In the wake of this outbreak, reports are surfacing almost by the hour of school closings and church cancellations (including a very small number involving LCMS congregations) as well as restrictions on business and other forms of travel.  At the time of the writing of this memorandum, cases of swine flu have been confirmed in 10 states-a number that seems likely to grow.  And there has been a death on U.S. soil-a Mexican child seeking treatment in Texas.
Congregations, agencies, professional church workers, and lay leaders of The Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod are urged to remain alert regarding the status of the outbreak and to follow the guidelines provided by local, state, and federal public-health officials. In addition, disaster coordinators in each LCMS district have been provided with guidelines to assist congregations in dealing with a potential flu pandemic.  Further, LCMS World Relief and Human Care offers an assortment of resources-congregational planning procedures for a possible pandemic, a preparedness checklist, and links to information from the Centers for Disease Control and the World Health Organization-at www.lcms.org/?15119.

Above all, in the midst of any potential or actual calamitous event, as Christians we cling to and communicate the comfort of our loving God, who says to us: “Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth” (Psalm 46:10).  So with the psalmist we boldly declare, “The Lord Almighty is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress” (Psalm 46:11). God’s grace, mercy, and peace be with us all!

To:                 The Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod
From:              Gerald B. Kieschnick, President
Subject:          Evangelical Lutheran Church in America Document
“Report and Recommendations on Ministry Policies”
Date:              February 22, 2009

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ:

Grace and peace be with you, from God our Father and from our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ!

It is with great disappointment and deep sadness that I share with The Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod these brief comments on the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America’s Task Force on Sexuality document “Gift and Trust” and the “Report and Recommendations on Ministry Policies.” The “Report and Recommendations” document recommends that the ELCA undertake a process that would result in the incorporation of “structured flexibility in decision making to allow, in appropriate situations, people in publicly accountable, monogamous, lifelong, same-gendered relationships to be approved for the rosters of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America.” The two documents were released February 19 by an ELCA task force and are expected to be considered by the ELCA Churchwide Assembly in August.

If this recommendation should be adopted by the Churchwide Assembly, it would constitute a change in the ELCA’s present position, which precludes “practicing homosexuals” from being included on its rosters. More importantly, it would constitute a radical departure from the 2,000-year-long teaching of the Christian tradition that homosexual activity, whether inside or outside of a committed relationship, is contrary to Holy Scripture.

As the ELCA Task Force Report itself states, “This church [the ELCA] does not have biblical and theological consensus on this matter.” It therefore concludes that the ELCA “must seek a common way to live and serve in the midst of disagreements” such as “the understanding of the nature of sin,” “the interpretation of the Bible,” “how the Bible guides our lives,” and “the level of disagreement the ELCA can bear.”

The Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod has repeatedly affirmed the biblical truth and historical understanding of the Christian church that the Bible condemns homosexual behavior as “intrinsically sinful” and is therefore contrary to the will of the Creator and constitutes sin against the commandments of God (Lev. 18:22, 24,20:13; 1 Cor. 6:9-20; 1 Tim 1:9-10; and Rom. 1:26, 27).

Our prayer in the LCMS is that our gracious God will penetrate the lives and hearts of the leaders and members of the ELCA in the coming months as they discuss, debate, and determine the outcome of the task force report and its recommendations.

In the meantime, it behooves us in the LCMS, in a spirit of sincere humility, love, care, and concern, to continue to endeavor faithfully to honor Resolution 3-21A of the 2001 Convention of our Synod that while “we cannot consider [the ELCA] to be an orthodox Lutheran church body . we of the LCMS recognize that many of our brothers and sisters of the ELCA remain faithful to the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ and we resolve to reach out to them in love and support .”

God’s grace, mercy, and peace be with us all.

Dr. Gerald B. Kieschnick, President
The Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod

“Transforming lives through Christ’s love …  in time … for eternity …” John 3:16-17

By His incarnation, obedience, death, resurrection and ascension, Jesus Christ restores us to full communion with the Creator.  To be in God means, quite simply, to love.  Whom?  All people.  Even your enemies just as God in Christ loved His enemies and reconciled us to Himself.

