most effective arguments for universal literacy in the history of Western civilization.
At a time when most people worked in farming, reading was not necessary to maintain a livelihood. But Luther wanted to remove the language barrier so that everyone could read the Bible “without hindrance.” His rationale for wanting people both to learn to read and to read regularly was, from his point of view, among the most powerful imaginable – that reading it for themselves would bring them closer to God.
For much of Luther’s life, his remarkable output in theological treatises was exceeded only by his Bible commentaries. He believed that nothing could substitute for direct and ongoing encounters with scripture, which he both advocated for and helped to shape through his detailed commentaries.
Reading to interpret truth
Luther had many reasons to favor the dissemination of learning. He was a university professor. His 95 Theses were intended as an academic disputation. His teaching and scholarship played a crucial role in the development of his theology. Finally, he recognized the crucial role students would play in carrying his movement forward.
So powerfully did Luther’s influence reverberate down through the ages that, during a visit to Germany in 1934, Rev. Michael King Sr. chose to change both his and his son’s name to Martin Luther King. MLK Jr., namesake of the great German reformer, would make full use of the power of free speech in catalyzing the American civil rights movement.
In posting his 95 Theses, Luther was encouraging a vigorous exchange of ideas. The best community is not the one that suppresses dissent but one that challenges ideas it finds objectionable through rigorous argumentation. It is largely for this reason that the founders of the United States took so seriously freedom of religion, free association and the protection of a free press.
Luther trusted ordinary people to discern the truth. All they needed was the opportunity to interpret what they read for themselves.
Copyright © 2010–2017, The Conversation US, Inc.
I found this interesting...I hope you do also. Pastor Tim J. Renstrom
On the Reformation’s 500th anniversary, remembering Martin Luther’s contribution to literacy
May 15, 2017 8.53pm EDT
By Richard Gunderman, Chancellor's Professor of Medicine, Liberal Arts, and Philanthropy, Indiana University
This year marks the 500th anniversary of Martin Luther’s famous 95 Theses, which helped spark the founding of the Reformation and the division of Christianity into Protestantism and Catholicism.
The 95 Theses critiqued the church’s sale of indulgences, which Luther regarded as a form of corruption. By Luther’s time, indulgences had evolved into payments that were said to reduce punishment for sins. Luther believed that such practices only interfered with genuine repentance and discouraged people from giving to the poor. One of Luther’s most important theological contributions was the “priesthood of all believers,” which implied that clerics possessed no more dignity than ordinary people.
Less known is the crucial role Luther played in making the case for ordinary people to read often and well. Unlike the papacy and its defenders, who were producing their writings in Latin, Luther reached out to Germans in their mother tongue, substantially enhancing the accessibility of his written ideas.
In my teaching of philanthropy, Luther’s promotion of literacy is one of the historic events I often discuss with my students.
Early years
Born in Germany in 1483, Luther followed the wishes of his father to study law. Once, while caught in a terrible thunderstorm, he vowed that if he were saved, he would become a monk.
Indeed, Luther later joined the austere Augustinian order, and became both a priest and a doctor of theology. Later he developed objections to many church practices. He protested the promotion of indulgences, the buying and selling of clerical privileges, and the accumulation of substantial wealth by the church while peasants barely survived. Legend has it that on Oct. 31, 1517, Luther nailed his 95 Theses to the door of the church in Wittenberg, the town where he was based.
He was branded an outlaw for refusing to recant his teachings. In 1521, Pope Leo X excommunicated Luther from the Roman Church. His patron, Frederick of Saxony, saved Luther from further reprisal and had him taken in secret to a castle, where he remained for two years.
It was during that time that Luther produced an immensely influential translation of the New Testament into German.
Impact of Luther’s writing
Gutenberg’s earlier introduction of the printing press in 1439 made possible the rapid dissemination of Luther’s works throughout much of Europe, and their impact was staggering.
Luther’s collected works run to 55 volumes. It is estimated that between 1520 and 1526, some 1,700 editions of Luther’s works were printed. Of the six to seven million pamphlets printed during this time, more than a quarter were Luther’s works, many of which played a vital role in propelling the reformation forward.
