Our Joyous Mission

This article also appears in our congregational newsletter, The Hope Lutheran, for September 2010.

A Scary Story

A brother pastor recently told me a story that’s both scary and instructive. This story involved his daughter, a very bright and discerning young lady in her early teens, and the recent LCMS Youth Gathering held this summer in New Orleans. This was the first national youth gathering this young lady had ever attended. As are most youth, she was excited to see so many other Lutheran youth gathered in one place and she did enjoy getting to know some new brother and sister Christians.

However, one thing disappointed this young lady: the very guilt-laden “missions” message pushed by presenters. Gathering presenters may have meant well in teaching the youth to bear witness to Jesus, but their message actually ended up burdening the young people. The presenters were so focused on prompting these Lutheran youth to carry out the mission of making disciples for Jesus Christ (a.k.a. “witnessing to Jesus”) that the youth felt guilty for not witnessing enough. That’s how this pastor’s young daughter received the message, but it’s hardly the way to teach people on the Church’s mission.

The scary side of the story did not end there though. As the true story goes, many of the youth went on a tour of a New Orleans cathedral. As the group was touring inside the large space dedicated to worship and prayer, my friend’s daughter got separated from the group as she was looking at something else. All of a sudden an older man, evidently homeless and dressed in tattered and dirty clothes, approached the young lady. The man told her that he was an atheist and began mocking religion in general.

Guilty for Not Witnessing?
What makes this part of the story so scary is the moral dilemma that flooded the young lady’s mind. Should she stay and try to “witness” to this obviously bitter and unbelieving man, or should she return to her tour group and its certain safety? She knew she should have paid more attention and stayed with her group, but now she was also feeling guilty for wanting to flee to safety and not witness to this unbelieving homeless man. She chose to leave the confrontational man and return to her tour group. However, as she did, she also felt incredibly guilty. She had not, in fact, witnessed to that older man. And wasn’t that, after all, the message she had been hearing at the gathering?

For me—and I’m sure for my brother pastor and his wife—the mere prospect of this young lady, off by herself, being abducted by this stranger is truly scary. However, what’s even more frightful is that she was compelled to feel guilty at choosing her safety over “witnessing to Jesus” at a time like that. That’s what happens when mission work (a.k.a. “missions,” “evangelism,” “outreach,” or “witnessing”) is presented and taught in a burdensome, guilt-giving manner. And, sad to say, these days we hear the Church’s mission taught and proclaimed more and more in this negative manner.

An Instructive Story
However, here’s where this story transitions from being scary to becoming instructive. It actually instructs in what not to do and how not to teach Christian witnessing.

This pastor’s daughter was exactly correct in seeing through the “missions” presentations for what they really were: burdensome guilt trips dressed in the sheep’s clothing of “witnessing to Jesus.” She was also exactly correct in fleeing from the stranger and returning to her tour group. She need not feel guilty about “not witnessing” to him. Rather, she actually did witness to him. How? By returning to her God-given vocation of being a) a student learning about the cathedral, b) a participant in the youth gathering, and c) a daughter who needed to return home to her family safe and sound.

At first we might think: “But how do those things bear witness to Jesus?” That’s easy. The young lady bore witness that she is a Christian by learning more about that cathedral (That was her purpose at that place and time.), by returning to and staying with the group of Christians that brought her there (She was under the care of gathering chaperones.), and by loving and honoring her parents (Remember what mom and dad said about not talking to strangers?). Believe it or not, this young lady did show that she is a Christian in these very normal and ordinary ways.

No, she did not spark up a conversation about Jesus with that confrontational stranger. But let’s be honest, such conversations born out of such confrontations rarely “make disciples.” If anything, a quick and off the cuff talk about Jesus and religion most likely would only further solidify that man’s hard-hearted hostility toward Christ and His Church.

The Joy of Mission Work
Should this young lady—and we—be concerned about lost, unbelieving people such as the stranger in the cathedral? Of course! It’s basic Christian love. Now there’s the proper motivation for “mission work” (a.k.a. “missions,” “evangelism,” “outreach”).

When “mission work” is taught in a burdensome, guilt-giving manner, it’s usually done with some kind of self-serving purpose—a purpose such as increasing the size of an institution or ensuring institutional survival (either of a congregation or of a whole church body). That’s hardly Christian love for the lost neighbor!

The joy of carrying out our God-given mission work comes when we love our neighbor enough to show them their “lostness” in their sin and then show them the Savior who comes to seek and save the lost—them. It’s a lot like putting up road signs and barricades on a highway that leads to a deep canyon where the bridge is out. Road crews put up the signs and barricades out of love for their neighbor. After all, authorities do not want cars racing down the highway, especially at night, and plunging into the canyon to their doom. When we Christians bear witness to Jesus in our daily lives, and when the Church proclaims Christ crucified and risen to rescue us sinners, we are trying to love people enough to turn them from plunging to their eternal doom.

The joy of witnessing to Jesus comes not in keeping tabs on how many times we’ve sparked a conversation about Him with unsuspecting people around us. Rather, it comes from living as God’s redeemed children and enjoying the forgiveness and life that He freely gives in His Gospel and Sacraments. It comes from faithfully receiving His goodness and mercy in the Divine Service.

The joy of witnessing to Jesus shows as we love our neighbors enough to want them to enjoy the forgiveness and life that Jesus brings for them too. We certainly invite them to join us in the Divine Service at church, where they get to hear the message of Jesus’ death and resurrection for them. Most of the time, though, witnessing to Jesus simply means living in our God-given vocations—such as father, mother, son, daughter, husband, wife, worker, citizen, etc.—and showing that we Christians live differently than other people around us. We spend time with our families and learn the Word of God together; we work diligently at our jobs; we do works of mercy for those in need; we love and pray for one another, both inside and outside the Church.

As one of my professors once said, witnessing to Jesus is as simple as: “Pray, and when you get a chance, say.” Pray for your neighbor who does not yet know Jesus Christ, and then when the time comes, speak of Him and what He has done for you and your neighbor. St. Peter said it well: “In your hearts regard Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you” (1 Peter 3:15).

I’ve often used the illustration of a young lady wearing an engagement ring for the joy of mission work. No one needs to coax or cajole her to show off her new ring. She is just plain happy to do so every chance she can! In fact, you cannot stop her. :) Christians bearing witness to Christ are like that. In their Baptism they have been engaged to Jesus the Bridegroom, and now they joyfully spread the word and want others to join them in that joy. After all, the wedding feast on the Last Day will be a superb joy! Perhaps instead of focusing on coaxing and cajoling youths and adults to “Get out and do the mission work (or else!),” we need to focus on the joy of life from Christ, life with Christ, and life in Christ.

If our mission work is lackluster, it’s probably because we do not find our joy of life in Jesus Christ and Him crucified and risen. However, when we cling to our Savior and treasure the boundless depths of His forgiveness, grace, and life, then our joyous mission properly – and naturally – falls into place.

And speaking of mature...

...here is a quote from a recent hand-written note sent by one of my former parishioners. A few years ago she moved out to California and now attends a LCMS congregation out there. Evidently, and quite sadly, the liturgy is in short supply. Here's what my member said in her short note:

"Everytime [sic] I go to church I'm thankful that I grew up in a traditional church. Liturgy is sometimes not part of the service, sometimes only parts are used. Newcomers don't know what they're missing. When I die, make certain my funeral has liturgy -- THIS IS THE FEAST OF VICTORY [sic]."

Now that's some mature faith coming out there! And, yes, dear former member, you shall have the liturgy for your funeral, as I've already promised you when you return ... and I'm sure we can find a way to fit in "This is the Feast."

Wish List for New LCMS Prez - Item #2

The first item on my “wish list” for new LCMS President Matthew Harrison was to keep our focus on sinners (referring to himself and us) and their need for the forgiveness that only Jesus (not synodical bureaucracy, bylaws or resolutions, etc.) can give. Aside from this first item being most important and thus placed first in order and priority, subsequent items really have no priority other than when I happen to think of them and write them up.

I also tried to clarify and qualify the purpose of my “wish list.” No, I do not set Pres. Harrison’s agenda, and no, I really don’t expect my words to be seriously entertained as agenda items. These posts are merely “a view from the pew” from a simple parish pastor – in an office divinely instituted by Christ Himself – spoken to one who now occupies a high and lofty – yet humanly instituted – office. If he reads and hearkens, fine. But these “wish list” items are chiefly intended for consideration and conversation in this forum.

So, on to Item #2. If I could offer our new synodical president my “wish list” for how he can best serve our church body, I would say next: Mr. President, please do not give us missions brow beatings or evangelism guilt trips. Instead of haranguing us to perform some burdensome chore (as though not doing mission work will cause the world to implode and the LCMS to disappear from history's radar screen), inspire us and lead us in the joyous mission task of proclaiming our glorious and gracious Savior and His good gifts.

