Pentecost

F Faith ellowshipChurch of the Lutheran Brethren • May/June 2012 • Vol. 79, No. 3

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PENTECOST

In This Issue

FAITH & FELLOWSHIP Volume 79 - Number 3

All scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. www.zondervan.com

The “NIV” and “New International Version” are trademarks registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by Biblica, Inc.™

FFDirector of Communications:Tim [email protected] | twitter: @ffmag

Editor: Brent [email protected]

Publisher/Graphic Designer: Troy [email protected]

Illustration/Photography:Megan Behrens: p.4David Christenson: p.12

4 Three Expressions of KoinoniaMatthew Paul Buccheri

6 Step Up and ServeDavid Jacobsen

8 What Do We Do with the Kids?Richard Iverson

10 Family MattersRoy Heggland

11 Hope for the JourneyCheryl Olsen

13 Abounding in Hope2012 Biennial Convention

12 Reaching the CityDan Christenson

14 What’s in a Name?Paul Szobody

20 re:ThinkBrent Juliot

2 Faith & Fellowship

18 Church & Synod News

Pray on!

“I like your hat.” Our tiny neighbor, face framed with ringlets, was walking to the park with her mother; I was mowing the lawn on a brisk April morning. “It’s my Norwegian ski hat.” She looked at me intently. “It looks like a Polar Bear hat.” Of course! The movie! “O thank you, Emily. I’m so glad you like it. Have fun at the park.” Sometime later the Holy Spirit prompted: Remember to pray for Emily. I am reminded how prayer connects me awesomely not only to my Father in heaven, but also to Takeji in Japan whose last e-mail had a P.S., “I’m thankful that you think of us.” And to El in Boston, our God-daughter who refused

to be defined by her spina bifida and excitedly told us recently that she’d been accepted at St. Olaf College. And to a little neighbor girl with a keen imagination. Thank you, Jesus, for inviting us to pray. People of the Living Word, pray on!

Shel Sorensen is the CLB Prayer Team Coordinator.

The CLB Prayer Team is on-call to pray for requests from our family of churches. E-mail the team at: [email protected]

Off the Top of My HeadSHEL SORENSEN

16 2012 GraduatesLutheran Brethren Seminary

GlimpseOperation Overlord

TROY TYSDAL

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In 1935 Adolph Hitler had illusions of conquering the world. Hitler was not the first to try. There had been many before him—the Romans, the Babylonians, the Mongolians, the Assyrians. But before them all, and possibly behind them all, there was Satan. When sin entered the world, Satan gained control of the human heart. Before sin, the heart of man was in harmony with God’s will. The Bible says, “God saw all that he had made, and it was very good” (Genesis 1:31). After Satan’s capture of the human heart, things were no longer very good. Satan stood before God, night and day, accusing humankind of betraying God, pointing out the wicked desires of our hearts, and demanding that God do something about it. As Jesus Christ carried his cross toward Calvary, Satan had illusions of sitting on God’s throne in heaven. As Jesus was nailed to the cross, Satan envisioned a universe dominated by evil, heaven under his thumb, and the world left in darkness. Satan, the prince of this world, thought he was in firm control, but that changed when Jesus Christ cried out, “It is finished” (John 19:30). The Bible tells us that Satan was defeated by the blood of the Lamb (Revelation 12:5-11). The Apostle John writes, “Therefore rejoice, you heavens and you who dwell in them! But woe to the earth and the sea, because the devil has gone down to you! He is filled with fury, because he knows that his time is short” (Revelation 12:12). The Apostle Peter echoes this thought, when he tells us that Satan prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour (1 Peter 5:8). After the crucifixion, Satan’s goal was no longer to rule the universe; his goal was now to hang onto all he had taken, to hang onto all he had stolen. By the summer of 1942 Hitler had given up his dream of global domination.

The goal was no longer expansion; he now desired only to hang onto all he had taken, to hang onto all he had stolen. On the morning of June 6, 1944, in a battle unrivaled in human history, Allied forces attacked the beaches of Normandy. An Allied aircraft pilot described the invasion as follows, “It was the most beautiful moonlit morning, then I looked down. You could’ve walked across the English Channel, not that you would have had to walk on water, you could have stepped from ship to ship.” The Allies knew they only had one shot at taking back Europe, so they hit the beaches with everything they had. Hitler believed his beach fortifications to be impenetrable, but Hitler was wrong. By June 30, 1944 the Allies had established a firm foothold on the beaches of France, and from that moment forward, Allied forces were moving toward Berlin, toward the lion’s den.

JOHN 7:-37-39“On the last and greatest day of the Feast, Jesus stood and said in a loud voice, ‘If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, streams of living water will flow from within him.’ By this he meant the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were later to receive. Up to that time the Spirit had not been given, since Jesus had not yet been glorified.”

Pentecost was the Christian D-day. It was an attack Satan never saw coming. When Jesus Christ was crucified, the war was won, but Satan still controlled the human heart. On the day of Pentecost,

all that changed. The Bible tells us that Christ’s disciples were crowded in a room, filled with fear, when all of a sudden they heard the sound of a violent wind blowing from heaven (Acts 2:1-3). They saw tongues of fire, and they were filled with the Holy Spirit, and with the power of God. Satan never, in his wildest dreams, expected this invasion, and moments later, the Apostle Peter stood before a crowd of over 3,000 people, proclaiming victory in Jesus Christ and promising the gift of the Holy Spirit to all who believe. When we look at our world, it is sometimes hard to see the victory we have in Christ. It looks like Satan and the wicked desires of the human heart are in firm control, but this is an illusion. It only appears this way because we are approaching the lion’s den, the final hour. And just as resistance increased as Allied forces neared Berlin, Satan is filled with fury because he knows his time is short. At Pentecost we were given the gift of the Holy Spirit, and that gift empowers us to bring the Gospel of Jesus Christ into our homes, our communities, and to the ends of the earth. With Jesus Christ as our Savior, and the Holy Spirit as our guide, we march forward toward the day we have been promised. A day when there will be no more death, or crying, or pain. A day when those who believe will dwell in the paradise of God for all eternity.

