Dear New Members (OK, those who consider themselves “old” are included as well). I needed to add that additional comment or I think some of you (who have been members of your church for years and years) would think this “Faithful Fridays” posting was not for you. I hope you’d know by this time that I …
Dear Servants of the Lord, My reflections during my Sabbatical still impact my understanding of ministry and congregational life. Some of the books spoke more powerfully than others and one such book was, “What Every Pastor Should Know: 101 Indispensable Rules of Thumb for Leading Your Church.” Reflection #24 suggests that “Nine of every ten new members …
Dear Partners in the Gospel, I’d like to begin with a familiar reminder that Paul gave the Corinthians and that is always a good reminder for us. In the famous 12th chapter of his first letter to the Corinthians, Paul talks about the nature of the body of Christ (with us being members of the body) and …
Dear Brother and Sister in Christ, It amazes me how long it took me to realize what the mission was that the Father had given His Son to accomplish in the world. I think I had always focused on His death (for our sins). I may have realized the importance of the resurrection as well, but I …
Dear Partners in the Gospel, One of the concerns raised in many of the books I read on Sabbatical, refer to the generational differences. Without going into too much detail, there are groups of people who, based on age, whose perspectives and interaction with the world, the culture and the church differ. Briefly (and the list and …
This is the fifth in a series of reflections on 50 years of Ministry from Pastor Johnson. We hope you are blessed by them. Dear Disciple of Christ, Is your church having Christmas Eve services this year? OK, maybe that’s a pretty dumb question but if you answered, “Yes,” as I expect you did, then I …
This is the fourth in a series of reflections on 50 years of Ministry from Pastor Johnson. We hope you are blessed by these thoughts. My sincere thanks to all who shared in yesterday’s celebration of thanksgiving with my wife, Chris, and my daughters, Jennifer and Joy, and our grandchildren, Ellie, Cameron, Paisley, Paige. I received …
Dear Disciple of Christ, My plan for these devotions is to provide a brief introduction to the saint and his or her reflection of the day. I hope you’ll search out more from them online. I’ll list some of the questions that I believe are dealt with helpfully in the devotion or that I found worth pondering. It …
Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teach and admonish one another in all wisdom, and sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs with thankfulness in your hearts to God. And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through …
And she gave birth to her first-born son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths, and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn. – Luke 2:7 Dear Disciple of Christ, I expect few if any of you had the verse above in mind when you clicked to open …
When the Son of man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne. 32 Before him will be gathered all the nations, and he will separate them one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats, 33 and he will place the sheep at his right …
As each has received a gift, employ it for one another, as good stewards of God’s varied grace: whoever speaks, as one who utters oracles of God; whoever renders service, as one who renders it by the strength which God supplies; in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ. To him …
As for you, always be steady, endure suffering, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry. -2 Timothy 4:5 Dear Disciple of Christ, In Paul’s second letter to his co-worker, Timothy, he spent some time clarifying how the church would continue. It was an amazing idea. God would watch over His church and provide for disciples, …
“There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit distributes them. There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. There are different kinds of working, but in all of them and in everyone it is the same God at work. Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good.” …
“But if any one has the world’s goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does God’s love abide in him?” – 1 John 3:17 Dear Disciple of Christ, I completed my presentation of the decision to care for the homeless last week. But the need for care continues relentlessly …
The point is this: he who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. Each one must do as he has made up his mind, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to provide you with every blessing in abundance, so that …
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control” (Galatians 5:22-23). Those fruits then and now are signs of the presence of Christ and the power of the Spirit that empowers a community in Christ. Dear disciple of Christ, Last week I was describing the decision of our congregation …
“Then the King will say to those at his right hand, ‘Come, O blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world; for I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me.” – …
For it will be as when a man going on a journey called his servants and entrusted to them his property; to one he gave five talents, to another two, to another one, to each according to his ability. Then he went away. –Matthew 25:14-15 Dear Disciple of Christ, I expect you know the story about the talents …
Jesus looked up and saw the rich putting their gifts into the treasury; and he saw a poor widow put in two copper coins. And he said, “Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put in more than all of them; for they all contributed out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty put in all …
“As each has received a gift, employ it for one another, as good stewards of God’s varied grace.” – 1 Peter 4:10 Dear Disciple of Christ, We pastors don’t live in a vacuum (at least, not most of us or most of the time). We are aware of and connected to brother and sister pastors who are …
