Steadfast Dads - Family Worship

This article by Pastor Rolf Preus originally appeared on the Steadfast Lutheran website on April 10, 2012

“But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.” Matthew 6:33

Martin Luther's Family Bringing your children to church is your first duty. Bringing church to your children is your second duty. The Holy Christian Church is identified by her marks: the pure preaching of the gospel and the right ad-ministration of the sacraments of Christ. The church is where the gospel is proclaimed according to a pure understanding of it and where the sacraments are administered according to Christ’s institution. We don’t identify the church by the faith of her individual members. That’s because God alone can see anyone’s faith. We identify the Christian Church by her marks.

What marks the church as the church marks the Christian home as well. We know that a home is a Christian home when the word of Christ marks it. There can be no hard and fast rules about family worship since every family is different and schedules vary from time to time and place to place. Stake out a time and jealously guard it. Then you will have time for family devotions.

The Christian father is the pastor of his own home. It is the father’s duty to lead the family in prayer. This is a simple, but profound, responsibility. Boys need to see their fathers exercise leadership in this area. This is how they learn that worship is a manly thing to do. Little boys are generally taught mostly by women in pub-lic and parochial schools, Sunday schools, and so forth. There is nothing wrong with that. But it is vital that a Christian father not abdicate his responsibility to teach God’s word personally to his children.

Details: Published: 17 July 2017 17 July 2017; Last Updated: 10 June 2018 10 June 2018

Steadfast Dads - The First Duty of a Dad

This article written by Pastor Rolf Preus, was originally published on The Brothers of John the Steadfast website on March 6, 2012.

Martin Luther's Family I would like to thank Pastor Scheer for this opportunity to contribute to Steadfast Lutherans. The topic of Christian fatherhood is always a vital one, and this is so especially today in the midst of confusion – also among Christians – about what fathers, mothers, and families are.

The first duty of Dad is to know who is boss. No, it’s not you. And it’s not your children. It’s God the Father almighty, maker of heaven and earth. “I believe that God has made me.” In making you he has defined for you what you are all about. The fatherhood of God determines for us Christian fathers what fatherhood is all about.

Details: Published: 06 June 2017 06 June 2017; Last Updated: 07 June 2018 07 June 2018

Vigilant in Christ’s Truth

A Message from Pastor Hale

The error of evolution might seem to be a settled matter in the LCMS. It would be nice to assume so because its official statements are quite clear, but that is not the case as evidenced by a recent theological journal “issued by the faculty of the Concordia Seminary, St. Louis, Missouri.” Several articles have surprised and troubled many, in light of what some of our LCMS college and seminary professors are teaching. This is yet further evidence that the truth can never be taken for granted. We must be ever vigilant in defending Christ’s truth and not expect an institution or professional experts to safeguard it for us – it is too important for that!

Details: Published: 05 June 2018 05 June 2018; Last Updated: 05 June 2018 05 June 2018

How Fathers Influence Their Children’s Churchgoing

This article written by Gene Veith originally appeared on Cranach - The Blog of Veith

Nathan Rinne, who blogs with Jordan Cooper at Just and Sinner here at Patheos, discusses a post that I wrote a number of years ago entitled “Raising children so they will go to church as adults”.

I drew on a 1994 study in Switzerland, published in 2000, that found that if the father goes to church regularly, the children are likely to attend regularly when they grow up. If the father does not attend, regardless of what the mother does, the children are likely not to church attend when they grow up.

Details: Published: 03 June 2018 03 June 2018; Last Updated: 07 June 2018 07 June 2018

Mission Sunday

Mark your calendars for Sunday, June 3rd, for Mission Sunday!

Rev. Ryan and Emily McDermott serve the Lord through The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod (LCMS) as career missionaries in West and Central Africa, based in Togo, working in deaf ministry. In this role, Ryan works with partner churches throughout the region to recognize and develop opportunities to reach the deaf with the Gospel. He also identifies and trains leaders, both pastors and laypeople, for working in deaf ministry. As needed, Ryan teaches courses in deaf ministry and theology at The Centre Luthérien d’Etudes Théologiques (CLET), or Lutheran Center for Theological Studies, in Dapaong, Togo.

