Travel Light? 

We moved. Again.  

That’s been a pattern in our lives for the past number of years (I won’t say just how many), but suffice it to say, my good wife and I have learned a few things about moving as a couple and as a family called to congregational and para-church ministry. Allow me to share a couple key lessons; if you have some, send them my way and we’ll update this little submission. 

First, as you are coming out of seminary and getting settled at that first call, travel light. Don’t get into buying heavy furniture. It’s great to have until you move, and the more you have the harder it is to move it from place to place. Now, don’t take that super seriously, but think through your furniture commitments with some care. You most likely will be moving some day…give that some thought. 

We just made what we are hoping to be our last move, going from a lake property to a much smaller place in town…I gotta tell ya, we have way too much stuff and a lot of it is amazingly heavy.  

Books are heavy. We need them for our work. We need them for refreshment and even entertainment. I once had a pastor/mentor tell me to buy my reference books in hard cover and anything close to fiction in paperback. How much nicer to buy almost all of it online and in digital form!!  

Second, it's probably best not to buy a trailer. Rent one. If your parishioners know you have a trailer out back of your house or out front on the street, and that you own it, they might get the idea that you are ready and willing to travel at a moment's notice. We want to provide a little more assurance to our congregation than that, don’t we? 

I always wanted my own trailer, but I resisted the temptation. Of course, each time we’ve moved I regretted having to go down to U-Haul and pay almost the cost of a used trailer just to have one of theirs for a week or so. Still, give your parishioners some peace of mind, rent don’t buy. Unless you really can get a good deal on something useful. 

Third (and last for this episode), be careful about buying a house too soon into your time of service in a particular community. Check with a local realtor about market activity: does it take a year to sell a home? Is your choice of location helpful to your mission? Whatever, even if you have a lengthy stay in a particular community, buy wisely. 

Let me hear some of your life’s lessons relating to the practical side of ministry. 

Blessings! 

Bruce Stumbo - North American Mission Ministry Associate

“Please, Be Seated?” 

I did it just a couple days ago: We were moving into the closing song of the service, and I decided to sit and sing. It was fine. Not just fine, I found my closing expression through the lyrics of the song and the melody that we sang together was enhanced by not standing up, but simply sitting there, head bowed (I knew the song so didn’t need the words on the wall) and enabled by this posture to receive the encouragement of the message of the music and then the closing prayer of the service in a more meditative and, to me, more personal way. 

I may be stirring up some controversy. I hope not. Not my intention. But I have what is, for me, a valid question regarding “worship posture.” I’ll start with a leading question: In order to worship while singing, do we have to stand up? 

Now, I know that most worship leaders graciously give the option to remain seated by making the statement, “As you are able, please stand as we worship…” or something similar. That’s a good thing to say, especially when you (the leader) know that you have some who are not able to stand for periods of time—or, perhaps, at all. What I’m wondering is, what if I just don’t want to stand? 

I’m not suggesting anything here. I really don’t have a message to bring, an axe to grind, or even a request to make…other than this: If you are a worship leader, give some thought to letting people simply sit and sing without the distractions that come from a whole group of people standing up together.  

Just a little food for thought.  

P.S. - The subject of this blog submission reminds me of one of my favorite (older) worship choruses: 

I will stand in the congregation, and I will exalt You. 

I will stand in the congregation, and I will exalt You. 

Let the children of Your salvation lift Your praises too! 

Ha-lay ha-lay lu--jah! 

So, you see? I’m really not against standing, at all. Honest. 

Blessings! 

Bruce Stumbo - North American Mission Ministry Associate

What Are You Reading These Days? 

I get asked this question from a few friends whenever we see each other long enough to sit down for a good chat. Typically, the person asking is reading something he or she wants to recommend to me but, wanting to be polite, asks me first before they get into the book or books they want to share. So, What are you reading these days? 

Allow me to share with you a brief list of books that have been very helpful to me personally and professionally. If you should decide to read any of these (or, if you already have) I’d enjoy hearing from you. 

For personal growth: “The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry” by John Mark Comer. This one I picked up after hearing Pr. Ryan Nilsen mention it on the “Grace for the Grind” podcast which we post on the CLB Forge website. I bought it, and am now reading it, and already very willing to recommend it. Get one and read it for yourself. No hurry though. 

For encouragement in disciple making: 

“Transforming Discipleship” by Greg Ogden. Really excellent material here. I highly recommend it. 

For solid biblical teaching: 

“Authentic Christianity” by Gene Edward Veith, Jr. and A. Trevor Sutton. 

An excellent review of Lutheran theology, though I think they work awfully hard at praising that theology in a way that might put a non-Lutheran off just a bit. Still, the treatment of basic theological topics is very good…in my humble opinion. 