Troy Tysdal is Church Resource Coordinator for the Church of the Lutheran Brethren and serves as associate pastor at Stavanger Lutheran Church in Fergus Falls, MN.


ellowship. Communion. Sharing. In the Church we get excited about these words and what

they represent for us. However, do we experience the same excitement for what they might mean for people outside the Church, for people who don’t know Christ? I pray we can! “They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. Everyone was filled with awe at the many wonders and signs performed by the apostles. All the believers were together and had everything in common. They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need. Every day they

F continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved” (Acts 2:42-47). This is one of the key texts that describes the earliest moments of the Church. It’s actually the first occurrence in the New Testament (redemptive-historically speaking) of the Greek word koinonia. Koinonia is translated by the English words: fellowship, communion (or commonality), and/or sharing in. In colloquial terms it means something akin to “chillin’ out together,” “bustin’ some

grub,” and/or “divvying up” stuff. How can understanding koinonia help us in this season of Pentecost in a way that not only honors God, but also helps us “fellowship,” “commune” and “share” with those who don’t know Christ? In order to understand koinonia and what it means for us during this season, we must first understand Pentecost and how they dovetail together.

Pentecost: What It Is and Why It’s Important to Koinonia The Bible presents us with two unique pictures of Pentecost. The Old Testament gives us one snapshot of it. The first Passover was the occasion prior to the

Three Expressions of Koinonia for (Your Experience of) PentecostMATTHEW PAUL BUCCHERI


I recognize that inclusive and exclusive language is out of vogue in the Church. But the truth is, before Christians can help people outside the Church to experience the threefold understanding of koinonia as mentioned above (fellowship, communion, sharing in), we ourselves must first be fully affected by the Spirit in these areas. First, when we gather together in our churches on any given Sunday during Pentecost, we must come to understand that Christ is with us, by his Spirit. This is working out Emmanuel, God with us, to its logical conclusion. Furthermore, as ambassadors of Christ, wherever we go, the Spirit leads us and comes with us. So when we gather together with our non-believing friends, the Spirit is present in our midst. This gives us the ability to give our friends a glimpse into what God has done in the life of Jesus Christ. Remember, Acts 2 tells us that they came together in the temple courts because the courts were the place where Jew and Gentile mingled together. Moreover, the passage goes on to say that they enjoyed the favor (grace) of all the people (2:47), not merely believers. Our friends can get a glimpse of Christ and experience grace just by being in our presence. Second, if we come to the communion table ready to receive grace, knowing that Christ died for our sins, we are then prepared to set meals before our friends. Remember, not only does Acts 2 tell us that they “broke bread together,” but they “ate in their homes with glad and sincere hearts.” It is interesting to note that most

exodus from Egypt when God caused the angel of death to pass over the Israelite households where a lamb had been sacrificed to spare the life of the firstborn child. Fifty days later (Greek: pente = fifty), after they had escaped Pharaoh through the Red Sea, God gave the children of Israel the Law through Moses on Sinai (Exodus 34). The Law was to be their spiritual guide for all of life. And the word “guide” is a wonderful biblical metaphor for the Law in light of all the references in the Old Testament to “walking” in the Law (Deuteronomy 19:9; Psalm 119:1; Isaiah 26:8). Fast forward some fifteen hundred years or so, and we come to another representation of Pentecost in the Scriptures. The difference between the two is thoroughly profound, yet somewhat nuanced. The Pentecost described in Acts 2 is fifty days on the heels of not the first sacrifice as Exodus reports, but the last: the death of Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God. Furthermore, on this Pentecost, God gave another guide to lead his people through life: the Holy Spirit. When we understand this nuance it helps us make sense of St. Paul’s words in Galatians 5:25, since the Holy Spirit is now the guide for God’s people: “Since we walk by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.” So you see, any attempt at koinonia, devoid of the Spirit, is just that—empty!

So, how can we rightly experience koinonia during the season of Pentecost?Koinonia for “Us” and for “Them”

scholars recognize these as two uniquely different meals: the Lord’s Supper on the one hand and eating with friends on the other. Therefore, we must be well fed in order to feed others. Third, what do we have that is ultimately ours? Nothing! We are stewards of God’s stuff. And it’s with this understanding, and only this understanding, that we can give freely to “anyone who had need” (Acts 2:45). Notice that the writer of Acts didn’t limit the giving to Christians or believers. Talk about nuance! We cannot give to anyone else until we first recognize that eternal life, and all that we possess, are the gifts of free grace! If you want to experience a season of Pentecost similar to that of the apostles and early believers, begin by allowing the Spirit to deepen your understanding of koinonia in these three ways. And I pray, as Acts 2:47 makes clear, the Lord adds to your number daily those who are being saved!

Rev. Matthew Paul Buccheri is just coming to the end of a seven-year tenure at Redeemer Presbyterian Church in New York City where he served as an Assistant Pastor and Director of Community Groups. Matthew is a lifetime New Yorker with passions such as church planting, hermeneutics, small group ministry and church consulting. When Matthew is not working in the church, he can be found somewhere on the south shore of Long Island surf fishing for striped bass. Matthew, his wife YiYa and their daughter Hannah live on the Lower East Side of Manhattan.

“Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.” Acts 2:46-47


or some of us, Pentecost brings forth an image of Peter preaching in front of the multitudes and the

Holy Spirit coming down to meet us—and what an awesome picture that is! For me, it brings to mind a celebration and renewal of the Church’s mission for us today. For those of us “in the pews,” it should be a reminder that we are the hands and feet of the Church bringing the Gospel of Jesus Christ to those who need it. It begs the question, “What can I do as a layperson to step up and lead from the pew?” When I was asked to write about the Church’s mission from the “pew

F perspective,” my first thought was that there is no one less qualified to do this than me. But I recall Jesus often using the weak, foolish and unqualified, so in that vein I’m a great choice. Without imparting any great wisdom, I can tell what has worked for me (and what hasn’t). My second thought turned toward John 13:3-5, “Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under his power, and that he had come from God and was returning to God; so he got up from the meal… and began to wash his disciples’ feet.” I am struck by this: John connects Jesus’ knowledge of having all things under his

power with his next act—washing his disciples’ feet. As if this was something that made sense. He is all-powerful, so he washes their feet. Regardless of whether we can wrap our minds around that, it is an example of humility in servanthood that cannot be ignored. So I would like to reword our initial question. Instead of “how to step up and lead from the pew,” it should be “how to step up and serve from the pew.” I can tell you that my turning point was a men’s discipleship class in Mount Bethel Lutheran Brethren Church led by Pastor Chris Priestaf. In that setting I learned something I should have already

Step Up and ServeDAVID JACOBSEN


Scripture reflection, and perseverance in suffering. These topics are very well developed in the book. I will say that it was just what I needed when I needed it. Now it’s time for the disclaimer, one that you may well have expected: God will not love you more or less based on anything you do. You could practice all these disciplines perfectly and he would not love you more than he does me, someone who does them quite imperfectly. We are all saved by grace through faith in Christ.

• If you are going to do something new, you will do it badly, at least at first. Then you either get better at it or try something else. That statement by Stuart Briscoe allowed me to step out of my comfort zone and try my hand at teaching. It wasn’t bad, it was terrible! On the positive side, all my “students” who attended week after week definitely practiced the spiritual discipline of perseverance through suffering! I’m told I eventually got better, and now teaching is an absolute joy to me. That brings me to the next step. If you find yourself in a position of leadership (or servantship), take a chance on someone. Someone took a chance on me, and I’ve been forever changed by it.

• If you have never taken a spiritual gift analysis, I would encourage you to do so. I found a generic one here (http://www2.elca.org/evangelizingchurch/

known; being involved in church and living for Christ is more than punching the time clock on Sunday. It encompasses your entire life; it’s the lens through which you see the world. Now all of that sounds great, but I am a pragmatist and I make lists for fun (really I do), so what are the “meat and potatoes” of living a life for Christ?

• Set aside time to pray—everyday, even if it’s only a few minutes. Take heart, in my experience my prayer life ebbs and flows. Some days it feels like I’m in the very presence of God, other days it feels like my prayers don’t get past the ceiling. Persistence.

• Join a small group, be committed to them; be open, honest and confidential. If you give of yourself and let down your walls, you’ll find that others will too.

• Get familiar with the spiritual disciplines and practice them. I’ll admit, when I first came to church, “spiritual discipline” could have been a biker gang for all I knew. What they did for me was give me a routine, a direction, and a mindset that I am ready to grow. I will mention them briefly, but a book I’d recommend you read is John Ortberg’s The Life You’ve Always Wanted. Just to give you a taste, some of the disciplines are: Practicing joy and gratitude, slowing down, prayer, servanthood, humility,

assessments/spiritgifts.html) so you can get the flavor of it, or you can ask your pastor for one. Once you can identify where God has gifted you (and you don’t necessarily need an analysis to tell you), share this with your pastor or small group leader and ask them to make use of your God-given talents. Be warned, they will take you up on it!

In all, I love the CLB’s mission because this one thing is at the center of everything we do: God’s Word. To join the mission: have the servant’s heart, be open to the opportunities God will uncover, and walk through the doors he will open. Imagine a church of 100 people who stopped asking, “How can the church meet my needs?” and started asking, “What needs has God empowered me to meet?” The great thing is, with that kind of attitude, “my needs” would get met, and so would everyone else’s. A church with that kind of resolve, that kind of servant’s heart and willingness to go—what would it look like? I can’t say for sure, but I do know it wouldn’t stay at just 100 members for very long. The great thing about serving is that it’s contagious. But don’t forget, it’s also a choice!

David Jacobsen is a representative of the Eastern Region, serving on the Church of the Lutheran Brethren Council of Directors.

“Whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be slave of all. For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” Mark 10:43-45


hat do we do with the kids?” It’s a common question asked by parents. You are going out

for dinner with your spouse and you have three kids under 10 years old. Do you hire a baby sitter? Do you arrange for them to stay at friends? “What do we do with the kids?” It can be a painful question that is asked when children are in the middle of the parents’ divorce and they end up being part of the “torn asunder” process. Who gets custody? What will the arrangements be? Often the question is simply a pragmatic one—do the kids sit at the big table for thanksgiving or do they have their own table, complete with plastic dishes and sippy cups and easy-to-clean floors? “What do we do with the kids?” Much can be learned about a society or family or faith by watching how they treat their children. Are they to be seen

W and not heard? Made the center of the world? Simply tolerated? The Pentecost story in Acts 2 gives us a glimpse into the heart of God for mankind. Peter—the redeemed and forgiven fisherman—preaches a sermon proclaiming Jesus as Lord and Christ. The Holy Spirit comes in power and uses this Word to cut to the heart of the people, bringing them to the end of themselves. They ask Peter, “What must we do to be saved?” Peter gives the gospel invitation: “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off, for all whom the Lord our God will call” (Acts 2:38-39). “The promise is for you and your children.” We see God’s heart for our kids in these words. The promise is for them.

My two young sons need this promise. My four daughters need it. My son-in-law needs it. My wife needs it. I need it. I am far off. Sometimes people think I am out in left field. Sometimes I am. But not usually when people think I am. I can hide my sin in a cover of church stuff. I have been in church my whole life—I know how to hide things. Kids are not as good at hiding their sin. That is one advantage that parents have. My older sister once tried to use the Jesus card with my parents as she sat in a pile of books that we had just pulled off the shelves. “I’m telling Richard about Jesus,” she said. I am sure I needed to hear it. Not sure my older sister was speaking the truth. We are easily far off and we don’t even know it. Our children are far off. They are born that way. Don’t be fooled by the cute baby photo that we hang on our wall. They, like me, are

