Buffalo Center Tribune

The Church being the Church

/ The Pastor

The following is my article for the Buffalo Center Tribune. It was published on July 31, the second to last day of our community vacation Bible school.

By the time you read this article, we will be wrapping up our community vacation Bible school. This year the United Methodist Church were our gracious hosts. Last year Bethlehem Lutheran Church had the privilege to host as VBS rotates between the United Methodist Church, Congregational Church, First Reformed Church and Bethlehem Lutheran Church. This ecumenical cooperation is a strength in this community as each congregation brings their unique gifts to the table to help raise our children in the faith. Each site is unique with their particular strengths and thus each year is a new experience for the kids, and not just because the program focus changes every year. Each year loving adults give of their time to make preparations for the week and many more give of their time to teach, lead crafts and games, and many other responsibilities. There are so many logistics and details to put together and this is all done by various individuals from among the congregations throughout the year. Planning for the VBS week begins shortly after VBS ends as the torch is passed to the next church. What a joy it is to work with these congregations and look forward to VBS every year.

You all know the phrase, “It takes a village to raise a child” and this is lived out here in Buffalo Center as the Church does what the Church is supposed to do. Earlier this year, Community Chapel held its VBS. My kids participated even though we are using the same curriculum. But as they say, the experience is always different and therefore my kids have never been bored attending both VBS programs. But here is where the Church thing comes in. The area churches share their decorations and resources because, well, they also believe in the church. Curriculum and supplies are expensive, especially for us small churches, so what a blessing that we can share resources to help advance the Kingdom we all love.

20 “I do not ask for these only, but also for those who will believe in me through their word, 21 that they may all be one, just as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me. 22 The glory that you have given me I have given to them, that they may be one even as we are one, 23 I in them and you in me, that they may become perfectly one, so that the world may know that you sent me and loved them even as you loved me. (John 17:20-23)

I pray that through this ecumenical cooperation you may see that oneness for there is one God and one salvation through Jesus Christ God only son. There is one hope and one Life. There is one family of God. And therefore, as an extension of that family, we live and serve together to the glory of God.

Human Trafficking

/ The Pastor

I wrote the following for the Buffalo Center Tribune. This is important stuff for everyone.

PLEASE CONTINUE READING THIS EVEN AFTER READING THE NEXT SENTENCE.
Sex/Human trafficking is here in Iowa. Are you still with me? Good, because this is important. On Tuesday, August 8, I attended a free showing of the documentary…

Gridshock (https://www.gridshockdocumentary.com/).

I attended this because the evil of buying and selling another person is so abhorrent to me that I wanted to be further educated about what I can do to help. The fact that there are people who think it is okay to strip a person of their humanity in order to satisfy their own pleasure centers, scares me to death. It could be someone I love who is a victim or even a buyer. But this documentary scared me even more when I learned that human trafficking is a major problem here in Iowa. One of the reasons that it is a major problem here is because so many people think it is not. “This only happens in big cities, not in little ole Buffalo Center.” And therefore, people are not watching or worse yet, they simply do not care because it does not affect them. In this documentary, I listened to the stories of three women (from Iowa) who survived their ordeals, and I was shocked to hear the horrifying accounts they shared. We need to wake up because it is here in Iowa; safe, down to earth, conservative, heart of the Midwest, Iowa. Are you still with me? Good, then allow me to share some things we can be doing now.


(1) Talk to your children about online safety. Since the pandemic, online predators have been on the rise because, well, that’s where their victims are. One of the ways that predators get their victims is through grooming. They befriend them. This is something that can happen over time, and therefore our children need to have safe social media practices, which leads me to number two.


(2) Know what your children are doing online. As parents, we simply cannot trust that our children are doing what they are supposed to be doing or refraining from what is unsafe. Therefore, insist on seeing their online activity. Friend them on their social media account(s). You do not need to hoover and spy but be aware. And this leads me to number three.


(3) Know who their friends are. If your children talk about friends you do not know, make it a point to know them. If they are considerable older than your children, warning lights should be flashing like crazy.


(4) And lastly (at least for this article) spend time with your children. When I say this, it does not simply mean occupying the same address or room. Put down your phones and turn off your electronic devices. Actually be present with them. Talk to your children. Listen to them. Play with them. Take an active and authentic interest in their lives, their joys and sorrows. Let them know you care.


Sex/Human trafficking is here is Iowa. Let us wake up and see this problem for what it is. Keep the conversation going and pay attention. Learn all you can. And more importantly, pray, pray, and pray some more. God help us.

