From the "Gracevine" newsletter for Grace Lutheran Church in Thornville, Ohio, October 2022.

Reboot

Return to the Lord your God, for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love. – Joel 2:13 ESV

One thing I like to do when teaching confirmation or otherwise interacting with today’s youth is joke about the archaic technology to which I had access when I was their age. I think they find it amusing, but at the very least, it makes me smile to talk about what life was like before smartphones and even cell phones, when we only had access to four television channels, when social media and streaming services were yet in the distant future, when we had to use paper maps and take trips without GPS navigation systems, and when we had to use rotary dial telephones attached to the wall. A few years ago, I asked a confirmation student if she remembered life before the internet, and she said “no,” but that she remembered having to use “dial up” internet. I remember when “dial up” internet was a new thing and a real treat to have in the house. These conversations make me feel rather old!

Technology has come a long way in even the last fifteen to twenty years. There are many examples that can be cited, but one noticeable difference between then and now is computer technology. When I was in college, we still relied on external floppy disks to save our files. If the power went out or if the computer crashed for some reason, I could only hope that I had saved the file on my disk. The sinking feeling upon realizing that the file was lost is hard to describe.

Sometimes computers crash and reboot, and most often without warning. Today’s computers mostly save documents automatically and “restore” any unsaved documents, which is a welcome development for anyone who uses technology. In addition, “cloud” technology greatly reduces the likelihood of losing files.
As I think about the life of churches today, the old danger of a sudden reboot or computer crash comes to mind. Without being saved, those files and the ideas they contain can be lost. This is an image we as a church should bear in mind in this “post-COVID” era.

I remember reading an article shortly after COVID-19 came on the scene in March of 2020. It predicted that as many as twenty percent of churches in North America would not survive the pandemic due to the lockdowns, the difficulty of getting people to return to church after the crisis abated, and overall loss of participation and financial giving. I do not know if the twenty percent number was accurate; perhaps it is too early to say. But it is obvious that COVID has had an impact on a lot of things in our society, including our churches.

For churches, maybe the best way to think about COVID is as a computer crash or reboot from days gone by. With this disruption, a reboot is required. What will be lost, and what will remain when the power comes back on? What files were lost that need to be reconstructed? I remember as a college freshman that I had one day written a history essay that for some reason failed to save on my floppy disk. I was forced to remember what I had written as best I could, and in the end, I was able to reconstruct the content. Though it took some hard work, I handed in the essay and was able to pass the course.

COVID has changed and disrupted a lot of things, but I believe we are now at a point where we need to reboot and reconstruct files that might have been lost in congregational life. This is not easy. It requires commitment and dedication on the part of many people. Perhaps some files have been permanently “lost” in the crash and subsequent reboot. Not everything is meant to last forever. What I have also learned from computer crashes and reboots is that it can be an opportunity for new ideas. When I had to reconstruct my lost history essay after the computer crash described above, I discovered that I was able to incorporate some ideas I had previously forgotten to write about.

As Martin Luther describes in his Small Catechism, when we pray “Thy kingdom come” in the Lord’s Prayer, we are confident that God’s kingdom will indeed come, but we pray in that petition that it will also come among us. The Church of Jesus Christ will go on; God will accomplish His purpose. We pray in this post COVID era that we here at Grace Lutheran will be included in that kingdom.

God’s promises are sure. At the same time, God uses us to bring about His kingdom. Please look for ways that you can be a part of the reboot in this place. It is encouraging to see interest in things both new and old. For example, the Men of Grace are resuming their activity. The Women of the NALC organization will begin meeting again this month. We will be starting a new men’s breakfast meeting as well. KFC will begin again as well. We still need to restart the KFROGS group, and of course we can always use more Sunday School/Adventures in Faith teachers! Above all, commit yourselves to being nourished by the gifts of Jesus Christ in worship.

We are fortunate to have a God of new beginnings, who has a track record of rebooting His people after their crashes. The prophet Joel speaks: Return to the Lord your God, for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love.
 
Pr. Tom Jacobson

From the "Gracevine" newsletter article for Grace Lutheran Church in Thornville, Ohio, September 2022.

Marketplace

So Paul, standing in the midst of the Areopagus, said: “Men of Athens, I perceive that in every way you are very religious…” - Acts 17:22 ESV

In our time and part of the world, we don’t have much experience with traditional marketplaces, where people show up in the town square to sell their goods or hawk their wares. About the closest thing we have to marketplaces are shopping malls, where people can find stores devoted to particular items, but even these are becoming a thing of the past in light of the convenience of online shopping. But the market lives on. Instead of disappearing, the marketplace has shifted platforms.

Whatever form it takes, the concept of a marketplace is helpful for thinking about religion in America. From the beginning, the “non-establishment clause” in the First Amendment of the US Constitution turned religion into a marketplace. In our country, there would be no established state church, as in the Church of England. Yet the Founding Fathers recognized the important role that religion plays in society, and so while the First Amendment prohibited Congress from establishing a particular religion, they also made sure to prohibit Congress from making laws “prohibiting the free exercise [of religion].”

This free market economy of religion in America is what has made our country religiously vital, which stands in contrast to many European countries with a history of state sponsored churches. Though we often hear of the increasing secularization of our country, the United States actually remains a very religious country, having contributed to the proliferation of religions, church denominations, and sects, many of which have been shipped abroad. Think, for example, of Mormons and Jehovah’s Witnesses, both of which have origins in our land.
The idea of a religious marketplace is not new. In the earliest days of the Christian faith, the Apostle Paul commented during his visit to the Greek city of Athens how religious the people of that city were, devoted to various gods. Noticing there was a monument to “An Unknown God,” he used that opportunity to introduce people to faith in Jesus Christ.

What would Paul say if he were among us today? He might comment on the secularization of our society, but he might also make comments like at his speech at the Athenian Areopagus, described in the New Testament book of Acts. All around us are signs of the religiosity of our country, with churches and sects of various types on street corners and along highways. All these groups are looking for their market share.

Where do we stand in the American religious marketplace? By “we” I mean churches of our type. Unfortunately, the numerical trend is not in our favor. What has often been called “mainline” Protestantism, which includes groups like Methodists, Presbyterians, Lutherans, and others, has been in decline for some time. As of 1960, there were roughly 8 million Lutherans of all kinds in the United States. Today, there are roughly 7 million, and the population of the country has doubled in that time. “Mainline” Protestants not keeping pace with population growth is due to many factors, one of which is simply lower birthrates.

