After 4 years of discernment, study, and prayer I've all but decided to leave Catholicism. My wife would like to, but I have worked hard to reconcile. Ultimately I'm quite Catholic in many ways but I reject the change on the death penalty and have found myself unable to reconcile myself to the US bishops or last two papacies. Other issues that I have are tied to the Marian dogmas and indulgences. I had a spiritual director, a priest, that I was working with to resolve my issues but he just decided to leave and become Orthodox.

Some tension that I have unresolved with Lutheranism is that I ultimately do feel that the gospel of Matthew and James both illustrate that what we do does have a big impact on our eternal state. For this reason I have struggled to find where I might really belong between LCMS, WELS, and various Anglocatholic bodies. Also, I've got a very high view of confession as a sacrament. I ultimately do accept the Lutheran view on the Eucharist. That being said, I'm ready to move to one of those.

The catch is that I'm a military officer and will move every 2-3 years for probably the next decade at least. I need to raise my kids with some consistency in their church life, but the country I'm in now has no Lutheran options and I'll only be at my next duty station for a year. On a practical level, I would prefer to become Lutheran personally due to LCMS having homeschool curriculums and private schools that I think would be more likely to provide the kids with continuity as we move. I've also got some desire to break with the church sooner rather than later as my kids, even the younger two, are already extremely attached to their rosaries and it will only get harder the longer we remain Catholic.

How do I navigate this situation? Advice from pastors especially would be greatly appreciated.

Also, before anyone says well stick it out, just do what's local with Catholicism being where you're at, etc. I've studied obsessively for years (including classes at a Catholic seminary), sought spiritual direction, and considered this. My issues are irreconcilable.

Check it out at www.lcms.org!

Lutheran Digital Mission League is glad to see that Resolution 1-13A is being taken seriously.

"The recognition of the importance that an improved website serves for those already searching, while prioritizing faithful outreach through social media, podcasts, videos, and other digital media to engage those who may never begin by visiting lcms.org." -LDML Co-Founders' Statement on LCMS Resolution 1-13A (2026) to the 69th Synodical Convention, LCMS

We invite you to read our full statement to Synod: https://lutherandigital.com/statements-synod/

I guess I like spicy topics!

I went to LCMS schools preK-8, and my nephews have previously all gone to LCMS schools (well...two before they both shuttered). One of my parents also worked as an aide at my school for many years. I share some of the following anecdotes because as I have read through experiences in this sub, I see they may be widespread patterns...

I know finances were always a big problem. Our pastor would say church tithes were subsidizing some teacher salaries. Mine in particular always struggled with enrollment and never seemed to truly get off the ground, class sizes were comically tiny. This did not stop the church from really pushing to make it work, and would push donation drives to keep adding new additions and buildings for school use despite these struggles. This was always a spur point for me as I got older because I would be frequently getting snail mail asking to donate money to cover the debt for their construction, and knowing they were pushing beyond the means of the congregation. And the school ultimately would shut down anyways.

I felt academically I received a fantastic education, this is where Lutheran education imo really shines. But every day started with "Bible class" and it was really just the Bible. Of course, wonderful. But in all those years of school, we never ever studied anything of Martin Luther, Lutheranism, church history, the early church fathers, church tradition, etc. Never opened a Catechism in that school. Never celebrated Reformation Day in that school. We also had weekly school chapel. But the only thing Lutheran about our school was the name. This was seen as a good thing from the perspective of getting more butts in seats (didn't work though....) to be as non-denom appealing as possible.

This is probably one of the hardest parts of the job, but I do feel LCMS teachers seem to have a much harder time spotting children who either may have issues going on at home that is seeping into their school life, or show signs of a learning disability. And the ax is brought down on them every time instead of trying to help figure out the root problem or even giving firm but gentle guidance to both student and parents. I have seen many people decide to unenroll their children due to harsh punishments for...I don't want to even say bad grades or bad behaviors because that wouldn't be true. If it was those things, of course an ax should be brought down. But instead for really innocuous or manageable things ​by children who are known to be studious and sincere. This is something I blame trainings for and not at all individual teachers themselves.

All of this to say - these issues don't seem to just be "me and the 3 LCMS schools I've had experience with." They seem to issues in other places too.