Sovereign

/ The Pastor

The following is the article I submitted for publication in the Buffalo Center Tribune, published on Tuesday, April 25, 2023.
To God be ALL glory!

Following the resurrection of Jesus, two disciples leave Jerusalem and head towards the town of Emmaus, about 7 miles away. As they were walking along, trying to make sense of this wild news that Jesus may not actually be dead, that he has risen, this “man” comes along to join their journey. And then it says in Luke 24:16, “But their eyes were kept from recognizing him.” The “man” is Jesus, but those two disciples were kept from recognizing him. So many questions here about why this happened; why they could not recognize Jesus, but one important truth about God. The space provided for me here does not lend itself to an extensive discussion on those questions so allow me to jump to the truth.


“But their eyes were kept from recognizing him.” This was not a biological response; their brains refusing or unable to accept the fact that Jesus was alive. Secular professionals could make that argument and have done so, but they are WRONG. The truth is, God did this. God is the one who prevents them from recognizing Jesus, and this points to the truth that our awesome God is sovereign.


Sovereign is a word you probably do not use a whole lot in everyday language. When you do hear/see it, or maybe even use it yourself, it refers to some kind of world leader such as a king/queen or a dictator. Sovereignty refers to supreme power with no one who can get in the way. We use this term in reference to some world leaders, but it is not entirely accurate. True enough, there may be no ONE who can get in their way in a political sense, but they do not have ALL power. Death is the great equalizer and can bring down the mightiest of rulers – well, not the mightiest One.


The word “sovereign” can only be correctly and fully used to describe our creator God, Father almighty. There is no power greater than God, not even death, for God destroyed the power of death through the resurrection of Jesus. And because God is truly sovereign in all things and in all ways, God is also sovereign when it comes to your salvation.


God kept those two disciples from recognizing Jesus because God was not ready for them to see Jesus. He had another agenda in the works as you can see played out in the following verses. God kept their eyes closed so Jesus could lead the world’s best Bible study and thus cause their hearts to burn within them. God worked salvation in their hearts and when He was ready, HE released their eyes and they saw the Truth; Jesus. What a comfort that He takes care of that which we could never obtain or earn on our own, because we are sinners. GOD works salvation through Jesus. GOD does the hard work for you. GOD gives you amazing mercy via his grace. GOD is merciful. YOU are a sinner, but God’s love overcomes. And therefore, praise be to God, always and forever, Amen.

Never Nothing

/ The Pastor / 2 Comments

The following article was written for the Buffalo Center Tribune for Febraury 15, 2023. To God be the glory, always!

Have you ever had something and then lost it, and then had to cope with not having that something? Sure, you have. In some cases, it can be disturbing or frustrating. Sometimes it can be scary or just downright annoying. Just recently I recovered from my second bout of Covid. My first time was just minor symptoms that lasted only a few days. This time around it was similar except for one annoying difference. This time around I lost my sense of taste and smell. I had heard the stories of what that was like, but it was hard for me to imagine. Now I was there and let me tell you, not tasting my coffee was super annoying. Thankfully this loss only lasted a day or so. Now I am tasting every delicious sip of my coffee.


Then there are those moments when your brain seems to freeze up and you lose some information you once had. I was recently responding to an email to someone and wanted to give them my cell phone number. As I started typing my brain froze and I could not remember the numbers after my area code. There was a moment of panic, but thankfully that only lasted a few moments. And then there was last week. I was sitting at my computer wanting to type an article for the paper and I had nothing. I did not even have a first word to type. But obviously that passed since you are reading this article.


“Wow pastor, you still have nothing.”


Well, here’s something – In Christ, you never have nothing.


Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. 2 Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God. 3 Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, 4 and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, 5 and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us. (Romans 5:1-5)


I just love those words because it points to “something” that I have that will never be taken away by the failings of my body or the fallenness of this world. Through God’s amazing grace, He pours His Holy Spirit into His people so that they can see the truth; the truth that through Jesus there is forgiveness of sins and thus the sure and certain hope of eternal life. You may lose everything and everyone in this world, but when you have the Holy Spirit, you never have nothing.


So, if you feel lost or feel that you have nothing, turn to God and know a love like none other. Turn to God and place your trust in Him. Turn to God, for He is everything. And it is a “everything” that will never be taken away or lost. To God be all glory, in Jesus’ name, Amen.

