The Passionate Life Devotional is an excellent short devotional book that stirs the reader to a closer spiritual walk with Christ. These inspirational reflections all centre around a basic theme - Jesus invites us to "Come" and experience life with Him. He invites the faithful, the sinner, the weary, the rich and His invitations require a response from us. This devotional challenges the reader to repond by drawing closer to the Lord. The short devotionals are fresh, thought provoking and encouraging.
Saturday, March 28, 2009
Contemporary Music Resources
The Good Shepherd Lutheran Church Westborough has developed an excellent set of resources for those congregations using contemporary music in their worship.
They include:
Song List
Song list by Sunday
Song list by placement
To obtain these resources visit http://www.goodshepherdcares.org/NewDirection.html#songs
They include:
Song List
Song list by Sunday
Song list by placement
To obtain these resources visit http://www.goodshepherdcares.org/NewDirection.html#songs
Thursday, March 26, 2009
Lutheran Leadership 9: Being a Godly leader....take Godly rest
Probably one of the hardest things for leaders to do is to take rest as God instructs. Many good leaders are so engrossed and passionate about who they are leading and what they are doing that they can easily find excuses and reasons why taking rest is not possible.
And yet as we flip open the pages of scripture we see rest for a leader is a Godly thing to do...
The biggest leader of all God himself worked for six days then rested, read Genesis 2:2-3 and spend a few moments of thinking How the God who created everything, who has everything in His control takes rest....and ask why?
God also commands us to takes rest...
Read Exodus 20:8-11, Deuteronomy 5:12-14 and Leviticus 23:3
What are these verses saying to you?
What is involved in having a day of rest?
Who else is involved in rest?
What is God asking you to do when you rest?
(Read also and see what happened when Pharoah wouldn't allow His slaves to rest, Exodus 5:1-19)
Read and reflect on Matthew 11:25-30 and see what Jesus says about rest
How does Jesus offer you rest?
Read and reflect on Hebrews 4:1-13 on the importance of rest
Reflect and share on why is resting in God important for you as a leader.
What does God do in our rest?
How does resting in God influence how you relate to those you are leading and your family?
What are the challenges for you to rest?
What do you need to pray to God about in relation to rest?
Read the story of Chick-fil-A who never open on a Sunday and why at http://www.thecross-photo.com/Chick-fil-A_Restaurants-Closed_On_Sunday.htm
And yet as we flip open the pages of scripture we see rest for a leader is a Godly thing to do...
The biggest leader of all God himself worked for six days then rested, read Genesis 2:2-3 and spend a few moments of thinking How the God who created everything, who has everything in His control takes rest....and ask why?
God also commands us to takes rest...
Read Exodus 20:8-11, Deuteronomy 5:12-14 and Leviticus 23:3
What are these verses saying to you?
What is involved in having a day of rest?
Who else is involved in rest?
What is God asking you to do when you rest?
(Read also and see what happened when Pharoah wouldn't allow His slaves to rest, Exodus 5:1-19)
Read and reflect on Matthew 11:25-30 and see what Jesus says about rest
How does Jesus offer you rest?
Read and reflect on Hebrews 4:1-13 on the importance of rest
Reflect and share on why is resting in God important for you as a leader.
What does God do in our rest?
How does resting in God influence how you relate to those you are leading and your family?
What are the challenges for you to rest?
What do you need to pray to God about in relation to rest?
Read the story of Chick-fil-A who never open on a Sunday and why at http://www.thecross-photo.com/Chick-fil-A_Restaurants-Closed_On_Sunday.htm
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
More Contemporary Lutheran Music
Lutheran Songs Today is a great collection of songs for congregations with reaching people with contemporary music.
All the muso's are Lutheran and Lutheran Songs Today says it has attempted to collect the very best alternative & contemporary worship songs by Lutheran singer-songwriters and bands. There are music books and cds available. They also offer a lectionary based worship leader planning for each song, appropriate to scripture and theme references for the church year.
Some of the artists and groups include Lost And Found, Peder Eide, Dakota Road, Echelon, Jonathan Rundman, Cathy Pino, Richard Bruxvoort Colligan.
For more information, to listen to some of the songs and purchase either a cd and/or book visit http://www.lutheransongstoday.com
All the muso's are Lutheran and Lutheran Songs Today says it has attempted to collect the very best alternative & contemporary worship songs by Lutheran singer-songwriters and bands. There are music books and cds available. They also offer a lectionary based worship leader planning for each song, appropriate to scripture and theme references for the church year.