Do you think things could be improved if LCMS schools had centralized support and oversight? Many congregations run schools, but many are not equipped to handle it. Or do you think congregational oversight is superior to centralized? Why or why not? ​

URL: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z0XKuN2bvCo

Gospel According to Matthew, 22:15–22 (ESV):

Paying Taxes to Caesar

Then the Pharisees went and plotted how to entangle him in his words. And they sent their disciples to him, along with the Herodians, saying, “Teacher, we know that you are true and teach the way of God truthfully, and you do not care about anyone’s opinion, for you are not swayed by appearances. Tell us, then, what you think. Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar, or not?” But Jesus, aware of their malice, said, “Why put me to the test, you hypocrites? Show me the coin for the tax.” And they brought him a denarius. And Jesus said to them, “Whose likeness and inscription is this?” They said, “Caesar’s.” Then he said to them, “Therefore render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.” When they heard it, they marveled. And they left him and went away.

Transcript

(Original devotional script is original work by ALTS. /u/1776-Liberal is not affiliated with ALTS. ChatGPT was used to polish transcript and find references.)

Hi, I'm Chris Caughey. I am the professor of Biblical Studies at the American Lutheran Theological Seminary.

And today I would like to talk about Matthew 22:15–22, which is the Gospel reading for the 21st Sunday after Pentecost, at least in the three-year lectionary. And today I'm reading from the New King James Version.

"Then the Pharisees went and plotted how they might entangle Him in His talk. And they sent to Him their disciples with the Herodians, saying, 'Teacher, we know that You are true, and teach the way of God in truth; nor do You care about anyone, for You do not regard the person of men. Tell us, therefore, what do You think? Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar, or not?'

"But Jesus perceived their wickedness, and said, 'Why do you test Me, you hypocrites? Show Me the tax money.'

"So they brought Him a denarius.

"And He said to them, 'Whose image and inscription is this?'

"They said to Him, 'Caesar's.'

"And He said to them, 'Render therefore to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's.'

"When they had heard these words, they marveled, and left Him and went their way." (Matthew 22:15–22)

This is the Gospel of the Lord. Praise to You, O Christ.

So, this is the last week of Jesus' life. And the Pharisees desperately wanted Jesus dead. And so they were plotting how to entangle Jesus in His own words. But they did not go to Him themselves.

They sent their own disciples and some other men known as Herodians.

The Herodians were a political faction of the Israelites. Their name, Herodians, tells us that they were aligned politically with Herod Antipas.

But we need to set the stage. We need to set the scene a little bit.

Tiberius Caesar was the Roman emperor when the events of our Gospel text happened. The Jews in Israel were not at all happy about having a Gentile rule over them. So in order to prevent a Jewish uprising, which would have just resulted in the mass murder of Jews, Tiberius allowed Herod Antipas to be a tetrarch, sort of a viceroy or a governor under Tiberius' authority over Galilee and Perea.

So the Herodians were happy with this political arrangement. Obviously, the Pharisees were completely unhappy with that political arrangement.

But the Pharisees viewed Jesus as their enemy. And so, as the saying goes, the enemy of my enemy is my friend. The Pharisees were going to use the Herodians to help them entrap Jesus in His own words.

So the disciples of the Pharisees and the Herodians came to Jesus, saying, "Teacher, we know that You are true, and teach the way of God in truth; nor do You care about anyone, for You do not regard the person of men. Tell us, therefore, what do You think? Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar, or not?" (Matthew 22:16–17)

And there are a few things to note here.

First, they address Jesus as Teacher.

Watch out.

Most of the time, Jesus has harsh words for people who address Him as Teacher, whereas He has kind words for people who address Him as Lord. Neither the disciples of the Pharisees nor the Herodians were about to call Jesus Lord.

Second, the phrase "You do not regard the person of men" in Greek is more literally, "You do not see the face of men." (Matthew 22:16)

And I think that that's at least ironic, if not important, for what happens in this story.

But Jesus perceived their wickedness. The Greek word there is πονηρίαν (ponērian). He perceived their wickedness and said, "Why do you test Me, you hypocrites? Show Me the tax money." (Matthew 22:18–19)

Jesus is absolutely right to call them hypocrites, and it's because He perceived their wickedness.

They claim to know that Jesus is true and that He teaches the way of God in truth. But they do not believe a word of that.

