Faith Fellowship
IDENTITY
Workers in the field, rooted in the Word. Church of the Lutheran Brethren
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July/August 2011
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Vol. 78, No. 4
In This Issue 4 6 9 10 12 13
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Belief and Passion Dale Varberg
Absolute Truth
FAITH & FELLOWSHIP
Dale Hanson
Volume 78 - Number 4
CLB Statement of Faith Change Does Happen!
Director of Communications: Tim Mathiesen tmathiesen@clba.org | twitter: @ffmag
Snap Shot
Editor: Brent Juliot bjuliot@clba.org
G.T. Gunhus Steve Flude
Do You Innovate? Melissa Fabian Focus on Pastors’ Wives: A Challenge for Us Cheryl Olsen Another Dreadful “L” Word Donald Raun
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Church & Synod News
re:Think Troy Tysdal
Faith & Fellowship Milestone David Rinden
Publisher/Graphic Designer: Troy Tysdal ttysdal@clba.org Photography: Katie Tysdal: Cover, p.3 Unless otherwise indicated, Scripture taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION. Copyright ©1973. 1978. 1984. International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Bible Publishers.
Pray on!
New Tradition John Heie
Over many years, our Lutheran Brethren churches held Wednesday evening prayer meetings as a matter of tradition. While some good friends would attend these meetings together, many in attendance, while usually church members, were just acquaintances. Many times this led to prayers that did not disclose the real problems that some attendees were having. There was not enough trust to share major problems with acquaintances. Also, sometimes we wouldn’t share our heart concerns because we were afraid that others would think that we shouldn’t be having problems like this if we were walking close to the Lord. I think that there is another model that can be used when our prayer needs seem to overwhelm us. We need somebody who we can trust enough to share our burdens. We, of course, can and should cast our burdens on 2
Christ (1 Peter 5:7), but from personal experience I know that it is therapeutic to be able to share my deepest needs with another person who is also on this sometimes difficult journey in life. Trust is the key to this approach. If there is mutual trust, the sharing of needs on a confidential basis can be a beautiful thing. It establishes a deep friendship and prayer bond between the participants. My wife Dorine does this by telephone with a prayer partner in Vancouver, Washington on a weekly basis. I have been doing it in person with somebody in southern California on a monthly basis. I ask you, the reader, to consider the possibility of finding someone you trust who would be interested in starting a new prayer tradition with you! John Heie is a member of the CLB Prayer Team. The CLB Prayer Team is on-call to pray for requests from our family of churches. E-mail the team at: pray@prayclb.org
Faith & Fellowship
Glimpse Let the Seed Fall BRENT JULIOT
MATTHEW 13:3-9 Then [Jesus] told them many things in parables, saying: “A farmer went out to sow his seed. As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up. Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow. But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root. Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants. Still other seed fell on good soil, where it produced a crop – a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown. He who has ears, let him hear.” What should church be about? Well, the Christian Church should be about Christ, of course. But practically speaking, how do we make it about Jesus Christ? Should we gather corporately to sit and think about Jesus one day each week, and do the same thing individually on other days? The story above shows us what church is about. It’s called the Parable of the Sower. My spell-checker doesn’t know the word, but a sower is one who sows seed – a planter, a farmer. In many churches, on July 10, you will hear a sermon based on this portion of Scripture. While some of Jesus’ teaching parables are harder to understand, in this case Jesus gives his first disciples – and us – a full explanation a few verses later. Matthew, Mark, and Luke all tell us this story. They leave no question about the identity of the seed: It’s the message about the kingdom, the Word of God, the gospel. God is the sower. The sower sows seed. Receptivity of the human heart to the seed is variable, as shown by the seed’s growth patterns in different types of soil. But the seed itself is always good – always powerful! God plants the seed of his Word in us and it becomes the source of our spiritual life. The Word gives life because Jesus Christ is in it. The always-good seed is the Word about Christ. www.ffmagazine.org
So what is church about? In order for church to truly be about Christ, it has to be about the Word. That means the Word, the Scripture, is central to our worship. If the Word is not heard clearly in the sermon and clearly in the music, we are missing the point of why we come together as a church. This must be true in all of our church life, including the “business” side of the church. This goes beyond the church building and beyond corporate church gatherings. If we who are members of the Church, that is the body of Christ on earth, are not individually people of the Word, then we are also missing the point. The Word must be the focus of our spiritual lives, if indeed the spiritual life of Christ is in us. When, in our churches and as individuals, we are truly about the Word, then something else will happen: The seed of the Word will come out of us. We call it evangelism or missions. We become the planters, as God uses us to sow his seed. And when we do this, motivated by the love of Christ that we know from his Word, some of the seed will grow – just as it has in us, for the glory of Christ. God’s seed is always good, so… let the seed fall! “But the one who received the seed that fell on good soil is the man who hears the word and understands it. He produces a crop, yielding a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown” (Matthew 13:23). Rev. Brent Juliot is Editor of Faith & Fellowship magazine, teaches math at Hillcrest Lutheran Academy, and serves as senior pastor at Stavanger Lutheran Church in Fergus Falls, MN.
