Devote Yourself newsletter
“Until I come, devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture, to preaching, and to teaching” (1 Timothy 4:13).
There you have it. When we think about the work of pastoral ministry, we think about leading public worship, preaching, and teaching. We want to devote ourselves to those tasks, those privileges, and we want to do the best we can in those areas, all because we have put our hope in the living God, who is the Savior of all people, and especially of those who believe.
The following three articles are meant to be encouragements to devote yourself to these things as a good minister of Christ Jesus.
June 2026 newsletter
One Year Lectionary
I have come to the One-Year Lectionary as one abnormally born. Before trying it last year, the extent of my experience was in worship during my year studying at the seminary of our sister synod in Germany, the ELFK.
Screens or No Screens?
The congregation stood. I was reading the Gospel. None of the people were looking at me. They were looking at a screen to my right where the words of the Gospel were being projected on a slide.
Troubleshooting Teaching Structures
It’s not usually complicated. There’s a class—you teach it. There’s an education system—you function in it. But sometimes you inherit a system, and it doesn’t seem to be working...
Devote Yourself article archive
One Year Lectionary
I have come to the One-Year Lectionary as one abnormally born. Before trying it last year, the extent of my experience was in worship during my year studying at the seminary of our sister synod in Germany, the ELFK.
Screens or No Screens?
The congregation stood. I was reading the Gospel. None of the people were looking at me. They were looking at a screen to my right where the words of the Gospel were being projected on a slide.
Troubleshooting Teaching Structures
It’s not usually complicated. There’s a class—you teach it. There’s an education system—you function in it. But sometimes you inherit a system, and it doesn’t seem to be working...
How Do I Know Where We Are?
I was invited to preach a sermon in German at the congregation of our fellowship in Leipzig. I had preached it the Sunday before in Schoenfeld, so I was a little less nervous this week.
Where do you stand when you preach?
Where do you stand when you preach? By “where do you stand,” I’m not asking what your stance is on a particular issue that you might talk about in a sermon.
Teaching Families
On registration day at the boarding high school Michigan Lutheran Seminary, I would always meet with the parents. The veterans usually looked relaxed. The first timers almost always looked scared.
Delivery
The sermon is written. But before I hit “print,” I reread it out loud several times, making adjustments as necessary, tweaking, and editing with the primary thought, “Would I be able to stay awake through this, or would I be bored?”
Christian Worship: Psalter
The committee that produced Christian Worship in 1993 (CW93) had no idea how their new format of psalm singing would be received.
Improving
Teachers know the secret to pastors improving their teaching. You might think that the secret is having the right courses in college.
Devote Yourself newsletter archive
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