July 1996 Lutheran Spokesman Issue
The Lutheran Spokesman
(July 1996)
The heavens declare the glory of God:
and the firmament shows His handiwork.
Psalm 19:1
In this issue:
"Ratcheer!"
New Creatures In Christ (2 Cor. 10)
It's A Matter Of Faith
After The Death of Luther, Part 7
Does God Need Our Offerings?
Graduation at Eau Claire -- Daily Bread At ILC
ILC Commons Dedication
Graduation at Immanuel, Mankato
Announcements
For Circulation and Subscription Information, click here.
Articles
Here is something Strom Thurmond would say. Go into his office and ask
the 93-year-old Senator from South Carolina where he expects to be at
this time next year. He will probably say "Ratcheer!"
This is an old saying. Gregory Peck used it in the 1946 film "The
Yearling." Clint Eastwood sneered at its use in "The Honkytonk Man" of
1982. Jeff Foxworthy and Steve Mitchell use it in their explanations
of things southern.
The Locatedness Of God
"Ratcheer" means "right here" -- on this spot. It is heard in several
southern states. It holds a good concept for us Christians to
remember. Jesus went away at His ascension. But He left seemingly
paradoxical promises behind: "Lo, I am with you alway," and "Wherever
two or three are gathered together in My name, there I am. . . . "
This must mean that Jesus is "ratcheer," even though He has gone!
God's right hand must indeed be very close by. His Kingdom is still
with us. This Bible-provided notion pretty well sets Lutherans apart
from other Christians. The God of Scripture, who took up residence
here on earth to pay for our sins right here, is still located here,
and can be found here.
Keep Looking Down
"Keep looking up," folks say when times get bad. We accept that as a
pretty good motto. Trouble is, it has a narrow and limited use. As
the apostles stood there on Ascension Day, still gazing up into
heaven, two angels admonished them and made some reference to Judgment
Day. Jesus Himself did the same in Luke 21 in reference to the climax
of our redemption. We will then all look up and lift up our heads. But
in the meantime our practical motto is: "Keep looking down!"
Why? Your God is "ratcheer." Look down, into the Scriptures! Because
until Judgment Day nothing more regarding our salvation shall be
coming down. It has already come, all of it. Jesus came down, to stand
beside us in our sin. He went beneath us, to take us and our sin on
Himself. He died, went down into the grave, for us. Ratcheer.
After His ascension, the Comforter came down, right beside us. He
created and preserved for us the Word which He slides beneath us,
bearing us up, forgiving us, strengthening us. He provides and
promotes the Sacraments which uses the "right here" elements of
water, bread, wine, along with the "right here" Word. He provides us
with righteousness and energy, giving us energy to live holy lives
"right here."
Down Where We Live
This is where God and His Means of Grace have come. Ratcheer! This is
where God's gracious work has been done -- and still gets done --
where He works faith and hope and energy in the hearts of many who
look down into the Means of Grace. Ratcheer! This is where God's
"possible" mission is accomplished. You do not have to go very far
from your home to find someone in need of Christian witness and
instruction. Desperate people live all around us right down here.
The apostle John says:"The Word became flesh and dwelt among us,"
right here. "To as many as received Him, who believe on His name,"
right here, "He gave power to become the children of God." Strom
Thurmond's hopes depend on his being re-elected. Your Savior took care
of our election once and for all.
So we serve Him right here!
--Pastor Warren Fanning
(2 Cor. 5:17)
Studies in Second Corinthians
Chapter 10
The Apostle Paul Defends The Gospel Ministry
In chapter 10 Paul shifts gears and returns to the theme of this
letter -- the defense of his Gospel ministry in the face of the
opposition of some in Corinth. In the last three chapters the apostle
reluctantly "boasts" of his Gospel ministry because of the opposition
of false apostles.
The Church Growth Movement of today is concerned with outward growth
and outward results. Unfortunately, there is also the danger in our
midst of a "spirit" which is contrary to the Gospel. This is a result
of a prideful spirit which feels free to criticize those whom God has
called to serve congregations in the Gospel ministry. Individuals
within a congregation criticize the sermons of their pastor. They
complain that he does not visit enough. They refuse to listen when the
pastor deals with their sinful and proud attitudes. Pastors can also
exhibit an unwillingness to listen and a dissatisfaction with others.
