The Collect for the upcoming Sunday is a beauty: O Lord, keep your family the church continually in the true faith that, relying on the hope of your heavenly grace, we may ever be defended by your mighty power " Take each element of it into consideration and meditate on it for a few moments. It is medicine for the soul! We ask God to "keep" us - for we cannot keep oursel...

I have often written, discussed and spoken on this topic in the last 8 years. This brief essay is written to further clarify what I consider to be the case, and why I consider it important. Your comments are welcome....

How do sheep stray? One blade at a time. This is what happens in church practice and theology until shepherd becomes sheep, and sheep shepherd. After some 50 years of lay readers not only do people not look with misgiving at the practice, but they look askance at those who do. Talk about reversal. Nonetheless let us endeavor to keep the torch of rite/right practice bur...

The kings of the earth have destroyed the earth! They have ravished the poor and led the rich to destruction! Now therefore, O kings, be wise; be warned, O rulers of the earth. Serve Christ the Lord with fear, and rejoice with trembling. Kiss the Son, lest he be angry, and you perish in the way, for his wrath is quickly kindled. Blessed are all who take refuge in him." (...

Christians have no duty to evangelize the unbelievers they encounter each day. Nor is outreach the chief agenda of the Christian congregation. Some 50 years ago a book entitled "Evangelism Explosion" took Protestant churches by storm. It's purpose was to teach and equip every Christian to do "personal evangelism". Following in its wake was a bevy of evangelism programs, w...

Here are words of supreme comfort for all sinners, especially Christian sinners, preached to us from the pen of St. Martin of Wittenberg. Read them and rejoice. (From Luther's Large Catechism on Apostle's Creed 3rd Article)...

"Preserve me Oh God, for in you I take refuge." (Psalm 16:1)...

The Interpretive Key To The Book Of JamesDecember 10, 2019by: Rev. Dean Kavouras As Jesus was made known to the Emmaus disciples in the Second Holy Communion (Luke 24:35), and as only the Lion of Judah and Root of David could open the Scriptures (Rev. 5:5) even so the Book of James can only be understood when interpreted through a eucharistic lens. Firstly, don't spend ...

Based on Psalm 119:97-104 which is the Psalm for the Second Sunday after Christmas (series A)....

Famously, during Roman persecuation (ca. 63 to 313 AD) Christians worshiped in catacombs. These were subterranian burial grounds with passageways off of which were the various vaults containing the sacred remains of the martyrs. While it was mostly funeral masses that were offered there catacomb worship has come to mean any Christian worship which must take place ins secr...