Making Sense of Online Worship: Navigating Ecclesiological Challenges in the Digital Age Research shows that in the course of one turbulent year, livestreaming technology and online worship services became a ubiquitous part of modern ecclesiology. Christian communities are now faced with adjudicating their decisions — either ending their online worship or continuing it indefinitely. Amid […]

The Provocative Sixth Commandment or Care of Souls in a Sexualized Society God has gifted humankind in many ways, including creating us as sexual beings. This workshop will consider the positive aspects of our bodies and sexuality and how pastors and churches can teach parishes about the gifts God has given. The workshop will also […]

Shining Bright in a Secular Age – A Church for the 21st Century Decline, loss of influence, distrust, an uncertain future. These are among the concerns of many church leaders, especially as they try to do ministry among people who seem not to need a God. The philosopher Charles Taylor has famously called our age […]

Decoding the Apocalypse: Study of the Book of Revelation The title of the last book of the Bible is translated as Revelation, but its original title was Apocalypse. This word literally means “the unveiling.” The purpose of this book of the Bible is to unveil the purposes of God in human history. For many people, […]

Treasures Old and New: A Workshop on Adult Faith Formation This workshop addresses the missional challenges pastors and leaders in the LCMS face in a “post-Christian” context. It introduces a model of adult faith formation based on early church catechumenal practices. Participants will explore new ways to form disciples, shape Christian identity through the Bible […]

The Book of Psalms and the Christ Our Lord often quoted the Psalms and said that they testify about Him (Luke 24:27; John 5:39). In doing so, Jesus confirmed the psalter’s prophetic witness about Himself as Israel’s coming Messiah. In this workshop we will consider how the psalter’s arrangement contributes to the Psalms’ rich picture […]

The Apocrypha: Origins, Import and Use Among Lutherans While not of the same authoritative status as our canonical Old Testament, the books known as the Apocrypha have been a treasured possession of the Church from very early times. They were widely read and cited by Lutherans from the time of Luther himself to C. F. […]

Christian Caregiving for People Suffering with Depression and Anxiety Today mental health struggles affect so many people, draining their energy and joy for life and undermining their confidence. People rightly look for medical and psychological treatment to help them in such struggles. Yet, as researchers are recognizing more and more, a large component of these […]