Thanks to Luther’s translation of the Bible, it became possible for German-speaking people to stop relying on church authorities and instead read the Bible for themselves.
Luther argued that ordinary people were not only capable of interpreting the scriptures for themselves, but that in doing so they stood the best chance of hearing God’s word. He wrote,
“Let the man who would hear God speak read Holy Scripture.”
Luther’s Bible helped form a common German dialect. Prior to Luther, people from different regions of present-day Germany often experienced great difficulty understanding one another. Luther’s Bible translation promoted a single German vernacular, helping to bring people together around a common tongue.
Expanding literacy
This view, combined with the wide availability of scripture, shifted responsibility for scriptural interpretation from clerics to the laity. Luther wanted ordinary people to assume more responsibility for reading the Bible.
In promoting his point of view, Luther helped to provide one of the most effective arguments for universal literacy in the history of Western civilization.
At a time when most people worked in farming, reading was not necessary to maintain a livelihood. But Luther wanted to remove the language barrier so that everyone could read the Bible “without hindrance.” His rationale for wanting people both to learn to read and to read regularly was, from his point of view, among the most powerful imaginable – that reading it for themselves would bring them closer to God.
For much of Luther’s life, his remarkable output in theological treatises was exceeded only by his Bible commentaries. He believed that nothing could substitute for direct and ongoing encounters with scripture, which he both advocated for and helped to shape through his detailed commentaries.
Reading to interpret truth
Luther had many reasons to favor the dissemination of learning. He was a university professor. His 95 Theses were intended as an academic disputation. His teaching and scholarship played a crucial role in the development of his theology. Finally, he recognized the crucial role students would play in carrying his movement forward.
So powerfully did Luther’s influence reverberate down through the ages that, during a visit to Germany in 1934, Rev. Michael King Sr. chose to change both his and his son’s name to Martin Luther King. MLK Jr., namesake of the great German reformer, would make full use of the power of free speech in catalyzing the American civil rights movement.
In posting his 95 Theses, Luther was encouraging a vigorous exchange of ideas. The best community is not the one that suppresses dissent but one that challenges ideas it finds objectionable through rigorous argumentation. It is largely for this reason that the founders of the United States took so seriously freedom of religion, free association and the protection of a free press.
Luther trusted ordinary people to discern the truth. All they needed was the opportunity to interpret what they read for themselves.
Copyright © 2010–2017, The Conversation US, Inc.
May 2017
Questions?
Behold! I tell you a mystery. We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed…(1 Corinthians 15:51 ESV)
Several years ago, when I was involved with our Synod’s Rural/Small Town ministry, I attended a workshop at which Rev. Jock Ficken presented a session on his book: Change: Learning to Lead It and Living to Tell About It. And, yes, it is an interesting book with an intriguing title; after all, just how many Lutherans does it take to change a light bulb?
I’m not sure that Pastor Ficken presented anything radically new that I hadn’t acquired either through other studies, or my own trial and error practice. After all, when you are someone, like myself, who embraces change, you are going to make your share of mistakes…and hopefully learn from some of them! But he does present in a way that engages the reader/listener…and his book sitting in my library reminded me of some questions he encourages congregational members to ask of themselves. I was thinking of them as I am considering how God wants me to shepherd His sheep in our new multi-congregation ministry.
Here they are:
How do you answer these questions? I’m interested in knowing. If you want to answer anonymously, just drop a note by one of the offices…or in our mailbox at either church. But I’m really interested in hearing from you personally. Stop by the office and (if I have time) visit with me, or make an appointment (less chance of wasting your time!). Or I can take you out to coffee…Or you can invite me to our home…Whatever you choose, I’d like to hear what your prayerful consideration has led you to say!
Your servant in Christ,
Pastor Tim J. Renstrom
Questions?
Behold! I tell you a mystery. We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed…(1 Corinthians 15:51 ESV)
Several years ago, when I was involved with our Synod’s Rural/Small Town ministry, I attended a workshop at which Rev. Jock Ficken presented a session on his book: Change: Learning to Lead It and Living to Tell About It. And, yes, it is an interesting book with an intriguing title; after all, just how many Lutherans does it take to change a light bulb?