Some of the artists and groups include Lost And Found, Peder Eide, Dakota Road, Echelon, Jonathan Rundman, Cathy Pino, Richard Bruxvoort Colligan.
For more information, to listen to some of the songs and purchase either a cd and/or book visit http://www.lutheransongstoday.com
Thursday, March 19, 2009
Theology in the life of Lutheran Churches....LWF Seminars
Lutheran World Federation Department of Theology and Studies is hosting a gathering of seminars on "Theology in the life of Lutheran Churches".
Some of the topics are incredibly mission focussed and well worth digging deep into.
List below are the sessions and some of the papers that are available.
Seminar I: Interpreting the Bible in a global Lutherancommunion
David A. Brondos:
“Recovering sola scriptura as a liberating principle: Reflections from the global South”
Bulti Fayissa:
“His preference of the periphery: The faith of the foreigners in the Gospel of Matthew”
Kennedy Gora:
“The impact of the land situation in Zimbabwe on women: A rereading of 1 Kings 21:1-29”
James A. Kelhoffer:
“New Testament constructions of power and legitimacy based on persecution: Exegesis and the global Lutheran communion in dialogue”
Girma Mohammed:
“Whose meaning?: A critical look at wax and gold tradition as a unique ethiopian hermeneutics”
Elieshi Mungure:
“Signs of hope: African woman’s perspective in the current rereading and reinterpreting the Bible in the Lutheran communion”
Duane A. Priebe:
“Mutual fecundation: The creative interplay of texts and new contexts”
Batara Saut Marali Sihombing:
“God and Mammon (Matthew 6:19-34) from a narrative approach”
Seminar II: Creation, redemption and eschatology
Kristin Graff-Kallevåg:
“United with Christ in baptism”
Allen G. Jorgenson:
“On the art of properly distinguishing law from law”
Malte Dominik Krüger:
“On Luther and pictures: Zur Theologie des Bildes bei Luther”
Rosane Pletsch:
“Theology and ecology in dialogue”
Cornelia Richter:
"Trust–Claim for Reliability"
Edward H. Schroeder:
“Lutheranism's crying need: A mission theology for the 21st century Luther's own mission theology--Contemporary Lutheranism's best-kept secret”
Mary J. Streufert:
“Thinking about Chalcedon from a feminist perspective: Transgressing boundaries within the boundaries of no division”
Samuel Yonas Deressa:
“Entering into the now discussion of African theology of the late 1960s and 1970s through Gudina Tumsa’s approach”
Seminar III: Worship and other Christian practices
Dorothee Arnold:
“Spiritual care and palliative care: Chances and challenges for pastoral care”
Peter Balslev-Clausen:
“Hymns and hymn singing as an indicator of the situation of the church”
Samuel Frouisou:
“The church's impact on African women's marital and social conditions: The practice of marriage”
Dorothea Haspelmath-Finatti:
“‘Theologia prima’ liturgical theology as an ecumenical challenge to Lutheran worship practice”
Daniel Inyang:
“Worship and other practices of Lutheran congregations”
Alex Mkumbo:
“Church practice and church discipline in the worship service”
Kenneth Mtata:
“Absence of children at the Eucharist in the Lutheran churches in Africa”
Colette Ranarivony:
“Worship and other practices of Lutheran congregations: Pentecostal context”
Thomas Schattauer:
“God's mission in the practice of assembly”
Basil Schild:
“'It’s so Boring Waiting for Jesus.' Blessing and non-blessing in Central Australia”
Helen Grace Sironomy:
“‘I fear no evil for you are with me’ - Presence of God as a source of strength to palliative care patients”
Teresa Swan Tuite:
“Luther's tactual itinerary of grace”
Gertrud Tönsing:
“Singing the Lutheran song”
Jens Wolff:
“Worshipping-experience as the heart of Lutheran theology: An intercultural approach”
Seminar IV: The public vocation of churches in society
Norma Cook Everist:
“The church’s vocation in society through the ministry of the laity in the languages of their daily lives”
Eva Harasta:
“Pluriform unity in Christ. Responding to the challenges of multireligiosity from the perspective of Lutheran ecclesiology”
Paul John Isaak:
“The church prophetic witness: Social, economic, and political engagement by churches”
Joas Bainomugisha Kahesi:
“Concept of relationship theology”
Robert Kelly:
"Public theology and the modern social imaginary"
L. DeAne Lagerquist:
“‘Lest we become beasts who devour each other’: A Lutheran calling to higher education in multi-religious settings”
Alan Ka Lun Lai:
“Empire resisting pedagogies: Practicing theological education in the presence of empire”
John Rollefson:
“Invoking in public”
Ernest Simmons:
“Education for vocation in public life”
Antoinette Yindjara Beanzoui:
"The function of catechesis in the church"
Some of the topics are incredibly mission focussed and well worth digging deep into.
