Blog

What is it you want most in life? What are you most afraid of losing? Abram wanted a son. Abram had good reason to hope for a son. God had specifically promised to give him one. Abram also had “good” reasons to doubt that promise. He was 99 years old. His wife was 89. Abram was afraid. “The word of the LORD came to Abram in a vision: “Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your shield, your very great reward.” (Genesis 15:1) A shield blocks the arrows, spears, and swords that would otherwise kill a soldier. The LORD promised to defend Abram from Satan’s attacks. What Satan most wants to kill is faith in God. Satan whispered to Abram year after year, “God said he would give you a son. Well? Where is he? Do you really think God would keep a promise like that for a person like you?” A son would have been a great reward, but even if God hadn’t given Abram a son, he had someone far greater. He had God—the source of “ every good and perfect gift ” (James 1:17). God is the perfect gift-giver—but the greatest gift is to have him as your friend and Father. Are you afraid? Afraid God might not keep his promises to you? Afraid God might take away that person you could not imagine living life without? You don’t need to be. God loves you so much. I know Satan whispers in your ear, “Does he?” He’s a liar. If God did not love you, he would not have given up his Son, his only Son, whom he loves, for you. He would not have paid such a costly price to forgive your debt to him. Will he give you what you most deeply want in life? I don’t know. Will he take away that person or thing you are most afraid of losing? Yes, one day. But the God who gave you these people and things to love for a time also gave you Jesus and the faith to believe in what Christ did for you on the cross. So you know no matter what you lose, he’s not losing you. Abram was still afraid. So God took him out under the night sky. He had him look up and try to count the stars. “ So shall your offspring be ,” God said (Genesis 15:5). Abram believed God. You believe him, too. By faith, you are one of those stars Abram counted that night. By faith, you are one of Abram's offspring. You are a sign that God has and will always keep his promises. Don’t be afraid. God is your shield, and your very great reward.

Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will. Romans 12:1-2 I don’t know if you know this, but there’s an election coming up. Maybe you haven’t noticed the yard signs and flags and calls on social media to vote. Maybe you haven’t been getting the constant phone calls and mailings. You probably have. I’ve heard and seen a lot of political statements lately. A lot of them are mean-spirited. A lot of them misrepresent what the other side is saying. A lot of them are kind of whiny, to be honest. A lot of them are coming from Christians. Now (as always) it’s important to listen carefully to others who disagree with us so we understand what they’re saying. As Christians, we’re well-equipped to listen and love because we know that even if everything appears to be going against us, God is for us. Jesus is ruling over all things for the Church’s good. We’re guaranteed the victory in this battle against Satan, the world, and our sinful nature. Christ called us to love our enemies and pray for those who hate us, and I’m afraid too many Christians are spending too much energy complaining that people out there aren’t Christians, and “ conforming to the pattern of this world ” to get “our” people in positions of power so we can change things. A far better use of our energy is to share the gospel, because the good news about Jesus is the only message that can really change hearts. The gospel is the real source of our world-changing power as Christians. As we look ahead to November, remember that, whether you’re a Republican, or a Democrat, or a Libertarian, or a Constitutionalist (which I just found out is a thing), you’re a Christian first. Do not be conformed—be transformed. For all the crosses the Church carries in this life, there’s a whole lot more glory waiting on the other side. In Jesus, Pastor Paustian

