tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6329600504016968888.post4819310038901097364..comments2024-03-27T15:47:46.091-05:00Comments on Pastoral Meanderings: What is the truth we don’t want to admit?Pastor Petershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10653554256101480140noreply@blogger.comBlogger9125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6329600504016968888.post-50480380895356638102011-08-03T11:53:40.400-05:002011-08-03T11:53:40.400-05:00From what I have seen, the Lutheran church is reac...From what I have seen, the Lutheran church is reaching people and retaining them better than ever. Where we have lost momentum is within families. A few generations ago, people averaged about four children per family. That included folks with zero children as well as folks with ten. Nowadays the average is about two. So, of course we notice that overall there isn't growth, but if our members reject the growth of the church by rejecting children God would send, it does not follow that we failed to share the Gospel with the community, rather that we have purposely chosen to have a smaller community by having smaller families.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6329600504016968888.post-73593796216792148882011-08-03T07:54:36.488-05:002011-08-03T07:54:36.488-05:00will say this: I believe that the The Great Commis...will say this: I believe that the <i>The Great Commission continues to apply to the Church, but not to every individual. Does it apply to women? (Sorry Christine – to some this question alone would settle the argument, so I went for the easy way out. But when the Prophet Joel said, “your sons and your daughters shall prophesy”, he implied something different, didn’t he?)</i><br /><br />Chuckle chuckle, no apologies needed George I get what you are saying and I agree with what you have stated.<br /><br />All the baptized have been incorproated into the Royal Priesthood of Jesus Christ and through that gift have the power of the Holy Spirit available to them.<br /><br />But not all are called to the same tasks, as you rightly point out. <br /><br />ChristineAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6329600504016968888.post-21345445103400293572011-08-02T18:37:18.873-05:002011-08-02T18:37:18.873-05:00Anonymous: my point is that when our Lord said, “Y...Anonymous: my point is that when our Lord said, “You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you,” He did not promise to give them the Holy Spirit, because He had already done that, but He promised them “power” that would enable them to do things others would not be able to do – even those in whom the Holy Spirit dwelled. <br /><br />I do not know why you decided that “my logic” has to lead to a certain conclusion, when it has nothing to do with the question at hand. I will say this: I believe that the Great Commission continues to apply to the Church, but not to every individual. Does it apply to women? (Sorry Christine – to some this question alone would settle the argument, so I went for the easy way out. But when the Prophet Joel said, “your sons and your daughters shall prophesy”, he implied something different, didn’t he?) Are we all charged with baptizing (I know we may, in extraordinary circumstances, but for the sake of order the Church has been given a particular office for this purpose)? Are we all to teach? 1 Cor. 12: 29 “Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles? 30 Do all possess gifts of healing? Do all speak with tongues? Do all interpret?”<br /><br />Peace and Joy!<br />George A. MarquartAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6329600504016968888.post-29112574541155911102011-08-02T16:30:02.254-05:002011-08-02T16:30:02.254-05:00Attention George Marquart
Obviously 21st century ...Attention George Marquart<br /><br />Obviously 21st century Christians <br />do not have the same powers given<br />to the Apostles by the Holy Spirit.<br /><br />No one mentioned doing miracles or<br />speaking in tongues or foreign<br />languages. The Holy Spirit empowers<br />us to be witnesses today.<br /><br />With your logic the Great Commission<br />was only given to the Apostles<br />and does not apply to us today.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6329600504016968888.post-32296895864533021122011-08-02T15:37:24.434-05:002011-08-02T15:37:24.434-05:00If we assume that there is no difference between t...<i>If we assume that there is no difference between the Apostles and ourselves, we can do serious damage to the faith of those who wonder whether they are in fact members of God’s Kingdom if they cannot do the things the Apostles did.</i><br /><br />One of the biggest mistakes that certain church bodies that lean toward pietism make is the business of the "tongues" at Pentecost. They were not incomprehensible babble but the ability to speak in the languages of the various nationalities that were present in Jerusalem at that time so that the hearers could take the Gospel message with them to their home countries. This is indeed how the message began to spread.