What Do We Do with the Kids ?RICHARD IVERSON


If we tell them Santa is real, they will believe us. They will believe what we say about who God is. As they get older, the realities of life will give them opportunities to compare what we have said with the life we live. That is why teenagers are great at pointing out hypocrisy. But if we as parents are walking in the light, and if we will have the humility to admit to our teens when they are right, God uses our confession of sin to powerfully draw our teenagers to Christ. A broken and contrite parent is a hard thing for a teen to dismiss. It is more than a coincidence that it is the same thing that God delights in! Missionaries who bring the gospel cross-culturally have to work for years, learning a language and culture, living close enough to the lost to earn a hearing for the Gospel. This can take years, maybe decades, maybe a generation. It is

headed away from God. Only he in his mercy can rescue them. Parents have a mission field right in their own minivan. The lost are with us around the kitchen table asking us for some more milk. The Lord God is calling them. They are far off. He has given us as parents all the tools that we need to make the greatest impact on them. We have the life-giving message of the forgiveness of sins in Jesus. We get to live with them day in and day out. We get to show them the meaning of forgiveness by our own repentance. We can tell them of Jesus and his rescue mission and they believe us. We get to live the Gospel in front of a watching audience that trusts and respects us. We simply have to speak and read and live that good news with our children—the same message that we need. Kids believe what their parents say. We are mom and dad. We are their world.

hard work. It is work that we rightfully send our best and brightest people to do. At the same time, we as parents and church family are commissioned by our Lord to tell those in our own home, our softball team, our neighborhood, our small group at church, that the promise of forgiveness of sins is for them, and for their children. Christian parenting is, at its core, gospel-telling. Pointing our kids to the one who has rescued us. This is the way God has always done it—and the way that he continues to do it. One far off person at a time.

Rev. Richard Iverson is pastor at Hope LBC in Barnesville, MN.

ROY HEGGLAND

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others. After Pentecost, the early Church understood that their lives were no longer their own. They were living out what Paul would later write in Galatians 2:20, “I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.” They understood that they had died with Christ and that Christ now lived in them. Just as a Living Trust does not really do what it is intended to do until the Trustee dies, it is when we die to ourselves by the power of the cross of Christ that we are Living Trusts through whom Christ delivers his blessings to others. As with those first Christians, his blessings include our time, abilities, and the earthly possessions that he has entrusted to us—so that we are able to be generous to others. But we also recognize that the greatest possession he has entrusted to us is his Word. He entrusts us to share it with our neighbors “in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth” (Acts 1:8). May our earthly lives reflect the nature of our risen Lord who gave himself for others. May our lives be lived as Living Trusts who freely pass along all of the blessings of our gracious and loving Lord, including the very Word of Life.

Roy Heggland serves the Church of the Lutheran Brethren as Associate for Biblical Stewardship.

o you have a Living Trust? If you have talked with anyone about estate planning you have most

likely been asked that question. There are good reasons for having a Living Trust. A Living Trust splits up ownership of your assets into legal ownership and beneficial ownership. Legal ownership is held by a person called a Trustee, while beneficial ownership is held by a person called a Beneficiary. Usually, when Living Trusts are set up, the Trustee and the Beneficiary are the same person or persons (for example a husband and wife). But the real purpose and beauty of a Living Trust only come into play when the Trustee dies. Upon the death of the Trustee, the Living Trust allows for the distribution of all of the assets to the ultimate beneficiaries, in most cases the children or grandchildren of the Trustee. This happens under a Living Trust without the permission, authorization or interference of any third party (for example probate). Okay, now what does this have to do with Pentecost? In the Book of Acts, chapter 2, we read about the events of Pentecost, when the Holy Spirit came upon the disciples like a mighty rushing wind and what looked like tongues fire rested on each of them. On hearing the sound, a great multitude of devout people from every nation gathered and were amazed to hear these poor Galileans proclaiming the mighty works of God in their own languages. Peter preached a powerful sermon about God’s plan of salvation through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ and about 3000 people received the Word and were baptized. Starting in verse 42 we read what happened next: “They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. Everyone was filled with awe, and many wonders and miraculous signs were done by the apostles. All the believers were together and had everything in common.

Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need. Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved” (Acts 2:42-47). What a transformation! What were the apostles teaching that would result in such a change in how these early Christians viewed each other and their possessions? Could it have been Jesus’ words in Luke 14:13-14, “But when you give a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, and you will be blessed. Although they cannot repay you, you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous.” Or perhaps it was Jesus’ words in Matthew 6:19-21, “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” Perhaps Peter spoke the words he would pen in 1 Peter 2:24, “He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; by his wounds you have been healed.” Now back to Living Trusts. Just as a Living Trust holds ownership of property for someone’s benefit, we too have been entrusted with everything we are and possess in trust for the benefit of

Hope for the Journey CHERYL OLSEN

the theme “Hope for the Journey,” setting the tone for the day. You will see video clips of our Focus Project this year: Pastors’ Wives Retreats! Women from coast-to-coast have contributed coins, checks, prayers, and tangible treats for these successful and deeply appreciated events. You’ll see other projects we’ve accomplished together, and we’ll make plans for next year’s journey! You’ll help us welcome returning missionary Bonita Nordaas and new missionary Carrie Szobody, as they begin different parts of their mission journey, and help us honor our retired missionaries who have faithfully followed the Lord along their life’s journey. As you contemplate the challenges of your own life journey, you’ll be encouraged to hear the testimonies of workshop presenters. The former head of Minnesota Moms in Touch will share stories of answered prayer. Mrs. North Dakota will tell of God’s faithfulness despite her troubled past. Ruth Vallevik will present changing trends in culture and women’s ministries, and how God can help us meet the challenge. Friday we’ll hear a medical doctor’s thoughts on our bodies as God’s temple, and a mom’s ongoing struggle of raising a psychotic son. I will be journeying to Fergus Falls, Minnesota for “Hope for the Journey.” I hope to meet you there!