“Let brotherly love continue. Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for thereby some have entertained angels unawares.” – Hebrews 13:1-2 Dear Disciples of Christ, Do you notice the distinction between those two verses? The first verse (of Hebrews 13) describes the care we should have for members of the body of Christ. This should be distinctive …
“If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault, between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have gained your brother.” – Matthew 16:15 Dear Disciples of Christ, This is the last part of the orientation I do for new members. We cover lots of areas of church life but …
“So when Jesus and His disciples had come together, the disciples asked Jesus, “Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?” He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or seasons which the Father has fixed by his own authority. But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has …
And Jesus said, ”For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I in the midst of them. -Matthew 18:20 Dear Disciple of Christ, Do you have any idea what a “critical mass” is? What might first come to mind for you is that it is “the amount of fissile material needed to sustain nuclear …
The apostles returned to Jesus, and told Him all that they had done and taught. And he said to them, “Come away by yourselves to a lonely place, and rest a while.” For many were coming and going, and they had no leisure even to eat. And they went away in the boat to a lonely place …
Dear Disciple of Christ, So, may I ask, why you think God has blessed you with health and talents and resources? You may consider it a sign of His love for you and that would be appropriate. He does bless us but could it really be that it stops with us? Is it only so we are …
Dear Disciple of Christ, If you remember when we paused to receive devotions provided by the national church office, I had received an unsolicited call to move from my first to my second congregation. I mentioned that those transitions in congregations are not always easy. It is not easy for the congregation “losing” their pastor, the next …
Dear Disciple of Christ, How about you? How many different companies have you worked for (or with) over your working years? How many did you find were more of a challenge than you expected? As I’ve spoken to people over the years, the hardest part of a job is often not doing the “job” as much as it …
Dear Disciple of Christ, So, after all these postings, I wonder what you might think was one of the most crucial needs for the church. What was having one of the most serious negative effects on the life of the church? I’ve mentioned it a number of times having an impact on pastors coming and going after …
Dear Disciple of Christ, So, what would you say is the “work of the church,” our responsibility as disciples gathered into a community of Christ? I’m thinking of a specific work in the midst of many things that churches do. I expect (and hope) that your first thought (or one of your top few) relates to Matthew …
Dear Disciple of Christ, If you’re a member of the congregation I serve, Shepherd of the Woods Lutheran in Jacksonville, Florida, you’re aware of a program we’ve participated in called “vicarage.” Every pastor is required to go through that year of “internship” though not every congregation serves as a vicarage site. That program was developed after World …
Dear Disciple of Christ, I don’t know if you can imagine what it was like for my two daughters to grow up with me as their father (or, for that matter, my wife to have me as her husband). All things were connected so that which I learned as a husband or father impacted what I …
Dear Disciple of Christ, A blessed thanksgiving to you and your family. If you are like many, you may well be doing your best to gather with your family and friends for food and fellowship. We see just how hard it is getting for people to make it home in a few days of travel but they …
Dear Disciple of Christ, “Each one, as a good manager of God’s different gifts, must use for the good of others the special gift he has received from God. Those who preach must preach God’s messages; those who serve must serve with the strength that God gives them, so that in all things praise may be …
Jesus said: “I do not ask for these only, but also for those who will believe in me through their word, that they may all be one, just as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me. …
Dear Disciple of Christ, By any chance do you remember your confirmation (if you had one)? I expect, if you had that class (most often led by a pastor), you might get some cold chills down your spine at the question. In my day, in my church’s practice, we studied for two years to be able to …
Dear Disciple of Christ, “Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ.” – 1 Corinthians 11:1 My family and I were visiting a pastor and his family in the parsonage of their church in Brooklyn. In fact, it was the church in Brooklyn where we served for a summer with the “Help a Child” program. Not …
Dear Disciple of Christ, “Simon, do you love me more than these?” -John 21:15 Do you recognize that question? It was asked by Jesus and issued to Peter (whose name had been “Simon” until Jesus called him Peter, “The Rock”). This interaction took place on the seashore of the Sea of Galilee after the resurrection. They were there because Peter …
“I thank God whom I serve with a clear conscience, as did my fathers, when I remember you constantly in my prayers. As I remember your tears, I long night and day to see you, that I may be filled with joy. I am reminded of your sincere faith, a faith that dwelt first in your grandmother …
“You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hid. Nor do men light a lamp and put it under a bushel, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and …
“We know that in everything God works for good with those who love him, who are called according to his purpose.” – Romans 8:28 I think I’ve mentioned that verse above being one of my favorites based on the fact that I experienced it over and over again in my life. I know that it is sometimes …
