What Mission?

Here's a letter from a Rev. James May, soon-to-be former missionary in West Africa. Not only have we (the LCMS) canceled a strongly mission-minded radio program, but now another missionary is being recalled from the foreign field of proclaiming the Gospel to folks in West Africa, folks who, no doubt, have been led to trust and rejoice in the new life in Christ.

With sad news like this, one wonders: What exactly *is* the mission of the "mission-minded" LCMS?

Here's Pr. May's letter announcing the shocking news of the cancelation of his missionary work:

Last Newsletter
I regret to inform you that due to programmatic and business decisions, World Mission has decided to cease employing me as a missionary in West Africa. This decision came as a shock to me and my family as it may also be a surprise to you.

World Mission has been pressuring me to move on and inform you as soon as possible. One reason is that I would be without a paycheck and insurance soon after we have a baby due in July. We hope that by the grace of God we could have another call in place when my salary and benefits terminate at the end of August 2008.

The decision leaves three newly planted churches in Burkina Faso without a theologically trained leader and also the Lutheran Church of Togo without a missionary which they had been awaiting for six years. Please keep all these people involved in your prayers.

Last Project
Please check out our website (www.mayfamilyintogo.com) as there is still a project that could be accomplished in Burkina Faso and West Africa. Judy Stroeh, a member of a supporting congregation in Cincinnati, Ohio and an environmental consultant, visited us during the last week of April. Working in collaboration with Proctor & Gamble, she brought out a product called PUR which purifies water. The product is very inexpensive, about one to two cents per 10 liters of purified water. One simply adds the contents of PUR to the river or well water and then it is stirred for five minutes. The PUR contents cause all impurities to congeal and sink to the bottom of the container. Then the water is filtered through a piece of cotton and 99.99% of all dangerous elements are eliminated.

The Work of God Will Go On
It is not me who convinced anyone to believe in Christ, it was the Holy Spirit who called, gathered, and enlightened others to come to the knowledge of the truth. He is the one who will take care of what has been started. Part of the continued care will come from the leaders that He raised up here in Burkina Faso. Three men; Leopold, Joseph, and Espoir, have been training with me to continue the teachings of Christ. Joseph and Espoir will depart for the Lutheran Seminary in Togo starting in August. The studies last three years after which they will return to shepherd these new congregations. Leopold, the elder, will lead the congregations in their absence. It is very important that you keep these infant congregations and young leaders in your prayers.

So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God who gives the growth.
1 Corinthians 3:7

Thank you for your support
As many of you know, our family endured many tribulations and struggles in our two years on the field. We had many health issues and struggled adapting to the extreme weather and culture differences. You have been along side us, praying for us and supporting us all along the way. Although there were many struggles, you can see from our newsletters and website that many successes and joys have been seen.

The majority of the family will be leaving in two weeks time to join Tiina’s parents in Finland so that she can give birth in a comfortable and supporting environment. I will continue training the leaders and try to pack up the house during the month of June. We hope to visit a number of congregations this fall to present what God has done in these two years and also to thank those of you who we can in person. Our entire family wishes to thank you for all your love and support.

Your brothers and sisters in Christ,
The May Family (James, Tiina, Maggie, Tristan, Sarai, Sofia, and baby May)

PRAYER REQUESTS
We always need your prayer support. At this time we ask your prayers for;
Praise God for many conversions and baptisms. Pray that all may continually be strengthened in the faith that Christ has given them.
Our family in transition; it is not easy to pack up and move, especially so quickly and with a pregnant momma and four little kids running around.
Concordia Lutheran Church in Tingandogo, Sognaaba Lutheran Church, and the Refugee Lutheran Church as they grow in knowledge and faith.
Espoir, Leopold, and Joseph, as they prepare to become ministers of God’s Word.
That others may be raised up as leaders of the church to lead the growing number of converts.
Those we know, that we may continue working with them and encourage them in the Christian faith.
Those we meet, that we may have opportunities to share the Gospel.
Our faith, that the Risen Lord and Savior would strengthen us.

To be added to or removed from this mailing list, send an e-mail message to rev.jamesmay@yahoo.com with the word ADD or REMOVE in the subject heading.

Another District Weighs In

Pr. Weedon notes that the Minnesota South District Board of Directors has now weighed in on the Issues, Etc. matter. Great!