These people are proud of their answers to the problems of the
congregation. A few people can do a great deal of harm to the Gospel
and to their called pastor. The apostle Paul experienced all of these
things. For the sake of the Gospel, he was forced to reluctantly
defend his ministry in 2 Corinthians.
The apostle lays bare the folly of judging the Gospel and its results
by human standards. In verse three he states the principle: "For
though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh."
The NIV translates: "We do not wage war as the world does." We do not
operate according to the standards of the world. We do not use the
weapons of the world. The faithful pastor and congregation use the
Word of God and the power of the Gospel to accomplish God's ends and
purposes.
The Gospel Needs No Gimmicks
This does not put us at a disadvantage, for the Gospel is the power of
God unto salvation to everyone who believes. The Gospel is able to
pull down the strongholds of unbelief and opposition. The Word of God
is able to demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up
against God. The Spirit is able to bring every thought into captivity
to the obedience of Christ. Sometimes people act as if they have to
prop up the Gospel and use the gimmicks of this world in order for
Christianity to survive. "You are looking at things as they are
outwardly" (v. 7).
Paul was not a marshmallow. The Lord Jesus gave to His apostle Paul
the power of the Gospel and the ministry of the keys. By this
authority of the Lord Jesus Paul dealt with the opponents of the
Gospel and his ministry. Paul was accused of being all talk and no
action (vv. 10-11). Paul was planning to return to Corinth, and it was
up to his opponents whether he would come with harsh talk or not.
Those who commend themselves and boast about their ministry are fools.
Paul would remain within the sphere in which God appointed him. Paul
had been called by Jesus to preach the Gospel to the Gentiles. He was
called by the congregation at Antioch to go out into Asia Minor and
preach the Gospel. Paul would not go beyond the extent of his call,
his sphere of activity. A pastor called to serve a congregation
operates under the authority of Jesus Christ. Paul's purpose was that
the Gospel spread out from Corinth into other regions.
The nub of that matter is summed up in verse 17 which is a reiteration
of 1 Corinthians 1:31: "But he who boasts is to boast in the Lord."
The Church Growth Movement as well as all other false Gospels puts
self ahead of Christ. The outward success of a mission field or
congregation is regarded as more important than the means used to
achieve that success. The root cause for this is always pride. The
pastor or missionary or professor who labors for the praise of men
will have that praise, but that is all he will have. We and our
ministry are always to seek to glorify Jesus and the power of His
cross.
May the Lord Jesus commend our ministry in these last days.
--Pastor John Schierenbeck
Most people, Christian or not, are aware of the debate about the
identity of Jesus Christ.
Most recently the Holy Week 1996 issues of three national news
magazines -- TIME, Newsweek, US News & World Report -- featured Jesus
Christ on the cover. The cover stories featured the latest attempts of
the self-appointed Jesus Seminar scholars to uncover the "real Jesus"
and to define the meaning of His life and deeds. The results were
hardly flattering. According to reports the historic Jesus was a
"humane teacher" but he did not, for example, walk on water, resist
Satan, or raise Lazarus from the dead.
Why don't they go all the way? Indeed, some do. Rather than granting
the Gospel account that Jesus rose from the dead, His body, says one,
may have been eaten by dogs, which was a traditional way of disposing
of crucified criminals in those days.
Subsequently I have read articles telling of traditional and
conservative scholars fighting back. Just out is a book called The
Real Jesus: The Mistaken Quest For the Historical Jesus and the Truth
of the Traditional Gospels (I have not read the book, but have seen a
lengthy review of it). The author contends that "the conclusions
reached by the Jesus Seminar represent the views of a tiny minority of
mostly second-rate scholars working at mostly second-rate schools." He
adds that the avowed scholarship "is based on wild speculation and
minuscule evidence."
