By   Tue, Aug 25, 2009

As a young man I was given many opportunities to try out the ministry. My home church let me preach my first sermon at age 14. During college I was given the chance to preach for Sunday evening services at Bethel Lutheran Brethren Church (LBC) in Bellingham, Washington. After college I served as pastor in several different Lutheran Brethren congregations.

With all of that experience I began to think that I didn't really need a seminary education. I suggested that idea to Rev. Edwin Overland, my father-in-law. He answered concisely, "Pastors need lots of seminary education." End of discussion.

But why? It costs a lot of money-$30,000 in tuition paid by each student and another $70,000 in expenses that must be met by contributions to the school. It means hard work and often hardships financially. Unless the school is close by or it can provide distance learning options, it means moving one's family. So why invest the time and money in a seminary education?

1. To correctly interpret the Scriptures.
Even the brilliant preacher Apollos needed a teacher's instruction in order to "correctly handle the word of truth." Luke describes him as "...a learned man, with a thorough knowledge of the Scriptures." Then he writes, "When Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they invited him to their home and explained to him the way of God more adequately" (Acts 18:26).

To correctly handle the word of truth, students at Lutheran Brethren Seminary (LBS) learn that Jesus Christ and his redemption is the core message of the Old Testament and the key to its interpretation. Three years ago middler seminarian, Rud Wasson, was speaking at a Lenten service. He read his text from John 19:28, "Later, knowing that all was now completed, and so that the Scripture would be fulfilled, Jesus said, ‘I am thirsty.'"

Rud began his message by telling about the woolen mill in Faribault. He described this large metal rack which was wide enough to drive a small car through, and it was about 50 feet long. "On this rack are hundreds of spools of yarn. The yarn from each spool attaches to a knitting machine about the size of a small piano at the end of the rack. Those strands of yarn attached to that knitting machine are a picture of this verse. All of the prophecies of the Old Testament come together and are fulfilled in this moment when Jesus said, ‘I thirst.'"

I thought, "That's a great illustration. But where did he get that understanding?" He told me, "That's what Professor Soenksen teaches in his Old Testament classes."

To correctly interpret the scriptures students at LBS learn Greek, an agonizing process which Professor Kilde handed over last summer to Mark Erickson. The agony of learning Greek forges life-long friendships for those who endure the crucible experience together. Following are just a couple of examples why such hard work is invaluable.

We learned in beginning Greek that the perfect tense means "a past completed action with results in the present." When Jesus cried from the cross, "It is finished," the apostle John used the Greek perfect tense to record the words of Christ. From this we learn that Jesus' words mean, "The work of salvation has been completed, and the results continue into this present moment." That bit of extra clarity gets students excited about learning the Greek perfect tense!

Then there are Greek word studies. Certain Greek words contain rich imagery which don't always translate well into English. For example, Paul uses the word logizomai in Romans 6:11. The New International Version translates the verse, "Count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus." The King James translates it reckon. The New American Standard comes closest with the word consider.

Logizomai is an accounting term. In this verse it means to take something out of one side of the ledger and put it on the other. Paul is saying, "As you experience your sin nature, you know that you are very much alive to sin. But do the accounting. Take yourself out of the side of the ledger that is labeled, ‘Alive to sin,' and put yourself on the side that says, ‘Dead to sin and alive to God.' After all, that's how God sees you. Since you're now on that side of the ledger which is in Christ, don't offer the parts of your body to sin, as instruments of wickedness, but rather offer yourselves to God, as those who have been brought from death to life." As we say around the water cooler, "That'll preach!"

If the hard work in learning Greek is important for preaching, it is even more important for Bible translation. In the last century Lutheran Brethren missionaries translated the New Testament into 16 African languages. They first had to understand the text with precision before they could choose words to do a correct translation. Many used Greek to better understand the text they were translating.

2. To develop ministry skills.
Providing spiritual care; leading and serving; developing a personal prayer life, a pastor's heart, and personal wholeness; learning to resolve conflict, effectively preaching Law and Gospel; teaching the Scriptures.

3. To learn right theology.
We need well trained pastors and missionaries who know their theology and who can warn us about any false teaching and point us to the truth. Today as always truth gets perverted. Any one of us can be deceived by a partial truth.