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The Lundeberg Family in 1901 (left to right): Olav, Marie, Wilhelm, Amanda, Agnes, Karl, and Rev. K.O. Lundeberg
Belief and Passion DALE VARBERG
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hat were the beliefs and passions of the founders of the Church of the Lutheran Brethren? To answer this question I will conduct a fictional interview with Rev. K.O. Lundeberg, first president of the newly formed denomination. The founding conference in Milwaukee, Wisconsin began Thursday evening December 13, 1900. After three days of Bible Study and expository preaching, the following Monday and Tuesday, December 17-18, were reserved for business sessions. The delegates from invited churches knew that a momentous decision faced them: Shall we form a new Lutheran denomination? The discussion was long and vigorous, but when the vote came it was a unanimous “yes.” This fictional interview takes place on the day following the founding convention. 4
Dale Varberg: Good morning, Rev. Lundeberg. I hope you are well rested. K.O. Lundeberg: I had a good night’s rest, but I needed it. We have had an exceedingly busy five days. Dale Varberg: I understand that a new denomination has been formed and that you are the new president. Let me begin by asking you to introduce yourself. Tell me about your background. K.O. Lundeberg: I was born of devout Lutheran parents in 1859 in Telemark, Norway. I was baptized and confirmed in a local Lutheran parish, but my family worshiped with a Haugean fellowship which met in a schoolhouse. The Haugeans, followers of Norway’s great lay evangelist Hans Nielsen Hauge (17711824), stressed the need for conversion and personal living faith in Jesus Christ. I
remember that we stopped farm work when the mailman brought the Haugean mission magazine so we could catch up on the latest news, especially news about Haugean missionaries in China. From childhood, I pondered such questions as the meaning of life and what happened after death. I learned to read before starting school, and I memorized the catechism and portions of the Bible by heart. After my father died, my mother and I immigrated to America – to the upper Midwest, which was then, as today, heavily Scandinavian and Lutheran. We drifted around for nine years with me taking jobs as a farm laborer and along the way picking up a college education by attending several Midwestern colleges. Sensing a definite call for ministry, I entered the so-called Anti-Missouri Seminary located at St. Olaf College in Northfield, Faith & Fellowship
Minnesota. Among the students there were the coldly critical formalists and the warm-hearted happy Pietists, in the spirit of Hauge. Naturally I found closest fellowship with the latter. I graduated in 1889 at the top of my class and was assigned to serve two Lutheran Churches near Kenyon, Minnesota. My preaching, which was of the Haugean variety and emphasized repentance, faith, and holy Christian living, was not acceptable to these congregations, so I left. After briefly serving a church in Portland, Oregon, I was called back to Kenyon to serve the independent Bethany Lutheran Church. It was from this church that I came as a delegate to the conference that ended yesterday. Dale Varberg: I understand that only five congregations had delegates at the founding convention that elected you as their president. This sounds like a pretty small start for a new denomination. K.O. Lundeberg: Yes, it is. But let me stress that there are a large number of independent-minded Lutheran fellowships that are interested, even excited, about the special emphases that we intend to promote. They were invited to attend the convention, sent their blessings, but for one reason or another could not send delegates. These groups have arisen out of the “revivals” that are sweeping the Midwest at this time. We will communicate with them and we expect to grow rapidly as they hear of what happened here. I predict that we will add at least 20 new congregations to our rolls in the next two or three years. Dale Varberg: You mention special emphases. What are these emphases? Perhaps you can tell us your two highest priorities for the new denomination. K.O. Lundeberg: First, we want to find our total identity in the life and teachings of Jesus Christ. We will uphold baptism and confirmation. We believe that Christian discipleship consists of daily conversion, a turning away from one’s sinful desires toward a new life centered in Jesus; believers who admit their innate sinfulness and repent of it, accepting the forgiveness that God offers through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, and then confessing openly that Jesus is both the Savior and Lord of their lives. We hope that www.ffmagazine.org
all members of Lutheran Brethren churches will unequivocally identify themselves as followers of Jesus Christ. And we believe that those who do will find peace, joy, and fulfillment beyond anything the world offers. Second, because we are so convinced that what I have described is good news and because Jesus told us to do so (Matthew 28:18-20), we will proclaim the gospel far and wide. We will do it here in America (as Hauge did in Norway) and we will do it overseas (as the Haugeans are doing in China). The mission of the Church of the Lutheran Brethren is to lead men and women to faith in Jesus Christ. To do this we will train pastors and missionaries and our lay people to be totally involved in mission. At our business meeting yesterday, we determined that we will open a mission work in China. I want us to be known as a missionary church. I predict that we will have at least a dozen overseas missionaries in a very short time. Dale Varberg: How do you plan to train your pastors, missionaries, and laypeople? K.O. Lundeberg: This is a serious matter and we have already begun talking about it. I want to meet with my good friend E.M. Broen to hear his ideas on the matter. I hope that we can start a Bible School where these Lutheran Brethren emphases can be highlighted. It would be open to lay people as well as to those planning for pastoral and missionary careers. Epilogue: So how did it all work out? Were Lundeberg’s hopes and dreams realized? The Lutheran Bible School opened in November, 1903 with Broen as president and with Lundeberg and Broen as the teachers. It achieved its purpose in training hundreds of laypeople, pastors, and missionaries. Eventually it morphed into Hillcrest Academy and Lutheran Brethren Seminary. As for overseas missions, the Kilens opened our China field in 1902 and by 1910 the CLB had a staff of 14 active missionaries in Honan and Hupeh provinces. Following the early example of China, we later began mission work in Cameroon, Chad, Japan, and Taiwan. Our people willingly sacrificed their own comfort so people who didn’t know the
name Jesus could hear the gospel. A CLB couple in Chicago donated their new Model T Ford to Missionary Revne so he could make needed treks around Cameroon; its rusted remains serve as memorial to this couple, to Revne, and to CLB mission work in Africa. At the 90-year celebration of CLB missions, there were 46 active missionaries and history showed that almost 200 had served on our various international fields. CLB membership overseas far exceeded its membership in North America and some said that the Church of the Lutheran Brethren had become just a large foreign mission society. Had we neglected North America? E.M. Broen, long-serving president of the Lutheran Bible School is reported to have said, “The Bible School is number two. Mission work is number one,” implying that overseas missions must take precedence over everything else. To this, another CLB leader, M.E. Sletta, responded that the support of the overseas missions will wither unless our home base expands. Yet after 111 years our North American base numbers only a little over 100 churches, most of modest size. Why has the base grown so slowly? Our founders had such a passion for people coming to faith that they sacrificed to see it happen. But did their wonderful concern for people overseas lead them to neglect lost people right next door? Are we doing the same thing? And has the American drive to have things for ourselves dimmed our commitment to the mission of Jesus Christ, which is to make disciples everywhere? Do we see our neighbors and those we work with as people needing the gospel? These are questions we must wrestle with now in 2011. Dr. Dale Varberg is a retired mathematics professor from Hamline University in St. Paul, Minnesota. Dale and his wife Louise (granddaughter of CLB founder K.O. Lundeberg) currently live in St. Paul, Minnesota.
