Category Archives: Blog

Help Needed in Haiti

LCMS Pastors' Resources Posted on by  

Image by Getty Images via @daylife

I just got this note from Lutheran Church Charities. If you’re looking for a way to help, here’s your chance.

Help is urgently needed for Haiti

Immediate Need is for Food and Water 

For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat… The King will reply, ‘I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.’ (Matthew 25:35, 40)

As you are aware, yesterday afternoon Haiti was hit with the worst earthquake in 200 years. Most of the capitol city, Port-au-Prince, has been destroyed.  In addition, there have been over 30 aftershocks, which makes the situation even more dire.  Having been to Haiti numerous times, I know that Haiti is always in dire circumstances without a disaster!  But disasters such as this allow the Christian Church to show the Compassion and Mercy of Christ to those who do not know Him (over half the population in Haiti practices Voodoo).

Some of the ministries that Lutheran Church Charities works with in Haiti are all right since they are not located in the Port-au-Prince area.  Pastor Isaac and his orphanage are safe.  However, they will be indirectly affected since Port-au-Prince is the key hub for Haiti.

Haiti, The Poorest Nation in the Western Hemisphere

Few countries are as vulnerable to natural disaster as Haiti, the poorest nation in the Western hemisphere. Wracked by political instability and poverty, and hammered by a series of hurricanes in 2008, Haiti faces a tough recovery ahead.  Poor communications are making it difficult to immediately assess the extent of the damage and fatalities, but as daylight comes, the scale of the quake’s destruction is slowly coming into focus.

International Red Cross spokesman Paul Conneally said an estimated 3 million people (one third of Haiti’s population) may have been affected by the quake and that it would take a day or two for a clear picture of scope of the destruction to emerge.

I have been in communication directly or indirectly with those in Haiti and with the Lutheran and Christian ministries that LCC works with. I have also been in contact with ministries in the United States such as LCMS World Relief and Human Care (Rev. Glenn Merritt) to find out what their immediate needs are.

We have a mission group scheduled to leave for Haiti on March 11th, headed by Susan Gross at Christ Orland Park and other congregations.  We will be able to send relief efforts over with them.

The Immediate Need And How You Can Help

Given that Haiti is the poorest nation in the Western Hemisphere – food is ALWAYS a need.  With four out of five people living in poverty and more than half in abject poverty, any financial assistance to help with food and water is desperately needed at this point.

Lutheran Church Charities has a program called “Feed The Invisible Guest” based on Matthew 25, where for .50 a day a child can be fed.  You can contribute to the “Feed The Invisible Guest” fund here.

Make A Difference!

Having spent time in Haiti over the years, I can testify to the great need there, even before the earthquake.  With the earthquake hitting Port-au-Prince the whole country will be affected as Port-au-Prince is the main hub.

LCC always guarantees that every dollar given goes directly for its intended purpose with NO administration charges taken out. We will work through the Lutheran Church in Haiti for the distribution of the food.

Thank you for your compassion and help!

Serving Together, Serving Christ, so we can serve others IN HIS NAME,

Tim Hetzner

See our web site for the most current updates.

Web site: www.lutheranchurchcharities.org
phone: 866-455-6466

 

Tags: 
Current Events
Servant Opportunity
Continue reading →

The War on Christmas: An Exit Strategy?

LCMS Pastors' Resources Posted on by  

It’s that time of year again, a time to celebrate peace on earth and, if necessary, shove it down your neighbor’s throat. While this year’s controversies seem fewer than previous years’, the question of “Merry Christmas” vs. “Happy Holidays” vs “whatever holiday you Wannakuh” continue. What’s a Christian to do?

First of all, this is a question of Christian liberty. The simplest answer is, “Whatever you want,” and the answer may be that simple. The Bible doesn’t dictate how to respond to a cashier in a store except with gentleness and respect. (1 Peter 3:15) Sadly, we’re sometimes so adamant about making sure people keep “Christ in Christmas” that “Merry Christmas” becomes a battle cry instead of a joyous greeting. You can’t demand that anyone acknowledge or observe a particular holiday any more than you can demand that someone believe that, in Jesus Christ, the infinite God became a human baby.

It seems that we’re more concerned about shopping centers proclaiming Christ than our own lives. Instead of getting angry when the store clerk says, “Happy Holidays,” you have several options:

  • Say, “Thanks. You, too.” (You do celebrate the pagan holiday of the New Year, too, right?)
  • Say, “Thanks, and merry Christmas to you,” with a smile on your face.
  • Say, “Thanks. I’m sure the extra work for you can make it not so happy, but I hope you can find joy in the midst of it.” (Compassion—pretty novel, right?)
  • Beat them to it, but not as a race. As they ring up your order, say something like, “Sometimes, it’s hard to see how all this was intended to point to God becoming a baby to save mankind.”