We are not surprised at such assessments -- and yes, we are in
sympathy with them. Yet the author's best argument is his reminder
that "Christians do not have faith in this or that scholarly account
of the historical Jesus, but in the living Christ raised from the
dead. . . ." What he is saying, in other words, is that the identity
of Jesus Christ is now, and always has been, a matter of faith, simple
faith.
The debate regarding the identity of Jesus has been going on ever
since He walked on the earth. One time He asked His disciples: "Who do
men say that I, the Son of Man, am? So they said, Some say John the
Baptist, some Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets. He
said to them, But who do you say that I am? And Simon Peter answered
and said, You are the Christ, the Son of the living God. Jesus
answered and said to him, Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah, for flesh
and blood has not revealed this to you, but My Father who is in
heaven" (Matt. 16:13-17).
Notice, please, how Jesus affirms that any proper identification of
Himself as the long-promised and awaited Christ is a heaven-sent
revelation. It is not and never has been the product of human ("flesh
and blood") insight, deduction, investigation, or "scholarship." As
the apostle Paul writes: "No one speaking by the Spirit of God calls
Jesus accursed (or dead, and eaten by dogs - PGF), and no one can say
that Jesus is Lord except by the Holy Spirit" (1 Cor. 12:3).
No doubt books and articles will continue to be written that are
critical of Christianity, including ones which question the identity
and continued existence of Jesus Christ. So be it. For believers there
is finally only one book which matters. That book is the Bible. The
Bible is God's Word. It was written to reveal Christ and impart faith.
It was written "that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son
of God, and that believing you may have life in His name" (Jn.
20:31).
Yes, it's all a matter of faith, simple faith. As Christians down
through the centuries have always confessed in each of their universal
creeds:
"I believe . . . in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord, who . . .
was crucified, dead, and buried . . . the third day He rose again
from the dead. . . . " (The Apostles' Creed)
"I believe . . . in one Lord Jesus Christ, who . . . suffered and
was buried; and the third day He rose again according to the
Scriptures . . ." (The Nicene Creed -- A.D. 325)
"For the right faith is that we believe and confess that our Lord
Jesus Christ . . . who suffered for our salvation . . . rose again
the third day from the dead . . . " (The Athanasian Creed --
A. D. 450)
Jesus once asked a troubling question: "When the Son of Man comes,
will He really find faith on the earth?" (Lk. 18:8) He was referring
to true faith in Himself.
Fellow believers, let us be praying -- praying that, in spite of the
many enemies and detractors of the faith (sadly, even from "scholars"
within the church), many poor and proud sinners may yet be brought to
saving faith in the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, who said: "I am the
way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except
through Me" (Jn. 14:6).
--Pastor Paul Fleischer
How the Formula Of Concord Was Forged
(Ten Parts)
Part Seven
Agricola And The Anti-Law Party
John Agricola, a close friend both to Luther and Melanchthon, created
problems about the relationship betwen Law and Gospel which are still
plaguing Lutherans. Unlike the others, Agricola began his attack upon
justification before Luther died in 1546. Those who follow him to this
day are called Antinomians (the anti-Law party).
Agricola began his attack in 1525 by saying that contrition is caused
by the Gospel, not by the Law, so there is no need for the Law. "The
Decalog belongs in the courthouse, not in the pulpit. All those who
are occupied with Moses are bound to go to the devil. To the gallows
with Moses!"
Luther saw that the professed desire to get rid of the law would also
get rid of Christ, who fulfilled the Law. In fact, the Law does not
disappear among Antinomians, but reappears in a worse form, man-made
Law, legalism. In some cases, in the name of objective justification,
Antinomians declare they now are forgiven sinners and energetically
break all the commandments.
Agricola felt slighted at not getting a professorship at Wittenberg in
1526. He attacked Melanchthon, but Luther settled the dispute. Ten
years later Agricola and his large family camped out at Luther's home
for six weeks. Luther obtained a teaching position for Agricola at
Wittenberg, and Agricola began a series of secretive attacks and
squabbles.
