The Parish
You may think that setting boundaries are an essential part of life and may be very good at it in your daily life. However, the boundaries might be a bit harder to manage in a Christian ministry context. Perhaps you are a Youth Minister/Leader, Pastor, Sunday School Teacher. Perhaps you are just Joe Pewsitter Layman. Even if you are not officially in a leadership position, you may be doing ministry. Let’s look at it this way. Joe is sitting in church, has his hymnal out, ready for the service to begin. He looks at the pew in front of him and sees a young mother (Mary) and her child. He has never seen them before. She looks a bit uncomfortable, that is she looks like she’s a first time visitor. Joe greets her and finding out she is goes ahead and gives her guidance so she can fully participate in the service. After the service, Joe makes an effort to make her feel welcome in the church, whether it be just a chat in the nave or a visit to a local coffee shop. Ask Joe if he is in ministry, he’d quickly respond no, he’s just being friendly. Yet, I’d disagree…for Mary he ministered for her needs to be welcomed and accepted into a church. Perhaps the quick greeting, welcoming moment they shared will develop into a relationship where Joe and Mary become friends, cementing Mary’s connection to the church where she can grow.
Continue reading about When is it OK to set boundaries in Christian ministry?
This past weekend I had an opportunity to go on my first youth leader staff retreat. It was quite an interesting weekend. We went up to a “resort” – well sort of – at Lake Delavan. We even got to see some snow!
What is interesting is that a lot of the rank-and-file pew sitters don’t realize the theology that is around them, on the walls, the alter (or lack thereof), or the big-screen as they worship. You can learn a lot about the church’s theology by looking around the church. As I read this article, referred to me by a friend and Pastor in the Lutheran Church, I thought of the theology that my church has.
"Americans are obsessed with big things. If something is big, it must be better. It has strength. It has legitimacy. Yet, that’s an American value, not a biblical one." – Ed Stetzer
How is your church doing church? Are you a transformational church? The Evangelical Presbyterian Church (EPC) 2011 General Assembly ended a little over a week ago and they have posted Ed Stetzer’s presentation online. Hurry, they will only be up through the end of the month:
Pastor Fisk truly is a Pastor of the people. He’s not afraid to tackle the hard issues and address them in a loving way, praying for healing and reconciliation. Here he tackles the topic of Pornography.
I was perusing the world of YouTube and stumbled across Concordia Publishing House’s channel. One of their videos was on confession:
I can remember when St. Paul’s reinstituted “scheduled” Private Confession. Yeah, we never really got rid of private confession, it just stayed in the Pastor’s study for when we had a crisis and needed to chit chat with our spiritual father.
Do remember that the Lutheran Church is a catholic (i.e. universal) church. So…what does this mean? We’ll, we are the only church that uses scripture and scripture alone as the norm of our faith. Other Christian denominations add various aspects – work, the pope, etc.
So, I was prusing the internet. Pastor Chryst wrote about it, Frank picked it up. I noticed that it is a comment from Professor Berger (and it appears it’s not his first!) I sure hope that our seminaries are getting more and more confessional and that he won’t be the next one out!
Well, this past week another LCMS pastor has gone “east”. Rev. Benjamin Kjendal has announced he is seeking membership in the Orthodox Church. Pastor Kjendal is a very smart, caring young pastor. It is a shame that he is leaving our church. He writes:
At times Jesus asks us to drop all that we have to follow him. For every Christian, that may be something different, but for me and my family that means leaving the Missouri Synod and seeking fellowship in the Orthodox Church. Although this will mean that I can no longer be a pastor here, it does not mean that I will stop loving each of you as God’s children.
Whilst I was in Fort Wayne, Pastor Jonathan Fisk posted a new newsletter about his parish. It is an exciting opportunity for the people of this community which (I guess) is somewhere around 1 hour or so west of New York. (Pastor Fisk can correct me if I am wrong).
If you don’t know about Our Savior Perryville, I encourage you to check this newsletter out. Pastor Fisk is a very well respected young missionary Pastor from the “good” seminary 
in St. Louis. He is in a congregation that (as he describes) has been on a decline for nearly a decade or so. His job is to support and encourage the people at Our Savior while developing a mission plant nearby. A gigantic task at the least!
Which reminds me of an article from my district’s newspaper (which I still have to this day). It’s been relegated to the deepest archives of the Northern Illinois District webpage, so I quote it here…
Door-to-door evangelism still works
By Laurie O’Connor Stephans, Staff Writer – Originally published in The Northern Light, November 2000
In today’s high-tech, fast-paced world, Madison Avenue has convinced many of us that the slicker approach is always going to be the most convincing. But what works when you’re trying to sell a car isn’t necessarily the best way to try to bring new people into your church.
Continue reading about Musings from a Mission in NJ – Remember Evangelism Still Works
So, I am out of the loop. I was looking online to find a church to attend for Ascension Day. Seeing as I’d be very very near to Wisconsin, I thought I’d try and go to Lamb of God in Pleasant Prairie. Seems that at the end of this month he’ll be moving to Trinity Sheboygan. If you would kindly keep him and both congregations in your prayers.