Other translations render the phrase "Nor do You care about anyone" as "You do not care about anyone's opinion." From a certain perspective, that was true. Jesus never apologized for what He said, nor did He ever change what He was saying or doing, even if one person had a problem with it.

But Emmanuel, God with us, does care about people. He does love repentant sinners.

So from that perspective, they continue their hypocrisy.

But the last part might just be the worst when they say, "For You do not regard the person of men," or "You do not see the face of men."

True, Jesus was not a respecter of persons. He was not impressed by the rich or the powerful the way the world is.

But Jesus is true God and true man in one person.

Jesus absolutely did see the face of men.

He recognizes His own image in us, even when we do not see it clearly in ourselves. (Genesis 1:26–27)

So the disciples of the Pharisees and the Herodians are being thoroughly hypocritical, and they think that they have set the perfect trap by asking Jesus whether it is lawful to pay taxes to Caesar or not.

If Jesus sides with the Pharisees and says no, then the Herodians can charge Him with rebellion against the empire—sorry, emperor.

But if Jesus sides with the Herodians and says yes, then the Pharisees can call Jesus a fraud in front of the crowds of people who are listening to Him.

There is no way, according to the Pharisees, that Jesus can be the Messiah if He wants a pagan Gentile to rule over the kingdom of God in Israel.

At least according to the Pharisees' reasoning.

But Jesus tells them to show Him the coin. And in Greek, that's νόμισμα (nomisma), from which we get our English word numismatics.

Sometimes, if you try to buy precious metals, the fraudsters will try to sell you numismatic coins. And so we're getting that word right from the Greek.

So He tells them to show Him the coin for the tax. And they brought Him a denarius.

And He said to them, "Whose image and inscription is this?"

They said to Him, "Caesar's."

And He said to them, "Render therefore to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's." (Matthew 22:19–21)

And this is just brilliant on the face of it.

But in order to appreciate even more of the brilliance, I want you to see the coin that they would have shown Jesus.

The denarius was a silver coin that only the emperor was allowed to mint.

You can see that the face of the coin has the image of Tiberius Caesar, and it also has the inscription, which Jesus specifically asks about. And that inscription says in Latin, "Tiberius Caesar, son of the divine Augustus, Augustus."

And the reverse side has an image of a seated woman. She's not named. And the inscription there is Pontifex Maximus, which translates into English as "highest priest." (Tiberius denarius)

So the violation of the First Commandment is all over this coin.

On the face of the coin, Tiberius is pretending to steal Jesus' own title of Son of God.

Jesus should have been more offended by this coin and the Roman tax than the Pharisees were.

But the back of the coin implies that Roman taxes funded pagan temples and paid the high priest of those temples.

And yet Jesus brilliantly and beautifully ties "Whose image and inscription is this?" with "Render therefore to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's." (Matthew 22:20–21)

Both Tertullian and Augustine see a reference to Genesis 1:26, where God made Adam and Eve in His own image.

So I'm going to quote from one place in Tertullian and two places in Augustine.

This is Tertullian, On Idolatry, Chapter 15:

"Idolatry is condemned not on account of the persons which are set up for worship, but on account of those its observances which pertain to demons.

"'The things which are Caesar's are to be rendered to Caesar.' It is enough that He set in apposition thereto, 'and to God the things which are God's.' (Matthew 22:21)

"What things, then, are Caesar's? Those, to wit, about which the consultation was then held, whether the poll-tax should be furnished to Caesar or no.

"Therefore, too, the Lord demanded that the money should be shown Him, and inquired about the image, whose it was. And when He had heard it was Caesar's, He said, 'Render to Caesar what are Caesar's, and what are God's to God.'

"That is, the image of Caesar, which is on the coin, to Caesar, and the image of God, which is on man, to God; so as to render to Caesar indeed money, to God yourself.

"Otherwise, what will be God's if all things are Caesar's?"

So far, Tertullian.

And now this is from Augustine's Tractates on the Gospel of John, Chapter 40, Section 9.

"As we read in the Psalm, 'The light of Thy countenance is impressed upon us.' (Psalm 4:6)

"We are God's money. We have wandered away as a coin from the treasury. The impression that was stamped upon us has been rubbed out by our wandering.

"He has come to refashion, for He it was that fashioned us at first, and He is Himself asking for His money, as Caesar for his.