An Active God

/ The Pastor / 2 Comments

Surprise!!! Here I am. I have not posted an article on this blog for a while and I need to get back to doing that, so here I am. I am not going to dump a whole bunch of articles on you at once, but I am going to start getting caught up. The following article is one I wrote for the Buffalo Center Tribune on March 15, 2023. To God be the glory!

As I contemplated the topic of this article, a particular concern came up twice in one day; one that invited more reflection. The first time was during my sermon preparation for our Wednesday night sermon series titled, “Call Stories in the Bible”. This particular sermon was on the call of Gideon from Judges 6:11-16. When the angel of the Lord showed up and greeted Gideon with the words, “The Lord is with you”, Gideon said, “Please, my lord, if the LORD is with us, why then has all this happened to us? And where are all his wonderful deeds that our fathers recounted to us, saying, ‘Did not the LORD bring us up from Egypt?’ But now the LORD has forsaken us and given us into the hand of Midian.” And so, the concern is the apparent silence and inactivity of God.


The second time this came up was in Bible study, later that day, when someone was talking about how God appears not to be as active today as He was in the Bible, especially the Old Testament. I then reflected on a confirmation lesson recently when I asked the kids if God still does miracles today. They struggled to think of anything. But this observation on God’s apparent silence and inactivity is not an isolated one. Have you ever thought about this?


Granted, I have not heard of God parting any waters for people to cross or calling anyone out of a sealed tomb, but God is alive and well (and always will be) and very active today. God speaks. God calls. God is doing stuff.

Did you just say, “doing stuff”? That doesn’t sound too theological.


Granted, but God is still “doing stuff”. I see God’s handiwork in the beautiful Iowa sunrises and sunsets. We will see God’s handiwork in creation as Spring (hopefully) springs soon. We see God’s handiwork in each and every person we meet, for He formed each of us and knit us together in our mother’s womb (Psalm 139). I see God active in healing people (I can tell you a few stories here). I see God doing amazing things in people here in this community. God is not absent or silent. God is not taking a break or being lazy. All you need to do is open your eyes and pay attention.


In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth, including you and me. And therefore, God is never to going abandon His creation or ever be done with you. God is never going to ghost your prayers or leave you wondering indefinitely. God is faithful and true, and through faith in Jesus, He will be your God forever. God doing stuff? YES! Every day, every hour, every minute and every second. God is for you. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Weapons

/ The Pastor / 2 Comments

Good morning. It has been a while since I have posted here. Occasionally I have gone through some dry spells when this blog was less active. Hopefully this new Buffalo Center Tribune article will kick things off again for this blog. So without further ado, here you go. To God be the glory!

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In reading through 2 Corinthians last week, I paused on verses three and four of chapter ten, which read, “For though we walk in the flesh, we are not waging war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds.” I think of these verses whenever a national tragedy takes place, like a mass shooting, natural disaster, etc. Especially during an event like a school shooting, social media lights up with political finger pointing, blaming this and that party for their policy actions (or inaction) and beliefs. And then amidst the finger pointing there is another form of attack. This is directed towards Christians who wield a different kind of weapon in response to the tragedy. Their (our) calls for and commitments to prayer are met with mocking and anger as nonbelievers criticize Christians that prayer is not enough, or prayer is pointless in stopping a bullet or prayer is just being lazy and irresponsible when people are dying. I have seen all of these attacks on social media, and it saddens me. But it also reminds me that as a Christian, the battle, indeed, is not against flesh and blood and therefore the weapons we wield are different than the world’s weapons. For those fighting flesh and blood, the weapons include the political system, words, and actual real-life weapons. The world wields these and thus, to them, anyone who does not is weak and irresponsible.


As a Christian, the greatest weapon we can use is that which carries a different and greater power. It is a power that cannot be overcome by the world. It is a power that is unmatched by anything and anyone. It is a power that WILL destroy every stronghold. It is the power of God Almighty. And thus, the greatest, not the least, thing you can do is PRAY. It does not mean that Christians should not do something in this world in response to a tragedy, like engaging the political process, but do not let that be your only weapon of choice. We have to remember, as a child of God, the enemy is not of this world. But God our Creator is the victorious King, a victory won on the cross of Jesus.


The enemy, Satan, though defeated, keeps on fighting in this world. He keeps on trying to drive people to despair and to fight among themselves. What Satan sees on social media after a national tragedy is something that brings a smile to his face. Brothers and sisters, keep on wielding the weapons of the Spirit and never let the world convince you that you are being lazy. Rather, remember the divine power and grace that has saved you through Jesus and thus bring him glory through your faithfulness. Keep on fighting and trust God. HE is powerful and HE has won the Day. In Jesus name, Amen.