You see, Mr. President, haranguing us to "get out" and “fulfill” (Can that actually be accomplished this side of heaven?) the Great Commission is not what we need. Yes, our Lord has certainly summoned us, His Church, both clergy and laity, to “make disciples” (Mt. 28), “proclaim the Gospel” (Mk. 16), proclaim “repentance for the forgiveness of sins” (Lk. 24), and “forgive the sins of anyone” (Jn. 20). But constantly thumping us on the head and pulling us by the ear with mandates of “Get out and go, go, go!” or “Witness, witness, witness!” because, after all, so many people are going to hell with every passing moment or every snap of the finger? Well, let’s just say chicanery is not really necessary, nor is it becoming of Christ's holy people.

Missions brow-beatings in general remind me of a small though pesky thing from seminary days. The Daily Announcements used to include a brief feature called "Mission Minute." Those pesky little bulletin blurbs were well intended, I’m sure, in wanting to keep the Lord’s mission foremost in our hearts and minds. However, I also recall the typical guilt-trip tones and unwritten assumption that sent a clear, and perhaps unintended, message: "You just don’t care enough about missions! You don't quite yet have a 'heart for missions.'" I also recall (as clearly as 20 years down the timeline will allow) several seminary buddies and I pondering: "Hmm. What are we doing studying at the seminary and preparing to serve as pastors if not to carry out the Lord’s mission?"

Guilt-trips and harangues really don't further the Church's missionary task; rather, they produce, well, only burdensome guilt. I distinctly remember one dear man from a former parish who was so burdened about that unsaved person on the other side of the globe in India. "What should I do about him?" he would ask in Bible class. Aside from buying a plane ticket and going to track down that unspecified, unnamed person seared in his consciousness, perhaps pray for him and let the Lord take care of him? But the man in my former parish just could not unload the burden.

Please don't misunderstand. I'm not trying to be callous or indifferent toward those who do not trust Jesus Christ for their forgiveness, life, and salvation. Far from it! I most certainly want everyone possible to join in the life of Christ in the life of the Church and for life eternal. But is their potential damnation caused by my/our stumbling, even failing, mission efforts? Will the Lord of the Church hold me, for example, responsible for one or more of those folks who reject Christ and end up separated from His love and life for all eternity? What about those words from Deuteronomy 24:16: "Each one shall be put to death for his own sin"?

No, the mission of the Church cannot and dare not be inspired or motivated by snapping fingers or tabulating how many people have gone to hell since I started writing these words or you started reading them. We need some other motivator, some better, more Gospel-centered and Christ-focused inspiration.

We need love ... and joy.

Yes, love. Not fear of folks going to hell; not guilt for not doing enough to prevent them from entering hell; but love. Love for our neighbor who does not know Christ Jesus. The great love that flows from the Lord who loved us and died on a cross to rescue us from sin and death and eternal separation from Him. Mr. President, please lead and motivate us to reach out to our sin-infected, death-bound neighbors out of love for them, with the same love that Christ has already shown us.

And yes, we need joy in our mission work. Who cares how many souls we may or may not divert from perdition's flames, or how many souls we can tabulate for congregational or synodical rosters? That's not the point! The point is that we want our family, our friends, our neighbors, and even that homeless, unemployed man down the street to join us in the joy of sins forgiven now, the joy of life with God now, the joy of peace in Christ's presence now, as well as the joy of living together with them and with the Holy Trinity for all eternity.

We need to learn and treasure the mission work that our Lord has given us - indeed that He carries on in our midst - week in and week out. Yes, the mission work is being done when a person, young or old, is baptized at the font. Yes, the mission work is being done when sinners are hearing that their sins are forgiven, both corporately from the pulpit and individually in the sacrament of Absolution. Yes, the mission work is being done when Christ's people gather around His Table to feast on His life-giving Body and Blood. And, yes, the mission work is being done when Christians leave the Lord's house, return to their own homes and daily live holy lives and bear witness to the mercy and forgiveness of Jesus in their daily vocations. Mr. President, please keep reminding us that our Lord is actually carrying out His mission in these ways and through us earthen (cracked-pot?) vessels.

At the risk of sounding too simplistic, our mission work needs to look less like the business man meeting his quota of products sold and delivered. Instead, it needs to look more like the young lady who has just received an engagement ring. She doesn't need to be cajoled, harangued, or coerced to show it off and announce to any and all who will listen, "I'm getting married!" No, she does all of that quite naturally and even with a certain improptu and vivacious spirit. She does it out of sheer joy that the one she loves wants to spend the rest of his life with her.

Our mission work, Mr. President, needs to be like that--inspired and motivated by the sheer joy that the One who died and rose for us loves us sinners more than we can either deserve or fathom, and He wants to spend all of eternity - all of His life - with us. With such an engagement to our heavenly Bridegroom, we cannot but show off the jeweled "ring" of His Gospel goodness and mercy.

Wish List for New LCMS Prez - Item #1

Now that the 64th Regular Convention of the Lutheran Church--Missouri Synod is concluded and entering the history books, official and otherwise, the dust is beginning to settle. And a great amount of dust there is to settle and to sift through: massive restructuring of the synodical bureaucracy (the effects of which we cannot even begin to fathom at this point), a new LCMS president (a faithful pastor and theologian whose responsibilities and burden of office have just increased exponentially), and by all accounts many other good and faithful officers and servants to help guide and steer the ship of the LCMS.

With the advent of a new LCMS president on the horizon the mood of many in the synod may very well be summed up as: "What next?" Perhaps we can even say that the mood leans toward: "What will President Harrison do to restore, guide, heal, etc. the Missouri Synod?" So with such thoughts in mind, allow me to be so bold as to make and publish my own personal "Wish List" for our new POTS (President of the Synod).

Before I get to Item #1 on my wish list for Pres. Harrison, though, please also accept a few points by way of disclaimer and qualification. In no way do I claim to set any kind of agenda for Rev. Harrison as he takes the reigns of a church body that desperately needs to be brought back on line with its own stated confession of doctrine and practice. I fully acknowledge that Pres. Harrison, by God's forgiving grace in Christ Jesus and through the guidance of the Holy Spirit, can figure out his own agenda for leading the synod.

In no way do I expect Pres. Harrison to read, consider, or ponder my wish list items, let alone acknowledge them in any way. After all, I'm sure that he has plenty to do just to transition into his new position, plenty to do once he's in that office, and will have many capable assistants and advisers who are much more apt at advising than I.

However, what I do want to offer here is simply a "view from the pew," as it were, some wishes from the vantage point of a simple parish pastor. Someone has called it the "highest office" in the Church, de iure divino (by divine right) for those of you know and like the Latin. Perhaps this "view from the pew" from a parish pastor might provide some benefit for one who has just been thrust into a high and lofty position, that is de iure humano (by human right) for those of you who want even more Latin. Or maybe it will just spark some thoughtful consideration and conversation in this forum (which is my real intent).

Now, disclaimers and qualifications aside, here is my Item #1 on my "Wish List" for Pres. Matthew Harrison.

Pres. Harrison, you said some pretty amazing things in your address to the LCMS Convention just moments after being elected. Most crucial and most refreshing were your words about sinners and forgiveness:

I wish to inform you that you have kept your perfect record of electing sinners as presidents of the Missouri Synod. I guarantee you I will sin and fail. I will fall short. I will sin against you. I wish also to say, that right now I forgive all who have in any way have [sic] sinned against me or anybody else, and plead your forgiveness for anything that I said or did that offended you. I beg of you your prayers, I beg of you your daily prayers and intercession (http://steadfastlutherans.org/?p=11559).

The number one item on my "Wish List" for you, Mr. President, is that you keep this focus on sin and forgiveness, both for yourself and for us. I know it's easy to say so now, at the beginning of a new chapter, and, no doubt, an overwhelming one, in your life and the life of the LCMS. But I also know that the passage of time, the daily routines and the usual, laborious grind of churchly business, returning phone calls, attending meetings, and dealing with many and various crises can tend to overwhelm and take precedence.

Mr. President, please don't let the land of synodical bureaucracy - a.k.a. "synodocracy" - zap your sense of being a sinner who needs forgiveness from Jesus Christ. Please do not let strong winds of bylaw bureaucracy and convention-resolution-mania or the earthquakes of massive restructuring or the fires of urgent issues and crises muffle the sound of the Lord's low whisper of sins forgiven by the atoning sacrifice of our Lord Jesus Christ.

You see, we need to hear that focus on sin and forgiveness, both for yourself and for us. We need to hear it because it is the Lord's very breath of life, both for you and for us. Bylaws and convention resolutions come and go, and ne'er a one gives life with our gracious and loving God. But the message of God's forgiveness in Christ? That makes all the difference in the world--all the difference between life and death, between heaven and hell, between the Church of our Lord Jesus Christ and a church body merely seeking to make a name for itself.