Cheryl Olsen is Information Coordinator for Women’s Ministries of the CLB.

s this you? You’ve always wanted to come to a national Lutheran Brethren Women’s Event, but your kids are still

in school in June! You’ve been intrigued by the keynote speakers, but can’t get off work to come on a weekday. You don’t have an active women’s group in your church, and have wondered if workshops at a national Lutheran Brethren Women’s Event would apply to you. You’ve committed to be a delegate to the CLB Biennial Convention, and don’t know if it’s possible to participate in both events.Problem solved! • The 2012 Biennial Convention of the CLB is August 2-5, so families can vacation in “Minnesota Lakes Country” and gather together as a large church family on a long weekend. • Our Women’s Event—“Hope for the Journey”—occurs Saturday, August 4, so working women from the area can easily participate. • Saturday morning is for women only, with no other convention conflicts for women. • Lunch and afternoon workshops are arranged strategically, before and after convention voting. • Those who aren’t delegates to the CLB convention will have a bonus opportunity to hear our keynote speaker in a more casual setting in the afternoon.

Some highlights to anticipate: You’ll hear Rhea Briscoe, our keynote speaker, who will headline the morning. Nationally known as a retreat and conference speaker, Rhea writes and leads Bible Studies through Snowdrop Ministries. The wife of David and daughter-in-law of Stuart and Jill Briscoe of Elmbrook Church, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Rhea is no stranger to the Lutheran Brethren. She attended the 2007 CLB convention in Marysville, Washington as our women’s keynote speaker, and God used her powerful biblical messages to impact those who heard. This year she’ll unpack

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Your Body - His Temple (Fri. 1:30-2:30pm & Sat. 3-4pm)

New Trends in Ministry to Women (Fri. 1:30-2:30pm & Sat. 3:30-4:30pm)

Hope for All Times(Fri. 3-4pm)

Radiating Hope(Sat. 3:30-4:30pm)

Hope Can Grow Where Flowers Can’t(Sat. 3:30-4:30pm)

More info. available at www.wmclb.com

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City area. Redeemer’s Assistant Pastor, Matthew Buccheri, was a recent presenter at Lutheran Brethren Seminary’s J-Term in Fergus Falls, Minnesota. Pastor Buccheri led all of the CLB Eastern Region pastors in February and March in brainstorming and vision-casting for a new movement of church planting in the Eastern Region, particularly in the New York Metropolitan area. Whereas past generations wanted to move out of the city, today’s younger generation is moving back into urban regions. My daughter Liz is a young business professional. She is engaged to marry a teacher and coach from Freshman Academy in Union City. They plan to reside in Union City, where her fiancé has taught or met most of the 3,000 high school students in the city. The Lord has seemingly opened up a great sphere of ministry for them. For some time, we have believed that God is calling the CLB to a new

movement of church planting. Maybe in Union City, NJ. Pastor Buccheri informs us that Redeemer Church would resource and work with the CLB to help plant churches in the greater New York City area. God is faithful! I trust our sons and daughters are going to see prayers answered. They will see the Lord working to bring “flocks of his people” into previously ruined and needy cities. Pray that the Lord of the harvest would call and send out his workers, and that we would sense his open doors.

Rev. Dan Christenson is associate pastor at Mount Bethel Lutheran Brethren Church, Mount Bethel, PA.

od is faithful! Our sons and daughters are going to see prayers answered. Christ’s

righteousness is going to rain down on their generation, and the Lord will allow them to see his greatest works ever. If we pray earnestly and unceasingly, here is what God says he will do: “I will look on you with favor… I will multiply the number of people… they will be fruitful and become numerous… I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean… I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you... Then the nations around you that remain will know that I the Lord have rebuilt what was destroyed and replanted what was desolate. I the Lord have spoken, and I will do it… So will the ruined cities be filled with flocks of people” (Ezekiel 36:9-11,25-26,36,38). On Monday, March 12, 2012, the CLB Eastern Region Missions Committee (Regional Pastor Warren Geraghty, Brad Hoganson, Dan Christenson, and Jeff Olsen) spent the day exploring Union City, New Jersey, as one potential site for a new CLB church plant. Union City is situated on the Hudson River, at the entrance to the Lincoln Tunnel, with the magnificent skyline of New York City looming above. This one-square-mile city is one of the most densely populated areas in the entire country. Large numbers of young professionals and their families are settling in Union City and commuting into Manhattan for their jobs. There is also a large Cuban and Hispanic population in the area. New church plants have already started in neighboring cities such as Hoboken, NJ. Pastor Tim Keller’s Redeemer Church of Manhattan is helping plant scores of churches throughout the New York

GDAN CHRISTENSON

Reaching the City


North American Mission

Christenson Photography-New York Skyline: www. christensonphoto. com

church plant ings u m m i t 2 0 1 2

Download sessions at: www.clba.org

www.CLBA.org

SUNDAY am - AUG 5PROCLAIMINGPresident Joel EggePresident of the Church of the Lutheran Brethren

THURSDAY pm - AUG 2PROMISEDRev. David RindenLead Pastor at Gethsemane Lutheran Brethren Church in Rochester, MN

FRIDAY am - AUG 3DELIVEREDRev. Dick MattilaLead Pastor at Cornerstone Community Church in Ferndale, WA

SATURDAY pm - AUG 4KEYNOTE SPEAKERDr. H.B. LondonPastor to Pastors Emeritus for Focus on the Family

FRIDAY pm - AUG 3RECEIVEDRev. David FossLead Pastor at Bethel Lutheran Church in Fergus Falls, MN

SATURDAY - AUG 4WOMEN’S EVENTRhea BriscoeKeynote speaker and founder of Snowdrop Ministries

Website: www.clba.org • Email: [email protected] • Phone: 218-739-3336

IPoint NurseryInfant through 4 year olds can participate in a nursery program led by IPoint staff. This will be offered during Worship Sessions, Seminars, and Women’s Ministries events at the CLB Convention.

IPoint K-6 Day CampKindergarten through 6th grade students can be a part of the Biennial Convention Day Camp that will run from Thursday evening through Saturday.

IPoint 7-12 ExperienceJunior & Senior High students can join in leadership training, adventure course, and other activities with IPoint Staff. Thursday evening will be programmed in Fergus Falls. Friday and Saturday will be at IPoint. Transportation is included for each day.

The Biennial Convention is teaming up with Inspiration Point Christian Camp & Retreat Center to provide life-changing activities for children and teenagers during this year’s convention.