In a competitive religious market, it’s easy for churches to get nervous and to wonder how to remain vital and relevant. I have felt that pressure in the past. This is an issue that has been on my mind over the years, and that is the reason I am addressing it in this article. A fairly recent phenomenon around our country is what I and others often call the “box church,” so named because these churches often inhabit spaces of vacated “box stores,” such as Walmart, Target, and the like. Such “box churches” are most often labeled as “non-denominational” and often employ contemporary Christian praise music in their worship. For churches of a more traditional type, “box churches” provide market competition. In years gone by, denominational loyalty was much stronger than today. People who had been members of “mainline” churches automatically gravitated to other “mainline” churches if they relocated. Now, they join a church, if they bother joining one at all, for local and relational reasons. No doubt there are many decent and committed people who attend these “box churches,” but their perspectives on theology and worship are usually quite different than ours.  

What does our congregation of Grace Lutheran have to offer people in this religious marketplace? A lot, I think. We have many gifted and active members, and we engage in important service in our community. We have many friendly and welcoming people. But when it comes to worship, compared to the glitz that can be found in some “box churches,” it is easy for those of us of more traditional churches to feel inadequate, irrelevant, and behind the times.
It is important to remember that no church can be everything to everyone. Most likely, we will never be a church focused on “contemporary worship” trends. Such things do appeal to certain people in the religious marketplace. But there is a place in the market for more traditional styles of “doing church,” which are quieter, more meditative, more focused on ritual, more focused on teaching, and less focused on emotionalism. We would do well to continue to focus on doing well what it is that we do. There are indeed people to whom our “style” speaks. When I was a teenager, many adults assumed that because I was younger, I must have disliked my church’s traditional style. They were surprised when I told them that I actually liked it! I know that I was not alone in my preference. Inundated with modern pop music throughout the week, many people look for church to provide them with a different kind of experience, a change of pace.   

I am convinced that our congregation indeed has much to offer, and not just in terms of the good and committed people involved in the life of this church. Through our creeds, confessional writings, liturgy, and hymns, we stand on an ancient tradition that has endured for centuries. We continue to encounter God’s gospel (good news of Jesus). We do not reject everything that is new, but we also do not forget from where it is we have come. Our view of worship, which speaks of God serving us in Jesus Christ through His Word and sacraments, roots our lives in God’s grace. That is an important voice in today’s marketplace, however small it might be. Let us not be embarrassed or feel inadequate about our tradition, but embrace it proudly as our words and lives bear witness to the grace of Jesus Christ, who welcomes us sinners to his table and calls us as disciples to live repentant lives in response to his gifts!

​Pr. Tom Jacobson   

Note: This list includes Lutheran church organizations considered “sizeable,” meaning that they have more than a handful of congregations. There are a number of smaller groups in existence. Those described here are listed in descending order of size according to number of congregations. Though these brief sketches are admittedly superficial, I have attempted here to provide fair and accurate descriptions of the history and distinguishing characteristics of each group. Though no value judgments should be inferred from my descriptions, I must provide the disclaimer that I am a member of the North American Lutheran Church (NALC) and Lutheran Congregations in Mission for Christ (LCMC). The numbers of congregations and members for each group are estimates and are based on information available as of June of 2022.

Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA)
ca. 8,500 congregations
ca. 3.2 million members
Headquarters: Chicago, Illinois

The ELCA began in 1988 from a merger of the Lutheran Church in America (LCA), the American Lutheran Church (TALC) and the much smaller Association of Evangelical Lutheran Churches (AELC). The LCA was a product of mergers that united older German immigrant congregations with a large Swedish Lutheran body, with smaller numbers of Finnish, Danish, Icelandic, and Slovak congregations included as well. TALC was a product of mergers that united later German immigrant congregations with a larger Norwegian Lutheran body and a much smaller Danish group. The LCA and TALC were joined in the 1988 merger by the AELC, a small group that had broken away from the Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod in 1976. At the outset, the ELCA had roughly 5.2 million members and 11 thousand congregations. Controversies in the ELCA over the years led to the departure of many members and congregations and the formation of Lutheran Congregations in Mission for Christ (LCMC) in 2001 and the North American Lutheran Church (NALC) in 2010. Like its predecessor bodies did as of 1970, the ELCA permits the ordination of women, has focused on ecumenical cooperation with like-minded Protestant church bodies, and is often described as “liberal” in its understanding of faith and social values.    

Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod (LCMS)
ca. 6,100 congregations
ca. 2.1 million members
Headquarters: St. Louis, Missouri

The roots of the LCMS, often known simply as the “Missouri Synod,” are in the Saxon German immigration of the early nineteenth century, which settled in Perry County, Missouri. Organized officially in 1847, they have had a continuous history since their founding, avoiding mergers with other groups. The LCMS did, however, join a cooperative federation of like-minded Lutherans known as the Synodical Conference in 1872, which dissolved in the early 1960s. Over time, two smaller groups of Slovak and Finnish Lutherans were absorbed into the LCMS. Those who founded the LCMS expressed concern for maintaining a distinct Lutheran witness in the face of pressure to conform to non-Lutheran perspectives. They permit only the ordination of men, and though there is some diversity among the LCMS in practice, they are generally considered conservative in their doctrine, requiring what they regard as complete doctrinal agreement for “altar and pulpit fellowship,” meaning the exchange of pastors and the sharing of Holy Communion. They regard themselves as strongly rooted in the “inerrancy” of the Bible and in the theology of the Lutheran Confessional Writings.

Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod (WELS)
ca. 1,200 congregations
ca. 375 thousand members
Headquarters: Milwaukee, Wisconsin

The roots of the WELS are also in the German immigration of the early nineteenth century, with special strength in the state of Wisconsin. Originally founded in 1850, the Michigan and Minnesota Synods joined with the Wisconsin Synod in 1892. With the LCMS, it was a member of the Synodical Conference, founded in 1872. The WELS eventually broke fellowship with the LCMS over certain points of doctrine and is generally considered more conservative than the LCMS, requiring complete doctrinal agreement not only for the sharing of pastors and Holy Communion, but also for joint prayer with other Christians. The WELS also prohibits the suffrage of women in congregational decisions. The WELS is currently in fellowship with the Evangelical Lutheran Synod (ELS; see below).