But love is not merely an inner working of the heart.  Love always acts.  John 3:16 does not say that God so loved the world that He had nice warm emotions toward us.  Rather, it says that He gave His only-begotten Son.  Though the sacrifice of Christ to atone for sin was once-for-all, God is still giving His Son to mankind.  Only now, He is doing so by the working of the Holy Spirit through the Holy Church.

Christians help those who suffer.  We do not, like Buddhists, wish it away.  We work it away.  And when we cannot, we trust in the Creator to make us anew when the new creation is fully revealed.

It is our understanding of God’s mercy toward sinners that moves us to serve our neighbor in his physical and temporal needs.  We follow the example of our Lord Jesus, the apostles and all Christendom.  He has sent us first to proclaim the forgiveness of sins but also to heal.  For in the Kingdom of God, all things are renewed, soul and body.

It is precisely this understanding of God’s living mercy that has guided Concordia Theological Seminary – Fort Wayne to place so much emphasis upon our deaconess program.  Not to say that only professional church women can serve and help the neighbor.  But to invest our resources in godly women, and men, who will make the presence of Christ known, not in words only, but through their lives and deeds is our goal.  To the glory of God.

“California Supreme Court Chief Justice Ronald George wrote for the majority ‘In contrast to earlier times, our state now recognized that an individual’s capacity to establish a loving and long-term committed relationship with another person and responsibly to care for and raise children does not depend upon the individual’s sexual orientation’” (Chicago Tribune, 5/16/2008 p. 19).

This is their definition of marriage: loving, long-term, and responsibility? Could not the families of the children evacuated from the polygamist compound in Texas describe their relationships as loving, long-term, and responsible? Would the relationship between father and step-daughter in Lolita be similarly described by some? What has made homosexuality a more acceptable sexual deviancy than pedophilia or polygamy?

According to the California any relationship that could be substantiated to the court as loving, long-term, and responsible should be given sanction to marry. Ironically, when divorce, abuse, and neglect are taken into account, more than fifty percent of traditional marriages wouldn’t qualify under this definition (with Hollywood couples giving us high-profile examples).

When we are confronted by the world we must not call a good thing evil and an evil thing good, but instead, call a thing what it actually is (Luther’s Heidelberg Theses, 21). We must call homosexuality what it is: sinful. Then, we can bring the gospel to our neighbors in this world as they trapped in this sin (as we ourselves are trapped in so many others). When churches and governments call an evil thing good and good things evil they have fallen out of their God-given callings and forsaken their neighbors, their brothers and sisters in Christ, and sentenced them to live continually in sin. We would no sooner allow our brothers and sisters to persist in the sins of stealing, murder, or adultery than we can sanction homosexuality.

This is to frame homosexuality together with all sins which consume this world and to place yourselves into the same boat as homosexuals and everyone who needs God’s law and gospel to set us free from sin and death. This is not a matter of elevating ourselves over our neighbor (this too would be sinful), but rather acknowledging that we, like them, need the grace of God won for us by Jesus Christ. It is also a matter of the church of God proclaiming His Word in its fullness and truth.

How then shall we live? Love your neighbor. Pray for them, share God’s Word with them, and seek to rescue them from all manner of sinfulness just as you yourself embrace and hold fast to the work of Jesus and the new life that you have in him.

You get your news from a lot of different sources. Based on the job you have, the school you attend, the church to which you belong, or the other organizations you follow, you get newsletters, briefs, press releases, and reports all the time. These types of news really amount to commentary or editorials as their content is carefully chosen to send a specific message.

The same has been said about mass media. Americans value the freedom of the press so that when there is bad news or scandal, the powerful and influential to whom it may be damaging cannot stifle the truth. Be savvy enough to understand that the news that is (or more importantly is NOT) reported can tell us about the agenda of the source.

