The Lutheran Spokesman (May 1997)
CONFIRMATION:
Growing in the love and use of God's Holy Word.
In this issue:
"I Do So Intend, With The Help Of God"
Power From Above
"What Did Your Mama Say?"
Credibility Gaps
"I Am With You Always..."
SMORGASBORD
Etubom and Mma Under The Gracious Car Of Abasi
Meet: Matt Thurow
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Articles
Do you remember hearing those words in a recent church service? Do you
remember saying those words at a very big moment in your spiritual
life?
"I do so intend, with the help of God." That is the response given by
the confirmand when he or she is asked, "Do you as a member of the
Evangelical Lutheran Church intend to continue steadfast in the
confession of this Church, and suffer all, even death, rather than
fall away from it?" (The Rite of Confirmation, The Lutheran Agenda)
The confirmation vow is quite a mouthful for anyone to say, let alone
the young teenage Christian who comes before the Lord and the
congregation to make this solemn promise. On the day of confirmation,
we stand before the holy God and pledge to remain true to His Word and
true to Him, no matter what circumstances or afflictions or
persecutions we must face! It can be quite unnerving, to say the
least, especially when you consider the opposition and the
difficulties that always stand in the way.
Beware The Devil!
When the confirmand promises to hold firmly to the truth of Scripture,
the devil is planning to deceive this believer with the error of false
teaching. When the confirmand vows to diligently use the means of
grace, the devil is hoping to lure the young Christian down the path
of spiritual carelessness and neglect. When the confirmand makes it
his firm intent to live a life worthy of the Gospel of Christ, the
devil has other ideas, namely a hazardous journey thorugh the
spiritual minefield of temptation and sin. Satan remembers the moment
of success he had with Peter in the courtyard. Perhaps he can topple
yet another would-be follower of Jesus Christ.
Peter's problem in the courtyard boiled down to one main thing: he had
misplaced trust in himself. When he said to Jesus, "Even if I have to
die with You, I will not deny You," he was basing his promise on his
own strength of character. Peter forgot the last part of the vow. He
forgot to say with his heart and his mouth, "I do so intend, with the
help of God."
The Mighty Means Of Grace
The vow of confirmation is never based on human strength or
commitment. It is a vow of absolute dependence. While it is the
sincere intention of our faith to remain true to our Lord, we express
that intention with the knowledge that we cannot make this promise
become reality. We are weak. We are under attack by a strong and
vicious bully. We are too distracted by the people of this world and
too attracted to the things of this world. It's the pesky problem of
our flesh, which leaves us with only one way to stand, only one way to
remain true to the vow of faithfulness.
We look to the dependable "help" of God. We depend on the grace of
Christ and the power of the Holy Spirit to hold us up. The
enlightenment of His Word will keep us anchored on the truth. The
mighty means of grace will keep us nourished and growing in the faith.
And the power of the cross will keep us on the road of repentance and
sanctification, as we renounce the devil and all his works and all his
ways and strive to live each day according to the will of our heavenly
Father.
"I do so intend, with the help of God." How else can it be? If we are
faithful to Him, it is only because He has made us faithful to
Himself.
We look for confirmation sermons to emphasize this truth, even as
Scripture makes it clear: "It is God who works in you both to will and
to do of His good pleasure" (Php. 2:13).
Let us make and renew the vow of confirmation with this in mind as our
hope and prayer: "May the God of peace Himself sanctify you
completely; and may your whole spirit, soul, and body be preserved
blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. He who calls you is
faithful, who also will do it" (1 Thess. 5:23-24).
-- Pastor Steven Sippert
"More power!" grunts Tim Allen on the set of Home Improvement. The
sales person brags, "This new 4X4 has the highest horsepower in its
class." There's no question that power impresses. But man's power is
puny compared to that of nature. A tornado can pick up a house as
though it were a child's toy. A fire can devastate a thousand acre
forest. The first Pentecost arrived with the sound of a tornado and
the sight of fire, but there was even greater power at work behind
these signs.
These were the evidence of ultimate power--the power of God the Holy
Spirit.