<br /><br />Nothing irritates me more than to hear a Pentecostal brag that he/she has received "a word from the Lord" and the go on to expound on it. The "word" they received is often totally in contrast to the Word of Holy Scripture through which the Holy Spirit works. That's how we get the "prosperity" Gospel and other such nonsense.<br /><br />Indeed these were special gifts to the infant Church at Pentecost but we now have the fullness of revelation in the Word of God through which He speaks to us.<br /><br />ChristineAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6329600504016968888.post-69575962582137868252011-08-02T13:48:59.951-05:002011-08-02T13:48:59.951-05:00Anonymous: you wrote, “The words of Christ to his ...Anonymous: you wrote, “The words of Christ to his disciples<br />at his Ascension still apply to us: "You will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you and you will be my witnesses....to the end of the earth."<br /><br />The disciples received the Holy Spirit on Easter morning (John 20:22) but they received the power of which our Lord spoke on Pentecost. May I suggest that Scripture tells us of these events precisely so that we would not think that having received the Holy Spirit, we are expected to work all kinds of miracles and speak in tongues as the Apostles did. This was a special gift to the Church for its founding. For 50 days the Apostles were just like any of us who have received the Holy Spirit at Baptism. They made mistakes: “is this the time you will restore the kingdom of Israel?”, and they elected Matthias. <br /><br />So the power they received is not the power everyone receives when the Holy Spirit comes to dwell in us. 1 Cor. 12: 4 Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit; 5 and there are varieties of service, but the same Lord; 6 and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who empowers them all in everyone. 7 To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. 8 For to one is given through the Spirit the utterance of wisdom, and to another the utterance of knowledge according to the same Spirit, 9 to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit, 10 to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another the ability to distinguish between spirits, to another various kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues. 11 All these are empowered by one and the same Spirit, who apportions to each one individually as he wills.<br /><br />If we assume that there is no difference between the Apostles and ourselves, we can do serious damage to the faith of those who wonder whether they are in fact members of God’s Kingdom if they cannot do the things the Apostles did.<br /><br />Peace and Joy!<br />George A. MarquartAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6329600504016968888.post-22734828958423548622011-08-02T10:19:13.244-05:002011-08-02T10:19:13.244-05:00Wow. That was spot-on Pastor Peters. I think I w...Wow. That was spot-on Pastor Peters. I think I will read it again . . .Lauranoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6329600504016968888.post-65920688143786825362011-08-02T09:09:25.140-05:002011-08-02T09:09:25.140-05:00Pastor Peters, it's not just Lutherans. Ameri...Pastor Peters, it's not just Lutherans. American Christianity is in decline across the board.<br /><br />As I was walking to my office building this morning I noticed a sign on the downtown Presbyterian church that offered Yoga classes at noon. Scripture study might have been a nice alternative, but the PCUSA is part of the Protestant mainline that doesn't seem to put a lot of emphasis on those things anymore.<br /><br />The fact is, almost every denomination is now divided between those who adhere to historic, orthodox Christianity and those who don't. Same is true in American Judaism with its Orthodox, Conservative and Reform traditions.<br /><br />When I was Catholic I was surprised to find out that there are at least 15 million non-practicing Catholics in the U.S. but since the RC keeps statistic using baptismal records they are "officially" still on the rolls which always keeps the membership inflated. My husband is one of those former practicing Catholics.<br /><br />No, that doesn't excuse what Lutherans should or should not be doing, we do have our work cut out for us but I think we need to see the whole picture.<br /><br />ChristineAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6329600504016968888.post-18327600701154626362011-08-02T08:36:53.455-05:002011-08-02T08:36:53.455-05:00The words of Christ to his disciples
at his Ascens...The words of Christ to his disciples<br />at his Ascension still apply to us:<br />"You will receive power when the <br />Holy Spirit has come upon you and you<br />will be my witnesses....to the end<br />of the earth."<br /><br />The Holy Spirit still uses Christians<br />to give witness to the crucified and<br />resurrected Christ and his salvation<br />for all people. The local LCMS<br />parish needs members who will witness<br />to their co-workers, neighbors, <br />friends, family who do not Christ<br />as their personal Lord and Savior.<br /><br />We need parish members to invite<br />people to our worship services<br />to hear the Good News of Jesus<br />Christ. The rest is up to the<br />Holy Spirit as he works on their<br />hearts.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com