Category: Feature Stories
The Sign of Jonah
by Joel D. Heck “But [Jesus] answered them: An evil and adulterous generation seeks for a sign, but no sign will be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah” — Matthew 12:39 During my days as a university instructor in theology, I…
God’s Plans (Not Ours)
by Joel D. Heck One of the key figures from secular history, whose role in the crucifixion of Jesus is recorded in the Gospels, the only Gentile whose name appears in two of the three ecumenical creeds, is Pontius Pilate. The Gospels present Pilate as…
Still Confessing Jesus: Reflecting on our Faith 1700 years after the First Council of Nicaea
by Richard A. Beinert This year, we celebrate a milestone within Christian history: the 1700th anniversary of the First Council of Nicaea. I’m going to guess that many of you reading this will respond with a puzzled look and the question: “The First Council…
Sharing His Story: Yesterday’s Blessings for Today and Tomorrow
by Mathew Block Many years ago, I was reading the story of the martyrdom of Polycarp, an early Christian bishop who was arrested in his old age. Asked to recant his faith in Christ under threat of death, Polycarp replied: “Eighty-six years have I served…
“We Need Hymns” Singing About Jesus in Francophone Africa
by Phillip Magness Hymns and Hymnals Lutheranism has been associated with congregational song since the earliest days of the Reformation. Even before the Augsburg Confession, Martin Luther recognized the pedagogical usefulness of music and the need for the saints to sing the faith.1 Lutherans developed a rich and robust…
Veritas and Caritas United: A Confessional Lutheran Approach to Missions
by M.L. Smith The mission of the Church is fundamentally rooted in the proclamation of God’s Word and the extension of His love to a world in need. As confessional Lutherans, we understand the relationship between Veritas (truth) and Caritas (love/charity) as inseparable and complementary…
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