Keep reminding us, most genuinely and most humbly, that you are a sinner. We need to hear that! No, not to denigrate you or your office, but for other reasons. First, we need to be reminded that you are not our savior nor the savior of the LCMS. Many of us--myself included--trust that your pastoral heart and your theological mind will certainly bear wonderful fruits for confessing the Gospel of Jesus Christ and spreading that Evangel and living the compassion of Christ, but we also need to be reminded that you are merely a sinner, as are we, and simply serving at the behest and pleasure of our merciful Lord Jesus Christ, the real Savior of the Church.

Second, we need to hear that you are a sinner in order that we may follow your example. Yes, we need to learn to admit that we are sinners too. Please lead us by example. As a parish pastor, I need to admit my own sinfulness and failures. Not only do I need to do so more and more, but I also need to do so more publicly before my parishioners, just as you have admirably shown before the convention. Thank you!

Most of all, keep reminding us, most genuinely and most boldly, that we are all forgiven by the blood of Christ. We desperately need to hear that! Keep reminding us that without Christ Jesus, without His sacrifice on the cross, without His ongoing presence and His gifts given in the Gospel, in Baptism, and in the Holy Supper, we have nothing. Please keep reminding us of our forgiveness in Christ in order that His life-giving Word may bear fruit in our lives, especially the fruits of trusting Him for all things, of caring for one another, and of getting that message of forgiveness out into the world. Keep reminding us of the eternal Evangel, and then we will trust that the task of evangelism will, by the Spirit's guidance, fall into place.

Please, Mr. President, keep our focus and yours on sinners who need the forgiveness that only Jesus Christ can give. And since you have requested our prayers and intercessions, please know that you have them from me, a simple parish pastor.

New President, Old Message

This afternoon the Lutheran Church--Missouri Synod in convention elected the Rev. Matthew Harrison to serve as its next and 13th president. Very interesting in light of the power-centralizing measures that the convention has also approved in the past couple of days.

I thank our gracious God for His servant Rev. Harrison - yes, for his recent election as LCMS President, but even more so for his faithful service as a sinner relying solely on God's forgiveness in Christ Jesus. It's truly the age-old message on which the Church lives, survives and thrives. Rev. Harrison's remarks right after being elected said it all.

First, he cited St. Paul's words from 1 Corinthians 12:26: "If one member suffers, all suffer together; if one member is honored, all rejoice together." What a fabulous verse to acknowledge the reality of an election such as this! Yes, those whose candidate did not get elected are suffering, and we suffer with them. And those whose candidate did get elected are rejoicing, but let's do so in the same humility with which Rev. Harrison approaches his new responsibility.

Then Rev. Harrison commented on his need for forgiveness, asked for forgiveness from the assembly for any and all against whom he had sinned, and offered his forgiveness to any who had sinned against him. Now that's a great way to begin a presidency: focusing on the forgiveness that comes from Christ Jesus and that we are called upon to bestow on and share with one another. That's the age-old message that heals and binds us together as the Body of Christ.

I truly treasure the humorous comment Rev. Harrison made regarding the LCMS convention and himself. To paraphrase, he commended the convention for keeping its perfect record of electing a sinner to serve as president of the LCMS. Nothing new is needed! The age-old message of sinners in need of Christ's forgiveness - especially sinners who are put in positions of leadership - and sinners truly receiving that cross-won forgiveness is the healing balm that we all need, both inside and outside the LCMS.

So I will continue to pray for God's mercy to be showered upon Rev. Harrison and the LCMS, especially as he takes on this new mantle and our church body learns to follow his lead. I also commend to Rev. Harrison and to all who serve in the Lutheran Church--Missouri Synod these words from St. Paul:

"This is how one should regard us, as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God. Moreover, it is required of stewards that they be found [faithful]" (1 Cor. 4:1-2).

St. Patrick

On this day the Church honors St. Patrick, Bishop of Ireland. This article comes from a newsletter article from a couple of years ago.

Who was St. Patrick?

When I say, “March 17,” chances are good that you think, “St. Patrick’s Day.” And once you think of St. Patrick’s Day, you probably think of all the green clothes and hats you can wear, the green food you will eat, and the green decorations that go up just about everywhere. You might even think of delicious corned beef and cabbage (Yum!), and perhaps even green beer. (Although that still doesn’t seem right. I mean why taint perfectly good beer by turning it green? ☺)

However, St. Patrick’s Day is about much more than that. March 17 is the Church’s day to commemorate the great bishop of Ireland and his tireless work to preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ among people who were quite hostile to Christianity. Through the faithful and even life-threatening work of preaching the Gospel of Christ and founding many churches, God used St. Patrick to convert Ireland from pagan religions such as Druidism to Christianity. March 17, then, commemorates the death of St. Patrick in the middle of the fifth century.

The LCMS website gives this summary of St. Patrick’s life:

Patrick is one of the best-known of the missionary saints. Born to a Christian family in Britain around the year 389, he was captured as a teenager by raiders, taken to Ireland, and forced to serve as a herdsman. After six years he escaped and found his way to a monastery community in France. Ordained a bishop in 432, he made his way back to Ireland, where he spent the rest of his long life spreading the Gospel and organizing Christian communities. He strongly defended the doctrine of the Holy Trinity in a time when it was not popular to do so. His literary legacy includes his autobiography, Confessio, and several prayers and hymns still used in the church today. Patrick died around the year 466.

On one occasion, in A.D. 433, Patrick defied the orders of King Loegaire and refused to honor a pagan festival. The king, then, tried to assassinate Patrick, but Patrick and his coworkers were able to escape unharmed. Tradition says that God’s deliverance from this peril prompted Patrick to write his best-known hymn, known today as “I Bind Unto Myself Today.” This hymn is an excellent confession of the Holy Trinity and of God’s deliverance from sin and evil through Jesus Christ. Here’s the text from our hymnal, Lutheran Service Book, 604:

I bind unto myself today
The strong name of the Trinity
By invocation of the same,
The Three in One and One in Three.

I bind this day to me forever,
By pow’r of faith, Christ’s incarnation,
His Baptism in the Jordan River,
His cross of death for my salvation,
His bursting from the spiced tomb,
His riding up the heav’nly way,
His coming at the day of doom,
I bind unto myself today.

I bind unto myself today
The pow’r of God to hold and lead,
His eye to watch, His might to stay,
His ear to hearken to my need,
The wisdom of my God to teach,
His hand to guide, His shield to ward,
The Word of God to give me speech,
His heav’nly host to be my guard.

Against the demon snares of sin,
The vice that gives temptation force,
The natural lusts that war within,
The hostile foes that mar my course;
Or few or many, far or nigh,
In ev’ry place and in all hours,
Against their fierce hostility,
I bind to me those holy pow’rs.

I bind unto myself the name,
The strong name of the Trinity
By invocation of the same,
The Three in One and One in Three,
Of whom all nature has creation,
Eternal Father, Spirit, Word.
Praise to the Lord of my salvation;
Salvation is of Christ the Lord!

So, this March 17, instead of merely donning the green and enjoying corned-beef for St. Patrick’s Day, we also thank God for the Bishop of Ireland and his faithful preaching of the Gospel and his confession of the Holy Trinity. No matter what opposition we face, we can also proclaim the goodness and mercy of our holy, Triune God, just as St. Patrick did.

Ah...

...here's my long lost blog!

Well, I wish I could claim that I had lost it, but I knew where it was this whole past year. I wish I could claim that I had forgotten just how to access it, but I did remember how ... and just didn't. I wish I could say that my year long hiatus (sabbatical?) from blogging was intentional, but it wasn't. I hadn't planned it out, and I certainly hadn't grown any aversion to it.

The truth is: life happened.

One year ago today I posted my last entry, though not with the intention to take any time off, let alone 365 whole days. After last year's final post, family things such as robotics competitions and high school graduations happened, sabbatical trips and private retreats were taken, and I got reacquainted with my basement woodworking shop. At this time last year Mrs. RAsburry and I also dove head first into Dave Ramsey's "Financial Peace University" and can now very proudly and unabashedly scream: "WE'RE DEBT FREE!" (More on that down the road, I'm sure.)

Life just sort of happened.

Within this past year I returned to my parish duties after a much-needed and ever-appreciated sabbatical. I continued attending the most excellent sessions of DOXOLOGY and its advanced training in pastoral care and counsel. And I have thoroughly enjoyed (yes!) getting back into parish duties of preaching Christ crucified and risen, giving out His healing, life-giving Sacraments, teaching the Scriptures and the Catechism, and giving pastoral counsel and visits as needed. (However, the jury is still out on whether I've enjoyed getting back to things such as voters meetings! :-)

Life happened.

I wish I could say that I thought about making my return to blogging at the 3 month mark, but truthfully that milestone came and went before I realized it.

Just having to much fun with life happening last summer, I guess.

I did think about getting back the swing of blogging at the six-month mark ... and then again at the nine-month mark ... and, well ...

Yep, life happened again (not complaining about it; just enjoying it these days).

Suffice it to say that I couldn't resist diving back into the realm of blogging on this, the one-year anniversary of my last post. I guess it's time to stir, or fold, this blogging stuff back in with all of the other ingredients of life that gladly happens. There is something to *wanting* to get back into an activity such as this rather than doing it merely in order to keep up others or feeling as though "I must."

