Prayer Support for the Mission

The first and most critical component to kingdom building in the church militant is prayer.  The disciples looked as Jesus after years of talking, after years of Jesus' modeling, after years of His miraculous events ad requested, "Lord, teach us to pray."  They didn't say, "Lord, teach us to heal."  They didn't say, "Lord, teach us to walk on water."  They said, "Teach us to pray."  They came to recognize that the role of prayer in mission and in this life of faith is critical.

Before every significant event in Jesus' life, He was first in prayer. (In fact His life was and is a life of prayer before the Father even though He is 100% God.) He went off on His own to pray before He called the Disciples. He lifted His voice in prayer before feeding the thousands who came to listen to His teaching. Jesus was in excruciating prayer before He was betrayed and led to the cross. I know you can identify other prayer/event connections.

Such is the case today. As a District we are looking for a miracle. We are looking for the miracle of changed hearts that would trust Christ with their soul. We are asking the Lord of Life to bring life to the thousands upon thousands who are moving next door to us in Texas, and we are asking that He use us to do this. Indeed, we would be honored if He would use us to add to His kingdom.

We are organized for this; we have check lists, priorities, coaches, and enthusiasm. We are eager and burdened for this to occur as a District. But the question stands: are we convicted to pray concerning this Divine mission?

To be sure, we recognize that the growth of the church is a supernatural event calling for a supernatural turn of heart toward Jesus. After years of ministry, the disciples recognized this reality and finally suggested to Jesus or pleaded (I can not tell which from the text), "Lord, teach us to pray." Is that our request? Or are we still hoping, "Lord, teach us structure" or "Lord, teach us to better schedule"?

The challenge before us in Texas is so profound that a significant call to prayer is called for.  It is my prayer and our goal to realize 10% of the Baptized membership of the Texas District LCMS congregations to be in prayer for the mission in Texas.

As the Lord leads you to pray for the mission of the church in this district and beyond, I encourage you to subscribe to the Texas District Prayer Initiative.  When you do, you will receive a weekly prayer page through your preferred email account.  The content of this page for 2011 includes scripture readings, reflections by missionaries and leaders in the Texas District, and items for you to include in your personal prayer time.

To see prayer pages or to sign up to be a prayer supporter click here.

God Bless!

Biblical Creation and Faith

The following is an email response to an inquiry about Biblical Creation and the role of Faith.  As you read you will notice that there has been previous communication.  It is the second exchange. 

Thank you for your kind words.  My question was an honest one to be sure.  Email tends to convert some statements in inappropriate ways.  I would ask for your patience in applying the best construction on what I write. Thank you.   I am glad to learn that you have degrees in Geology and Math.  I appreciate your passion for this subject. 

In addition, I am glad to learn that your daughter has survived a struggle with cancer.  Such events are life focusing and priority challenging to be sure.

I am not surprised to learn that you know Bible passages.  While I do not know your faith I do know that there are many in the church who embrace the proposition of macro-evolution as the explanation of all things rather than the Biblical proposition. That broader reality saddens me because there is a larger question in play at this point concerning the veracity of Scripture.  The bottom line question is: "To what authority does one submit?" 

I do agree with you, a deep understanding of Science does not preclude belief in a Creator.  In fact I would go so far as to say that a deep, full, and complete understanding of Science requires such a belief.   The question is then, "What kind of Creator is He?"  Is He the one characterized by the phrase, "Survival of the fittest?" or is it the one who looked at His Creation and said, "It is very good!" (Genesis 1:31)

I can tell you that I would hate to know of the Creator without also knowing of the Redeemer.  Knowing the first alone would terrify me to the point where I would intentionally become an atheist.  However, because of the promise of the Word (Gen 3:15 and a multitude of other passages) the Holy Spirit, in His mercy, has called me to faith in Christ, addressed the fall of mankind in Genesis chapter three (before which there was no death) and provides for me hope in this life and the next.  And since the vicarious atonement calls for God incarnate to be born of a virgin, to live without sin, to be punished for my sin and the sin of the world (John 3:16), to die on a cross and rise from the grave three days later, to ascend into heaven where He now sits at the right hand of the Father, (all miracles greater than speaking the Universe into existence 6,000 or so years ago simply by His word) I have to ask, which is lest tenable?  Is it Creation or Salvation?  I would suggest the answer is Salvation is the more difficult proposition to accept.  How could Jesus be fully God and Man?  How could he raise the dead, heal the sick, give sight to the blind, calm the wind, and control nature in such ways?  And then I read John 1:1ff and learn that Jesus was before everything.  At this point, if I am prepared to accept such Christology and Soteriology by faith, Creation is a piece of cake.  And so I ascribe to both by faith alone.  Then I go from there looking at everything through the trustworthy eyes of Scripture.

Just a thought: The Lutheran Reformation of 1517 returned the church to the truth of the Gospel, and provided the theological and philosophical foundation for science to thrive and move forward.  The world-view that sees God's word as non-negotiable and removes fear provides the context for greater advancement in history more than any other world-view.  (I have found no exceptions.)  In other words, the reason mankind ended up on the moon has nothing to do with evolution.  Rather it is the freedom of the Gospel provided by Jesus' death and resurrection that removed fear, superstition, and the obligation to please God with our actions (Matthew 11:28). 

I would like to suggest a few reading resources and a couple of websites for you to consider:

            The Ultimate Proof of Creation: resolving the origins debate, by Dr. Jason Lisle

            Refuting Compromise, by Dr. Jonathan Sarfati

            Thousands Not Billions, Dr. Don DeYoung

            The Greatest Hoax on Earth?, Dr. Jonathan Sarfati