I still have my lingering question, however. With all of the very fine resolutions from District Pastors' Conferences and District Boards of Directors, what happened at the most recent Council of Presidents meeting in which there was "no dissenting vote" when it came to *supporting* David Strand's unilateral decision to cancel Issue, Etc.? Where were the voices in that discussion and vote to defend "talk radio for the thinking Christian"? Did I miss an answer to that question?

Thanks, Ambrose! We Need This!

Just came across a great quote from Ambrose, Bishop of Milan, from "a letter" cited in For All the Saints (vol. III, p. 1257). Such great and needed words for a time when Christ's one, holy, catholic, and apostolic Church seems to be so battered and storm-tossed by forces from outside and from within. Obviously, it was written to someone who had become a bishop, but I'm sure it gives comfort and wisdom to the rest of us as well. (BTW, if anyone knows the original source, please let me know!) Here's Ambrose:

You have undertaken to office of bishop, and now, seated at the helm of the Church, you are steering the ship in the teeth of the waves. Hold fast to the rudder of faith, that you may not be shaken by the heavy storms of this world. The sea, indeed, is vast and deep, but do not fear for "He has founded it upon the seas, and established it upon the waves."

Rightly, then, the Church of the Lord amid all the seas of the world stands immovable, built, as it were, upon the apostolic rock. On that solid foundation it endures the force of the raging billows. The waves pour over it, but it is not shaken. Although this world's elements often dash against it only to be thrown back with a mighty roar, still it offers a secure harbor of safety to receive the distressed. It is tossed on the sea, but rides the floods, and perhaps chiefly those floods of which it is said: "The floods have lifted up their voice." For there are rivers which shall flow out of the belly of him who has received to drink from Christ and partakes of the Spirit of God. These rivers, then, when they overflow with spiritual grace, lift up their voice."

On "Intelligence and Static"

So, Pr. Cwirla was surfing the Internet looking for intelligent life. Always a risky proposition! :-) You can read his thoughts at his original blog (not the bunker blog). I do believe that Pr. Cwirla is on to something here: in all of the static of our world (radio, TV, Internet--perhaps even interpersonal relationships?), what really does show and prove that there's intelligent life on *our* planet?

More Proof of a Broken System

"Save the LCMS" keeps chronicling the broken system that is our current LCMS. Check it out for a recent post on minutes (Nov. 2007) from the Board for Communication Services and how canceling Issues, Etc. was not even on the radar screen and certainly appears to be a unilateral decision.

Here's a little paragraph to pique your curiosity:

The available minutes of the BCS would indicate that the decision to cancel Issues, Etc. for financial reasons was made entirely outside the BCS, even though the BCS had subcommittees dealing with the viability of KFUO. The question to ask is this: What is the point of having synodical committees and subcommittees, and serving on them, when decisions are made unilaterally behind the back of the very boards and committees who are working to exercise oversight and provide workable solutions? The unilateral action of the Executive Director in canceling Issues, Etc. for financial reasons subverts the purpose and effectiveness, if not the authority, of the Board for Communication Services.

A Must Listen!

Here's an interview with Ms. Mollie Hemingway on the April 24th edition of the nationally syndicated radio program "Way of the Master Radio." WOTM is geared toward Evangelicals burned out on pop-evangelicalism, and here it gives a much needed call/warning to the LCMS (as it seems to head so longingly into the murky waters of pop-evangelicalism!).

Listen to the interview with Mollie here.

Pr. Wilken receives Divine Call

Mollie writes this over at Augsburg 1530:

At a Congregational meeting today, May 4th, Trinity Ev. Lutheran Congregation, Millstadt, IL, elected and called the Rev. Todd A. Wilken as Assistant Pastor. The Call documents were hand delivered by the Rev. Michael Kumm to Pastor-Elect Wilken at noon today. Please remember Pastor Wilken in your prayers as he deliberates this call. Please also keep Trinity Ev. Lutheran Congregation in your prayers.

Thanks, Mollie!

Homily - Easter 7 - Exaudi

Witnessing of Christ
John 15:26-16:4

Dr. Robert Kolb, professor at Concordia Seminary here in St. Louis, said this about witnessing: “Believers are…called to give witness to their faith and the hope which lies within them. As a matter of fact, we cannot do otherwise. Our peace is reflected in our actions and raises questions from those who do not have it…. Our call to witness is one which we can never lay aside or avoid. We can only practice it better or worse.” (Teaching God’s Children, 8-10)

Dr. Kolb simply restates what Jesus Himself said: “You also will bear witness, because you have been with Me from the beginning.” Today Jesus says that when the Holy Spirit comes, Christians will naturally bear witness of Christ.

