Bible Study: Intrusive God-Disruptive Gospel

This engaging bible study guides readers through one of the most colorful books of the Bible, illuminating passages from Acts that show the Christian gospel expressing itself through the lives, speech, struggles, and adventures of Jesus's followers. 
The bible study emphasizes the disruptive character of the Christian gospel and shows how Acts repeatedly describes God as upsetting the status quo by changing people's lives, society's conventions, and our basic expectations of what's possible. 
Suited for individual and group study, this bible study by a New Testament scholar with a gift for popular communication asks serious questions and eschews pat answers, bringing Acts alive for contemporary reflection on the character of God, the challenges of faith, and the church.

Web Page: Association of Lutheran Musicians

Association of Lutheran Musicians exists to nurture and equip musicians to serve and lead the church's song. 
Music is a vital expression of Lutheran worship. The church's song takes many forms and is expressed in many ways. By sharing the knowledge, experience and passion that honor our heritage and inspire our future, ALCM nurtures and equips those who lead music in worship. ALCM offers practical education programs and diverse resources through conferences, publications and fellowship to serve musicians of all types - from paid professionals to volunteers. By connecting servant leaders to one another and by cultivating their musical gifts, ALCM supports worshipping communities in the proclamation of the Gospel.
The web site offers:

• a journal
• newsletter
• worship statement
• education
• a marketplace
• information for awards and competitions
• information on hymn festivals
• job listings
• plus a lot more Lutheran music related material

Visit their web site at http://www.alcm.org/

Updated Luther's Small Catechism with explanation - field test

The Small Catechism with explanation (1991 version) is being updated....and CPH would love your feedback...

To view a copy of the draft updated version visit here
To provide feedback visit here

Here is why they are updating the Small Catechism with explanation

The 2013 convention of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod directed the Commission on Theology and Church Relations (CTCR), in concurrence with the Office of the President, to update the 1991 edition of Luther’s Small Catechism with Explanation (Res. 3-13A), noting especially the “many changes in the understanding of morals, civil law and natural law in church and society.”

All kinds of mind-boggling, society-altering changes have occurred in the 25 years since the last version of the “Explanation” was published. We have entered an age of computers, smartphones and virtual reality. In today’s world, bullying involves text messages as often as physical confrontations; Islam is in the news on a daily basis; and the word “marriage” has taken on a radically new, unscriptural meaning.

Along the way, Christianity has not only lost its privileged position, but its teachings are often scorned, and Christians themselves are sometimes treated with hostility. Those who are catechized today are faced with an old question that holds a new sobriety: “Do you intend to continue steadfast in this confession and Church and to suffer all, even death, rather than fall away from it?” (LSB Rite of Confirmation).

A first draft of the revised “Explanation” is now complete and ready for field-testing. The drafting committee and the CTCR have sought to prepare a fresh and faithful version of the “Explanation” that is:

• Rich in Scripture and in confessional Lutheran theology.
• Rich in contemporary application, seeking to address questions and topics that have emerged in recent years.
• Rich in apologetics, providing reason-focused and natural law-based arguments for the church’s moral and social teachings.
• Rich in practicality, adaptable for use in a variety of settings in addition to youth confirmation instruction (e.g., Bible classes, adult instruction, individual and family study and devotional use, sermon preparation, mission and evangelism settings).
• This field-test version of the “Explanation” is set to be published and mailed to all LCMS congregations and rostered church workers by late July, soon after the 2016 Synod convention.

The catechism is about teaching the faith. Luther saw the absolute need for that in his day. Five hundred years later, our need is no less than his. Please give this proposed revision a careful look. Share your reactions and suggestions with us at surveygizmo.com/s3/2855978/2017-Catechism-Explanation-Revision.

You have until Oct. 31, 2016 (Reformation Day), to share your thoughts.