I know that from personal experience. I attended an evangelical seminary for a year before I came to the Lutheran Brethren Seminary. That school had nationally recognized scholars. Classes were tough. Academic standards were very high. However, while I was learning to interpret the scriptures, I was imperceptibly putting myself over the Word.

The next year I came to LBS and was enrolled in Dr. Boe's course in hermeneutics (interpretation of the scripture). He began by saying, "We are here to learn how to interpret the scriptures accurately. We will be examining the text using the best methods we know for determining its meaning. But this will be our attitude." Then he got down on his knees and put his forehead on the floor before the Holy Scriptures. "We are not over the scripture. Rather, the scripture will be over us examining us."

As Professor Mathiesen examined what the scriptures teach about missions, he became convinced that mission is at the heart of God. "Our God is a God who sends. He sent his one and only Son into the world to redeem the world. Now he sends us into the world with the message of salvation. We are not merely the sending church, i.e., the church which only sends missionaries to faraway places. We are also the church which is sent." He teaches this theology of mission in his courses.

One of our graduates, Rev. Phil Heiser, invited him to teach this theology at Berea Lutheran Brethren Church in Alexandria, Minnesota. An Elder from that congregation, Allen Larson, recently described for me how the congregation was affected by that teaching. "It changed the way we pray... not so much ‘bring them to us' but more ‘show us where you want us to go and help us be faithful wherever we are.' Even as we have prayed that way, they have come to us!" Many new people are now coming to the church.

And what theology do they need to hear when we go to them and they come to church? Dr. Boe summarized that theology in the course Introduction to Lutheran Thought which he last taught in the Pacific Northwest District last fall. When asked how the course was helpful, youth pastor David Pierce of Peace LBC in Olympia, WA responded, "Of all of the valuable teaching points in the course, the one I put at the top of the list is this: All of our life is in Christ. He is our salvation and our sanctification. Christ is everything."

David summarized his learning by writing the following hymn:

The Mighty Gospel by David Pierce

The Mighty Gospel of Law and Grace, the message of God's desire to save.
The standards given reveal our sin, But grace extends and enters in.
Righteousness, has been revealed. Sin and Death no more concealed.
Salvation, now made known, to our hearts the truth is shown.

For we are captives to serve our flesh, we're born into death and selfishness.
And by our nature oppose his will, refuse to let our hearts be filled.
Holiness, we despised, choosing darkness o'er the light
Lost in sin, fallen short, objects for a wrath outpoured.

But demonstrating his perfect Love, the Savior has died and rose for us.
Though we were sinful, his enemies, it's by his Grace we stand redeemed.
Praise the name, Jesus Christ! by his power we have new life!
Justified, now made right, reconciled us to his side.

And by that power by which we're saved, we boldly will live, in Jesus' name.
We serve our maker, our God and King, our heart's desire his Glory bring.
Shout and sing, magnify, Christ the Lord be glorified.
Precious Law, wondrous Grace, made complete our sins erased.

download this song >>>

Not every graduate will write hymns. But LBS exists so pastors and missionaries are prepared to take the message in this hymn to the ends of the earth.

Dr. David Veum is President of Lutheran Brethren Seminary in Fergus Falls, Minnesota

By   Tue, Aug 25, 2009

It was a cold day in late autumn that Jim and I were out in the woods, each of us operating a snarling chain saw that was biting and chewing its way through one tree trunk after another. These chunks would feed his mother's hungry wood stove over the long, cold winter. Jim and his wife had started attending our church that year, and we'd developed a close friendship. After an hour or so of cutting wood, we took a break and sat on our wood pile, watching the first big flakes of snow drifting down through the trees. "Isn't God a wonderful artist?" I said to Jim. "Yeah, he sure is," he answered. After a moment of silence, Jim said, "You know Gaylan, for much of my life I've been mad at God, but I'm not mad at Him any more." He told me the story of his years of wrestling with God, how God's love had broken through his resistance, and then he announced that he had come to believe God's message for himself. He now wanted to follow Jesus as His disciple. The Words and Wounds of Christ had profoundly touched Jim's life.

