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November 15, 2023

Mission Under Accompaniment

Director's Note: Spencer Wentland is uniquely qualified to write this article analyzing the ELCA’s concept of global mission as accompaniment rather than evangelism – as responding to requests for help…
November 15, 2023

Should We Put a Loved One Out of Her Misery?

Imagine a scenario where a loved one is suffering from an incurable condition and unimaginable pain.  And yet, antiquated laws have prevented her from finding peace once and for all.…
November 15, 2023

Rest, Inc.

Part 1: A Gift of Restoration, Resilience, and Prophetic Perspective Dear Friends— We were in the middle of our first vacation ‘Out West’, somewhere between Colorado Springs, CO, and Yellowstone…
November 15, 2023

Ingrate Faith

“You’re welcome.” Joy comes from saying those words to someone who recognizes and thanks you for an act of service or kindness. When you perform such gracious acts to express…
November 15, 2023

You Can’t Have God’s Kin-dom Without God’s Kingdom

With what can we compare the kingdom of God, or what parable will we use for it? –Mark 4:30 For you did not receive a spirit of slavery to fall…
November 15, 2023

Churches Without Pastors

In the September CORE Voice, I reflected on my time as the pastor of a mission congregation.  My question was whether the Lutheran Church is prepared for a time when…
November 15, 2023

In Faith

“We must always give thanks to God for you, brothers and sisters, and rightly so, because your faith is growing more and more, and the love all of you have…
November 15, 2023

Training Disciple-Makers

“...take up twelve stones from the middle of the Jordan…” Joshua 4:3 We wish God’s blessings upon Dean Rostad, president, and the Canadian Lutheran Bible Institute.  This is the third…
November 15, 2023

Once You Know the Makeup, You Know the Outcome – Part Two

In the September 2023 issue of CORE Voice I gave an analysis of the expected outcome from the ELCA’s Commission for a Renewed Lutheran Church.  After reading the biographical paragraphs…
September 14, 2023

About Congregational Singing

I recently attended a traditional worship service where the emotional and spiritual highlight for me was the opening and closing hymns.  This was not because the sermon message was subpar…
Seminarians
September 14, 2023

Once You Know the Makeup, You Know the Outcome

If there ever will be a time when that old adage will be proven true, it will be with the ELCA’s thirty-five-member Commission for a Renewed Lutheran Church. This commission…
SeminariansYoung Timothy
September 14, 2023

Severed Foot Faith?

Choices, choices and AdChoices. Our hyper-consumer culture overwhelms us with all the choices we can make to please our whims. For all the hyper-individually focused advertising that is pushed at…
ResourcesSeminarians
September 14, 2023

On Christian Nationalism

Santino Burrola recorded a video and posted it to TikTok.  He was fired from his job at a grocery store for the offense.  What did he do wrong?  Inappropriately filming…
ResourcesSeminarians
September 14, 2023

Churches Without Property

In 1998, I moved with my wife and my 3 year old son to Pembroke Pines, Florida.  I was sent there to start a new congregation in an area of…
ResourcesSeminariansYoung Timothy
September 14, 2023

Prevailing Against the Gates

“Alderaan? I'm not going to Alderaan. I've got to get home. It's late. I'm in for it as it is.” Name that movie.  Name that scene.  Anyone with even a…
Young Timothy
July 18, 2023

Pockets of Hope

When I think of Baltimore, I often think of my early childhood home with a large magnolia tree in the front yard and a tall, hemlock pine in the back,…
July 18, 2023

ELCA Moves In and Takes Over

In my Summer Letter from the Director I told in great detail the disturbing story of how Bishop Yehiel Curry of the ELCA’s Metropolitan Chicago Synod threatened, intimidated, bullied, and…
July 18, 2023

Video Ministry – July 2023

Here is a link to our You Tube channel.  In the top row you will find both our Video Book Reviews as well as our CORE Convictions Videos on various…
SeminariansYoung Timothy
July 18, 2023

“Here Am I. Send Me!”