So, if there are still any who might read the posts at this spot in cyberspace, thanks for being patient ... or waking up ... or returning to paying attention ... or whatever. I hope you'll welcome me back into the "conversation."

Healing for the Healers

This little piece from Terry Mattingly - at tmatt.net - was just recommended to me.

As one who has "been there and done that" with the whole depression and burnout thing, I can say that this little piece captures quite well the need for ministers - "healers" - to be healed and refreshed. Pastors need not be afraid of or shy away from their own need to be healed and renewed. After all, theirs is a demanding vocation of giving Christ-centered, forgiveness-focused healing to other people as well as dealing with the messy, viscious ugliness and fallout of human sin, even from the baptized in the flock. Also, parishioners need not stigmatize their pastor's need for healing and care. After all, when their pastor is healthy--spiritually, mentally, and physically--then they will benefit not only from his services of preaching, teaching, and visiting, but also from his example that all of life is lived only by the grace and mercy of our loving God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

Are Lawsuits Sinful?

One email list to which I belong has been asking and discussing this question: are lawsuits sinful?

The question arises out of the new online petition designed to show support for Issues, Etc. as LCMS, Inc. opposes Harry Madsen's application for the trademark "Issues, Etc." Along with that matter comes the possibility that the lawyers of LCMS, Inc. could recommend that LCMS, Inc. bring legal action against Pr. Wilken and Mr. Schwarz if they do not meet and agree to certain conditions for obtaining the trademark "Issues, Etc." (I hope I got all that right.)

Here's the specific statement from the petition's letter that sparked the question of the sinfulness of lawsuits:

"The threat of a lawsuit initiated by the LCMS against fellow Christians, whether by the leaders themselves or attorneys hired by the LCMS, is a shameful act, and is in fact a sin, as taught by St. Paul in 1 Corinthians 6:1-8."

Now I've used 1 Corinthians 6:1-8 in this forum and on the petition itself as a Scriptural way of calling LCMS, Inc. (including President Kieschnick, the Board of Directors, whoever else to whom it may apply in this matter) to the carpet for mistakenly trying to settle such matters with fellow Christians via societal legal channels. However, it appears that some have a problem with calling a lawsuit "a sin." (I am not at all criticizing the good folks on this particular email list, for they are my brothers in Office and my friends, folks I respect and love dearly. Hence I focus on the arguments made, not the persons involved.)

So, are lawsuits sinful? Just what is St. Paul saying in 1 Corinthians 6:1-8?

One comment focused on the "intrinsic" sinfulness of lawsuits. I would wonder how one determines if a lawsuit, or anything else, is "intrinsically sinful" myself. For that matter, what does "intrisically sinful" mean? Does it mean that something (e.g. a lawsuit) is sinful by its very essense or nature? Would that be like saying, "Money is evil"? After all, money is only printed pieces of paper or stamped coins to which give such great value. But this is getting too philosophical for me. :-)

One comment made a distinction between suing in general and this particular suing, referring to the Issues, Etc. matter. So now we need to discern what kind of suing would be sinful and what kind would not? How would we determine when a certain lawsuit would *not* be "sinful"? Again, pardon me for getting too philosophical here. :-)

Actually, in light of 1 Corinthians 6:1-8, I do think it would be good, right, and salutary to call lawsuits sinful.

No, I am not denying that law courts are a perfectly reasonable tool to have in the toolbox of the civil authorities. They are indeed God's gifts to us for maintaining justice in a sinful, fallen world. No, I am not saying that anyone who goes to court, especially those who would use the courts to bring justice to the murderers, rapists, etc., is automatically committing a sin just by walking through those little gates on the way to the judge's bench. Again, law courts are God's gift and a protective one at that.

What am I saying? Let's keep 1 Corinthians 6:1-8 firmly in mind:

When one of you has a grievance against another, does he dare go to law before the unrighteous instead of the saints? Or do you not know that the saints will judge the world? And if the world is to be judged by you, are you incompetent to try trivial cases? Do you not know that we are to judge angels? How much more, then, matters pertaining to this life! So if you have such cases, why do you lay them before those who have no standing in the church? I say this to your shame. Can it be that there is no one among you wise enough to settle a dispute between the brothers, but brother goes to law against brother, and that before unbelievers? To have lawsuits at all with one another is already a defeat for you. Why not rather suffer wrong? Why not rather be defrauded? But you yourselves wrong and defraud—even your own brothers!

The sin in lawsuits comes not from the intrinsic nature of lawsuits or from what kind of lawsuit it might be. Rather, the sin that St. Paul calls out here is the lovelessness and fighting between fellow Christians, that is, Christian taking Christian to court. These are the lawsuits that are sinful, because they betray a stark lack of love for fellow Christians, a love that is first shown and given by our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Here's how I said it when I weighed in on the discussion via email:

If I may weigh in, I do think that labeling this passage and the issue that it addresses as "sinful" or "a sin" may be a bit misleading from the start, just because we so often think of sin merely as transgressing some clearly stated, proof-text-able command of God. Instead, better to go with the language and ideas that St. Paul himself uses: shameful (v. 5), foolish (i.e. the opposite of "wise enough," v. 5), and defeat (v. 7). Or if we insist on using the "sin" word, then let's remember that a lawsuit against a fellow believer is sin *against our fellow Christian.* After all, that's what St. Paul is driving at here in 1 Corinthians 6:1-8--not that lawsuits transgress some etched-in-stone commandment of God (as in "Thou shalt not go to court, ever" or "Watch out for that immediate dose of fire and brimstone if you do take each other to court!" ;-), but rather that lawsuits between fellow Christians betray the lack of Christian love and unity that should be the very hallmarks of a Christian church.

Specifically applying this to LCMS, Inc., I do believe that we should let the sword of 1 Corinthians 6:1-8 cut both ways. The lawsuit from a couple of years ago against LCMS, Inc. (and, no, I'm not defending whatever sinful, selfish, or misguided actions that may have led up to it or sparked it . . . on either side) was just as shameful, foolish, and showing defeat as the current legal proceedings, and/or threats thereof, that LCMS, Inc. is carrying out against folks related to "Issues, Etc." That is, in either case, the fact that Christians were/are suing each other and using society's legal proceedings against each other "is already a defeat for [us]." It is a defeat for us both in proclaiming the Gospel and in showing Christian love and unity precisely because it puts our sinful egos and actions out there on the "witness stand" of public scrutiny for all to see. And when people of the world see us Christians bickering with, fighting against, and suing each other--just as the people of the world themselves do--why, they think, should they bother with coming into the Church? What would be so different?

That, I believe, is what St. Paul is getting at in 1 Corinthians 6:1-8. Or to say it another way, when we Christians take each other to court, whatever the cause, the reason, the purpose, or the goal, we are showing the shamefulness, the foolishness, and the defeat of our sinful ways. Now, of course, there is forgiveness and reconciliation in Christ Jesus. But let's not use that as free license to sue as we please. Let's also remember how our Lord won that forgiveness and reconciliation: not by asserting His rights (cf. Philippians 2:6) or suing His accusers and abusers (Matthew 27:12-14), but rather by suffering and dying and then rising again to new life. So, yes, God has indeed given our civil authorities, including law courts, for our temporal benefit, but when we're talking about cases of Christian vs. Christian, we in the Church have a better and higher way. We get to lower ourselves in humility to one another. We get to confess our sins to one another. And, should only one "side" choose to confess or forgive, well then, we get to practice our humility and patience (and remember "patience" comes from the Latin word for "suffer" or "allow") even more.

How did St. Paul put it? "Why not rather suffer wrong? Why not rather be defrauded?" After all, we'll be in good company: with our Lord Jesus Himself, and His eternal vindication is worth so much more than any law court settlement regardless of how sinful or not.

RAsburry

No Mere Idea

Treasury of Daily Prayer is certainly a stellar resource for praying the Daily Offices with the Church, according to the liturgical year, using a standard lectionary, etc., and many of the devotional readings that I've seen thus far have been quite good. However, I must take issue with the little explanation of the Epiphany of Our Lord on page 1094. Here's what it says (see if you can spot the problem):

The feast of the Epiphany of Our Lord commemorates no event but presents an idea that assumes concrete form only through the facts of our Lord's life. The idea of Epiphany is that the Christ who was born in Bethlehem is recognized by the world as God. At Christmas, God appears as man, and at Epiphany, this man appears before the world as God. That Christ became man needed no proof. But that this man, this helpless child, is God needed proof. The manifestations of the Trinity, the signs and wonders performed by this man, and all His miracles have the purpose of proving to men that Jesus is God. Lately, especially in the Western Church, the story of the Magi has been associated with this feast day. As Gentiles who were brought to faith in Jesus Christ, the Magi represent all believers from the Gentile world.

