Dear Jesus, You love the LCMS, sinful warts and all. You’ve sustained us since 1847. You’ve sustained us through the chiliasm controversy (look it up) doctrine of election diverse teachings battle over the Bible blunders (Seminex) liturgical style conflicts red and blue and maroon screens and guitars and organs chanting and praising and prancing— oh my— the role of women trust and distrust of leaders church fellowship concerns, and through faithfully conversing on how to

The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod (LCMS) is a family of congregations and pastors bound together by confession and mission. The statistics in our official reports can feel like a numbers game, yet behind every digit are saints and shepherds trying to live by faith in Jesus. When we look at the data across the past two decades, some patterns emerge that call for honest reflection, creative planning, and faithful prayer. What the numbers are saying Slow but steady decline in c

A few weekends ago, I sat in a sanctuary full of hope with four LCMS representatives and left with the sense that many of the concerns people brought into the room had not truly been heard. However, I went home with a clearer calling than I had when I arrived. That's not for nothing. But let's back up. The "Listening Event" The Shepherd of the Desert Lutheran Church hosted what they called “LCMS Pastoral Formation Listening Event” here in the Phoenix area, four LCMS seminary

Rebuilding Bridges in the Body of Christ Offered in the Spirit of Confessional Lutheran Fellowship Rev. Dr. Tim Ahlman, Ms. Tania Hilton, and the United Leadership Collective have asked an honest question — how can we do that? — meaning, how do we rebuild the bridge, restore the relationship, and re-earn a place at the table of our shared mission? I offer these thoughts not as an outside observer, but as one who has served within the LCMS community for more than four decades

A few weeks ago I wrote a blog and asked a dumb question: If we have a pastor shortage, why do we seem to be making pastoral formation more restrictive rather than more accessible? The responses were enlightening. Some agreed. Some strongly disagreed. A few politely informed me that I didn't know what I was talking about. That’s okay; I probably don’t, hence the questions! All of which brings me to another dumb question, so please forgive me. Over the past few weeks, I've be

I recently had a conversation with a fellow LCMS pastor about the Specific Ministry Pastor (SMP) program. His view was that it needs to be shut down. I was surprised at this and asked him if he understood the shortage of pastors with roughly 1000 vacancies and 100 seminary graduates this year. He said he was aware, but the solution is to “close the 500 congregations that aren’t viable.” He went on to say that the SMP program is addressing the symptoms and not the disease itse

"Happy Mother’s Day!" This phrase was said millions, maybe billions, of times on May 10. For many, maybe even the majority who hear and say those words, they signal happy and joyful thoughts. This is especially for moms who get to spend Mother’s Day with their children and those who get to spend Mother’s Day with their mom. Yet for many others, Mother’s Day and even Father’s Day in June is a struggle. So many have recently lost a mother or father they dearly love. There are a

We fail to share Jesus because we don’t try. We don’t try because it feels complicated. And it feels complicated because sometimes it is—but it doesn’t have to be. What if it was simpler than you think? I want to help you. The Bible can be somewhat confusing on how to share our faith. For instance, take these two verses: 1 Peter 3:15 says: “Always be prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respe

Let me begin by disqualifying myself. I am not a pastor. I am not a seminary president. I am not a district president. And, within the Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod, I am also a woman, which means I have less of a formal voice in conversations about pastoral formation. So, truly, you don’t have to listen to me.…But I do have a question. And it’s not a theological question, or especially complicated. It’s a question I have been asking myself because things just don’t quite ad

Christian artist Jason Gray wrote a song called “Order, Disorder, Reorder.” It is also a spiritual and psychological phrase used by Franciscan Monk Richard Rohr. I like the song—I don’t like all of Rohr’s writings. Nonetheless, I think the phrase is helpful. I’ve been experiencing order, disorder, and reordering in my life. Order is considered the first stage of life, where one builds a stable, safe, and sometimes superficial view of life. It is characterized by a building u