This was the fulfillment of Jesus' promise to His disciples; "You will
receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you" (Acts 1:8). By the
Spirit's power Peter and the others were able to preach Christ
crucified to the crowds in their own languages. This was an
unprecedented miracle, something only God could bring about.
But the Spirit did far more than give remarkable linguistic ability.
He powerfully worked within the heart. He opened the disciples' eyes
to see and understand Jesus' mission in a way they never had before.
Like so many others, they expected the Messiah to establish and rule
over an earthly kingdom which would provide physical peace and
prosperity. Even after the Lord's resurrection the disciples asked:
"Lord, now are you going to restore the kingdom to Israel?" But on
Pentecost the disciples proclaimed Jesus Christ as the Savior from sin
who was raised to life, exalted at the Father's right hand, and who
rules in hearts by faith.
Not only did the Spirit give understanding, He transformed timid, weak
men into courageous witnesses. In the garden when the Lord was
arrested, the disciples abandoned Him and ran for their lives. Now
they stood up and accused their listeners of crucifying God's Son.
They pleaded with the people to repent of their sin and turn to Christ
for forgiveness. That kind of power did not come from themselves, but
from the Spirit sent by the Lord.
Working In You!
But do you know what's really exciting? The Spirit is still just as
powerful as ever, and He is working in you! Look at what He has done.
By nature you were dead in sins, but through the Spirit's power in the
water and Word of Baptism, you are now alive in Christ. How is it that
you recognize and confess Jesus as the Son of God who suffered your
burden of guilt on the cross? It is the Spirit at work within you.
Would you like more power for daily life? Would you like to be
stronger in your faith, know more about the Lord, be more joyful and
confident in your salvation, better able to fend off Satan's
temptations? Don't count on your own abilities or strength. Look to
the Spirit's power as He works in you through the Word. The more time
you spend with the Word, both privately and in fellowship with other
believers, the more the Spirit will work in you. Would you like to be
a more courageous witness for the Lord -- and yet find yourself
reasoning, "I can't do it . . . I don't know what to say or how to say
it"? Look to the Spirit. Count on His power to give you the strength
to confess Jesus as Lord and Savior to your family, friends,
co-workers, and any others whose lives touch yours.
Never underestimate the power of the Holy Spirit. A tornado can move a
house, but the Spirit can move the heart! A fire can ignite a forest,
but the Spirit can set a life on fire! As Paul says: "My message and
my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with a
demonstration of the Spirit's power, so that your faith might not rest
on men's wisdom, but on God's power (1 Cor. 2:4-5).
That is real power!
-- Pastor Michael Eichstadt
"What Did Your Mama Say?"
(The following is based on an actual event from a retired pastor's
ministry.)
The young clergyman hesitated a moment, then said a brief prayer
before peering into the hospital room where a patient lay dying. In
his younger days John had been a womanizer and a gambler, turning his
back on his family and his church. Now that he was old he had neither,
for his relatives had given up on him and he had long since given up
on God. The pastor had received a call from a sister who had no desire
to see John, and would not have been welcome if she had tried to
visit. But would the pastor go? Perhaps he could do something.
A ghastly sight greeted the visitor's eyes when he entered. John's
yellow skin and sunken eyes told a tale of decades of self-abuse, for
after his youth and vigor had left him the bottle had been his only
close companion. It was amazing that his body had held out until old
age, but the liquor had finally caught up with John, and now the final
stages of liver disease wracked the old man's frame. He appeared to be
delusional as he rambled in disjointed German, his mother tongue.
"Johann!" the visitor said, also in German. "I'm the pastor -- do you
know me?" The sallow man looked blearily into the clergyman's eyes and
a flicker of recognition flashed across his face, but then he looked
away and merely muttered. "Johann! You haven't got much time! What do
you believe?" With a snarl the sickly man tried to take a swipe at his
questioner, but could manage only a feeble wave of his arm.