Finally, all of you, have unity of spirit, sympathy, love of the brethren, a tender heart and a humble mind. – 1 Peter 3:8 Dear Disciple of Christ, Considering the stories I’ve been telling about my life starting out in pastoral ministry in Brooklyn, I wonder if you thought I had a tough time and …
Dear Disciple of Christ, Have you ever heard of the “Worship wars”? If you’re not familiar with them you may think it’s a religious television program (like “Storage Wars” except for church goers). You might likely think they are battles between denominations. If you’ve been to a variety of churches you realize that not all churches worship the …
Jesus said, “Pray then like this: Our Father who art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread; And forgive us our debts, As we also have forgiven our debtors; And lead us not into temptation, …
Dear Disciple of Christ, I’ve mentioned before the matriarch in my Brooklyn Church, the widow of the first pastor who was there 42 years. A “matriarch” is a woman who has a position of authority (often based on some actions or positions held in the past). Being the widow of the founding pastor gives that person a …
Dear Disciple of Christ, One of the “new things” pastors deal with as pastors, are the “rites” of the church. We do baptisms and confirmations, weddings and funerals. It is most often the decision of a pastor whether they will set “restrictions” on any of these rites. For example, the pastor (or congregation) may have standards for a …
Dear Disciple of Christ, For I know that nothing good dwells within me, that is, in my flesh. I can will what is right, but I cannot do it. For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I do. Now if I do what I do not …
Dear Disciple of Christ, I wonder if I could pause here for a moment and spend just one more posting looking at the issue of our visitors and how we can welcome them. Toward the end of my first 5 years of ministry (and pastoring that church in Brooklyn), I went back to “school.” Actually, the program …
Dear Disciple of Christ, And Peter testified with many other words and exhorted them, saying, “Save yourselves from this crooked generation.” So those who received his word were baptized, and there were added that day about three thousand souls. And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. …
Dear Disciple of Christ, A few days ago (on Wednesday), the choir presented the story of the life and death of Jesus in music. (It will be presented again this Sunday at the 10:30am service). In the cantata we walked with Jesus as He went from the celebration of Palm Sunday, through the night of betrayal, His …
Dear Disciple of Christ, How do you feel about “dramas” in church? I know, as a worship leader, that they can, at times, be an effective way for people to “experience” some of the emotion of a particular point being made and message being proclaimed. So, for example, our church choir will, at times, do a cantata …
Dear Disciple of Christ, Have you ever heard the phrase (from a book by Robert Fulghum), “All I really needed to know I learned in Kindergarten”? I guess, in some ways, much of what I’ve learned for and about ministry came in my first 6 ½ years of serving my first church in Brooklyn. It was there that …
Dear Disciple of Christ, Quiz question. What miracle performed by Jesus is the only miracle recorded in all four gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke and John)? Any idea? Jesus went up on the mountain, and there sat down with his disciples. 4 Now the Passover, the feast of the Jews, was at hand. 5 Lifting up his eyes, then, and seeing that …
Dear Disciple of Christ, Last week I welcomed you back to these “Faithful Fridays” readings with a brief reflection on visions. From Proverbs we were reminded that…. “Where there is no vision, the people perish. ” (Proverbs 29:18) There is always more that can be said on any of these reflections and having set them aside for …
Dear Disciple of Christ, So by way of quick review, my wife and I had accepted the call to be pastor of a church in Brooklyn, New York. It was a fairly small church (with about 45 worshipers) and the entire salary package for me the pastor) was $5,600 per year (fully half their annual budget). …
Dear Disciple of Christ, Do you know the difference between an “ordination” and an “installation?” One is done once in a lifetime and one may be done again and again. All pastors are ordained once (unless they “switch” denominations) and installation happens whenever someone begins in a new church setting. You’re right if you’re thinking this seems to be …
Dear Disciple of Christ, Last week’s posting focused on the temptations we may have for us to use our “timeline” for life rather than God’s. Even now, looking back over those 9 years of study and preparations for pastoral ministry, it seemed like a long process. Those first four years of preparation (in Concordia Junior College in …
Dear Disciple of Christ, I expect few of you have ever seen my “diploma” on the wall in my office. My “Master of Divinity” (known as an “MDiv”) represents the successful completion of a theological student’s studies. Without that document, at least in the Lutheran church, a person cannot become a pastor. So, after eight years of study (four in college …
November 18, 2022 Dear Disciple of Christ, It is almost here, isn’t it? The season of Advent is almost upon us (starting the Sunday after Thanksgiving, November 27th) and we will turn our attention to the coming of Christ. Would I be wrong to suggest that if you’re thinking of doing that (going to worship to celebrate His birth), …
Dear Disciple of Christ, I really feel that my vicarage year was one of the most valuable of the eight years of preparation for ministry. In actuality, that third year of the four year preparation in seminary was not always required of future Lutheran pastors. As I remember, it was initially offered as an option for those …
October 21, 2022 Dear Disciple of Christ, Always be prepared to make a defense to any one who calls you to account for the hope that is in you, yet do it with gentleness and reverence 1 Peter 3:15 My remembrances of my vicarage (the 3rd year of my seminary training) continue. With any vicarage, much of what …