There are two graduate programs within the LCMS geared towards Deaconess formation. One program is at Concordia Seminary in St. Louis, MO (Concordia Theological Seminary in Ft. Wayne, IN offers one as well). CSL allows deaconess students two avenues through the M.A. program: 1) M.A. in Deaconess Studies or 2) Graduate School M.A. and Deaconess certifcation.
View: CSL Deaconess Formation
How many of the following descriptions fit you? Are you rich, a good, righteous, and respected member of the community, and a fearful secret disciple of Jesus who is able to act courageously? Do you look for the coming of God’s kingdom?
Those are all descriptions of Joseph of Arimathea from the four gospels. He asked Pilate for permission to take Jesus’ body down from the cross and then buried Jesus in his own new tomb. July 31st is the day Joseph, who was from 20 miles northwest of Jerusalem and served on the Sanhedrin.
Walter Wangerin, in his book “The Book of God” vividly describes Joseph using a rope and a claw to pry out the nails from Jesus wrists and feet. When the task was done, “Joseph of Arimathea was holding his whole treasure in all the world - this world and the next one too.”
Nicodemus, another secret disciple, helped. When Jesus was laid in the tomb, Joseph rolled the large stone across the entrance of the new tomb and “went away.” Richard Crashaw (1613-1649) wrote a brief poem in which he noted that Jesus was born of a virgin womb and buried in a virgin tomb and a Joseph was betrothed to both.
Jesus is able to use all his disciples to serve him, the church and the world. Indeed we are not always courageous, nor rich, though we are rich in his grace, nor are we always good and righteous, save that we have Jesus’ goodness and righteousness. How might Christ be planning to use you in his service today?
By Rev. Ronald Jansen
On July 1, 2008 Pirate Christian Radio debuted Table Talk Radio. The show is hosted by Evan Goeglein and Rev. Bryan Wolfmueller. Along with their Tuesday night (5:30pm MDT) show, they offer a selection of interviews and podcasts not aired on their show called Table Scraps. Table Talk Radio is not a live call-in program. The two hosts meet during the month to record the show for air. The website also includes a link to articles of interest, including "Can You Make a Decision for Christ?".
View: Table Talk Radio
Grabby grappled in the gravel by the river Apple. That’s the sound of the Hebrew words about Jacob wrestling with a man at the river Jabbok in Genesis 32. Who was the man who attacked him in the night? Laban whom he fled in the night? Esau from whom he had grabbed the birthright and the blessing? After grappling to a draw until dawn the man put Grabby’s hip out of joint. By now Grabby knew that his opponent was more than a man. Hip or no hip he would not let go until he received a blessing.
“What’s your name?” the “man” asked. Grabby had to own up to the name to which he had lived down. “You will be known as Israel, he who strives with God.” Israel would strive with God for his blessing. Israel would receive the Promised Land as a gift. He would not gain it by his own wit and power.
We too have a new name given from the mouth of the Lord (Isaiah 62:2). We bear the name of Jesus Christ, raised from the grave. We are “Christian.” Though like Israel of old, we limp in our walk with Christ; nevertheless, trusting in our new name God opens the promised land of his kingdom to us.
By Rev. Ronald Jansen
The Book of Concord is the standard collection of the confessional documents of the Lutheran Church. They were written by Martin Luther, Philip Melanchthon, and other reformers in the sixteenth century to explain and defend Lutheran beliefs. The website bookofconcord.org contains all of the confessional documents from The Book of Concord. It also offers introductory material, weekly readings, and a blog devoted to The Book of Concord.
View: Book of Concord
In Genesis 29, Jacob, the heel grabber, falls head over heels in love with beautiful, brave and brainy Rachel. However, on their wedding night her father Laban brings older sister less than lovely Leah to Jacob. In the morning, “Behold, it is Leah.” A week later, for another seven years of work, Laban gives beautiful Rachel to Jacob.
Leah has been used as a pawn by her father. She is not loved by her husband. Finally, the Lord emerges in the story. God enables Leah to bear four sons. The fourth is Judah, the father of the tribe of Judah. Much later our Lord Jesus Christ is born, a descendant of Judah.
God worked through deception to bring about our salvation. Judas betrayed Jesus with a kiss. Two false witnesses gave the chief priests and council reason to declares, “He deserves death.” Pilate declared Jesus innocent, washed his hands of the whole affair, but still delivered him to be crucified. Through faith in Jesus we too are descendants of Jacob and Leah and members of the tribe of Judah.
God cannot be separated from his promises; therefore, nothing in all creation, not even human deception, “is able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus, our Lord.”
By Rev. Ronald Jansen
At one time the Bible was a very rare item, and it was only available in Latin. But today we have sites like BibleGateway.com, which offers the Bible in 48 languages. It has 21 English translations. Its word-search feature functions as a complete concordance for any word of any version. And all this is free with an internet connection. We are truly blessed today in many ways that are easy to take for granted.
View: BibleGateway.com
Concordia Publishing House (CPH) is extending its current offer for a free Portals of Prayers copy with each new subscription through August 21, 2008. This offer means if a church purchases 50 subscriptions, they will get their first 50 copies free. The offer is for the same address and on yearly subscriptions of $9 for four issues ($11 for larger print).
Several years ago our family was camping in the Door Peninsula of Wisconsin. I was walking along the shore of Green Bay skipping stones out into the waters of the bay. I picked up a 2x2 inch stone perfect for skipping. Then I noticed a raised crucifix had formed on one side of stone. The form of Jesus arms outstretched and legs bent at the knee in the stone I almost skipped out into Green Bay. I’ve used this stone often in children’s sermons over the past 25 years. The stone reminds me that I am able to see the sign of my salvation even in the most unlikely places.
John Donne, the seventeenth century poet, wrote in The Crosse:
Who can deny me power, and liberty
To stretch mine arms, and mine own Cross be?
Swim, and at every stroke, you are your Cross,
The mast and yard make one, where seas do toss.
Look down, you spy our crosses in small things;
Look up, you see birds rais’d on crossed wing.
The cross that stands at the center of our altars is also at the center of our life. At the end of his poem Donne reminds us all our crosses are children of the one Cross. Look for the cross. You will find it everywhere.
By Rev. Ronald Jansen
The Lutheran Review is beginning a new periodic series titled, "This Blogger's Words". A featured blogger will share some thoughts on blogging (why they started, what they enjoy about blogging, etc.).
Our first featured blogger is Pastor William Weedon from St. Paul Lutheran Church in Hamel, IL.
"I started blogging at the encouragement of my friend, Dr. Erich Heidenreich. He had a blog (with two others) that I commented on from time to time. When I started mine, he gave me some publicity on Beggars All and I've pretty much been blogging ever since."
"What I enjoy most is hard to say: I certainly feel the need to write and write often. And I don't restrict myself to what I write on - sometimes doctrine, sometimes liturgy, sometimes family, sometimes events of the day in the parish. I don't try to polish my writing for the blog (no smart comments!); I just put it out there. And right along with the need to write, has been the unexpected joy of meeting friends - the many folks I've come to know through their commenting on the blog." '
Pastor Weedon mixes daily Patristic Quotes and Old Lutheran Quotes, with sermons, glimpses of his family life and his love for being "green".
View: Weedon's Blog
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