Bethlehem Family, Today, Governor Tony Evers made Wisconsin the 34 th state to issue a statewide mask mandate in order to curb the spread of COVID-19 ( You can read the mandate here ). The mandate requires that “every individual, age five and older, in Wisconsin” [1] wear a face covering if indoors or in an enclosed outdoor space with people who are not members of your immediate family. To comply with this order, as long as this mandate is in effect (right now it runs to the end of September), we will require that all visitors to either one of our campuses wear a mask while indoors (unless you meet one of the exceptions listed below). I know how divisive of an issue face coverings have become, and it could easily become so for Bethlehem. Those who have wanted a mask mandate all along could easily lord it over those who did not. Those who are strongly opposed to masks could resent those who are for them. But God has called us all to be like Jesus. In Ephesians 4:29-31, the Apostle Paul encourages us, “Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.” There has been nothing easy about the last four months. We are all tired. There is only one who can heal, help, and give us strength for the days ahead. You know who I’m talking about. He’s the one who said, “In this world you will have trouble; but take heart! I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33) Christians, let’s find strength in Christ, and let’s take every opportunity this pandemic presents to love one another. In Christ, Pastor Paustian Some Things to Note Exceptions to the Face Coverings Mandate (Emergency Order #1, Part 3) The governor’s order makes exceptions for these situations applicable for our church life: The pastor conducting our worship services may remove his face covering while actively speaking to the congregation, as long as 6 feet of distance are maintained from other individuals. The same exception would seem to allow musicians to remove their face coverings as needed while they are playing. …and these individuals: Children ages 2-5 are encouraged (but not required) to wear a mask when social distancing is not possible (Children under 2 should not wear a face covering). Individuals who have trouble breathing. Individuals with medical conditions, intellectual or developmental disabilities, mental health conditions, or other sensory sensitivities that prevent the individual from wearing a face covering. Is this an instance where “we must obey God, rather than men” (Acts 5:29)? The apostles who spoke those words were on trial for preaching the good news about Jesus. The governor’s orders are not being made to keep us from practicing our religion, nor is this is order solely given to Christians. Should there come a day when the government makes some kind of religious ban on practicing Christianity, by all means, we’ll have to obey God. In this instance, we can still worship and we can serve God by being “subject to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established.” (Romans 13:1) Is wearing a mask ‘idolatry’? Generally speaking, no. When we pray, “Give us today our daily bread,” on the one hand, we recognize that somebody is going to have to work for that bread. On the other hand, as Christians we recognize God as the ultimate source of that blessing (Deuteronomy 8:17). When we take a medication, get a surgery, or wear a face mask, we recognize that, should God want to, he could still let us get sick or even die. But he’s given us a means to potentially preserve our lives (or somebody else’s) and we can use it, all along recognizing him as the source of that protection. What constitutes a ‘Face Covering’? A face covering “means a piece of cloth or other material that is worn to cover the nose and mouth completely… a ‘face covering’ does not include face shields, mesh masks, masks with holes or openings, or masks with vents.” Didn’t the State Supreme Court overturn the governor’s authority to issue this kind of ban? I’ve read through a good portion of the supreme court’s ruling to figure this out. The Supreme Court’s decision specifically spells out that the issue in that case was not the governor’s authority. It was the head of the public health department who they ruled had overstepped her authority. At the time this is being written, it remains to be seen if the Wisconsin legislature will file a lawsuit against the governor’s order. Should that happen, and should this decision be overturned as well, it will be up to our congregational leaders to decide how to proceed. [1] With some exceptions listed below.

Over the next couple weeks, I'll be giving you short summaries of information about worshiping during COVID-19. The info I'm giving you is mostly from a report our synod's Congregational Services put together. I'd highly encourage you to take the time to read this report, as it will explain how our congregation and others in our synod are responding to our current situation. You can download it by clicking here (for the original post, go to the WELS website ). So many of our normal activities have come to a screeching halt during this pandemic. As we work to process the frustration and anxiety of so much change and uncertainty, make sure to dedicate time to God's Word and to prayer (and think about counseling , too. It helps!). "Cast all your anxiety on him, because he cares for you." 1 Peter 5:7 God cares for you . He does. Can you believe it? It's crazy, but he does. Just look what he did for you. He gave you Jesus. If he would do that for you, what wouldn't he do?