At your Lutheran Brethren Seminary, it is our prayer that the "Words and Wounds of Christ will shape students to serve as evangelical Lutheran Brethren pastors and workers in God's Kingdom." We trust that all of us are part of God's answer to that prayer. How have we been doing?

Although its history dates back to 1903, since 1970 your seminary has graduated over 250 people in certificate, diploma and degree programs. These graduates have gone out into congregations and ministries in North America, Taiwan, Japan, Cameroon and Chad in Africa in direct ministries of the Church of the Lutheran Brethren. But our graduates have also served through other organizations such as World Mission Prayer League, the United Bible Society, The Navigators, the Association of Free Lutheran Congregations, the Evangelical Lutheran Church of America and many other ministries. LBS graduates serve God's mission near and far around the world, and the Lord is using them to make an eternal difference in the lives of millions.

For example, LBS graduates have a history of holding positions of leadership in the Church at large: Dr. Leslie Stennes, whose publications are standard resources for today's students of linguistics, translated the Bible into the Fulfulde language (spoken by 12 million Africans) and helped establish written languages for 12 other West African oral tongues. Our Lutheran Brethren missionaries produced full Bibles in four languages (out of the total 450 Bibles that have existed to date) and many New Testaments (with four more now in progress). Former CLBA president, Robert Overgaard, is also a past president of the Evangelical Foreign Missions Association (Overgaard and Stennes also partnered in pioneering the use of computers in translation work through their ministry/business, Worldwide Computer Typesetters, setting type for many languages in Africa and South America), and his brother Wilfred opened a new work in Thailand for World Evangelization Crusade. Now retired, Major General G.T. Gunhus served our country as Chief of Chaplains in Washington, D.C. After 25 years of Air Force chaplaincy, Rev. Darrell Morton is now assistant to the Presiding Bishop for Federal Chaplaincy Ministries with the ELCA in Washington, D.C; Dr. Richard Erickson directed Fuller Theological Seminary's regional center program in Seattle and now teaches there as a professor of New Testament; Dr. Jonathan Lunde teaches New Testament studies at Talbot Theological Seminary. Certainly there are other graduates who have made similar contributions, and could also be mentioned.

For every one of these names, however, there are dozens of other faithful, trained workers who daily give their lives to the service of the gospel as pastors, elders, trustees, teachers, carpenters, restaurant managers and numerous other vocations. Our aims as a seminary are that our students will grow in understanding God's teaching in Holy Scripture, that they will grow in ministry skills and attitudes and that they will develop Christ-like character shaped by the Word.

We give thanks to the Lord of the Harvest who works through all of our graduates to encourage and prepare God's people to grow in their walk with Christ, that our churches might clearly proclaim to a lost and dying world, through their words and actions, the transforming message of salvation in Christ alone. As LBS endeavors to be a biblical, learning community in the service of this gospel, we rejoice in the fact that with you we inherit the promise given to Abraham, to be sent as a blessing of God's grace to all nations: locally, nationally and internationally.

Gaylan Mathiesen, Ph.D., is Professor of Mission and Evangelism of Lutheran Brethren Seminary in Fergus Falls, MN.

By   Tue, Aug 25, 2009

"Dave, go. Otherwise you'll always have it hanging over your head."

I was visiting with Dorothy in her hospital room, a room she had occupied so many times they could have given her a permanent name plate. As her small, delicate frame sat propped under the covers and with the IV dripping its life, Dorothy and I had had many long conversations about sickness, peace with God, and the need of the world for Jesus. Dorothy had been my Sunday School teacher when I was a little boy. Now I was her pastor.

On this visit she became my teacher again. I had just asked her a serious question. "Dorothy, I'm thinking about leaving the church and going to seminary. What do you think?" After all of the many hours I had spent visiting her, I was sure that she would give me the answer I wanted to hear. But instead of telling me not to leave, she summoned her strength, sat bolt upright, and said with powerful conviction, "Dave, go. Otherwise you'll always have it hanging over your head."

Through Dorothy and many others in my home congregation, God called me and sent me into the ministry.

Who is there in your congregation that you could be calling and sending?