Did you spot the problem? It's rather like that little story of a batch of brownies tainted by just a small amount of dog droppings. For the most part, the batch of brownies can be considered "good" in that it has the usual, tasty (and fattening) ingredients, but that little bit of doggie doo-doo taints the whole batch. Likewise here in this reading.

What is the problem? The notion that Epiphany "commemorates no event but presents an idea that assumes concrete form only through the facts of our Lord's life" (emphasis added). How utterly Platonic (from Plato the Greek philosopher who advocated the ideal over the more material)! What an open door to Gnostic tendencies that spurn the material world, created by God and good, and favor the speculative!

On Epiphany do we really set aside and celebrate this great feast day of the Church for "an idea," not an event, even if that "idea" "assumes concrete form"? I was under the impression that we have such ceremonies "for this reason alone, that the uneducated be taught what they need to know about Christ" (Augsburg Confession, XXIV:3; Concordia, p. 47).

No, I say drop the strange notion of presenting and commemorating "an idea" becoming concrete (Can you say, "Ugh, how philosophical!"?) and instead cling to the event that Epiphany does indeed celebrate: the Son of God in the flesh revealing Himself as the light and life of the world. We see this in the story of the Magi coming to worship the Infant Jesus. We also see it in our Lord approaching John the Baptist to be baptized and thus reveal Himself along with the Father and the Holy Spirit. Yes, Virginia, these are events, not merely an idea.

Actually, we celebrate the Epiphany of Our Lord by focusing on a Person--Jesus, the very Son of God made flesh, even as He's wearing diapers and nursing at His mother's breast. We celebrate His work of revealing Himself to the world, both by becoming flesh and then by showing Himself to the world, first to the Jews (e.g. presentation in the Temple), then to the Gentiles (e.g. the Magi).

Perhaps the underlying problem in this little reading on this Epiphany of Our Lord is that it sees Christmas and Epiphany as two separate events. Let's not tear asunder what God has joined together. Christmas and Epiphany are a package deal. Together they give us the God who took on flesh, the God who humbled Himself to become one of us, the God who reveals Himself as both God and Man, the God who restores us to life with Him. For that matter, also keep the Crucifixion, the Resurrection, and the Ascension in the package. After all, Epiphany doesn't mean anything with out "the rest of the story."

No, Epiphany is not about a mere idea, even if it somehow becomes concrete. Rather, Epiphany is about the very real, very flesh and blood Son of God and the very real event of Him manifesting Himself to us. Yes, Virginia, there is an Epiphany event.

18 Years and Counting

So yesterday marked my eighteenth anniversary of being ordained into the Office of the Holy Ministry. (I meant to post something about it yesterday, but got caught up doing several other things that kept me from the blog altogether.) This year, though, brought a most interesting way of observing said anniversary, namely, by *not* doing pastoral things as I was reflecting on my pastoral vocation. I guess a sabbatical leave will force one to do that.

While my usual December 16 anniversary routine was not there, the gravitas of the Office did not escape me. While I am able to take it easy this year (vs. busily - frantically? - preparing one last Advent midweek sermon and trying to look ahead to all of the Christ-Mass preparations), I still thank God for His most undeserved grace and mercy in placing me into His service in His Church, but most of all for redeeming me, the worst of sinners.

As part of my annual observance of being placed under orders ("ordained") to proclaim Christ and Him crucified and risen to save sinners, I like to look back on various quotes and explanations of who a pastor is and what he is supposed to do. So here are some of the words of wisdom that have guided me in the past and, I pray, will guide me in years to come.

As usual, Dr. Norman Nagel says it very well and quite succinctly: “Clergy are worth only what they have been put into the office for: not their own words, but Christ’s.” (“Externum Verbum: Testing Augustana 5 on the Doctrine of the Holy Ministry,” Lutheran Theological Journal, 30:101-110, Dec. 1996).

I also appreciate the way Martin Franzmann captures the purpose of the Office of the Holy Ministry in his hymn "Preach You the Word":

Preach you the Word and plant it home
To men who like or like it not,
The Word that shall endure and stand
When flow'rs and men shall be forgot.

We know how hard, O Lord, the task
Your servant bade us undertake:
To preach Your Word and never ask
What prideful profit it may make.

Preach you the Word and plant it home
And never faint; the Harvest Lord
Who gave the sower seed to sow
Will watch and tend His planted Word. (Lutheran Service Book, 586:1, 2, 6)

That last verse certainly takes on a new meaning when one is resting from pastoral duties, trusting that the Harvest Lord still takes care of His people in the congregation, right now quite apart from my all too feeble efforts.

And speaking of verses that take on something of a new perspective as one is on sabbatical leave, we pastors always need to stop and take a listen, even during such "busy times" as Advent and Christmas. After all, we have life only by the Word of God who came and took on our flesh to save us as well as our congregations. I pray that this prayer enfleshed in a hymn verse will also serve as the prayer of my many brothers in the Office:

Speak, O Lord, You servant listens,
Let Your Word to me come near;
Newborn life and spirit give me,
Let each promise still my fear.
Death's dread pow'r, its inward strife,
Wars against Your Word of life;
Fill me, Lord, with love's strong fervor
That I cling to You forever! (Lutheran Service Book, 589:1)

My favorite ordination anniversary quote, however, comes from Eugene Peterson as he expands on the meaning of the ordination vow by appealing to both Ezekiel (Scripture) and Odysseus (literature). Being "lashed to the mast" of our Lord's Gospel and Sacraments has often served as a sure anchor in the raging waters of various thoughts and emotions that well up within a pastor.

The definition that pastors start out with, given to us in our ordination, is that pastoral work is a ministry of word and sacrament.

Word.

But in the wreckage all words sound like “mere words.”

Sacrament.

But in the wreckage what difference can a little water, a piece of bread, a sip of wine make?

Yet century after century Christians continue to take certain persons in their communities, set them apart, and say, “We want you to be responsible for saying and acting among us what we believe about God and kingdom and gospel. We believe that the Holy Spirit is among us and within us. We believe that God’s Spirit continues to hover over the chaos of the world’s evil and our sin, shaping a new creation and new creatures. We believe that God is not a spectator in turn amused and alarmed at the wreckage of world history but a participant in it. We believe that everything, especially everything that looks like wreckage, is material that God is using to make a praising life. We believe all this, but we don’t see it. We see, like Ezekiel, dismembered skeletons whitened under a pitiless Babylonian sun. We see a lot of bones that once were laughing and dancing children, of adults who once made love and plans, of believers who once brought their doubts and sang their praises in church – and sinned. We don’t see the dancers or the lovers or the singers – at best we see only fleeting glimpses of them. What we see are bones. Dry bones. We see sin and judgment on the sin. That is what it looks like. It looked that way to Ezekiel; it looks that way to anyone with eyes to see and a brain to think; and it looks that way to us.

“But we believe something else. We believe in the coming together of these bones into connected, sinewed, muscled human beings who speak and sing and laugh and work and believe and bless their God. We believe that it happened the way Ezekiel preached it and we believe that it still happens. We believe it happened in Israel and that it happens in the church. We believe that we are part of the happening as we sing our praises, listen believingly to God’s word, receive the new life of Christ in the sacraments. We believe that the most significant thing that happens or can happen is that we are no longer dismembered but are remembered into the resurrection body of Christ.

“We need help in keeping our beliefs sharp and accurate and intact. We don’t trust ourselves – our emotions seduce us into infidelities. We know that we are launched on a difficult and dangerous act of faith, and that there are strong influences intent on diluting or destroying it. We want you to help us: be our pastor, a minister of word and sacrament, in the middle of this world’s life. Minister with word and sacrament to us in all the different parts and stages of our lives – in our work and play, with our children and our parents, at birth and death, in our celebrations and sorrows, on those days when morning breaks over us in a wash of sunshine, and those other days that are all drizzle. This isn’t the only task in the life of faith, but it is your task. We will find someone else to do the other important and essential tasks. This is yours: word and sacrament.

“One more thing: we are going to ordain you to this ministry and we want your vow that you will stick to it. This is not a temporary job assignment but a way of life that we need lived out in our community. We know that you are launched on the same difficult belief venture in the same dangerous world as we are. We know that your emotions are as fickle as ours, and that your mind can play the same tricks on you as ours. That is why we are going to ordain you and why we are going to exact a vow from you. We know that there are going to be days and months, maybe even years, when we won’t feel like we are believing anything and won’t want to hear it from you. And we know that there will be days and weeks and maybe even years when you won’t feel like saying it. It doesn’t matter. Do it. You are ordained to this ministry, vowed to it. There may be times when we come to you as a committee or delegation and demand that you tell us something else than what we are telling you now. Promise right now that you won’t give it to what we demand of you. You are not the minister of our changing desires, or our time-conditioned understanding of our needs, or our secularized hopes for something better. With these vows of ordination we are lashing you fast to the mast of word and sacrament so that you will be unable to respond to the siren voices. There are a lot of other things to be done in this wrecked world and we are going to be doing at least some of them, but if we don’t know the basic terms with which we are working, the foundational realities with which we are dealing – God, kingdom, gospel – we are going to end up living futile, fantasy lives. Your task is to keep telling the basic story, representing the presence of the Spirit, insisting on the priority of God, speaking the biblical words of command and promise and invitation.”