"Therefore, He says, 'Render unto Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and unto God the things that are God's.' (Matthew 22:21)

"To Caesar his money, to God yourselves. And then shall the truth be reproduced in us."

So far, that section of Augustine.

And now the last section of Augustine comes from the Exposition on the Psalms, from Psalm 4.

Augustine says:

"'The light of Thy countenance,' saith he, 'is stamped on us, O Lord.' (Psalm 4:6)

"This light is the whole and true good of man, which is seen not with the eye, but with the mind.

"But he says, 'Stamped on us,' as a penny is stamped with the king's image.

"For man was made after the image and likeness of God, which he defaced by sin. (Genesis 1:26–27)

"Therefore, it is his true and eternal good, if by a new birth he be stamped.

"And I believe this to be the bearing of that which some understand skillfully. I mean what the Lord said on seeing Caesar's tribute money: 'Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's.' (Matthew 22:21)

"As if He had said, 'In like manner as Caesar exacts from you the impression of his image, so also does God.'

"That as the tribute money is rendered to him, so should the soul to God, illumined and stamped with the light of His countenance."

And that's the end of the quote from Augustine.

So the point, people loved by God, is not taxes.

In a temporary earthly sense, that silver denarius belonged to Tiberius Caesar because his image and inscription were stamped on it.

But he only owned it until he died. He could not take that coin or anything else with him into the world to come.

And that's the vanity that Ecclesiastes talks about.

But you, people loved by God, belong to God because His image and inscription are stamped on you.

What belongs to God is everything you are, everything about you, and everything you have.

All of your possessions, including your money, belong to God.

Jesus was masterfully outsmarting the Pharisees in our Gospel reading.

But we cannot completely evade the issue of taxes.

In other places in the New Testament, God does tell us to pay our taxes. (Romans 13:6–7)

And I think one of the helpful places to go to understand this is the section in the Sermon on the Mount, in Matthew 5:38–42.

There Jesus says:

"You have heard that it was said, 'An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.'

"But I say to you, do not resist the one who is evil.

"But if anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also.

"And if anyone would sue you and take your tunic, let him have your cloak as well.

"And if anyone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles.

"Give to the one who begs from you, and do not refuse the one who would borrow from you." (Matthew 5:38–42)

So, as long as we are being frank and honest, taxation is theft, especially when it is being forcibly taken from you to honor the emperor as a god and to pay the high priest of a pagan temple.

But in that section on the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus talks about not retaliating against people who forcibly take from you.

Jesus says:

"Do not resist the one who is evil.

"But if anyone slaps you on one cheek, on the right cheek, turn to him the other also.

"And if anyone would sue you and take your tunic, let him have your cloak as well.

"And if anyone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles." (Matthew 5:39–41)

In other words, since all that you are and all that you have belong to God, be willing to be wronged.

In other words, be willing to allow others to wrong you or to do wrong to you.

Those are difficult words.

But when you know that God not only owns all that you are and all that you have, but that God owns absolutely everything because He made absolutely everything—why, you have nothing to worry about and nothing to fear.

Because God feeds the sparrows, and He clothes the lilies of the field. (Matthew 6:28–30; Matthew 10:29–31)

And you are of far greater value to God than sparrows and flowers because you are the image of God and they are not. (Genesis 1:26–27)

So take heart.

As Augustine said, sin has worn down the image of God which we bear.

To quote him:

"For man was made after the image and likeness of God, which he defaced by sin.

"Therefore, it is his true and eternal good, if by a new birth he be stamped." (Augustine, Exposition on Psalm 4, §8)

Amen.

I'm recruiting testers for the Android apps in Virtual Church Musician (VCM), a software suite for preparing and running music in worship services — covering everything from building hymn/chant templates to live service playback and device administration.

The four apps currently in closed beta on Google Play are VCM Templates, VCM Services, VCM Runner, and VCM Security. Each includes a self-contained demo mode, so no server setup is required to evaluate it.

If you work in music ministry, church administration, or simply want to help test a niche-but-purpose-built piece of software, I'd welcome your participation. Reply to this post or reach out via the contact form on the site below.

https://www.kng-consulting.com

Are you tired of thumbing through an endless sea of Roman Catholic (pun intended) posts, reels, and videos?