Whatever you say, say it with joy. God has become man, and since the world crucified Him the first time, we shouldn’t be surprised if they do it again and again, but that’s why He came. Whatever the world happens to say to you, thank God that the same stores that don’t allow their employees to say, “Merry Christmas,” often have, “Oh, come let us adore Him, Christ the Lord,” piped over their speakers in the store. Enjoy the irony, and take a moment to pray for those who work and shop in that store, that as they wrap their gifts, they come to know the One who was wrapped in swaddling clothes and laid in a manger to save them.

 

Tags: 
Tis the Season
Continue reading →

Does Jesus belong at city council meetings?

LCMS Pastors' Resources Posted on by  

The Cleveland City Council has fallen under fire for beginning each meeting with a Christian invocation or prayer, and Americans United for the Separation of Church and State have called foul, claiming that the council is endorsing Christianity through their actions. While this has happened in many cities and small towns and even in the United States congress, the debate rages as to the role of religion in politics, especially in our nation that guarantees religious freedom.

Not being a constitutional lawyer, I can’t address whether the council has the right to do so, but I can address the question whether they should.

As Lutherans, we understand God’s Kingdom to come in three ways, as His Kingdom of Power, Grace, and Glory.

Power

God’s Kingdom of Power exists everywhere. (Psalm 103:19) He created all things and has established not only the laws of nature, but the natural law of morality that He has written on all people’s hearts. He has also put in place earthly governments to protect us, and in our nation, our elected officials act on His behalf to execute justice. God places them there out of love, and, recognizing them as God’s representatives, we respect the positions they hold. (Romans 13:1-7) Note that the state’s job is to carry out God’s justice, not His mercy.

Grace

Grace means “undeserved love,” and God’s Kingdom of Grace refers to that place where He displays His grace most clearly: in the forgiveness of sins that He gives through the sacrifice of His Son for us on the cross. (Romans 14:17, Colossians 1:13-14) The responsibility to pass on this message rests with the church. (Matthew 9:38) Prayer, which is only heard through the worthiness of God’s Son on our behalf, rests firmly in the Kingdom of Grace, so using the Kingdom of Power to promote the Kingdom of Grace confuses these two, however well-intentioned. (Matthew 22:20,21)

Glory

God’s Kingdom of Glory refers to heaven and the New Creation that we will all see on the Last Day at Jesus’ return at the Resurrection. (Job 19:25-27) There, the other two kingdoms will merge, and we will all acknowledge Him and know the truth once and for all.

So should our elected officials pray before and at their meetings? We should pray at all times! (Ephesians 6:18) Should they force others in attendance to pray, especially when they may not believe in the God being addressed? No.

Instead of insisting that all of our elected officials include public prayer at their meetings, let’s encourage them to pray privately throughout as they make decisions intended for the good of the community, and spend our time praying for them, that the Lord would guide them to seek justice for all people.

 

Continue reading →

How should I pray?

LCMS Pastors' Resources Posted on by  

Image via Wikipedia

When Jesus taught His disciples to pray (Luke 11:1-13), He gave a great list to begin with, and in the Lord’s Prayer, we find in many ways a summary of all those things we pray about, but as you set time aside to be with God in prayer, do you ever find yourself at a loss what to pray about?

Here at Shepherd of the Ridge, we have a list each week of specific people seeking others’ prayers for them. That’s a great place to start. Even if you don’t know the details of that person’s need, God does, and He will provide as that person needs.

But consider praying for those you might not normally pray for:

  • Those who annoy you: (Matthew 5:44) But I tell you this: Love your enemies, and pray for those who persecute you. Sometimes, “enemy” means that person who took 15 items into the 12 item checkout, or that person at work who just irritates you, or telemarketers. Pray that God would bless them with love and faith, and that He would give you opportunities to love those people.
  • Terrorists: Speaking of loving our enemies, pray for those who’ve been fooled into thinking they’re doing God’s will by murder. Pray that God show them His love, that they may know His love, that His love would save them, and that they in turn would reach out to the world in love.
  • Those farthest away from you & toughest to love: Think of those with whom you simply have nothing in common, those with tremendous needs that leave you feeling like you could never help them, and ask God for opportunities to help those you don’t think you could help.
  • And if you’re brave, pray for faith. God often allows suffering to strengthen our faith, because it’s through those difficult times that we struggle the most and find ourselves running to God, whereas in times of abundance, we think we can do it ourselves.