Six weeks ago we broke forth in great joy. Christ rose victorious from the dead! He conquered our worst enemies—sin, death, and Satan. He trampled down death by His death, and by His resurrection He gives life to us mortals who end up in the tomb. For 40 days we’ve done what the first disciples did: we’ve sat at Jesus’ feet, and we’ve listened to what His resurrection life is all about, how it changes all of life for us. This past Thursday we had another victory celebration, and a great one at that! Christ ascended to heaven. He sits at God’s right hand. He rules all things in the universe for the good of His Christian Church. He restores us to being fully human. Great days indeed!

But now we live in the in-between-time. Today, the 7^th Sunday of Easter, falls in between Jesus’ Ascension (this past Thursday) and the coming of the Holy Spirit on Pentecost (next Sunday). Today also reminds us that we live in between Jesus’ Ascension and His glorious, visible return at the end of time. So, what are we to do? How are we to live? First, we look back to the great saving deeds of Jesus in the past. Then we also look ahead to the future when Christ will return riding on a cloud. And, as if that isn’t enough, we get to live in the here and now of this life. What do we Christians do? We bear witness. We testify of Christ.

Jesus tells us today that the Holy Spirit will testify of Him. “When the Helper comes, whom I shall send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father, He will testify of Me.” This is now the fourth Sunday we’ve heard Jesus teach us about the coming Holy Spirit. Today we hear three things about the Holy Spirit.

First, the Holy Spirit is our “Helper.” The Greek word is “Paraclete,” which means “Advocate” or “Defense Attorney.” We know what it’s like to be accused of our sin. The devil is always telling us, “You’re not worthy to be a Christian!” Our own conscience always accuses us. When we hurt or harm someone else with words or deeds, we know it’s wrong, and our conscience keeps trying to remind us that it’s wrong. But the Holy Spirit comes as our “Helper,” our “Advocate,” our “Defense Attorney.” He defends us against the charges of our sin by drawing our attention to Jesus Christ and His cross-won, blood-bought forgiveness for us. The Holy Spirit comforts our conscience by reminding us that God loves us and has mercy on us because Christ died and rose for us. So the Spirit is our Helper.

The second thing we hear about the Holy Spirit is that He is the “Spirit of Truth.” As one saying goes, “Where God builds a church, the devil builds a chapel or a tavern next door.” That is, where God’s message of mercy is taught in its truth and purity, the devil will also give false preachers, false churches, and false religions. Where God puts a church focused on Christ and His forgiveness and life, given in the Gospel and Sacraments, the devil will erect a church that focuses on things like successful living or some purpose-driven life that you make for yourself. Who will help us see what’s true and what’s false? The Spirit of Truth. He shows us that the teachings we learn in the Bible and the Small Catechism are true. He makes our faith sure, He removes our doubts, and He enables us to discern the false teachers and false spirits. He is the “Spirit of Truth.”

How does the Spirit do all this? This is the third thing we hear about Him: the Holy Spirit testifies of Christ. Some people think that the Holy Spirit comes and works through ecstatic experiences, such as dreams or untranslatable languages. Some people think that the Holy Spirit works through emotions and feelings. But remember what Jesus says: “He will testify of Me.” “Testify.” A very unemotional, un-ecstatic word! The Holy Spirit will bear witness of Christ. The Holy Spirit shows us that Jesus Christ is the only way to God. He shows us and tells us that Christ shed His blood to cleanse us from all our sin. He testifies to us that Christ rose victorious from the grave and gives us His perfect, divine life. The Holy Spirit works through the Gospel and the Sacraments of Christ and thus brings us to faith and keeps us in faith. You see, He wants us to be absolutely certain of our salvation and life with God, so He testifies of Christ, and of Christ alone.

Since the Holy Spirit is our Helper and the Spirit of Truth, and since He testifies of Christ, now we also bear witness of Christ. Remember how Dr. Kolb said it, “we cannot do otherwise…. We can only practice it better or worse.”

You see, when we are born again in our Baptism, each of us is automatically a witness of Christ. There’s no special training required. It’s like being called to be a witness in a court of law. You take the stand. You swear to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth. You don’t ask the questions, but you do answer the questions asked of you. And how do you answer those questions? You simply tell the truth of what you’ve seen and heard in Christ’s words and works. “Yes, we humans are fallen and sinful. Yes, I am a sinner. But also, yes, Christ has come into the world. He has suffered and died and risen again to rescue me and all people. Jesus Christ gives forgiveness and eternal life to me and all who believe in Him.” That’s the faithful and true testimony.