Of all the voices in the world calling you to be this or do that with your life, how will you discern God’s call? While God calls persons into full…
Seminarians
July 18, 2023

The Creeds Don’t “Sparkle”

Note from our Executive Director: Many thanks to Kevin Haug, ELCA pastor in Texas, for his article about the Sparkle creed.  This so-called "creed" has received a lot of attention…
Seminarians
July 18, 2023

Caring Christian Faith Communities: Needed Now More Than Ever

As Americans we are living in a time of increasing emotional despair.  And this crisis presents the Body of Christ with tremendous challenges as local churches consider how they might…
July 18, 2023

Daily Devotion Options

Editor’s Note:  Rev. Dr. Douglas Schoelles joined the board of Lutheran CORE earlier this year.  Rev. Jeffray Greene has been writing devotions for us for a long time. We are…
SeminariansYoung Timothy
July 18, 2023

Dead Faith

Don’t play with dead fish! Mom said don’t bring it home thinking we’ll eat it! A dead fish is useless and worthless. What are we to do with dead faith?…
July 18, 2023

Book Promotion: The Power of Healthy Leadership

Leadership is not a title, a performance, or mere occupation. It is a sacred relationship creating ripple effects, for both good and bad. This book is about stewardship leaders, who…
May 15, 2023

City Mission 2023

Our prayers are with Pastor Craig Moorman and all those who are providing leadership for and participating in City Mission 2023, a multi-generational, multi-denominational outreach effort into the inner city…
May 15, 2023

Web Map

Whenever I fly into an airport I have never been in before, I am always very grateful for all the signs that greet me as soon as I step off…
May 15, 2023

Video Ministry – May 2023

Here is a link to our You Tube channel.  In the top row you will find both our Video Book Reviews as well as our CORE Convictions Videos on various…
May 15, 2023

Congregational Lay Leadership Initiative

We are very grateful for all of the ways in which retired NALC pastor Don Brandt enhances the ministry of Lutheran CORE.  He has an article in every issue of…
May 15, 2023

The Clergy Shortage: Some Historical Perspective

Perhaps my perspective is somewhat distorted by being one among so many retired or retiring Boomer pastors.  After all, the Boomer generation has been accused—often justifiably—of having an inflated view…
March 13, 2023

(Per)Mission to Lead

Editor’s Note: River’s Edge Ministry (REM), of Mt. Airy, MD, traveled to Pine Island, FL in January as part of Cross Country Mission (CCM) 2023. Pine Island was devastated by…
Seminarians
March 13, 2023

Feed My Sheep

I have appreciated Don Brandt’s wisdom and leadership in Lutheran renewal through the years, and I welcomed his article in last month’s CORE Voice. He accurately diagnoses the biggest single…
SeminariansYoung Timothy
March 13, 2023

The Awaken Project Offers a Gap Year Program

Introduction by Dennis D. Nelson: In this issue we will be featuring The Awaken Project (TAP), a nonprofit organization housed on the campus of Mount Carmel Ministries in Alexandria, Minnesota.…
SeminariansYoung Timothy
March 13, 2023

Resisting God’s Call

When God calls a person to a specific task or ministry, resistance is often the first response of the called. Jeremiah claimed that he was too young. Gideon feared he…
Seminarians
March 13, 2023

How Your Congregation Can Identify, Enlist and Train Part-time Lay Ministers

Note:  "This is a ministry resource article for churches that might be interested in the new upcoming CORE ministry called the Congregational Lay-leadership Initiative (CLI). The article below offers a…
March 13, 2023

Video Ministry – March 2023

Here is a link to our You Tube channel. In the top row you will find both our Video BookReviews as well as our CORE Convictions Videos on various topics…
SeminariansYoung Timothy
March 13, 2023

You Do-I Watch: A Hard Lesson in Fully Releasing the Next Generation into Mission

Editor's note: River’s Edge Ministry (REM), located in Mt. Airy, MD, traveled to Pine Island, FL in January as part of Cross Country Mission (CCM) 2023. Pine Island was devastated…