One of my least favorite stereotypes about Lutherans is that Lutherans are afraid of/reluctant to/allergic to/etc innovation. If this is at all true, it is a heresy that has crept into our denominational blood stream. Lutherans are pioneers. We pioneered the Reformation. We pioneered the printing press. We largely pioneered radio ministry. But somewhere along…

I’ve been hearing the word “unprecedented” quite a bit lately. The word means “never known or done before,” which may not describe the COVID19 pandemic exactly, but it has at least been about a lifetime since we’ve had something similar. We certainly haven’t had the technology that we have today to deal with the pandemic,…

There’s this band I like. Their name is the Hold Steady. There’s a lot that I like about them. But one of the things that I like most is how they end a show.  They start by playing “Killer Parties,” the last song from their first album with this great bass line. And at the…

“Cleanliness is next to Godliness” is one of those phrases that bunches of people think comes from Scripture, but doesn’t. See also: “This too shall pass,” “God helps those who help themselves.” It actually appears to be a paraphrase of a quote by the philosopher Francis Bacon who said, “Cleanness of the body was ever…