In 1537 Agricola anonymously published arguments against Luther and
Melanchton on justification, focusing on the Law. Luther addressed the
questions openly, but Agricola did not come out into the open. When
his lecturing privilege was withdrawn, Agricola came out and asked for
reconciliation, agreeing to repudiate his errors. Agricola fell into
his old errors soon after, and recanted again. However, he still
taught his erroneous views secretly. Agricola pretended to be a friend
of Luther and used his inside information against Luther in his secret
strategies.
Luther lost patience with Agricola finally and refused to meet with
him. Agricola continued to teach his false views until his death in
1566. His Antinomian agitations and authorship of the Augsburg Interim
in 1548 (Part Two of this series) earned him a place in history for
treachery, deceit, arrogance, vanity, and insincerity.
The Antinomian troubles continued with Wittenberg faculty members
(Philippists) and others denying the Third Use of the Law (guiding the
life of a Christian, because of the sinful nature). Another error,
caused by the imprecise language by Melanchthon, argued that the
Gospel alone caused contrition.
The Antinomian crisis shaped the Formula of Concord through Articles V
(Law and Gospel) and VI (Of the Third Use of God's Law). The
distinction between the Law and the Gospel is the essence of teaching
the Christian faith. Law/Gospel problems will always afflict
Lutherans. Therefore, we can look at the two articles in the Formula
of Concord as a great blessing, a part of our confessions worth
studying again and again.
In addition, we need to temper our enthusiasm for non-Lutheran
devotional guides, evangelism material, Bible studies, and
child-rearing programs by remembering that the Reformed usually
confuse Law and Gospel. They often make "the Christian life" a cause
of salvation, not the result of salvation, subtly making works
necessary for justification. If we follow their words, says Luther, we
turn Christ into Moses and Moses into Christ. The Gospel brings us
only comfort and peace (John 3:16) without any demands of the Law.
-- Pastor Gregory L. Jackson
When a well-known figure in organized crime died, the newpaper story
on his death mentioned that during his life he had been quite generous
in his gifts to his family's church. He surely was not the first nor
the last thief to salve his conscience by giving to a church or
charity a small part of what he had stolen.
This conspicuous example of giving for bad reasons illustrates the
folly of all attempts to please God with offerings by themselves. We
may be shocked at a gangster's attempt to sanctify his money by giving
some of it away. But we should see that all who think God is pleased
with mere material offerings are acting as if He were desperate for
our gifts, as though He were dependent on us.
God once rebuked His people for this error. In Psalm 50 (verses 7-15)
He took them to task about their offerings. The problem was not that
they were failing to bring the offerings and sacrifices that were
prescribed in the law. The Lord said: "I will not rebuke you for your
sacrifices or your brunt offering, which are continually before Me."
The people were outwardly faithful in bringing the sacrifices that God
had commanded. But their hearts were not right. It was not out of
devotion to God, not out of love, that they brought their animals and
their grain to Him. It was not in humility that they gave their
offerings -- but in pride, as though they were doing God a favor.
The Lord reminded them that He really did not need their bulls and
goats. "Every beast of the forest is Mine," He said, "And the cattle
on a thousand hills." In their minds they had reduced God to the level
of the heathen idols, whose worshipers think that they need human
offerings to sustain them. God invited His people to consider the
absurdity of the idea that He, their Creator, needed what they had to
offer Him. "Will I eat the flesh of bulls, or drink the blood of
goats?" He asked.
What God wanted from His people was not bulls and goats, first of all,
but their hearts. "Offer to God thanksgiving, and pay your vows to the
Most High." The offerings acceptable to God were the ones given by
those who loved Him, knowing that everything they had was from Him.
God surely desires our offerings, but He wants our hearts first of
all. The pastor of a church down the street from us boasted to me that
the average annual pledge in his congregation is nearly $2,000. This
is an impressive figure. But the man and his congregation are part of
a church body that has long since ceased to bow to the Word of God in
their doctrine and practice. High offerings are no substitute for the
obedience of a thankful heart. We too ought not think that our gifts
are pleasing to God just because we give a certain percentage of our
income or because our congregation or synod meets its annual budget.