Now when Jesus first said, “you also will bear witness,” He was talking to His apostles, the first pastors and preachers of His Good News. When they would preach their sermons, they would bear witness of Christ. Isn’t it absolutely marvelous how their work has continued and multiplied over the centuries? Even to this day Christian pastors faithfully bear witness of Christ and His saving deeds. Don’t be hoodwinked by church executives and bureaucrats who try to make you feel guilty as if the church is not doing her mission! She is—all the time. She cannot do otherwise. Every time a Christian pastor proclaims the Gospel of Christ, every time a Christian pastor baptizes, and every time a Christian pastor distributes the Lord’s Body and Blood, he is bearing witness of Christ. That is the Church’s mission.

But are pastors and preachers the only witnesses of Christ? Of course not! You who faithfully gather around Christ in His Gospel and Sacraments also bear witness. When you come to church, you get to hear with your ears and “see” with the eyes of faith the wonderful deeds of Christ. Then you get to go back to your daily vocations and bear witness there. Some of you get to bear witness to family and friends who are outside the Church. Others get to bear witness to a troubled co-worker. Perhaps you get to bear witness to the clerk at the grocery store, or perhaps you get to bear witness to the doctor or nurse at your annual check up or when you lie flat on your back in a hospital bed. As Dr. Kolb said, “Those who know we are Christians form impressions of Christ from our lives, whether good or bad. Those who do not know we are Christian still see some glimpse of what gives us our ultimate sense of identity, security, and meaning, and whether it is working or not.” So, every Christian bears witness of Christ. You constantly bear witness of Christ!

Yes, “Our call to witness is one which we can never lay aside or avoid. We can only practice it better or worse.” But with the Holy Spirit always helping us and giving us the truth of Christ, with the forgiveness and life that come only from Christ in His Gospel and Sacraments, we can and we do bear witness of Christ. Amen.

A Milestone

Hey, I just noticed that the number of visits to this blog just went over 25,000, and that's since last September when I started it. So, thank you, readers, for frequenting this place of pastoral ponderings and other things!

Also, why don't you introduce yourselves, especially those of you who may normally "lurk." Please let me know who you are and where you're writing from! I know some of you (well, as far as "knowing" can happen in the blogosphere, I suppose), but I'd love to know who else is visiting and reading. So, don't be shy! :-)

St. Philip and St. James, Apostles

In addition to celebrating the Feast of the Ascension of our Lord, the Church today remembers St. Philip and St. James, Apostles.

In John 1:43-51, Philip introduces Nathanael to Jesus the Messiah, uttering his famous evangelistic words: "Come and see!" How simple is that! Who needs fancy, glossy evangelism programs or multi-million dollar mission movements, when we can simply imitate St. Philip and say a simple, "Come and see Jesus in His Gospel and Sacraments on a Sunday morning"? It worked well for Philip; it will work well for us too, I'm sure.

In John 12:20-26, Philip introduces yet more people to Jesus, this time some Greeks. The Greeks say, "Sir, we wish to see Jesus," and Philip, along with Andrew, gladly obliges. What another great example of the proper, Biblical way of evangelism and missions: when people want and need to see/hear Jesus the Savior, step out of the way and direct them to the Lord Himself! I often think this is great wisdom for pastors. When people come to church and to the altar, they don't come to see my ugly mug or whatever antics I can dream up. No, they come to see Jesus, and, as a pastor, my job is to step out of the way and let them see Jesus.

And what about James the Less? Evidently, he would also carry the name James, son of Alphaeus, and other than that, not much is made of him in Holy Scripture. Not all of the Apostles can be famous, after all; not all can have easy name recognition, you know. It must mean that James the Less was simply a faithful Apostle, carrying out His Lord's bidding, even to the point of being martyred (the color for this Feast day is red, after all!). Our Lord Jesus uses even the less-known and the little-recognized among us to bring people to know and trust that He is the Way, the Truth, and the Life. What a great comfort and blessing!

Collect
Almighty God, Your Son revealed Himself to Philip and James and gave them the knowledge of everlasting life. Grant us perfectly to know Your Son, Jesus Christ, to be the way, the truth, and the life, and steadfastly to walk in the way that leads to eternal life; through the same Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.

