Concordia Adult Bible Class

Missions Presentation in ABC

Many people want to pray, they just don’t know how! Thankfully, Jesus gives us a great way to pray in His prayer – the Lord’s Prayer. But this prayer is not just a prayer to be recited, it’s a prayer to be followed. Praying for everything from God’s glory to forgiveness for sins to our daily needs are all appropriate topics in prayer. In this message, we tease out how this prayer can be a pattern for our praying.

The Hebrew word for “health” is shalom which describes not just our physical health, but our mental, spiritual, and emotional health as well. God wants us to be healthy in all aspects of our lives. The foundation for holistic health, however, is our spiritual health. In this message, we discuss how all these areas of health intersect with each other.

Many people struggle with feelings of worthlessness and unworthiness. They forget that they are made in God’s image. However, when we remember this fact, we can rest assured that it is in Him that we find our worth and can then develop a healthy self-image

Many people struggle with out-of-control debt. God’s call is that we steward the resources He has given us faithfully and avoid debt as much as possible. Yet, there is one debt God wants us to have: the debt to love each other. On Pastor Tucker’s 25th Ordination Anniversary, President Kieschnick shares how the continuing debt to love each other is part of the pastoral ministry and every Christian’s ministry.

As Christians, we are called to speak the truth in love (Ephesians 4:15). Holding love, or grace, and truth and tension can be difficult. Sometimes, we are tempted to tell someone the truth self-righteously, lambasting them to make a point. Other times, we are tempted to avoid a tough conversation, preferring to offer them instead encouragement even when they need to be confronted in sin. When Jesus meets a woman caught in adultery in John 8, He holds grace and truth in perfect tension. He does not condemn her, but He also does not sanction her sin.

When someone wounds you deeply, to put it mildly, it is difficult to forgive. Yet, forgiveness is what we are called to by God, for God Himself is forgiving. The prophet Jonah despised this attribute of God. He says, “I knew that You are a gracious and compassionate God, slow to anger and abounding in love, a God who relents from sending calamity” (Jonah 4:2). Yet, if we do not forgive, we are bound by those who hurt us. When we forgive, however, we are freed!

According to a study conducted by the AARP, 44 million people struggle with loneliness. This same study found 35% are chronically lonely, a 15% from ten years ago. Loneliness is epidemic. Jesus can sympathize with our loneliness. In His hour of deepest need – as He was on His way to the cross – His dear disciples were scattered. It is because of Jesus’ loneliness that He makes the promise to never leave us alone.

Many people struggle with finding time for God in Bible study and prayer. For husbands and fathers, being rooted and grounded in these things is especially important, since they are called to lead their families spiritually. On Father’s Day, we reflect on the promise that a man who is grounded in God’s Word has the strength to lead his family faithfully and well.

God is in the business of asking people to do seemingly strange things. In the book of Hosea, God asks the prophet to take a prostitute as a wife. The prophet and the prostitute – what a combination! But through this odd coupling, God teaches Israel about being faithful to Him. Will we be faithful to God, even during difficult times?