Trinity Lutheran Brillion

Last week, we discussed what happened when the Southern Baptist Convention voted overwhelmingly to dismiss from its fellowship a congregation that is pushing for the ordination of women. Southern Baptist doctrine recognizes that only men are permitted to serve in the role of pastor. That position agrees with our own church’s position on the topic. If you were asked what the Bible says on this topic or why our church teaches what it does, how would you respond? Would you be able to say, “This is what the Bible clearly says?”

Baptists and the Ordination of Women
Earlier this month, delegates to the Southern Baptist Convention’s annual meeting voted overwhelmingly to dismiss from its fellowship a congregation over its views on the ordination of women. First Baptist Church of Alexandria, Virginia insists that women can serve in any pastoral role, including senior pastor. Southern Baptist doctrine recognizes that only men are permitted to serve in the role of pastor. That agrees with our own church’s position on men and women. If you were asked what the Bible says on this topic or why our church teaches what it does, how would you respond? What does the Bible say?

Continuation: The Story of Seminex: The Missouri Synod 50 Years Later
President Matthew Harrison of the Missouri Synod says he was “a blissfully unaware 12-year-old” when the “Walkout” of all but five professors at Concordia Seminary, St. Louis occurred in 1974. It was a tumultuous time. Missouri Synod president Jacob Preus had authorized the production of a doctrinal statement to evaluate what the professors at the St. Louis seminary were teaching. At its 1973 convention, the LCMS adopted “A Statement of Scriptural and Confessional Principles” as an official doctrinal statement. It still stands as a sound testimony against the trends of modern theology. This week, we’ll look at Harrison’s summary of that statement, identify several strains of teaching within the LCMS, and talk about the on-going “informal” talks between Missouri Synod and the WELS.

The Story of Seminex (50 Years Later)
Throughout much of its history, the Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod (LCMS) was a rock of Lutheran doctrinal strength. During the 1950s and 60s, however, there were signs that things were beginning to change. The election of a liberal-leaning seminary president at its leading seminary in St. Louis set the stage for a dramatic walkout and the establishment of a “seminary in exile” (or “Seminex”) in 1974. That conflict shaped the LCMS for years and has left its imprint on the synod even now—50 years later. Where does the Missouri Synod stand today?

The Story of Seminex: The Missouri Synod 50 Years Later
Throughout much of its history, the Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod (LCMS) was a rock of Lutheran doctrinal strength. During the 1950s and 60s, however, there were signs that things were beginning to change. The election of a liberal-leaning seminary president at its leading seminary in St. Louis set the stage for a dramatic walkout and the establishment of a “seminary in exile” (or “Seminex”) in 1974. That conflict shaped the LCMS for years and has left its imprint on the synod even now—50 years later. Where does the Missouri Synod stand today? What is the state of the relationship between the WELS and the LCMS? Is there any hope for reconciliation between the two synods? 

Tattoos, Cremation, and Other Such Things: What does the Bible say?
Years ago, Christians considered tattoos to be wrong. Nowadays it’s not uncommon for a church member to be decorated with body art. Churches once taught that no Christian should ever be cremated. Today, the cremation of a loved one is a growing trend, even among Christians. What’s happening? Has the Bible changed? Have people changed? We’ll investigate these questions and more in this podcast.

Christian denominations: What would Jesus think?
At the beginning of the 20 th century there was a surge of optimism that the Christian church could finally be united under one umbrella. The World Missionary Conference in Edinburgh in 1910 is often seen as the birth of the modern ecumenical movement. But now, just over a century later, the church is as divided as ever. In his high priestly prayer, Jesus prayed for believers, “that all of them may be one” (John 17:21). What would he think about all the different Christian denominations? This week we’ll answer this question from a biblical viewpoint.

Jonah: God’s Reluctant Prophet
The book of Jonah is about a missionary who cares more about his own comfort than about someone else’s soul. As we open the final chapter, we find that Jonah still hates God’s enemies; he would just as soon see them destroyed. It is astonishing to us that one of the Lord’s own prophets should be so callous to the spiritual needs of someone else. But if we’re honest, we will admit that Jonah’s bias against those who are different from us and his hatred for the enemies of God live inside our hearts too. What’s the cure for that?

Have you ever wished that you could have a second chance? Jonah got that opportunity. At the beginning of chapter 3 the prophet finds himself right back where he started. God reassigns Jonah to the exact same task. Jonah hasn’t changed. He still dislikes the
Assyrians and doesn’t really care if they are saved or not. But there is another thing that
hasn’t changed. God still loves the Assyrian people. So he sends his wrong-way prophet to Nineveh once more to call its residents to repent. How will it all turn out?

The book of Jonah is more than a story of a man and a fish. It’s a beautiful story of God’s
love for every lost sinner. From inside the fish, Jonah prays. His prayer is a beautiful piece of poetry, expressing terror in the face of death, profound loneliness, and deep humility before God. The wayward prophet finds comfort and security in God’s grace. It’s also worth noting: Jonah’s experience inside the fish and his rescue after three days foreshadow the death and resurrection of our Lord.