So, take in your news with a discerning eye. Sometimes what you know to be news is omitted by the obvious news venues where it should belong because it is embarrassing to source or would portray the group in a bad light. That isn’t a source of news. That’s a propaganda machine.

(here’s a clip)

Go here to see the article.

It was just recently that I was asked about such abuse. “What have I done to deserve this?” “Is it wrong for me to want to escape? If I stay, I can continue to be a witness to the Gospel and forgiveness. If I escape, aren’t I abandoning them to their sin?”

Are these your questions? Are these the questions of your friends or loved ones? Is someone perhaps asking these questions about your own actions?

If you are so entangled, know that our Lord Jesus has not forgotten you, he has not forsaken you, and he has not turned his back on you during these trying times. He knows what it is to feel the sting of the sin of another. He felt the sting of scourge and nails for the sins of the whole world, even these sins of abuse.

We feel the sting of such evil in our lives because we are still living here in this veil of tears. Jesus’ promises of bliss and tranquility are the promises of the new Heaven and new Earth. His assurances for this life are of trial, persecution, and suffering. We will have crosses to bear, we will have sicknesses (of body and mind), we will have tears and sadness. As these touch your life you are not loved any less by God. How could you be? You are already loved perfectly by God in Christ Jesus. You are loved fully and completely.

The nature of evil and why pain must exist in this life must wait for another post. What shall we do then when we find ourselves trapped in the cycle of abuse, codependency, and danger? I humbly offer these suggestions, links to expert information, and my most sincere prayers for all who abuse and all whom they abuse.

1. Escape. Find a way out of the relationship. You are worth much more in God’s eyes, in the eyes of your brothers and sisters in Christ, and to someone who would truly love you as a lover ought to.
2. In your escape, seek out care for those who have suffered abuse. The damage is deeper than the bruises, cuts, and the unspeakable. There is help to heal your body, mind, and soul.
3. You are not guilty. The blood of Jesus covers all your sins, and your having been abused is not a sin of yours. All the same, the guilt which you feel is taken away in the suffering, death, and resurrection of Jesus. Seek out where you may immerse yourself in the spiritual care of God’s Word and Sacraments.
4. Don’t be afraid. You grades may suffer. You may miss work. You may need to move. You may need to sever common ties between you and your abuser. Don’t be afraid. Your teachers/professors are glad that you are safe. Your pastor is thankful that you are free. Any boss should rejoice that his worker is free. Anyone worthy of being called your friend will also rejoice.
5. Your brothers and sisters in Christ are here to love you and care for you. You may need help packing, moving, driving, hiding, and surviving. The Body of Christ exists to care for the Body of Christ and to care for all people.

Finally, here are a few links that you may find helpful. Try to find a shelter in your area, friends who will help you, doctors who can care for you, and a pastor who can bring the Gospel to you. These are God’s gifts to bring you safely through.

In danger? Call 911.

Shelters in some major cities:
Austin, Texas: 512-267-SAFE (7233)
Chicago, Illinois
Dallas/Fort Worth, Texas
Detroit, Michigan
Fort Wayne, Indiana
Houston, Texas

National Hotline: 1-800-799-SAFE (7233)

Lord Jesus, quickly come, that the darkness of these earthly days would be replaced by the perpetual light of your grace and glory which is our inheritance by your death and resurrection. In your holy name we pray. Amen.

All our graduates will stand at the front lines of the spiritual battles waged in the lives of their members and communities. St. Paul tells the Ephesian church that “we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places” (Ephesians 6:12).

While the battle is real we are not sent to the field unarmed or unprotected. We have “the whole armor of God” to defend us.

Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm. Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace. In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication.
(Ephesians 6:13-18)

Better still, we have the promise that our enemy has already been defeated! Sing A Mighty Fortress (LSB 656, 657) and hear that “for us fights the valiant One, whom God Himself elected. Ask ye, Who is this? Jesus Christ it is . . . He holds he field forever” (v. 2).