"It's a hopeless case; there's no more use trying to talk to this
one," the pastor thought. But then suddenly, with a flash of insight,
he took the dying man's hand, pulled his chin forward in order to look
at him directly, and nearly shouted "Johann! As a boy you learned
about Jesus . . . Johann! WHAT DID YOUR MAMA SAY?"
At this the old man fell silent for a time. He looked down, then up
into the pastor's eyes, but he wasn't looking at the man. He was
looking beyond him, far into the past, and soon his hands began to
shake and his jaded eyes welled up with tears. With the pastor's
gentle reminders, the words that his mother had spoken to him so long
ago came tumbling out, from the Bible, catechism, and hymnal: "For God
so loved the world that He gave His only-begotten Son . . . He has
redeemed me, a lost and condemned creature, purchased and won me from
all sins and death . . . Chief of sinners though I be, Jesus shed His
blood for me." Within a short time, sorrowful tears of a long-
forgotten memory had become tears of joy. That shell of a man who
had been broken by his own life of sin was made whole -- by
remembering what Mama had said about Jesus.
John was dead within days, and the pastor knew that people would scoff
when he told them how this prodigal son had returned to the heavenly
Father. Too many known scoundrels had been eulogized at funerals in
the past for this to be a credible story. But what did it matter? The
only important thing was that, in the case of this formerly lost soul,
the Scripture passage had rung true: "Train up a child in the way he
should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it" (Prov.
22:6).
It has been said that the world's most fruitful mission field is found
on a godly mother's knee. No doubt this is true. When mothers are
honored at this time of year for all that they do, let us thank the
Lord for these missionaries to the little lambs, and encourage them to
take up this special work with diligence. We may well be surprised to
find out just how many will be standing in the glorious company of
the saints on the Last Day because of "what Mama said" about Jesus!
-- Pastor Bruce Naumann
Standing Fast In The Liberty By Which
Christ Has Made Us Free (See 5:1)
Galatians 1:11-24
Credibility Gaps
When parents just don't understand their children, or when children
just don't trust their parents, it has sometimes been attributed to a
"generation gap." When this type of distrust or misunderstanding
occurs between men and women, husbands and wives, it is sometimes
referred to as a "gender gap." When the public has a hard time
trusting a public servant, or some other public speaker, it might be
called a "credibility gap." No one wants such gaps to occur in the
bond of trust, and when they do, attempts are usually made to "bridge
the gap."
On the other hand, of course, there are some who deliberately try to
create gaps of trust. Some advertisers might hope to make potential
customers distrustful of the product they are presently using so that
they will purchase the competitor's product. Some may try to stir
people to dissatisfaction with working conditions, wages, employers,
public officials, or some other condition of life, in order to
influence their choice of telephone companies, or employers, or
elected officials. Some might even try to stir up distrust between
partners and spouses, if they think it might bring some benefit to the
"stirrer."
Religious "Gappers"
There were some in the churches of Galatia who wanted to create such a
gap between the members there and the apostle Paul, who had first
brought them the gospel. Of course, it wasn't really Paul who was the
main target of their attack. It was his message: that a good
child/Father relationship with God is freely given to us through the
life and death of Jesus Christ in our place. Often such "gappers" may
come with faint praise, something like: "Now this Paul fellow really
made a good start, and he was absolutely right as far as he went, but
now the good news is that you can rise higher! In fact, to be a true
Christian you must rise higher."
Paul declared that this new "good news" was not really good news at
all, even if it was brought by an angel from heaven. It was only a
polluting of the gospel with law, giving with taking, salvation with
condemnation. What's more, the credibility gap which the false
brothers in Galatia were trying to create was not a matter of choosing
a cleanser, a spaggheti sauce, a congressman, or a governor. The
detractors in Galatia wanted the people to distrust a message from
God.
Paul emphasizes this in the opening of his letter to them, when he
points out that his apostleship was from Jesus Christ; and again in
verse eleven, when he wants them to know that the gospel he preached
is not something man-made or taught him by man. What he had learned
from men was Judaism, and he had learned it so well that he had
persecuted the church of God, had tried to destroy it. If Paul did not
make keeping Judah's God-given law a condition for receiving the
blessings of the gospel, it certainly wasn't because he was unfamiliar
with that law. He had learned it well at the feet of Gamaliel.
