There’s no way to know this for sure, because each congregation is different, but I’m guessing there aren’t many congregations out there who have ever had three of their regular pianists go on “maternity leave” at roughly the same time. But such is our lot this summer. For some reason, that strikes me as… Read More ›

      May always brings thoughts of graduation. It is especially on my mind this year with our daughter Bria graduating from the Free Lutheran Bible College and our son Caden graduating from high school. When I think of graduation, I also think about how God has made us all differently, and that He has a… Read More ›

      In April of 2010, I went on my first interview to a congregation that was considering calling me to be their pastor. While I eventually turned down the call there, I will always be grateful for that trip to a small town in south Texas, because I made a friend that weekend… Read More ›

  Most people remember the popularity of the Chicken Soup for the Soul books that were published, beginning in 1993. These books were collections of inspirational, heart-warming, true stories meant to make the reader feel good. These stories were chicken soup; they were comforting and healthy, for your soul. I read recently that they’ve published over 250… Read More ›

  When people think of February, they often think of Valentine’s Day. That is a wonderful holiday, but my first thought is actually a somewhat forgotten holiday. I usually think of Presidents’ Day. In my growing up years, this was the February holiday that I most looked forward to for two reasons. I felt a… Read More ›

    I love the beautiful Christmas song O Holy Night. It’s a difficult song to sing, so we don’t usually sing it as a congregation. But if you want to hear an excellent rendition of it, watch our Christmas Eve service on our YouTube channel. Meagan Olson did a fantastic job with it at… Read More ›

  I’m reading a book right now entitled Dangerous Calling by Paul Tripp. I’ve read it before, but it has been a blessing to work through its pages again. The book wrestles with some of the unique challenges to pastoral ministry, and I would add, spiritual leadership in general. I just finished a chapter in… Read More ›

  I wrote the following article in order to have a resource to share with couples who are preparing for marriage. It is not an official “church document,” but the council helped me do some editing, approved my use of it, and agreed that I could share it here with the congregation. Perhaps you will… Read More ›

  “Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.” – Galatians 6:2 In 1 Peter 5:2, elders (pastors) are exhorted to “shepherd the flock of God.” The picture of Christians as sheep is a common one in the Bible, and pastors are typically thought of as under-shepherds of Christ, who is the… Read More ›

  A friend recently shared on social media an article entitled The World is Catechizing Us Whether We Realize It or Not. It reminded me of an article with a similar title that I quote from every year at the beginning of confirmation class, when I meet with the parents. The premise behind articles like this is… Read More ›