• A grade school child who has already heard the call of God?
• A high school or college student with ministry gifts such as speaking, caring, leading, or evangelizing?
• An adult whose ability to teach the word makes you think, "That person should be in the ministry"?

When you are ready to send them, will you have a scholarship fund with sufficient resources to pay their tuition? At today's rates, tuition costs on average more than $1000 for each year that a pastor is in the ministry. Setting aside $100 per month in a scholarship fund is a wise investment for any congregation.

I'll always be grateful to people like Dorothy, Marion, Harold, Vern, Ruth, Howard, Orv and many others who encouraged me to go to seminary and who paid all of my tuition. You, too, can have a part in calling and sending someone into the ministry. Who knows? Your future pastor may already be attending your church.

Dr. David Veum is President of Lutheran Brethren Seminary in Fergus Falls, Minnesota

By   Sat, Aug 29, 2009

Lutheran Brethren Seminary: The Word on Vimeo.

Lutheran Brethren Seminary: Law and Gospel on Vimeo.

Lutheran Brethren Seminary: Mission on Vimeo.

Lutheran Brethren Seminary: Calling and Support on Vimeo.

By Cheryl Olsen   Tue, Aug 25, 2009

Three new District Presidents have joined the Women's Ministries Team since our last national gathering. Here's a glimpse into their lives.

Pacific Northwest
My name is Michelle Aandahl and I am honored to represent the lovely ladies of the Pacific NW District. I live in Everett, Washington and am a member of Word of Life LBC in Marysville, Washington. My husband, Howard, and I have been married for twenty-one years and we have one daughter, Lydia Joy, age twelve. I home school my daughter and we really love our time together; she is a delight. Howard is a carpenter and serves as an elder for our congregation.

I love to read and enjoy the bliss of a summer's afternoon, curled up in the hammock with a good book and a glass of iced tea! I love being a part of Bible Study Fellowship, and adore our Wednesday night ladies' study group - we've been working our way through the book of Acts this year. I also love music and am a part of our worship team. I wish I played an instrument. Well, I shake the tambourine, but I wish I knew how to play something lovely like the cello! I also enjoy gardening and smile as my husband laughs over my obsession with collecting more varieties of pink roses for the yard. If you are on Facebook, feel free to look me up!

Central District
I am Sue Patterson, a new member as of September ‘08. I live in Iowa and have been married for thirty-eight years to my wonderful husband, Duane! We have three children. Chad, married to Cheryl; Angela, married to Craig; and Erin, who is still looking for "Mr. Right." It is great being a Grandma to five adorable grandchildren. Those little ones just love you unconditionally!

I just retired in January after twenty-four years as a Pharmacy Technician. I still been help out occasionally when needed, but it is nice to not be a scheduled worker. I love to read Karen Kingsbury books and I am trying to learn to quilt. I made a quilt top three years ago and planned to hand-quilt it when I retired. Well, I have only two of the blocks done, and it is a queen-size quilt, so I haven't made much progress yet.

I love the Lord and have a special interest in the youth of our church and also the Women's ministries. We have a great group that meets once a month with between twelve and eighteen in attendance each time. We do a Bible Study and have great fellowship.

Western District
My name is Lisa (Gundersen) Salvesen. I have been married to Rick for fifteen years this August. Rick is a contractor. We have four children: Brett is twelve; Holly is eleven; Eric is nine; and Ingrid is seven. We are also licensed foster parents. We have lived in Cooperstown, North Dakota almost one year. We moved here from Ft. Myers, Florida, where we were for three years. Before that, we lived in the Minneapolis area for about nine years.

I used to say I was a stay-at-home mom, but that's not really true when you have a family is it? So, some of the things that bring me joy are; a good night's sleep, decorating and painting rooms, gardening and flower arrangements, knitting, Tuesday Bible study, Women's Sunday School class, morning coffee at Mom's, reading Karen Kingsbury (I have read all of her books and need some suggestions on other Christian authors), Sunday afternoon naps, being invited over to other people's homes for dinner, having a house full of kids and their friends, a really good haircut, watching our boys' baseballs and basketball games, listening to the kids practice their instruments (this too shall pass), having a party just for fun, field trips, short-term mission trips, and taking the dog for a walk (with a plastic bag in hand of course). I'm blessed!