No Gap Here
But the gospel, and Paul's apostleship to proclaim it, was not
something he had gotten from men. It was entirely God's doing. God had
set him apart for this work from his mother's womb and then in time
had revealed His Son to him that he might preach Christ among the
Gentiles.
This was not some hobby of Paul's, and the teaching was not "Pauline"
in the sense that he had produced it. Nor was it "apostolic" in the
sense that Paul had learned his message from the other apostles, as
though he was an apostle "once-removed." No, he had not even consulted
with the other apostles until some years after he had been preaching
Christ. He had been called by Christ to declare that in Him God had
reconciled the world to Himself, not counting their sins against them,
and the apostles were as amazed as everyone else when he who once had
tried to destroy the faith was now proclaiming it!
This message was and is truly from God, and worthy of our total trust
also!
-- Prof. Paul Schaller
"I Am With You Always . . ."
Today as the fortieth day after Easter we celebrate the Ascension of
our Lord and Savior. In the final verse of the last chapter of
Matthew's account, we hear the parting words of Jesus which ring in
our ears and hearts even as this is one of the last of our chapel
services here, and it is my final opportunity to stand behind this
lectern (See footnote - Editor) and remind you of Jesus words: "Look,
I am with you always, even to the end of the age. Amen."
During the past week I have been searching for a special Word to share
with you today, and as various Scriptures have floated up and swirled
around, this one has come back again and again -- so precious to His
disciples, and to me.
What did Jesus mean as He departed, leaving behind those friends who
could not yet go along into heaven with Jesus? What does this mean
when as He left the planet, He nonetheless could say: "Look now, I am
not going to forsake you, because I am with you always, even through
all the years or centuries until I come again to take you with me
forever"?
Let us turn our attention to these simple words, one at a time.
"Behold," "Look," "See here," no matter that I am floating free of
gravity, and I will soon be out of sight. Your eyes are not deceiving
you, for I am on My way back home, and you will not see Me again in
physical form like this until I return at the end of the age to judge
the living and the dead.
But "I am with you," He said, and He said it strongly and
deliberately. Now we remind ourselves who this is that so spoke to
them. He was not a mortal such as they. He was not a hologram or
figment of their imagination, but the very Jesus who had been with
them for three years as they sat at His feet during their Seminary
training. This was the Jesus who had turned water into wine at Cana,
who had raised the widow's boy from his casket, who raised Lazarus
from his tomb, who had Himself died but rose again on the third day.
This was the Lord to whom was now given jurisdiction on earth and in
heaven over everything that could ever affect the lives of His
friends.
So here Jesus reminds them: I am the lord, the master, the CEO of
planet Earth. This is your Jesus speaking, who can keep any and all
divine promises, no matter what your eyes see or your heart trembles
about. This divine Son of God in the flesh, now glorified, promises to
never leave nor forsake His friends. I am Savior, says He; I simply
cannot and will not leave you in the lurch. When I came down here I
gave up My warm and happy home above for you to get you humans safely
reunited with My Father. I put Myself through hell on earth in
personal combat with your nemesis for you. I reconstructed everything
smashed by Adam and all your ancestors for you. For you I regained
your lost acceptibility with the Father. You are the reason for my
existence as Jesus Christ incarnate. I have loved you with an
everlasting love, and I will not turn my back on you now or ever. So,
says the Lord Jesus, I hereby promise that I will never stop being
with you, and that simply because I hold you close to My heart. And as
long as I have My heart and arms and hands, nothing shall take you out
of My grip. You have My word on that, and My very life stands behind
My word.
Dear friends, we may and should claim this promise for ourselves, for
He meant it for all His disciples "until the end of the age/eon." He
means this for each of us by name, Rebekah and James, Ken and Kelly,
Jeff and Jonathan -- you are precious to Him forever. You are God's
special person, because Jesus is with you. No matter what comes to you
this summer or ten years from now, whether today as you are at the
point of entering into life's mainstream, or when you arrive at the
point of retiring from a career, you are God's child by right of
Jesus' claiming you and loving you and caring for you. As you prepare
for your career after graduation, or whether you stay on at ILC or go
to school elsewhere, Jesus is with you all the way.