Jesus Knows

/ The Pastor / 2 Comments

The following is my newest article for the Buffalo Center Tribune. To God be the glory!

Occasionally, I get inspired to write poetry. Sometimes it comes in bunches and at other times it is just one here and there. And sometimes they happen very suddenly and with little warning. The poem I have shared below is one such poem. I was preparing a sermon for Sunday, May 1 on John 21:15-19, a post-resurrection account of Jesus questioning Peter three times, “Do you love me”. The point of their interaction was that even though Jesus knew Peter was going to deny him three times; even though he knew the disciples would desert him, Jesus loves them, forgives them, and restores them. Jesus knew and still died on the cross for them, and for you and me. Jesus knows. That thought is just amazing. So, one day as I was traveling to Cabin Coffee in Forest City to sermon write, God spoke. He spoke the first stanza of the following poem. It was so captivating that I had to stop along the road in Thompson to write it down. I did not want to forget. As that stanza continued its swim in my heart, the other stanzas eventually fell into place. And so, to the glory of God, I share with you, “Jesus Knows”:


Jesus knows your joys
and sorrows.
He knows all your needs
and your tomorrows.
Jesus knows.


Jesus knows, and loves
to bestow
his grace and mercy.
You he won’t forgo.
Jesus loves.


Jesus loves, and heals
your hurting;
he restores your soul.
This I’m asserting.
Jesus heals.


Jesus heals, and reigns.
Reigns on high,
and now death is gone
with no more goodbye.
Jesus reigns.


When God speaks, sometimes you just need to stop what you are doing and listen. And if necessary, write it down. Amen.

Dead Things

/ The Pastor

The following is my article for the Buffalo Center Tribune that was published yesterday. To God be the glory.

“Why do you seek the living among the dead?” (Luke 24:5)


The women, in the post-resurrection verse above, were looking for a dead body, Jesus. They were there to perform an act of love by anointing his body per Jewish custom, but their hearts were breaking. Their Lord, teacher, friend was dead. All hope was lost, even though they should have expected the scene they found. But as it is, they are looking for a corpse as they were mourning. For you see, they were looking for hope and thought they found him. They were looking for life and thought Jesus was it. He was supposed to establish his kingdom, but now he’s dead, nothing more than a rotting shell. What a seemingly tragic end on that “bad” Friday. And now, they are at a tomb looking for his dead body. This was not how it was supposed to be. But it is not the end. Jesus had told them, three times, that he was going to die and then rise on the third day. And so, the angles blow them out of the water with their rhetorical question – Why do you seek the living among the dead? Remember how he told all of this, that he was going to die and then rise? And then it began to click. You see, this is not admonishment. The angles are not condemning the women for their unbelief, but rather proclaiming good news, THE Good News. They were proclaiming the “It is finished” that Jesus uttered before he died. He is not dead. Jesus is alive.


I think about this scene, and also see it as a commentary on our own lives. Whether we admit it or not we are looking for the living among dead things. In the act of sinning, we are looking for that which makes us feel alive, happy, satisfied, and fulfilled. And when we do not find what we are looking for or when the good feelings fade, you keep on sinning; keep on looking; and keep on finding “dead things”.


No life. No happiness. No fulfillment. The seeking continues.


But in Jesus there is life. In Jesus there is joy. In Jesus there is a future. In Jesus there is hope, for through his death and resurrection your sins are forgiven. And so…
In what “dead things” are you looking for life?
In what “dead things” are you looking for happiness?
In what “dead things” are you looking for fulfillment?


Look to Jesus and see your life unfold. Seek him in scripture. Seek him in prayer. Seek him in worship. Seek him with your whole life. But as you seek, know that you seek not because Jesus is hiding but you seek him as a way of turning away from the “dead things” of this world that can only promise death. When you seek Jesus, you will find him. Seek Jesus for he is the Way, the Truth and the Life. He is the very one for whom you are looking. Seek THE Living One. Jesus. To God be all glory, honor, praise and worship, in Jesus’ name, Amen.

You’re Being Watched

/ The Pastor

Here is my newest article for the Buffalo Center Tribune that was published today. To God be the glory!

Have you ever gone through your day thinking that someone is watching you? Do you ever look over your shoulder to see if someone is following you? Unnerving thoughts to say the least, but that is reality. For you see, your enemy, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour (1 Peter 5:8). But many people (maybe even you) don’t even give this a second thought. But the fact remains, Satan is prowling around waiting for an opportune time to attack. And then, when you least expect it, he pounces on his prey.