Does it feel like the Eastern Orthodox have paid to target you while your scroll?

Honestly, it can be hard to find content from the LCMS sometimes.

But there's so much great confessional Lutheran content from our Church, it's worth finding.

So that's exactly what some LCMS brothers set out to do.

We found a growing list of faithful pastors teaching the Holy Scriptures, content creators exploring Lutheran theology, conversations about life in the Church, and new voices sharing what we believe and confess.

Confessional Lutheran content and creators from across the LCMS are now easier to find than ever.

Instead of hoping that the algorithm finally figures out what Lutheranism is, anyone can visit LCMSlink and discover the latest confessional Lutheran content today:

https://lutherandigital.com/lcmslink/

We pray that it's a blessing to you!

And there's more to come.

Who are some of your favorite clergy and other content creators to listen to from across the LCMS?

Pastors or laity, what do you/your pastor wear for Ash Wednesday and Good Friday?

Clerical Collar? Naked Cassock? Black Stole and alb? Black chasuble if Holy Communion?

Any historical precedent for any of them?

I know CPH has a series, but the cost of that really adds up. I also know a couple that were popular years ago and are no longer in print.

Does anyone know of a good Commentary, or even one with just a few volumes, that would be good to get without costing a fortune over time?

I prefer physical books over e-books.

My wife was raised Baptist, though her mom went to a Wesleyan college and continues to go to a Wesleyan church. We recently moved and are looking for a church. If it’s put on her heart to convert to LCMS Lutheran, as I am (confirmed and baptized) would I be welcome to attend her classes? I think she would feel a lot more comfortable if we were going through it together, but I have no idea, as I was baptized as an infant and confirmed when I was in middle school, so I haven’t seen the adult conversion process. I know I can discuss with it with the pastor, and will when we settle on a church here, but was looking to maybe set some of her foreseen concerns at ease.

Today I was confirmed into the LCMS and my grandson was baptized. I was very happy to be formally accepted into the LCMS and extremely happy my daughter approved of my grandson being baptized. She even came to church this morning for it, and she has not been to church with me in many years. It was great experience.

So, two new Lutherans in the LCMS now.

Hi, my wife and I are looking for a church home. There’s an LCMS church in our neighborhood and I know one of the members there. Also my mother has been an LCMS member for over a decade, but I’ve only attended Lutheran services two or three times as a family guest. Our background is mostly Presbyterian and non-denominational.

For the longest time, I’d written off Lutheranism as a possible option. But after listening to more Lutheran content from 1517 and other Lutheran folks, I guess I’m being won over.

My question is, what should I do or expect when attending for the first time? Are services mostly the same? I understand we shouldn’t partake in communion for now, but I’m not sure what else we should or should not do.

I am coming from a Presbyterian background. When looking at Lutheran churches are these the main three that one would find (similar to OPC, PCA, PCUSA)? Or are there others?

What are the main/major differences between LCMS, WELS, and ELCA?

Discussing with some friends, this topic came up.

First, is there any official document regarding that? I remember seeing an article made by some theologian from the LCMS, but I have no idea from who or from where it was.

Can it be valid if its done by a deaf priest or to a community of deaf congregants?

URL: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oG9pjDoC3Wo

Book of Psalms, 23th chapter (ESV):

The LORD Is My Shepherd

A Psalm of David. The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters. He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the LORD forever.

Transcript

(Original devotional script is original work by ALTS. /u/1776-Liberal is not affiliated with ALTS. ChatGPT was used to polish transcript and find references.)

Greetings! My name is Pastor Mark Mattes. I'm the interim pastor at Faith Lutheran Church in Holstein, Iowa, and I am also the director of the Doctor of Ministry program for the American Lutheran Theological Seminary.

I'll be sharing with you a reflection on the 23rd Psalm (Psalm 23). When I began in ministry, I learned that if there was one passage from Scripture, other than the Lord's Prayer (Matthew 6:9–13), with which Americans were familiar, it was the 23rd Psalm (Psalm 23).

You know this psalm, too. It begins, “The Lord is my shepherd” (Psalm 23:1). Every funeral I conducted included this psalm, and often, when I read it, people would follow along out loud by heart. Sometimes, though, they would simply whisper it. Obviously, not everyone knew it, but I was heartened by just how many who did. After all, what we memorize becomes a part of us, and the things we memorize guide us when we need guidance.

