Serving Where the Lord Leads

Dogs and Handlers from Lutheran Church Charities meet

Baton Rouge Mayor Kip Holden (center)

On Sunday, July 17, two police officers and one sheriff’s deputy in Baton Rouge were killed in the line of duty.

On Monday, I offered to assist with the Lutheran Church Charities Comfort Dog deployment.

On Tuesday, I drove to Baton Rouge to meet with Lutheran Church Charities president Tim Hetzner and the rest of the team of dogs and handlers.

On Wednesday we began our work. During the three-day deployment we brought the dogs to the Baton Rouge Police Department, the Lady of the Lakes Hospital, the 911 Dispatch Center, and the funeral visitation of one of the slain officers.

We met police officers, dispatchers, the Police Chief and Mayor of Baton Rouge, the family of one of the wounded officers, and staff at the hospital Emergency Department.

The Comfort Dogs paved the way for their handlers to offer the compassion and love of Jesus to the people that we met. That most often took the form of words of encouragement and time spent in prayer.

Our team included people and dogs from Wisconsin, Illinois, Missouri, Kentucky, and Tennessee. For some of the victims of tragedy and loss, the fact that we were there spoke volumes. For others, the hugs we gave and the prayers we offered eased the hurt. For many, simply spending quiet moments with a Comfort Dog brought healing to aching spirits.

The welcome we received wherever we went let us know deeply people were hurting. It was a privilege to serve the Baton Rouge community.

As we anticipate the placing of a Comfort Dog at Messiah, I know that we will have plenty to keep our dog busy in Houston. He or she will spend time at the Early Childhood Center, join me at the Corner Bakery where I offer prayer to their patrons, and pay visits to our local police and fire stations. Our members will learn how to work with our dog and engage in ministry at our local hospitals, assisted living facilities, libraries, and schools.

But there will also be times when the request goes out to deploy beyond Houston or beyond Texas because of a shooting, a flood, a tornado, a hurricane, or an explosion.

Those times will remind us that the love of Jesus knows no limits and His people’s compassion for the hurting has no boundaries.

A Letter from Prison

St. Paul, a first century follower of Jesus, is wrongfully imprisoned by the government. While in custody, he writes to a number of congregations to instruct and encourage them. These are called his Prison Letters. One of these letters is written to the church in the city of Philippi. This letter is known by many as the "Letter of Joy" because joy is one of its main themes.

Toward the end of this letter, Paul addresses a conflict that is brewing in the congregation. After being specific about how the parties involved should work to reconcile, Paul speaks more generally about the way of peace. He urges three virtues: joy, gentleness, and gratitude. He says that practicing these three virtues will result in a peace that transcends and surpasses all understanding, a peace that comes only from God (Philippians 4:4-7).

Recent events in our nation have put hate and anger and bitterness on display. And these traits, when combined, yield the ugly fruit of violence. Five dead police officers in Dallas, Texas. Police in other cities being targeted simply for wearing the uniform.

In saying this, I don't mean to minimize the fact that police officers can make mistakes and even abuse their authority. But a law enforcement officer doesn't deserve to be targeted as a threat anymore than a black man in his twenties should be assumed to be a thug. Nevertheless, in this broken world the temptation and tendency to pre-judge is all too alive and well.

But bitterness, anger, and hate are not the solutions to the problem. They will never result in peace. They will only breed conflict and violence.

Let's take a lesson from Paul. Let's pursue the virtues he urges and even challenges us to practice. He counsels joy, gentleness, and gratitude, resulting in divine peace. Joy, gentleness, and gratitude, from the pen of a man wronged by the authorities. Imagine that.

No More Stinkin' Thinkin'!

It's been two weeks since my last post. That's because my family arrived in Houston in mid-June after five months of me being in southeast Texas and my wife being in northwest Indiana. As the Peaches & Herb song goes, we're "reunited and it feels so good."


I've been reading Paul's letter to the Philippians, which is often referred to as the Epistle of Joy. In this missive we find the familiar words "Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!" (Phil. 4:4)

It is noted by commentators that Paul wrote these words while under arrest in Rome. He reminds his readers that he is "in chains." While in custody he hears that some are preaching about Jesus out of envy and selfish ambition, hoping to stir up trouble for Paul while he is unable to defend himself.

Nevertheless, Paul rejoices.

How can he do that? How can he not be angry or depressed? Why is he able to rejoice and have joy?

It's because Paul knows that joy is not a matter of emotions. Joy is rooted in the assurance that Jesus is Lord and is working for good even through Paul's imprisonment. Paul know that his joy depends not on how he feels but rather in how he thinks.