Details: Published: 26 May 2018 26 May 2018; Last Updated: 26 May 2018 26 May 2018

Memorial Day

Details: Published: 25 May 2018 25 May 2018; Last Updated: 25 May 2018 25 May 2018

Pastor's Pen 05/22/2018

Pastor's Pen for 05/22/2018 I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you. (John 14)

In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. The Day of Pentecost. You need Jesus. You need the Holy Spirit. You need the Word of God. Jesus makes a promise to send you the Holy Spirit. W hen the day of Pentecost arrived, they were all together in one place. Suddenly there came from heaven a sound like a mighty rushing wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. Divided tongues as of fire appeared to them and rested on each one of them. They were all filled with the Holy Spirit. (Acts 2)

Jesus does ALL THE WORK FOR YOUR SALVATION. Christ’s saving work is FINISHED in Jesus’ death and resurrection for you. The Disciples are the Pastors. Jesus is sending the Apostles out to PREACH GOD'S WORD.

The Day of Pentecost is marked with PREACHING! GREAT PREACHING! Hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a man attested to you by God with mighty works and wonders and signs that God did through him in your midst, as you yourselves know – this Jesus, delivered up according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God, you crucified and killed by the hands of lawless men. God raised him up, loosing the pangs of death, because it was not possible for him to be held by it. (Acts 2)

Details: Published: 23 May 2018 23 May 2018; Last Updated: 23 May 2018 23 May 2018

Card Shower for Rev. Bartelt

On May 13, members of Zion held a card shower for Rev. Bartelt for his years as a Choir Directory. Here are some photos from that event. Sandy Wehrbein crafted the special cake.

Photos courtesy of Richard Thies

Details: Published: 20 May 2018 20 May 2018; Last Updated: 20 May 2018 20 May 2018

Confirmation May 2018

Confirmation Sunday was May 6.

Photo courtesy of Richard Thies

Please pray for our newly confirmed members, that they stand firm in their faith in our Triune God.

Everyone who acknowledges Me before men, I also will acknowledge before My Father who is in heaven.

Matthew 10

Details: Published: 20 May 2018 20 May 2018; Last Updated: 20 May 2018 20 May 2018

What is Pentecost All About?

This article written by Pastor Sam Schuldheisz was published in the Huntington Beach Wave newspaper and also on the Steadfast Lutherans website

The Protestant reformer, Martin Luther, once said, “The Christian Church is a mouth-house of God.” So, whose words will the Church speak? Jesus’ words to be exact. Words like the ones Jesus gave his church at ascension.

“Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you” Matthew 28:19-20)

But how do Jesus’ words come to us? Enter the Holy Spirit and Pentecost.

Details: Published: 18 May 2018 18 May 2018; Last Updated: 18 May 2018 18 May 2018

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Hymn of the Church Season

A hymn for Lent is called A Lamb Goes Uncomplaining Forth (LSB 438). More info about this hymn is available here.
A hymn for Transiguration Sunday O Wondrous Type! O Vision Fair (LSB 413). Two different version and the text can be seen here.
Built On the Rock, the Church Shall Stand (LSB 645)
Behold a Host Arrayed in White (LSB 676) - More Info
Jesus Priceless Treasure (LSB 743) - More Info
Come Holy Ghost, Creator Blest (LSB 498) - More Info
Shepherd of Tender Youth (LSB 864) - More Info

Other Hymns

Other hymns of the seasons can be found on the Church Hymns page.

The angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. ⁶He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay. ⁷ Then go quickly and tell his disciples: ‘He has risen from the dead and is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him.’ Now I have told you.”

⁸ So the women hurried away from the tomb, afraid yet filled with joy, and ran to tell his disciples. ⁹ Suddenly Jesus met them. “Greetings,” he said. They came to him, clasped his feet and worshiped him. ¹⁰ Then Jesus said to them, “Do not be afraid. Go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee; there they will see me.”
- Matthew 28:5-10

Zion Lutheran Church

Steadfast Dads - Family Worship

Steadfast Dads - The First Duty of a Dad

Vigilant in Christ’s Truth

How Fathers Influence Their Children’s Churchgoing

Mission Sunday

Memorial Day

Pastor's Pen 05/22/2018

Card Shower for Rev. Bartelt

Confirmation May 2018

What is Pentecost All About?

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