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Pastor to Pastor

My friend, Pastor Ray Mirly, is both teacher and preacher.  Now he serves as District President.  He is ready to encourage in each issue of his "Pastor to Pastor."  His encouragement is biblically based; his church worker experience is a rich resource deserving of a wider circulation to encourage church workers across our beloved LCMS.  To that end, we offer his messages to you for your encouragement as you serve the Lord and His Church.   (just scroll down)

PEACE!
L. Dean Hempelmann, S.T.M., Ph.D., D.D.
Director, What a Way 
Encouragement (based on Mt 10:32)
The words above are preceded by Jesus telling us to “fear not.” In the fear not statements He tells us that God knows so much about us and the world in which we live that he counts the number of hairs on our head and even knows when a sparrow falls to the ground. He watches over every little detail regarding things we do not pay much attention. For me, this is an important section of Holy Scripture, especially when I am struggling in my ministry, in my personal life or with all that is happening in the world. To think, God knows all about me and you!
In verse 31, Jesus tells us we are more valued than a sparrow. This is His way of encouraging us, strengthening us and pointing us to the only one who, as Luther says, “provides us with all that we need to support this body and life.”
Fellow pastors, we are never outside of God’s grace! We are always enveloped in His mercy! Through Christ we have His forgiveness for all of our sins of omission and commission.  Even when we are weak, He makes us strong.

PEACE!
L. Dean Hempelmann, S.T.M., Ph.D., D.D.
Director, What a Way  

 

"Do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.”  Ephesians 6:4(ESV) 

 

Encouragement -  Church Workers are Parents, Too

Leave home early and return late at night! How many times do you find yourself doing this? Do your children (grandchildren) consider you a guest in their home rather than a father or mother (grandfather or grandmother?) On a daily basis, how much do you interact with your children/family? Eat with them? Play with them? Have devotions with them? Watch one of their favorite DVD’s with them?

Absent or distance parenting is fairly prevalent in the United States today! Parents leave home before the kids are up! They call from their cell phones to make sure they are up, have eaten breakfast and are ready to leave for school on time. As church workers, at least many of us can schedule our day so we are home until the children have left for school or are safely dropped off at day care.

Paul, in Ephesians 6:4 is concerned, however, with something more profound and significant than just spending some time with our children, isn’t he? Spending time with them is important and we should. “Bringing them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord” is a far more important and urgent matter. Engaging ourselves actively in our children’s lives is included in Paul’s exhortation. Modeling the Christian life, providing a Christian/spiritual home, having family devotions, engaging in spiritual talks and daily praying with our children is the blessing that God desires us to be to our children as Christian fathers or mothers.

God bless your parenting and grand-parenting!