Lutheran Congregations in Mission for Christ (LCMC)
ca. 800 congregations (in the USA)
ca. 300 thousand members
Note: LCMC also has international congregations in many different countries. Including these congregations, there are over 900 congregations in total. Additionally, over one hundred congregations of LCMC are dually affiliated with the North American Lutheran Church (NALC; see below)
Headquarters: Canton, Michigan

LCMC was founded in 2001 by 25 congregations from the ELCA. In 1999, the ELCA adopted an ecumenical agreement with the Episcopal Church USA, which required the ELCA to conform to the ordination standards of the Anglican Communion for the interchange of clergy. Within the ELCA, a group called the Word Alone Network opposed this move, viewing it as a violation of the Lutheran Confessional Writings. Some members of the Word Alone Network formed LCMC as an alternative organization. From the beginning, LCMC has understood itself as “post-denominational” and an “association” of congregations rather than a traditional denomination. As an association, LCMC generally does not make pronouncements on behalf of its member congregations. It did, however, produce an “admonition,” stating that marriage is between a man and a woman. Comprised mostly of small, rural congregations and large “megachurches,” LCMC is more socially and theologically conservative than the ELCA, though differs in character from the LCMS. It permits the ordination of women and contains a strong “strain” of “evangelical renewal,” which is focused on “contemporary style” worship practices. LCMC grew gradually since its founding, but much of its membership was added after the ELCA in 2009 changed its policy concerning pastors in same-sex relationships. LCMC has also started many mission congregations.

North American Lutheran Church (NALC)
ca. 460 congregations
ca. 150 thousand members
Headquarters: Dallas, Texas

The NALC was formed in 2010 by congregations dissatisfied with some positions taken by the ELCA and its general atmosphere. The ELCA’s decision in 2009 to change its policy concerning pastors in same-sex relationships, but more significantly underlying issues of biblical and theological authority, was the impetus for the creation of the NALC. Unlike those who founded LCMC nearly ten years earlier, however, the NALC was conceived as a more traditionally structured denomination rather than an association of congregations. In general, though not absolutely, NALC congregations exhibit more liturgical formality than is found in LCMC. However, over a hundred congregations of the NALC have dual affiliation with LCMC, and the two organizations together occupy more “centrist” ground in the American Lutheran field today. The NALC exists as a more theologically and socially conservative expression of the ecumenical Lutheran tradition than is found in the ELCA and is committed to its understanding of biblical, creedal, and confessional faithfulness. The NALC permits the ordination of women. Though not officially in fellowship with the LCMS, it has a history of positive conversations with the LCMS over issues of common interest.

Association of Free Lutheran Congregations (AFLC)
ca. 270 congregations
ca. 43 thousand members
Headquarters: Plymouth, Minnesota

The roots of the AFLC are in the complicated history of Norwegian-American Lutheranism. In 1890, a merger of three Norwegian-American Lutheran groups produced the United Norwegian Lutheran Church (UNLC). In the interest of compromise between the two largest of the merging groups, the UNLC decided that Augsburg Seminary in Minneapolis, Minnesota (from “The Conference”) would be the seminary of the new organization and St. Olaf College in Northfield, Minnesota (from “The Anti-Missourian Brotherhood”) would be the college of the new organization. This was unsatisfactory to many who came from “The Conference,” who desired a unified college and seminary program, and in 1897 they broke from the UNLC to form “The Lutheran Free Church” (LFC). The LFC existed independently for many years, but eventually took part in the merger negotiations to form The American Lutheran Church (TALC) in 1960. When the LFC finally succeeded in mustering enough votes to merge into TALC in 1963, around 20 percent of its congregations refused to join the merger, and they formed the AFLC as an alternative. Before the formation of LCMC and the NALC, the AFLC was for many years the fourth largest Lutheran group in the United States. Today, they value their heritage in the Scandinavian Lutheran revival tradition, tend toward liturgical simplicity in worship, and are theologically and socially conservative. They do not permit the ordination of women.    

Evangelical Lutheran Synod (ELS)
ca. 130 congregations
ca. 19 thousand members
Headquarters: Mankato, Minnesota

The ELS also has its roots in the Norwegian-American Lutheran tradition. Leading up to 1917, three Norwegian-American Lutheran bodies began merger negotiations the led to the formation of the “Norwegian Lutheran Church of America” (NLCA) that year. In 1918, a small group of pastors and elements of various congregations from one of the merging bodies called the “Norwegian Synod” rejected the theological compromise on the issue of predestination or “election,” which made the merger possible. This group was often known as the “Little Norwegians” to distinguish it from the much larger NLCA. Now known as the ELS, this group considers itself to be the genuine continuation of the “Norwegian Synod” and is in fellowship with the WELS, sharing its general outlook while also carrying forward its own Norwegian heritage.

Church of the Lutheran Brethren of America (CLBA)
ca. 120 congregations
ca. 24 thousand members
Headquarters: Fergus Falls, Minnesota

Yet another group with roots in the Norwegian-American Lutheran tradition, the CLBA was formed in the year 1900 by congregations that came mostly from the United Norwegian Lutheran Church (UNLC). They were concerned about the existence of nominal membership and sought to maintain “pure” congregations through the implementation of church discipline. With roots in the Norwegian Haugean tradition, they have remained a small though active group, placing emphasis on foreign mission. Theologically and socially conservative, the CLBA also emphasizes liturgical informality.

Church of the Lutheran Confession (CLC)
ca. 80 congregations
ca. 9 thousand members (not including international membership)
Headquarters: Eau Claire, Wisconsin

The CLC was founded in 1960 by congregations primarily from the WELS. Those who formed the CLC felt that the WELS and ELS did not follow Scriptural principles in severing ties with the LCMS over what they considered violation of rules of church fellowship on the part of the LCMS. The CLC strives to uphold the principles of the Synodical Conference, which was founded in 1872, placing emphasis on biblical “inerrancy,” Scripture as the basis of doctrine, and the Lutheran Confessional Writings as an accurate presentation of what Scripture teaches. It operates a high school, college, and seminary in Eau Claire, Wisconsin.

American Association of Lutheran Churches (AALC)
ca. 65 congregations
ca. 16 thousand members
Headquarters: Fort Wayne, Indiana
Prior to the formation of the ELCA in 1988, a group of around a hundred congregations, mostly from The American Lutheran Church (TALC), declined to join the new organization over concerns of biblical and theological faithfulness. Known as the AALC, this group has remained small throughout its existence and currently shares a fellowship arrangement with the LCMS. They seek to carry forward what they understand as the more conservative element of TALC and share most of the perspectives of the LCMS.
 

By Rev. Dr. Thomas E. Jacobson

Note: This article appeared in the July 2022 issue of the CORE Voice Newsletter of the Lutheran CORE (Coalition for Renewal) organization in response to statements from the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America's presiding bishop Elizabeth Eaton regarding the US Supreme Court's Dobb's decision, which overturned the earlier Roe v. Wade decision of 1973.

It is now old news that the issue of abortion in the United States, which has long simmered on medium heat in our national discourse, has recently boiled over. Because of the Supreme Court’s recent decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health, which overturned Roe (1973) and Casey (1992), individual states now possess increased ability to restrict abortion, including banning the practice outright. Though this is a significant victory for those who consider themselves prolife, the issue of the legality of abortion now simply shifts to a more local level. Even so, many abortion rights advocates are outraged, which has prompted commentary and statements from many, including church leadership.   