I’m not sure that Pastor Ficken presented anything radically new that I hadn’t acquired either through other studies, or my own trial and error practice. After all, when you are someone, like myself, who embraces change, you are going to make your share of mistakes…and hopefully learn from some of them! But he does present in a way that engages the reader/listener…and his book sitting in my library reminded me of some questions he encourages congregational members to ask of themselves. I was thinking of them as I am considering how God wants me to shepherd His sheep in our new multi-congregation ministry.
Here they are:
- Over the years, what has been most special to you in your church?
- What do you think the next big challenge is for us in our ministry?
- What do you think God has planned for our ministry in the future?
- What do you think we need to improve as we move toward the next decade?
- What is your dream for your church? For this ministry?
- What should we be doing five years from now that we are not doing today? Three years from now? Two years from now?
How do you answer these questions? I’m interested in knowing. If you want to answer anonymously, just drop a note by one of the offices…or in our mailbox at either church. But I’m really interested in hearing from you personally. Stop by the office and (if I have time) visit with me, or make an appointment (less chance of wasting your time!). Or I can take you out to coffee…Or you can invite me to our home…Whatever you choose, I’d like to hear what your prayerful consideration has led you to say!
Your servant in Christ,
Pastor Tim J. Renstrom
April 2017
New…But Not New
“Beloved, I am writing you no new commandment, but an old commandment that you had from the beginning. The old commandment is the word that you have heard. At the same time, it is a new commandment that I am writing to you, which is true in him and in you, because the darkness is passing away and the true light is already shining.” (1 John 2:7-8 ESV)
There’s something new going on in our congregations that is not really new. Most who read this are already aware that St. Stephen’s Lutheran Church, Braham, and St. John’s Lutheran Church, Rush City, have entered into a new multi-congregation ministry agreement as of March 1, 2017. As I said, this is a new phase of our ministry in this area.
But it’s also not new. Many of the long-time members of each of our congregations remember the time when our two congregations shared a pastor and a ministry 30+ years ago. So it’s new…but it’s not new!
As we continue to engage in God’s mission field around us, the cooperation our two congregations are entering into is not new. We’ve done this before as a dual parish—reaching out into our communities with God’s message of salvation through faith, by grace, because of Jesus’ sacrifice to pay for our sins and give us forgiveness from sin, death and hell. We’ve also been doing this as a Circuit of the LCMS, as we have shared prayers and resources through our various circuit opportunities. And again, as a part of the District and a part of the national LCMS we have been cooperating in this mission field. So this cooperation is not new.
But what may be new…again…is the closeness of the cooperation. There are also some new ‘players’ on our ministry teams as we, through the leadership of the Holy Spirit, strive to expand God’s ministry through our locations into our communities. I tend to look at this as a business owner would look at things when she/he would expand her/his business into a new community—St. John’s is expanding our share of God’s ministry into Braham…St. Stephen’s is expanding our share of God’s ministry into Rush City. What an opportunity to share resources and ideas and opportunities! And to do so not just at arms’ length as we did through our cooperation as a Circuit, etc., but walking/running side-by-side as God leads us to reach out with the Gospel!
I am not much of a runner and have not been a great proponent of exercise (I’m working at changing that!)…but I have run enough (and exercised enough) to know that the encouragement of a partner is invaluable! When one begins to fade, the other can give accountability and encouragement to the other! The same thing is true in ministry partnerships. Paul describes the Christian life as a race…and in this closeness we have in partnership, when one runner gets tired, the other can encourage the exhausted partner to greater effort to finish the race and not grow weary and stop.
Let’s turn our attention back to the verse at the beginning of this article. We have a new and old component to our 100+ year old ministry. And we do so under and with the commandment given us by Jesus that St. John is describing. The commandment was old…and yet new! Love one another…love your brother…do not love the world…love as God has first loved you.
