A Church in Crisis

Is our church in crisis? It would seem so, with the continual and neverending assault of evangelical influences. We are part Lutheran, part evangelical, part hymn, part contemporary candy bar Christianish song, part litergy, part praise worship. It would seem that things are coming apart at the seams. We are organ, we are guitar and bass, choir and praise team.

Then our pastor speaks, the Litergy is spoken by Christ through the pastor, responded to by the congregation. The sermon is full of Law, it is full of Gospel. A baptism took place last Sunday, and the Lord’s Supper. In the words of C.F.W. Walther, “[the true church] can definitely be recognized, namely, by the marks of the pure preaching of God’s Word and the administration of the sacraments according to Christ’s institution”. God blesses us at our church, through his spoken Word, and the gracious gifts of his sacraments.

We can only continue to press forward supporting our pastor, who, through faithful teaching, will bring these influences to heel at the foot of Christ, if it is His will. Our Savior’s grace is the only way faithful preaching and teaching will continue at any church. Just as He has preserved his Word for over 2000 years, he will continue to preserve his true, invisible church.