It had been over twenty years since I first read the ELCA social statement on abortion when I was recently asked to do so again. The first case was for a class as a college sophomore. The second, the result of which is this reflection, was in response to ELCA Presiding Bishop Elizabeth Eaton’s references to this statement in response to shifting abortion policy in the United States. My reaction after both readings of this statement was the same: Though far from what I would consider a perfect document, the 1991 social statement on abortion is much more life-affirming than one might expect. The development of this statement involved input from people of different viewpoints who listened to each other and worked hard to produce a document that, while not satisfying everyone, incorporated various concerns in a balanced manner.

Nevertheless, it is widely acknowledged that the ELCA statement on abortion, one of the earliest such social statements considered and adopted,[1] has not been without controversy in the history of the ELCA and has been subject to controversial “interpretation.” The question of how or whether to harmonize the content of this statement with the health plan coverage provided by the ELCA Board of Pensions (now called Portico) was one issue that early on created for some a lack of trust in the leadership of the ELCA. Among these is Russell Saltzman, former ELCA pastor and now member of the Roman Catholic Church, who offered the following comments in 2010 in the wake of the ELCA’s policy change concerning pastors in same-sex relationships:

My real disaffection with the ELCA didn’t start with sex. It began in earnest over the ELCA abortion statement and the subsequent decision by the national council to treat elective abortion for pastors and dependents as a reimbursable medical expense under the church health plan. From the abortion statement, the church said to value my baptism as an infant regards my conception by step-siblings as a morally justifiable reason for terminating the pregnancy that became me at the baptismal font. From the schedule of benefits by the health plan, had my birth-parents in any way been covered under the ELCA health plan, my church would have paid to do it.[2]

Comments such as these, the recent Supreme Court decision, and Bishop Eaton’s communications invite us to explore more fully what the 1991 social statement on abortion really says in its fullness. In fairness, documents such as this touch on a variety of issues and make several assertions. Nevertheless, one must ask whether Bishop Eaton’s comments about the statement accurately reflect the spirit of the document.

Reviewing Bishop Eaton’s Communications

On May 30, 2019, Bishop Eaton issued a communication in response to various attempts by states “to restrict access to legal abortion,”[3] in which she invited her readers to revisit the ELCA social statement on abortion. In the first incarnation of this message, she stated that “this church seeks to travel a moderating path by supporting abortion as a last resort for pregnancies that are unsafe or a result of rape or incest.”[4] This is a fairly accurate summary of what the ELCA statement says. Not long after this communication went public, however, she issued a revised statement, nearly identical, but which omitted the words “for pregnancies that are unsafe or a result of rape or incest.”

In response to the leaked draft of Dobbs in May of 2022, she issued further comments about abortion, including many references to the 1991 social statement. She claimed that the content of the draft opinion “contradicts the church’s teaching” and that the 1991 statement affirms that “abortion must be legal, regulated and accessible.”[5]
Finally, after the actual opinion, which does not differ significantly from the draft, was released in June of 2022, Bishop Eaton emphasized again that the ELCA’s position is that “the practice (of abortion) should be legal” in spite of “deep concern” over the number of induced abortions.[6] Further, she expressed her concern that “Overturning Roe v. Wade and placing decisions about abortion regulation at the state level encumbers and endangers the lives of all persons who need to make decisions about unexpected pregnancies.”[7]

What the Statement Says

How does one effectively summarize the content of a ten-page statement, especially one that seeks a nuanced approach to a difficult moral issue? This is a challenging task, to be sure, and Bishop Eaton does communicate some truth in the parts of the statement that she cites. In her communications, she quotes liberally from the 1991 social statement. Yet there are many things in this statement that she overlooks and in at least one case even misrepresents.

Before addressing the issue of the legality of abortion, it is important to note this statement’s expression of the value of unborn life: “Human life in all phases of its development is God-given and, therefore, has intrinsic value, worth, and dignity. Guided by God’s Law, which orders and preserves life, human beings are called to respect and care for the life that God gives.”[8] It goes on to state that “We mourn the loss of life (through abortion) that God has created” and that “The strong Christian presumption is to preserve and protect life. Abortion ought to be an option only of last resort.”[9] As a consequence of this commitment to preserve and protect life, the statement declares that the ELCA “in most circumstances, encourages women with unintended pregnancies to continue the pregnancy.”[10]

The social statement on abortion does speak of certain situations where it can be “morally responsible” for a woman to obtain an abortion, such as in cases of rape, incest, or extreme fetal abnormality.[11] Even so, however, the ELCA “opposes ending intrauterine life when a fetus is developed enough to live outside a uterus with the aid of reasonable and necessary technology.”[12]

While the social statement seeks to balance the importance of the life of an unborn child and the life of the woman bearing that child, it clearly states that “government has a legitimate role in regulating abortion.”[13] In fact, it states that the ELCA opposes “the total lack of regulation of abortion.”[14] To be sure, it also opposes “legislation that would outlaw abortion in all circumstances” and laws that “deny access to safe and affordable services for morally justifiable abortions.”[15]

This all leads, however, to a concluding paragraph about the regulation of abortion, which reads as follows:

"The position of this church is that, in cases where the life of the mother is threatened, where pregnancy results from rape or incest, or where the embryo or fetus has lethal abnormalities incompatible with life, abortion prior to viability should not be prohibited by law or by lack of public funding of abortions for low income women. On the other hand, this church supports legislation that prohibits abortions that are performed after the fetus is determined to be viable, except when the mother’s life is threatened or when lethal abnormalities indicate the prospective newborn will die very soon.

Beyond these situations, this church neither supports nor opposes laws prohibiting abortion."[16]

I suspect that many would be surprised to know that the ELCA social statement on abortion directly opposes abortion after viability and even supports legislation that prohibits abortion after viability, only considering abortion “morally responsible” in the difficult circumstances above. Bishop Eaton’s assertion that abortion must be “legal, regulated and accessible” can only be responsibly read to apply to these difficult circumstances of saving the life of the mother, rape, incest, and embryonic or fetal abnormalities incompatible with life. Similarly, if the Dobbs opinion “contradicts the church’s teaching” as she claims, it would only do so if individual states enact laws that prohibit abortion in these difficult circumstances.

Getting to the Root of the Matter

As mentioned, the 1991 social statement touches on many other important issues involved in the abortion debate, such as supporting pregnant women in their needs, encouraging adoption and foster care, the use of contraceptives, and encouraging congregations to be places of hospitality for women facing difficult circumstances. But the foundational issue for our society in its discussion of abortion is the very thing that leads to the perceived need for abortion: sexual intercourse and its appropriate context.