That’s enough for now. If you have a recommendation, feel free to share. Maybe we’ll put a regular book reading list on this blog based on recommendations from you and others. Deal? 

Blessings! 

Bruce Stumbo - North American Mission Ministry Associate

A Matter of Balance

As I went through the joys of physical therapy following a knee replacement, the therapist was always attentive to my need to keep my balance as I worked through various exercises. I soon discovered that his attention to my ability to go up a flight of stairs or simply walk down a hallway was warranted. I’m glad he didn’t have a chance to see me swing a golf club or roll a bowling ball a year later. Balance was an issue then, and it is to this day. 

I watch couples, usually older, walk arm in arm down the street and not because they are being romantic. They are, however, being loving and kind as one of them, if not both, needs the other to stay balanced on their walk. 

I have an older friend who doesn’t go anywhere without the help of his walking stick. That stick was a thing of beauty when he first got it. It’s all beat up, scraped and worn now, but it’s still a thing of beauty as it helps him stay balanced and walking into church (when I usually see him) or anywhere else he goes. 

Here’s the key to balance for most of us—it’s a three-point connection. Two feet on the ground and a walking stick or a helpful friend on your left or right. This is why there are grab bars in rest rooms and showers. It’s why we have handrails on stairways. Sure, lots of people can bounce up and down the steps of a stairway without holding on to something or someone, but watch for those who are not able to, or shouldn’t. Two feet on the floor, and a third point of contact to assist in the journey. 

You know where I’m going: spiritual balance. Life balance. Three points of contact: One is your own desire to be faithful and fruitful as you serve Christ. Another might be a mentor, a spouse, a pastor, or friend. What’s the third connection which will provide balance we can be sure of as we live in this rather chaotic, out-of-balance world? God, Jesus, His Word. Of course, but when our concentration on Him (call it worship) grows weak or goes missing in daily life, we are quickly of balance. 

Think about it, won’t you? Let me know what you think and how we can best attain balance…and stay that way. 

Food for thought: Even God has three-points of contact with us. 

Blessings! 

Bruce Stumbo - North American Mission Ministry Associate

Let's Make a Deal?

Do you ever get so busy that you neglect important things for the sake of just getting through what’s on your desk or plate? That’s the way it has been for me and my relationship to this Blog emphasized on our CLB Forge website. I’ve let the Blog part of this just stop…not even simmer…it has just not been active for quite a while. And it’s my fault. 

Now, to be fair, not one person has written, called, texted, or Zoomed me with a complaint that the Blog isn’t up to date; but why would they? I know everyone else is busy too, so they might confess to neglecting their CLB Blog reading while I’ve been neglecting to post anything. Well, that got circular real fast.  

I’m now hoping some, at least, will notice that I’m going to be working harder to keep this post relevant and active. There are so many good things to write about, and if those things can be helpful to you, well then, that would be excellent and worthwhile. 

So, as part of my newly reformatted job description here at the ol’ North American Mission Office, I’ve taken on oversight of the NAM portions of the website and the Blog. I’m happy to do so.  

Watch for what I hope to be weekly postings right here. 

First up? I really encourage you to listen to the Podcast post #170 put together by Pastors Mike Natale, Dan Stenberg, and Ryan Nilsen. You’ll find the link to the Podcast list in the header of the Forge home page (clbforge.org). The subject of #170 is rest and the guys do a great job opening up a very important subject which challenges just about everyone in modern society and, maybe particularly, pastors and other leaders who carry around all kinds of guilt because they think they can’t rest because (fill in the blank). 

They mention and endorse a book titled “The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry”. If you are reading this and got this far and are the first person to let me know I made this offer, I’ll send you a free copy of the book on the condition you read it and let me know what you think.  

Deal? 


Bruce Stumbo – North American Mission Ministry Associate

JOY: The Tone of God’s People

Thanks so much for engaging the Forge and this blog. I wanted to give you a quick overview of what to expect from this blog in the near future. Our hope is to encourage you with useful information as you serve the Lord and your congregation in our unified call to make disciples. Our goal will be to have approximately four posts each month. The posts will fall into four categories:

  1. Congregational Vitality – “Words that Matter”
  2. Church Planting and Multiplication
  3. What’s up in our North American context?
  4. Guest Bloggers

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JOY: The Tone of God’s People

Biblical joy is an essential component of walking with God and being his people. The Oxford Dictionary defines it as “a feeling of great pleasure and happiness.” Though the Bible can also use joy to describe a feeling of happiness, it differs in significant ways. Let’s look at the original Hebrew and Greek words.

Joy in Hebrew

The word joy appears often in the Old Testament translated from 15 Hebrew words. For instance, there is simchah, which means joy, gladness, or mirth. Then there is sason [saw-sone’], which means exultation or rejoicing. All these Hebrew words generally mean to be happy or joyful and they have a variety of sources. For example, people rejoiced in each other, in their children, in abundant harvest, in victory, or an apt answer. However, believers found their ultimate source of joy and satisfaction in Yahweh (Ps. 32:11). They rejoiced in him because of his salvation, his justice, his protection, his word, etc.