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n North America we live in a culture permeated by various worldviews. Many of our neighbors follow different religions and believe in gods other than the God revealed in Scripture. The prevailing view of our society is that people can individually decide what is right for them, that there is no objective truth. The problem is the world just does not function that way. There is a set order that we must live by: for instance, we cannot decide what day of the week any given day is; we cannot determine what certificates and degrees are necessary to get a particular job; we are not free to put water instead of gasoline in our car’s fuel tank. Neither can the morals we live by be self-determined. 6
Cheat, lie, or steal whenever you like, and you will soon learn that life just does not operate that way. Unfaithfulness, cruelty or abuse will not lead to healthy, joyful, pleasant, and harmonious relationships. On the other hand, being faithful, loving, kind and helpful does result in relational harmony and joy. There are objective truths and absolutes that we must come to grips with if we are to make life work. One of the most basic questions of life was asked of Jesus by Pontius Pilate: “What is truth?” Jesus declared, in John 14, that he is the way, the truth and the life. Without God and the truth of his Word, we are left to ourselves to grapple with life’s questions. This only leads to
confusion, and our society is now reaping the results of such confusion. We are overwhelmed with daily reports of scandals in government, business and the family. Our church teaches that the Bible is God’s truth. Statements, based on Scripture, have been developed to define our faith. These statements are called creeds and doctrinal confessions. The Statement of Faith of the Church of the Lutheran Brethren declares: “The Bible, including both Old and New Testaments as originally given, is the verbally and plenarily inspired Word of God and is free from error in the whole and in the part, and is therefore the final authoritative guide for faith and conduct.” Faith & Fellowship
Absolute Truth DALE HANSON
It might be both necessary and helpful to further define the above statement. First, notice we speak of the Bible as “originally given.” This phrase acknowledges that we do not have the original manuscripts in the handwriting of the authors available to us today. However, we have multiple copies to study and compare, so we can be confident we have a faithful reproduction of the original manuscripts. No other historical document is so well attested as the Bible. Then, notice the Bible is “verbally” given; this relates to words. The Bible is formed of words. Words are important and have real meanings that everyone can understand. Our Statement of Faith also uses the word “plenarily” which mean completely or www.ffmagazine.org
totally. The Bible and all that is in it, is “verbally and plenarily inspired.” It is the very breath of God, so the words written by the various writers in the Bible are the very Words of God. Therefore, the entire Bible is free from any error in its entirety and in its every part. God is true and his Word is totally true. Thus, we have in God’s Word our final authority for what we are to believe and how we are to conduct ourselves in life. John Stott writes, “It is tragic in our day to witness the loss of understanding that the teaching of the apostles was the teaching of Jesus. Some today talk of Paul, Peter, and John and the other apostles as if they were foolish and fallible first-century Christians whose teachings were
nothing but their own opinions and may readily be set aside if we do not happen to like what they wrote. ‘That’s Paul’s view,’ they say, ‘or Peter’s or John’s view. But this is mine. And my view is just as good as theirs, in fact better.’ But no, the teaching of the apostles is the teaching of Christ. To receive them is to receive Christ, to reject them is to reject Christ. Jesus endorsed the Old Testament, and deliberately made provision for the New Testament Scripture by appointing and authorizing His apostles.” We are thankful for the Lutheran Confessional writings because they are brief and succinct statements prepared from God’s Word, the consensus of the Church that has endured the test 7
Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. I tell you the truth, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished. Matthew 5:17-18
of time. About a century ago Wilhelm Loeke stated: “Great thoughts are not born in the latter days, but were given by the Lord to His Church from the beginning. Every novelty in matters of theology ought to be doubted.” I refer to the above quote to make the point about the importance of the Confessional writings, as they help us understand the true meaning of the words of Scripture. How is the Word of God to be understood and interpreted? Actually, there are rules of interpretation right within the Bible – the Scriptures tell us how we ought to read the Scriptures. If we are not careful in following the Biblical rules of interpretation (a Biblical hermeneutic), we will very likely misinterpret the Scriptures. The most basic principle of interpretation is context. The meaning of a word is dependent on how it is used, as words have different meanings in different contexts. Another basic principle is to let Scripture interpret Scripture. A further important rule of interpretation is found in Luke 24:27, “And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he (Jesus) explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself.” The Scriptures reveal to us Jesus, even in the Old Testament. Therefore, the stories in the Old Testament are not about various men of God that we are to imitate, but they are about that one person who came to be our Savior. All Scripture points us to Christ. Scripture sheds light on itself by explaining itself. We can correctly understand what a particular word means by studying how Scripture uses that word in context, and how that same word is used elsewhere. We can then understand what is limited to a particular culture, and what is meant to be universally applied. Also, the Bible can only be correctly understood with a proper distinction between Law and Gospel. 8
There are several ways the authority of God’s Word is being attacked today. Unless we are careful, and aware of these subtle ways, we will be led astray by them. I will mention a few: 1) An emphasis on listening to what you hear God telling you. With this view, what people think they hear God saying becomes the message instead of actually dealing with what is written in God’s Word. 2) The pop-psychology aspect of the Gospel – viewing Christ as the one who helps us deal with all our emotional and life problems, as if Jesus is our counselor, instead of our Savior. This approach to Scripture leaves the impression that our greatest need is for Jesus to be our life coach, instead of our savior from sin. Michael Horton has written a book, Christless Christianity, describing the various ways that much of what is understood as Christian today is more like a Christ-less Christianity – making what we humans do the central and most important thing, rather than what God has done for us in Christ as the core of our faith. 3) Wrestling against Scripture; pitting Scripture against itself while attempting to figure out what in Scripture should be universally applicable, and what is historically or culturally conditioned. David Kuske, in an article on that subject, gives the following direction: “It is only by letting Scripture interpret Scripture that we safeguard the authority of Scripture. When we make anything from outside the Bible an authority which allows us to deny or change the substance of the simple, pure, and natural meaning of the words of Scripture, then we no longer have an authoritative Scripture. The claim of historical relativists that the worldview of Scripture is culturebound and as a result obscure to one degree or another for people living in contemporary cultures is nothing but a smokescreen of the devil to
undermine the authority of God’s Word.” We need to review our Statement of Faith, restudy the Lutheran Confessions, and review the Biblical rules of interpretation they teach. We have no right to develop our own private way of reading Scripture. The sad reality today is that due to so many different views and ways of reading Scripture its authority is almost lost. Therefore, I would call the Church back to a careful study of the rules for interpreting Scripture and to a renewed emphasis on the authority of the Word of God. I especially appreciate the CLB view on Scripture given in our Statement of Core Values: “The Bible is central in our congregations and in our households. The Word of God is the focus of our worship services, the textbook for our teaching ministries, and the foundation of our daily lives. Whether we are preaching, teaching, singing or just talking, we want to be people of the Word.” “The Word and Sacraments are God’s precious means for grace. The Word teaches us, Baptism washes us, the Lord’s Supper nourishes us. In our sacramental life together we are brought again and again to the crucified and risen Jesus Christ, who alone is the source of our salvation.” May God help us stay true to our Statement of Faith and our Statement of Core Values. Rev. Dale Hanson and his wife LuAnn currently live in Minneapolis, MN.
CLB ONLINE
The CLB Statement of Faith and Statement of Core Values can be found online at www.clba.org/about-us/what-we-believe
Faith & Fellowship
Church of the
7b. In the Sacrament of Baptism, God offers the benefits of Christ’s redemption to all people and graciously bestows the washing of regeneration and newness of life to all who believe. God calls the baptized person to live in daily repentance, that is, in sorrow for sin, in turning from sin, and in personal faith in the forgiveness of sin obtained by Christ. By grace we are daily given the power to overcome sinful desires and live a new life in Christ. Those who do not continue to live in God’s grace need to be brought again to repentance and faith through the Law and Gospel. Because the sinfulness of human nature passes on from generation to generation and the promise of God’s grace includes little children, we baptize infants, who become members of Christ’s believing church through baptism. These children need to come to know that they are sinners with a sinful nature that opposes God. Through the work of the Holy Spirit, they need to confess their sinfulness and yield to God; and possess for themselves forgiveness of their sin through Jesus Christ, as they are led from the faith received in infant baptism into a clear conscious personal faith in Christ as their Lord and Savior and being assured of salvation, rely solely on the finished work of Christ, and the power of the Gospel to live as children of God.