By Bruce Stumbo   Tue, Aug 25, 2009

I don't mean to pick on people and I know the biblical instruction that if you've got something to talk to somebody about you should go to that somebody first and deal with it one-on-one, but I think, in this instance, I'm going to break the rule and I'm going to pick on someone right here in public. It's Pr. Jeff, my pastor-partner at Bethel Church in Grand Forks. More accurately, it's Jeff's Bible!

Oh, it's a good version and I know it's filled with underlining and all kinds of notes. I'm not sure about this at all, but it might even have little mementos and meaningful artifacts stuck in between some of the pages (you know: the first little flower Rhonda gave him when they were dating or a chunk of Kaitlyn's 3rd birthday cake...or something like that). All that's fine, but, you just have to see how beat up this Bible is! The spine is all torn and the covers are hanging loose, pages are crumpled and the edges are frayed...all in all, that Bible is a bit of a mess. And then he goes and carries it into the pulpit when he preaches! Oh, the humanity!

Well, I got to thinking about that and the more I thought about it, the more I thought how wrong I was to be so judgmental about the condition of a Bible that I felt should never be seen in public. Here's my conclusion:

Would you rather be preached to or taught by a person whose Bible never got used? Never got a word underlined? Never got a note written in the margin? Never took a little abuse because it was constantly taken from a shelf and, over time, got used up? No, I don't think so. I think we want to be preached to and taught by people who wear out their Bibles and, over time, they become so precious and full of good notes and sacred artifacts that you wouldn't think about getting rid of it.

I'll confess that in all my years I have never thrown away a Bible, no matter what kind of binding, no matter what version. I just can't do it. But, I've also purchased a lot of Bibles over the years and have used many of them for study, teaching, preaching and just plain reading. I've got all kinds of versions with all kinds of covers and all kinds of purposes for each one. None of them looks like Jeff's, though I have to say I've got a super RSV I wore out in the early 70s that a friend recovered in thick cowhide with stamped in lettering...that's one of my favorites...it's in a box somewhere...well, anyway.

Pr. Jeff Stephan's Bible is a symbolic challenge to me to be a person of the Word and to be so engaged in the study of that Word that I wear out a Bible or two along the way. I recently bought a brand new English Standard Version Study Bible. It's very thick (with somebody else's notes and comments) and quite heavy and it's got a beautiful black leather cover. I'm going to start wearing it out right away. What do you say: Let's see if we can all wear out a Bible through constant use. It might take a while, but let's give it a go.

Isaiah 40:7-8 "The grass withers, the flower fades when the breath of the Lord blows on it; surely the people are grass. The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God will stand forever." But, you already knew that.

Bruce Stumbo serves on the pastoral team at Bethel LBC in Grand Forks, ND and is Editor of Faith & Fellowship magazine.
Contact him at: bstumbo@clba.org.

By   Tue, Aug 25, 2009

Our Redeemer's Lutheran Brethren Church of Minot, ND is celebrating its fiftieth anniversary the weekend of August 28-30. The festivities will begin with a Friday night banquet and culminate with a Sunday morning worship service and noon dinner. We invite all former Our Redeemer's members and friends to come back to Minot for this special "homecoming" weekend!

For more information, please contact the church at info@ourredeemers.org or contact Dick Gravley, our fiftieth anniversary committee chair at ragravley@yahoo.com.

Faith Lutheran Church of Blue Earth, Minnesota will celebrate Fifty years of God's faithfulness on Sunday September 27, 2009. The day of celebration will begin with a Worship Service at 10:00 a.m, followed by a catered dinner at Noon with a Service of Celebration at 2:00 p.m.

For Dinner reservation R.S.V.P. to
507-526-2270 or
brentflbc@bevcomm.net

By   Tue, Aug 25, 2009

This past fall semester I taught a seminary extension course titled Introduction to Lutheran Thought which was hosted by Maple Park Church, Lynnwood, Washington. We explored the major themes of Lutheran Thought through the study of the Scriptures, the writings of Martin Luther, and the Lutheran Confessions. The members of the class were given a variety of ways to express what they were discovering and how this applies to life and ministry. Micah Nordtvedt, the Director of Worship at Hope Church, Everett, WA, chose to put into song the word that God was delivering through the Scriptures. Micah submitted the following lyrics and commentary as partial fulfillment for the course and we share it with his permission.

