Pastor Kory's Page - Sun, August 18, 2024

Many people in our tech-focused culture scarcely read books anymore. It’s a shame, especially because it’s through the “Good Book” of Holy Scripture that we read of God’s revelation to us, the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and our Lord’s will for our lives.

In addition to the Bible, reading Christian books is one of the ways that we can “grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ” (2 Peter 3:18). We do, however, need to be discerning with what we read. Some Christian literature can promote false or confusing teachings. With all things, we need to heed John’s guidance and “test the spirits to see whether they are from God” (1 John 4:1).

For this Pastor’s Page article, I’m simply recommending some Christian books. All of these come from our Synod’s own publisher, Concordia Publishing House (CPH). While there are a variety of authors and perspectives represented among CPH’s resources, everything they publish is doctrinally reviewed for faithfulness to Scripture and the Lutheran Confessions. Soon, I’ll write a “part two” of recommended resources (with a digital focus), but for now, here’s my list of Bibles and books:

The Lutheran Study Bible – Filled with study notes written by Lutheran theologians, the Lutheran Study Bible is a great Bible choice for Lutheran households. It’s available in several sizes and as a phone app.

Today’s Light Bible – This is available as both a devotional Bible and as a quarterly devotional reading guide for use with your own Bible. It’s my favorite devotional resource.

Lutheran Service Book (LSB) – We use the LSB hymnal as the basis of our services at St. Matthew. It also makes a great in-home resource for learning the music and prayers of the Church.

Luther’s Small Catechism (2017 Edition) – Martin Luther wrote his Small Catechism in 1529. Nearly 500 years later, it continues to be the standard summary of the Lutheran Christian faith. The Catechism is available in several formats and as a phone app.

Concordia: The Lutheran Confessions – In addition to the Small Catechism, Lutherans also adhere to several other confessional writings from the 16th century. Concordia includes the Augsburg Confession, Luther’s Large Catechism, the Formula of Concord and more. (We will be starting a new Sunday Bible study this fall on the Augsburg Confession. Participants will receive a copy at church.)

The Lutheran Difference: An Explanation & Comparison of Christian Beliefs – This is an in-depth comparison of Lutheran teaching with what other Christian denominations believe and teach.

Luther: Biography of a Reformer – This is an easy-to-read biography of Martin Luther by Frederick Nohl. If you’ve never read a basic summary of Luther’s life and times, I’d recommend this book as a place to start.

The Spirituality of the Cross: The Way of the First Evangelicals – This book, by Gene Edward Veith Jr., describes his journey into the Lutheran tradition and what sets Lutheranism apart from other beliefs. I highly recommend this – and Veith’s many other books.

Grace Upon Grace: Spirituality for Today – This book, by Australian Lutheran writer, John Kleinig, reflects on how we are recipients of God’s amazing grace. Kleinig writes in a biblically-rich, devotional style. (I like to read this book a few pages at a time.)

Books on Revelation – Let’s end this list on the topic of the Bible’s last book! Christians regularly have questions about Revelation. Two books I recommend are The Revelation to John: A Commentary by Martin H. Franzmann and Concordia Popular Commentary: Revelation by Louis A. Brighton. Either of these books would help you to navigate through the challenging passages in the book of Revelation.

Please let me know if you have questions about these or other resources or if I can help you order something. Visit cph.org or Amazon to find any of these books. Most are also available on Amazon Kindle. Used copies are readily available online as well. God bless your reading and reflecting on your faith in Christ, and please let me know what Christian books are a blessing to you!

Grace & Peace,

Pastor Kory Janneke

Pastor Kory's Page - July 2024

What are some of the best ways of describing the Lutheran Church – who we are, what we believe, and how we fit into the wider Christian Church? There are many directions we could go, but I’ve selected a handful of terms for this summary while also trying to provide some explanation about what these descriptions mean and how they help to characterize us as Lutheran Christians. 

Lutherans are orthodox – This is not to be confused with Eastern Orthodox churches, which are common in Eastern European and Middle Eastern countries. The Greek term orthodox refers to “right teaching.” Orthodox beliefs are the foundational truths of the Christian faith as taught by Holy Scripture. Christian author, C.S. Lewis also referred to orthodox faith as “mere Christianity.” Lutherans are orthodox because we believe the classical, essential teachings of the Christian faith.

Lutherans are catholic – This is not to say that Lutherans believe and practice the same things as Roman Catholicism, which is centered around the Vatican in Rome and headed by the office of the Pope. (There is a great deal of overlap, however, between Lutheranism and Roman Catholicism.) The basic meaning of catholic is “worldwide” or “universal.” Lutherans confess the three historic creeds of the Christian Church, the Apostles’, Nicene, and Athanasian creeds, which summarize the faith universally taught by Christians throughout time and throughout the world. Martin Luther and his colleagues in the sixteenth century sought to make it clear that they were not departing from the catholic faith but seeking to reform the Church and to restore the Gospel to its proper prominence.