Whom else can you pray for that you wouldn’t normally think of? God has given us love beyond our ability to comprehend, and we can share that love without fear of running out of love. Pray for opportunities to love. the wisdom to recognize those opportunities, and the courage to act on them.

 

Tags: 
Prayer
Continue reading →

A lesson from “Balloon Boy”

LCMS Pastors' Resources Posted on by  

Image by Getty Images via @daylife

Recently, the nation was held captive by a bizarre situation that appears to have turned out to be a publicity stunt for a potential “Reality TV” show. The “Balloon Boy” event caught our attention, and we’re still talking about it, even though it turned out to be nothing. Most of what I hear comes across as condemnation for abusing the public’s trust for personal gain.

Pastors live in the public eye enough that I often feel like I’m on a Reality TV show, but that’s the nature of the life God has called me to live. That said, I would not want a camera crew in our home at all times, broadcasting our family’s private lives. They’re called “private lives” for a reason.

At the same time, every Christian, not just pastors, lives under scrutiny. When you cut someone off on the road, and they see your “Pray for our troops” ribbon on the back of your car, what are you telling that person about Jesus? When we act judgmental and look down our noses at those we consider worse sinners than us or gossip about them, what are we saying about the unconditional love and forgiveness of God through Christ?

(Romans 2:24) As Scripture says, “God’s name is cursed among the nations because of you.”

While our good works don’t save us—Jesus’ work for us has already done that—what message does your life send to others? If your family were on a Reality TV series, would the viewers know you’re Christians? What would you be telling them, through your lives, about Christianity?

You don’t have to be on a Reality TV series. The world is watching you. Let them see the life of a broken sinner who lives by the grace of God, whose sin has been forgiven, and who now reflects that love to the people He has brought into your life.

 

Continue reading →

What’s the difference between a religion and a cult?

LCMS Pastors' Resources Posted on by  

Image via Wikipedia

The word “cult” gets thrown around a lot these days. I’ve discussed the term with my Mormon friends, and every time Scientology rears its head, the term tends to accompany it. Some call Christianity a cult. Others refer to any religion as a cult. But a difference exists, and it’s an important one. Some parents have come to me and said, “My child has joined a particular church. Is it a cult? I heard it is.” Cults have certain characteristics, and contrary to popular belief, it has nothing to do with size. Cults can have less than a dozen or millions of members. What makes a religion a cult comes down to how it treats its members, not any specific teachings, however strange they seem. (We believe in one God Who is three distinct persons, that He became human and died while still remaining God, and that He will forgive all sins. Even Scientology’s belief in an alien invasion isn’t as strange as that!)

Cults all share, to a greater or lesser degree, these characteristics:

  • Brainwashing: When joining a cult, the cult will hold back some of its teachings from you, only giving it piece by piece. Questions tend to be discouraged, especially if the question expresses doubt of the organization’s teachings. Anyone who suggests an alternate view faces reprimand or is gently encouraged to just trust the leadership without asking questions. Those who ask too many questions can be threatened with expulsion.
  • Members are allowed limited information, such as being discouraged or forbidden from viewing mainstream media, allowed only to read or view materials approved by the organization’s leadership.
  • Members who consider leaving the organization face ostracism from other members of the organization. Remaining members are encouraged to avoid the ex-member, and often, spouses are encouraged to divorce the exiting spouse.
  • Members are discouraged from contact, sometimes temporarily, sometimes permanently, with family or friends outside the cult except during proselytizing activities.
  • They often have a single charismatic leader, although as cults age or grow, this can change or disappear or be replaced by a hierarchical structure. Regardless of the structure, the leadership is seen as infallible, often considered to be divine or receive immediate (i.e. without means like a book, rather directly through visions or dreams) revelation from the divine.

So take a look at your church. Is it a religion or a cult? Let’s take a look at The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod, of which Shepherd of the Ridge is a member.

  • I always tell students and members, “When you become a Christian, don’t check your brain at the door.” Keep asking questions. Keep reading and talking. Feel free to read the opponents of our beliefs and consider their arguments. I’m even running a study on Sunday mornings to consider the arguments of an atheist who claims to prove the Bible to be fallacious. If what we believe is true, and I believe it is or I wouldn’t have this job, then we have nothing to fear from opposing viewpoints.
  • When someone wants to leave to join another church or leave Christianity altogether, while we will miss them and are concerned about them being deceived by false teachings, we encourage all to love them and continue to pray for them and help however we can. Spouses should always stay married.
  • We see family and friends as blessings from God, and short of an abusive relationship or one wherein friends are causing someone to get into some kind of trouble (with the law, a marriage, etc.), we would never tell people whom they should or shouldn’t be friends with. In fact, we actively encourage friendships with those outside the church as an opportunity to serve those not being served, whether their needs are spiritual or physical.
  • While we believe Jesus is God and thus infallible, we don’t consider our pastors infallible, and I always encourage people to correct me when they disagree with me and am always happy to discuss those issues and learn more.