Lutheran Brethren Statement of Faith
1. The Bible, including both Old and New Testaments as originally given, is the verbally and plenarily inspired Word of God and is free from error in the whole and in the part, and is therefore the final authoritative guide for faith and conduct. 2. There is one God eternally existent in three distinct persons in one divine essence, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. 3. God the Father has revealed Himself as the Creator and preserver of the universe, to Whom the entire creation and all creatures are subject. 4. God created Adam and Eve in His image to live in fellowship with Him. They fell into sin through the temptation of Satan and thereby lost fellowship with God. Through their disobedience the entire human race became totally depraved, that is, self-centered sinners who oppose God, and who by nature are unable to trust, fear or love Him. They are subject to the devil, and are condemned to death under the eternal wrath of God. 5. Jesus Christ, the Eternal Son, is the image of the invisible God. To accomplish our redemption, He became fully human, being conceived of the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary. Jesus Christ, who is true God and true man, by His perfect obedience and substitutionary death on the cross, has purchased our redemption. He rose from the dead for our justification in the body in which He was crucified. He ascended into heaven, where He is now seated at the right hand of God, the Father, as our interceding High Priest. He will come a second time personally, bodily, and visibly to gather the believers unto Himself and to establish His millennial kingdom. He will judge the living and the dead and make an eternal separation between believers and unbelievers. His kingdom shall have no end. 6. The Holy Spirit is a divine person eternally one with the Father and with the Son. Through the Word of God He convicts people of sin, persuades them to confess their sinfulness to God and calls them to faith through the Gospel. He regenerates, sanctifies, and preserves believers in the one true faith. He comforts, guides, equips, directs, and empowers the church to fulfill the great commission. 7. The knowledge and benefit of Christ’s redemption from sin is brought to the human race through the means of grace, namely the Word and the sacraments. 7a. Through the Word of the Law God brings sinners to know their lost condition and to repent. Through the Word of the Gospel He brings sinners to believe in Jesus Christ, to be justified, to enter the process of sanctification, and to have eternal life. This occurs as the Holy Spirit awakens them to see their sin, convicts them of their guilt of sin, and calls them to repent and believe, inviting and enabling them to accept God’s grace in Christ. Each one who thus believes is instantly forgiven and credited with Christ’s righteousness. The Word then teaches and guides the believer to lead a godly life.
7c. In the Sacrament of Holy Communion, Christ gives to the communicants His body and blood in, with, and under the bread and wine. He declares the forgiveness of sin to all believers, and strengthens their faith. 8. Eternal salvation is available to every living human being on earth by God’s grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone. This salvation consists of an instantaneous aspect and an ongoing, continual aspect. Justification is God’s gracious act by which He, for Christ’s sake, instantaneously acquits repentant and believing sinners and credits them with Christ’s righteousness. At that moment, God gives each one who believes a new and godly nature and the Holy Spirit begins the process of sanctification. There is no place for human effort in justification. Sanctification is God’s gracious, continual work of spiritual renewal and growth in the life of every justified person. Through the means of grace, the Holy Spirit works to reproduce the character of Christ within the lives of all believers, instructing and urging them to live out their new nature. The Holy Spirit enables believers more and more to resist the devil, to overcome the world, and to count themselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus. The Holy Spirit produces spiritual fruit in and bestows spiritual gifts upon all believers. He calls, empowers and equips them to serve God in the home, in the community, and as part of the Church Universal. The process of sanctification will be complete only when the believer reaches glory. 9. The Church Universal consists of all those who truly believe on Jesus Christ as Savior. The local congregation is an assembly of believers in a certain locality among whom the Gospel is purely taught and the sacraments are rightly administered. The confessing membership of the local congregation shall include only those who have been baptized into “the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,” confess personal faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, maintain a good reputation in the community and accept the constitution of the Church of the Lutheran Brethren. It cannot, however, be avoided that hypocrites might be mixed in the congregation; that is, those whose unbelief is not evident to the congregation. 10. The Church of the Lutheran Brethren practices the congregational form of church government [nationally] and the autonomy of the local congregations. The office of pastor and elder is to be filled by men only. The synodical administration has an advisory function as it relates to the congregation, and an administrative function as it relates to the cooperative efforts of the congregations. 11. The Lutheran Confessions are a summary of Bible doctrines. We adhere to the following confessional writings: The Apostles’ Creed, Nicene and Athanasian Creeds, unaltered Augsburg Confession, and Luther’s Small Catechism.
Change Does Happen! G.T. Gunhus
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confess that I’ve resisted engaging in the technological changes of our time and it has created a void in my ability to communicate with my children and grandchildren. I have not engaged in the social networking that they have so willingly adapted to. I watch them use technology to connect with people from their past, as well as the present, and to communicate daily with all their “friends.” I don’t receive letters from them anymore, except for the occasionally birthday card or anniversary card. It is not their first choice in communicating with me. They would rather “text” me. It would take extra effort for them to send birthday greetings to me “my way.” They would have to get in their car, drive to the local mall, find a parking place, walk into the mall, and navigate the labyrinth of stores and shops. Once they find the store, they go to the card rack, read through 15 cards to find the “right card.” 10
Back home they sit down and write their personal greetings on the card, place it in the envelope, address the envelope, get back into their car and drive all the way to the post office to mail it. You see, the mail has already been delivered at their home and if they don’t get it in the mail that day, it wouldn’t arrive in time for my birthday. “If Chappy (all my grandkids call me Chappy) had a cell phone, I could text him, tell him I love him, and wish him a happy birthday in just 20 seconds of what it took me three hours to do.” To my grandchildren, the purpose and message is the same. They want to tell me they love me and want to wish me well but my choice of communication is too archaic and inefficient for them. Many of you are saying, as you read this, “Oh yes! I know what he is talking about.” In the last 20 years, our world and how we function in our society has changed more significantly than in the previous 100
years. Most of this rapid change can be attributed to the incredible technological advancements. Some of us resist the change, while others embrace it whole heartedly. At a plenary session of the Annual Convention of the Church of the Lutheran Brethren (CLB) several years ago, we were discussing stewardship and meeting the financial needs of our synod and churches. Someone made the point that 90% of the financial support comes from 10% of the constituents of the synod, and 80% of that 10% are people over the age of 50. That led to discussion about stewardship training for our churches and encouraging our younger people to give financial support for our synod and churches. A young woman then stood and asked to speak to the issue. She clearly described how she paid all of her bills online. She told us she didn’t even have a checkbook Faith & Fellowship