Recently, a brother shared with me a book to help me better understand the Great Commission, Clarifying the Great Commission by Rev. Daniel Voth. I am grateful he did. Let me say that plainly at the start. Voth is not careless. He is not lazy. He is not treating Scripture lightly. In fact, one of the things I appreciate most about the book is that he takes time, chapter by chapter, to lay out his case. He uses Scripture. He uses context. He shows his work. In a time when too

Thanks in a large part to the effort of Jack Kalleberg, the ULC has been at the forefront of bringing attention to the important role of Executive Director in churches, along with faith-based non-profits, schools, and businesses. Concordia University, Texas, is developing an MBA designed for business-minded leaders with a calling or vocation to combine their faith and business knowledge to make a positive impact on the world. What is my primary calling? This, along with W

Jesus didn’t just talk about fulfilling the Law and the Prophets. Jesus perfectly walked in step with God’s Law for all of us who can’t. Jesus didn’t just talk about going to the cross. Jesus walked to the cross. Jesus didn’t just talk about rising from the dead. Jesus walked out of the grave. Jesus didn’t just talk about sending the Holy Spirit. Jesus walked up into heaven and sent the Holy Spirit upon the apostles. The early church didn’t just talk about following Jesus

A Clearer View Than Ever Before For years, conversations about pastoral shortages have been shaped by anecdotes and local experience. Recently, tools like AI have made it possible to quickly gather and analyze publicly available data from LCMS reports and related sources. We are especially grateful to Pastor Rob Bailey, whose initiative in leveraging these tools helped bring greater clarity to the conversation. His work has made it easier to see patterns that were previously

What’s your favorite season? For me, it’s always been spring. There’s something about it, hope seems to rise with the temperature. Even here in the desert, where life can feel dry and hidden, spring surprises you. Wildflowers bloom along the roadside. Yellow and purple burst out of the ground near towering saguaros. It’s stunning. Like the desert is whispering, life was here all along. Those wildflowers feel like a glimpse back to the first garden and maybe even a glimpse of

Holy Week is here. Palm branches wave hosanna come to save, misunderstood Messiah turned tables move by ya, cursing the fruitless fig authority questioned big. Be the son who obeys not the tenants who destroy divide and kill the Master’s servants and Son. Holy week is here. Nothing is more important than the Wedding Feast, come and celebrate dressed appropriately. Give to Caesar Caesar’s, give to God God’s. The resurrection is coming, all relationships changed for good, with

What the numbers seem to be telling us There are moments when numbers tell a story we would rather not hear. Not because numbers are everything. They are not. The Church is built by Jesus Christ, not by spreadsheets, dashboards, or annual reports. But numbers can help reveal where pressures are building, where assumptions no longer fit reality, and where faithful stewardship needs to become more honest. That is what rises to the surface when ChatGPT looks across publicly avai

I keep being amazed by The Patient Ferment of the Early Church: The Improbable Rise of Christianity in the Roman Empire by Alan Kreider. I am learning (or maybe remembering) so much about how the Christians in the early church embodied the faith. They loved not just with words—they loved through action. The Roman Empire in the second and third centuries was remarkably pagan. Pagan people sacrificed to “the gods.” When plagues came it was because “the gods” were angry with

What does the word “lent” actually mean? Isn’t that funny? I’ve been “lenting” (yes, I made up a word) for almost 45 years, and I have no idea the origin of the word “lent.” My curiosity led me to ask Google. (It’s crazy how quickly we can find answers today.) Let me share what I discovered. The original meaning of the word “lent” comes from the Old English word lencten , which means “springtime” or “lengthening,” referring to the time of year when days begin to get longer.

Alan Kreider wrote a marvelous history of the early church titled The Patient Ferment of the Early Church: The Improbable Rise of Christianity in the Roman Empire , released in 2016. In the book, Kreider documents how patience, possibly unlike any other virtue, shaped the rise of Christianity. It is a thick but accessible read. I highly commend it for those who would like to delve deeper into how the early church exploded in growth. Kreider documents four “angles” for explai