That, or something very much like that, is what I understand the church to say to the people whom it ordains to be its pastors (Eugene Peterson, Working the Angles: The Shape of Pastoral Integrity, pp. 22-25, italic original).

Naturalization Ceremony

Last Friday I had the joy and privilege of attending the Naturalization Ceremony for 64 new United States citizens. Actually, I was there first and foremost for Deaconess Grace Rao, born and raised in India, a member of Hope congregation in St. Louis, MO, employed by LCMS World Relief and Human Care, and now a proud citizen of these United States. Here she is, proudly holding her certificate of citizenship in the U.S.

I have heard that many or most people who become U.S. citizens by way of our naturalization process have a great appreciation for our nation, its Constitution, and its way of life. After all, they often come from quite difficult ways of life and harrowing circumstances (war-torn countries, nations rife with poverty and crime), not to mention from governments that may leave much to be desired (e.g. Communist governments, despotic governments), and they actually study, learn, and treasure what it means to become citizens of the U.S.

As I sat in the courtroom at the Federal Courts building, I had to wonder if it might not be healthy for us who are born in this country, us native citizens, to have a "naturalization process" of some kind. Yes, I know there's often the standard citizenship class in grade school, but how many of us are really paying attention at that age? And how many of us would take the "Oath of Allegiance" (below) even as we ponder its details?

In fact, as I waited for the ceremony to begin, I commented to the person next to me, another of Grace's many friends and co-workers present (Grace certainly had the biggest "family" of supporters present :-), "What would happen if we naturally born U.S. citizens had to take the 'Oath of Allegiance'?" We both agreed that more of us native sons and daughters of the U.S. might have a greater appreciation for the nation where God has placed us. We were both delighted that the attorney who addressed the incoming citizens also mentioned the phenomenon that many who are born U.S. citizens too often take for granted the rights and privileges that these 64 incoming citizens now proudly treasure by their free choice.

So, here's something to ponder: How well could we native U.S. citizens swallow and stomach this "Oath of Allegiance" that these 64 new citizens took last Friday? [Commentaries in brackets are mine.]

"I hereby declare on oath, that I absolutely and entirely renounce and abjure all allegiance and fidelity to any foreign prince, potentate, state or sovereignty, of whom or which I have heretofore been a subject or citizen [Okay, that part would not apply.]; that I will support and defend the Constitution and laws of the United States of America against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; that I will bear arms on behalf of the United States when required by the law [Wow! Now there's a responsibility of citizenship for you.]; that I will perform non-combatant service in the armed forces of the United States when required by the law [I'm old enough to remember signing up for Selective Service, but one might also think of the draft, and those were for combatant service. What if we were required to report for some other duty to defend our nation?]; that I will perform work of national importance under civilian direction when required by the law [Hmm. Could I? Would I?]; and that I take this obligation freely, without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion [This kind of puts criticisms and complaints in a different perspective, doesn't it? And what of certain politicians who would rather see our nation be more like, say, some of Europe's more socialistic countries?]: So help me God." (Printed on the Naturalization Ceremony Program of The United States District Court, Eastern District of Missouri, December 5, 2008)

A Sabbath Rest

Hebrews 4 has long been one of my favorite chapters in Scripture, particularly for the promise that "there remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God" (Heb. 4:9). Just as God rested from His labors, says the writer to the Hebrews (and, yes, I like either St. Paul or Apollos for that honor), we too may look forward to a Sabbath rest. Of course, Hebrews 4 is speaking of the "rest" of our salvation and eternal life with the Holy Trinity.

However, I think this promised rest will take on more meaning these next six months as I will take a much-needed sabbatical leave - a.k.a. "sabbath rest" - from parish duties. Now that it's been publicized in my parish, I can speak of it here in this forum. Beginning 30 November 2008 I will take a sabbatical leave in order to rest, get rejuvenated, re-establish good study habits, and thus return to parish duties after 31 May 2009 with renewed vigor and focus.

You see, I must admit that I have been battling depression and burnout for the past couple of years. For those years I always thought, "I can shake this off," or "I can get re-focused," or other such self-motivational notions. But when you have that chemical imbalance in the brain that the doctors call "depression," such self-motivation just doesn't go very far or last very long. In fact, with bona fide depression (as opposed to having that gloomy day that hits everyone every once in a while), I have discovered firsthand that someone with depression can walk out the door first thing in the morning, greet a warm, bright, sunny, cloudless day, and it still seems as though the world is enveloped in a cool, overcast haze. My variety of depression has been marked, not by anxiety, but by apathy. Much of what I used to like and love (vocation, interests, hobbies, etc.) just hasn't mattered. "Ah, what's the point?" becomes one's motto with this kind of depression.

And then there's the burnout. I never thought of myself as a candidate for such a thing - never thought it would happen to me (You mean my clerical shirts aren't emblazoned with that big "S" for "Superpastor"? :-). But then, thanks to an article by Rev. Matt Harrison on sabbaticals, I decided to read Roy Oswald's book called Clergy Self-Care. As Oswald distilled several quotes on what burnout is, I'd swear the page in the book turned into a mirror reflecting the real me. Here's how Oswald described "burnout":

• Decreased energy—physically, the individual has difficulty keeping the pace.
• Decreased self-esteem—the individual feels a sense of personal failure related to work or vocation.
• Output exceeding input—the person has poured more and more of him/herself into a job or project, and the expected payoff or rewards are not forthcoming.
• Sense of helplessness, hopelessness, being trapped—the individual is unable to perceive alternate ways of functioning.
• Loss of idealism—the individual’s worldview has been shattered.
• Cynicism and negativism—the individual is down on self, others, the job, institutions, etc.
• Self-depletion—the individual’s resources to continue seem to be diminishing (Clergy Self-Care, p. 59).

Even though Oswald wrote and published those words back in 1991, I was sure that he must have been looking over my shoulder the past several months.

So, anyway, long story short, the past couple of months have been filled with seeing a counselor, seeing a doctor for the physical aspects (How about that, tests certainly can show imbalances and deficiencies in the body), discussing these matters with my congregation's elders, researching the whole notion of "sabbatical leave," and making plans for such a leave. (And that explains the paucity of posts here on the blog, a problem I hope to remedy real soon, perhaps with something of a "Sabbatical Journal" feature.) I must thank the Lord for giving me caring and understanding elders, as well as a very supportive congregation. This is new for all of us, but it's also an exciting time as we think of a renewed, refreshed relationship between pastor and people here at Hope.

What will I do for six months without the hustle and bustle of parish duties? I plan to spend Christmas - on Christmas - with my family in Oregon/Washington (something, of course, that we've not been able to do in 18 years of parish ministry). Reconnecting with family is supposed to be quite healing. I also plan to dive back into reading the Scriptures in their original languages, explore the new (for me) waters of early church fathers such as Ambrose, Chrysostom and others, sit in on a seminary class on patristic commentaries on John's Gospel, enroll in the "Doxology" program, and take some private retreats for prayer and study. Essentially, I'm looking forward to just being fed and "filled up" in order that I may return to my parish with renewed focus and zeal to serve the Lord and proclaim His Gospel.

And one final note before I share the statement that our Board of Elders has read and sent out. I've been amazed by the rapidity with which this news of my upcoming sabbatical has spread, and I've been especially surprised at how many people say, "Good for you!" But I must clarify one thing. The grapevine told me the other day that one report--from a branch on the grapevine most convinced of his "facts"--has put me "on disability." Well, to set the record straight: that's *not* true. I am not on disability; I will be on sabbatical. The goal is to rest and rejuvenate and thus avoid the whole disability thing. Please help the accurate details of my sabbatical story to course through the "grapevine."

Here's the statement that my Board of Elders has approved, has read after Divine Services a couple of Sundays ago, and has sent out to the whole congregation via postal mail:

Fellow Members of Hope:

For the past couple of months the Board of Elders has been discussing ways that our congregation takes care of our pastors. We call our pastors to preach, teach, give out the Sacraments, provide pastoral care to individuals and groups, and administer the day-to-day work of the congregation. This work often involves a seven-day-a-week schedule that sacrifices days off and time with family. Over time pastors need time for rest, renewal, and rejuvenation in order to keep serving the Church and our congregation.

Pastor Asburry has been serving the Church for 18 years, most of that time here at Hope, first as Associate Pastor and now as Senior Pastor. He prepares two sermons each week, one for Sunday and one for Wednesday. He teaches Bible classes, Adult Catechism classes, and a theology class at Hope School. He has also taught Youth Catechesis and Latin at the school. He regularly provides pastoral care to people who are shut-in and hospitalized; he prepares couples for marriage; performs Christian burials; and often provides pastoral counsel and deals with conflict resolution issues that arise. He carries out regular administrative duties and attends meetings of the Board of Elders, the Fiscal Board, the Board of Christian Education, and the Voters Assembly. In addition to this, for the past two years Pastor Asburry has been dealing with depression and burnout. Martin Luther once said something that describes what Pastor Asburry has been going through: “My head is like a dull knife. It just won’t cut anymore.”

