Review of the Ohio District Convention

The first order of business before the convention was the election of the District President. There were basically two nominations: current president Terry Cripe and first VP Jack Davidson. Jack withdrew his name and as a show of support recommended that the convention elect President Cripe by acclamation. This was a nice show of support for a man who has done an excellent job as DP. President Cripe is not simply a politician. He is a man who meets with district winkles to lead them in studying theology. Our districts need more leaders willing and able to do this very thing. It is good that he was re-elected and with such support.

The overall tone of the convention was very positive. There was a good deal of discussion on several topics with several view points represented. Yet there were few attempts at power grabs or political positioning. Viewpoints were offered with gentleness and respect. This was good.

There were only a handful of resolutions for the convention to consider. The first had to do with the further dividing up of the district from three regions to five. I did not see a down side to this. The geographic distance and number of congregations in certain regions made them a bit unwieldy for the vice presidents. The division simply makes the division of congregational oversight more equitable among the v.p.'s.

This got tricky, however, when repositioning the District Board of Directors. With the previous arrangement there was equal clergy and lay representation. The new configuration swayed the number to the side of the ordained. There were some who proposed different methods to re-arrange this, no practical arrangement was found so the discrepancy carried.

The elections to the various positions went well. The reviewer is only 2 1/2 years to the district and has yet to learn who's who so it is difficult to offer much comment other than that there seem to be willing servants at the various positions.

Other resolutions were also before the convention. Of significance was a series of resolutions that had to do with allowing a vote in convention to commissioned ministers as well as ordained ministers serving a non congregational call (such as an RSO, a mission at large, a seminary, etc.). These resolutions were significant because they represented a shift in the way we conceive of the synod.

Representation at conventions has historically been granted to congregations; one vote to the pastor and one to a lay person as representation of the relationship between the office of the ministry and the priesthood of the baptized. The resolutions before the convention were designed to give a vote to constituencies of voting blocks according to what is "fair". The language of the resolutions stated that it is not "fair" that commissioned ministers not be granted a vote, that it is not "fair" that ordained ministers serving a call other than a congregation not be granted a vote. These are theological issues that need to be considered theologically and not according to fairness. They need to be sorted out by our theologians before they are turned over to our policy makers. Theology works according to the Word of God, not according to what is fair (i.e. women's ordination & closed communion to name a few).

The series of resolutions were divided into 4 separate resolutions to recommend a change to the BRTFSSG. The first two passed before the convention realized the theological shift that was occurring but then it turned down the second two. It is good that not all were passed. It is however somewhat unusual and ironic that the convention decided to grant a vote to commissioned ministers yet not to seminary professors.

A resolution was presented from the floor to memorialize the Synodical convention to refrain from voting on the recommendations of the BRTFSSG until 2013. This was accepted by a 2/3 majority and reflects a hesitancy on the part of the convention to rush in to radical changes in the structure and governance of the synod. This was good.

The convention also viewed the video presentation from President Kieschnick. I have read comments on the presentation, many present a high degree of criticism. I did not personally take any offense to the presentation, but at the same time was not moved by it in any significant way, especially to the extent that the changes of the BRTFSSG would appear to be a necessity. Much to the contrary.

The presentation of the BRTFSSG was given by Robert Greene. He did a fine job of presenting and answering questions. There was an extended time given to Rev Greene for his presentation. This was helpful. There were a lot of questions that were asked. The three hours of time were fully utilized.

President Kieschnick was not able to attend the Ohio Convention . In his place was Rev Dean Nadasdy, the fourth vice president of Synod. Pastor Nadasdy talked very positively about the condition of synod, mentioning many new developments as a cause for celebration and an indication of the unity within synod. During a question and answer session, one of the pastors in the district asked about the financial condition of synod, wanting to know specific numbers in the interest of transparency and accurate information. Mentioned in the question was the rumor that the seminaries might be sold. Pastor Nadasdy's response was of some concern.

Pastor Nadasdy emphasized that he was speaking for himself and not officially for any synodical entity, but he opined that this might be a good idea. He said that perhaps the seminaries could be sold and a few of the Concordias could be turned into divinity schools. His proposed benefit was that we might be "better equipped to engage the world."

