I spent the week with family.  We were in Missouri at Table Rock Lake.  I recommend a stay on the lake.  It is beautiful in a way I cannot describe.  However, the lake occupied only a small portion of my time.  All of my time was with family.

My family is involved in church.  My father is a pastor, my mother a teacher and organist, my aunts and uncles are teachers, administrators, church stimulators, and lifelong members of the LC-MS.  I even have sister who is married and her husband is a Baptist Pastor. Needless to say we talked about church.

I am continuing to grow in the depth of my dislike for division on all levels of church.  We seem to continue to disintegrate into smaller and smaller subsections of the same church.  The more I read scripture the more clearly I seem to see the specific way Jesus taught, spoke, lived.  I see God revealed.  I do not see much wiggle room for clever definition.  I try to never let myself interpret anything apart from what has already been said.  I do not think there is any “new” theology or practice that can come from Scripture.  We have the church and what she has done.

That might be why I have such an easier time writing sermons now than I did at the beginning of vicarage.  I think I was trying to manufacture something new and fresh to make a mark.  That might always be a temptation for me.  When I started reading through Luther’s Sermons, those of Fr. Norman Nagel, Fr. William Weedon, Fr. Heath Curtis, and several other orthodox clergymen I saw that they preached like Luther, like Augustine, like the church.  I think that is an important reality for us now as a church.  Are we speaking and acting like the church.  I think we are.  I also think there is a large part of us that are not.

I had several conversations on the matter with my father and uncle who are both experienced, veteran, LC-MS members.  We all stand apart.  We are divided in the same church.  Even politically, which I hate saying, how stupid does that sound?  We are politically divided in the church.  How can the church have a polis other than that of Christ?  Anyway, lest I digress I will regain focus.  The conversation revolved mostly around elections and vision of the LC-MS.  I think my uncle has a certain view because he is employed by Ablaze money, at least as far as I can tell.  He is a church revitalizer, which I think is  noble task for the church to undertake.  However I feel it revolves mostly around making the church desirable for persons to come into rather than orthodox and united with the church as a whole.  Again, I am speaking from a limited viewpoint.

It was interesting to say the least.  Listening, interacting, sharing what little I can share.  I think I will gladly remain as ignorant as possible on the topic of polity.  I will struggle to know and hold to the truth of the one true church.  I will continue to seek the kingdom.  I will submit to Christ and His Bride, and repent of my independence in thought and action.  I will become what the church wants me to become.  I know, we know, by Christ and His Word and Life.