Most of us think of a “kingdom” as a place. But when Scripture speaks of the “kingdom of God,” it is not speaking of a place... Rather, the “kingdom of God” (or the “kingdom of Heaven”) is a fact, the fact that God is king.

Dangers confront us continually in the form of car crashes, heart attacks, divorce, politics, war, or terrorism. Jesus prays, appealing to his Father for our protection, but do we feel safe? We can look to pillars of Christianity and ask the same question.

Historically, the art of public speaking (including proclamation) has been considered under the category of rhetoric. Aristotle famously defined rhetoric as “the faculty of observing, in any given case, the available means of persuasion.”

It is Sunday, March 17th, day one of the centennial celebration of the Lutheran Brethren Church of Cameroon. It seems I am dreaming, having just crossed the Logone river this morning from Chad in a wooden canoe.

May/June 2024 issue of Faith & Fellowship

What does it mean to be human? Looking at that question, you might suggest that perhaps I’m biting off more than I can chew in a short article. A question like that falls into the same category as, “What is the meaning of life?” or “How do I know who I am?”

I sit alone in my office after an emotional and heartbreaking conversation with a mother watching her daughter, in the midst of an identity crisis, make decisions that cannot be easily undone. And then, as if I am having deja vu, I am transported to a previous conversation with a father.

Grief is often described as “deep sorrow,” “sadness,” or “heaviness of heart.” For me, in this situation, I would define my grief as “deep sorrow over shattered or unmet expectations.”  It’s private and personal, yet at the same time, it needs to be known so it’s not in the dark. This grief needs light.

The vision of the Church of the Lutheran Brethren is to be a Disciple-making Church. One of our Church body’s four objectives, “Unleash New Leaders,” has been a focus for decades at our camp and retreat center in Minnesota, Inspiration Point.

My story of being involved in Lutheran Brethren Youth Ministries is only one note in the song that is the beautiful history—the awesome legacy—of the Lutheran Brethren’s investment and concern for the generations that would follow them.

March/April 2024 issue of Faith & Fellowship

Whether we already have a loving earthly family or we are waiting for one, we can all look forward to an eternal home with our God, who declares with absolute love and authority that we are his children, “not of natural descent… but born of God!”

Jerusalem is a reminder of God’s fearsome judgment and his unfailing grace to both the faithful Hebrews of the Old Testament and the Christians of the New Testament.

As the air ambulance landed on the tarmac in Paris, France, I was placed on a gurney and rushed to a major hospital in downtown Paris. The icy February air bit at my cheeks, so different from the balmy warm air of Bokoro, Chad, where I’d been just a few days earlier.

Gospel partnership is a vital part of the ministry at Triumph Lutheran Brethren Church (Moorhead, MN and West Fargo, ND). God has equipped Triumph to do many things in his kingdom, but we can’t do it all! Strategic partnerships are essential to extend our reach across the street and around the world.

We need the meat and potatoes that Scripture can offer. The deeper we dig into the Bible, the more we learn we don’t know it all. So, dig deep for great riches and even greater understanding.

What benefit is there to accreditation? And, why do we believe it is important for LBS to be accredited?

God is faithful and he hears and answers our prayers. We have prayed for a strong youth ministry here at Elim and God has greatly blessed us. God uses his people in so many ways to bring about his purposes.

In late 2023, LBIM was blessed to facilitate, for the first time ever, a global LBIM missionary retreat. Our missionary families from Chad, Japan, and Taiwan made their way to the Suan Bua resort outside of Chiang Mai, Thailand.

January/February 2024 issue of Faith & Fellowship