Good stewardship begins at the cross, where we remember that we have
nothing to offer to God except what He has first given to us. We are
sinners, unable to please God with our best efforts. We are beggars
with nothing of our own. But God has made us rich. Christ has taken
away our sins and covered us with His righteousness. Every day our
heavenly Father provides for us, far beyond our needs. It is these
thoughts that should fill our minds as we consider our offerings, as
we humbly give back some of what our gracious God has generously given
to us.
--Pastor John Klatt
DAILY BREAD AT ILC
Some of the "daily bread" for which we have been taught to pray was
well represented at ILC on commencement weekend: the gift of a new
building; the gift of a new and improved pipe organ; the gifts to the
CLC of a day school teacher and three candidates prepared for the
parish ministry; the gift of faithful teachers of the Word at ILC ...
those leaving; and the great gift of a complete faculty of called
servants ready for the next school year. A weekend of gifts and
dedications, but above all a weekend of thanksgiving and praise to Him
who faithfully supplies all our needs.
The May 17-18, 1996 closing of the school year at Immanuel Lutheran
College, Eau Claire, Wis. included the following events:
CLASS DAY
In addition to the traditional appearance of "Louie the Lancer" and
the distribvution of recognitions for achievements in academics,
extra curricular activities and sports, the students elected four
representatives to address a valediction to each of the faculty
members who would not continue their work at ILC -- a bit of
nostaligia, a bit of humor, a bit of fond memories, and a farewell.
THE EVENING CONCERT
The ILC band performed music outdoors under the covered entrance of
ILC's new building. The ILC Strings began the indoor concert, followed
by the presentations of the student body choir and the tour choir
based upon the theme of DEDICATION -- the Dedication of God's Son;
the Dedication of God's Gifts; and the Dedication of God's
Servants.
The choirs presented a wide variety of significant church music
(including Professor John Reim's music written for two of the
numbers). Students accompanied the choirs in several numbers, using
the organ, percussion, trumpet, flute, and violin. Truly a night of
beautiful sounds of praise and thanksgiving unto our most gracious
God!
At the intermission Pastor Vance Fossum, chairman of the Board of
Regents, conducted a brief dedication ceremony for the new building.
The building provides a modern and efficient kitchen, dining area,
commons area for students, several rooms including the Dean's office,
an enclosed entrance to the fieldhouse, all designed to be an
architectural compliment to the campus. The new building also includes
new parking areas with easy access for supply trucks. A great input of
donated time and skill made the project a reality.
Prof. Reim then commented on the new pipe organ console mounted on a
movable platform and activated by a fiber-optic relay system; the
pipechamber renewal, repair and improvement (adding electronic voices
to replace damaged facade pipes). The improved capabilities of the
instrument were then demonstrated by Prof. Reim and student David
Schaller. Robert Dommer, retired ILC instructor, designed, produced,
and installed the intrument. This included the expert building
skills of retired Professor James Pelzl who made the console and
platform. Here too, a great amount of donated time and skill made this
instrument a reality.
At the close of the concert the assembly was invited to the dining
hall for an opportunity to speak to the faculty members who were
retiring from teaching at ILC (Professors Paul Koch and Robert Rehm),
Professor Paul Nolting who has accepted the Lord's call to minister at
Immanuel of Mankato, and Professor Dean Carstensen who is leaving his
teaching career for a business career.
COMMENCEMENT DAY
Saturday morning at 10:00 a.m. President John Lau conducted the
service and addressed the assembly with the words of 1 Corinthians
10:11-13. Attention was called to the Lord's wondrous encouragement to
those whom He has made His own through faith in His Son Jesus Christ.
President Lau pointed out that it is indeed a blessed thing to have
confidence that we are children of God, that we enjoy God's blessings,
and that we are eternally saved and are heirs of God.
Professor John Pfeiffer presented three Seminary graduates with the
certificate of CRM (candidate for the Holy Ministry). Professor
Clifford Kuehne presented the college department graduates with their
diplomas: one with a B.A. degree; one with a B.S. degree; five with
their A.A. degree. Professor Jeff Schierenbeck presented ten high
school graduates with their diplomas. Pastor Vance Fossum,
representing the Board of Regents, addressed the four instructors who
will not return to teach this fall. He expressed to them the gratitude
of the CLC for their dedicated ministries at ILC. Each was presented
with a plaque and a purse of appreciation.