As Seminarian Schopp takes up the earthly struggle for peace and security in the world, he will not be far from the spiritual battles. God willing, he will soon return to his studies that he might lead a congregation of saints in the spiritual battles as they are clad in full armor of God and given the victory over sin, death, and the Devil.

Godspeed Chad, to you and all your brothers in arms.

Thanks to Cyberstones for linking to a story in the Fort Wayne Journal-Gazette about Seminarian Schopp’s unit being deployed.

Has anyone seen this new game show, “Moment of Truth,” yet? Its twisted and not-so-secret reality entertainment on Fox, has people at home asking themselves, “Could I bare my most private secrets (sins) to the public to win money?” Hooked to a lie detector, the host asks very personal questions to the contestant. If the participant lies, they lose. If they tell the truth, they get to go on to win more money for a shot at the Grand Prize of $500,000. And if they do not want to answer a question after completing a certain level, they can walk away with the money that they earned. Sounds simple right? Well, on top of that, their closest family and friends are sitting right in front of them, where the questions many times involves them, as the participant keeps advancing to higher levels. I watched just a little bit of it last night, and I have to tell you, one can either feel the tension or relief when a participant answers truthfully…and when they do, the emotions can turn uglier with anger or disbelief from their closest kin and the audience.

It is interesting how money can motivate telling the truth; or is it sad? I guess from a Christian standpoint, as soon as we see a speck in our neighbor’s eye, we do well to be careful not to miss the log in our own. However, it is seemingly detrimental that a participant is willing to risk their relationships in front of a national audience (and anti-biblical) not just to possibly lose them, but to not have any immediate reconciliation. Unless the participant and kin are very well aware of the rules and possibilities, I don’t understand how much public confessions like those are worth it to them. But then again, money has an allure…and is a 1st Commandment issue.

The fact of the matter is that our current earthly reality IS drenched in sin. We make a public confession of this fact every week, if not more. Furthermore, there are means by which sins that are heavy on our hearts are can go, namely to Private Confession and Absolution. Also, Matthew 18 directs us to resolve conflicts one with another, and not drag other people into it unless the other party is unwilling to listen. Pastors and deaconesses are trained not to be surprised by sins brought to them, because we understand the realities of our fallen world and flesh. Which ought to make it easier to face them when needed, and then ultimately be absolved by a Pastor through Holy Absolution; in essence, by Christ.

I wonder if there will ever be a program called, “Ask for Forgiveness.” It could be hosted by an ordained LCMS pastor, and after a participant’s confession of faith, they and viewers can listen to the Words of Absolution over and over again. Would that be marketable? Probably not, but who would like to wager that some people would be off of their anxiety medication and leaving their therapists? Jesus Christ is the source of Forgiveness, and in His Crucifixion and Resurrection, the ‘Moments of Truth’ that mattered, we were atoned for.

It might be an understatement that the documentary was wrought with bad theology, namely, works righteousness. And much like many Evangelical church services, the campers were encouraged to ‘Feel’ the Spirit, speak in tongues, and see visions. Much crying, shouting and catharsis was exhibited. They focused on one poor boy, who looked despairing when he couldn’t pray aloud or match the enthusiasm of the other kids. Moreover, the leaders seemed concerned that his spirituality was suffering. That made me upset. This was later affirmed as one young female camper stated, “The churches that God likes to go to, are churches where they’re jumping up and down, shouting his name, and just praising him, they’re not acting – they’re not quiet.”

Theology and spirituality aside, the political overtones were deafening. Becky Fischer, a “Youth Pastor” leading these camp experiences, was interviewed throughout the film. Here are the most memorable quotables on her evangelical agenda:

• “[Referring to President George W. Bush] He has really brought some real credibility, um, to the Christian faith.” It is hard to tell from the statement, but she was being serious.
• “I can go into a playground of kids that don’t know anything about Christianity, lead them to the Lord in a matter of, just no time at all, and just moments later they can be seeing visions and hearing the voice of God, because they’re so open. They are so usable in Christianity.”
• And finally, “It’s no wonder, with that kind of intense training and discipling, that young people are ready to kill themselves for the cause of Islam. I wanna see young people who are as committed to the cause of Jesus Christ as the young people are to the cause of Islam. I wanna see them as radically laying down their lives for the Gospel as they are over in Pakistan and Israel and Palestine and all those different places, you know, because we have… excuse me, but we have the truth!”

