All of you belongs to God. Your heart. Your mind. Your body and soul. All of you. Jesus teaches us this when he answers a Pharisee’s question: “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?” And [Jesus] said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.” (Matt. 22:36-37).
Read MoreDoes the Law or the Gospel predominate in your life? Do you spend more time telling people what they should do, how their attitudes should be, and how they should be living their lives? Or do you spend more time simply loving people? Of course, that all depends on what they need at any point in their life.
Read MoreThe 69th Regular Convention of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod met July 18–23, 2026, in Phoenix, Arizona. Its theme, “Christ Is Risen Indeed,” was drawn from 1 Corinthians 15:20–22: “But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead … For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive.” The theme followed the 2023 convention’s emphasis, “We Preach Christ Crucified,” directing our attention from Christ’s atoning death to the hope, joy, and justification proclaimed in His resurrection.
Read MoreThe Church is called to be faithful in doctrine and mission. Both flow from Christ Himself. Our Lord did not merely command the Church to maintain sound teaching; He also directed His Church to “go and make disciples of all nations” (Matt. 28:19). Likewise, St. Paul exhorts Timothy to “guard the good deposit entrusted to you” (2 Tim. 1:14), but also declares, “Woe to me if I do not preach the Gospel!” (1 Cor. 9:16). In other words, we must both get the message right and get the message out.
Read MoreThere is a quiet tension that many congregations feel. On the one hand, we confess with confidence that the Holy Spirit “works faith, when and where it pleases God” (Augsburg Confession, Article V). On the other hand, we look around our sanctuaries, see the shrinking attendance, and wonder: Are we doing enough? Are we reaching anyone beyond ourselves? Should we be trying something different?
Read MoreThe sight of blood makes many people squeamish. It’s not an everyday sight for most. If you live on the farm, are a butcher, or a hunter, you are accustomed to it more than most. But blood is central to God’s plan of redemption. It’s there throughout the Old Testament and there in the New Testament, especially in the book of Hebrews.
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