Talking Points with Pastor Lucas - Ministry in a Truthless Age
“That may be true for you, but it is not true for me.” It’s a common phrase heard among people in our culture today. Truth has fallen on hard times. It echoes what Pilate said to Jesus while on trial: “So you are a king then?” He was trying to determine if Jesus was indeed a king. Jesus responds, “For this purpose I was born and for this purpose I have come into the world—to bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth listens to my voice.” Pilate said to him, “What is truth?” (John 19:37-38)
Pilate was dumbfounded by Jesus’ reply. As a politician, he was likely familiar with “truthiness” more than objective truth. Much like politicians of today use, truthiness is the art of sounding true without actually being true. It removes logic, facts, and objectivity and replaces them with emotion, pragmatism, and a subjective preferred view of the world. It’s what led our society to change the definition of marriage on the one hand, while also ironically becoming utterly tongue- tied when asked for the definition of a woman on the other. Indeed, truth has fallen on hard times.
However, as Christians we hold truth as essential to our identity, being, and living. Jesus says, “I am the way, the truth, and the life” (John 14:6). In other words, we stand upon the sound teaching and objective truth of the One who is the Word made flesh (John 1:14). He is the truth, which means His word is true, good, and right. It guides and directs us in a culture where people claim there is no truth (which ironically is a truth claim itself).
That’s why it’s so important for pastors and congregations to stand on biblical truth. We affirm it and clearly confess it, but do so by speaking the truth in love (Eph. 4:5). This means we are not jerks about speaking it, and we move beyond congratulating ourselves on how right we are. Rather, we speak and act on the truth while remaining compassionate and approachable to those awash in untruth and lies.
The Apostle Paul especially reminds pastors to guard the truth (doctrine) and teaching that is set forth in God’s Word. Not once, but twice he exhorts the young pastor Timothy:
Watch your life and doctrine closely. Persevere in them, because if you do, you will save both yourself and your hearers. 1 Timothy 4:16
I give you this charge: Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction. For the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. 2 Timothy 4:1-3
With these exhortations to uphold the truth, it’s important that clergy and laity alike have opportunities to discuss these things together that we may be sure, certain, and clear in our convictions.
To that end, the MN South District is sponsoring four public theological convocations open to all pastors and all laity. You are invited to come and participate in these discussions, that all may be sharpened for the spiritual battle in which we are engaged. As the Scriptures say, “iron sharpens iron, and one man sharpens another.” (Proverbs 27:17) The convocations are at four different locations across the four regions of our district, each taking place from 9:00 am – Noon. Please register so we can have a count for food preparation.
The four topics and locations are:
Region One: Friday, May 31, at Emanuel, Inver Grove Heights
Topic: Ecclesiology and the Future of the LCMS
Region Two: Friday, September 20, at Glory of Christ, Plymouth
Topic: Worship Theology and PracticeRegion Three: Friday, October 18, at Trinity, Rochester
Topic: Office of the Ministry and Routes to OrdinationRegion Four: Friday, October 25, at St. Paul, Fulda
Topic: Theology of the Practice of the Lord’s Supper
Hope to see you there!
In Christ,
Rev. Dr. Lucas V. Woodford
President, MN South District, LCMS