I am not sure what he meant by this. I do not know what he intends when he says "divinity schools". Nor do I understand what he means when he talks about better engaging the world. I can only assume that he intends to say that through the study of theology along side other disciplines we will have broadened areas of expertise.

As I said, this was of concern. Pastor Nadasdy mentioned our unity of confession. I don't know that such unity exists. With the system as it is, our synod already demonstrates too great a disparity in practice in terms of worship practice and communion fellowship, even the ordination of women. To juxtapose our theological education alongside other disciplines would mean less study of theology. This could only further undermine the current (dis)unity of confession. Again, Pastor Nadasdy did not further elaborate on the particulars of this idea, but the fact that this idea exists among those in positions of authority and influence in our synod is of concern.

Overall, the convention was positive. The tone and discussion was conciliatory. A few good things were accomplished and few things were lost.

Scientists are the modern day false prophets

I spent some time last night watching the special on ABC Earth 2100, that supposedly chronicles the disasters that will converge on the human race over the next 100 years. "Scientists" interviewed on the program were predicting that the earth would run out of fresh water, food would be scarce, a global pandemic would wipe out at least half the world population, ocean levels would rise and much of modern day society would become a wasteland. These days we have raised the vocation of "scientist" to that of a prophet.

Scientist love to make predictions; they love to make their predictions scary. After all, who would buy your book if all you predicted was that everything will stay the same. You've got to predict something big and bad if you want to make any money. Unfortunately the track record of these doomsday predictions isn't very convincing. Over the years these doomsday predictions have come up short and just been flat wrong. Deuteronomy 18:22 tells us that prophets who are wrong are no prophets at all.

That said, Christians can listen to the point of view of the "prophets" and hear the flap about climate change and take away one or two valuable points. Modern societies are not always the best stewards of God's creation. They should be. Christians especially should be. God gave us this world. He likes it. He thinks it's good. (Genesis 1:31) Therefore Christians should be concerned to take care of it. This is part of the Christian's vocation to serve his neighbor. After all, it's not serving your neighbor if your neighbor has to clean up all the trash that you threw out your window as you were driving by.

While Christians are conscious to be conscientious stewards of God's good world, that does not mean that we think of it as our salvation. ABC news promised us that if we change our behavior and started living a greener lifestyle we could look forward to a Utopian world where there is lots of food and clean air and clean water for everyone. Environmentalism is our means to self salvation.

This is not the world as the Bible describes it. A quick read through Revelation 8:8-12 is helpful. Because God wants all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth he will send natural disasters. Crops will burn up and be destroyed. (Revelation 8:7) The oceans will be disrupted and the living things in them will die. (Revelation 8:9) Our clean drinking water will be polluted. (Revelation 8:11) The sun will be darkened. (Revelation 8:12)

This is good prophecy. This is true prophecy. All we need to do is think back over the headlines from the past few years to see that God has done this very thing. Remember the floods in Iowa and Indiana? Remember the devastation to the farmland? Remember the polluted drinking water? Remember the loss of life? Remember Katrina? The tsunami? Remember the devastation to local commerce and maritime trade? All these disasters were predicted right there in Revelation. God said he would send them. But these disasters won't be the end of us. God limits these disasters. Revelation tells us they come in thirds. (Revelation 8:7, 8:9, 8:12) Natural disasters are not intended to destroy all of God's world, only part, because He wants sinners to know that the Judgment is coming and they must repent.

Our own modern day false prophets tell us the world is ending. They are correct. The world is ending. But the salvation they proclaim is self salvation. "No Jesus? No Repentance? No Problem! Just use less gas. Buy new light bulbs. You can save yourself and your children." The thing is, it's that sin, that self-worshipping and self-saving sin, that got us here in the first place.

Jesus: A Man's Man

Whoever cast Daniel Craig as James Bond did the franchise a huge favor. After all, the guy plays Bond like a man. Yeah, he gets beat up. Yeah, he gets bloody. But he’s tough. He can take a punch. He’s forceful. And a Daniel Craig Bond powers himself through the plot on the sheer force of his will. Perhaps the Christian Church USA should stand up and take notice.

