Why Parents “Can’t” Bring Their Kids to Church
One of the biggest challenges congregations face when it comes to catechizing their children is the demanding schedule of sports and extra curricular activities. It’s commonplace for games, practices, recitals, etc., to be held on Sundays. When it comes to trying to do midweek services or catechesis, forget about it. There’s something going on every night of the week.
One reason for the Sunday morning conflict is the simple fact that people work Monday through Friday. This makes Sunday morning prime real estate, since nothing else (or nothing important, apparently) is going on. Saturday schedules are already crowded, so Sunday morning tends to work for busy families.
Another reason for this dilemma is the simple fact that the world hates the Church as much . . . Read All
Concord Matters – Large Catechism, First Commandment
Today we talk about the First Commandment as it is discussed in the Large Catechism.
American Idolatry
Though the First Amendment has established what is commonly referred to as the separation of church & state, the state nevertheless promotes its own brand of civic religion—a religion which is fundamentally incompatible with the Christian faith….
Herrenhuter readings for Saturday, the 9th May 2015
“Whom have you so dreaded and feared that you have not been true to me, and have neither remembered me nor taken this to heart? (Is 57,11) And Peter remembered the word of Jesus who had said to him, “Before … Continue reading →. . . Read All
Prayer Is Not Always a Good Thing
Yankee Stadium Trade Center Prayer Service September 23, 2001
One of the most frequently abused gifts of God among Christians today is prayer. For some reason we’ve gotten this notion that prayer is always a good thing. It is not. Prayer can easily become an attempt to approach God on our own terms, to manipulate Him, or put Him to the test by expecting Him to give us some “sign” apart from what He’s already revealed in His Word. Such prayer is extremely dangerous and not even remotely Christian. It is important to recognize that not all prayer is God-pleasing. The only thing that’s worse than repeatedly walking into the traps of Satan is mistaking them for the blessings of . . . Read All
Tolerance: Narcissism in Disguise
We live in a highly individualistic age, an age which fancies itself tolerant. The sad description of Israel under the Judges could equally well be said about our selfish generation.
In those days there was no king in Israel. Everyone did what was right in his own eyes. (Judges 21:25)
There are really only two options: either you live by self-chosen standards or you walk according to the Law of the Lord. Many people in our time have deliberately rejected the latter in favor of the former (though it’s impossible for us to keep God’s Law; Romans 3:19-20). To reject God’s Law, whether deliberately (outright antinomianism) or not (Romans 7:14-25), is particularly insidious for Christians, since living to please one’s . . . Read All
Reformation Rush Hour – Ted and Craig’s Excellent Movie Adventure
Hear what Rev. Craig Donofrio has to say today!
Forgiveness For The Unholy Trinity Of ‘Me, Myself, And I”
2015 Zion Lutheran Lent Series
God’s Ten Word’s – For You
Part 1 of 6
Text: Exodus 20:1-17 and 32:1-20
Grace and Peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.
Today is Ash Wednesday which means it is the first day of the Season of Lent. More precisely, at the heart of Ash Wednesday is the theme of repentance and sorrow for sin. It could also be said that at the heart of the Season of Lent is an extended period of time, in the calendar of the church, for pause and reflection. It is a time to consider our place before almighty God.
Tonight, there is no better way to consider our place before . . . Read All
How To Properly Dispose Of A Bible?
Dear WE!
Could you please offer guidance on the proper way to dispose of a Bible. I have a family Bible that is literally crumbling and would like to offer it the proper reverence rather than just tossing it in the recycling bin.
Thanks,
N
Dear N,
T…
Felicitations, Inconsistencies, and One Cracked Coffee Mug
WE Team you rock! I will make this quick:
How can someone be saved outside of Lutheranism? The denial of the forgiveness in the sacraments isn’t that idolatry? How come when someone unrepentantly breaks commandment #7 that’s wrong and #1 well it’s ok they’re saved? Also Check this out: http://www.orlutheran.com/html/calvinisttheology.html
~J
Dear J,
A few things to ponder. First, there is a term we will use in Lutheranism called “Felicitous Inconsistency”. The idea is this – if people were always logically consistent and thought all things through to the end, any error or false doctrine would utterly shatter faith. Happily, we are not this consistent. we are inconsistent. Now, does this mean that false doctrine isn’t important? By no means!