When reading through the Old Testament, one of the things many non-Christians object to, many former Christians cite as one reason for abandoning Christianity, and many current Christians struggle with (I think we all do, if we’re honest) is the brutality we see. This is especially true with the conquering of Canaan in Joshua and Judges. Why does God command Israel to destroy the people of Canaan? Isn’t this genocide? Even if there are not simple answers, we can all benefit from wrestling with the question. Is this Genocide? Genocide is the killing of one group of people by another. It often centers around ethnic differences. The Holocaust involved genocide. The Germans sought to wipe out the Jewish people (and a whole host of other groups). Hitler and his followers believed that Aryans (white, blond, blue eyes) were racially superior to people of other colors and countries. At first blush, what happens in Joshua and Judges is barely distinguishable from the genocides of recent history. God tells the Israelites—the descendants of Jacob—to destroy the Canaanites—people of another ethnicity. But as we dig deeper into Scripture (which we have to do if we’re going to really understand what’s going on) it becomes clear that there are some important differences between genocide and what happened in Canaan around 1400 B.C. Were the Israelites Ethnically, Racially, Morally, Religiously Superior to the Canaanites? The book of Deuteronomy answers this question. Was Israel better? God bluntly said, “No.” God repeatedly told the Israelites that the reason they were getting the land of Canaan was not because they were in any way superior to the Canaanites. It was grace. All grace. God made a promise to their ancestors and he was keeping it (See Deuteronomy 9:4-6). The other thing God made clear was that the Canaanites were not just in the wrong place at the wrong time. What happened to them was God's judgment. But the judgment on the Canaanites was not because of their ethnicity. It was because of their idolatry. They were guilty. At some point in their past, they had known the true God, but their ancestors had wandered away from him. God had given them centuries to repent and come back to him, but they had only gotten deeper into slavery to sin and Satan. Read through Leviticus 18 and Deuteronomy 18 and you will hear some graphic examples of what that led to (Leviticus 18:6-30; Deuteronomy 18:9-14). It was not that Israel was better or that Canaan was worse. It was about God’s mercy and his judgment. In the book of Joshua, there is an account in which the “commander of the armies of the LORD” appeared to Joshua with a drawn sword as he was about to start conquering Canaan. Joshua asked him, “Are you for us or for our enemies?” Do you know what the angel said? “Neither” (Joshua 5:13-15)! The Lord’s love for people was never limited to Israel, even if he had given them this special purpose and promise. God said to Abraham, "through your offspring all nations on earth will be blessed" (Genesis 22:18). The God of the New Testament of whom John says, “God is love” (1 John 4:7-8), is the God of the Old Testament, too. He is the “LORD, compassionate and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in love”. He is the God who shows “love to a thousand generations of those who love [him] and keep [his] commands.” He is also a “jealous God” who punishes “the children for the sin of the parents to the third and fourth generation of those who hate [him]” (Exodus 20). Normally we think of jealousy in love as a negative trait. In the right context, though, jealousy is really the only appropriate reaction. The book of Judges says that Israel “prostituted themselves to other gods and worshiped them” (Judges 2:17). This was the same sin the Canaanites were guilty of. A husband finds out, for a fact, that his wife is having an affair. Does he say, “Well, better luck next time”? If he does, he does not love his wife! “If lively love was there, he should be upset, he should be jealous, he should be angry. Jealousy is love burst into its proper flame.” (Dale Ralph Davis, “Judges: Such a Great Salvation”, p.38). God was just as jealous for the people of Canaan as he was for Israel, but they had long ago abandoned him. Their worship of the Baals and Ashtoreths consisted of “sacred prostitution”. After centuries of patience, God, in his jealous anger said, “Enough.” He sent Israel to destroy them. Why use Israel? So Israel was not superior. It was Canaan’s sin of idolatry that led God to destroy them. Still, why did God use Israel to do that? Why did God force their armies to go in and annihilate the Canaanites? There are a number of reasons to consider. 1. A Snare – To guard Israel from abandoning God themselves . This is one reason God explicitly laid out to the Israelites. He knew that if the Canaanites and their idolatry were still around, the Israelites would join them (Exodus 23:31-33). When Israel quickly abandoned God, he did not let them drive the Canaanites out so that the Canaanites would become a snare (Judges 2:3). God had intended to guard them, but they would not have it, so God gave them over to more temptation. 2. The Effects of Idolatry – To show Israel the power of Sin. Throughout the course of Judges, Israel fell into a pattern of increasing idolatry. They abandoned God. He sent an enemy. They cried out. He sent a judge to save them. The judge died. The cycle repeated (Judges 2:19). “Why did they always do that? Why could they not break that pattern? It is mysterious; but Judges does teach us that that is the tragic tyranny of sin. Sin is not simply an action you do or fail to do, that you can choose to do or not to do. Sin is a power that holds you in its grip” (Dale Ralph Davis, “Judges”, p.42). They should have known better! We should know better, too. As they went conquering into Canaan and saw the effects sin had had on the people there, they should have been warned of the dangers of falling for Satan’s lies. They didn’t take that warning seriously. 