Book - Confessing Jesus Mission

Confessing Jesus Mission is available through Amazon here

Mission and confession are not competitive. They are complementary and collaborative. Two sides of the same coin. Balancing, catalyzing, proclaiming and sending. This is the way it’s always supposed to be. The Gospel must be preached. Eternities are at stake. We need more proclaimers. Pastors and marketplace leaders united in a common confession to let the world know, “Jesus is LORD!”

Somewhere along our way the LCMS started to pit these two words against each other.

Tribes such as “missional” and “confessional” began to form. “Confessional” pastors virtue signal through collars and chanting, smells and bells. “Missional” pastors virtue signal through casual dress and drums. Maybe tribalism is the way it’s always been in the LCMS. Maybe so, but that does not mean it is the way it should be. I certainly don’t have to like it. I know Jesus doesn’t.

“Mission” is why the church exists. God wants all of His rebellious kids back. God is radically, and even ridiculously, in love with us. Jesus is proof.

“Confession” is what we preach. Pastors preach. The royal priesthood also boldly proclaims. Christ crucified. Christ risen. Christ ascended and reigning. The Holy Spirit descending. For you. For me. For the world.

Priorities matter. Values matter. Unfortunately, the values in the LCMS have shifted. We’ve prioritized protecting the faith over advancing the mission of making Jesus known. When “what and how” gets in the way of “why” any organization exists, trouble and petty power plays will be the end result.

Book: And so to bed a biblical view of sleep

And so to be - a biblical view of sleep

Sleep is part of our created humanity, a good gift from God to be treasured and enjoyed; an earthly picture of a spiritual reality. In this reflection on sleep, Reynolds reflects on what the Bible has to say about sleep and rest, and how that can impact not only your night but your life. He includes his suggestions for turning off and enjoying rest.

Chapter 1: Night Night!

Examines how widespread sleeplessness and anxiety are, and how lack of sleep harms daily life, relationships, and mood.

Chapter 2: Good Night!

Explores the biblical view of sleep, showing that sleep is part of God's design and that lying down to sleep is an act of trust and dependence on a sovereign God.

Chapter 3: Sleep Tight!

Focuses on the unchanging, all-powerful God who never slumbers or sleeps, and invites believers to rest in His care.

Chapter 4: See you in the morning!

Looks at sleep as an earthly picture of a spiritual reality, connecting physical rest and waking to the Christian hope of resurrection and eternal life.

Chapter 5: Hope the bed bugs don't bite!

Offers practical, real-world suggestions and wisdom for turning off, winding down, and getting a good night's rest.

Chapter 6: Feeling sleepy now?

Concludes with reflections on sleep as a gracious, daily gift from God to be received with thankfulness.

Available from Amazon 

Lutheran Fellowship Gatherings - November 2026

 

Click on the weekly links below  to access the weekly resources

November week 1:  1 John 3:1-3 All Saints 

November week 2:  Matthew 25:1–13  Proper 27

November week 3:  Matthew 25:14-30 Proper 28

November week 4:  Matthew 25:31–46  Christ the King

November week 5:  Mark 13:24–37 Advent 1 

DONATE HERE

 

The Lutheran Fellowship Gathering weekly resource is for small groups or small worshipping communities to help them connect with God and each other focussing on the Gospel reading of the Revised Common Lectionary  

I have made this resource available is to support people who wish to gather around God’s Word, focus on Jesus and to grow as part of God’s church.  

You may want to use it to help you start a small group in your church community, or to gather people in a community where a Lutheran church currently is not present.  

This resource is offered free of charge to non-commercial situations, on the understanding that you will not charge for copies or its use.   

This resource has been developed by Pastor Richard Schwedes, richardschwedes@gmail.com 

If you have feedback, suggestions or improvements feel free to email me

Course - Becoming a Christlike leader

Becoming a Christlike Leader - Drawing Closer to Jesus -Growing in Character is a 4 week video curriculum from Lasaunne

Rooted in the Sermon on the Mount and shaped by global voices, the series creates space for honest conversations about the person behind the leadership role—and what it means to become more like Jesus as we lead.

This four-part video series is designed especially for those who mentor, coach, and develop others. The series combines biblical teaching, global voices, honest stories, reflection, prayer, and guided conversation.  In addition to the videos there is also Discussion Guides and Devotional Plans

Week 1 - Becoming a Christlike leader

Week 2 - What kind of leadership does Jesus bless?

Week 3 - How can leaders remain faithful under pressure?

Week 4 - How can leaders become more like Jesus

To access the series visit https://lausanne.org/becoming-a-christlike-leader

Book: Gathered Guests

Gathered guests - a guide to worship in the Lutheran Church 

God's gathered guests come together because God calls us by His Gospel. We are gathered in His name to receive His Word and Meal. We respond in praise and prayers and works of service. This gathering time provides us with the power for living and believing. The worship service ends, but our service continues throughout the week as we live out our faith in Christ in our daily lives.-from the Introduction

This second edition of Gathered Guests explores the elements that compose the broad category of Lutheran worship, including:

• The historic nature of and current structure of the Divine Service, prayer offices (including Matins and Vespers), and festival and occasional services used in the Lutheran Church.
• An overview of music, the arts, architecture, and their relationship to worship.
• The role of liturgy, rite, and ceremony in the Divine Service.

Special features include

• Glossary and topical and Scripture indexes.
• Targeted information for lectors and worship planners.
• Family and small-group devotional outlines.
• Addresses the service orders included in the Lutheran Service Book.

Available from Amazon