That is my comfort also as I leave the ILC faculty. I have Jesus above
me and with me. He has told me: "Now look, I am with you always, even
to the end of the age." He has supported me in my service career at
this school of Christian education now swiftly drawing to a close. If
you are graduating, He has not finished with your education, your
nurturing, your blessing. Under His eye and with His hand of blessing
all of us will continue in our God-chosen and Jesus-supported ways
until the end of our days.
We have a good heritage from the hand of our good Father and our good
Lord Jesus. Let this be your graduation memory verse, or your morning
devotion and comfort as you retire in the evening -- my Jesus is with
me, one of God's children, always, even to the end of my days, because
He loves me.
-- Paul R. Koch
(Since he was retiring from the faculty, this was Prof. Koch's final
chapel message to the ILC student body in May of last year. He has
consented to share a number of his chapel addresses with our readers.)
Unless otherwise noted, the comments are the editor's.
* " . . . MY NIGERIAN DIARY"
"The 50 copies that we had ordered disappeared very fast, and people
have ordered more copies, so we are considering a larger offset
edition." So writes Pastor Norbert Reim regarding his wife Celeste's
book which is being reviewed in this issue. Pastor Reim adds: "We are
awkwardly between editions now, and do not know just what the price or
availability date for the new edition will be."
I join with our reviewer, Pastor David Koenig, in his enthusiastic
recommendation of the book. I don't have my own copy, but saw one at
the home of another pastor. The book was such interesting reading it
was hard to put it down.
The initial photocopy edition sold for $8.00, plus postage. Pastor
Reim says the hope is that the new edition will be printed in
sufficient volume so that they can match or improve on that price. The
Spokesman and/or your pastor will pass along ordering details as they
become known.
"Retired" Pastor Reim still serves Holy Spirit Lutheran Church, a CLC
mission outreach effort in Albuquerque, New Mexico, making periodic
trips by plane to serve the congregation. He and Celeste reside in Sun
City, Arizona. They are members at Holy Cross, Phoenix.
With the permission of the Reims, we intend to print one or more
excerpts from the "Diary" in the coming months.
* LENGTHY SERVICE
CLC Statistician, Harvey Callies, generally adds some color commentary
to the otherwise bare annual statistics he compiles and mails out each
spring, calling attention to year-by-year attendance or membership
trends. In the report we received in April, Mr. Callies had gone back
to the year 1960, the first year synodical statistics were kept. He
made this interesting observation:
"In looking at the Pastors and Teachers listed, we find the following
still active among us today: 14 pastors -- Egbert Albrecht, Leland
Grams, Elton Hallauer, Clifford Kuehne, Richard Kuehne, David Lau,
John Lau, Bertram J. Naumann, Paul F. Nolting, Gordon Radtke, Norbert
Reim, Rollin Reim, Jonathan Schaller, and L. W. Schierenbeck. Then
also 4 teachers -- Leroy Greening, Gerhardt Mueller, Robert Rehm, and
Alvin Sieg. . . ."
To this observation the statistician attached these good words:
"Please, when next you see one of these men, greet them and thank our
God for their lengthy service in His Kingdom!" We second the motion.
We add that though indeed still active in 1997, not all of these men
continue to serve publicly under divine call as they were in 1960. In
addition, there are some currently serving in the CLC teaching or
preaching corps who either were in college or seminary at the time, or
had not yet joined the synod.
*'APE-WOMAN' STATUE MISLEADS PUBLIC: ANATOMY PROFESSOR (From Creation
Ex Nihilo magazine, Vol. 19, No. 1, December 1996-February 1997.
Reprinted with permission.)
The St. Louis zoo in Missouri, USA, has a $17.9 million exhibition
majoring on evolution, which includes a statue, purportedly a
reconstruction of the famous australopithecine part-skeleton "Lucy,"
showing remarkably human-looking feet.