Now, maybe you’re thinking, “My faith is strong”; “I read my Bible”; “I pray every day”; “I go to worship”; “I attend Bible study”; “I hang out with Christian friends”. Basically, “What do I have to worry about?” Well, let me tell you, that is the opportune time for which Satan is waiting. A mentor of mine once told me that Satan likes to attack us where we are the strongest, where we feel the most comfortable. He likes to pounce on our strengths in order to tempt us to misuse them. If you are a strong orator, then the temptation will be to use your words to your own advantage through a distortion of the truth. If you are charismatic, then the temptation will be to use your personality to lead people astray. If you are good with numbers, then the temptation might be to embezzle. And you get the point. But the weak are not safe from the lion. They are just easier prey.


So, what is the hope? How do we stay strong? How to we withstand Satan’s attacks? Well, first you must admit that you are the problem; sin living in you. You were conceived in sin, born in sin and now live in sin. You cannot pass the buck here, “The Devil made me do it”. But there is Good News. The father of lies, Satan, has been defeated through the cross of Jesus. Jesus rose from the dead for the forgiveness of your sins. You have been redeemed from the power of sin and death. You have been set free from the taskmaster, Satan. Yes, you are still a sinner, and yes, Satan still stalks his prey. But God has won the battle. Look to him, not just in weakness but also in strength.


And so, I invite you to attend Holy Week services this week. There is a community Maundy Thursday service at Bethlehem Lutheran Church (also live streamed on our YouTube channel) and a community Good Friday service at the United Methodist Church. Both services are at 7 PM. And then on Sunday, attend Easter worship at the church of your choice. Here at Bethlehem we have a 7:00 AM Sunrise and 9:30 AM Festival service. Both are also live streamed on our YouTube channel.

Hear the Good news of Jesus’ death and resurrection and give thanks and praise for the salvation He freely gives to sinners. All is not lost, but rather, everything has been gained for you. Seek Jesus. Know Jesus. Praise Jesus. To God be all glory, forever and ever, Amen.

Speak Life

/ The Pastor / 2 Comments

The following is my newest article for the Buffalo Center Tribune. To God be the glory!

As I write this article, it is Wednesday, March 23. The reason I mention that is because it is the two-year anniversary of the first “shelter in place” order that was issued in the state of Washington (where we were living at the time). I remember that first day well, driving to my church office. It was a 20-minute commute, and the roadways were eerily quiet. I almost felt like a fugitive sneaking around and wondering if the police would stop and question me and then take me to pandemic jail. That never happened, of course, but the feeling remained for a long time as life changed in a big hurry. Masks became common apparel, and some became accessories to match with outfits. Hand sanitizer and toilet paper flew off the shelves, and panic ensued when neither could be found. YouTube worship services, Zoom and video calls became the way we stayed connected with people. Remote/virtual school started to challenge family schedules. Working from home became the norm. And as time went on, and the curve did not flatten, other changes began to happen. Political discourse became more feisty as lines were drawn in the sand. Mask vs no-mask groups squared off and did battle. Protests began as people resisted “emergency powers”. And then the Church got more involved and vocal, which lead to more division. The world changed in drastic ways, some for better and some for worse.


Today, many would say that this pandemic is over and that the “all clear” needs to be officially sounded. But no matter where you fall on that issue, for many it is not “all clear”. I have a dear friend who has many health challenges and because of this virus, I have not seen her in-person for over 2 years. Hopefully that will change soon. Now, I do not want to get into a political discourse over this, but I bring this up for the very reason that I marked March 23 on my calendar. Whatever the reasons (I am not judging, and I hope you will not either), many have not returned to in-person worship and/or in-person social life. And whether you agree with how this pandemic has been managed there are real people involved and they need you. Sometimes I forget as I rarely see masks or hear about this virus every other second on the news. But my calendar reminded me today that there is much work and ministry to be done.


Instead of drawing lines in the sand, we need to wash those lines away and come together. We need to remember people and accept the fact that life will never be the same as it was in early 2020. And so, do not forget about those for whom it is not “all clear”. Reach out to them and offer your hand of friendship. Let people know that they are not alone. Let’s stand in the sand together without any lines drawn and share the love of Christ. This pandemic has divided too many people and caused too much damage. Let’s not be willing parties to its destructive work. Let’s speak life, in the name of Jesus. Amen.