Hymn Verse:
We praise You, Lord, for Philip,
Blest guide to Greek and Jew,
And for young James the faithful,
Who heard and followed You.
O grant us grace to know You,
The way, the truth, the life,
To wrestle with temptation,
To triumph in the strife. (LSB 518:16)

Homily - Ascension of Our Lord

"Fully Human"

The Ascension of Our Lord
Mark 16:14-20

Tonight we celebrate our Lord’s Ascension and return to the Father’s right hand. What does it mean for us, here and now? When we get ready for Holy Communion, we will hear these startling words: “that He [Jesus] might make us partakers of His divine life.” That’s what Ascension Day means for us: our Lord Jesus Christ makes us “partakers of His divine life.” Jesus restores us to being fully human.

What does it mean to be fully human? On bright, sunny days, when life is going smoothly and there’s not a cloud in the sky or a problem on the horizon, we may think we know what it means to be fully human. When bills are paid, tummies are full, and happiness abounds, we might have an inkling of what being human is about. But do we really?

Being fully human means living in God’s image, as He created Adam and Eve, before they fell into sin. Genesis 1(:27) says, “God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.” Martin Luther commented on this verse and said, “Thus Adam had a twofold life: a physical one and an immortal one” (LW, vol. 1). Adam was fully human when he had both physical life and immortal life.

Luther also gives this lovely description of Adam’s “full humanity,” or the image of God: “Therefore the image of God, according to which Adam was created, was something far more distinguished and excellent, since obviously no leprosy of sin adhered either to his reason or to his will. Both his inner and his outer sensations were all of the purest kind. His intellect was the clearest, his memory was the best, and his will was the most straightforward—all in the most beautiful tranquillity of mind, without any fear of death and without any anxiety. To these inner qualities came also those most beautiful and superb qualities of body and of all the limbs, qualities in which he surpassed all the remaining living creatures. I am fully convinced that before Adam’s sin his eyes were so sharp and clear that they surpassed those of the lynx and eagle. He was stronger than the lions and the bears, whose strength is very great; and he handled them the way we handle puppies.” (LW, vol. 1) Wouldn’t that be great!

But deep down, in our heart of hearts, we know there is something amiss. We are not “fully human,” and we know it. That’s why we are always so unsettled, so often unfulfilled in life. We really do not know what it means to be “fully human”! As Luther also said, “I am afraid that since the loss of this image through sin we cannot understand it to any extent. Memory, will, and mind we have indeed; but they are most depraved and most seriously weakened, yes, to put it more clearly, they are utterly leprous and unclean.”

To be honest and truthful, we and all people on the face of the earth are sub-human, less than human. People who fly airplanes into tall buildings, with the express purpose of killing thousands of other people, are sub-human. People who kill innocent babies before they can be born, or elderly people because they are “an inconvenience,” are sub-human. Women who burn with passion for other women, and men who burn with passion for other men, are sub-human. After all, that so-called “lifestyle” cannot even procreate physical life.

Other examples might impact us more personally. Every form of sickness, from cancer to the common cold, shows that we are sub-human. Every frustration with family, friends, complete strangers, or even ourselves, shows that we are sub-human. Every time we get suspicious of someone else’s motives, every time we get mad at someone else’s actions, every time we talk poorly about another human being—friend or foe—we show we are sub-human.

When I say we are sub-human, I mean that we are less than what God planned for us to be. Because of the cancer of our sin, you and I live, work, and play far below the perfect life that God meant for us to have. Deep down we know this, because we always “try to do better.” But we cannot change our fallen, sub-human condition before God. Only one Person can do that for us—Jesus the Christ, the Perfect God and Perfect Man.

When Jesus came into this world, He took on our very flesh and blood. Jesus was fully human. Like Adam before sin, He had physical life and immortal life. And “in every respect [Jesus] has been tempted as we are, yet without sin” (Heb. 4:15). He Jesus lived perfectly and kept all of God’s commands perfectly. Then He went to the cross to be our substitute for our being sub-human. And here’s the best news of all: Jesus, the perfect fully human Son of God rose from the dead. Death is the biggest proof that we are sub-human. But Jesus conquered death. He rose again and gives us His resurrection life. And this Lord of Life makes us fully human. St. Paul said it this way: “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places” (Eph. 1:3). By His perfect life, by His atoning death, and by His glorious resurrection Jesus makes us fully human!

