Category: Feature Stories

April 11, 2025

God’s Plans (Not Ours)

by Joel D. Heck One of the key figures from secular history, whose role in the crucifixion of Jesus is recorded in the Gospels, the only Gentile whose name appears in two of the three ecumenical creeds, is Pontius Pilate. The Gospels present Pilate as…

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March 3, 2025

Still Confessing Jesus: Reflecting on our Faith 1700 years after the First Council of Nicaea

  by Richard A. Beinert This year, we celebrate a milestone within Christian history: the 1700th anniversary of the First Council of Nicaea. I’m going to guess that many of you reading this will respond with a puzzled look and the question: “The First Council…

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February 24, 2025

Sharing His Story: Yesterday’s Blessings for Today and Tomorrow

by Mathew Block Many years ago, I was reading the story of the martyrdom of Polycarp, an early Christian bishop who was arrested in his old age. Asked to recant his faith in Christ under threat of death, Polycarp replied: “Eighty-six years have I served…

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February 12, 2025

“We Need Hymns” Singing About Jesus in Francophone Africa 

by Phillip Magness  Hymns and Hymnals Lutheranism has been associated with congregational song since the earliest days of the Reformation. Even before the Augsburg Confession, Martin Luther recognized the pedagogical usefulness of music and the need for the saints to sing the faith.1 Lutherans developed a rich and robust…

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February 6, 2025

Veritas and Caritas United: A Confessional Lutheran Approach to Missions

by M.L. Smith The mission of the Church is fundamentally rooted in the proclamation of God’s Word and the extension of His love to a world in need. As confessional Lutherans, we understand the relationship between Veritas (truth) and Caritas (love/charity) as inseparable and complementary…

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January 13, 2025

Be of good cheer

by Steven Schave When you think of the ministry that Lutheran Association of Missionaries and Pilots (LAMP) does, you probably first envision the smiling faces of children at Vacation Bible School. You might think of snacks, crafts, giggling, and fun as well as teams traveling…

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