My hometown church is small. It always has been. I started attending my junior year of high school, and at that time, it was already a pretty small congregation. But it’s smaller now, six years later. And I know we’re not the only church with this story.
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As I am writing this blog, Christmas is still two months away. However, there are already signs of its coming. Recently, I did some shopping. Halloween has yet to pass and there are...
“The word of God increased,”—three times in the Book of Acts Luke uses this sentence to sum up a period of the history of the Early Church (6:7; 12:24; 19:20). These words are a telling...
Can you remember the last time you purchased a piece of furniture or appliance, understanding that your purchase would require some assembly at home? You likely returned home from the...
When I am counseling couples before marriage, I encourage them to avoid discussing any important issues before 9:00 a.m. and after 9:00 p.m. Most people are at their best in the 9:00 a.m....
Stepping from the shadows of the Ausoni Mountains, walking northward along the famous Appian Way, the apostle Paul reached the coastal plains of Italy that stretched all the way to...
With the death of Jesus Christ on the cross, His resurrection, and His ascension in heaven, the early church had its beginning. Through the work of the Holy Spirit, the apostles, and the...
Pastors have many roles: preacher, teacher, visitor, worship leader, administrator. The Lord’s undershepherds are also constant learners and normally voracious readers. Yet, with so much...
Jesus Christ brought the Gospel (from older English, “Good-spel,” “good news”) to the world. He announced that in His person the kingdom of God was coming to mankind and that through...
Many teachings in the Bible are easy to understand and accept. Such teachings include the following:
38:46This episode of The Concordia Publishing House Podcast features author Pastor Andy Wright as he previews his new book, Faithfully Formed: The Lutheran Confessions in Daily Life. Andy joins host Elizab
The plain bows into the Sea of Galilee where families of fishers settled and built their homes. The villagers prospered and, with the help of a centurion, built a synagogue. The...
The plain bows into the Sea of Galilee where families of fishers settled and built their homes. The villagers prospered and, with the help of a centurion, built a synagogue. The...
My wife and I are blessed with a large group of nieces and nephews. Our oldest nephew, who is now all grown up, recently celebrated his birthday. As I spoke to him on the phone to wish...
The Jerusalem temple was overlaid with so much gold that persons who saw it described its blinding effects as it glistened in the sun. Herod the Great refurbished it. He surrounded it...
Upon finishing my teaching degree at what is now Concordia University Chicago, I was recruited to serve as a missionary in Taiwan (ROC—Republic of China), where I spent two and a half...
Forty-one times Mark describes the events flowing around Jesus’ life with the word immediately (in Greek, euthus), propelling the reader toward the cross where Jesus would die, giving His...
When we use the expression “take my word for it,” we are asking another person or group to trust that what we are saying is true. More specifically, we are asking this person or group to...
The Greek title “Book of the Twelve” (dodekapropheton) describes [the last twelve] of the Latter Prophets in the Hebrew canon. Jesus son of Sirach perhaps referred to this title when he...
In college, I attended a Bible study hosted at a pastor’s home. One week, he said our homework was to make a list of our biggest questions about faith, and we’d discuss them and seek...
I grew up reading comic books (often when I should have been studying). I was fascinated by the heroes, stories, art, and action. Back then, you could buy comic books at the grocery...