List below are the sessions and some of the papers that are available.
Seminar I: Interpreting the Bible in a global Lutherancommunion
David A. Brondos:
“Recovering sola scriptura as a liberating principle: Reflections from the global South”
Bulti Fayissa:
“His preference of the periphery: The faith of the foreigners in the Gospel of Matthew”
Kennedy Gora:
“The impact of the land situation in Zimbabwe on women: A rereading of 1 Kings 21:1-29”
James A. Kelhoffer:
“New Testament constructions of power and legitimacy based on persecution: Exegesis and the global Lutheran communion in dialogue”
Girma Mohammed:
“Whose meaning?: A critical look at wax and gold tradition as a unique ethiopian hermeneutics”
Elieshi Mungure:
“Signs of hope: African woman’s perspective in the current rereading and reinterpreting the Bible in the Lutheran communion”
Duane A. Priebe:
“Mutual fecundation: The creative interplay of texts and new contexts”
Batara Saut Marali Sihombing:
“God and Mammon (Matthew 6:19-34) from a narrative approach”
Seminar II: Creation, redemption and eschatology
Kristin Graff-Kallevåg:
“United with Christ in baptism”
Allen G. Jorgenson:
“On the art of properly distinguishing law from law”
Malte Dominik Krüger:
“On Luther and pictures: Zur Theologie des Bildes bei Luther”
Rosane Pletsch:
“Theology and ecology in dialogue”
Cornelia Richter:
"Trust–Claim for Reliability"
Edward H. Schroeder:
“Lutheranism's crying need: A mission theology for the 21st century Luther's own mission theology--Contemporary Lutheranism's best-kept secret”
Mary J. Streufert:
“Thinking about Chalcedon from a feminist perspective: Transgressing boundaries within the boundaries of no division”
Samuel Yonas Deressa:
“Entering into the now discussion of African theology of the late 1960s and 1970s through Gudina Tumsa’s approach”
Seminar III: Worship and other Christian practices
Dorothee Arnold:
“Spiritual care and palliative care: Chances and challenges for pastoral care”
Peter Balslev-Clausen:
“Hymns and hymn singing as an indicator of the situation of the church”
Samuel Frouisou:
“The church's impact on African women's marital and social conditions: The practice of marriage”
Dorothea Haspelmath-Finatti:
“‘Theologia prima’ liturgical theology as an ecumenical challenge to Lutheran worship practice”
Daniel Inyang:
“Worship and other practices of Lutheran congregations”
Alex Mkumbo:
“Church practice and church discipline in the worship service”
Kenneth Mtata:
“Absence of children at the Eucharist in the Lutheran churches in Africa”
Colette Ranarivony:
“Worship and other practices of Lutheran congregations: Pentecostal context”
Thomas Schattauer:
“God's mission in the practice of assembly”
Basil Schild:
“'It’s so Boring Waiting for Jesus.' Blessing and non-blessing in Central Australia”
Helen Grace Sironomy:
“‘I fear no evil for you are with me’ - Presence of God as a source of strength to palliative care patients”
Teresa Swan Tuite:
“Luther's tactual itinerary of grace”
Gertrud Tönsing:
“Singing the Lutheran song”
Jens Wolff:
“Worshipping-experience as the heart of Lutheran theology: An intercultural approach”
Seminar IV: The public vocation of churches in society
Norma Cook Everist:
“The church’s vocation in society through the ministry of the laity in the languages of their daily lives”
Eva Harasta:
“Pluriform unity in Christ. Responding to the challenges of multireligiosity from the perspective of Lutheran ecclesiology”
Paul John Isaak:
“The church prophetic witness: Social, economic, and political engagement by churches”
Joas Bainomugisha Kahesi:
“Concept of relationship theology”
Robert Kelly:
"Public theology and the modern social imaginary"
L. DeAne Lagerquist:
“‘Lest we become beasts who devour each other’: A Lutheran calling to higher education in multi-religious settings”
Alan Ka Lun Lai:
“Empire resisting pedagogies: Practicing theological education in the presence of empire”
John Rollefson:
“Invoking in public”
Ernest Simmons:
“Education for vocation in public life”
Antoinette Yindjara Beanzoui:
"The function of catechesis in the church"
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