Associate professor of anatomy and neurobiology at the nearby
Washington University, Dr. David Menton (interviewed in Creation
magazine, Vol. 16, No. 4, pp. 16-19) says that these feet are not
based on the fossil facts.
The usual artistic license in reconstructing the fleshly features of
"ape-men" from bones allows evolutinary bias enormous free rein.
However artists do not usually misrepresent the bones. This statue's
feet and hands are simply wrong and mislead the public.
Menton cites evolutionary sources which show that creatures in this
species had hands and feet which were 'not at all like human hands and
feet; rather, they have long curved fingers and toes'--even more so
than apes today that live mostly in the trees.
Canadian school teacher David Buckna has weighed in on the debate by
posting an Internet challenge to this 'misleading' statue. He says
that if people visiting this exhibition were to see an accurate
replica of Lucy in the trees, with features typical of tree-dwelling
primates, it would make them question the whole notion of human
evolution; Lucy would be seen as just some sort of extinct ape.
Dr. Menton, who first complained about it in 1989, says, 'I think the
zoo owes it to all the people who helped pay for that exhibit to give
(Lucy) an honest presentation.'
Bruce Carr, the zoo's director of education, has no plans to alter the
exhibit. 'We cannot be updating every exhibit based on every new piece
of evidence,' he says. 'What we look at is the overall exhibit and the
impression it creates. We think that the overall impression this
exhibit creates is correct.' Dr. Menton points out that if Lucy's feet
were accurately shown, it would be obvious they could never fit into
the famous Laetoli fossil footprints. These are 'exhibit A' for
evolutionary belief in upright walking by Lucy's kind, whereas in fact
they are identical to bare-foot humans.
Professor Betsy Schumann, evolutionist expert at Menton's university,
admits that the statue's feet 'probably are not accurate', but when
asked whether the statue should be changed, she says, 'Absolutely
not'.
In other words, it doesn't matter if people get indoctrinated into
evolution by wrong evidence, because 'evolution is a fact'. Christians
need to realize that we are facing a full-scale religio-cultural
war!
Deceptive museum displays contribute to the world-wide push to replace
the Christian worldview with that of evolutionary naturalism
('everything made itself--we are answerable to nobody'). Sadly, many
millions of dollars of taxpayers' money support such museum
displays.
Based on information From Dr. David Menton and the St. Louis
Post-Dispatch, July 22, 1996.
* EDITING THE EDITOR
Here, in part, is what was written lately to the Sleepy Eye {Minn.}
clergy by the editor of the local weekly newspaper: ". . . Isn't it
time we focused on what is right within our respective churches and
denominations rather than what is wrong with everyone else? . . . If
your columns cannot send the message the Lord would send, then I will
file it where it belongs, in the trash! I will also edit out any
negative references to any other religion or denomination."
Via the grape vine I have learned that I am one of the area clergy
whose articles may have prompted such a comment (not the only one --
another Sleepy Eye pastor {conservative Baptist} recently shook the
local community with an article titled: "The Bible Forbids Women
Pastors"). An article critical of the theology of Billy Graham (see
the Sept. '96 Spokesman) was originally submitted to the Sleepy Eye
paper. It didn't appear there.
An editor will acknowledge times when articles need editing. However,
when a local newspaper editor (who happens to belong to the ELCA)
promises to edit out of religious columns anything he perceives as
"negative references to any other religion or denomination," a prophet
of the Lord must needs reevaluate his participation in such a forum.
What, according to the Sleepy Eye newspaper editor, is the "message
the Lord would send"? In the letter referred to above it was put this
way: "As our Lord was dying on the cross between two sinners . . . He
did not ask if the sinner was Catholic or Lutheran, Islamic or Jewish.
Rather, without condition, Jesus simply promised: 'today you will be
with me in paradise.'"
What is being said, in effect, is that the object of faith is
secondary; all that matters is faith's sincerity. Such an idea,
popular and widespread as it is, hardly comes from the Bible. In fact,
the idea clashes with clear Bible teaching, such as: "Nor is there
salvation in any other (name than Jesus Christ), for there is no other
name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved" (Acts.