It might also surprise readers of the statement to learn that the ELCA states the following: “Marriage is the appropriate context for sexual intercourse. This continues to be the position of this church.”[17] Moreover, it affirms that congregations and church schools should emphasize values such as “abstinence from sexual intercourse outside marriage” and that “young men and young women be taught to exercise their sexuality responsibly.”[18]

Clearly, the authors of the 1991 ELCA social statement on abortion recognized the challenges posed by a society that had by then begun to face the shockwaves created by the sexual revolution. The over three decades since 1991 have seen even further movement away from the vision that marriage is the appropriate context for sexual intercourse. Sex is most often portrayed in entertainment media as an inevitable part of taking a relationship to another level and most always as purely a part of adult fulfillment and pleasure, detached from concern for procreation. Any life created by these sexual encounters is viewed as an inconvenience and unfortunate consequence.

I encourage ELCA leadership to study this social statement on abortion and to take seriously what it actually says. I also encourage other Lutherans to do so. There are some aspects of this statement with which I and others disagree, but there are many things in this statement worthy of our consideration and affirmation. Significantly, if our society is to address the crisis of abortion, we must not only address the desire for abortion as it arises. We must address the underlying issue and lift up the call of God for sex to be used responsibly, between a man and a woman who are married and committed to nurturing life created by that loving union. Regardless of what Lutheran church bodies we are members, the ELCA social statement on abortion can be an encouragement to us in lifting up that important vision.    

[1] According to the social statement itself, “…adopted by a more than two-thirds majority vote at the second biennial Churchwide Assembly of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, meeting in Orlando, Florida, August 28-September 4, 1991.”
[2] Russell E. Saltzman, “From the ELCA to the NALC,” First Things, https://www.firstthings.com/blogs/firstthoughts/2010/12/from-the-elca-to-the-nalc, Accessed 7/2/2022.
[3] Elizabeth Eaton, open letter, May 30, 2019.
[4] Ibid.
[5] Elizabeth Eaton, open letter, May 17, 2022.
[6] Elizabeth Eaton, open letter, June 24, 2022.
[7] Ibid.
[8] Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, “A Social Statement on Abortion,” 1991, p. 2-3.
[9] Ibid., p. 3-4.
[10] Ibid., p. 6.
[11] Ibid., p. 7.
[12] Ibid.
[13] Ibid., p. 9.
[14] Ibid.
[15] Ibid.
[16] Ibid., p. 10. Emphasis added.
[17] Ibid., p. 4.
[18] Ibid., p. 5.

For the "Gracevine" newsletter for Grace Lutheran Church in Thornville, Ohio, August 2022.

Judgment

Then shall the trees of the forest sing for joy before the Lord, for he comes to judge the earth. – 1 Chronicles 16:33 ESV (Monthly Watchword for August)

When I was younger, I used to laugh at the idea that lesser life forms could praise God. I would hear people say that chirping crickets and birds were really lifting their voices to the Creator of the universe, and I would proceed to roll my eyes. The idea seemed preposterous.

Then I began to read the Bible, and I discovered that the Bible talks often about all parts of creation being in relationship with God. Indeed, there are many places in the Bible that do speak of animal and plant life, not to mention other parts of creation, even inanimate objects, praising God. Such things do not possess the level of consciousness that humans do, but their presence in creation and their “voices” are the result and a reminder of God’s creative activity.

One such verse is this month’s Watchword, from 1 Chronicles 16:33. 1 Chronicles is one of those Old Testament books most often neglected. 1 and 2 Chronicles tell the story recounted in the books of 1 and 2 Samuel and 1 and 2 Kings, but from a different point of view.

Of all parts of 1 Chronicles, chapter 16 is probably the most famous. It recounts King David bringing the Ark of the Covenant, containing the tablets of the Ten Commandments, into the city of Jerusalem. At that time, the Temple had not yet been constructed, so the Ark was placed in a tent. And David breaks forth into song, of which 16:33 is a part.

This verse is confusing to us, and not just because it speaks of trees singing for joy. We understand that the point of David’s song is that all creation is called to give thanks to God because of His faithfulness to His promises. What is really confusing is the reason behind the joy of the trees: [F]or [God] comes to judge the earth.
How can anyone be joyful about judgment? The answer to that question requires us to rethink the whole issue of judgment.

We typically hear of “judgment” in a negative sense. We are warned against “being judgmental,” and the thought of judgment from God can be terrifying. Judgment conjures images of destruction, as in “sulfur and fire” from God on the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah because of their wickedness (Genesis 18).  

But judgment is a much bigger concept. The Hebrew word shaphat, translated as “judgment,” is not only about retribution. It is about setting things right, making decisions, and settling disputes.

We might not always like judgment, especially when judgment gets in the way of what we want at the moment. But how blessed we are to live in a world with judgment, with order! Judgment is necessary for us to live in true freedom and peace.

How much more are we blessed to have a God who cares about judgment, who seeks to make things right in creation, and who includes us in that! We believe both that God is a God of judgment and that God has a friendly heart toward us. By faith, we hold on to God’s good news that in Jesus Christ, the Son of God, God has given His judgment. It is the judgment that though we are sinners, Christ is a great Savior. For we who trust in God’s grace, we need not fear judgment from God. We can receive it with joy.

There are many things for which we can and should be joyful. We are blessed to have daily bread from God in many forms. We are blessed by our true friends and neighbors in this community and elsewhere. We are blessed by the gift of this congregation and our ability to be a part of it. As we are in these waning days of summer and the trees begin to change their color, we rejoice with the trees that God has come and is coming to judge the earth!
 
Pr. Tom Jacobson   

From the "Gracevine" newsletter for Grace Lutheran Church in Thornville, Ohio, July 2022.

Thirsty!

My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. – Psalm 42:2 ESV (Monthly Watchword for July)

Summer has never been my favorite season. I don’t do well in the heat, and my skin burns easily from the power of the sun. I much prefer the cool of autumn and the cold of winter. Growing up in Minnesota, known for its cold weather, I felt at home there. But we had our share of hot days as well.

This July, I remember this time of year in 2007. I was a new pastor, not even a full year into my first year of ministry. Starting in September of 2006, that first year of my first call in northern Minnesota was intense. Doing everything for the first time, “learning the ropes,” and encountering lots of challenges was exhausting. That first year alone, I conducted seventeen funeral services, a heavy burden for a brand-new pastor to bear. I was also under stress because I knew my life would be changing soon; I planned on asking Theresa to marry me later that summer. With all this stress in varying forms, there were moments in that year when I was filled with doubt and wondered if I was cut out for the role of pastor. I needed to be renewed before entering my second year.