We know God’s love for us: God, in Jesus, laid down his life for us while we were still sinners (to steal some of St. Paul’s words!). In response to God’s love in us, as faith works in us so that we know our forgiveness, faith also works in us to lay down our lives for the sinners around us. Some of the sinners around us are in our communities. Some of the sinners around us are in our congregations. Wherever they are found, we are called to love them. This is not easy. It was not easy for God to give the life of his one and only Son. It is not easy for us to leave our sinful selfishness and love—to utterly selflessly care about—others who irritate us, much less those whom we do not like at all!
But this is what we were saved to do. And this is what it is going to take—from our earthly point of view—as we enter into this new/old phase of God’s ministry. Of ourselves, we cannot do this. But with God, all things are possible! God continually drives us to repentance, forgives all our sins, and sets us to work in his kingdom. In his name and by his grace, we can do all things.
New…But Not New
“Beloved, I am writing you no new commandment, but an old commandment that you had from the beginning. The old commandment is the word that you have heard. At the same time, it is a new commandment that I am writing to you, which is true in him and in you, because the darkness is passing away and the true light is already shining.” (1 John 2:7-8 ESV)
There’s something new going on in our congregations that is not really new. Most who read this are already aware that St. Stephen’s Lutheran Church, Braham, and St. John’s Lutheran Church, Rush City, have entered into a new multi-congregation ministry agreement as of March 1, 2017. As I said, this is a new phase of our ministry in this area.
But it’s also not new. Many of the long-time members of each of our congregations remember the time when our two congregations shared a pastor and a ministry 30+ years ago. So it’s new…but it’s not new!
As we continue to engage in God’s mission field around us, the cooperation our two congregations are entering into is not new. We’ve done this before as a dual parish—reaching out into our communities with God’s message of salvation through faith, by grace, because of Jesus’ sacrifice to pay for our sins and give us forgiveness from sin, death and hell. We’ve also been doing this as a Circuit of the LCMS, as we have shared prayers and resources through our various circuit opportunities. And again, as a part of the District and a part of the national LCMS we have been cooperating in this mission field. So this cooperation is not new.
But what may be new…again…is the closeness of the cooperation. There are also some new ‘players’ on our ministry teams as we, through the leadership of the Holy Spirit, strive to expand God’s ministry through our locations into our communities. I tend to look at this as a business owner would look at things when she/he would expand her/his business into a new community—St. John’s is expanding our share of God’s ministry into Braham…St. Stephen’s is expanding our share of God’s ministry into Rush City. What an opportunity to share resources and ideas and opportunities! And to do so not just at arms’ length as we did through our cooperation as a Circuit, etc., but walking/running side-by-side as God leads us to reach out with the Gospel!
I am not much of a runner and have not been a great proponent of exercise (I’m working at changing that!)…but I have run enough (and exercised enough) to know that the encouragement of a partner is invaluable! When one begins to fade, the other can give accountability and encouragement to the other! The same thing is true in ministry partnerships. Paul describes the Christian life as a race…and in this closeness we have in partnership, when one runner gets tired, the other can encourage the exhausted partner to greater effort to finish the race and not grow weary and stop.
Let’s turn our attention back to the verse at the beginning of this article. We have a new and old component to our 100+ year old ministry. And we do so under and with the commandment given us by Jesus that St. John is describing. The commandment was old…and yet new! Love one another…love your brother…do not love the world…love as God has first loved you.
We know God’s love for us: God, in Jesus, laid down his life for us while we were still sinners (to steal some of St. Paul’s words!). In response to God’s love in us, as faith works in us so that we know our forgiveness, faith also works in us to lay down our lives for the sinners around us. Some of the sinners around us are in our communities. Some of the sinners around us are in our congregations. Wherever they are found, we are called to love them. This is not easy. It was not easy for God to give the life of his one and only Son. It is not easy for us to leave our sinful selfishness and love—to utterly selflessly care about—others who irritate us, much less those whom we do not like at all!
But this is what we were saved to do. And this is what it is going to take—from our earthly point of view—as we enter into this new/old phase of God’s ministry. Of ourselves, we cannot do this. But with God, all things are possible! God continually drives us to repentance, forgives all our sins, and sets us to work in his kingdom. In his name and by his grace, we can do all things.