In Christ, the center of the faith we teach, believe and confess,
Rev. Dr. Joel D. Lehenbauer
Executive Director, CTCR and Chairman, Catechism Drafting Committee

for more information visit here

Statement on the bible - LCC, NALC and LCMS

The Lutheran Church Canada, North American Lutheran Church and Lutheran Churche Missouri Synod have released a statement on scripture: God's word shall forever abide: a guiding statement on the character and proper use of scripture.
To view the statement visit https://www.lcms.org/Document.fdoc?src=lcm&id=4257

Bible Comics

Kingstone comics offers the most complete comic adapation of the bible

There are a number of ways to buy these comics including individual books of the bible, hard copy series and digital....

visit the Kingstone comics web site for an overview of all their comics and books http://www.kingstonecomics.com/

A selection of some of the Bible comics available

Story: The little church that grew

A massive influx of devout Lutheran refugees from Africa to a church in country Victoria, Australia has increased the congregation from 20 to 200 causing chaos, but also bringing much fun, friendship and love.
To watch this story visit http://iview.abc.net.au/programs/compass/RN1511H022S00#playing

Book: Ordinary Saints

Theologian and ethicist Robert Benne addresses the Christian life in its religious and moral dimensions by writing about the vocation of the Christian in daily life.  With clarity and authority, he discusses Christian identity, the call of God, moral development, and marriage and family life, among other topics. This fully revised edition includes a study guide for use in classrooms and church study groups.

Contents

1. Our fragmented world
2. The Call of God - the divine initiative
3. The Call of God - Christian nurture-filling the cup of being
4. The calling of a Christian - spilling the cup:  Places of Responsibility
5. The calling of a Christian - spilling the cup:  Moral Development
6. The calling of a Christian - spilling the cup:  The Christian's calling toward Theonomy
7. The callings of a Christian:  Marriage and family life
8. The callings of a Christian:  Work
9. The callings of a Christian:  Public Life
10. The callings of a Christian:  The Church

Small Catechism apps

The Small Catechism is available in a number of apps:

GOOGLE PLAY
Augsburg Fortress version
CPH version
Triglot Concordia version
Public domain version
Indonesian (Batak) version

APPLE ITUNES STORE
Augsburg Fortress version
CPH version

if you are aware of other versions please email richardschwedes@gmail.com

Book and lecture: The myth of religious violence

The idea that religion has a dangerous tendency to promote violence is part of the conventional wisdom of Western societies, and it underlies many of our institutions and policies, from limits on the public role of religion to efforts to promote liberal democracy in the Middle East. 
William T. Cavanaugh challenges this conventional wisdom by examining how the twin categories of religion and the secular are constructed. A growing body of scholarly work explores how the category 'religion' has been constructed in the modern West and in colonial contexts according to specific configurations of political power. Cavanaugh draws on this scholarship to examine how timeless and transcultural categories of 'religion and 'the secular' are used in arguments that religion causes violence. He argues three points: 
1) There is no transhistorical and transcultural essence of religion. What counts as religious or secular in any given context is a function of political configurations of power; 
2) Such a transhistorical and transcultural concept of religion as non-rational and prone to violence is one of the foundational legitimating myths of Western society; 
3) This myth can be and is used to legitimate neo-colonial violence against non-Western others, particularly the Muslim world.

Bible: Jesus centred bible

Encounter Jesus in a Fresh Way Throughout the Entire Bible
Blue lettering highlights more than 600 passages in the Old Testament pointing to Jesus—references and promises that show God’s love story for your life.
You’ll see where Jesus appears, cover-to-cover, in every book of the Bible. Distinctive blue lettering helps you quickly and easily discover what’s most important in the Bible: Jesus.

The Jesus Centred bible helps you build your understanding—and your faith in Jesus—with these unique features:

• Jesus in Every Book introductions to Old and New Testament books, written by prominent Christian leaders, show how each book in the Bible points straight to Jesus.
• "Get to Know Jesus" one-chapter-a-day Bible-reading plan helps you spend time with Jesus every day.
• Reframing Jesus Break-Outs give you “aha” insights into the people, places, and social forces that framed Jesus’ ministry.
• Jesus Questions draw you closer to Jesus as you ponder the purpose of his words and actions. And these provocative questions are great discussion starters for small groups, family devotions, outreach—anywhere you want to launch a compelling conversation about Jesus.
• Jesus’ spoken words and references to Jesus are highlighted with red letters in the New Testament.
• Names of Jesus are highlighted throughout the New Testament, giving insights into Jesus by examining how writers of the Bible referred to Jesus.

Download a sample here