With my time off that summer, I connected with an old college friend. He and I wanted to spend some time in the wilderness. In the Bible, the wilderness represents both challenge and renewal. For a brief time of wilderness wandering, there is no better place in Minnesota than the North Shore of Lake Superior, what is jokingly called “the Scandinavian Riviera.” With its rocky shores, waterfalls, lighthouses, and many beautiful state parks, it is a popular vacation destination.

One of the hidden treasures of the North Shore of Lake Superior is a hiking trail that goes from the harbor city of Duluth, Minnesota all the way to the Canadian border. Similar to the ruggedness of the Appalachian Trail, the Superior Hiking Trail takes a few weeks for an experienced hiker to complete. My friend and I knew we couldn’t hike the whole trail, but we planned for a multi-day adventure on this trail, taking in the beauty of nature. But we soon faced a difficult reality.

That summer in Minnesota was hot and dry. Along this trail, one must obtain drinking water from various beaver ponds and creeks, treating it with iodine tablets or filters. It was so dry that summer that many of the water sources had disappeared. One day, with our water bottles empty, we searched in vain for a water source. We began to be concerned. On a wilderness trail with no water in the heat, it would not take long for dehydration to set in.

For our own safety, we had no choice but to cut our hike short. Our map indicated that the trail intersected with a county highway that led into the town of Silver Bay, Minnesota. Trudging along the trail and in need of water, I remembered the words of Psalm 42:2: “My soul thirsts for God, for the living God.” We reached the highway, a sign of civilization in the wilderness, and we followed it into town. At the first gas station we passed, we quickly bought and consumed some Gatorade with thankful hearts!

This experience was meaningful for me. I came to see that the previous year was one small part of the trail of life, which happened to be especially challenging. But it was not the end. Though there were moments of dryness, God was not finished with me, and he provided me with what I needed. Having some time away gave me a new perspective, and I saw God at work in my life. I found the strength to carry on.

“My soul thirsts for God, for the living God.” The Psalmist long ago had a similar experience, though he does not go into detail about it. If you read the entire Psalm 42, he recounts many challenges he faced from adversaries. In it all, he remembered God’s faithfulness and longed to experience joy in the presence of God once again. He walked a difficult trail in the dry season, and he longed for his thirst to be quenched.

There are moments when our thirst is obvious. But dehydration can easily set in unknowingly. This is why it is so dangerous. We must always remember our need for God to keep us hydrated with the spiritual water that leads to eternal life, even in this summer season. In John chapter four, Jesus reminds a woman at a well of her need to drink from a different kind of well, and those words call out to us in our time: “The water that I will give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life” (John 4:14).

Quench your thirst with the Word of God and the gifts of God in church this summer and always, and have a blessed rest of this summer season!
 
​Pr. Tom Jacobson  

An email devotion sent to members of Grace Lutheran Church in Thornville, Ohio on June 6, 2022.

Go Forth, My Heart, This Summer Day!

I know that technically speaking, the summer season doesn’t begin until June 21. But for all intents and purposes, “summer” in our part of the world begins after Memorial Day. School is out for the year, and a different pace of life begins, which lasts a few months.

Over the years, Christian hymn writers have often used the changing of the seasons as a way of talking about faith. A lot of these hymns have to do with harvest as an expression of both thanksgiving and God’s judgment (autumn), blossoming as an expression of Easter (spring), and even snow and coldness as an expression of sin and death (winter). But there aren’t too many hymns that have to do with summer.

So, I was surprised when I walked into a German Lutheran church toward the end of summer in 2004. I had arrived in Germany on a Saturday in early August to prepare for my upcoming pastoral internship. The effects of jet lag had not yet hit me, and I was wide awake on Sunday morning. Part of my internship was spent in the town of Wittenberg, where Martin Luther carried out most of his work. That morning, I went to the Castle Church, the site of the purported posting of the 95 Theses in 1517, which sparked the Lutheran and Protestant Reformation.

The organ began blaring what was for me an unfamiliar hymn. But it was catchy and has always stayed with me. It could be described as a frolicking tune that puts a spring in one’s step. Looking in the German hymnal, I discovered it to be a hymn of Paul Gerhardt. Among English speakers, Paul Gerhardt is best known for his Holy Week hymn “O Sacred Head, Now Wounded.” But especially among German Lutherans, Paul Gerhardt is known as “the sweet singer of Lutheranism.”

Paul Gerhardt was a German Lutheran pastor of the seventeenth century, and he was born in 1607 in a small town near Wittenberg named Gräfenhainichen. Gerhardt’s life has been an inspiration for many. He had his ups and downs in life and ministry, but in it all his faith shone through. Many of his children met with untimely deaths, and though he was a popular preacher in Berlin, his unwillingness to compromise theologically in an attempted forced union between Lutheran and Reformed churches led to his dismissal. He then became a pastor in the town of Mittenwalde, where it is said he struggled with constant squabbling among his parishioners.

In truth, his time in Mittenwalde must not have been as negative as that sounds. Over the last few centuries, he has been remembered fondly in that community, and his statue there is visited frequently. During his time in Mittenwalde, Gerhardt wrote over a hundred hymns, many of which are found in our hymnals today and which address many themes of Christian life and theology: “O Lord, How Shall I Meet You” (Advent); “Once Again, My Heart Rejoices” (Christmas); “A Lamb Goes Uncomplaining Forth” (Holy Week/Passion); “Awake, My Heart, with Gladness” (Easter); “Evening and Morning” (Morning); “Now All the Woods Are Sleeping” (Evening). This last hymn is a popular one in our house, as my son requests that I sing it most every night!

One hymn of Paul Gerhardt that is unfortunately not found in our hymnals is the one I heard that summer day in 2004 in Wittenberg. The German Geh aus, mein Herz, und suche Freud has been translated in a few different ways, but most effectively by my friend and former professor Gracia Grindal as follows below. As is the case with most of Gerhardt’s hymns, there are at least ten verses, but I share only four:

Go forth, my heart, this summer day, go forth and seek your joy today with thanks for all these pleasures! See, all around the earth is new, God has adorned the world for you with wonderful green treasures, with wonderful green treasures!

The trees are covered now with leaves, the dust of earth is swathed in green, a lovely robe of color. The tulip and narcissus rare are dressed in clothes beyond compare, past Solomon’s great splendor, past Solomon’s great splendor.

I think how great my blessings are, which you so lovingly impart upon your great creation. And how much greater blessings wait above in heaven’s rich estate, where golden streets await us, where golden streets await us.

O Holy Spirit, dwell in me, so I become a living tree, with roots so deeply grounded. O grant that I will sing your praise and bear rich fruit through all my days by all your love surrounded, by all your love surrounded.