In chapter 2, Paul urges his readers to think like Jesus thought. In chapter 4, he exhorts them to fix their thoughts on the things that are true, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent, and praiseworthy.

In other words, as the sainted Millie Anderson would say, no more "stinkin' thinkin'!" That's what she would call negative and unproductive thoughts that would get in a person's way -- stinkin' thinkin'.

Satan, the father of lies, is also the father of stinkin' thinkin'. He wants nothing more than to neutralize the body of Christ by trapping us in his deceptions. Stinkin' thinkin' is when we accept his lies and forget that God "began a good work in you [and] will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus" (Phil. 1:6). It's when we forget that "everything [is] a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus" (Phil. 3:8).

When we are sinking into dark thoughts and foul moods, Paul would have us remember Jesus, the one who is genuinely " true, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent, and praiseworthy." Paul would urge us to resist and rebuke Satan and his lies. He would challenge us to stand firm in faith and cry out against the enemy in defiance: "No more stinkin' thinkin'!!"

Dogs and Handlers Bring Out the "Blessed" in Each Other

Tim Hetzner and Comfort Dog Jonah

I didn't hear about the horror in Orlando until Sunday afternoon, too late to include the incident in the prayers of the church during worship.

But others were more informed, including Tim Hetzner, the president of Lutheran Church Charities (LCC) and the inspiration behind the Comfort Dog Ministry.

Tim marshalled his volunteer handlers and by Monday morning, a group of eight dog and handler teams flew out of O'Hare airport near LCC's office and were on their way to respond to the Orlando attack.

Comfort Dog teams from Iowa, Texas, South Carolina, Nebraska, and Tennessee have since joined the Illinois group to bring the love of Jesus to the hurting people of Orlando. This week they will spend time with the loved ones of shooting victims, local law enforcement, and first responders. They will visit local hospitals and attend prayer vigils. In every locale, the dogs will serve as the "paws" of Jesus and help their handlers bring comfort, hope, and love to all they meet.

To keep up with the work that the dogs are doing, follow LCC K-9 Comfort Dogs on Facebook. Each dog has its own Facebook page as well. A search of "comfort dog" on FB will introduce you to most of the pack.

This article from Time magazine online also features the work done by these very gifted canines: http://time.com/4368727/comfort-dogs-are-coming-from-across-the-country-to-console-orlando-survivors/?xid=time_socialflow_twitter

The Comfort Dog Ministry is a nationwide network of highly trained Golden Retrievers that are placed in Lutheran churches to assist congregations in caring and outreach ministries. Since its inception in 2008, the ministry has grown to include over one hundred dogs working from coast to coast and border to border.

The dogs work with handlers who are equipped to provide emotional and spiritual care to those in need. The ministry is one in which dogs and handlers truly bring out the best and the "blessed" in each other.

When teams deploy, LCC doesn't charge a fee to those they serve. Rather, they rely on the generosity of donors to offset the travel and lodging expenses of their volunteers. To make a donation, you can call 866-455-6464 or donate via text by sending @LCCGIVE to 52014. LCC's website is www.lutheranchurchcharities.org and donations can be made online.

The Gospel According to Clint

While surfing the channels I happened upon one of my favorite movies, Gran Torino starring Clint Eastwood. He plays Walter Kowalski, a retired auto worker who lives in Detroit. He's foul-mouthed, close-minded, and prejudiced. The Hmong who have moved into his neighborhood annoy him to no end, especially when one of them, a teenage boy, tries to steal his beloved Gran Torino as part of a gang initiation.

Nevertheless, when the boy is made to work for Kowalski to restore the family honor, Kowalski eventually befriends him and his family. However, the family finds itself targeted by the Hmong gang. They attack the young man on his way home from work. They shoot up the family's home in a drive-by. They assault the family's older daughter.

Kowalski, a Korean War vet, is pushed to the breaking point. He decides to take matters into his own hands to protect this family and his neighborhood. After spending a day getting a shave and a haircut, being fitted for a suit, and going to confession, Kowalski puts his plan into action.

After sunset he confronts the gang at their house. Standing on their front lawn he calls the gang members out for their cowardice. From the house, they draw their weapons in order to intimidate Kowalski. But it won't work.

You see, Kowalski has nothing to lose. He is dying of lung cancer and he knows it. Still, he wants his death to matter. With the gang's guns pointed at him, he reaches inside his jacket, as if to draw his own weapon. When he quickly jerks his hand out of his jacket the gangbangers open fire. Kowalski is cut down in a hail of bullets. In full view of the neighbors. All of whom will testify.

