Lutherans at 500

500 years is a long time. 500 years since the beginnings of the Reformation could weaken the 'branding' of any organization, but especially a church dependent upon the 'priesthood of all believers.'

Some are saying that we Lutherans are 'dying out.' That we don't get the current culture, and that we are not adept at the language/needs of people today. Our numbers are in decline, the average age of our 'membership' is ready for retirement, and we are more concerned about our property than we are about our neighbors.

The statistics don't lie; Lutherans are in decline, and the rate of numerical depreciation is accelerating. Yet, God uses a different form of math. God used one to turn life inside out. God used 12 to turn the world upside down. God used the weak to shame the powerful, and the foolish to shame the wise.

Now I'm not saying, 'Let's simply sit on our laurels and remember the good old days.' What I am saying is that we Lutherans have something to offer to this world, no matter our current 'numbers.' We need to stop whinning and start thinking seriously about how we get this message of Good News out to a people who are hurting. We live in a pluralistic world of paradoxes.

This is comfort food to us Lutherans. We are a people who are comfortable living in the midst of difficult questions and unwilling to settle for simple answers. This stuff will preach in Peoria and NYC and Seattle and... well you name it! We just have to make sure that we stop giving our congregations milk toast when we've got pot roast simmering on the stove. We cannot let the 'babblers' control the conversation when we have real meat to offer. We need to get serious about who we are and what we have to offer; and take a few risks along the way as we toss it out into the market place of thought. This is a faith for those who want to wrestle with God, and it's 'time to rumble!'

So, come on all you Lutherans. Just because you cannot speak intelligibly about the tribulation theories of the rapture, doesn't mean you need to hide your head in the cone of shame. Those theories aren't worth the breath it takes to utter them. We've got real work to do as we bring the grace revealed in Jesus into the equation of a world suffering under the works of the law. Bring me your tired, worn, and heavy laden, and we will give you rest from the tyranny of tired religion. We will invite you into a powerful relationship with the God of the universe who promises that life will be wild (not easy) and full of wonder (but not necessarily wonderful).

Let's not forget that Luther himself was a rabble-rouser. So toss the Jello into the trash, down a pint of beer in honor of the old guy, and let's start talking about salvation history! Let's just see how that gives a new perspective to how we view CNN & FOX and the rest of the world we do not see on the nightly news.

Forget the pity party Lutherans, let's party like its 1999 (or 1517)!