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 faithfully give...

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 up of the ego,...

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. They actually...