Note: Gordon Radtke graciously consented to serve as our reporter
for graduation at Eau Claire. We thank him. The written report was
slightly abridged by the editor.
In connection with the Spring concert on May 17, 1996 Pastor Vance
Fossum, chairman of the Board of Regents for Immanuel Lutheran
College, delivered the message for the dedication of the new
building. For space considerations what follows is an abbreviated
version of his remarks.
Dear Friends -- students, faculty, alumni, guests, and especially the
Building Committee:
Dedication brings success. And who knows more about the dedication
that brings success than our Lord Jesus Christ?
. . . Recall the twelve-year-old Jesus in the Jerusalem temple. His
parents had been anxiously looking for Him. They found Him "sitting
in the midst of the teachers, both listening to them and asking them
questions." What a serious and dedicated student Jesus was! Perhaps
many of our own ILC students are planning to hide out on campus when
their parents leave this weekend, because they want to spend a few
more days conversing with the profs in the classroom!
Doubtful, isn't it? Yet there is no doubt that our Lord's success was
due to a very special kind of dedication, which He expressed in this
answer to His parents: "Don't you know that I must be about my
Father's business?" We are talking about OUTCOME-BASED DEDICATION.
Many of you have heard of Outcome-Based Education, especially if you
are from Minnesota. Outcome-Based Education is chiefly about
"measuring" -- measuring what a student knows and what he can do with
that knowledge. OBE has rather complex practical applications.
"Outcome-Based dedication," on the other hand, is something we all
recognize. It's the way we live our lives. We dedicate ourselves to
the attaining of outcomes or objectives which we consider to be worthy
of our devotion.
. . . Early in the history of the CLC Immanuel Lutheran College was
dedicated to the glory of God. By the grace of our God, for more than
three decades the ILC faculty and administration, its planning and
building committees as well as the members of the CLC, have dedicated
themselves to performing the Father's business at Immanuel -- the
business of preparing pastors, teachers, and lay people to proclaim
the good news of our redemption.
Our CLC Conventions in 1988 and 1990 prayerfully resolved to add
another building to our campus. Much preliminary work was done by the
first Building Committee reporting to the 1992 Convention. Another
committee was appointed to oversee the planning and building of a
dining and commons area attached to this Fieldhouse. Lyle Trulin, Tom
Beekman, Ken Parrigan, Jim Pelzl, Steve Leinberger, and John Lau went
to work on what we today call "The ILC Commons."
In 1988 the Long Range Planning Committee had identified the following
critical needs: 1) a larger dining area with approximate student
lavatory facilities; 2) more accessible food-storage areas with better
ventilation; 3) more sanitary food preparation areas; 4) a larger
waiting area for students in the food line during inclement weather;
5) an adequate area for large crowds to gather after special campus
activities; 6) an easily supervised co-ed commons area for our
students; and 7) better access for vendor delivery vehicles.
. . . Hundreds of man-hours were dedicated by this committee to the
complex ILC Commons project. They humbly received numerous comments
from others, both complimentary and critical. And -- can you believe
it? -- they still asked for the input of their CLC brethren!
. . . We give thanks to God for their dedication to the work of
providing the best possible facility for the dining and social
gathering of our ILC students of the Word. Indeed, the members of
our Building Committee were about their Father's business. It was
His glory they sought.
This evening we ask ourselves: "Now that we have an ILC Commons, what
do we do with it? . . . With joyful and thankful hearts we dedicate
the ILC Commons to the glory of our Savior God! This means that we
dedicate our use of this building to His glory. For God is never
pleased with mere lifeless buildings.
What does it mean that we dedicate our use of the ILC Commons to the
glory of God? It means that you who are the students, faculty, and
staff of Immanuel are promising that all language, behavior, and work
in this building will bring not shame but glory to our heavenly
Father. The same applies to the rest of us who enter the Commons.