So, when Jesus gets ready to ascend to God’s right hand, He commissions His Church, His followers, to help restore people to being fully human. We’ve heard St. Mark’s version of what Jesus said: “Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation. Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved.” St. Matthew recorded it this way: “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them…and teaching them…” (Mt. 28:19-20). And St. Luke phrased it this way: “that repentance [for] forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed in His name to all nations” (Lk. 24:47). In other words, Jesus makes us and other people fully human when we hear and preach the Gospel—the Good News that Christ forgives our sins and gives us His divine life!

Jesus even gave some physical manifestations of how we will know that His Gospel message makes us fully human. Demons will be cast out, that is, people will come to faith in Christ. People will speak with new tongues, that is, they will speak the wonderful works of God’s grace and mercy in various languages around the globe. The serpent’s poison of death will no longer affect us, because we have Jesus’ fully human life in us. And when we, our pastor, and our church proclaim Christ crucified, risen, and ascended to forgive sinners and give life, you are actually healing people from their dreaded disease of being sub-human.

So, Ascension Day also reminds us of our purpose and mission in this world. Our Lord Christ wants us to view church as the place where He makes us fully human. Everyone who stays away from Christ’s pulpit and altar remain in their sub-human sickness. But everyone who comes to hear and receive Jesus’ precious Gospel and Sacraments receives Jesus’ own healing. Just look at what He has already done for you. He has baptized you and made you fully human by washing away all your sins. He continues to restore you to FULL HUMANITY every time you hear His Word proclaimed, every time you eat and drink His Body and Blood. As Luther said, “where there is forgiveness of sins, there is also life and salvation.” fully human life, that is.

So, don’t you want your family, your friends, your neighbors, and your co-workers to be fully human with you? Think about it this way. If Bill Gates came to give away ten thousand dollars to every person who walked through the church doors, I’d bet that you would bring everyone you could. Well, dear friends, Bill Gates has nothing compared to the riches of knowing Christ Jesus and being made fully human. Here, in this place, our Lord Jesus Christ always restores us and anyone who comes here to being fully human. That’s why, after Jesus ascended, the disciples “went out and preached everywhere” because the Lord Jesus “worked with them and confirmed the message by accompanying signs.” Our ascended Lord Jesus still works through His Word and Sacraments to make us fully human. Amen.

Southern Illinois District weighs in ... again

In case you haven't seen it yet, the Southern Illinois District Board of Directors has written a good, congenial letter to the LCMS Board of Directors regarding the Issues, Etc. cancellation. You can read the letter over at Pr. Weedon's blog.

I do have a question that flows from this letter. I am glad to see Pres. Herb Mueller speaking in this forum by signing his name. Will we ever find out what happened at the Council of Presidents meeting last week that led to the "no dissenting votes"? Please add that to the list of questions to which we would like clear, honest answers.

Still here!

Please pardon my absence these past few days! Hectic schedules with family activities and congregational duties have kept me pretty tied up, but also my main computer, a MacBook, crashed yesterday morning. So, I'm trying to pick up the pieces, so to speak, and get my technological life up and running again. Thanks for not giving up! :-)

To My Orthodox Friends

A very blessed and joyous Pascha to my Orthodox friends who may be reading my blog!

Christ is risen! Indeed, He is risen!

Let God arise, let His enemies be scattered; let those who hate him flee from before His face!

Christ is risen from the dead, trampling down death by death, and upon those in the tombs bestowing life. (Troparion)

This is the day which the Lord has made, let us rejoice and be glad in it!

Necessary Divisions?

Pr. Cwirla has some intriguing thoughts on the necessity of divisions in the life of the Church. Read the full essay here. Here's one paragraph to whet your appetite:

Dissensions and divisions have their root in our old Adamic flesh (Gal 5:20; 1 Tim 6:4; Titus 3:9). The old Adam loves to stir up trouble wherever he can find it. Dissensions and divisions in the church arise from false teachings and false teachers who subvert the Gospel (Rom 16:17; Jude 19). Paul's desire for the Corinthian congregation is that it be united, of the same mind and judgment (1 Cor. 1:10). Yet Paul goes on to make this remarkable statement: "It is necessary that there be divisions (Gk: heresies) among you so that those who are proven might be manifest among you" (1 Cor 11:19). In other words, the soundness of a teacher is tested in the face of controversy, and divisions serve the purpose of showing who is proven.