Joy in Greek

There are eight Greek words for joy in the New Testament, but the most prevalent one is chara. Its first occurrence is about the nativity of Jesus in Matthew 2:10, which says, “when they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy.” According to Strong’s Concordance, chara means joy, calm delight, or inner gladness. It is related to chairo, which means to rejoice, and charis, which means grace. Therefore, chara means to rejoice because of grace. It is the awareness of God’s grace through Jesus, as well as our reaction to it.

Biblical joy comes from the Lord.

It is a perpetual gladness of the heart that comes from knowing, experiencing, and trusting Jesus. Joy is our God-given response to knowing and walking with Jesus Christ. This doesn’t mean life is always easy. God invites and in fact calls us to be “real” - we should express our grief and pour out our hearts to God like we so often see in the Psalms. We see Paul possessed this joy when he said, “being full of sorrow and yet rejoicing” (2 Cor. 6:10) and “in all our affliction, I am overflowing with joy (2 Cor. 7:4).

Charles Spurgeon said, “believers are not dependent upon circumstances. Their joy comes not from what they have, but from what they are, not from where they are, but from whose they are, not from what they enjoy, but from that which was suffered for them by their Lord.”

Jesus is the long-awaited Messiah who will bring everlasting joy.

When the angel announced his birth to the shepherds, he said it was good news of great joy for all the people, and when the shepherds saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy. Even unborn John the Baptist leaped with joy at the coming of Jesus. They all rejoiced because God had come to dwell with them as Immanuel. His rescue sets us free from sin, death, and judgment and makes us right with God. It is truly good news of exceeding joy! As the Church, we celebrate the first coming of Jesus and joyfully anticipate his second coming, when he will reign forever and we will experience the fullness of His joy.

Therefore, the Church is a place of Joy!

The Church is God’s creation. He designs it, builds it, and sustains it. Part of this reality is that he fills it with His gift of joy.

If you find yourself or your congregation lacking joy – Pray for God to bring his joy! In this time of angst, fear, and divisiveness may our CLB churches serve as beacons of joy. Remember that this is God’s work, and it comes through repentance and faith. Lord, transform us to bear your fruit of JOY!

In the joy of our salvation,

Nick Mundis – Director of North American Mission

Welcome to the Forge

It is with excitement and high expectations that I welcome you to the CLB Forge. Thank you for taking the time to check it out. We get to all be a part of the development of this important resource for our North American CLB congregations. It is with great anticipation and a sense of expectancy I invite you to engage and grow the CLB Forge to become an effective source of vitality in our North American Mission of the CLB.

We are a united set of congregations based on our common theology and mission. We now need our congregations to connect, equip, and encourage through shared ministry resources.

Have you ever wondered like me –

This is just a sampling of the types of questions many of us have had over the years as we have served our various CLB congregations.

When I was serving as pastor of Faith LBC in Briarcliff Manor, NY our elder chairman wondered why we were unable to know whether other congregations have something to offer into issues we were facing. As a gifted project manager, he felt this was a real shortcoming of the CLB. We need something, he said, to connect the resources being created and used within our CLB congregations to other congregations.

Fast forward to 2015, I was looking to create an Elder Evaluation form to be used at Oak Hill Church. I happened to have a phone call with another CLB pastor, and the topic of elder evaluation came up. He mentioned that he had created one and had passed it along to “the synod.” I asked him to send me a copy of what he created – it was wonderful, and we immediately began using it. I don’t blame anyone that it didn’t come through the “synod” to me. There was no system in place for that to happen.

The hope is that the CLB Forge will be that resourcing system that will assist in transforming the CLB into a Disciple-Making Movement in our North American context today. It will unite our congregations in our common mission to reach our communities with the Gospel. The Forge will allow us to amplify the ministry that is already going on in individual congregations.

With all this in mind here is the vision that we launch the CLB Forge:

The CLB Forge will become the North American Mission hub for communication and congregational vitality resources. All CLB North American congregations would be aware, understand, and use this NAM source for their congregational vitality needs. The Forge would by dynamic and growing as more and more congregations engage in the system. Pastors, ministry leaders, and CLB leadership would build connections and find resources beneficial toward becoming a Disciple-Making Movement.

This blog will serve as a consistent communication of the newest phases and areas of emphasis in the Forge. It is here where we will highlight what is new. For instance, have you been listening to the CLB Forge podcast? Check it out and get connected to some of the things that are happening in the CLB.

I invite you to take a look around. There is more to come, and you get to be a part of it!

Welcome to the Forge!

Nick