Style often trumps substance in [church]

JUXTAPOSED PREACHERS

Last week I delivered a message concerning the juxtaposition of abundance in John 10 and in Ezekiel 34.  In order to get out of what Dan Kimball coins - the Bubble - I spent a few hours looking up various preachers who have been pegged as ‘Abundance Theologians’.  As I watched these video segments I was amazed at how little was actually said… but they looked really good doing it.

Today I was reading an article concerning the upcoming VP debate.  In a way I was amazed at what I read… in some ways I wasn’t.  Check out the article.  Can we parallel this with the Church in any way?

From MSNBC.com - Style Often Trumps Substance in Debates

I would like to hear your thoughts.

NOTE: You might recognize some of the people in the pictures above.. and a couple you might not.  Pictures 5 and 7 are men who have taught me how to deliver the substance with style:  Dr. Reed Lessing and Dr. David Schmitt.  Check them out at iTunes U under the Concordia Seminary podcasts if you want to experience great preachers.

Plugged In Again

After several months of blog-o-sphere absence, I am plugging back in.  A few things have changed since my last post… namely that I am now MARRIED!  Becky and I were married on June 27th in St. Louis and has been awesome ever since.  You can check out some of our pictures if you click here.  You can also check out our Cancun Honeymoon pictures is you click here.

Among the other exciting changes is that we have moved to Plano, TX and have settled into our apartment.  It is next to a great nature preserve where we love to walk in the evening.  I was also ordained and installed in July as a pastor at Prince of Peace Lutheran Church in Carrollton, TX.

Becky has a job at a company next to the church that specializes in apartment software management systems and she is doing very well.  She won’t let me get a dog, so I got a plastic Little Tyke dog and put it in the corner of the living room.  I call it Tique, which is short for Plastique.

There is much more to come… but for now I will end with saying that I hope you are all doing well and I look forward hearing from you!

Over and Out!  -Landon

ReBirthday

I have two pictures of my grandpa and me together. One of them was taken when he was in the hospital with cancer and I was a few months old. The other was taken 27 years ago today.

27 years ago today I was baptized in Hamilton, TX. This is a special day for me in that I value it even more than my other birthday. Sure, I got a pretty cool name when I was born (thanks mom and dad!), but something happens in baptism that is way better. You see, 27 years ago today, God placed His name on me. In this event He revealed His choice to make me a part of His big, cosmic, connected-across-space-and-time, sometimes dysfunctional (right now), living, breathing, forgiving, learning, living, and loving… family. When He put this name on me, He made me His.

There aren’t many people who want to be owned by anyone else, especially today when we live in a world that values independence, autonomy, and relationships that center on immediacy rather than intimacy. But that is exactly what happened 27 years ago… I lost all that. In a moment of love and mercy I became intimate with the Creator. Redeemed, forgiven, justified, saved… put whatever word on it you like, but the most raw aspect of the relationship that began in the baptism event was the beginning of intimacy. This intimacy has permeated through every aspect of my life — into relationships with fiancee, family, and friends — and I am grateful.

It is an awesome day to be alive! Thanks God!

Disbanded Brothers

For the past 7 years, my buddies from Concordia Austin have been with each other as we prepared to become pastors. We have lived together, studied together, argued, bailed each other out, been in and at each others weddings, and made the best of profs earn every penny.

On April 22nd we finally found out where we would serve. I realized on Wednesday as we were all together having lunch that we were about to go out all over the country (which is great) but that we would not be together anymore (which stinks). Here is the group I have grown to love and will miss greatly in the upcoming months and years. God bless you guys!

Left to right (and where they are serving):

Ryan Honeycutt - Redeemer Lutheran Church in Cuyahoga Falls, OH
Christian Wood - Hales Corners/Ebenezer Lutheran Church in Milwaukee, WI
Jace Detrie - Athens Lutheran Church in Athens, TN
Michael Cofer - Hope Lutheran Church in Virginia Beach, VA
Christopher Kennedy - Shepherd of the Hills Lutheran Church in San Antonio, TX
Martin Danner - St. Paul Lutheran Church in Fort Worth, TX
Landon Ledlow - Prince of Peace Lutheran Church in Carrollton, TX

In the chair: Dr. Gerald B. Kieschnick, President of the LCMS

First Call Announced!