February 2017
Pastor’s article
It was one of those!
I was just listening to a story told by one of our members…and the sentence came out, “It was a pig, or a sheep, or a goat. It was one of those!” The two of us who were listening burst out laughing…you had to be there…after all, as good kids who grew up on farms we knew that there are big differences between a pig…or a sheep…or a goat! You don’t mix those up! Whoever tried to get wool from a pig?!
About now you are wondering what this has to do with an article from a pastor! Let me try to explain.
Many in the world try not to see the differences between the religions of the world (by religions I mean the various world religions, i.e. Christianity, Islam, Buddhism, etc., not the various Christian denominations—that would be an article for another time). They say it really doesn’t matter, as long as you believe what you believe sincerely. After all, they are all religions, aren’t they?
That’s like saying there are really no differences between a pig, a sheep or a goat! After all, they all have cloven hooves. But, have you ever tried to get a pork chop from a goat? Or milk a pig? Think about it…if you don’t know you look it up from reliable sources, and you will learn that there are even differences between various goats! You can actually get wool from certain goats! Just because you don’t know the differences, or don’t believe the differences, doesn’t mean they don’t exist…and doesn’t mean they don’t matter.
The differences between religions also matter. They are the difference between eternal damnation and hell, and eternal life in heaven. Every religion will have a code of ethics—the difference between right and wrong. It is one of the basic definitions of ‘religion’. And, when you break the rules and do what is wrong, there is some punishment—even in those religions which teach that there is no god.
Another question religion tries to answer is, how do you get to live the ‘good life’? After all, if you break the rules, you get punished…so how do you get rewarded? Nearly every religion teaches that you must try to do more good than bad. If you do more good than bad, then good things will happen to you.
But there is a problem. In these religions you never know when you’ve done enough good to get the really good rewards.
There is one religion that is different. It is Christianity. It teaches that we have all sinned and broken God’s rules and deserve hell (which most other religions teach). Then it goes a different direction than the manmade religions; it continues and teaches that we cannot please God with any of our good works (which can make us feel like we are left without hope!). Yet, we are not lost! God has given to us the solution to having the ‘good life’. As a gift to us, he sent his Son, Jesus, to pay the eternal penalty for our sins and brokenness; and he sent his Holy Spirit to bring us to faith in his promise of forgiveness in his Son’s name. By grace, through faith, because of Jesus, we have the really good rewards now and throughout eternity.
This is really different. It is no longer up to me, it is up to God. I simply receive the gifts of a good Father. I can reject the gifts and live in eternal damnation—after all, God never forces anyone to believe in him—or I can receive them by faith. My works count for nothing, but still I want to do good, because God has been so good to me—and it’s good for me.
Differences matter. It matters to the pig…to the sheep…and to the goat! And it matters to us. The only thing manmade religions can offer is uncertain ‘hope’ in the failures of man. But in Christianity, through faith in the Triune God and the work of Jesus Christ we have abundant life now and eternal life in heaven.
Pastor’s article
It was one of those!
I was just listening to a story told by one of our members…and the sentence came out, “It was a pig, or a sheep, or a goat. It was one of those!” The two of us who were listening burst out laughing…you had to be there…after all, as good kids who grew up on farms we knew that there are big differences between a pig…or a sheep…or a goat! You don’t mix those up! Whoever tried to get wool from a pig?!
About now you are wondering what this has to do with an article from a pastor! Let me try to explain.
Many in the world try not to see the differences between the religions of the world (by religions I mean the various world religions, i.e. Christianity, Islam, Buddhism, etc., not the various Christian denominations—that would be an article for another time). They say it really doesn’t matter, as long as you believe what you believe sincerely. After all, they are all religions, aren’t they?