and that she would like to contribute to the work of the CLB, but she couldn’t because our fledgling website had no way to give online. I remember sitting there thinking about what she said and saying to myself, “That is weird. How could anyone get along in this world without a checkbook?” If you look at the CLB website today, you will see that one is able to give to the synod online. More importantly, you will find all sorts of great information about who we are as a church and how we are carrying out the Great Commission of Jesus Christ. I was impressed when I recently reviewed the Synod’s website. There is more information available on the website than one could receive from two year’s worth of the Faith & Fellowship. It is all in one place, it speaks to every part of the CLB ministry, and it is current. How we tell our story is changing! The CLB has made some huge changes during the past six years. The most visible are organizational and operational. The Ministry Boards, the Board of Trustees, and the Synodical Council have been eliminated. The Council of Directors has been established. Congregations have been organized into five Regions; four in the United States and one in Canada. These changes were made for the purpose of facilitating and enabling our local congregations to own and carry out the mission of the Church. We believe God has given each congregation his mission. The CLB mission is conducted from the perspective that the mission of the Church flows out of the local congregation. The responsibility for the mission is fully given over to the local churches. Regional Pastors (RP) have been appointed to each of the five regions. The Regional Pastor encourages and facilitates clusters of churches to work as a family to share the gospel in our communities and in the world. The Regional Pastor provides assistance in shepherding and mentoring pastors in his region. He encourages, facilitates, and supports common and cooperative ministry among groups or clusters of churches in the region. He has a myriad of other responsibilities, all designed to enable the local congregations to do the mission of the Church. How we do mission is changing! www.ffmagazine.org
What hasn’t changed is the mission and vision of our Church. The CLB Mission Statement is, as always: “In response to God’s person and grace, we worship Him with everything we are in Christ, serve one another in Christian love and share the Gospel of Jesus Christ with all people.” The mission of the CLB is the same today as it was when five independent Lutheran congregations (the CLB’s first cluster of churches) came together in 1900 for a common purpose. The CLB Vision Statement encourages the local congregations to take ownership of all aspects of the mission of the Church. “We see God stirring in our church a fresh passion to reach beyond our own comfort to all people among whom God places us. We embrace God’s mission to bring the life changing Gospel to unreached people in Asia and Africa, and we sense God convicting us to more intentionally reach out to people who live in our midst in North America as well.” Throughout the United States and Canada we are seeing examples of what our local congregations are doing to provide ministry and mission to their communities, as well as regionally and internationally. One congregation has pledged to support, for five years, a missionary couple who will be sent to witness about Jesus to the Bagirmi people in Chad. Other congregations are considering joining in that International Mission effort. Clusters of churches are coming together for common ministry in their region. Gifts and resources of several congregations are being shared to support an outreach ministry. Several congregations are providing ministry in their churches for different ethnic people in their communities. Clusters of churches are combining their effort to provide youth ministry retreats for their region. Clusters of congregations are providing short-term mission opportunities for the young people in their churches. Regional Pastors have formed accountability and support groups to encourage the local pastors in their ministry. Clusters of churches are coming together for pastor and leader training. Local congregations are planting new congregations. This year the Regions are conducting their first Biennial Conventions in lieu
of the CLB Annual Convention. One of our Regions has had to cease taking reservations for its 2011 Regional Biennial Convention because there are more people who want to attend the convention than the convention facility can accommodate. I believe that twice as many congregation members and delegates will attend the Region Biennial Conventions this year as will attend next year’s CLB Biennial Convention. It is an indication that people in our local congregations want to engage in the greater mission of the Church. These are just a few examples of how the major changes in CLB structure have enabled and encouraged our congregations to do what they are called to do – “to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ with all people.” The Gospel Scripture for July 3, 2011 is Matthew 11:25-30. Verse 27 is quite revealing and challenging: “All things have been committed to me by my Father. No one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.” He has chosen all of us who know and love him to reveal who Jesus is to all people. Yes, the Church of the Lutheran Brethren has made changes, all for the purpose of enabling you to tell all people who Jesus is. Most of our congregations and pastors are embracing these changes. As with all changes, there is some reservation. While it is your choice as autonomous congregations to choose how to embrace the changes, we pray that all of our CLB congregations in North America will totally unite in our efforts to support, share, and strengthen one another at the local levels to carry out the work the Lord calls us to do. By the way, I now have a cell phone that I use to text my grandkids. I can even send them pictures I have taken with the cell phone. Oh yes, I am starting to pay bills online. Change does happen! Chaplain G.T. Gunhus is a retired Major General of the U.S. Army and lives with his wife Ann in Underwood, Minnesota.
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STEVE FLUDE
Reliable Electricity
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ife in Chad can be hard. It’s hot. It’s dusty. There’s a constant threat of illness. There’s also another challenge to overcome and that is the general lack of reliable electricity. At Lutheran Brethren International Mission’s (LBIM) Welcome Center in N’Djamena, electricity is supplied by a generator and a solar/battery system working in tandem. Originally, the two were able to supply the concession with electricity during the night and for a few hours during the daytime. But as the Welcome Center’s use grew, it became apparent that a more robust system was needed to meet the Mission’s needs. In discussion with LBIM Director Matthew Rogness, it was decided that new batteries and solar panels would be purchased and shipped to Chad in anticipation of a future expansion of the solar/battery system. As it turned out, procuring the equipment was the easy part. We still didn’t have the expertise to install the system. So we prayed that the Lord would provide somebody who was willing to come to Chad and install the new system. Months passed with our equipment sitting in storage at the Welcome Center while we waited upon the Lord to solve our problem. Then in early 2010, a shortterm mission team from Maple Park Lutheran Brethren Church in Lynnwood, Washington came to the Welcome Center. The team leaders were Noel and Trisch Johnson. During the team’s stay, I discussed our situation with Mike Braaten. Right away Mike showed a keen interest in what we needed to do and offered whatever help he could provide to get the job completed. When Mike returned to the States he proved true to his word. Within a very short period of time he was able to find an electrician (Mike Watts from Maple 12
Mike Braaten and Mike Watts
Park) who was willing to not only go to Chad but to completely re-design the system to maximize reliability and ease of use. Preparations were made and in April of this year the two Mikes and I headed to N’Djamena. Both men paid their own way, took time off from work, and gave countless hours of their own time to make this endeavor a success. And a free will offering at Maple Park Church provided the necessary funds to pay for my airline ticket! I cannot stress enough how thankful I am to have these two men as members of this little team. Their selflessness is something that I will always remember. Also, a big “Thank you” must be given
to Maple Park Church and Pastor Dave Overland. The whole congregation adopted this project as their own. In 1 Corinthians 12 the Apostle Paul talks about the body of Christ (the Church) and how, as members of the body, we all have a part to play. It is great to see that, when we are led by the Holy Spirit, though we may be few we can accomplish so much. Steve Flude and his family serve as missionaries with LBIM in Ndjamena, Chad.
