“O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?” (1 Corinthians 15:55, KJV). Last week here in north Germany, I was invited to lunch at the home of a local Lutheran (SELK) pastor and his wife. We exchanged stories of our ministries. Somehow, we arrived at the topic of funerals and how … Continue reading O death, where is thy sting?
[Content warning] “…without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins” (Hebrews 9:22). Back in Hamburg, I recently met with an Iranian parishioner who is preparing for her asylum court hearing. Our Iranian congregants—like all asylum seekers in Germany—have to defend their Christian faith before a judge. As always, there is tension in … Continue reading The Shedding of Blood
“God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8). Back in Hamburg after instructing at Riga Luther Academy’s Summer Intensive in Lutherstadt Wittenberg this past week. At our “youth hostel” (Colleg Wittenberg), we bumped into a group of students from Concordia Ann Arbor, whom one … Continue reading Love and Mercy
“And when they bring you before the…authorities, do not be anxious about how you should defend yourself or what you should say, for the Holy Spirit will teach you in that very hour what you ought to say” (Lk 12:11-12). I recently accompanied one of our Iranian parishioners to his asylum interview before the German … Continue reading Defending Your Christian Faith
“…and what you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses entrust to faithful men, who will be able to teach others also” (2 Timothy 2:2). It is not often that we experience history, but last week we were privileged to do just that, attending the dedication and opening Divine Service in the … Continue reading Meet the Confessional Lutheran Church of Italy
“For where two or three are gathered in My name, there am I among them” (Mt 18:20). Last week I coached another Iranian preparing for the dreaded asylum interview before the German court. Assisted by a fellow Iranian congregant, who is also a pastoral student at Riga Luther Academy, I spent two afternoons going over … Continue reading There Am I Among Them
The Tiews in Germany 