3. Jealousy – To show how God feels about idolatry. Israel was commanded to wipe out the Canaanites. This was punishment for the Canaanites' idolatry. But it was not like Israel was exempted from punishment themselves if they went the same way. You find this out quickly in Judges. Whenever the Israelites abandoned God, he sent in an enemy to make life miserable for them to try to bring them to their senses. What happened to the Canaanites was not unusual. It is what ultimately happens to everyone who lives in rebellion against God, whether they call themselves Jewish, Canaanite, or Christian. The utter destruction of Canaan was not supposed to make Israel happy. The fact that they got the Promised Land was the blessing God gave them, not the fact that they had to wipe out an entire people to do it. The destruction was meant to be a warning to them. “This is where sin leads! Watch out!” Every act of destruction in the Bible is meant to point out to people that this world is decaying and dying. It has been ever since Adam and Eve sinned way back in the Garden. One day, God is going to put an end to his corrupted creation, and re-form it into a new creation. Who is going to get to enjoy that new and perfect creation? Those who have chosen God over the old creation. Those who would rather have him than sin. That is why so often when the Bible talks about destruction, it connects it to Judgment Day. Jesus did this when he predicted the destruction of Jerusalem and the end of the world all at the same time (Matthew 24). Every temporary act of God’s judgment warns of a future and final judgment on sin. For the Israelites, the destruction they carried out in Canaan was a warning against idolatry, just like every group of raiders that tormented them throughout the book of Judges. God is a jealous God who is serious when he promises judgment on sin. But we should not forget the flip side of this. Why does God give warnings about judgment? Because he does not want us to have to suffer it. He wants us to find rest in his love and not go off looking for some other god to satisfy our deepest needs. He wants us to trust in his mercy given to us in Jesus which frees us from the power of sin that is so devastating when it takes a hold of a life. He wanted the Israelites, and wants us, too, to see where sin leads: no good place. He wants us to know what an incredible, amazing, undeserved blessing it is to live at peace with him and be a part of his people. I don't know how well you feel this answers the question we started with. In speaking with a non-Christian, I think you will still run into objections, because they will probably wonder why the God of the Bible is so intolerant to other religions. Those objections can ultimately only be answered by faith in the only true God who sent the only true savior. What those people need most of all is to hear the good news about Jesus. I do hope this gives you a place to start thinking about this issue for yourself. We need to wrestle with this, so we can stop apologizing for the God we believe in. God is not apologizing for his jealous love. He does not ask us to, either. In fact, he insists we don't. “See to it, brothers and sisters, that none of you has a sinful, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God. But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called “Today,” so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness. We have come to share in Christ, if indeed we hold our original conviction firmly to the very end.” Hebrews 3:12-14

I’ve hesitated to say anything about the series of events that started in Minneapolis last week. The more I learn the more complicated it seems. I’ve seen a dozen responses that have already expressed God’s view better than I ever could . But you’ve asked (at least one of you) how to make sense of everything that’s happened, and as your pastor I think it’s important to put myself out there and give you the best answer I can, using what I know from God’s Word. So, I offer this response humbly, “as your servant for Christ's sake." (2 Corinthians 4:5) I’ve seen the video of George Floyd’s death. It’s hard to watch. I’ve also seen videos of the rioters and looters. They’re hard to watch, too. I know that it’s easy to focus on the riots and looting, because that’s what we (a predominately white congregation) are afraid of. But I’d ask you to consider which video is harder to watch for black Americans: George Floyd’s murder, or a riot? Before you jump right past George Floyd and focus on the riots, listen to what black Americans have to say about the way they are treated in this country. Hear them out. Listen to their stories of uncalled for brutality and suspicion by the police and how sadly common that is. Listen to how they are treated with suspicion in the most ordinary situations. Listen to them speak about the endless cycle of poverty and violence they cannot seem to break out of. Listen to God who has called us to humbly, but boldly speak out against oppression and racism ( Proverbs 31:8-9 ) and to speak with compassion to those who are lost, angry, and afraid ( 1 Peter 3:8-9 ). Listen to God who tells us first to take the plank out of our own eye before helping our brother ( Matthew 7:1-5 ). Listen to our God who has been so patient with you and me ( 2 Peter 3:9 ). Before we condemn someone else, remember that we are no better. “There but for the grace of God, go I.” Before we condemn a lawless rioter, remember that a lawless cop is just as worthy of punishment. We are all equally and desperately in need of mercy, a mercy found only in our savior. For God so loved the world that he sent his Son, not to condemn the world, but to save it ( John 3:16-17 ). Jesus bore the brunt of God’s justice for our sins, and for the sins of the whole world. He did not die for good people. He died for murderers, rioters, and Pharisees like us. So that we would find mercy to walk in the way of truth, love, and justice ( 1 Timothy 1:15-17 ). Dear Heavenly Father, The world is lost. We see it so clearly these days. I would be lost, too, if it were not for your mercy. I cannot claim to be good apart from the goodness you have given me by faith in your Son. As you have shown mercy to me, help me to be merciful to others. Give me the courage to stand up to the sins of oppression and racism, and the wisdom to listen to the voices of the oppressed. Help me to be an agent of Christ’s boundless love. Bring justice to the oppressed and peace to our nation. Protect the lives of those who are helpless, the lives of those who protest peacefully, and the lives of those officers who are faithfully working to protect our cities. We ask this in Jesus’ name. Amen.

