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To read the full August 2022 Newsletter: Click Here
An Excerpt from Pastor Parsons' article Persevere in Faith and Encourage One Another
Persevere in Faith and Encourage One Another
19 Therefore, brothers and sisters, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the
blood of Jesus, 20 by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, his body, 21 and since
we have a great priest over the house of God, 22 let us draw near to God with a sincere heart and with the
full assurance that faith brings, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and
having our bodies washed with pure water. 23 Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who
promised is faithful. 24 And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds,
25 not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all
the more as you see the Day approaching. (Hebrews 10:19-25)
As brothers and sisters in faith, we can rest assured that we have a place in the kingdom of heaven,
prepared for us by Jesus, himself. By giving his perfect, holy body, he won for us full, complete, unending
salvation for our sins. There is no doubt that his sacrificial death released us from the threat of eternal
condemnation.
Now, let us draw near to God with a sincere heart and with the full assurance that faith brings.
(vs. 22) When we worship God, let us do so with praise and thanksgiving for the freedom he has won for us. Let
us do so because of the love he has shown to us. And let us be sincere in our love for God, not worshiping to put
on a show or because we think we must
To read the full AUGUST 2022 Newsletter: Click Here
An excerpt from Pastor Parsons' article Governing Authorities and the Part We Play
Governing Authorities and the Part We Play
It’s that time of year. You can’t walk down the road without seeing them. It doesn’t matter if you’re in town or in the country – SIGNS EVERYWHERE! Vote for this person or that policy. In just a few days, we have another election, leading up to the main elections in November. This process, filled with many elections, is the form of government our Lord has established for us as citizens.
Paul wrote, “Let everyone be subject to
To read the full JULY 2022 Newsletter: Click Here
An excerpt from Pastor Parsons' article What Does it Mean to Deliberate a Divine Call?
What Does It Mean to Deliberate a Divine Call?
In last month’s Messenger, I explained what a divine call is (a call from God to serve in the public ministry) and how God extends those calls, either directly to an individual (immediate) or through a middleman, or calling body (mediate). But how does one deliberate a divine call after receiving it? And what does that even mean?
Remember, a divine call can be extended to a pastor, a teacher, a staff minister, even to lay members to serve in long- or short-term roles within the church. What I’m about to explain is a process that works for any of those situations.
When someone receives a divine call after finishing school or seminary, in other words, when they’re assigned to their first call on Assignment Day, a great deal of prayer has already taken place; prayer by the individual being assigned, and prayer by the assignment committees. Generally speaking,
To read the full JUNE 2022 Newsletter: Click Here
An excerpt from Pastor Parsons' article The Divine Call
The Divine Call
It’s the season of call days. Martin Luther College sent out newly-called teachers and staff ministers, and Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary sent out newly-called pastors. I often get asked how the call process works, so I thought it might be nice to explain it here.
First, every time we call a teacher, a staff minister, or a pastor, it’s an example of a divine call. This means that this is a call, first and foremost, from God. There are two kinds of divine calls: immediate and mediate.
When someone receives an immediate call, it means God called him directly, without a middle-man, so
To read the full MAY 2022 Newsletter: Click Here
An excerpt from Pastor Parsons' article I Would, But . . .
I Would, But . . .
1 Come, let us sing for joy to the Lord; let us shout aloud to the Rock of our salvation. 2 Let us come before him with thanksgiving and extol him with music and song. 3 For the Lord is the great God, the great King above all gods. 6 Come, let us bow down in worship, let us kneel before the Lord our Maker; 7 for he is our God and we are the people of his pasture, the flock under his care. (Psalm 95:1-3, 6-7)
What a wonderful thing it is that we get to sing the praises of our God! Not because it’s something that we get to do for him, but because of something he has done for us. He is the Rock of our salvation. Through him, we can know the fullness of his grace, the freedom of forgiveness. How amazing that God chose
To read the full APRIL 2022 Newsletter: Click Here
An excerpt from Pastor Parsons' article Pride and Humility
Pride and Humility
The Parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector
9 To some who were confident of their own righteousness and looked down on everyone else, Jesus told this parable: 10 “Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. 11 The Pharisee stood by himself and prayed: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other people—robbers, evildoers, adulterers—or even like this tax collector. 12 I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get.’
13 “But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, ‘God, have mercy on me, a sinner.’
14 “I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God. For all those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.”
How easy it is to give in to the temptations of pride. In this parable, the Pharisee put his hope in his own righteousness, thinking that he was doing all that God found pleasing. What he failed to realize is that he never gave praise to God for his salvation, nor for the gifts God had granted
To read the full MARCH 2022 Newsletter: Click Here
An excerpt from Pastor Parsons' article Prayers for Ukraine
Prayers for Ukraine
This month, in lieu of a devotion, I ask that you consider the message below, shared by our WELS World Missions Board. At this time, Ukraine faces war, and they have been in our prayers. This is especially true for our brothers and sisters in Christ, who are caught in the midst of this earthly troubles. In the message below, you’ll see
To read the full February 2022 Newsletter: Click Here
An excerpt from Pastor Parsons' article True or False: "Respect is earned, not given!"
True or False: “Respect is earned, not given!”
You’ve probably heard that, maybe even said it yourself: “Respect is earned, not given.” It’s often used when people don’t think they’re being shown respect or being treated fairly by someone in a superior position of authority. If they don’t feel respected, then they don’t think they need to show respect. It’s so common that I wouldn’t be surprised if you’ve felt this way yourself and one point or another. But does that mean this kind of thinking is justified?
