Ministry is a grind, and the grind is good. Sundays just keep coming. The youth keep needing you. Families continue to struggle. People continue to get sick and die. Staff continue to fight. You can’t please everyone, yet you’re still called to lead. You think you’ve been clear on the vision, but questions continue to arise. The future is cloudy. The present is shaky. Yet, you—yes, you, church worker—you continue to get up, and show up so that Jesus can show off. There is a discipline to...

“Living historically” is a phrase I recently heard on a history podcast. The podcaster was making the point that very few of us “live historically” today. We don’t think much beyond our lives. Many rarely even consider the end of their lives. We live for today, for what is in front of us, satisfying the flesh, in our heads, heads down, eyes down, isolated, anxious, angry, numb. I went to the gym today. I needed to pump some iron—get a good sweat on. I conducted an experiment. I didn’t wear...

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...