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BRING YOUR WHOLE FAMILY

H O P EAbounding in

2012 BIENNIAL CONVENTIONAUGUST 2-5, 2012 • FERGUS FALLS, MN



he memory is still vivid. I was just sixteen: I woke up, lay in bed, and wept. I wasn’t sad. No,

I was “surprised by joy,” to use C. S. Lewis’ expression of his own conversion sentiments. I had recently come to a living faith in Jesus. The lovely, brute reality of the God who is present, intimately present, who knows me and takes personal interest in my well-being, who “looked beyond my faults and saw my needs”—well, it was all so utterly inexpressible. “Unspeakable and full of glory” is the way the Apostle Peter put it. “And this is eternal life” said John, the beloved disciple, “to know the Father and Jesus Christ whom he sent.” To know God truly is to come to know one’s self, asserted the French reformer John Calvin. And when the poet in Psalm 139 ponders just how copiously this God takes notes of our steps, words, and thoughts—even of our innermost being—he concludes: “Such knowledge is too wonderful for me! I cannot attain it!” So also it was in the experience of the mother of Arab civilization, Hagar. But it was not always so in her life. She was the Egyptian maid-servant to Sarah, the wife of Abraham, and she was given to Abraham by Sarah in order to produce offspring. The result was Ishmael, the father of the Arab tribes. Now, following some self-centered behavior on Hagar’s part, and the consequence of some domestic fussing on Sarah’s, Hagar was sent away (the first time) when she was pregnant with Ishmael. The Hagar story becomes quite touching at this point (you can read it in Genesis

T 16). Feeling abandoned, devastatingly lonely and in despair, she sits by a well and thinks that no one cares for her or her baby. But God hears of her misery (v. 11) and speaks to her of his multiplication of Ishmael’s descendants. Now, to a middle-eastern woman’s ears, that was certainly promising good news of divine blessing. She’s overwhelmed. Surely, while living in Abraham’s house she had heard talk of El Shaddai, the Almighty. But now, it appears, she herself encounters the reality of his hidden presence and loyal, attentive kindness. She is to name the child Ishma-el—“God hears!” It’s truly an “aha!” moment for Hagar. Deeply moved, she blurts out: “You are the God who sees me!” and names the water source, in Hebrew, “Beer-lahai-roi,” that is, “the well of the living One who sees me!” Again, the story picks up in Genesis chapter 21. There, after Isaac’s birth, there’s more domestic fussing and Sarah once again fumes and sends Hagar and an antagonistic Ishmael away. This time they wander in the desert and run out of food and water. Hagar sees no hope, no source of life-giving water. So, she hides her son under a bush, distances herself and sobs with agony. But once again, God hears the boy crying and speaks from heaven to his mother. He opens her eyes to see a source of water and thereby sends saving help to Hagar and Ishmael, in spite of their behavior. In reality, God graciously provides the water of life to save the Arab peoples. Does not this story capture the hope of the Lutheran Brethren Mission for the

unreached northern, Arabic-speaking peoples of Chad? The vast majority has heard of Isa (their name for Jesus) as a prophet, but they do not know him as the living One of Abraham, who sees their misery in sin and hears the cry of the needy soul and sends saving help in the living waters that flow from the pierced side of the crucified and risen Lord who is seated at the right hand of the Father Almighty. While veiled from the eyes of sinful humanity, this hidden God is yet unveiled to the brokenhearted, in a very personal and kindly manner, in the very human and compassionate person of Isa. So, in seeking a name for the LB Mission’s welcome center (guest house) in the capital city of N’Djaména, Chad, it is altogether fitting to think of this “aha!” moment of Hagar. For it is largely Arabic-speaking peoples to whom our African mission has turned her attention. Thus, if you change the word “well” in Hagar’s expression to “house” (that is, as in a housing center) you have our new name in Chadian Arabic: Bêt al hayy al yichifni, the House of the Living One Who Sees Me. And under this title on our new sign is the French description Centre d’Acceuil Luthérien (Lutheran Welcome Center). The center was originally conceived with two purposes: first, to provide a strategic, safe and comfortable place for missionaries and their families to be lodged while traveling in this desert land. At the Center they can find rest, secure necessary provisions and medical assistance in town, or take a retreat for personal renewal (there is a prayer

PAUL SZOBODY

What’s in a Name?

Lutheran Brethren

BRINGING THE GOOD NEWS TO UNREACHED PEOPLEInternational Mission


So there you have it. In a nation of many languages and dialects, yet officially bi-lingual (Chadian Arabic and French), we honor our host culture with our new name. While historically our missionaries have spoken French, we now focus also on the Chadian dialect of Arabic in hope that Hagar’s children, and those who’ve adopted the language of Ishmael’s children, will come to meet the hidden, infinite and personal God in

chapel for solitude). That is, it’s also a place where missionaries themselves can come to terms once again with the reality that there is a living One who sees, hears, and loves them and guides their lives. Secondly, the Center is a place for the continuing education of Christian workers. The Center hosts conferences for evangelical churches and missions who share the ministry of the Gospel to the Chadian peoples.

Christ. That they might know the living One who sees and hears the cry of Hagar and her children.