Well, there is no contest, Becky, that Christians have the Truth of the Gospel. However, what Ms. Fischer is describing likens to a ‘Crusades’ mentality that asserts men’s will over how God truly works in Christ Jesus! Even though people easily convert when staring down the barrel of a gun (or being pestered), this does not exactly articulate the message of the Gospel.

Ted Haggard, as you know, the evangelical pastor in Colorado Springs who was charged with homosexual misconduct just this last year, had a few quotable gems in the documentary as well. He says, “We’ve decided the Bible is the word of God. We don’t have to have a General Assembly about what we believe. It’s written in the Bible. Alright, so we don’t have to debate what we think about homosexual activity. It’s written in the Bible.” Interesting. Focusing on Haggard’s hipocrasy [even though he issued a confession and statement apologizing and resigning after receiving his charges], he represents a voice of these evangelicals’ fundamentalist and political paradigms. Haggard stated, “If the evangelicals vote, they determine the election.”

So my question is this; if the evangelicals vote…are they all in agreement on the present candidates? The greater insights political that I have learned is through Luther’s doctrine of the “Two Kingdoms.” Just as Jesus tells the Jews “Render unto Ceasar the things that are Ceasar’s and unto God the things that are Gods (Mt. 22:21),” he teaches us not that the two kingdoms are separate authorities, but that the things that are God’s…are both the things on heaven and on earth; whether the ruler believes in God or not- Further, the Apostle Paul writes to the Romans, “Romans 13:1 “Let every person be in subjection to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God and those which exist are established by God.” Ultimately, any and in all offices of authority, are God-given, (President, Policeman, teacher, parent). Regardless of what we believe, God governs and gives us all good things in these offices, in spite of ourselves, for the edification of His church and the evangelical nature of our vocations; to bring all unbelievers unto Himself in Christ Jesus.

I don’t know that a “Jesus Camp” can illustrate and teach about Christ Crucified, dually it is evident that extremists lack the understanding and consolation that Jesus brings; the the Spirit does not beckon to our whims, but brings us Jesus because it is our Lord’s will. As Haggard surmised, “we decided that the Bible is the Word of God…” then I would be interested to hear how they contend with Scripture (Mt. 22:21 and Rom 13:1), and still peacefully conclude that God is in control in spite of a potential Morman or heathen president.

The nature of Islam and the tradition of jihad have since drawn much attention. And it has become quite clear that establishing Islam as the dominant religion is a prominent theme in the Quran.

This can and has been done several ways, from persuasion to outright conflict. Muhammad himself, just before he died in 632, told his followers that he had been ordered by God to pursue the world until all people accepted the creed of Islam: there is no god but Allah, and Muhammad is his messenger.

The current struggle with violent expressions of Islam is nothing new for Christians. The church has been dealing with it for centuries. After Muhammad’s death, Muslims followed their prophet’s path. They began to overrun the lands surrounding the Mediterranean Sea. Syria, Palestine, Egypt, North Africa, and even Spain, were all conquered by 732.

Fortunately the Muslim armies were unable to prevail over Europe. It was from Europe, after the pope learned of Christian persecution across the Mediterranean, that the church responded to Islam with the crusades (beginning in 1095). Eventually they even began to send missionaries to Muslims. These missionaries experience some success, and the crusades held the Muslim forces at bay for a few centuries. But Islam was able to muster up enough strength to begin expanding again just before the reformation.

What has been referred to as the greatest jihad took place throughout the 15th and 16^th century in the eastern regions of Christian Europe. Around the time that Martin Luther was writing his small catechism Turkish Muslim armies were even poised to take control of Germany. But the European armies were able to halt their advance at Vienna in 1529. The damage was already done, though. Muslims now dominated much of Europe east of Hungary. So the church began to renew its call for a crusade in order to deal with the threat of Islam.