4:12).
More could be said, but we let the matter rest. This pastor/editor has
asked to be excused from further participation in the pastor's column
of the local paper.
Etubom and Mma Under the Gracious Care of Abasi*
*Etubom and Mma are Efik terms of honor and love. Abasi is Efik for
God.
I cannot tell how delighted I was, while visiting in one of my
member's homes, to find out that Celeste Reim had written a book about
the first three years of her and her husband's (Norbert, "Nubby") life
in Nigeria. In a book called "A Peek Into My Nigerian Diary" Celeste
recounts what life was like in that field, so fertile back in the
post-war years.
Nearly fifty years have passed since her concluding remarks were
written on June 29, 1948 about their first term in Africa. So many of
the village pictures in her book could have been taken yesterday. Many
of the hardships and joys of half a centruy ago are much the same
today in the "bush."
This volume then can serve not only as a nostalgic reminder of the joy
in service to Him of those bygone years, but also as a peek into how
it is today among our brothers and sisters in the Nigerian Church of
the Lutheran Confession.
Allow me to whet your appetite for this fine spiritual fare. Pastor
Reim received the call to the Synodical Conference Mission in Nigeria
on May 12, 1945. Accepting the call, he left for his assignment the
following December 2nd without his wife. After delays, Celeste then
set sail for Africa on March 8, 1946. Her upbeat attitude that
permeates the book is expressed on that day with the entry: "All the
waiting, disappointments, and the days of loneliness will be a thing
of the past. I am on my way to Africa!!! Nubby, here I come!"
At Robert's Field, Liberia, she writes: "I shall never forget this
first daylight glimpse of Africa. The morning air was cool and
enchanting with all the new and strange sounds of the forest, and the
gentle lapping of the water as canoes glided down the river. There was
a river in the back yard with native huts on the other side. The
natives, awakening for a new day, were calling to teach other."
There is a thrill for us too as we read this and realize that through
His servants, Norbert and Celeste and many others, there was and is an
awakening even more joyful and enchanting as that "strange" sound of
the Gospel goes forth and THE Light dawns on the heart.
Travel with the author from Lagos as she sees the first of many a
scampering lizard and enormous cockroach. Note with her how African
time is quite different than back home, for "in Africa one must wait
for everything." It is still the same today. Read and learn of: dash,
mud wattle, palaver, raffia, fufu, juju, palm oil chop. Smell the must
and mildew with her and see the industrious African garbage man, the
ant, at work. Come along with her and her husband on the Harley. Sit
with them in their modest home as the rain comes crashing down and the
insects come swarming in, attracted by that Coleman light.
Share with her the experience of caring for little Adiaha. Experience
the joy of seeing the twins, John and Mary and Grace and Jacob,
baptized. The killing of a twin in those days was still prevalent in
the bush. Be with her husband as he comprehends the dangerous
seriousness of the costumed Ekpos. Trudge along with one of their
hired hands during the dry season as he lugs water from 2 1/2 miles
away. And there is so much more: harmattan, dowry, the fattening room,
death and burial in Africa . . . .
May the following two excerpts convince you that this is a book to
read and to pray over that God would raise from our midst more
Celestes and Norberts to go where the Gospel is so vitally needed.
"The people in the bush are so poor, and we are so rich in comparison.
When I see how little they have, I don't miss the few things we must
do without, which we took for granted when living in the States. They
certainly are not necessary for happiness. For many of these people
life is just full of burdens and fears. What a great privilege it is
for Christians to lead others to happiness through faith in Jesus
Crist their Savior, so that they may also look forward to a glorious
life with Jesus in Heaven...."