German Lutherans argue today about whether this is a “good hymn,” and those who don’t like it point out the fact that it doesn’t specifically mention Jesus Christ. While it is true that the hymn is not theologically perfect or complete, few hymns in fact are. But “Go Forth, My Heart, This Summer Day” uses the image of summer to describe God’s gift of creation, but more importantly what our life in God’s kingdom will be like.

And it concludes with a prayer for our lives today: “O Holy Spirit, dwell in me, so I become a living tree, with roots so deeply grounded.” It is the work of God the Holy Spirit to “ground” us in the good news of Jesus Christ, and our roots draw nourishment from his mercy.

As we enter the “green season” on our church calendar (after Pentecost, the color doesn’t change from green very often in the summer and autumn), we remember that, grounded in Jesus Christ, we are like trees planted and are called to bear good fruit in our lives. The pace of life changes in the summer for many of us, but our need to be nourished by Him does not change. As you see the glory of summer around you, may it ever be a reminder of God’s gift of creation, but above all the new creation he promises his children.

​Pr. Tom Jacobson

From the "Gracevine" newsletter article for Grace Lutheran Church in Thornville, Ohio, June 2022.

Set Me as a Seal upon Your Heart

Set me as a seal upon your heart, as a seal upon your arm, for love is strong as death, jealousy is fierce as the grave. Its flashes are flashes of fire, the very flame of the Lord. - Song of Solomon 8:6 ESV (Monthly Watchword for June 2022)

Many years ago, I began the practice of beginning every worship service with what is called a “Watchword,” simply a short verse from the Bible that sets the tone for worship and that introduces a congregation to an important theme in our biblical faith. These weekly “Watchwords” come from the German Moravian tradition (a close cousin to Lutheranism), and to this day German Lutherans use them. I picked up this practice when I did my internship in a German church in 2004-05. A German man once told me how disappointed he was when he went to an American Lutheran church, and the first thing he heard was “good morning!” He told me that the first thing one should hear in church is something from the Bible, and I have never forgotten that conversation.

These “Watchwords” are assigned for each week, but each month and each year is also assigned a “Watchword,” a theme to ponder as the days go on. Our whole lives, moment by moment, are lived within God’s grace, and each year, each month, each week, and each day we are called to hear that message.

For the month of June, the Watchword is from a strange book of the Bible called the “Song of Solomon.” Along with Proverbs and Ecclesiastes, the Song of Solomon is attributed to King Solomon, the son of David, known for his wisdom. However, as we find out later in the Bible, Solomon wasn’t as wise as we might have thought. He ended up abandoning the worship of God for any number of idols. According to Solomon’s own definition of wisdom (found in other parts of the Bible as well), Solomon was actually a fool: “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom” (Proverbs 9:10).

Jewish legend says that Solomon composed/edited Ecclesiastes in his old age, Proverbs in his middle age, and the Song of Solomon in his youth. This view is understandable, as Ecclesiastes reflects on the unfairness of life after years of experience. The Song of Solomon, however, is a book of love poetry, which one might expect to come from a young man.

As a child, I remember sitting with my friends in the church basement before Sunday school. One of my friends nudged me with a smile on his face and showed me this odd book of the Bible called the Song of Solomon. As we read the exchange between the man and the woman, we snickered at a number of the verses of this love poetry, but I especially remember Song of Solomon 4:1 throwing me into a fit of laughter. The man speaks, “Your hair is like a
flock of goats leaping down the slopes of Gilead.”

What is this book doing in the Bible? The fact that its name is associated with King Solomon no doubt led people to consider it as special, worthy of inclusion in the books of Scripture.

But the Song of Solomon has one thing missing. In addition to being love poetry, there is something else that has led people to question its inclusion in the Bible. The Song of Solomon is one of two books in the Bible that contain no direct reference to God. The other is the book of Esther.

Actually, some have questioned that in recent years. The most famous verse in the Song of Solomon is the monthly Watchword for June. This verse has been set to music and is often sung at weddings today. Most translations of the Bible put verse 8:6 something like this:

Set me as a seal upon your heart, as a seal upon your arm, for love is strong as death, passion fierce as the grave. Its flashes are flashes of fire, a raging flame. NRSV

But depending on how you translate one word, there is a possible reference to the proper name of God in the Bible (something like “Yahweh”). This is what led the translators of the English Standard Version to put it this way:

Set me as a seal upon your heart, as a seal upon your arm, for love is strong as death, jealousy is fierce as the grave. Its flashes are flashes of fire, the very flame of the Lord. ESV

Perhaps there is more to the Song of Solomon than meets the eye. Sunday school children continue to snicker about it, but Jewish interpreters have often looked at this book as an allegory of God’s love for the people of Israel. Christians have looked at this book as an allegory of God’s love for the world through the gift of Jesus Christ.

But then again, maybe it’s best to take it for what it is: an expression of love between a man and a woman. If that’s true, there’s nothing to be ashamed of here. As odd as it might sound to us to refer to a woman’s hair as a flock of goats, this book is a reminder that all aspects of our lives are lived in the presence of God. Among the many different relationships we have in the world, in our families and friendships, that relationship and commitment is an important one. And undergirding that love between the man and the woman is the fierce love of God for the world, described as a “flashing fire.” Even when our own love fails and grows cold, “the very flame of the Lord” that comes out in Jesus’ love for us continues to warm us with healing and forgiveness. That flame empowers us in all our comings and goings.

May it be for us this summer and the rest of our lives!
 
Pr. Tom Jacobson 

An email devotion sent to members of Grace Lutheran Church in Thornville, Ohio on March 29, 2022.

Reflection on Hans Nielsen Hauge

Each year, I look forward to the end of the month of March, as it gives me an opportunity to talk about one of my favorite historical figures: Hans Nielsen Hauge. He is commemorated on March 29, the day of his death in the year 1824 A.D. I think his life is especially appropriate to reflect upon in this Lenten season, so I share here some information about this man who is unfortunately known but little.

Hans Nielsen Hauge is one of the most significant figures in Norwegian and Lutheran history, and his work is widely considered to have launched Norway as a modern democratic society. From humble beginnings, he became in some ways the Norwegian version of John Wesley, the great English preacher and revivalist, who gave rise to the modern Methodist movement.

Hauge was born in 1771 on a farm south of the capital city of Christiania (Oslo). In accordance with Norwegian naming customs, the child Hans was named as the son of his father, Niels. He was also given a second surname, Hauge, as that was the name of the farm on which he was born. His home life was devout, rooted in the Norwegian Lutheran tradition of Pietism. Growing up, he developed many manual skills and became a talented farmer, carpenter, and repairman. Though he lacked formal education like most people of his time, he nonetheless showed himself to be highly intelligent and creative.