LBIM
www.lbim.org
Faith & Fellowship
MELISSA FABIAN
Triumph Runs for Running Water
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Left: Eleven year-old Julia Halmrast after finishing the Fargo 5K • Right: Josh Krieg pushes his daughters, Annie and Hailey, in the Fargo 5K
unning for Running Water. That was the goal of a combined effort between the East and West Campuses of Triumph Lutheran Brethren Church in Moorhead, Minnesota and West Fargo, North Dakota. A group of approximately 100 Triumph people ran and walked different races during the Fargo Marathon weekend, May 19-21, 2011. They participated to help Triumph’s adopted people group, the Bilala people of Chad, Africa. The runners were moved by both the Bilala people’s physical need for clean drinking water and their need of God’s living water. From a four-month old being pushed in a stroller, to an 85 year-old “prime-timer,” www.ffmagazine.org
the Running Water group encompassed not just a diverse age group, but also diverse backgrounds. Running Water brought together generations of families, cancer survivors, and many overcoming adversity. Each ran or walked to raise money for drilling wells for the Bilala. Those who participated were sponsored not just by people at Triumph, but by people in the community. This raised money and awareness of the Bilala people and their physical and spiritual needs. Nearly $17,000 was raised through pledges and t-shirt sales. This means Triumph will be able to help the Bilala people drill four or five wells. Triumph dreams of sending a team to Chad that
could share the love of Jesus at the well sites when it is time to drill. Plans are already underway for Triumph to participate in the Fargo Marathon weekend in 2012. Melissa Fabian is a member of Triumph East in Moorhead, MN. She ran the 5K with her father, Jack Sand, also a member at Triumph East.
VISIT TRIUMPH LBC ONLINE
www.triumphlbc.org
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Focus on Pastors’ Wives: A Challenge for Us CHERYL OLSEN
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hat is your pastor’s wife like? Does she love curling up with a good book, or revel in fly-fishing? Would she rather spend her vacation on a Hawaiian beach, or hiking backwoods mountain trails? Is a normal weekday spent working, rushing home to prepare dinner for the family before dashing off to teach Kids’ Night at church? Or homeschooling her children, in between preparing a Women’s Bible Study and carpooling kids to afternoon practices? Doctor, secretary, nurse, teacher, writer, choir director, and many more – each of these descriptions portray at least one actual Lutheran Brethren pastor’s wife! Like each of us, they are unique women, but they have one thing in common: they are married to a pastor. As Women’s Ministries of the CLB, we see supporting our pastors’ wives as a vital need. Although we will continue to fund several ongoing projects this year, we have chosen a Focus Project for 2011-2012: Our Lutheran Brethren Pastors’ Wives. We are gathering ideas to help you honor, appreciate, and resource your own local pastor’s wife each month this year. We are also sponsoring, in five Regional areas, a focused time and place for pastors’ wives to gather together for encouragement, refreshment, re-tooling, and respite: a Spiritual Get-away. We challenge you to financially support this project, and to also make our pastors’ wives a year-long focus in your church. What makes a pastor’s wife different from other busy volunteers in the church? She and her husband have relocated, changing their lives to serve us. The church has become their family, their source for friendship, their place to worship, and their workplace, all rolled into one. They spend their weekends, Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Easter with us. Vacations even revolve around the church schedule. Let us welcome them with genuine care and friendship. 14
But there is also the “fishbowl” effect. One pastor’s wife mused: “Very few other careers involve having the general public knowing and caring about where your family lives and what happens in their lives – celebrities and big time politicians are the only people that come to mind. I don’t even know if my doctor HAS a wife. I don’t know if the policeman that pulled me over several months ago has kids – let alone who they are and where they live.” Interesting observation. Do we give our pastors and families the same privacy considerations that we give to our dentist’s family? Our grocer’s or pharmacist’s family? And yet, the service that a pastor and his wife give to a congregation is, because of its spiritual nature, capable of much more intimate intertwining with our lives. Their ministry touches our souls. They do more than “serve” a congregation; they minister to us. It’s because of the very nature of ministry that we, at times take advantage of that closeness. Let us respect their boundaries. Pastoral couples also make many sacrifices through years of costly theological education. In the secular world there is a substantial salary received for similar education, but this is seldom seen in most ministry positions. Yet God has placed a call on their hearts to serve him, which is greater than the pull for financial security. And he himself will reward them! But our expressions of appreciation can help keep discouragement from overwhelming them on the spiritual battleground. Depression, temptation, even leaving the ministry can be effects of the unseen warfare that is waged against our pastoral families. Let us, then, in the congregations they serve, take the responsibility to provide the greatest support that we are able, emotionally, financially, and spiritually. Lastly, and most importantly: she is married to your pastor! Someone wrote
about her number one priority, “She should be a help-mate and (the) biggest supporter of her husband. The first role she carries is paramount and necessary for the successful ministry of her husband. She is his solace when ministry gets tough and hard. She is his comfort when he feels alone and down-trodden. She is his vacation from the endless demands of ministry.” If we respect the man God has called to be our pastor, if we benefit from the Word of God he proclaims and the spiritual role he plays in our lives, let us support the woman God has called to be by his side. Let’s make a difference in the lives of our pastors’ wives this year! Pray regularly for them. Check our website (www.wmclb.com) each month for a new practical idea of how to support your own pastor’s wife. Idea for July – a simple one: Pray for your pastor’s wife daily this month! Idea for August: Send a note, or verbally tell your pastor’s wife specifically how she has positively impacted your life. Cheryl Olsen is Information Coordinator for Women’s Ministries of the CLB.
VISIT WMCLB ONLINE
www.wmclb.com
Faith & Fellowship
Another Dreadful “L” Word! DONALD RAUN
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ave you ever noticed how many unsavory words begin with the letter “L”? Lax. Lackadaisical. Lazy. Lewd. Licentious. Lust. ...and the list goes on. Levity is there also. “Lack of serious thought, frivolity” is one dictionary’s definition of the word. A year ago, my cousin lay dying. He was a follower of Jesus. One of his daughters, also a believer, asked him: “Dad, do you have any last words for us?” “Yes,” he gasped. “Be sober!” Then he lay back and left them. In relating this incident to the funeral audience, she said she and her siblings were perplexed by those words. She said she didn’t think they had any trouble keeping sober in their family! Drinking wasn’t on my mind – I was thinking along another line. This family seemed to laugh a lot. Maybe too much? My cousin knew what he was doing. His daughter said that her father’s last words got them thinking. I was glad she shared this anecdote with us. It caused some of us to recall words from the Bible such as 1 Thessalonians 5:6, “So then let us not sleep, as others do, but let us keep awake and be sober.” Levity is the opposite of being sober in this context. Maybe frivolous earthly cares and desire for things can choke serious thoughts of God from finding root in our hearts? They do in the parable of the Sower and the Seed (Matthew 13). When that happens, we miss God’s purposes. We shrivel within and eventually die, forever unfulfilled and incomplete. Going against God’s will is serious. In Africa, concern for having good relationships within the local community has often been the glue that kept tribes from falling apart. But in today’s Africa, this concern has given way to a greater concern for things instead of people. Some of the God-given human decency that comes from being created in God’s image is disappearing and the result www.ffmagazine.org
is devastating. But this isn’t only an African malady – it’s everywhere. In our postmodern culture, materialism gives birth to flippancy. We lose the ability to think seriously of God and others. Note the sturdy faith of the Church of the Lutheran Brethren’s founding fathers. At the CLB’s inception, they launched a two-pronged program of reaching new converts in the homeland along with reaching the lost in far-flung areas of the world. They established a Bible School simultaneously with sending missionaries to China. The plight of others trumped concern for personal gain. They seemed happy to give away what they knew wasn’t theirs to keep in order to gain what they never wanted to lose: God’s approval. One of the subtlest deceits of Satan is to get us thinking that it’s best to serve ourselves. When he succeeds, we have levity. We attempt to drive out the unrest within by becoming flippant and frivolous. God has better plans for us: plans to prosper us... when we seek him with all our heart (Jeremiah 29:11,13). Rev. Donald Raun is a retired LBIM missionary who served with his wife Orpha in Chad, Africa for 40 years. Donald and Orpha now reside in Fergus Falls, MN. How might Muslims react to their first contacts with Bible truths? For some Muslims, their first contacts with biblical truth are like the dawning of a new day. Daybreak! by Donald Raun is available at www.ffbooks.org.