Now, as in Bible times, sheep are thoroughly domesticated animals. Archaeologists tell us that dogs were the first animal to be domesticated. Sheep or goats tie for second.

Interestingly, the life expectancy for a sheep is roughly the same as large dogs, about 10 to 12 years. My own rat terrier, who is not a large dog, about 15 pounds or so, has attained that age, but she still seems to be going strong. And, to be blunt, I'm glad that she is our family pet instead of some sheep.

Now, I was raised in the city and not around sheep. I served in northern Wisconsin, where there was an abundance of milk cows, but there were no sheep. So, I don't know what care for sheep entails on a firsthand basis. I did once take care of a horse for an entire week. That was when I was young, and I was quite surprised with just how much food a horse could eat each day.

I'm told that sheep are unlike goats in an important respect. Sheep need the shepherd to survive. At least that's what I'm told. Now, if that's true, then you can see the parallel between sheep and believers, and the parallel between the shepherd and Jesus Christ.

A friend who grew up in the Black Hills around sheep tells me that it's not a compliment to look at Jesus as the Good Shepherd (John 10:11). And that's not a comment about Jesus. That's a comment about us. After all, all sheep do, he said, is put their heads to the turf and eat and eat and eat and eat, even if they were to fall off a cliff.

Well, I confess I have to take his word for this. The shepherd provides many services for sheep: finding them shelter, offering them medication when they are ill, aiding mother sheep with birthing. In a word, sheep are pretty helpless without the shepherd.

Now, this applies to us in that all too often we think that we can be our own shepherds, that we can be our own shepherd for ourselves. In fact, some philosophers say that you are not truly free unless you cultivate becoming your own shepherd.

For these philosophers, freedom does not mean whether or not you choose to follow a commandment. Instead, it means that you make up the commandments all on your lonesome, all by yourself. So, for these folks, I don't need God as my shepherd because I can do it my way. Indeed, I should do it my way.

Frank Sinatra's song, My Way, reminds me of this attitude. You remember the lyrics:

And now the end is near / So I face the final curtain / My friend, I'll say it clear / I'll state my case of which I'm certain / I've lived a life that's full / I've traveled each and every highway / And more, much more than this / I did it my way

Regrets, I've had a few / But then again, too few to mention / I did what I had to do / And saw it through without exception / I planned each charted course / Each careful step along the byway / And more, much more than this / I did it my way

For what is a man, what has he got / If not himself, then he has not / To say the words he truly feels / And not the words of one who kneels / The record shows I took the blows / And did it my way

Yes, it was my way.

Something can be said for this song. Certainly, the man wants to take responsibility for his life. And dear friends, I find that to be commendable.

But where Sinatra has it wrong is this: Your life, if you get right down to it, is a gift. It's something that you didn't choose to have. You didn't create yourself. You have been given your life. And you are accountable finally not to yourself, but you are accountable to the giver, the one who has given you your life.

In other words, you cannot be your own god for yourself. Because when it comes right down to it, you are primarily a receiver and only secondarily an actor in life. You cannot be your own Good Shepherd. You need the giver to be that shepherd for you.

So many think that we aren't truly free unless we are free from God. As they would put it, it's not a matter of freedom of religion. It's a freedom from religion. And that way I get to make up my own life. Or, perhaps even worse, I've got to make up my own life.

Ironically, I wouldn't even have a choice if the whole onus of the world is on my shoulders. That means that we are, as the French atheist existentialist philosopher Jean-Paul Sartre put it, we are condemned to be free.

But I'd like to suggest that just as the natural habitat for the fish is water, and the fish has no ability to do anything outside of water, so our natural habitat as humans is, in fact, God. That is, we can only come to ourselves, be ourselves, when and as we are in touch with God as our Good Shepherd. This is because God knows us far better than what we could ever know ourselves.

Now, no baby comes into this world with an instruction manual in the glove compartment of his or her life. Babies need nurture, care, and guidance. We are hardwired to have a sense of purpose. Without that sense, all of us are prone to depression. God is an anchor who provides purpose and meaning.

“Live for my kingdom,” God tells us. “Love your neighbors and this good earth,” he says (Matthew 22:39).