Praise God!  Becky and I received word tonight in the Call Service at the seminary that we will be serving at Prince of Peace Lutheran Church in Carrollton, TX.  We are very excited to become a part of this community and look forward to keeping you posted.  Check back soon for more details…

God’s Peace! ~Landon

Landon’s Fine Poetry

Twas the night before Friday

And I, in my dorm,

Was sleeping quite nicely–

Nothing out of the norm.

Lost in my slumber

Curled up, so alone

Hugging my pillow

On memory foam.

Amid pleasant dreams

I had to awake,

TO A 5.2 MAGNITUDE, ROCK THE CONCRETE WALLS, SHAKE MY BED, SCARE THE DAYLIGHTS OUT OF ME, HEART RACING, I DON’T LIVE IN CALIFORNIA SO WHY IS THIS HAPPENING AT 4:20 IN THE MORNING……

Mid-west Earthquake.

American Idol(atry)

I guess it might have hurt the ratings too much if the producers of American Idol were to mention the name of Jesus in last week’s performance.  I was flipping though channels in relax mode when curiosity struck me.  I don’t normally watch American Idol, but I thought I would listen in for a few to see what the hype was about.  Go figure that a sonn-to-be pastor would tune in right about the time a popular worship song queued up.  I heard the opening chords and though, “No stankin’ way!  This is awesome!”

As it turns out, my excitement quickly shifted when the opening line was modified from “My Jesus, My Savior” to “My Shepherd, My Savior”.  The flood of thoughts and emotions began.  Here is the video:

The producers are brilliant really.  They have managed to accommodate everyone, and no one is the wiser.  For those who are believers, they were able to hear a familiar praise song that they would hear in a time of worship.  They cry out, “Yea!  How wonderful that a song like this is playing to millions.”  While they are lauding the song choice, they overlook how (even more) watered down the song has become.

At the same time there are those who do not believe in Christ, and they would find nothing wrong with the song.  Generic god, generic beliefs.  “Everyone has their way to god.  Spiritual, but not religious.  Don’t fence me in with ‘one way’ talk.  I can take spiritual meaning from this song.”

I would like to ask a couple of questions at this point:  What is the promise that is referred to in the chorus? And, for whose name will all of creation bow down?

When you take the name out, you lose the ‘definite article’ of the whole song.  Instead of ‘The Savior’ you get ‘a savior’.  The definitive thrust of the song is lost to political correctness.

All that being said, I wonder if the songwriter approved the change.  If they would have kept Jesus’ name in the song, would that have helped anything?  Considering that a majority of the Bible is focused on God turning people from worshiping idols (false gods), maybe it’s divine irony that this song would be broadcast on a show promoting popularity, power, wealth, status, exclusivity, socio-cultural rifts, etc.  The show pretty much thrives on getting a bunch of talented people together and one-by-one telling them, “You aren’t good enough.”

Wolf in sheep’s clothing…

your thoughts?

The Big Day

Family and Friends… and random Blog visitors,

I pray this blog finds you all doing well.  This is a very busy time as we are approaching Call Day here at the seminary.  The campus is buzzing with excitement as graduating students anticipate their first Call.   Many of you have asked about how the process works, so I will attempt to give you all the information in this email.