You See Jesus

VERSE 1
God of Justice, look upon us
See the shackles that bind our soul
God of Wrath and Fury
We cannot stand in your glory
We bear the trespasses of new and old

PRECHORUS
God of Favor, look upon us
And instead of our sins that condemn us
You see the perfect Lamb
Surrendered for humanity

CHORUS
You see Jesus
You see the precious blood of Christ
You see Jesus
And His final sacrifice for all our sin
You see the Lamb that was slain for us
You see Jesus

VERSE 2
God of Favor, look upon us
See the burdens that weigh us down
God of Grace and Mercy
You know we are not worthy
You can see our guilt is all around
(to Prechorus)

BRIDGE
And one day at the end of time
We'll stand in glory of the divine
Sin and death will pass away
And on that day-

We'll see Jesus
By the precious blood of Christ
We'll see Jesus
Through His final sacrifice for all our sin
We'll praise the Lamb that was slain for us
We'll see Jesus

download this song >>>

Commentary on You See Jesus
We don't like to think of God as a wrathful God. We prefer Him to remain a happy father giving gifts to his beloved children. And yet the Bible tells of a holy and righteous God who hates sin. "It is a dreadful thing to fall into the hands of the living God" (Hebrews 10:31). Only through the eyes of Favor do we not face His wrath and anger, for we are "a people of unclean lips" (Isaiah 6:5). Only when our sins are atoned for by the sacrifice of Jesus can we stand. Jesus "entered heaven itself, now to appear for us in God's presence" (Hebrews 9:24). And, "he has appeared once for all at the end of the ages to do away with sin by the sacrifice of himself" for our sins (Hebrews 9:26). Not only did he take the place for our sins, but he also lived a perfect life and we are credited with His righteousness.

I wanted to write a song that would carry the two notes of Law and Gospel and convey the idea that when God looks at us, he sees us through the blood of Jesus. The word "favor" used to be confusing to me, probably because of assumptions that I made as a child while hearing the Christmas story. I heard that Mary found favor with God. Since it's not a common phrase, I assumed it meant that Mary actually did something ("finding") to get God to notice her. Later in life, I understood what the phrase actually meant, and it really shed light on the idea of how God, even in the Old Testament, sees people through the lens of Jesus. At the point of the song where I use "God of Favor," the tone changes from Law to Gospel, and hope begins to shine. The second verse returns to Law, but the Gospel still remains as we cling to the hope of receiving favor despite our sins. The final chorus changes to reflect our hope in the final and on-going celebration in which we will participate when we can actually stand in the glory of God-all because of Jesus.

Three more songs that were not available in the printed magazine here >>>

Below is a link to Micah Nordtvedt's website where you will be able to download the songs and sheet music, as well. You are free to use and distribute these songs without Micah Nordtvedt's permission. Thank you to Micah for sharing these gifts with us.

You can download the lead sheets at www.nordtvedt.net/worship

By   Tue, Aug 25, 2009

The following are the songs that are not included in the printed magazine. You can listen to the songs and download them for free. The lead sheets are available at the link provided at the end of each commentary.

You Are God

You are God in the darkest night
In the stormy rain
Through waves of pain
You are God in our suffering
Through every tear
Lord, You are near to me

You were God clothed in human form
A baby born
To save humanity

You were God hanging on the cross
Aching loss
Enduring agony

You were God in the darkest night
In the stormy rain
Through waves of pain
You were God in Your suffering
In cruelty
You touched mortality

Then and there on that third day
You rose again
You conquered sin
Hallelujah, Hallelujah
Hallelujah, Hallelujah

You are God but You understand
What it means
To be a man
You are God and You bear the marks
Eternal scars
Of Your own suffering...for me...