That’s like saying there are really no differences between a pig, a sheep or a goat! After all, they all have cloven hooves. But, have you ever tried to get a pork chop from a goat? Or milk a pig? Think about it…if you don’t know you look it up from reliable sources, and you will learn that there are even differences between various goats! You can actually get wool from certain goats! Just because you don’t know the differences, or don’t believe the differences, doesn’t mean they don’t exist…and doesn’t mean they don’t matter.
The differences between religions also matter. They are the difference between eternal damnation and hell, and eternal life in heaven. Every religion will have a code of ethics—the difference between right and wrong. It is one of the basic definitions of ‘religion’. And, when you break the rules and do what is wrong, there is some punishment—even in those religions which teach that there is no god.
Another question religion tries to answer is, how do you get to live the ‘good life’? After all, if you break the rules, you get punished…so how do you get rewarded? Nearly every religion teaches that you must try to do more good than bad. If you do more good than bad, then good things will happen to you.
But there is a problem. In these religions you never know when you’ve done enough good to get the really good rewards.
There is one religion that is different. It is Christianity. It teaches that we have all sinned and broken God’s rules and deserve hell (which most other religions teach). Then it goes a different direction than the manmade religions; it continues and teaches that we cannot please God with any of our good works (which can make us feel like we are left without hope!). Yet, we are not lost! God has given to us the solution to having the ‘good life’. As a gift to us, he sent his Son, Jesus, to pay the eternal penalty for our sins and brokenness; and he sent his Holy Spirit to bring us to faith in his promise of forgiveness in his Son’s name. By grace, through faith, because of Jesus, we have the really good rewards now and throughout eternity.
This is really different. It is no longer up to me, it is up to God. I simply receive the gifts of a good Father. I can reject the gifts and live in eternal damnation—after all, God never forces anyone to believe in him—or I can receive them by faith. My works count for nothing, but still I want to do good, because God has been so good to me—and it’s good for me.
Differences matter. It matters to the pig…to the sheep…and to the goat! And it matters to us. The only thing manmade religions can offer is uncertain ‘hope’ in the failures of man. But in Christianity, through faith in the Triune God and the work of Jesus Christ we have abundant life now and eternal life in heaven.
January 2017
“Pastor, I think too many people confuse free grace with free church.” Or so I remember the quote from the wise older gentleman I was visiting with. It was something like that! The conversation was taking place around a table a short time after the congregation had announced her annual budget.
He went on, “Salvation is free. The forgiveness of our sins is free. Grace is free. This is given to us because of the work of Jesus Christ. This is what Christianity is about. But church is not free. It costs money to keep a building up. It costs money to have a pastor. It costs money to do the mission of the church. This is not free. Grace is free. Church is not.”
I wish we could have talked more. But his wife came and it was time to go. But he is right. We are saved freely by grace through faith because of the work of Jesus. And we do often confuse ‘free grace’ with ‘free church’. And I think we pastors sometimes add to the confusion because we fail to talk about the importance of ‘church’ when we’re always pushing the importance of ‘grace and salvation.’
Why is ‘church’ important? Inspired by God, the writer to the Hebrews thought it was important enough to write, “And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near” (10:24-25 ESV). Church is important because God says so. Church is important because we need to be stirred up to love (it’s very easy to become bitter toward people without others encouraging us to love). Church is important because we need to be stirred up to good works—works for others because of Christ’s love for us (if the works are not in response to Christ’s love, they are not good works, no matter how much ‘good’ they may do). Church is important because we need to meet together.
Meeting together is where we share our burdens and help carry others through difficult times. I know it’s contrary to American culture to think we need help. We’re supposed to pull ourselves up by our bootstraps! At least that’s what the ‘dime westerns’ I love to read profess! Strong individualism rules the day. And there is a powerful message of personal accountability throughout Scripture—for our sins and our lives. But from the very beginning there is also a strong message of community:
It’s not because God needs our money or anything that is ‘ours.’ He doesn’t. He is the creator and owner of all things. We are only stewards. But he chooses to let us participate because it is good for us—as long as we don’t confuse our participation in the church (after receiving free forgiveness) with thinking that we deserve forgiveness (because we participate in the church). I know that statement might be confusing—it has confused much of Christianity into thinking they can earn forgiveness (they/we can’t!). Simply: we work because God says so and it’s good for us, not because we gain anything by working.