Let’s take a look at what the Bible has to say on the matter. We’ll start with
To read the entire JANUARY 2022 Newsletter: Click Here
An excerpt from Pastor Parsons' article To Do, or Not to Do? Always the Question
To Do, or Not to Do? Always the Question
The Parable of the Two Sons
28 “What do you think? There was a man who had two sons. He went to the first and said, ‘Son, go and work today in the vineyard.’ 29 “‘I will not,’ he answered, but later he changed his mind and went. 30 “Then the father went to the other son and said the same thing. He answered, ‘I will, sir,’ but he did not go. 31 “Which of the two did what his father wanted?” “The first,” they answered. (Matthew 21:28-21)
Jesus used this parable to help the religious leaders see a fault in their thinking. Outwardly, they appeared to be among the most faithful in service, both in word and in deed. But really, they were only paying Jesus what Isaiah called “lip service”. In other words, they were more than willing to say they were going to do the will of God, and to show others that they were following the will of God. But in their hearts, they did not rightly serve and worship God. If they had, it would show itself in their actions and their teachings.
In the parable, the second son was like these leaders. Outwardly, he said he would
To read our entire DECEMBER 2021 Newsletter: Click Here
An excerpt from Pastor Parsons' article
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To read our entire NOVEMBER 2021 Newsletter: Click Here
An excerpt from Pastor Parsons' article In Celebration of the Lutheran Reformation
In Celebration of the Lutheran Reformation
Why do we celebrate the Reformation when we do (October 31st)? The following is an excerpt from a
series of bulletins that were prepared by the Southwestern Wisconsin District leading up to the celebration of
the 500th anniversary of the Lutheran Reformation service in 2017. This year, we celebrate the 524th anniversary
of the start of this Reformation, October 31, 1517.
The Significance of October 31, 1517
For more than a year Martin Luther had privately questioned the value of indulgences. Indulgences
were certificates that freed people from performing acts of penance the church required to show sorrow for
certain sins. Indulgences were never intended to let people “buy forgiveness.” They were supposed to
express people’s inner desire to turn from sin. However, many medieval priests and popes distorted the
original intent of indulgences. Now Luther found out some people were
To read our entire October 2021 Newsletter: Click here
An excerpt from Pastor Parsons' article Justified by Faith
Justified by Faith
28 For we maintain that a person is justified by faith apart from the works of the law. (Romans 3:28)
At the end of this month, we’re going to celebrate a great and blessed milestone for the Christian Church. Five hundred and four years ago, Martin Luther nailed his 95 Theses to the door of Castle Church in Wittenberg, which we celebrate as the official start of the Lutheran Reformation. His theses focused on correcting a major issue within the church. The church was teaching that you could literally buy your way into heaven by purchasing indulgences.
Even before that time, the thought of earning your way into heaven has been an issue for the Church nearly from the beginning. If we just do what
To read our entire September 2021 Newsletter: Click here
An excerpt from Pastor Parsons' article From the Ethiopian to Philip
From the Ethiopian to Philip
26 Now an angel of the Lord said to Philip, “Go south to the road—the desert road—that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza.” 27 So he started out, and on his way he met an Ethiopian t eunuch, an important official in charge of all the treasury of the Kandake (which means “queen of the Ethiopians”). This man had gone to Jerusalem to worship, 28 and on his way home was sitting in his chariot reading the Book of Isaiah the prophet. 29 The Spirit told Philip, “Go to that chariot and stay near it.”
30 Then Philip ran up to the chariot and heard the man reading Isaiah the prophet. “Do you understand what you are reading?” Philip asked. 31 “How can I,” he said, “unless someone explains it to me?” So he invited Philip to come up and sit with him. 35 Then Philip began with that very passage of Scripture and told him the good news about Jesus.
36 As they traveled along the road, they came to some water and the eunuch said, “Look, here is water. What can stand in the way of my being baptized?” 38 And he gave orders to stop the chariot. Then both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water and Philip baptized him. 39 When they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord suddenly took Philip away, and the eunuch did not see him again, but went on his way rejoicing. (Acts 8:26-31, 35-39)
When I was young, my family didn’t worship regularly. But there were a few times when we went to church for a few months, even a year, before pulling away again. When we worshiped, we had the chance to hear God’s Word, and it was then that God began a hunger and thirst in me for his Word.
Fast-forward a few years to my college years: I was a Junior in college and was reading through my Bible on my own. Like many others, I tried to just read straight through it like any other book. It was confusing. It was difficult. And it often didn’t make sense.
After a few months, I walked into the church that was half a block from my apartment . . . and I met my Philip. God had just called a new
To read our entire August 2021 Newsletter: Click here
An excerpt of Pastor Parsons' article Remember Your Leaders:
Remember Your Leaders
7 Remember your leaders, who spoke the word of God to you. Consider the outcome of their way of life and imitate their faith. 8 Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever. 17 Have confidence in your leaders and submit to their authority, because they keep watch over you as those who must give an account. Do this so that their work will be a joy, not a burden, for that would be of no benefit to you. 18 Pray for us. We are sure that we have a clear conscience and desire to live honorably in every way. (Hebrews 13:7-8, 17-18)
This portion of Scripture recently served as one of our readings in a service. It was a service focused on having good, Godly leaders over God’s flock. There was a strong emphasis that the shepherds God uses to tend his flock live and teach according to his will. This, coupled with sharing the true message of Scripture, is an amazing blessing, but can also be taxing on us pastors and other leaders in the church.
Of course, we must speak the Law as needed, but praise God, we also must speak the Gospel! And not only that, we must live according to it, too! As leaders, we are
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Covid-19 Announcement
It is with great joy that we prepare to gather together for worship. We will return to service on May…