“Solid [spiritual] food is for the mature, for…discernment…” (Hebrews 5:14). “Mohammad” is one of our best catechized Persian Lutherans. “I met some very interesting people the other day,” he recently told me. “Two young Americans, maybe 18 or 19 years old. But I have some questions…” “Tell me about them,” I offered. “I was riding … Continue reading Isn’t Salvation a Free Gift?
“And they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in a manger. And when they saw it, they made known the saying that had been told them concerning this child. And all who heard it wondered at what the shepherds told them” (Luke 2:16-18). It’s hard to believe that another year is ending. … Continue reading Dear Friends,
“In my Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you?” (John 14:2). A few years ago, here in Hamburg, Germany, I regularly taught baptismal preparation classes for Persian immigrants at a nearby Lutheran (SELK) church. The fellowship hall where … Continue reading Going Home
“Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God” (Colossians 3:16). Last week I attended a German service at one of our Hamburg SELK churches—as a parishioner. As I walked into the narthex, … Continue reading I Need Four Things
“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
The Tiews in Germany 