June 30, 2009 A.D. is the one year return anniversary of Issues, Etc.™ In celebration of this anniversary, here are some soundbites from the show:
Terry Mattingly on “Lutheran Churches That May As Well Not Be”
A Listener Checks in from the Road
Dr. Mike Horton on “The Church Needs the Gospel Too”
Greg Koukl on “Real Christian Disagreement”
Pastor Bryan Wolfmueller on “Church Consultants”
Fear Versus Freedom
Fear. Why are many Lutheran leaders so afraid?
Issues, Etc. is a strong Gospel outreach radio program. Nonetheless, the liberal leaders of the Lutheran Church Missouri Synod (LCMS) unexpectedly terminated the show during Holy Week of last year. Even the program archives on the internet were erased, and then eventually replaced with inferior files. The LCMS leadership later claimed the sudden termination was mainly for financial reasons, but nonetheless had failed to ask for any donations to save the popular show.
Freedom. Since that time, and because of strong public outcry, the show has returned better than before. They are better because they are free. This show is better because it is now free to tell the whole truth, and free from fear of retribution from their corporate superiors.
Christ came to set us free. Pastors are not CEOs or Public Relations Officers, and Christians are not employees. We are brothers, and we are free in the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
Issues, Etc. is a strong Gospel outreach radio program because it stands firmly on the power and authority of the word of God. Those who have faith in the word of God do not fear because they stand on the rock that does not move.
However, there are those who fear freedom. There are those who do not believe in the power of truth. There are those who fear that someone will say something bad about them. They don’t stand on the Rock, but rather they live under rocks in the darkness of slavery and fear.
They are afraid the Church will die without amusing entertainments. They are afraid the Church will die without “relevant” gospel-less sermons. They lack faith. They do not trust the word of God. They do not trust the power of the word of God. They do not trust God.
They should not call themselves “Lutheran.” The great Reformer stood on the power of the word of God alone. He could turn a phrase, but the Reformation proceeded by the power and authority of the Word and by no other power. To be Lutheran is to trust the Word of God.
Lutheranism in America is currently facing grave challenges. May our Lord help and guide us, may the Lord have mercy, may God’s will be done.
To be Lutheran is to trust the Word of God.
“For the Word created heaven and earth and all things [Ps.33:6]; the Word must do this thing, and not we poor sinners…. I simply taught, preached, and wrote God’s Word; otherwise I did nothing…. I did nothing; the Word did everything.” – Martin Luther