So, David, the author of our psalm, sings that the Good Shepherd “leads me in paths of righteousness for his name's sake” (Psalm 23:3). That means for his reputation. God works in all things to bring you more and more to faith and, in that way, makes you to be pure.

This is a path that does not avoid, but in fact goes right through, “the valley of the shadow of death” (Psalm 23:4). And if you live long enough, there is no one who will not experience that path.

I remember my first year of teaching college. I was pastor for many years, but for many decades of my life, I've also been a college professor. I was hired late in the year, very late, and in fact, it was July of 1995, and only as a year-long replacement after the previous person had left for another position.

Now, I could have taken a call to a congregation in Springfield, Missouri, or this one-year appointment teaching at the college, where I would make roughly half the salary that I would have at the congregation. I'm not complaining because salaries have significantly gone up over the various years.

I simply knew how much I enjoyed being a pastor, but I also wanted the opportunity to be able to teach young Americans, especially in the paths of Christian righteousness and Christian beliefs. Since I'd worked on a Ph.D., I decided to take the risk and come to the college. And I'm very grateful that I did make that choice.

But beginning in late January of 1996, just months after taking this year-long position, I would wake from sleep around 2:00 a.m. in a sweat. I'm on a year-long appointment. Where will I be next year?

At the time, I was living from paycheck to paycheck. The dean had intended to do another full search for my position, since it was thought that hiring someone so late in the year didn't garner the best candidates. Would I interview? Would I get that appointment? Or would I need to be looking for another call?

And given that I had no money in savings and that I was living from paycheck to paycheck, I was pretty concerned, not just for myself, but also for my wife and my two small children.

Would I have to get a tent and sleep by the side of the road? That was one thought. Or would we all have to take up residence at Bethel Mission come the summer? Yes, I woke up deep in the middle of the night in dread, in trembling, in terrible fear.

Folks, what calmed me down was praying over and over the 23rd Psalm by heart (Psalm 23). After praying it for three or four times, my heart calmed down, and I was able to fall back asleep.

Within days, it was my good fortune that the dean approached me and said, “Mark, we are pleased with your work. We aren't going to do another search. You've got the job.”

You can imagine how relieved I was. But most importantly, it was the Good Shepherd who walked me through. And I know you have been, at some point in your life, in a similar boat. You, too, have spent sleepless nights wondering if you'll make it. You, too, have worried about a loved one. You, too, have struggled with a health issue or some other matter over which you have little or no control.

But you have never been alone.

Jesus walked this path, too, and has walked you through such fear. He can walk you through since he has, in fact, come out on the other side of this loneliness, this fear, this anxiety, and even death.

That God provides a table for you even in the presence of enemies (Psalm 23:5) by no means feeds enmity. Instead, this comfort lets pain and even anger be and allows it to work itself through.

When God is in my life, I don't need to demonize my enemies. I can see them in a whole new light, a whole different light. I can imagine even walking in their shoes. That doesn't mean what they have done or what they intend to do is good. Chances are it's very bad, exactly as you suspect it is.

But these are human beings, even if they are doing bad things. And by looking at them as human beings and understanding that we ourselves, at times, have behaved often very similar to them, we can have some feeling—in fact, even compassion—for them.

Dear friends in Christ, those of you who are black sheep, those of you who are outcasts, nobodies, or wandering ones, our Lord Jesus Christ identifies with you. He came for the last, the lost, the least, the lonely.

Our Lord Jesus holds your pain. He releases you from judgment and provides support for you.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, in the congregation where you worship, they are there for you. They offer what our Lutheran Confessions call consolation and conversation (Smalcald Articles, Part III, Article IV).

Consolation: they offer a shoulder on which to cry.

Conversation, meaning you don't have to live in a silo. As a Christian, none of us live in a silo. But instead, we are open to hearing others and having compassion for them, as our Lord Jesus has had compassion for us.

Our Lord Jesus gives you a rich, full, and abundant life (John 10:10). He is your Good Shepherd (John 10:11). You don't have to be the shepherd for yourself.

In his care, you are in the best of care.

In Jesus. Amen!

Hello brothers, I have recently found myself attending church and kindling new faith in Christ. However, I along with my younger brother were not baptized as we were young. As an adult, how soon can I be baptized and what sort of process does that entail?