They, after all, are still stuck in the Pierce Brosnan era. Think about it. Your average CCUSA Jesus is a Pierce Brosnan Jesus. He looks good. He’s got great hair. He has a quick wit and always just the right thing to say. And he’s got just the right tricks up his sleeve to get him out of a pinch. Do you ever see Brosnan’s Bond beat up and bloody? No. Do you ever see a CCUSA Jesus beat up and bloody? No! (But you sure see him with a wink and twinkle in his eye and smile on his handsome finely-groomed face). Perhaps we could cast Jesus in the sequel to Mama Mia. He could sing his own praise songs.

This is not the Jesus of the Bible. Take a read through the gospel of Mark. You’ll see. You’ll see a man’s man. He’s powerful. (Mark 11:12-14, 20-25) He commands respect. (Mark 1:16-20; Mark 1:27; Mark 15:5) He’s in control. (Mk 6:50) He stands up to and doesn’t run from confrontation. (Mark 2:23-28, Mark 3:22-30; Mark 11:27-33; Mark 14:62) He knows how to take a beating. (Mark 15:19-20) He’s got a firm handle on his mission and purpose and he won’t let anyone set him off track. (Mark 1:15; Mark 8:31-34; Mark 9:30-32; Mark 10:33)

In short, the Jesus of the Bible is a man. A man with a purpose. A man who had put his mind to the job he came to do and let nothing stand in his way ‘till the job was done. That job was your salvation. Thank God in heaven that Jesus is a man. Thank God in heaven that Jesus is not a wus.

Understanding the work of the Holy Spirit

In a few weeks the church will celebrate the Feast of Pentecost, a feast that follows 50 days on the heels of Easter and a feast that commemorates the outpouring of the Holy Spirit upon the disciples of Jesus.

Pentecost is a wonderful day. In fact, when most Christians talk about the Holy Spirit the first thing that comes to mind is Pentecost. For example, modern day Christians who believe that they have a special helping of the Holy Spirit are called “Pentecostals”. They believe that the Holy Spirit measures himself out in greater portions to some Christians who are more deserving and that you can see radical evidence of the Holy Spirit when He has come.

Most Lutherans know we do not look for the Holy Spirit in such radical means such as speaking in tongues or in faith healing, but still we might be tempted to follow the same line of thinking. Often Lutheran Christians are tempted to think that the Holy Spirit gives himself in greater measure through our feelings or through the things that we say or do. For example: have you ever taken a “spiritual gift inventory”; a personality test that is supposed to tell you how the Holy Spirit wants you to serve in the congregation? Or perhaps have you ever heard someone say, “I felt the Holy Spirit leading me to do such and such”? Or maybe your have heard someone refer to a person, maybe even a congregation as “Spirit filled”. While we don’t confess a Holy Spirit who causes us to say or do things we can’t understand, we still are tempted to give Him in greater measure to some than to other. Do not be deceived! The Holy Spirit is not to be cut apart like pieces of a pie.

I believe this happens because sometimes Christians confuse the First Article of the Apostles' Creed (the work of the Father) with the Third Article (the work of the Holy Spirit). In the First Article we learn that God creates each and every one of us with the gifts of our bodies and the accompanying talents and abilities. Some are good artists. This does not mean their art is inspired by the Spirit. Likewise some are good writers. This does not mean their writing is inspired by the Holy Spirit. Still others are skilled musicians and composers. This does not mean their music is inspired by the Holy Spirit. God gives all talents. He gives talents to paint and sculpt and draw. He gives talents to write. He gives musical talents. He also gives talents to farmers so that they can farm. He gives talents to mechanics so that they can repair engines. He gives talents to doctors so that they can help people to heal. All of these talents are gifts from God, but they are gifts He gives both to Christians and to unbelievers. Any one of these gifts can be used for God’s glory and in service to our neighbor or they can be used for sinful and selfish gain. Likewise, when a farmer’s crops grow or when your mechanic gets your car running again we don’t assume this was the work of the Holy Spirit. At times we feel compelled to give preference to some of God’s gifts as being of greater spiritual merit than to others. Paul reminds us that all are members of the body of Christ and the whole body is built up through all of the gifts. (1 Corinthians 12:12-31)

Also, at times Christians believe that they have received a special nudge from the Holy Spirit to go to a certain place and do a certain thing. Be careful of these nudges. (1 John 4:1-3) Sometimes God, who is concerned to provide for you a job, food to eat, good health, and the like will provide opportunities for you. This is because He is good and because He loves you. But be careful that you do not assume that these are His specific will for you, that you should do this and no other. When we have done this we have confused God's good work of caring for his creation with His gracious work of providing for our salvation.