Missionary Paul Szobody and his wife Teresa serve with Lutheran Brethren International Mission in Chad, Africa.

w w w . l b i m . o r gLBIM

The Lutheran Brethren welcome center in N’Djaména, Chad, Africa

“God heard the boy crying, and the angel of God called to Hagar from heaven and said to her, ‘What is the matter, Hagar? Do not be afraid; God has heard the boy crying as he lies there. Lift the boy up and take him by the hand, for I will make him into a great nation.’” Genesis 21:17-18

www.LBIM.org


efore coming to seminary, I was trying to support my family with my single income. I had no idea how it would be possible for me to switch from making money full-time to paying to go to school. Through the

last three years here at seminary, my wife and I have become more comfortable having less. In fact, we’re actually less worried about our finances now than we used to be. I think this comfort comes from a greater understanding of God’s ownership of us. Through my education at LBS, I understand more deeply how he has created us, saved us, and sustains us. I am, because he wants me to be. Next fall I will be moving my family to St. Louis to continue my education in the Biblical Studies PhD program at Concordia Seminary.

y time at Lutheran Brethren Seminary has been a period of intense growth. Having served as both Field Staff and Area Director with YoungLife in Otter Tail County for seven years, jumping into seminary was a big

change; one that allowed me time for biblical study in depth and intensity that I had not had previously. Unique to our current student body has been my pursuit of ordination through the Presbyterian Church. Despite not seeking ordination within the CLB, I have been welcomed and encouraged by both professors and students alike. Currently I am serving the Lawrence Presbyterian Church outside of Wendell, MN. We plan to stay in the Fergus Falls area and continue serving this wonderful group of people! Once again I would like to thank the faculty, staff and students of Lutheran Brethren Seminary for a fantastic learning experience!

or over fifteen years I have been doing some type of ministry with youth. About five years ago, I came to the realization that I needed to be better trained and better equipped to bring the truth of God’s Word to these young

people. At that time, I felt the call to full-time ministry and fortunately for me, Lutheran Brethren Seminary was right here in my home town. During my time at Seminary, I have lost count of the number of times that I have sat under the teaching of one of my professors and thought, “I wish I had learned this when I was sixteen.” Now, I feel that I have received the tools and knowledge with which to serve the young people and families at Good Shepherd Lutheran Church, as well as the body of Christ in general. I have also learned that we never truly finish learning and growing in the riches of God’s grace.

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2012 Graduates

DANIEL BERGE

BRAD CHILDS

DALE HEXUM

Emily, Michelle, Seth, Kayla, and Dale

Gail, Ella, Emma, Brad, and Anne

Preston, Daniel, Emersyn, Sean Patrick, Boston, Meghan, and Brooklyn


n Philippians 1:6, the Apostle Paul says, “And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.” When I came to Lutheran Brethren Seminary in August of 2009, I

didn’t really know what to expect. I was a young and naïve kid with not much more than a deep and unavoidable conviction that the Lord was calling me into the ministry. I am very grateful for having gone through the seminary experience. It hasn’t been easy, and I have been challenged, but God has led me every step of the way. I feel the professors have done very well to prepare and equip me for the ministry into which the Lord has called me. I still have much more to learn, and I pray that God will continue to teach me his truth. Ultimately, I pray that God will be glorified in my future ministries as pastor and Army Chaplain.

n March of 2001 (I was 15 years old) the Lord reached into my life and I was never the same again. It was at a retreat that I was made aware of my sinful nature and then heard the GREAT news of Jesus Christ, the forgiveness of sin,

and the assurance of eternal life through him. After hearing this AMAZING news I knew I had to share it with as many people as possible. This is what propelled me into ministry. After I received my undergraduate degree from Penn State my eyes were still fixed on attending the Lutheran Brethren Seminary. My wife (Lindsay) and I moved to Fergus Falls in the summer of 2009 to begin my seminary career. While at LBS I learned how to refine the gifts God gave me. It is my honor to share with all of you that I have accepted a call to Messiah Lutheran Church in Underwood, Minnesota!!

y time at the Lutheran Brethren Seminary has been one of great blessing and challenge. I have been particularly blessed by the dedication of the seminary professors to upholding the Word of God. As we have been led

into study of the Bible, it has been with the recognition that in the revelation of our Savior and Lord, Jesus Christ, we truly do find “everything we need for life and godliness” (2 Peter 1:3). From this foundation, I have been challenged to a deeper devotion to Scripture as I seek to serve God in future ministry. My desire is be used by God in proclaiming through word and deed the incredible gift of grace that we have received in Christ. We look forward to God’s leading as we seek his will for our service in ministry.

ow does one summarize his experience? More importantly how does a Christian summarize his experience? I marvel at “how great is your faithfulness” (Lamentations 3:23b, ESV). I resonate with the words of

Jeremiah in Lamentations because I am reminded that this confession of God’s faithfulness comes out of Jeremiah’s experience: “I am a man who has seen affliction” (Lamentations 3:1a, ESV). The Lord called me first to seminary, where I marveled at the faithfulness of God in my family’s life. Now, I am blessed to serve as a pastor of Berea Lutheran Brethren Church (Alexandria, MN) where, again, each day I marvel at the faithfulness of God in our church family as well as my own. So, thanks be to God for his faithfulness and mercy, which will “never come to an end” (Lamentations 3:22).

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MICHAEL NATALE

GREGORY SOLBERG

PAUL TJELTA

STEVE WALSWICK

Barb, Micah, and Steve

Claire, Eva, Anna, Paul, Samuel, Isaac, Jonas, and Joy

Michelle and Gregory

Michael and Lindsay

New Website: www.LBS.edu


MAY/JUNE 2012

1 John 1:7

Walk in the light

The blood of Jesus

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church plant ings u m m i t 2 0 1 2

The CLB Regional PastorsPresented by

Sessions Available for Download

Download sessions at www.clba.org /churchplanting

Download videos and PowerPoint presentations, and participate in an online discussion about church planting in North America.

Lackland AFBCLBCouncil of Directors

Chaplain (Major General) (Retired) GT Gunhus visited Lackland Air Force Base for a luncheon with Chaplain, Colonel Mike Heuer and his staff chaplains. He was asked to share his wisdom about chaplaincy and ministry.

The Church of the Lutheran Brethren Council of Directors met for their spring meeting on April 12 and 13, opening with scripture, prayer, and singing the hymn, “Rejoice, the Lord Is King.” Director of Finance Brad Martinson followed the time of worship with a financial overview. Chairman Larry Fransson recessed the council for supper and committee meetings. Friday began with a report from President Egge, which included updates on each ministry, as well as reports from the committee meetings. A detailed financial report by Mr. Martinson was followed by a report from Lutheran Brethren Seminary by President David Veum and Chairman Tony Rogness as well as a report from Women’s Ministries by Director Ruth Vallevik. The Council voted to approve the ordinations of Troy Tysdal and Steve Walswick as Ministers of the Gospel in the Church of the Lutheran Brethren. The CLB Plans and Goals, presented by the mission team, were approved and recommended, with future changes and edits to be overseen by President Egge. The 2012-13 final budget adoption meeting will take place on May 31. The fall Council of Directors meeting has been set for October 11-12, 2012, and the spring meeting set for April 11-12, 2013. The meeting ended with the singing of the hymn, “Blessed Be the Tie That Binds,” and a prayer by Rev. Nick Mundis.