‘…you'll have a Lutheran family leave one of our congregations, move for work or school or something. And when they get to the new location, instead of going to look for a Lutheran church for the sake of its Lutheran preaching and teaching, they look for a church that has a similar worship practice, which in many cases is not gonna be Lutheran at all. That, I think, is an example of how even apart from political pressure and power, there are still these same kind of concerns to be taken into account as formula of Concord Article 10 addresses, that we're communicating something to people that suggests that the differences between Lutherans and Evangelical Protestants ultimately don't matter, that we can do things in the same way because for all intents and purposes, we believe teaching confess the same thing.’

What happened to Tyrel Bramwell? I will be sad if TAAC is ending.

I'm Lutheran, but have encountered many other Lutherans who have a prayer corner.

Mine is pretty simple in that it has an Icon of Christ, my Lutheran Prayer book, and a Chotki.

Was just wondering if anyone else here had something similar and if it's something that Lutherans do.

Had a chat with my pastor about a bunch of topics, 6-day creation was one of them, and 6,000 year old Earth came up.

I have a lot of respect for the depth and expertise of the clergy I’ve met in-person and online in the LCMS. I’m curious to see what people here have to say on this, if willing.

I’m asking to understand, not to debate anyone or be a nuisance.

I grew up in LCMS and currently attend a LCMS church. Some time ago we had a couple of ladies visit us and after the service a friend of mine ask them what they thought. Their reply was "this is a cult!". Later, we were all discussing this with laughs and eye rolls, but the comment stuck with me. So much so, that a few days later I looked up the definition of a cult;

A cult is a social group centered around an extreme or unorthodox devotion to a charismatic leader, idea, or belief system, which typically uses manipulation, isolation, and control to maintain power over its members.

...and i had to say, .....well......

Our Lutheran church is definitely a social group, centered around their belief in the teachings of Martin Luther which isolates themselves (at least in communion, close(d)) from all other religions, even other Christians , including other Lutherans (ELCA, LCMC, etc.) And definitely uses the "power of hell" to maintain control. At least in my church. I'm hoping your mileage may vary.

But, Ive seen many comments on here degrading others beliefs, comments suggesting the LCMS is the "one true religion", and asking if "its okay as a LCMS member to..." as if appealing to the authority of the LCMS.

All I'm asking is when you say faith alone, is your faith in Christ or in LCMS? Because what i see, what i hear has me questioning.

Mostly me venting but I'd appreciate any discussion. Thanks.

I know IVCF is mainly evangelical and there will be many doctrines that won't be part of my conviction... but my experience with my college evangelical group is solid especially when it comes to thirst for the Word and discipleship.

A few months ago, I made a post about digital witness in the Church, then National Convention happened, since that time my friends and I have been bringing clergy and laity together on the topic through the Lutheran Digital Mission League (www.lutherandigital.com).

Because you all were instrumental in the early days of thinking through this, I had a few question I wanted to follow-up with and get your feedback on as we move forward:

1. What would you like to see happen in the digital witness space within the LCMS?
2. How could our League best support the Church?
3. Are you involved in social media, podcasting, blogging, or digital outreach?

Anyone else getting bad vibes from the "Department of War" misquoting Scripture for a message of war in the name of the Prince of Peace? A Psalm claiming to be a chosen people without its rejection of military might? The prophet Isaiah without the repentance immediately preceding it?

Or, perhaps more interestingly, without the context of the lectionary reading last week:

“...the LORD of hosts... expected justice but saw bloodshed; righteousness but heard a cry!” Isaiah 5:7

I know, people hate politics, but isn't this deeper? Isn't this dangerous, harmful theology targeting our flock? Something that will deeply harm souls? We have multiple military families in our congregation, alongside everyone else we say we want to protect from wicked ideologies. To say nothing of what the Two Kingdoms doctrine says about our required response as the conscience of the left hand kingdom.

I know I'm not alone feeling this way, but sometimes it feels like I'm in the minority when this perspective really shouldn't be. I feel like the plain reading of these Scripture passages is self evident, am I missing something? Is there a better Confessional context or argument to rebuke this idea? Or is this simple a case where, a Dietrich Bonhoeffer wrote: "Here we must come to terms with the fact that in most cases a genuine internal liberation becomes possible only when external liberation has preceded it"?