He had lingering doubts about his salvation, however. He feared the judgement of God. While plowing his father’s farm in April of 1796 and singing a familiar hymn, he had a mystical experience that assured him that God had taken away his sins. Thenceforth, even though he was a layperson, he felt called to preach and encourage others in repentance and faith. He viewed plowing fields as a good analogy to God’s work in human life: God wants to plow our lives, uprooting sinful habits, just like weeds and tree stumps, so that his love might grow in us and produce good fruit.

At the time, Norwegian Lutheran church life needed revitalization. With his new focus, Hauge saw that the church had neglected its main task of preaching Jesus Christ. The intellectual movement of Enlightenment Rationalism had impacted the church to the point where “salt had lost its taste” (Matthew 5:13). The calendar of commemorations in our hymnal lists Hauge as a “renewer of the church,” and that he was.

As an effort to restrain fanatical religious movements of the past, an outdated Norwegian law prohibited the convening of religious meetings without the presence of an ordained minister. When Hauge convened prayer and preaching meetings, he was often arrested and jailed, even though he never encouraged anyone to separate from the Church of Norway. He simply viewed his work as a supplement to the established church. The pattern of his arrest and release continued as Hauge traversed Norway. Many people experienced spiritual renewal because of Hauge’s preaching.

But Hauge did more than preach. The example of his life revealed his emphasis: God calls us to live our faith in our daily life and work. Wherever he went, he assisted with farm chores at places where he stayed. He knitted as he walked across Norway to avoid idleness. He also encouraged the development of small businesses, such as paper mills, bone mills, sawmills, fishing operations, tanneries, and other endeavors. Because this work threatened the power of large monopolies, the secular authorities also despised him. He was accused of violating vagrancy laws. In 1804, he was arrested and imprisoned for ten years, charged with a list of offenses, notably convening illegal religious meetings and establishing businesses without the proper licenses.

Though Hauge languished in prison, his work continued to transform Norwegian society in his absence. His influence by then had reached every corner of Norway. Even some of his opponents recognized his value. At the time, the kingdom of Denmark-Norway was an ally of France in the Napoleonic Wars. As a result of the British blockade of Norway, basic necessities were in short supply. There was not enough salt to preserve food, and so Hauge was released from prison to establish a system to extract salt from the ocean on the Norwegian coast.

Hauge’s case was finally resolved, and he was found guilty of the two offenses listed above. His followers paid his fine, but even though he was released, his health was ruined from his imprisonment. He returned to his farm and was married. He was remarried upon his first wife’s death. One of his sons would also go on to be a significant figure in Norwegian life. He died on his farm in 1824 at the age of fifty-three. Coincidentally, the following year was the beginning of Norwegian immigration to North America. Many immigrants to North America from Norway drew their courage from Hauge’s example, and Haugean influence on American Lutheranism has been considerable.

Not everyone shares my appreciation for Hans Nielsen Hauge. His followers tended to dislike liturgical worship in favor of “free prayer” with more spontaneity. Moreover, some claim that his followers left a legacy of harsh legalism in Lutheran churches that many have reacted against. Yet Hauge is also remembered by many as a hero of the Norwegian people, perhaps the first modern Norwegian. One biographer considers him “Norway’s greatest man,” and to this day areas of Norway more heavily impacted by the Haugean movement have larger percentages of active Christians than other areas. Some of his views and the views of his followers might be worthy of critique, but that the Haugean revival produced a living and active Lutheran laity in its time and after is difficult to deny.

Perhaps the best way to remember Hauge is to remember his faith and his example. God is constantly at work plowing the fields of our lives, uprooting our sin and changing our focus. God plants within us the good news of Jesus Christ, and we are called to carry that good news with us as we go about our life and work. God needs faithful people in all vocations, and may our life and work be to His glory.

​Pr. Tom Jacobson

From the​ "Gracevine" newsletter for Grace Lutheran Church in Thornville, Ohio, May 2022.

Cheerleading

And his gifts were that some should be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, some pastors and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for the building up of the body of Christ… - Ephesians 4:11-12 RSV

When I was growing up in my community in southwestern Minnesota, cheerleading was an exclusively female thing. Boys played sports. Girls did too, at least some of the time. But the girls were known more than anything for being cheerleaders. It took me by surprise, then, when I realized that there is such a thing as a male cheerleader. At larger schools and especially colleges and universities, cheer squads often include young men, who perform various functions.

Because of my experience as a youth, I never considered the possibility that I would serve as a cheerleader, nor did I have any desire to do so. But as the years have gone on, I have come to see that my role as a pastor is in many ways like that of a cheerleader.

Over the last sixteen years that I’ve served as a pastor in different locations, the question of how to understand a pastor’s role in a congregation and community has been one with which I’ve continued to wrestle. I know I’m not alone in this. Is the pastor a preacher? Is the pastor a “nice guy,” an involved member of the community? Is the pastor a judge of doctrine, a scholar? Is the pastor a listener, a counselor? Is the pastor an administrator? There is some truth behind all these descriptions, and that is why it is hard to come up with single label for what a pastor is. It is a diverse, multifaceted role.

In addition to these things, I have come to believe that a big part of a pastor’s role is that of a cheerleader in a congregation. Part of what I am called to do is cheer on and encourage the great work that goes on, carried out by so many here. When the Apostle Paul wrote in Ephesians about the calling that some have to serve as pastors, he described it as designed “to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for the building up the body of Christ.”

This season of Easter consists of fifty days of rejoicing in the good news of Christ as our risen Lord and Savior, who has accomplished his work of sacrifice, shown his power over hell and all that keeps us from God, and now proclaims that victory to the world. It is a time of joy, and for me it is a time of thanksgiving.

Even though I have only been among you for a few months, I want to take an opportunity in this time of Easter joy to serve as a cheerleader. You won’t see me doing flips in the air or holding pom poms, but let me encourage you all by saying the following:

It is obvious that people here at Grace Lutheran bring many and various gifts to this place. Because I don’t want to risk leaving anyone out, I won’t “name names.” But the dedication of so many people skilled in so many areas is what keeps this place running. All the attention devoted to worship, facilities, education, music, outreach, and service does not go unnoticed. The work of everyone is appreciated. Everyone’s willingness to come together and cooperate in the life of this congregation is an expression of our unity in the risen Christ.

And there is room for more! Feel free to reach out to those in charge of various areas for ways to be involved. Our new Ministry Directory is a great tool for navigating congregational life.

I am grateful to be among you, and thank you for serving as the body of Christ in this place!

​Basking in the Easter afterglow,

Pr. Tom Jacobson