A Big Reason to Give Thanks

A Big Reason to Give Thanks

During this Thanksgiving time of the year, may we remember to give our Lord thanks for the abundant blessings of our Lutheran heritage. Read the thoughts below from someone who has journeyed from Evangelicalism to confessional Lutheranism.

What follows is the blog of a self-described “disgruntled Evangelical” named Doug Cohenour, who had left Evangelicalism in search of a new church home. His and his family’s search from church to church finally ended at a confessional Lutheran church. Mr. Cohenour publishes a Christ-centered response to those who have become “disgruntled” with Lutheranism. Here’s an excerpt… (From The Shepherd’s Study, website maintained by Jeremiah Gumm, a WELS pastor. http://shepherdstudy.wordpress.com.)

Search for Christ

“You have probably heard it before, but it bears repeating; there are no perfect churches. As long as there are people involved, there will always be something that we can find to be unhappy about. Lutheranism, for all of its faults, is one of the last refuges of truth in our day and age. The church at large is disintegrating. It is on the decline. If you care about the church, about doctrine, about fidelity to God’s Word, about faith in Christ alone for salvation, and about all of the things that mark the true church, you are in the minority. I have seen enough evidence of this trend over the last 20 years to convince me that we live in a time of decline for the church.

Jesus said that the gates of hell would not prevail against the church. I believe this. But He also wondered if He would find faith on the earth when He returned again. I wonder this myself. Before you reject Lutheranism, maybe it deserves a fresh look. Perhaps you are disgruntled because you do not really know what your church teaches. It may be that if you gain a fresh perspective on the doctrines of the Reformation, the Lutheran Confessions, The Word of God, and the finished work of Jesus Christ on your behalf, that the Lutheran church will not seem like such a bad place to be after all.

It’s really all about Jesus Christ and what He has done. It’s not about you, or professional clergy and their vision, or synods and their decisions, or the politics of your local church. Your personal worship preferences are not relevant, and neither are your felt needs. Being turned inward on yourself leads to being disgruntled. Search for Christ instead. Look for the place where you get the most of Christ, Jesus, in all of His fullness, crucified for you.

You will find this in the churches of the Reformation. You will find this in confessional Lutheranism. For where Jesus is, there is life and salvation.”

Pastor Martin Luchterhand