Rev James May, the director of Lutherans in Africa, was called to Kenya because it was a transportation hub. Each month he was traveling to other African countries to organize training seminars. Over time, several bishops repeated the same comment, “These seminars are great but they are not long enough to train pastors. You need […]
The Lord is risen! He is risen indeed! Alleluia! This past Holy Week we began by singing our Palm Sunday “hosannas” on one side of the equator. After traveling north of Nairobi to Meru on Maundy Thursday, we celebrated our Lord’s victory over sin, death, and the devil and his resurrection from the dead on […]
The Challenge in Africa There is a severe shortage of trained pastors in Africa. In Tanzania, for instance, there is on average 1 pastor for every 3,500 members. The Lutheran Church in Tanzania alone has over 10 million members, but the struggle is to equip each congregation with a trained and ordained pastor. The average […]
The Triune God Gives Himself to Us Completely Martin Luther writes that the Triune God gives to us all gifts needed for this life, our salvation, and the eternal life to come. In Christ Jesus, He gives Himself completely (entirely) to us and holds nothing back. … here we see that God gives Himself entire […]
“Po-le, Po-le” In Africa, most things happen “po-le, po-le” (Swahili for “slowly, slowly”). “Po-le, pole” applies to the cadence of conversation, the speed of the internet, the rhythm of the day, the tempo at which tasks get assigned, the rate in which they are accomplished, and even the pace by which the Triune God’s Kingdom […]
Not soon after I wrote about Martin Luther’s Evening and Morning prayers and the daily spiritual exercise of “commending all into the Lord’s hands”, we were given ample opportunities to practice it. Such is the life of the Christian. Confessing the faith and living it out, walk hand in hand. No matter how thorough one […]
Finally! After, a busy and bustling number of weeks, we’re on our way to the Lutheran School of Theology in Kenya to serve with Rev. James May and Lutherans in Africa. The preparation for a trip to the African continent is controlled chaos. It’s filled with scattered and coffee stained sheets of lists, tedious double, […]
“I had a farm in Africa at the foot of the Ngong Hills.” Out of Africa, Isak Dinesen There is a school in Africa nestled on the edge of the great Rift Valley, at the foot of the Ngong Hills. Here students come from across the African continent to study at the Lutheran School of […]
Blessings to you as we enter the Advent and Christmas season of 2023 and a new year in 2024. How quickly the years pass! The grass may wither and the flowers may fall but the Word of the Lord and the Lord of Word remain forever. (Isaiah 40:8) It is hard to believe that this […]
With Intrepid Hearts is an in-depth study and practical application of the Formula of Concord (the Epitome and Solid Declaration) and it will help Lutheran Christians … … the Truth of the Word of God (in the Scriptures and incarnate in Jesus) in an anti-Christian world. As the Lutheran Confessors declare: … we wish to testify to those […]
The spirit of the age is alive and active. From within and without it attacks the Word (in Scripture and incarnate, in Jesus). Its language is theological deceit. The work of its hands is social disorder and cultural decay. And its end goal is the physical destruction and spiritual death of all of the Triune […]
A blessed Easter season to you and your family. During the Passion week, sin’s wage came due . On Good Friday, the debt was paid . And on that first day of the week, the empty tomb is the resurrection receipt – the Father’s notice to the unholy trinity (the devil, the corrupt world, and […]
A blessed and sacred Holy Week to you. The call of the 40 day season of Lent is to “fix our eyes on Jesus” and “consider Him” so that we might repent of our sins and receive all the gifts that only the Triune God can give. (Hebrews 12:1-3)In order to help you “consider Him” […]
Does it seem like you and your family are being harassed by the “unholy trinity” of … the devil, the corrupt world, and the sinful flesh? Are these spiritual enemies winning the day? Do you feel ill equipped to fight back? During Lent 2023, I’d like to give you some daily and weekly spiritual practices […]
In 1526, almost 500 years ago, Martin Luther visited a number of Saxon churches and was horrified and distraught over the spiritual condition of the people and the clergy. Here’s what he said in the Preface to his Small Catechism … The deplorable, miserable condition that I discovered recently when I, too, was a visitor, […]