"Sometimes it's hard to realize that we are in 'Far away Africa.' As I
go walking outdoors and look up at the sky above, I don't feel as
though there are so many miles between us and our loved ones in the
States. True, the scenery is quite different. There are no open
fields, just 'bush' land and many palm trees and huge cottonwood
trees. The road are rough and narrow, and our home is hardly the kind
we would want in the States, but it's home, and I love it. We have the
same sky above, the same beautiful stars and moon, the same sun,
although a little hotter. Above all, we have the same dear Heavenly
Father looking down on us, and watching over us. Which makes me think,
what is the difference where one lives while on this earth. The
important thing is that we are on the road with Jesus, which leads to
heaven."
AMEN!
-- Pastor David Koenig
Meet: Matt Thurow
Matt Thurow began his teaching career in January 1966 at Gethsemane
Lutheran School of Spokane, Washington. Matt attended Immanuel
Lutheran High School and College, receiving his B.S. degree in
Elementary Education in 1994. He went on to receive a B. S. degree in
Elementary Education from Mankato State University.
Matt chose teaching as a career in large part due to the influence of
his father, teacher Ted Thurow of Eau Claire, Wisconsin, and former
professor Dean Carstensen.
Matt finds sharing the Gospel message with non-member students
particularly rewarding. His favorite subjects to teach are history and
geography. His favorite recess game is soccer. In his free time Matt
enjoys spending time with his wife Traci (nee Schreiber), biking, and
reading.
May the Lord continue to bless Matt in His kingdom work.
General Pastoral Conference of the CLC
June 17-19, 1997
Immanuel Lutheran College
Eau Claire, Wisconsin
Chaplain: Wayne Eichstadt
Liturgist: Mark Berntahl
Preacher: John Klatt
Excuse Committee: Leroy Dux, Paul Schaller, Robert McDonald
Program Committee: Jerome Barthels, Paul Krause, Stephen Kurtzahn
Organ Coordinator: John Reim
Essays:
* A Summary and Critique of the Church Growth Movement -- Michael
Sprengeler
* Christ's Subordination to the Father (as Pertains to His States of
Humiliation and Exaltation) -- John Pfeiffer
* Preaching that Makes a Difference -- L. Dale Redlin
* New Testament Exegesis -- Bruce Naumann
* Old Testament Exegesis - Isaiah 42:1-9 -- Peter Reim
* A Study of Veterans' Organizations -- Walter Schaller
* Report on Self-Esteem Study
* Relationship of and/or Distinction Between the Public Ministry and
the Priesthood of Believers -- Thomas Schuetze
Completion Of Colloquy
Rev. Horst Gutsche, Calgary, Alberta, following colloquy is declared
eligible for ministry in the Church of the Lutheran Confession.
-- Daniel Fleischer, President
West Central Delegate Conference
Dates: June 6-8, 1997
Place: Our Savior's Lutheran Church, Jamestown, N.Dak.
Agenda:
* Devotional Study of 1 John 4:7-12 -- Mr. Gary Wietgrefe
* Devotional Study of Philemon -- Rev. Norman Greve
* The Work of the Elder (carry over) -- Mr. Bob Ruegge
* Righteous Anger -- Rev. David Fuerstenau
* The Christian Wedding Service: What is Appropriate in the Light of
God's Word? -- Rev. James Shrader
* Encouraging Young People to Remain Faithful to the One True Faith --
Mr. Dean Larson
* What is the Purpose of Marriage in light of the fact that couples
live together? -- Rev. Frank Gantt
Conference Chaplain: Rev. Michael Roehl
Conference Speaker: Rev. Steven Sippert
-- Rev. Steven Sippert, Secretary
Great Lakes Delegate Conference
When: Begins at 1:00 p.m. on Monday, June 2 (Eastern Daylight Time);
closes at 12:00 on Tuesday, June 3.
Where: Calvary of Marquette, Michigan
Agenda:
* The Study of 1997 Coordinating Council Report
* Discussion of the Joint Statement on Self Esteem -- Mark Bernthal
* Bible Study -- Mark Gullerud
Announce: Please announce to Walter Priebe: 548 Co. Rd. 545,
Marquette, MI 49855; (906) 942-7472.
The congregation requests your cooperation in announcing early enough
for their preparations. For their meal and housing preparations please
indicate your tentative time of arrival.
-- Pastor John Ude, Secretary