Participating in the work of the church costs our time, our talent, and, yes, our money. (Or what we think of as ‘ours’.) Someone has once said that we are likely to show our faith by what we invest in. What do you invest in? Cars? Boats? Houses? Community committees? Family? Job? Travel? Church?
I don’t have faith in church, either. But I do have faith in God. He has given forgiveness of all my sins through the work of his Son, Jesus, by grace, through faith. For that it is my duty to give him praise, thanks and prayer—and my investment, by his grace.
Pastor Tim J. Renstrom
“Pastor, I think too many people confuse free grace with free church.” Or so I remember the quote from the wise older gentleman I was visiting with. It was something like that! The conversation was taking place around a table a short time after the congregation had announced her annual budget.
He went on, “Salvation is free. The forgiveness of our sins is free. Grace is free. This is given to us because of the work of Jesus Christ. This is what Christianity is about. But church is not free. It costs money to keep a building up. It costs money to have a pastor. It costs money to do the mission of the church. This is not free. Grace is free. Church is not.”
I wish we could have talked more. But his wife came and it was time to go. But he is right. We are saved freely by grace through faith because of the work of Jesus. And we do often confuse ‘free grace’ with ‘free church’. And I think we pastors sometimes add to the confusion because we fail to talk about the importance of ‘church’ when we’re always pushing the importance of ‘grace and salvation.’
Why is ‘church’ important? Inspired by God, the writer to the Hebrews thought it was important enough to write, “And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near” (10:24-25 ESV). Church is important because God says so. Church is important because we need to be stirred up to love (it’s very easy to become bitter toward people without others encouraging us to love). Church is important because we need to be stirred up to good works—works for others because of Christ’s love for us (if the works are not in response to Christ’s love, they are not good works, no matter how much ‘good’ they may do). Church is important because we need to meet together.
Meeting together is where we share our burdens and help carry others through difficult times. I know it’s contrary to American culture to think we need help. We’re supposed to pull ourselves up by our bootstraps! At least that’s what the ‘dime westerns’ I love to read profess! Strong individualism rules the day. And there is a powerful message of personal accountability throughout Scripture—for our sins and our lives. But from the very beginning there is also a strong message of community:
- No suitable helper was found for Adam until God created Eve.
- Noah found favor in the eyes of the Lord, but 8 were saved from the flood in the Ark.
- David, in God’s power, stood alone against Goliath, but had his company of men as he waited for his time to become king of Israel.
- Jesus called 12 to be Apostles.
- Jesus sent out the 12—and the 72—in groups of two to proclaim his message of repentance and God’s kingdom.
- The Lord’s Supper that we celebrate is often called—‘Communion’—not only giving forgiveness of sins, salvation, eternal life, and faith, but also teaching the community that we have in common because of Christ’s meal.
- The Apostles continued to go out in groups and gather others together in larger groups after the ascension of Jesus, following Jesus’ example, as they continued to proclaim Christ’s kingdom—as we see in Acts and the letters in the New Testament.
It’s not because God needs our money or anything that is ‘ours.’ He doesn’t. He is the creator and owner of all things. We are only stewards. But he chooses to let us participate because it is good for us—as long as we don’t confuse our participation in the church (after receiving free forgiveness) with thinking that we deserve forgiveness (because we participate in the church). I know that statement might be confusing—it has confused much of Christianity into thinking they can earn forgiveness (they/we can’t!). Simply: we work because God says so and it’s good for us, not because we gain anything by working.
Participating in the work of the church costs our time, our talent, and, yes, our money. (Or what we think of as ‘ours’.) Someone has once said that we are likely to show our faith by what we invest in. What do you invest in? Cars? Boats? Houses? Community committees? Family? Job? Travel? Church?
I don’t have faith in church, either. But I do have faith in God. He has given forgiveness of all my sins through the work of his Son, Jesus, by grace, through faith. For that it is my duty to give him praise, thanks and prayer—and my investment, by his grace.
Pastor Tim J. Renstrom