And here's the Gospel "money shot." As Kowalski falls backward, his arms outstretch. A close-up of his right hand reveals that he had reached not for a weapon but for his cigarette lighter. A trickle of blood flows from under his jacket's cuff down his wrist into the palm of his hand. Then the camera draws back to show him lying on the ground ... in the shape of a cross.

Walter Kowalski has given his life to rescue his neighbors from the threat of evil.

Sound like anybody else you've heard of?

Too Taboo for Jesus?

Are there topics that the church should avoid. Issues so divisive or controversial or personal that they are not fit for sermon or Bible study or discussion group?

What might some of those topics be? Substance abuse? Personal finances? Anything to do with sex?

Some in the church community might be inclined to shy away from these issues. Perhaps they believe that a follower of Jesus doesn't wrestle with these concerns. Or perhaps they consider these topics inappropriate for Christian conversation.

Whatever the case may be, the church can't be in denial of the reality of sin and the toll that it takes in the lives of believers and non-believers alike. That means that the church is THE PLACE to have these conversations.

First of all, when it comes to who we are as human beings, the biblical worldview will trump the secular worldview every day of the week, and twice on Sunday. The biblical worldview is rooted in the conviction that people are created in the image of God. If that doesn't inform and influence how I treat others and myself, I don't know what will.

Instead of simply being the results of an evolutionary accident, I and all around me are the handiwork of almighty God. There is a sacredness to human existence that is not to be violated. This has implications for the value of unborn life, how people view human sexuality, how I treat others, and how I treat my own body, to name just a few.

Secondly, the biblical worldview teaches that we are here to be stewards of the resources God has provided. That means nothing belongs to me. It's not "my" time. It's not "my" talent. It's not "my" treasure. These are not "mine." They belong to God. They are put under my management, and I am answerable to God for how I manage them and use them for His glory and for the good of others.

A secular worldview would argue "the survival of the fittest," "the law of the jungle," or "The one who dies with the most toys wins." The biblical worldview would say, instead, that the goal of life is not the pursuit of wealth or pleasure or power. Rather, my goal each day is to glorify God and serve those around me, using the resources entrusted to me to the best of my ability. To manage them as God would.

The church needs to bring its biblical worldview and wisdom into the conversation. There is a generation asking big questions about purpose and meaning and existence. They are wrestling with issues of human sexuality and values and morality. They want to know who they are and why they are here and what happens when all this is over.

All of these questions are vital. And none of them are taboo for Jesus. Nor should they be taboo for His followers.

#LoveWarns

In 21st century America, the greatest virtue is tolerance and intolerance is the greatest vice.

In a bygone era, to "tolerate" someone or something meant "to put up with" him/her, "to endure" the situation. This tolerance was often accompanied by a sense of weary resignation.

Nowadays, however, tolerance is to be served with a side dish of acceptance or approval or even applause. We are told that to do anything less is to be a "hater."

This was recently made evident when a transgendered teen wanted to be crowned prom queen in his local high school. Although born a male, he identified as a female and wanted to be treated as such.

This person gained "media darling" status through a local newspaper columnist's articles and Facebook posts. Those who took issue with his desire to be prom queen were called "ill informed, uneducated, scared bigoted individuals" and "hateful and disrespectful people."

The prom queen controversy is only one example of the tyranny of the New Tolerance. A year ago when the Supreme Court re-defined marriage, the reaction was quite the same. Anyone who stood for traditional marriage was criticized as being homophobic and judgmental. No allowance was given for a person to object on moral grounds. Any objection was deemed to be hate.

Now, I believe that Jesus means it when He tells me not to judge others. I believe that He means it when He tells me to love others, also. But nowhere does Jesus tell me to sacrifice my principles and convictions on the altar of tolerance. He certainly didn't.

Jesus teaches us not to judge people. But He doesn't teach us not to warn people. Warning is a loving act. "Don't touch the hot stove." "Don't play in the street." "Don't do drugs." These are warnings that we give to the people we love the most, our children.

As a follower of Jesus, it's my responsibility to warn people of danger. This is especially true if they are in danger of sinning against their God, which can cost them their eternity with God. In the words of St. Paul, "I am not writing this to shame you, but to warn you, as my dear children" (1 Corinthians 4:14).

I often take issue with the direction our culture is going in its swift drift away from the teachings of God's Word. However, as Jesus has taught me, no matter how much I might question a person's choices, it's never my place to judge. Because of my own moral failings, I have no right to do so. I am in no position to throw stones.

Nevertheless, although it is not my place to judge, it is always my place to warn, in all humility and compassion. Genuine love can do no less.