Chaplain (Major General) (ret) Gunhus and Chaplain, Col. Mike Heuer

TRACS UpdateThe TRACS on-site evaluation team arrived at Lutheran Brethren Seminary on April 24 to examine the strength of the seminary in comparison to accreditation standards. The visit began with a dinner including the CLB Mission Team and LBS faculty, staff, and spouses. The program that evening honored Rev. J. H. Levang, President of LBS from 1957-1972, for his work in improving the quality of education at LBS. The team evaluated the LBS Self-Study and its documentation of 64 exhibits, also visiting with faculty, staff, students, alumni and board members. Representatives of LBS will meet with the TRACS Commission in November to receive their decision.


Faith & Fellowship is the official publication of the Church of the Lutheran Brethren, 1020 W. Alcott Ave., P.O. Box 655, Fergus Falls, MN 56538-0655, issued six times a year (January/February, March/April, May/June, July/August, September/October, November/December) by Faith and Fellowship Publishing, 1020 W. Alcott Ave., P.O. Box 655, Fergus Falls, MN 56538-0655. Phone (218)736-7357. The viewpoints expressed in the articles are those of the authors and may or may not necessarily reflect the official position of the Church of the Lutheran Brethren of America (CLBA). Periodicals Postage Paid at Fergus Falls, Minnesota 56538.

(USPS 184-600) • (ISSN 10741712)SUBSCRIPTIONS: Faith & Fellowship is offered to its readers at no charge. We would encourage your continued support with a donation and if you would like to be on our mailing list, please contact our office. Periodicals Postage Paid at Fergus Falls, Minnesota. CHANGE OF ADDRESS: Please give both old and new addresses and allow four weeks.

Direct all correspondence, including submission of articles, to: Faith & Fellowship, P.O. Box 655, Fergus Falls, MN 56538-0655;Telephone, (218)736-7357; e-mail, [email protected]; FAX, (218)736-2200. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Faith & Fellowship, P.O. Box 655, Fergus Falls, Minnesota 56538-0655 FF

F Faith ellowshipBookstore

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Footsteps in the Promise follows God’s promise of salvation from Genesis to Revelation, reaching young children with the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and equipping young parents as they teach their children about God’s mission, his Son, and the salvation of humankind.

Regular Price $12.99Quantity Discount $7.99

Pr ice avai lab le on purchases of 10 or more

See more at : www.footstepsbook.com

How the book is being usedFootsteps in the Promise has been used as a resource for children sermons, and confirmation class devotions.

Footsteps in the Promise has been given to young parents as a baptism gift from the church.

Footsteps in the Promise has been given to Sunday School students as a tool to help them study their Bibles.

Available in quantity discounts, Footsteps in the Promise has been sold by Sunday Schools to raise money for camp scholarships.

Equipped with commentary, Footsteps is a resource designed to assist parents as they teach their children about Jesus Christ.

Equipped with Bible verses that follow the promise of Christ, Footsteps is a great resource to guide children in Bible study.

By Pastors:

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by: Brent Juliot

Without the Holy Spirit

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e don’t talk too much about the Holy Spirit. Perhaps it’s because we are so very conscious of the Holy Spirit’s stated role. John 15:26 and John 16:13-14,

for example, make it clear that the Holy Spirit wants to draw our spiritual focus to Jesus Christ. But maybe we avoid too much talk about the Spirit because we view that as someone else’s denominational niche. Worse yet, perhaps we’ve almost forgotten about the third person of the triune God. Do we minimize him—his value, his work in us and for us? This is matter of concern; it’s dangerous ground theologically. If we don’t talk about the Holy Spirit because we don’t even think about the Holy Spirit, we need to consider an important question: What if the Holy Spirit had not come at Pentecost? Where would we be without the Holy Spirit? To answer that question, take the exercise of walking through many of the biblical references to the Spirit of God. The list of words below describes where we’d be if the Spirit didn’t do what the supporting references tell us he does.

Alone – Psalm 139:7-8Imprisoned – Romans 8:1-8, 2 Corinthians 3:17, Galatians 5:18Speechless – Matthew 10:19-20Joyless – 1 Thessalonians 1:6Thirsty – John 7:37-39Ignorant – John 14:26, 1 Corinthians 2:12,14 Uncertain – Psalm 143:10Weak – Acts 1:8Timid – Acts 4:31, 2 Tim 1:7Aimless – Acts 20:22-24Unable to pray – Jude 1:20Without Scripture – 2 Peter 1:20-21Unrepresented – Romans 8:26-27Disunited – 1 Corinthians 12:12-13, Ephesians 4:3-4Disowned – 2 Corinthians 1:21-22Unholy – Romans 15:16, 2 Thessalonians 2:13Unclean – 1 Corinthians 6:11Ungifted – Luke 11:13, Acts 2:38, 1 Corinthians 12:4-11Uninvited –Rev 22:17Unborn – John 3:5Hopeless – Romans 15:13Lost – Romans 8:9

This is a powerful list of words—powerful in a bad way. Not a pretty picture. Frightening, in fact. But the Scriptures listed with the words confirm that the Holy Spirit has taken every one of those negative descriptions of us, and turned them 180º in the positive direction for those who believe. God has indeed given us his indwelling Spirit. Pentecost is the Church Year anniversary of this most wonderful gift: God’s Holy Spirit in us through faith in his son Jesus Christ. Rejoice!

Rev. Brent Juliot is Editor of Faith & Fellowship Magazine, teaches math at Hillcrest Lutheran Academy, and serves as senior pastor at Stavanger Lutheran Church in Fergus Falls, MN.

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Pentecost