@lymanstoneky@trad_lutheran To this end, I remember being told I must 'repent' for using Divine Service Four. When I laughed, thinking it was said in jest, the presenter said, 'No, seriously, repent!'
I am still scandalized by this.
@lymanstoneky If one desires to see a change in Synod (or desires to express appreciation for how things are currently being done), how should one go about it? I think of this ? often.
Articulating those concerns/appreciations and advocating for them in the open is appropriate. I agree with u
Some of the anger I saw from pro-lifers responding to my tweets was essentially, "how dare you insinuate that pro-life people would abort a child with Down Syndrome!"
Guys, I've been in the care of souls business for 18 years now. And when you're in the care of souls business, something you see often is people who have been lifelong, devout Christians completely bail on the faith the SECOND holding to it requires them to suffer.
People who have spent decades faithfully coming to worship will leave forever the second their kids come out to them and tell them they have to choose between holding to the Bible and having a relationship with their kids. People who have always upheld what the church teaches about cohabitation immediately reject it the second their kids start shacking up.
People who lament the evils of divorce will get divorced the second they think they can come out of the situation better off, and they will give you every rationalization for why the words of Jesus don't apply to them. Ask your pastors about this. Dudes will leave their congregations, go to another down the street to another congregation with their mistress on their arm and act like nothing happened, utterly convinced that God supports them in doing so.
People who have thanked you for preaching against the idolatrous nature of youth sports that keeps kids out of church on Sundays will immediately embrace the idol when their kids have the opportunity to join a travel team. And so on.
And yes, when people who have boldly and faithfully stood against the evils of abortion find themselves carrying an unwanted child? They will often employ the very same vile rationalizations that they have condemned fifty trillion times before.
Do people who identify as pro-life have fewer abortion than pro-choicers? Of course. But with love and respect, you are absolutely clueless if you think that a notable percentage of women having abortion weren't pro-life identifying ladies until the moment their desire for abortion overpowered their faith and convinctions.
And, more to the point, if you are offended by this assertion because you know would never in a million billion years ever do this, you are clueless to the power of the sinful nature that lurks within you. If you think you would stand where they fell because you are more pious, more devout, more devoted, etc...well, pride comes before destruction.
@ashton_couch344 I use AI to help me compose sermons I write in Spanish for our Spanish-only service on Sunday nights. I do not use AI in any way for my English sermons.
Watching my beloved MN Twins...and EVERY TIME I look up, our not-great catcher is batting. I have seen him bat three times in this game, and pretty much nobody else. You ever have casual MLB watching experiences like that? Every time you look up, the worst guy is batting?
I'm reading a lot of articles about how difficult the job market currently is, especially for recent grads. I humbly submit that this will not be your experience if you desire to be an LCMS pastor.
@HansFiene Hard to forget, it was prominent talk during seminary years. Still not sure, however, what it actually 'was'. Did it have any material culture, where you could point to any thing (other than authors of books) and say, THAT is emergent church?
@HansFiene The story of Gehazi always comes to mind. Elisha refuses Naaman's attempts to pay him. Gehazi seeks it out the payment (and lies). Didn't end well for Gehazi.