Subject: What's our calling? A Lutheran Perspective Date: Fri, 15 Aug 1997 22:17:07 -0400 From: "Thomas F. Fischer" <

Here's a quote I think you will find interesting and helpful. Herman Sasse writing on the topic of "Selective Fellowship" in 1957 (Logia V.3, 1996) says:

"The pastors who have no solid theological training and are not studying any longer become mere organizers, and their sermons or 'sermonettes' cease to be the preaching of the pure Gospel. The lay people who do not live up to the divine 'station' (ie. German 'Stand') which they have in virtue of the universal priesthood may become good business managers in congregation and synod, church council and committee, but what they are building is not a Christian congregation in the sense of the New Testament and the Lutheran Confessions.

It is rather a sort of religious society, a society for the furthering of religious interests. They may be well-meaning, pious people, eager to build the 'Kingdom,' but they know neither what the Kingdom of God, nor what the Church of Christ is. They do not realize that it is God's kingdom which we cannot build, that it is the Church of Christ who by His Gospel and His sacraments builds His Church. If these men try to establish church unity, they can think only in terms of human sociology. They do not know that they unity of the Church is something totally different from the unity existing in a merely human society."

My Response... I couldn't agree with Herman more. That's one of the real reasons for conflict--the country club vs. what the true mission of the church is--namely, to preach the word in its truth and purity and administer the sacraments as Christ instituted them into all the world as a beacon of salvation. As you no doubt experience--as do many pastors--the church is in a constant tug of war between the social, institutional, politically "correct" version of church and the true, healthily vibrant and focused Body of Christ.

The pastor's role is not a job; it's a divine calling. Without such divine calling there'd be no reason to preach words to those who preach "peace, when there is no peace" and otherwise be speakers of "smooth things." Sometimes we are called to uphold this divine calling; in the upholding of this office, we are tried, attacked, and subject to various attacks.

No, we mustn't be irresponsibility abrasive, nor arrogantly and stubbornly stuck on our own views. Yet, in the care of souls, there is always a price to pay...a risk to take. Such a price almost always involves the faithful, caring Pastor taking risks for sheep...and those goats in sheepskin. It's because of the risk that whoever God gives His calling, He always says, "Do not fear; I will be with you."

Tom