You are God in the darkest night
In the stormy rain
Through waves of pain
You are God in our suffering
Through every tear
Lord, You are near to me

Oh God help us understand
What it means
To suffer in Your hands

download this song >>>

Commentary on You Are God
We see in Scripture that God has identified himself with man-becoming a man, even to the point of dying an agonizing death (Isaiah 53:4-6). We also see that "it was the LORD's will to crush him and cause him to suffer, and though the LORD makes his life a guilt offering, he will see his offspring and prolong his days, and the will of the LORD will prosper in his hand" (Isaiah 53:10).

Not only did Christ identify with us, his very identification with us (in human life and in death) made it possible for us to identify with him in glory.

We not only share in his glory, but also in his suffering (see Romans 8:17). Paul writes, "I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us" (Romans 8:18). Suffering leads us to cling to the hope of salvation.

In this song, I wanted to keep the focus on God and the cross as the centerpiece for our hope in times of suffering. It begins with a simple statement that God is God in times of trouble. After telling the story of the cross, the chorus is used in a new light, as Jesus faced the "darkest night," to which our sufferings pale in comparison. Jesus had his Father turn his back on him. Jesus died with the weight of the sins of the world on him. God the Father lost his only Son to death.

The climax of the song occurs with the "Hallelujahs"-the praise that results from Jesus' triumph over sin in the resurrection. As the song descends from the chorus, it speaks of how God's experience as a man shows us that he understands every suffering experience that we can have as humans. In the conclusion lies a simple prayer for God to help us understand the suffering that he allows, for they often don't make sense to us. So we cling to hope in our redemption through the cross.

You can download the lead sheets at www.nordtvedt.net/worship

Free and Forgiven

VERSE 1
There's nowhere to hide
That You do not see
I have no defense-You see my heart
I stand before You guilty
My only hope is Your mercy

I can't cover up, I can't keep it in
You know every thought, every sin
I stand before You guilty
My only hope is Your mercy

CHORUS
Giver of Forgiveness here I am
Ashamed of my unworthiness
You see the worst in me and still
You don't love me any less
But You take my sin away from me
As far as the east is from the west
I'm free and forgiven
Because of You, Jesus
Giver of Forgiveness

VERSE 2
Prisoner once more
I am chained again
Why do I return to my sin?
Oh Jesus, please remind me
Tell me again I'm free

(To CHORUS)

BRIDGE 1
My chains are broken
And sins are no more
All forgiven by my Savior
Guilty no longer
I'm washed white as snow
Jesus loves me more than I know

BRIDGE 2
I'm free
And forgiven

download this song >>>

Commentary on Free and Forgiven
The first verse is heavy with the Law, as it sets the stage of a trial in which the plea is very clearly guilty. The defendant knows it. The judge knows it is true. There is an acknowledgment of sin. And there is an acknowledgment that the only way out of punishment is mercy, which is completely undeserved. The chorus begins with a call on the "Giver of Forgiveness" as the second note of Grace begins to sound. Amidst the forgiveness, remains an understanding of being unworthy, but loved nonetheless. Echoing Psalm 103:12, the singer proclaims that God has taken our sins away from us "as far as the east is from the west." The chorus concludes with the statement that Jesus is the Giver of Forgiveness.

Verse two takes the singer back to the inevitable failing once again, despite knowing the grace that has been given. It reflects Romans 7:14-25, in that we struggle with our sinful nature and need reminders that we have been already forgiven and are free.

The bridge is an all-Gospel celebration of freedom and forgiveness.

You can download the lead sheets at www.nordtvedt.net/worship

Daddy Love Me

VERSE 1
I cannot run; I know I'm wrong
You see my shame; I can't explain
‘Cause I don't know what's wrong with me
It pulls me down like gravity
Why can't I be who You made me to be?

PRECHORUS
And I see the tears in Your eyes
You love more than I realize
Nothing I do will make my broken heart new so I'm here

CHORUS
Daddy I'm so sorry
Please, oh please forgive me
Daddy, take me in Your arms and hold me
Passion overflowing
In Your arms embracing me
Daddy, love me (Daddy, love me; Daddy, love me)

VERSE 2
I'm here again; I can't pretend
I know You know; Each time I fall
I don't know just what You see
How can You keep loving me?
Could I be who You made me to be?