Lutherans are evangelical – We hear the term “evangelical” a lot these days as a way of referring to Protestant (or non-Roman Catholic) Christians. However, did you know that Lutherans are the original evangelicals? Early Lutherans referred to themselves as “evangelical” to show that their faith was centered on the Gospel. The Greek word, evangelium, means “Gospel”, which is, “good news.” Lutherans believe in and confess the Gospel that our sins are graciously forgiven by God through faith in His Son Jesus Christ. This evangelical message is the heart of everything we believe and do as Lutherans!

Lutherans are confessional – Unlike some modern Christians who may vaguely claim to follow “no creed but Christ”, Lutherans continue to confess the Christian faith just as it was articulated by many previous generations of believers. Lutherans believe that the Bible is the inspired, inerrant Word of God and that the Bible is the sole standard for our Christian faith and life. As mentioned already, Lutherans also confess the Church’s ancient creeds. Additionally, we subscribe to the Lutheran Confessions, also called Concordia and The Book of Concord (1580). These Confessions include The Augsburg Confession, The Apology [or defense] of the Augsburg Confession, The Smalcald Articles, The Power and Primacy of the Pope, Martin Luther’s Small and Large Catechisms, and the Formula of Concord. Lutherans confess that these documents, written between 1529 and 1577, are a correct exposition of the Bible. (If you are unfamiliar with the Lutheran Confessions, I would suggest that you begin by reading Luther’s Catechisms and the Augsburg Confession.)

Lutherans are Christ-centered – Most importantly, our faith as Lutheran Christians is centered on Jesus Christ alone! We read the Bible in a Christ-centered way. We live and work together in the Church because it is the Body of Christ on earth. We receive God’s gifts of Baptism, Absolution, and Communion because in them, Christ is at work, forgiving our sins and renewing our faith. And just like 2,000 years of Christians before us, we believe and we share the Good News that Christ has died, Christ is risen, and Christ is coming again!

Grace & Peace,

Pastor Kory Janneke

The Pastor's Windshield for June 2024

Last year, St. Matthew was blessed to celebrate its 25th year of ministry, but did you know that 2024 also marks an important milestone for the congregation? It has been ten years since St. Matthew purchased and moved to our current property on Farris Road in Conway.

Prior to that purchase, St. Matthew had a “nomadic” existence in its first 15 years. The congregation’s first worship service was held at Faulkner County Library in 1998. Then, in the years that followed, the congregation gathered at various rented spaces, including at UCA, a property on Morningside Drive, Hendrix College, and Olympia Plaza on East Oak Street.

When the former Advent Lutheran Church, a congregation of the ELCA, disbanded, St. Matthew was presented with the opportunity to own its own property and have a more permanent house of worship. St. Matthew dedicated its new building on November 30, 2014. 

A lot has happened in those 10 years, including pastoral turnover, both the departures and the arrivals of dozens of members, and the pandemic with all its effects on Church life. Suddenly (it seems!), St. Matthew has already called Farris Road home for a decade. Along with that, this building is nearing thirty years of age, as Advent constructed it in 1995. (A rendering of the property from the mid ‘90s is shown above.)

As we consider these anniversaries, we also give thanks that we are steadily progressing toward another important milestone: paying off the congregation’s mortgage. After selling some land on East German Lane, last year’s debt reduction Sunday, and ongoing donations and payments toward our debt, St. Matthew now owes less than $100,000 on its mortgage. We also plan to hold another debt reduction Sunday this fall. Lord willing, the church can be debt free within just a couple years!

Because of the aging nature of St. Matthew’s property, our upkeep and maintenance needs will continue to increase in the coming years. Over time, both critical infrastructure and things of a more cosmetic nature will need to be replaced or updated. This will require more involvement from the men and women of the congregation to keep on top of these property improvements.

At our upcoming voter’s meeting (on Sunday, June 30 after the service), we will be discussing some of our current and future property needs. Among the more pressing needs are the formation of a new property committee, identifying additional volunteers to create a rotation for lawn work, and identifying a volunteer to coordinate the replacement of the stained-glass window in the sanctuary. (Although the window is a beautiful feature in our worship space, unfortunately due to structural deficiencies, its replacement is necessary.) The involvement of both long-term and newer members will be needed and appreciated with these efforts.

In closing, let’s remember that a church building is something neither to be idolized nor to be neglected. It should not become the total focus of a church’s energy and resources, yet it should be stewarded with care. In a church building like St. Matthew’s, souls are baptized, the Word of God is preached, taught, and discussed, the body and blood of Christ are received for our forgiveness, God’s people gather to support one another, and much more. Mindful of those blessings, we say with the Psalmist, “O LORD, I love the habitation of Your house and the place where Your glory dwells!” (Ps. 26:8)

Grace & Peace,

Pastor Kory Janneke