4 Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! 5 Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. 6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:4-7 After two long months, it finally happened! We got to join for worship in person once again! Was it everything you’d hoped it would be? If you’re like me, you had some spectacular vision of one big festival service with lots of instruments and singing and hugging. The reality was much different. Things still aren’t normal, as much as we’d like them to be. The yellow signs on every other pew gave that away, the masks that greeted you at the door, and the fraction of our usual attendance we saw. We didn’t sing much. We didn’t have an offering. There was no gathering in the back after worship. There are all kinds of opinions and ideas swirling around about this pandemic. The vast access we have today to information means you can find somebody somewhere advocating for pretty much any point of view you could imagine. Which means that as we get back to worshipping, there are going to be different opinions about things: masks, singing, distancing, shaking hands, gathering, etc. The worst thing we could do is let these tensions get the better of us. We could be gruff and cold and cheerless because, well, “It’s just not what I would’ve done.” Our sinful natures would love for us to let pride get in the way of the fellowship we share. Lord, forgive us. Lord, help us feel your gentleness, your presence, and your peace. Help us to be the ones who are gentle when it’s far too easy to be angry, who rejoice in the little blessings because even these are undeserved, and who are at peace in the midst of uncertainty and anxiety because we know your great power and love for people like us (and every other kind of people). At a time like this, the best thing we can do is to be gentle, joyful, thankful, and at peace. That peace is only found in conversation with Christ. Listen to God’s Word. Go to God in prayer. Remember that you are someone for who Christ died, and he will do everything to keep you safe. Recognize that the same is true of everyone you meet. “Let your gentleness be evident to all.”

Psalm 51:1-2 For the director of music. A psalm of David. When the prophet Nathan came to him after David had committed adultery with Bathsheba. 1 Have mercy on me, O God, according to your unfailing love; according to your great compassion blot out my transgressions. 2 Wash away all my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin. 3 For I know my transgressions, and my sin is always before me. 4 Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight; so you are right in your verdict and justified when you judge. 5 Surely I was sinful at birth, sinful from the time my mother conceived me. 6 Yet you desired faithfulness even in the womb; you taught me wisdom in that secret place. 7 Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow. 8 Let me hear joy and gladness; let the bones you have crushed rejoice. 9 Hide your face from my sins and blot out all my iniquity. 10 Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. 11 Do not cast me from your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me. 12 Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me. Trevor was a lifelong Christian. He’d been baptized as a tiny baby. As a child, he’d gone to Lutheran elementary school, church, and Sunday School. Even in his twenties, he’d never neglected to put his faith first. He made it a habit to study his Bible at home and even in the lulls at work. You could expect to see him in church every week with his wife and their young daughter. So you cannot begin to imagine how shocked everyone was when it came out that Trevor had been having an affair for over a year with another member of the congregation. As shocked as they were, people tried to rationalize what he’d done. As good as things looked on the outside, he must have been a bad husband and father. His marriage must not have been as strong as it looked. He must not have been the sincere Christian he pretended to be. But the truth was far scarier. Trevor was not a hypocrite. His family life and his faith were not a sham. He had a great marriage and he loved his wife and daughter more than anything. He was a sincere believer. He didn’t go to church just for show. As the situation made their heads spin, Trevor’s family and friends had one more shock to endure. Trevor didn’t back down. He didn’t apologize. He admitted nothing. He continued to see the woman and didn’t seem to think anything of it. He had somehow convinced himself that he was in the right. … Maybe we’ve heard the story of David and Bathsheba