FF
BUY THE BOOK
Toll Free: 800-332-9232 www.ffbooks.org
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Faith & Fellowship Milestone DAVID RINDEN
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he year 1911 proved to be a milestone year for the Lutheran Brethren denomination. Pastor K.O. Lundeberg, first president of the Church of the Lutheran Brethren, was also the editor and publisher of Broderbaandet, a twice-monthly Norwegian language magazine. Tirelessly he had worked through his writing in the magazine to encourage people and congregations to partner with the young fledgling denomination, the CLB. But the work was slow. Criticism from brothers in the faith also stung. According to J. H. Levang in The Church of the Lutheran Brethren, 1900-1975, some accused the CLB of being petty. It was an uneasy and stressful time. Broderbaandet had served as the unofficial voice of the Church of the Lutheran Brethren, although it was owned, edited and published by Lundeberg. Now he felt he wanted to step away from the 16
magazine he had started twelve years earlier. He had incurred substantial debt in order that the magazine might be published. What should be done about this? It wasn’t right that Lundeberg shoulder this debt. Pastor Lundeberg could have stopped publication, and probably would have. However, the Annual Convention of 1911 voted to pay down Pastor Lundeberg’s Broderbaandet debt and take over publication of the magazine. At this convention the delegates established the Broderbaandet Publishing Company, the organization authorized to publish the magazine as well as other printed materials. The CLB continued publication of Broderbaandet until 1962. Although the CLB Annual Meeting minutes were written in Norwegian until 1942, English rapidly became, in the congregations, the language of choice by the younger generation. To communicate to this
generation, the CLB in 1933 authorized the English counterpart to the Broderbaandet, naming it Faith & Fellowship. By 1945 it surpassed Broderbaandet in circulation. That same year the name Broderbaandet Publishing Company was changed to Lutheran Brethren Publishing Company, the official name to this day. While the legal name is Lutheran Brethren Publishing Company, Faith and Fellowship has been the name used on published materials since the early 1980s. Faith and Fellowship continues its ministry of communicating the Gospel of Jesus Christ as it reaches its 100th anniversary, not only through printed materials such as Faith & Fellowship magazine, but also through the electronic media. May this never stop until the Lord returns! Long ago Pastor Lundeberg stated four purposes in publishing his magazine: To Faith & Fellowship
1899
BRODERBAANDET IS BORN
On January 1, 1899 K.O. Lundeberg launched a Norwegian religious periodical, published twice a month, and gave it the appropriate name, Broderbaandet (a bond of brotherhood). In the initial issue Lundeberg listed the goals of the paper: “To provide spiritually hungry Christians with good devotional reading; to further the cause of the ‘free church’ movement; to give opportunity for readers to share their view and beliefs on spiritual matters; and to further the cause of foreign missions.
1911
BRODERBAANDET BECOMES THE OFFICIAL CLB MAGAZINE
At the 1911 CLB Convention the Broderbaandet Publishing Company Committee reported that, in purchasing Broderbaandet, the Committee paid Lundeberg the $1,150 indebtedness which he had carried on the paper, and placed him on salary as its editor from January 1, 1911 through the June 1st issue. The Convention endorsed the Committee’s work, approved the creation of the Broderbaandet Publishing Company, and elected Rev. E.M. Broen as editor. Broderbaandet then became the official organ of the CLB.
1933
FAITH & FELLOWSHIP BECOMES BRODERBAANDET’S ENGLISH COUNTERPART
The 1933 CLB Convention elected a committee to meet jointly with a committee to be elected by the Young People’s Mission League. This committee was instructed and authorized to launch an English periodical as soon as finances would permit. Rev. Gilbert Stenoien was elected editor. Volume 1, Number 1, the twelve-page November issue of Faith & Fellowship, came off the press in the fall of 1933. The 1934 Convention formally designated Faith & Fellowship as the official English-language organ of the CLB.
provide spiritually hungry Christians good devotional readings; to further the cause of the “Free Church” movement; to give opportunity for readers to share their views and beliefs on spiritual matters; and to further the cause of foreign missions. While the exact wording may differ today, Faith and Fellowship and its publications and electronic media still have similar purposes. The message is timeless while the means of publishing it changes with the times. Rev. David Rinden is senior pastor of Gethsemane LBC, Rochester, MN. He served for many years as Executive Director of Church Services for the CLB, and as Editor of Faith & Fellowship magazine.
1962
BRODERBAANDET IS PUBLISHED FOR THE FINAL TIME
The 1944 CLB Convention, which elected Rev. A.A. Pedersen as the editor of Faith & Fellowship, authorized the publication of that periodical as a sixteen-page issue twice monthly. In the following year Faith & Fellowship passed Broderbaandet in circulation. In 1951 Broderbaandet became a monthly periodical. Eleven years later, the once influential Broderbaandet (1899-1962) expired in its sixty-fourth year, a victim of dwindling subscriptions.
1999
THE CLB COMMUNICATION DEPARTMENT IS 100 YEARS OLD
DAVID RINDEN 1999 marked 100 years since the first publication of the Broderbaandet. Faith & Fellowship has carried on the proud tradition of the Broderbaandet and continues to exist to “equip and encourage pastors and church leaders in the proclamation of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.” This happens today through the traditional medium of magazines and newsletters, but also online through websites and social networking.
www.ffmagazine.org
Fellowship with one another
JULY/AUGUST 2011
Purifies us from all sin
Walk in the light
The blood of Jesus
1 John 1:7
Outreach Opportunity
Ordination
Elim Lutheran Brethren Church, Malta, Montana, released the following announcement, along with a detailed press release, to local papers and radio stations.