The Board of Elders wants to take care of Pastor Asburry so that he can continue taking care of us with the Gospel of Jesus Christ. The Board has unanimously agreed to grant Pastor Asburry a sabbatical leave beginning November 30, 2008, and lasting until May 31, 2009. Sabbatical leaves flow out of the Days of Creation and are a good way for congregations to take care of their pastors. The 2007 LCMS Convention encourages congregations to take care of their pastors in this way and says, “A sabbatical is a time to receive, to be nurtured, and to reflect on one’s relationship with God so that one may be renewed, refreshed, and revitalized for a life of service to others” (Resolution 6-08). Pastor Asburry’s counselor has also recommended a sabbatical leave to deal with his depression and burnout. This sabbatical leave will give Pastor Asburry time to reflect on his work as a pastor, reestablish a regimen of daily study, reconnect with family, and rejuvenate himself to continue serving Hope Church and School. During this time he will enroll in the Doxology program for clergy study and renewal, attend several retreats and conferences, attend a class at Concordia Theological Seminary, and continue to see his counselor.

During Pastor’s sabbatical leave, Kantor Rosebrock will take care of the administrative duties at Hope, preach at Wednesday services, provide pastoral care for those in the hospital, and officiate at funerals and care for the grieving families. Pastor Preus will visit shut-ins and help with preaching. Pastor Egger and Pastor Maxwell will preside at Sunday Divine Services and, along with Pastor Fritsche and our seminary field education students, assist with preaching and teaching. This sabbatical leave will be financed by donations secured by the Board of Elders so that Pastor Asburry will continue to receive his regular salary and benefits and so that the congregation will not have extra expenses.

Please keep Pastor Asburry in your daily prayers during this sabbatical leave, especially that he may be rejuvenated and revitalized to serve Hope. Also, pray for those who take on extra duties to serve our congregation during this time. Finally, pray that God will use this time of sabbatical leave to enrich our life together as God’s people here at Hope.

Board of Elders
Approved, 3 November 2008
Read after Divine Services, 9 November 2008

The Heart of the Financial Matter

The U.S. financial crisis has been front and center in the news and in discussions at the water cooler, to be sure. It's amazing how a singular vote in the House of Representatives--on whether or not the U.S. Government should spend $700 Billion of taxpayer money to buy bad mortgages--can grab our attention and the headlines. It's also fascinating to observe folks who normally don't give Wall Street the time of day perk up when it takes a nose dive of almost 800 points. As of this writing, however, it appears that Wall Street, contrary to yesterday's dire predictions, recouped almost 500 of those points in what looks like a pretty good day.

What's really going on, in the recent vote, in the Wall Street roller coaster ride, and in the pocket books on "Main Street" (to use the current politically fashionable word)? I won't pretend to be an economist, let alone to have grand answers, but I will pass on for your consideration some dispassionate explanation of what seems to be happening before our very eyes.

What is happening? It appears to be a tug 0f war between two vying economic systems: capitalism and socialism. That, it appears to me, is the real heart of the matter being played out in New York City, Washington, D.C., in the nation's headlines, and in the presidential campaign.

How can it be dispassionate in this time of highly charged emotions and over the top rhetoric? Because this was written in 1995 by Dr. David Noebel, a noted Christian apologist, in his book Understanding the Times: The Religious Worldviews of Our Day and the Search for Truth.

What Noebel has to offer won't put money in our pockets, ease our tax burden, set politicians straight, bring greedy CEOs to justice, or clean up the economic mess. But I hope that his words will help us understand what's happening before our eyes and inform us as we vote for the good of all people in our nation come November 4.

Here's Dr. Noebel:

We began our analysis of capitalism and socialism by noting that capitalism trusts the free market while socialism requires centralized control. From this most fundamental difference between the two systems springs a number of ramifications, including the counterproductive bureaucracies created by the welfare system in the United States. Because socialism requires a planned economy, including control over wealth, distribution, pricing, and production, it also requires a powerful central government to initiate the plans. As P.T. Bauer points out, "Attempts to minimize economic differences in an open and free society necessarily involve the use of coercive power." [P.T. Bauer, Equality, the Third World, and Economic Delusion (Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 1981), p. 18] Thus, the socialist must rely upon increased political power to achieve his goals of economic equality and a planned economy.

In a capitalist system, in contrast, far less political power is necessary, because the government need not worry about controlling incomes, prices, or production. Citizens are free to determine how they will spend their money and how they will use their resources.

Clearly, there is a relationship between the type of economy a society chooses and the amount of freedom the individual must sacrifice. In a socialist society, the individual must relinquish to the government much of the control over his life. "The only way to arrive at equal fruits is to equalize behavior," says Beisner; "and that requires robbing men of liberty, making them slaves." [E. Calvin Beisner, Prosperity and Poverty: The Compassionate Use of Resources in a World of Scarcity (Westchester, IL: Crossway Books, 1988), p. 54] Economic freedom and the right to private property are crucial for political freedom. (Understanding the Times, p. 330-31)

What's at the heart of our current U.S. financial crisis? It would appear to be a wrestling match between capitalism and socialism. Only time, perhaps measured only in months and years, will tell which one will (or has) become dominant. But it seems prudent to bear Dr. Noebel's words in mind as we listen to, watch, and read news reports about our financial crisis. I pray that keeping this "big picture," the principles of the matter, in mind will help us citizens be informed on what's happening and speak up, especially to our elected representatives.

After all, such matters do affect us in the Church and how we can confess the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

From "Missiolatry" to "Missionalism" & That Pesky Exclamation Mark(!)

A few years ago Pr. Weedon gave us a poignant essay on "missiolatry," that is, worshiping the mission (as opposed to worshiping, and focusing on, the Savior). Now Pr. Wilken gives us an incisive essay on "missionalism," that is, the ideological movement of being "missional" (whatever that is, especially under the odd grammar of "Ablaze!").

Both pastors warn us about focusing on "the mission" rather than on the Savior and His Good News of sins forgiven and life restored. If you haven't yet seen either of these essays, I highly recommend them for your reading, your pondering ... and your saving for posterity. I'll simply "second" everything they say...

...and then add these random thoughts:

The best way to carry out the mission that Christ gave to His Church is not to focus on the mission, but to focus on Him. When we focus on our heavenly Bridegroom and the life and salvation He brings, we will quite naturally and gladly speak with others about our "eternal engagement" to Him (just as any delighted bride-to-be will show off her engagement ring without needing to be goaded on by anyone else).

When it comes to the official "Ablaze!" theme verse, I puzzle over the choice and use of Luke 24:32, especially the key sentence: "Did not our hearts burn within us while he talked to us on the road, while he opened to us the Scriptures?"

When we read the context of these Emmaus disciples, they just *did not* get it; they were slow to catch on that Jesus was with them on the road. In fact, Jesus had said, "O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken!" (Lk. 24:25) even as He stood with them. Then He had to give them a crash course in Biblical theology as they walked. Then, even after that crash course, the Emmaus disciples still did not realize that it was the risen Lord walking with them. They only realized it in - yep, you guessed it - the breaking of the bread. Then comes their "aha! experience."

But the burning hearts? Is that not their own self-admission that they were slow to catch on? Surely that's not the message that the hawkers - er, I mean, "promoters" - of "Ablaze!" want to send, is it?

And speaking of theme verses, I still think that the "Ablaze!" theme verse ought to be Malachi 4:1 (in the ESV, of course ;-): "For behold, the day is coming, burning like an oven, when all the arrogant and all evildoers will be stubble. The day that is coming shall set them ablaze, says the Lord of hosts, so that it will leave them neither root nor branch." As we learn early on in life, we must use extreme caution when handling fire. After all, matches are no toys.

And as for those pesky little exclamations marks, well, thanks, Pr. Wilken for reminding us of our proper grammar and use of the English language!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :-)

Even the Dogs

It seems that I'm not the only one who sees lessons to be learned, or at least observed, in our canine companions. The other day on this blog I just wanted to draw attention to the humorous and fascinating antics of my canine companions, Porthos & Gimli, and now Dr. Gene Veith is beginning a discussion of "Dog Morality" over on his blog.

I do find it amazing how dogs can and do teach us about ourselves, beyond simply being "man's best friend" (after wife and children, of course - let's keep all of the alphas and betas in the proper order now! :-).

After all, Jesus' comment to the canine-like - er, Canaanite - woman in Matthew 15:21-28 led her to admit that she would gladly identify herself with a crumb-crunching little pooch as long as she and her demon-possessed daughter could receive the Lord's gifts of healing, mercy, and life.