too often to fully feel how shocking it was. David was a lifelong believer. David slept with another man’s wife and murdered the man to cover it up. He took the woman as his wife, even though he was already married. That’s shocking. That’s evil. Worst of all, he refused to admit there was anything wrong with what he had done. Until the prophet Nathan confronted him and showed him the ugly truth. David wrote this psalm in the moments after he’d been forced to realize his sin. … We should never be shocked by the depths of human sinfulness. Each one of us can look into our hearts and recognize, “There, but for the grace of God, I go.” If you don’t think so, watch out! Every human being is capable of what Trevor did. We like to blame our circumstances when we sin, but the reality is that sometimes our circumstances couldn’t be better and we still sin. We need some serious help. As Christians, we are children of God. That is who we are. We cannot forget, however, that we have a sinful nature (the “flesh”). The sinful nature is that little unbeliever that lives in each of us. It hates God. It will not do what he wants. It will not be converted. The only way we will ever be rid of it is when we die or Jesus returns. The sinful nature is ugly and evil. That sinful nature no longer defines us. We are saints because of Jesus. But it wants to. It is a hideous, mangled monster that lurks in our hearts, waiting for any opportunity to drag us down to hell with it. Sometimes it succeeds. It convinces us to do appalling sins. Then it tempts us to despair. To throw in the towel and say, “How could God forgive me? What use could God possibly have for a sinner like me?” Don’t believe a word of it. You don’t owe obedience to your sinful nature. You owe obedience to God. And to think God couldn’t forgive you? Of course he can! If we are capable of any evil, then God is capable of so much greater good! If he cleansed our hearts of sin once, he can heal them again. If God himself died on the cross for our sins, then who in the world are you or anyone to say he can’t forgive you? And call God a liar? God forbid! At our weakest moments, when we’ve given in again, God never ceases to be strong. At the moments we’re reminded of how little power we have to resist the lies of that ugly monster in our hearts, we stand amazed at God’s power to transform a heart like ours so that we see the monster for what it really is and use our newfound strength to put it in its place. If we have or will ever sin again (and we will), we are forgiven already. Christ died for that and every sin. If we realize how far we’ve fallen, then we see all the more the love of God as we beg him to give us a clean heart. He will. You are forgiven. You are strong. Enjoy it. It’s free! God has made you whiter than snow! Dear Lord, Create in me a clean heart, then fill me with joy as I see your beautiful forgiveness and the strength you've given me to follow you. Amen.

Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” The theme for this month “Sent by Christ” echoes the Great Commission outlined in Matthew 28:16-20. We are sent by Christ to share the message of salvation in three distinct ways. First, as parents, we share the message of salvation as we also hear it when we attend worship services together with our children. We share the message when we review with our children their Bible stories and their memory assignments on a daily basis. We also share the message when we have family devotions whether at the beginning or the end of the day. Never underestimate the blessings that come when hearing, learning, and sharing God’s Word with your children. Secondly, we support mission projects and missionaries with our prayers and offerings. You can connect with our WELS Mission Programs through FACEBOOK (Like the WELS Missions Facebook page at fb.com/WELSmissions for additional photos and updates from our mission fields.) BLOGS (Subscribe to read weekly stories from home and world missionaries at wels.net/subscribe.) and NEWSLETTERS (Stay up - to- date by subscribing to the biannual Mission Update e-newsletter at wels.net/subscribe. Thirdly, we are to make disciples of all nations. This means a personal contact with people inviting them to a Bible Study, a Bible Information Class, or to a worship service. We call this ” Friendship Evangelism”. Share the entire message of Jesus' love with others without fear of embarrassment and without compromise. In all three ways just mentioned we can do this because of Jesus’ promise in vs. 20 “And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” God bless you this summer as you are “Sent by Christ’ share the message of salvation.