BRIDGE
And as a father holds his child
Safe in his strong arms
You hold me close and I know I'm loved

Daddy I'm so sorry
Please, oh please forgive me
Daddy, take me in Your arms and hold me
Passion overflowing
In Your arms embracing me
Daddy, love me (Daddy, love me; Daddy, love me)

download this song >>>

Commentary on Daddy Love Me
"Daddy Love Me" paints a picture of a child who has sinned, approaching its father for forgiveness and assurance of his love. It is a song of repentance and confession of sin, while holding to the promise that Daddy will forgive every time.

The song begins with Law-the admitting of wrongdoing. The lyrics also state how our sinful nature pulls us down like the never-relenting force of gravity. It's something with which we must always contend. In the pre-chorus, the Gospel begins, we see that Daddy (American for Abba) loves us more than we realize. (Ps. 103:13)

In the confession of the chorus, we cry out for the forgiveness we need, while having full assurance that he still loves us. Verse 2, returns us to the Law as we return to our sinful nature, concluding with a question of "Could I be who You made me to be?" This is a longing for the day when God frees us from our sinful nature and we can truly be the people he originally made us to be.

Though this song was originally written for a soloist to sing, I have often wondered if it would work in a congregational setting (minus the keys changes and soloistic devices used in the recording). It has a fairly large range, but not impossible and the melodies are fairly simple.

You can download the lead sheets at www.nordtvedt.net/worship

By   Tue, Aug 25, 2009

Pastor Todd Anderson (near left) recently installed several new Board of Director/Trustee members at Messiah Lutheran Brethren in Browns Mills, NJ during Palm Sunday worship. At their annual meeting Messiah renewed its commitment to reaching and ministering to it's community in southern New Jersey.

By   Tue, Aug 25, 2009

In a 1901 issue of the forerunner of Faith and Fellowship, the first reason given for the founding of our schools was this: "As Christ commanded the church to pray the Lord of the harvest to send forth laborers, so we are given the responsibility to pray for workers and to help train workers for the Lord's vineyard." If this vision was urgent then, how much more do we need equipping for mission in the Lord's vineyard today with the world now right on our doorsteps? Mission requires the crossing of borders, and so today's pastors and church workers need missionary training in order to lead their congregations into the mission field, including the mission field in their very own neighborhoods. As the president of a well-known seminary recently put it, "The way we trained missionaries 40 years ago is now how we must train every Christian leader." At Lutheran Brethren Seminary, we are committed to making that kind of training available not only in the classroom, but off-campus as well. As one LBS student reported after returning from a trip to China, "Simply visiting the Chinese people gave us a rather strong desire to share the gospel; it was overwhelming to imagine how Christ must desire to be with them, in their hearts. With this in mind, we looked more deeply into God's Word and tried to apply what we had just read...Cross-cultural studies is so enlightening and broadening for me."

While our entire curriculum has a view to God's mission, courses like World Religions and Cross-Cultural Communications require students to apply their learning in real-life border-crossing situations. Students make visits to mosques and synagogues or other places of worship and they conduct ethnographic interviews with people whose roots are in other cultures and faiths. While our students have traveled to Mexico, Africa and Asia with Hillcrest Lutheran Academy or with area churches, part of our curriculum requires students to take trips to the Red Lake Indian Reservation and to Minneapolis in order to experience ministry in cross-cultural settings right here in Minnesota. They do not come back unchanged. As one student who went to Red Lake put it, "This was an eye-opening trip. I had not been in this type of environment as a Christian."

The benefits of such experiences are not only for those going into vocational church ministry; one of our graduates went into restaurant management in southern California and within two weeks found himself in a serious kitchen staff dispute where he had to use a translator to communicate. In his e-mail to me he wrote, "I just want to thank you for what I got out of the class I took with you. It is serving me well here in this place. I am slower to judge this culture, and wanting more to learn it so that I can effectively witness to it." Every day was a cross-cultural experience for Tom in that setting.

Today's mission demands cross-cultural competency, even close to home.

Gaylan Mathiesen, Ph.D., is Professor of Mission and Evangelism of Lutheran Brethren Seminary in Fergus Falls, MN.