The International Cultic Studies Association has a more comprehensive list if you’d like to see other common characteristics. Note that what constitutes a cult is not always black and white, but more like a sliding scale. Most religions express one or two of the characteristics on the ICSA checklist, but when those characteristics start adding up, the organization can be considered more cultic.

Think about some of the groups that are considered cults at times. Do they fit the description? Talk to your friends who may be involved in these groups, and ask what they believe and why. Talk about how your beliefs differ, and discuss together the merits of both. But most of all, love them. These are not your enemies—they are people Jesus died for. So love them as He has loved you.

I said above that we encourage questions, so feel free to post questions, comments, or dissent in the comments below.

 

Tags: 
Visible Churches
Continue reading →

Today, You Will Be With Me…Online?!

LCMS Pastors' Resources Posted on by  

We’re busy, no question about it. Schools don’t respect Wednesday nights or Sunday mornings for church time, so not only might you sometimes have trouble getting here for a service, but forget about any other activities without some major restructuring of the schedule! When we came to North Ridgeville, we were looking forward to making friends and geting together, and while we’ve made friends, we’ve been so busy between work and our kids that we just haven’t had time for anything social, and I know we’re not alone in that.

Beyond just meetings, we’re not a business–we’re a family. We love each other and want to stay in touch with each other. When someone hurts, as strange as it may sound, we want to share that hurt, not just in sympathy, but so we can be praying for and encouraging each other. And as a family, we also benefit from being in God’s Word together!

So while there’s no substitute for being together and meeting face-to-face, because that’s just not possible, I’d like to propose an experiment to build each other up in the common bond we share.

On our website, I’d like to begin an online Bible Study. Genesis has a lot to talk about, so we’ll start there. (Good place to start: “In the beginning,” huh?) Each week, I’ll post a short reading, probably just a few verses, some comments or background information, and a couple open-ended questions, like, “Have you ever found yourself in a situation like this?” or something like that. Then you can leave comments and ask further questions. This way, anyone with internet access (if you don’t have a computer and are interested, the library does) can join in.

I’d appreciate your feedback on this idea. Does this sound like something you’d like to try? Should we make this a private members-only study, or should we use this as an outreach and allow guests around our community and world to join in the conversation? Would you like other groups on the site set up, like a parenting group (what to say when kids ask tough questions, where to find various resources, or even good places to go on the weekend for fun) or some other topic?

The toughest part of a project like this is getting the ball rolling. Once people get involved in the conversation, the project generally keeps pretty good momentum, but people tend to be afraid of being the first to comment, so I’d appreciate, if we begin this project, a few bold people being bold about commenting. Note that comments don’t need to be insightful or brilliant–this is all about relationships, not impressing people.

Again, this is not a replacement for seeing each other face-to-face. When someone is hurting, they will likely appreciate a personal visit from more than just the pastor. We still have phones to call each other and check in. We still need to work together to meet the needs of the community. And we still need to join our voices as we worship “with…all the company of heaven.”

I look forward to your feedback and covet your ideas.

Tags: 
Technology
Continue reading →

A Monkey’s Uncle at the Cleveland Museum?

LCMS Pastors' Resources Posted on by  

Image via Wikipedia

Right here in our own backyard, another discovery has potentially turned the proposed thread of human evolution from apes on its head, or at least on its pelvis. It was reported today that Cleveland researcher Yohannes Haile-Selassie has discovered fossils that conclude that modern apes cannot be our ancestors, but rather that we both share a common ancestor further back in time, which they call Ardipithecus ramidus. If this is true, then it’s time to rewrite the science books yet again. Yet in the same article, many other (Darwinist) scientists are calling the bluff, saying that the bones could be interpreted that way, but not necessarily.

Meanwhile, we have the book of Genesis, written 3500 years ago, and we haven’t revised it once. God has given us His own eyewitness account, yet somehow, we consider His inerrant account less valuable than the interpretations of an observer thousands of years after the fact. If the Darwinist scientific community can’t even agree that the evidence is conclusive, why should this shake our faith? The simple answer: it shouldn’t. God has given us His truth, that we did not slowly branch off from another kind of creature (Genesis 1:21,24,25), but that we were created in the image of God (Genesis 1:27). And because we were created in the image of God, we have infinite value, such great value that God was willing to sacrifice no less than His own Son to pay for our sin.

