“So the tribune came and said to [the Apostle Paul], ‘Tell me, are you a Roman citizen?’ And he said, ‘Yes.’ The tribune answered, ‘I bought this citizenship for a large sum.’ Paul said, ‘But I am a citizen by birth’” (Acts 22:27-28). I recently accompanied one of our Iranian Lutherans, “Ali,” to his immigration … Continue reading Why Do Christians Say He Is God?
The old church year has concluded and so, in the past few weeks, our lectionary readings have dealt with the End Times. The Lord could return thousands of years from now—or perhaps even tomorrow. This reminds me of one of our Iranian converts who has converted to Christianity, as I report this month, while his … Continue reading Dear friends and supporters of our ministry to Germany and across Eurasia!
“For the unbelieving husband is made holy because of his wife, and the unbelieving wife is made holy because of her husband” (1 Corinthians 7:14). Years ago, I met a Christian man whose wife did not believe in Jesus. He thought that she would be saved merely by clinging to him, and not by believing … Continue reading An Unbelieving Spouse
“If we say we have fellowship with [the Father] while we walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. But if we walk in the light, as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin” (1 John … Continue reading Symbols of Dark Forces
“For our sake [the Father] made [Jesus] to be sin who knew no sin, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God” (2 Corinthians 5:21). Last Sunday we baptized another six Persian adults at Zion Lutheran Church (SELK) in Hamburg. We started our next 12-week Baptism class an hour later, immediately after … Continue reading Christianity is Much Bigger
“For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. Therefore, take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day…” (Ephesians 6:12-13). … Continue reading Something Strange
“For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ” (1 Cor 12:12). The big news this past month was a strategic gathering in Berlin to kick of the start of The Persian Project, about which I … Continue reading Dear friends and supporters of our ministry to Germany and across Eurasia!
“Let My people go“ (Exodus 8:1). A few days ago, Rev. Dr. Gottfried Martens of Trinity Lutheran Church (SELK) in Berlin-Steglitz and some thirty members of their Persian young adult group traveled to Hamburg on their annual field trip. This busload was only a fraction of that church’s young adult group that is about one … Continue reading Let My People Go!
“Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, to all the exiles whom I have sent into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon: Build houses and live in them; plant gardens and eat their produce” (Jeremiah 29:4-5). Yesterday I was back in the mental health facility to visit my Iranian Lutheran parishioner, Mohammad. He … Continue reading Living in Exile
“And God has appointed in the church first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healing, helping, administrating, and various kinds of tongues” (1 Corinthians 12:28). In the Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod we are not only blessed with hundreds of thousands of laywomen who do so much to keep our churches going, but … Continue reading Workers in His Kingdom
The Tiews in Germany 