Blog Posts

“How do I teach confirmation class?” “How do I deal with confirmation students who don’t seem to be paying attention?” “Is it just me, or is it harder to engage students in learning today...

This blog post is adapted from Portraits in American Lutheran Sacred Music, 1847–1947, by Benjamin Kolodziej.

Why do we need creeds? That might be a question you have asked or that a family member or friend has asked you after finding out you speak a creed in the Divine Service. However, in...

I was reminded recently that I’ll soon be entering a stage of life where my children will deal with bullies. Time has removed me from the days when I was on the receiving end of bad...

From testing snacks to fine-tuning crafts, thoughtful attention is given to every detail of Vacation Bible School (VBS)—all in preparation for churches across the country to share the...

One of the delights of parenting older kids is watching them discover and enjoy their individual interests. My daughters often start conversations or change the subject by brightly...

It's always a blessing to have extra copies of Portals of Prayer on hand. Check out these ideas for how you can put extra copies of Portals of Prayer to good use in your community! 

Take a journey through the seasons of life with this set of four chorale preludes by German composer Bernard Wayne Sanders. The preludes can be played individually or as a set of hymns...

Reading the Bible is a joy that Christians are called to continually, with the Word dwelling in us richly, as Colossians 3:16 states. Although the Word of God is powerful and never...

My house has a sizable patio, bordered by a row of Christmas palms. It’s truly lovely, but for years, I barely used it. I’d traipse across it to get to the built-in storage shed in the...

Have you ever wished there was a simple resource to help you better understand the prickly issues of our day or to give you the tools you need to talk with others about them? Have you...

“One generation shall commend your works to another, and shall declare yourmighty acts.” (Psalm 145:4) “Thank you. I love you.” Can that five-word text capture eighteen years? Yes, if...

About the worst thing for a Lutheran is to find yourself thinking that your access to God isn’t through His Word but through yourself, as if in a direct line from your heart to the Holy...

Baptism is much more than just a moment. It is a second birth and a transformation of identity. In the waters of Baptism, God claims us as His own, washing away our sin and marking us...

  My cell phone rang early on the day after Christmas, and I knew. Just a few weeks before, Dad’s health had worsened, and he ended up in the hospital. He was now in a rehab center,...

Planning church events is no small feat—whether you’re organizing a bake sale, fundraiser, rummage sale, community event, food drive, or holiday celebration, there’s a lot that goes into...