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Holy Easter 2014 + St. Mark 16:1-8 + “The Very Flame of the Lord”
Holy Easter Day + St. Peter Lutheran Church Joliet, Illinois + St. Mark 16: 1-8 + April 20, 2014
“The Very Flame of the Lord”
Iesu Iuva!
Alleluia! Christ is risen!
Alleluia! Christ is risen! (etc)
First we consider the history of our Lord’s glorious resurrection from the dead, and second, the meaning of His resurrection for us.
First of all it is necessary to emphasize that this is the history of the resurrection of Jesus that St. Mark presents to us. It is clear that he understands what he is writing to be fact rather than fiction. He presents us with historical, public figures interwoven into the story, men that people knew and could . . . Read All
ST: Pornography and Idolatry
What do pornography and idolatry have in common? Can pornography or plastic dolls fill a real need for human sexuality? Dr. Jack Kilcrease discusses his article, “Pornography and Idolatry.” Read Dr. Kilcrease’s article, “Pornography and Idolatry.” Dr. Jack Kilcrease, The Self-Donation of God
Pornography, Idolatry, and the manipulable image
Dr. Jack Kilcrease has a rather brilliant post at Theologia Crucis on the connection between pornography and idolatry. Both fixate on images that can be manipulated according to our desires, as opposed to the “real presence” of an actual human spouse or of the true God. A bonus in that post is a discussion of [Read More…]
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The Satanic monument for the public square
This is the monument that the Satanists are trying to erect next to that of the Ten Commandments at the Oklahoma state capitol. It’s an idol of Baphomet. Note the effort to be child friendly. It really does allude to the Old Testament conflicts with Canaanite idolatry. Details after the jump. From Satanic Statue Actually [Read More…]
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The Satanic monument for the public square
This is the monument that the Satanists are trying to erect next to that of the Ten Commandments at the Oklahoma state capitol. It’s an idol of Baphomet. Note the effort to be child friendly. It really does allude to the Old Testament conflicts with Canaanite idolatry. Details after the jump. From Satanic Statue Actually [Read More…]
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Dialogueolatry
Dialogue is not the infallible cure-all that we often make it out to be.
There comes a point when we simply need to call a spade a spade, to call sin to repentance.
To have dialogue after endless dialogue is to prize the most abject form of unity above God’s Word.
It’s to fear the judgment of man above the judgment of God.
It’s to substitute dialogue for the call to repentance.
It’s to deny the existence of absolute, objective truth.
It’s to commit dialogueolatry.. . . Read All
Equal, but Not Interchangeable
There is perhaps no greater threat to both the Gospel and to the family today than the sexual identity crisis in our culture. Liberal feminism and LGBT advocates are fighting the same battle. Both deny the essential difference between the sexes. “Equal and interchangeable” might well be their motto. They have the “equal” part correct: equal in terms of dignity and worth. Neither male nor female are any less valuable in God’s eyes, whether your pet sins are of the homo or hetero sexual variety. Christ shed His Holy, Precious Blood equally for all. He is the Lamb of God who became an accursed sinner for us (Galatians 3:13), Whom God regarded as One who committed the most vile sexual . . . Read All
Rejoicing in the Violence of the Cross: A Sermon for Gaudete on Matthew 11:2-10
http://steadfastlutherans.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/Rejoicing-Cross.mp3
The introduction to this sermon has been adapted from Pastor Ken Kelly’s excellent Gaudete homily. You can read the whole thing at: http://homofactusest.com/2013/12/10/gaudete-rejoice-in-the-lord/.
That John the Baptist was in prison should come as an absolute shock to everyone who reads the Gospel of Matthew. John doesn’t belong in a prison; he belongs in asylum! What’s wrong with this guy? Either he had finally eaten one locust too many, or maybe all that time in the wilderness wearing camel skin had finally gotten to him. Either way, how could John, of all people, ask a question like Are you the one who is to come, or shall we look for another?
Didn’t John leap for joy in . . . Read All
Faith’n’Family – Idolatry in Different Cultures
Idolatry is idolatry, but may look different in different cultures. With guest Mike Wade, missionary.
Löhe on 1.Corinthians 10,6-7
Now these things occurred as examples to keep us from setting our hearts on evil things as they did. Do not be idolaters, as some of them were; as it is written: “The people sat down to eat and drink … Continue reading →. . . Read All