“Pay careful attention to yourselves and to all the flock…” (Acts 20:28). One of the most caring pastors I know is my Finnish missionary colleague, Rev. Pasi Palmu (pictured), with whom I am privileged to do Persian ministry in Germany. We recently had a very difficult pastoral care situation in which Pasi exemplified the pastors … Continue reading Pay Careful Attention to Yourselves and to all the Flock
“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, even as *He chose us* in [Christ] before the foundation of the world” (Ephesians 1:3-4). I recently spoke with a man who wishes to become a Lutheran pastor. A very … Continue reading He Chose Us
“Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour” (1 Peter 5:8). Lula and I have just returned from the Corpus Christi conference—a delightful annual gathering for Lutheran worship, continuing ed, and fellowship for Lutherans in their 20s and 30s. This year it was held in … Continue reading Pacts with the Devil
Lula and I are currently returning to Hamburg from Prague, Czechia, where we had exciting work to do at the Corpus Christi conference—a gathering of about 250 young Lutherans in their 20s and 30s. Corpus Christi is a wonderful annual event for continuing education, Lutheran worship, and wholesome fellowship. I taught a three-day class on … Continue reading Dear Friends and Supporters of our Ministry to Germany and across Eurasia!
“Mary Magdalene went and announced to the disciples, ‘I have seen the Lord’” (John 20:18). A Christian man from a certain Muslim country recently asked me to contact his sister back home because she wanted to learn about Jesus. But connecting with a missionary abroad is highly illegal in that country. In fact, if caught, … Continue reading Risking Life to Hear about Jesus
“But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ” (Philippians 3:20). A few weeks ago, I asked some Lutheran friends in Israel and from Iran how they felt about the recent clashes between their respective countries. Shortly after that, our church leader friend in Tel Aviv, Sahar … Continue reading Israelis and Iranians Meet
“But you, O Lord, are a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness” (Psalm 86:15). Last week, Saman, one of our Iranian parishioners, contacted me—distraught because his dear grandmother Ashraf had passed away. “Could you hold a memorial service for her?” he asked. “Well, of course,” I replied. … Continue reading The Death of a Persian Relative
“According to His great mercy, He has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead” (1 Peter 1:3). I had asked some of our Lutheran congregants from Iran how they felt about the recent war between Iran and Israel. Another thoughtful reply: “We are … Continue reading Our Hope Does Not Lie in Human Governments
Our mission focus is: “Spread the Gospel. Plant Lutheran churches. Show mercy.” Here in Germany, the Gospel changes the lives of many Iranian and Afghan refugees. They arrive at the doors of our partner churches and ask to learn more about the saving faith in Christ. So we respond by teaching and baptizing as Jesus … Continue reading Dear Friends and Supporters of Our Ministry!
“The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it” (John 1:5). Here in Hamburg, Lula and I are physically removed from the current struggle between Israel and Iran. At the same time, every day we interact with people who are directly involved. This video, sent to me yesterday, is from our … Continue reading Praying for the People of Iran and Israel
The Tiews in Germany 