One day, just as the truth has been revealed to us now in the Bible, the truth will be revealed to all at Jesus’ coming. On that day, what we have known to be truth will be proven once and for all, and the scoffing that will undoubtedly follow in the wake of this will cease. Pray that God reveal His truth in the lives of those who choose man’s wisdom over the wisdom of God.

 

Continue reading →

Is Jesus a socialist?

LCMS Pastors' Resources Posted on by  

Michael Moore, famous for movies like Fahrenheit 9/11, has made the claim in his upcoming film, Capitalism: A Love Story, that Jesus would consider capitalism sinful. The hypocrisy of Moore’s net worth (gained from capitalism) aside, it seems worthwhile to ask the question, “What form of government does God prefer?”

In a recent Bloomberg interview, Movie Critic Rick Warner asks, “Several clergymen in the film say capitalism is anti-Christian and that Jesus would have deplored such a dog- eat-dog system. Yet you hear from the right that capitalism and Christianity go hand in hand. Are they reading different Bibles?” to which Moore responds, “The number one thing in the Bible is redemption. The number two thing is how we treat the poor. All the great religions talk about this. The right wing hijacked Jesus 30 years ago. It was all a big ruse, but people fell for it. I don’t think people are falling for it so easily now.”

Moore got the first point right, absolutely. The focus of the entire Bible is redemption: God paying for the sin of the world by sending Jesus to the cross on our behalf. The entire Old Testament lays out God’s preparation for His coming, and the entire New Testament focuses on that singular event and its repercussions.

Is Moore right about how we treat the poor? Yes. “All the great religions” may be an exaggeration if you consider the Hindu caste system, but yes, Christians all should agree that we need to help the poor as much as possible.

But the question comes down not to “whether,” but to “how.” In the United States, the Democratic Party holds essentially that we can best help the poor by giving our taxes to the government, which can then redistribute the wealth where it’s needed. The Republican Party doesn’t generally trust the government to do this properly or efficiently and prefers to encourage people to give of their own free will according to their consciences as they see need.

Of course, both systems, because they’re designed by sinners, fall short of perfection. “Wasteful government spending” is a household expression, so kudos to the Republicans. On the other hand, every time I refer someone in need to a government aid organization, I think of the Democrats. Plenty of other smaller political parties have other ideas which would be best.

So what form of governmental economy would Jesus endorse? If we were to only look at the Bible for governmental advice, we see only monarchies, but even those don’t get God’s stamp of approval. (1 Samuel 8:7-21) In fact, when Chronicles evaluates the various kings, their economic policies never enter into the equations. Rather, their faithfulness to the Living God is the sole scale by which they’re judged.

The Bible, rather than endorsing a specific form of government, focuses on hearts, not legislation. God wants us to help the poor, but out of love, faith, and gratitude, not compulsion. (2 Corinthians 9:7) We can debate about how this can best be done, but God will stay out of that discussion until the last day when He raises the dead and gives us the riches of His Kingdom because of the poverty of Christ. Meanwhile, we rejoice that He has given us the riches of His undeserved love and the promise of eternal life as we live as citizens of both heaven and earth.

 

Tags: 
Church and State
Current Events
Continue reading →

How to live forever

LCMS Pastors' Resources Posted on by  

Image via Wikipedia

As people live longer, we continue to strive for greater health advances and more longevity. Some futurists even suggest that a lifespan of 200 or more years may become the norm to those born within a few decades. In a recent episode of the Today Show (Sorry–I can’t find a link to the clip), a researcher suggested that the human DNA has no “death gene” and so, by eliminating disease and accidents, life expectancy can extend toward a thousand years. This lack of a “death gene” sounds a bit simplistic, but at the same time, it doesn’t surprise me.

God created human beings for immortality. Had Adam and Eve avoided the temptation to disobey God regarding the fruit of the knowledge of good and evil (Genesis 3), we would all live forever on this world. That our genetic structure seems to reflect this just confirms what we’ve known for thousands of years. It also shows the distinct possibility that our bodies after the final resurrection may well be very similar in composition to their current composition, except that it will lack the corruption that causes us to die–which is something called “sin,” a spiritual condition that modern microscopes can’t see.

But while we’d all certainly like to be healthier, and while we treasure life because it’s a gift from God, we need not incessantly pursue an escape from death. When Jesus died on the cross, He conquered death once and for all. He submitted Himself to death to turn it inside-out, and His resurrection proved that death cannot overcome the Lord of Life. Although Jesus raised Lazarus from death, Lazarus died again years later, but one day, He will raise Lazarus, you, and me to live forever, free from sin and free from death forever.

 

Tags: 
Science
Continue reading →