And further -- if we are dedicating the new building to the glory of
God, then we are rededicating ourselves to the task of paying for it
from the wealth He has given us. More than $400,000 is still needed in
offerings. We will need to remind one another that this is not "the
business of ILC." Nor do we dedicate ourselves to ILC. This is part of
our "Father's business." His great mercies in Christ Jesus beg us to
dedicate ourselves as living sacrifices to Him (Rom. 12:1).
. . . Jesus promised: "Lo, I am with you always, even to the end of
the age." He is ever present in His gospel to help us base our
dedication to the Father's business on the blessed end and OUTCOME
of it all! Our ascended Lord promised: "In My Father's house are
many permanent dwelling places; if it were not so, I would have told
you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place
for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am,
there you may be also" (John 14:1-3).
Such a glorious and eternal outcome is worthy of our total dedication
to our Father's business every day of our earthly lives. I know you
agree. So help us, Lord Jesus. Amen.
--Pastor Vance Fossum
ILC Board of Regents
"Your Calling In Life"
Ten students were graduated from Immanuel Lutheran High School,
Mankato, Minn. in a worship service/concert on June 2, 1996. The senior
class, whose colors were royal blue and white, chose Proverbs 3:1-2
as their class verse:
"My son, do not forget my law, but let your heart keep my commands;
for length of days and long life and peace they will add to you."
The class selects one of the High School
faculty to give their graduation addess. This year's class chose Mr.
Craig Owings as the speaker. In speaking on the theme "Your Calling In
Life," teacher Owings elaborated on what it takes to be a "profitable
servant" of the Lord. First, remember that you have been called by the
Lord; secondly, remember that this calling involves both the content
of faith and the conduct of daily life. The fact that "Christ has a
claim on your life" is not a fearful prospect, the speaker point out,
but a confident one, because Christ is the loving Lord and Savior.
As far as knowing what God's will is for your life, above all else be
lifelong students of the Scriptures. At the same time, one will want
to pray and consult mature Christians, especially one's parents and
pastor.
The graduates had chosen "Christ Is Our Cornerstone" as their class
hymn. The content of that hymn will assist them in remembering and
fulfilling their special calling as God's redeemed children.
Of the ten graduates, two and possibly three, will be continuing their
education at Immanuel Lutheran College, Eau Claire. All of them will
join the increasing pool of young men and women from Immanuel
congregation who have enjoyed the inestimable benefits of a Christian
education at both the elementary and secondary level.
--Pastor Paul Fleischer
New Location In Michigan
Our Reed City mission has moved its services to the Cadillac, Mich.
area. Services are now held every other week at the Sands Motel at the
intersection of Hwy. 115 & 55 at 4:00 p.m. The Sands Motel is two
blocks from Mitchell State Campground. For more information please
call Mr. Bob Remus (616) 832-2687 or Pastor Mark Bernthal (517)
792-9390.
Fargo, North Dakota
There is a CLC preaching station located in Fargo, North Dakota.
Worship services are conducted on the first and third Sundays of
the month at the Sleep Inn Motel at the intersection of I-94 and
45th. For more information contact Pastor Ted Barthels, HC-9 Box
258, Detroit Lakes, MN 56501, phone (218) 847-2080.
Installation
In accord with our usage and order, Missionary-At-Large Wayne
Eichstadt, who was called by the Church of the Lutheran Confession
congregation of North Port, Florida to be its pastor, was installed on
June 2, 1996.
--Keith Olmanson
"CLC Diaspora"
Thanks to Pastor Bruce Naumann and representatives of our San
Francisco churches who have compiled a listing of scattered CLC
households. If you are a spiritually-isolated person, for information
on possible CLC members in your area consult with any local CLC pastor
(each of whom have this listing) or write to the Spokesman
editor.
The CLC Now Extends Into Canada
A group of people from Vernon, British Columbia, have left the Lutheran
Church-Canada because of that body's rampant religious unionism. May
the Lord through His Holy Spirit continue to strengthen the fledgling
group, and "add to the Church daily those who were being saved" (Acts
2:47). Visiting CLC pastors include Arvid Gullerud, Robert List, and
Bertram Naumann.
Spokesman-On-Audio-Tape -- $10.00 per year. Order from Pastor W. V.
Schaller, 100 4th St. W., Lemmon SD 57638.