The Work of the Holy Spirit has to do with your salvation. Remember the Apostles' Creed. We confess, “I believe in the Holy Spirit, the Holy Christian Church, the Communion of Saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting.” These are the gifts of the Holy Spirit. These are God's gifts that He gives to Christians for forgiveness and salvation.

Recall Jesus' words in John 14. “These things I have spoken while I am still with you. But the Helper (or intercessor or advocate), the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.” The work of the Holy Spirit is to point us to Jesus. He is the one who calls us to faith through the Word of God. He is the one who keeps us in that faith through the Word and the Sacraments.

So where do we look for the Holy Spirit? In the Bible. In preaching. In the words of absolution spoken on Sunday (John 20:22-23). In the Lord's Supper. You can be sure that the Holy Spirit is working in these place for you. He doesn't divide himself up. He doesn't give more of himself to one and less to another. The “weak” Christian and the “strong” Christian get the same amount of forgiveness: the whole thing, every time. Enough to last a life time.

This Pentecost, rejoice that the Holy Spirit has been given to you, and is alive in your heart through the Holy Word of God (Hebrews 4:12)

Thanks so much to Todd Wilken, Jeff Schwarz, and Craig Feichtinger for inviting me to be a guest on the Issues, Etc. radio program. They are carrying the standard for Confessional Lutheranism around the world through the work of their radio ministry. It was a real privilege to be a guest on the show.

Listen to the interview here:



Be sure to check out the vast resources they have available at www.issuesetc.org

Christ, Coffee, and Freshly Baked Cookies... "I'll have a Large Double Mocha Latte, a Blueberry Scone, and a Side of Jesus. Go light on the Jesus."

Church is the new coffee house. It is now the trend. And why wouldn't it be? Coffee houses are all the rage among the young and hip as gathering places to sit for a chat, network, and build relationships. It's a perfect fit for much of modern American Christianity where going to church, faith, and the gospel itself is all about “relationship”.

The evidence is everywhere. If you go to your local Christian bookstore you will be hard pressed to find portraits of a suffering Jesus or a crucifix with a corpus. You will, however, find plenty of portraits to hang on your walls that depict Jesus with his arms open for an embrace, you will find Jesus with his head back and mouth open in a full belly laugh, and you might even find Jesus with children playing soccer and swinging on tire swings.

And what of the books? You will likely find a copy of The Shack, Wm. Paul Young's novel about a man who meets God face to face(s). He gets to spend a weekend with God in the woods baking cookies, fishing, going for walks (even on the water), looking up at the stars, and having deep heart to heart conversations.


You can pick up a copy of Love Dare and its companion movie Fireproof so that you too can “fireproof” your marriage. And if you really want to shore up things with your spouse, head on over to Fellowship Church in Grapevine, Texas where Pastor Ed Young will tell you that the best way to get closer to God and your spouse is by seven straight days of sex. The Christian faith has become all about "relationship".

Not that relationship is bad. Nor is it unrelated. The Bible has lots to say about Christian relationship - both the relationship of the Christian to God and the relationship of the Christian to the neighbor. The thing is, the picture is not pretty. It's like we say in church. "I have not loved God with my whole heart. I have not loved my neighbor as myself." That sets the stage for a pretty poor relationship.

The Old Testament people of God had a relationship with God. God lived literally in the middle of the camp. He invited them to come spend time with him every day. However, every time they stopped by God's tent for a visit something had to die. A lamb, a bull, a pigeon if you were poor had to give up its life for your relationship with God to continue. Doesn't really put you in the mood for the taste of a latte or the smell of freshly baked cookies...

The New Testament people of God get in on the relationship too. The New Testament calls it koinonia. We often translate that as "fellowship". Sometimes we think fellowship is what we get when we all get together and enjoy each others' company. It's not. Fellowship, koinonia is not about us. It's not about our interpersonal connections. It is what we get when God joins us to himself, (1Cor. 1:9) to his own mystical body, through His sacrament so that through Christ we are joined to one another (1Cor. 10:16).

