Standing Up For What You Believe In!

From the beginning of my ministry (1998), people, especially District executives, have said that I needed to change my viewpoints on worship. The historic liturgy was on its way out. People today need something more. They need bands and contemporary music. Hymns were too old-fashioned. For a church to be successful, it had to have a contemporary service. But, it is my firmest conviction, that what people need is the Word of God and the historic liturgy, our hymns and confessional Lutheran worship is the best way to bring that to them. We don't need to change who we are for the sake of increasing our membership. Yes, there will be some people that demand a certain type of worship. But, I believe that if people truly understand how our confessional Lutheran worship is structured and why we do what we do, they will desire it. The bottom line is that we have been given a beautiful and magnificent form of worship, i.e. the historic Lutheran liturgy and we must hold on to that no matter what. I will believe that for as long as God allows me to serve Him as pastor. S0li Deo Gloria!