And wasn't it C. S. Lewis who compared our relationship with God to that of our dogs to us? If I remember the analogy correctly (I'm forgetting the source off hand, and I'm always glad to be corrected if I'm getting this wrong), we somehow relate to God as our dogs relate to us--certainly of a different essence/being than our Master, but nonetheless glad to be part of His family by His choosing, all the while eager to jump up on the couch to curl up next to Him. (Okay, so I'm paraphrasing, and from memory to boot, and illustrations and analogies certainly have their limits! :-)

What does strike me about our canine companions is how they can and do model faith and faithfulness for us. As I've often seen in my pooch-pals (Porthos & Gimli now and their "big brother" Shadow before them), they can get into trouble and experience my disapproval, scorn and wrath (yes, sometimes more severely than others), but they just keep coming back to greet me, wag their tails, and give their happy, bright-eyed, ears slightly back looks as if to say, "Master, we are always and ever so glad to see you!"

Just as the Canaanite (canine-ite?) woman showed in Matthew 15, faith in and faithfulness toward Jesus Christ means clinging to Him no matter how we are treated, seemingly by Him or certainly by others around us, or what we experience in terms of rudeness, rejection, and so on, and no matter what our sins truly deserve. "Yes, Lord, yet even the [little] dogs eat the crumbs that fall from the master's table" (Matthew 15:27)! Yes, Lord, I will gladly identify myself as your "little pup" and I will gladly receive the crumbs of Your mercy - crumbs of Gospel words and little kibbles of Sacramental "forgiveness, life, and salvation" that come from your Table!

And just think of this: those little crumbs just keep coming, week in and week out, from the Lord's words and His holy Meal. But one day, on the Last Day, instead of those little crumbs that sustain us now we will receive the delightfully full plate of goodies that our Master drops before us for all eternity!

A Tale of Two Bones (and "sinner dogs")

So on vacation I had to buy some more dog food for the beloved Porthos and Gimli. While carrying the small bag of Purina One lamb and rice formula for adult dogs to the check out line, I decided to get a couple of rawhide bones to keep the dogs busy at some point.

Since I view vacation as time to put my brain in neutral as much as possible, I thus neglected to pull the rawhide bones out of the "dog box" (the box in which we kept the dog food, leashes, toys, etc. during travel) while still enjoying "vacationland." But I did remember to give them the bones over the weekend, after we had returned home. I guess my brain is coming out of neutral and, at least, getting into first gear!

Somehow Porthos and Gimli know that the sound of unwrapping the bones is for them, or perhaps they even smell the rawhide through the shrink wrap. As I revealed the delectable treats for them, they did their usual dancing, jumping, and salivating, eagerly trying to get to the bones. As usual, I had them sit on their carpet just outside the kitchen. I placed the bones in the normal spots where each of them receives their food - Porthos on the left and Gimli on the right (no, there's no indication of political leanings there, I assure you :-). After the "come and get it" signal - my hand whisking toward the food spots - they each ran to claim their prize.

What ensued next shows just how far original sin has tainted God's good creation, even for beloved Beagle pets. Each dog had his rawhide bone in his mouth. Each one raced around looking for a secure place to savor and chew, and certainly not too close to the other for fear that the other might come and, well, you know, take what belongs to him (potential 7th Commandment infraction here, folks).

We chuckled at the racing and the jockeying for turf. Then we noticed something else. Very soon the two dogs were down to *one* bone! And there hadn't been enough time for either one to have rapaciously chewed his bone to the last nub. We in the RAsburry clan commented on how Porthos, as his habit, must have quickly and surreptitiously hidden his rawhide only to return and pester Gimli for his (certainly a 9th Commandment infraction now).

Then the real battle ensued. Porthos would try to go for Gimli's bone. Gimli would growl and turn away, often taunting Porthos as if to say, "Just try to snatch it from my steel trap like jaws, bro!" Then the racing turned to chasing, the chewing turned to ducking, running, and evading - all with wagging tails indicating that they both loved this form of canine tug of war.

I went searching for Porthos' bone, but, alas, I couldn't find it in his usual hiding spots. Later that evening, as I went to get ready for bed, I discovered where Porthos had hidden his rawhide reward for being, well, just a beloved pet (despite also being a rascal). It was under my pillow! And no, it hadn't left a slobbery mess. In fact, it had hardly been touched - it was (pun intended) dry as a bone.

The next morning I again gave both bones to the dogs. The competing and jostling resumed and continued for another day or two. Finally, Porthos settled down and simply chewed up his own rawhide. Gimli, however, has yet to dig into his. That rawhide has now become (pardon another intended pun) *the* bone of contention. Porthos wants it too! But so much for sharing among dogs. :-) The jostling and growling, chasing and hiding, the taunting and the sitting watch over the single bone continue, even this evening (see picture).

Not only do my beloved Beagles provide some humorous entertainment in their growling and taunting each other, but they also remind me of the extent of sin's stain and infection on God's good creation, the stain and infection that we humans, the crown of God's creation, have wrought on the world. Even Beagles love to be selfish! Yikes! I see so much of myself in my dogs (okay, no slams about appearances or halitosis, now! ;-). And while I'm sure I won't see any hint of Porthos and Gimli in commentaries on Romans 8:20-24, this tale of two bones and my "sinner dogs" certainly reminds me of creation's subjection to futility and longing for eternity's freedom from sin.

"For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of him who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to decay and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now. And not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for the adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies." (Romans 8:20-24)

Singing Together

Over at "This Side of the Pulpit" Pr. Christopher Hall has a nice little piece on singing in church. He makes a most needed point for the "American church scene": worship is not about pleasing one's individual desires, especially when it comes to music and singing. How odd it is that so many faithful church-goers, and of various stripes, merely assume that the songs and music are meant to please them on a merely individualistic, private level. It's almost as though "church" ("worship") has become nothing but the Sunday morning version of some pop-radio station's "Request Line"--just make your requests known, and the DJ - er, I mean, pastor - is automatically obligated to air the songs in order to make the listener(s) - i.e. worshiper(s) - happy.

So, thanks, Pr. Hall for a good little post on something that constantly vexes us pastors. After all, I know that I did not become a pastor just so I could take requests, air the right songs, and sit back and say, "Wow, I made 'em happy today."

However, I might quibble just a tad with one minor point in Pr. Hall's piece. In this brief post he says,

There are many reasons to go to church, but going in order to sing songs is not one of them. Hearing the Word of God and receiving the Sacraments--those are reasons to go to church. To worship and pray--those are reasons for going to church. To sing along with a crowd, to be moved emotionally because my favorite church-style or pop-style songs were sung doesn't make the cut (emphasis added).

Actually, I would say that one reason to go to church, among the other good ones he mentions, most certainly IS to sing songs--songs that sing of our Triune God and His unfathomable love for us sinners; songs that proclaim His saving deeds by sending the Son into our flesh to restore us to life with Him through His life, death, and resurrection; songs that comfort us with His goodness and gifts so that we constantly learn to repent of our sins and trust His mercy, forgiveness, and life.

Singing and music truly serve an essential purpose in hearing the Word of God and receiving the Sacraments. They carry that message of mercy in Christ Jesus, and they have a unique way of embedding it in hearts and minds, our bodies and souls.

The better way to critique the "have it your way" and "I want, I want" notions regarding music would be to zero in on the egotism of it all. I forget who said it years ago, but the stronger hymns and songs in the church do seem to be the ones that sing with "we" rather than "I." When we come together to sing the Church's song, we do so as a corporate community, a group of people baptized into the Body of Christ, a group made and becoming more unified in the forgiveness and life of our Savior. Our song, then, is more than "my favorite"; it belongs to the whole community called the Church. Therefore, the incessant requests for songs *I* like to sing, whether they're the "old favorites" or of the newer "styles" (along with the temper tantrums and church hopping that result from not getting one's way), are just plain out of place.

We do come to church to sing together, and we come to sing about something - actually, Someone - outside of and above our narrow little lives and momentary puny cares. In fact, when "we" come together to sing with the "we" of the whole Church catholic, we actually get drawn outside of ourselves as we sing not only in the presence of one another, but also *to* one another. Talk about hearing and proclaiming the Gospel! On those occasions when my voice has been less than operative, it's been great comfort to hear others sing of the saving deeds of our God and Savior. When a widow's grief from losing her husband makes her too emotional to sing, she needs us to sing God's message of life in Jesus' resurrection. The examples could continue.

So singing and music in church are not completely beside the point. They do carry the message of our Savior's works of overcoming sin and death for us. And we do best to check our personal likes, dislikes, tastes, and requests at the door when we enter God's presence. After all, He has something much better in store for us: His Word of life, His Sacraments, and His tender, fatherly ways of uniting us together with each other.

And, who knows, in singing songs that are not necessarily our "favorites" or our self-chosen "style," we just may grow to appreciate more music and singing as well. We will, after all, have a whole eternity to sing the praises of our loving, saving, humanity restoring God, and I'm pretty sure that we'll need a pretty extensive repertoire of music and singing to go with it.