Deacons/Pastors?

By Robert Schmidt                At its recent convention, the Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod resolved to deal with the question of licensed deacons. The President is to create a task force to develop a plan “to resolve questions about individuals who are not rightly called (prepared, examined, called and ordained) serving congregations of The Lutheran…
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President Harrison’s 85%

By Karl Wyneken The fiasco in the wake of Pastor Rob Morris’s participation in the Newtown prayer vigil brings to mind a  prediction made by Matthew Harrison during his run for the presidency of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod. In 2008, several years prior to the attainment of his goal of unseating former President Kieschnick at the…
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32 Theses against Unevangelical Praxis

          One of the theological gems from the history of the Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod is a set of 32 theses against “unevangelical praxis” that was prepared for the 1862 Convention of the Central District of the LCMS. Unfortunately the original document has never been translated completely into English–until now.           These 32 theses are just…
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A Waltherian Moment

By Robert Schmidt The last gavel has been struck.  The Synodical convention is over.  A district president was overheard saying that it was the most peaceful convention he had attended.  In an interview with the Lutheran Witness, President Harrison remarked, “I think the biggest thing accomplished, number one, was really to have a convention that was civil and positive….
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Not Our Children’s Church

By Stewart Marshall As a member of synod I am relatively young.  As a pastor, I am part of the largest age group within Synod. I attended my sixth convention this year.  I have been a delegate or observer to the conventions of the Synod since 1998. This was my third time attending as a…
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Time Will Tell

By Rob Hartwell I observed the LC—MS Convention from a slightly different perspective this year (2013). Although I have been at prior conventions, this was my first as an advisory delegate. Freed from voting and perched in the back of the expansive hall, I had plenty of time to watch and reflect on the convention….
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Purity

By David Domsch Purity is such an appealing idea.  We all want our food, our medicine, and yes our church’s doctrine to be pure – to contain only that which is supposed to be there and be void of all contamination. Despite its appeal, however, purity is very dangerous idea because the word implies an absolute…
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Offence

By David Domsch 1 a obsolete : an act of stumbling b archaic : a cause or occasion of sin : stumbling block 2 something that outrages the moral or physical senses.   (Merriam-Webster.com) In recent weeks the President of the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod tried to prevent a recurrence of the conflict that emerged when charges were brought against Rev. David Benke because of his participation in…
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Control

By David Domsch We all like to be in control.   It’s only human – as is the urge to extend our control beyond ourselves to include other people and situations.  That can and does lead to conflict – often serious conflict. Three years ago, before he was elected President of the Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod, Rev. Matthew Harrison…
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Where Do We Go From Here?

By Ron Biel Attending my fourth (and last) LCMS Convention this summer, I left feeling hurt as again witnessing what goes against my Gospel Grain.  New laws and rules and regulations – who may we exclude from the Sacrament which Jesus offers to all who have need of it, and for us to thereby remember…
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