Just like our Old Testament counter parts, this doesn't happen without there being a death. We can't go over to God's place without someone loosing His life. Unless there is first a death, a sacrifice, a propitiation (1 John 4: 10) there is no relationship. So that's what there is. And the picture is not pretty. There is a cross and a bloodied figure on that cross who cries out to a God who has forsaken him (one relationship broken) and disciples who have abandoned him (12 more relationships broken) and his own people who have despised him (a whole slew of broken relationships!) But his failure is our victory. The koinonia can begin, first between you and God and then, through Christ, between you and your neighbor.

With all this misplaced talk of relationship, the result is a real tragedy. We are supposed to do things that benefit the relationship. We are supposed to spend time with one another, be "vulnerable" with one another, see the positive in one another, do nice things for one another. While these are (or can be) really good things, these things do not fix the problem.

If the problem is sin and if sin is that we are turned in on ourselves, the solution is not to follow a plan, a prescribed set of behaviors. These might open your eyes to help you see things are not right, but they cannot fix the sin. Sin is fixed through the Gospel. Sin is fixed through a Spirit-directed confession of sin that empties the self of rights and reasons and excuses. Sin is fixed when we confess our sins to each other and when we forgive the sins that have been committed against us. Sin is fixed when we confess our sin to Christ and He absolves us through his called and ordained servant.

The Bible has lots to say about relationship. It is God's to give, ours to ruin, and then God's to restore. He does this. He does it in Jesus.

Louie Still Just Doesn't Get It

I don't want you to get the feeling like I am picking on Mr Giglio. I know I posted about his "How Great is Our God" presentation before, but I feel like I gotta take another stab at it.
As I said before, Mr Giglio has more rhetorical skill and writing style in his little finger than I have in my whole body and his presentation is incredible inspirational. And I love all that he says about this great big wonderful world that our God has made for us to enjoy. But when it gets right down to brass tacks, Mr Giglio misses the point.
A few Decembers ago my parents decided that they wanted to treat the family to a holiday outing. My parents, my siblings, our spouses, their respective families and I all went to Chicago for a special weekend. The entire event was crafted around fostering family togetherness and creating a lasting memory for their children and grandchildren. For my father, the pinnacle of the event was a meal at Lowry's, a world-famous restaurant that specializes in prime rib. The meal was fantastic, the service was like no other the experience was incredible. The point of that meal was that it was a time for the family to be gathered around the same table and enjoy some of the best food available together so that we could have an opportunity for family togetherness and an event that we all would remember. It was just that.
Now imagine if years from now one of my children were to retell that event. And in the retelling she left out the food, the family, the environment, the event and instead talked about water. At the beginning of the meal, when we sat down to eat there were glasses of water on the table. The water had ice in it. Now don't get me wrong, ice water is great. It's cold, it's refreshing, it cleans the pallet. But it is just water, earth's most abundant resource. Ice water is available at every restaurant in the city of Chicago. Even the fast food places, even the gas stations, even the state prison serves water. To rave about water when there were so many other good things to be mentioned would be to miss the point.
That is exactly what Louie does. Sure God created the world. sure it's a big world. Sure it's a good world. But you can get a big god with a good, big world in many of the world's religions. Islam gives you a big god. Mormonism gives you a big god and (like Louie) they even put his son on a cross. But only Christianity puts that god, the God on the cross for us for our sin. To talk about God only as big, to give his saving work on the cross only honorable mention is like coming away from a lasting family memory and only talking about ice water.
Sure God is big. Sure God created a good and a big world, but for sinners dead in their sin, who are enemies of God is there anything better, anything greater than that God dead on a cross to forgive your sin and take you to heaven. Is there anything more exciting than that formerly-dead God risen from the dead and ascended into heaven where He has been given all authority in heaven and on earth? (Matthew 28:18) Is there anything greater than knowing the because He died, rose, and ascended there is nothing on earth that can separate you from the love of God in Christ Jesus (Romans 8:39)
"How great is our God?" Absolutely! How great it our God! Crucified! Risen! Ascended into heaven for you!