Martin Luther found problems with the idea of a crusade, and loudly objected to this solution. Warfare was not the business of the church. He certainly endorsed a military response to the Muslim occupation of Eastern Europe. But he argued that it was to be carried out by the secular rulers of Europe, not the church. So what could Christians do in this war against the jihad on Europe? They could certainly serve in the military. Those choosing to do so were counseled not to see this as a religious vocation. Instead, it was a secular one, a way to love the neighbor by protecting and defending them. And while the secular forces of Germany went about pushing back Muslim expansion into Europe, the church, he argued, should be busy praying for their troops and, ultimately, a peaceful resolution to the conflict.

One of the most striking things about Luther’s writing at the time, though, is his appeal that Christians strengthen their faith through catechesis and learn about the religion of Islam. Luther actually envisioned a day when Christians would be forced by circumstance to live alongside Muslims. And even though he despised Islam, he did not lose sight of God’s mission in Christ to seek and save the lost. He strongly advocated that all Christians prepare to engage Muslims with the gospel.

We live in a very different age, but Luther’s advice for dealing with Islam is instructive. In responding to violence inspired by the Quran, we must pray that our political and military leaders respond resolutely and justly. But we must also be prepared to live alongside Muslims, and recognize the numerous opportunities this presents for sharing the gospel with those for whom Christ died. As the numbers of Muslims in America continues to increase now is the time to bolster up your faith by studying the scriptures so that you too may be prepared to respond to the Muslim “who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you” (1 Peter 3:15).

Dr. Adam S. Francisco is Guest Professor of Historical Theology at Concordia Theological Seminary, Fort Wayne, Indiana.

An interesting parallelism developed as I thought on about the“Information Age” we claim to live in. As if technology is any sort of answer to the intrinsic problems of man. Perhaps trite, but worth noting, that with the technological boom in the last century, the literacy levels have also steadily dropped. This may sound surprising, what with all of the rage of trying to increase America’s literacy rate in the last 20 years.

But this article, actually a scholarly blog post by Micheal Martine, sheds light on exactly what I am talking about, by making the distinction that literacy does not simply mean the ability to read. If this were the case, we might say that America is doing “a’ight” in that department. No, but the ability to read and actually developing one’s mind by slashing and rehashing old and constructing new paradigms through literature and language is not just for consumer purposes. Our economy does not depend on us to read, it depends on our ability to spend. The fact that we can ascertain “Have it your way” with a picture of a hamburger next to it, is just a bonus.

But an ability to discern cultural movements and fundamental truths to build a steady developing and inevitably changing world view throughout our lives is a concept that seems to be lost in our culture. It then becomes increasingly more understandable why churches are lost, that Christians want little to do with reading their bibles, and clergy are inept to teach, when they themselves do not know where to go for answers. Certainly Scripture is our primary source, however, teaching comes from various sources as well; from well-read, literate theologians, philosophers, scholars and the like who discuss man’s struggle to understand and contend with truth and wisdom, and ultimately proclaim it in view of Scripture. So, now, I look to technology as a resource and ask the question: How can it develop man’s literacy? Martine writes, “As Michael Polanyi tried to teach us, knowledge is personal — possessed in a true form only by persons. Even technical knowledge becomes true knowledge only when it is personal. One of his examples, one he knew well, is the training of a surgeon. When a student finds himself becoming a true surgeon, he no longer acts of thinks — during the operation — as if the scalpel were a tool he is holding. The scalpel has become an extension of his hand.”

Do our laptops and other means of technology become personal to us, an extension of ourselves…thereby manifesting well roundedness? And, is the information transmitted through these means beneficial to our lives as a whole? Or, are we just punching information into a theoretical tracker so we can get from point A to point B with as little effort as possible, and perhaps missing out on some major pedagogical and beneficial blessings?