On Sunday June 19th, Elim Lutheran Brethren Church in Clearbrook, MN celebrated the ordination of Pastor Adam Krog. Rev. Dale Hanson led the service, while Dr. Eugene Boe officiated over the ordination.
Please pray about the impact of our congregation on our community through this opportunity. This will be an excellent friend-to-friend evangelism opportunity.
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God is Faithful!
Anniversa r
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COMMUNITY ANNOUNCEMENT Elim Lutheran Brethren Church is excited to announce its summer guided book reading. Beginning June 8 at 8:00 p.m. we will be reading Heaven is Real by Todd Burpo. Books are available at Promises. Please come process your spiritual hopes and dreams for your children. Babysitters are available. Please call 654-1572 or 390-0012
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STAVANGER LUTHERAN CHURCH
2011 LBS Graduates
Join Stavanger Lutheran Church of Fergus Falls, MN as they celebrate 125 years of God’s grace and provision. Celebration.... Aug. 20 - 11:00 Worship............Aug. 21 - 9:30
To help people come into a personal relationship with Jesus Christ and to grow in that relationship
Brian Kiefat will begin this summer serving in the National Guard Chaplaincy in Alaska.
Ryan Nordlund will begin on July 1 serving as lead pastor at Grace Lutheran Brethren Church in Bismarck, ND.
Ethan Larson is awaiting the Lord’s direction. Ethan has had considerable experience teaching in Bible schools in the U.S. and in Eastern Europe.
Zachary Schroer is seeking a position in pastoral ministry in order to hone his skills in preparation for missionary service in Chad with Lutheran Brethren International Mission.
LBIM
Crossing Borders Artist Laird Rice has partnered with Lutheran Brethren International Mission by donating the material and his time in the creation of several wooden crosses. The crosses vary in size, and are hand crafted with wood from around the world. The proceeds from each sale will be used to further the work of LBIM. The crosses are on display at Faith & Fellowship Bookstore, and can be viewed online at ffbooks.org/crosses.
Faith & Fellowship Bookstore • Phone: 800-332-9232 • View Online: ffbooks.org/crosses
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Faith & Fellowship
Faith Fellowship Bookstore
Confirmation Kick Start
2011 Curriculum
Explanation of Luther’s Small Catechism Price $8.50
Living in God’s Grace Apostles’ Creed - Sacraments Student Book Teacher Guide
$6.95 $2.95
Confirm It! Student Book $24.95 Teacher Guide $50.00
The Small Catechism Price $6.95
CD Rom with Power Point
Walking in God’s Truth Ten Commandments - Lord’s Prayer Student Book Teacher Guide
$6.95 $2.95
Lessons for Life Book A $6.95 Book B $6.95
Address: 1020 W. Alcott, Fergus Falls, MN 56537 | Phone: 1-800-332-9232 | Email: ffbooks@clba.org
Faith & Fellowship is the official publication of the Church of the Lutheran Brethren, 1020 W. Alcott Ave., P.O. Box 655, Fergus Falls, MN 56538-0655, issued six times a year (January/February, March/April, May/June, July/August, September/October, November/December) by Faith and Fellowship Publishing, 1020 W. Alcott Ave., P.O. Box 655, Fergus Falls, MN 56538-0655. Phone (218)736-7357. The viewpoints expressed in the articles are those of the authors and may or may not necessarily reflect the official position of the Church of the Lutheran Brethren of America (CLBA). Periodicals Postage Paid at Fergus Falls, Minnesota 56538.
(USPS 184-600) • (ISSN 10741712)
SUBSCRIPTIONS: Faith & Fellowship is offered to its readers at no charge. We would encourage your continued support with a donation and if you would like to be on our mailing list, please contact our office. Periodicals Postage paid at Fergus Falls, Minnesota. CHANGE OF ADDRESS: Please give both old and new addresses and allow four weeks. Direct all correspondence, including submission of articles, to: Faith & Fellowship, P.O. Box 655, Fergus Falls, MN 56538-0655; Telephone, (218)736-7357; e-mail, ffpress@clba.org; FAX, (218)736-2200. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Faith & Fellowship, P.O. Box 655, Fergus Falls, Minnesota 56538-0655
www.ffmagazine.org
FF 19
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was never a Hillcrest Comet. I did not grow up attending a Lutheran Brethren church. In fact it was just six short years ago that I learned of the Lutheran Brethren’s existence. With that said, I am probably not the guy to ask if you’re looking for an in-depth lecture on the history of the Church of the Lutheran Brethren. But I can tell you what first attracted me and brought me into the Lutheran Brethren family. Throughout its history, for better or for worse, the Church of the Lutheran Brethren (CLB) has always sought to shape its identity around the Word of God. Scripture tells us, “Go and make disciples of all nations.” So international mission became a fundamental part of the identity of the CLB. Scripture tells us, “Faith comes from hearing the word...” So studying the Word, and preaching its Christ-centered message became the centerpiece of CLB congregations across North America. Scripture tells us, “train a child in the way he should go...” So a high school, a Bible school, and a seminary became important parts of the CLB’s identity. It was that respect for the Word of God, that belief that the Word of God has authority that outweighs any other authority, that first attracted me to the CLB and led me to attend the Lutheran Brethren Seminary in Fergus Falls, MN. Like every family that’s ever existed, the CLB is not perfect. It has its problems. It is filled with strong leaders, dynamic personalities, and multiple opinions as to how things should be done. The differences within the CLB are many, but those differences disappear in our shared faith that the Bible is the inspired inerrant Word of God, and it is that truth that makes the future of the CLB so important to the future of the Church in North America. The Apostle Paul said, “The time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine” (2 Timothy 4:3). I believe that day has come, and I believe that God has positioned the CLB to serve as a beacon of light in a culture that loves darkness. We may have our differences, but in the Word of God we find our identity. As churches and denominations across North America compromise the gospel in their search for new and exciting ways to attract members, let us cling to our identity in Christ, and the proclamation of the life-changing, salvation-bringing, inerrant Word of God.
Periodicals Postage Paid at Fergus Falls, Minnesota 56538
Identity in Christ
For change of address: Faith & Fellowship P.O. Box 655 Fergus Falls, MN 56538-0655
Troy Tysdal
MERCY PHOTOGRAPH WHAT DOES MERCY LOOK LIKE TO YOU?
Email us your photo (include your name and home congregation) and you could see it in the next issue of Faith & Fellowship Magazine.
PHOTOS SHOULD BE 300DPI • MINIMUM SIZE 5 X 7 Email photos to: ffmagazine@clba.org Faith & Fellowship Publishing reserves the right to use submitted photographs online and in printed material.
Troy Tysdal is Church Resource Coordinator for the CLB and serves as associate pastor at Stavanger Lutheran Church in Fergus Falls, MN.
www.ffmagazine.org | www.ffblog.org | www.ffbooks.org | @ffmag