THE PROCESS
Graduating seminarians filled out A TON of paperwork that congregations look at in the decision process.  Bigger churches with team ministries interview potential candidates.  After all the classmates finish interviewing, the Placement Director begins to slot us into congregations who requested pastors from the seminary.  From there, the District Presidents from all over the country get together to discuss the potential Calls.  (This is the mysterious part where I envision a dark, smoky room of suited men with cigars and refreshments, lobbying for candidates.)   In all actuality, they get together and prayerfully consider and decide where each candidate will serve.  This happens in about next week.  The following Tuesday, April 22 (Call Day) in a worship service on the seminary campus at 7pm , they will announce where we will be going.  (cue the butterflies)
BECKY AND I
Becky and I have interviewed with several congregations across the country: Florida, Michigan, Georgia, Texas, Tennessee.  Most of them are very exciting and are wonderful places.  Just to clarify, we do not know where we will be serving!  We are lifting the whole process up to God in prayer, trusting His work and leaning on Him.  This is difficult at times, yet absolutely awesome when He brings the peace.

INFO FOR YOU
As mentioned earlier, we will find out in a service here on campus.  The seminary will be broadcasting the service (audio and video) over the internet through the seminary website.  If you are interested in watching the service as it happens, go to this address to read the press release that describes how to get to the link:

http://www.csl.edu/EventDetail.aspx?eventId=108

If that doesn’t work, go to www.csl.edu and click on the event link that says “Call Day—April 22nd”.

CLOSING COMMENTS
At this point I would ask all of you to keep the seminary, Rev. Hoehner (placement director), as well as Becky and me in your prayers.  Please pray for the students and their families, for the congregations who will receive them, and for the District Presidents who will be placing us.  This is pivotal time in all our lives and we are committed to watching God move in big ways over the next few weeks.

Thank you for your prayers and support!  God bless you!
Landon

PS - If you have any questions or comments, just let me know.

From the Cross…

I don’t know if you have ever read Psalm 22 in light of Jesus’ crucifixion.  If you haven’t, take a couple of minutes to read through it.  I am providing the text below.  But first, here is the quote from Mark 15:34 where Jesus speaks from the cross:

“And at the ninth hour Jesus cried out in a loud voice, ‘Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?’—which means, ‘My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?’”

Jesus is pointing to Psalm 22, which reads:

1 My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?
Why are you so far from saving me,
so far from the words of my groaning?

 2 O my God, I cry out by day, but you do not answer,
by night, and am not silent.

3 Yet you are enthroned as the Holy One;
you are the praise of Israel.

4 In you our fathers put their trust;
they trusted and you delivered them.

5 They cried to you and were saved;
in you they trusted and were not disappointed.

6 But I am a worm and not a man,
scorned by men and despised by the people.

7 All who see me mock me;
they hurl insults, shaking their heads:

8 “He trusts in the LORD;
let the LORD rescue him.
Let him deliver him,
since he delights in him.”

9 Yet you brought me out of the womb;
you made me trust in you
even at my mother’s breast.

10 From birth I was cast upon you;
from my mother’s womb you have been my God.

11 Do not be far from me,
for trouble is near
and there is no one to help.

12 Many bulls surround me;
strong bulls of Bashan encircle me.

13 Roaring lions tearing their prey
open their mouths wide against me.

14 I am poured out like water,
and all my bones are out of joint.
My heart has turned to wax;
it has melted away within me.

15 My strength is dried up like a potsherd,
and my tongue sticks to the roof of my mouth;
you lay me in the dust of death.

16 Dogs have surrounded me;
a band of evil men has encircled me,
they have pierced my hands and my feet.

17 I can count all my bones;
people stare and gloat over me.

18 They divide my garments among them
and cast lots for my clothing.

19 But you, O LORD, be not far off;
O my Strength, come quickly to help me.

20 Deliver my life from the sword,
my precious life from the power of the dogs.

21 Rescue me from the mouth of the lions;
save me from the horns of the wild oxen.

22 I will declare your name to my brothers;
in the congregation I will praise you.

23 You who fear the LORD, praise him!
All you descendants of Jacob, honor him!
Revere him, all you descendants of Israel!

24 For he has not despised or disdained
the suffering of the afflicted one;
he has not hidden his face from him
but has listened to his cry for help.

25 From you comes the theme of my praise in the great assembly;
before those who fear you will I fulfill my vows.

26 The poor will eat and be satisfied;
they who seek the LORD will praise him—
may your hearts live forever!

27 All the ends of the earth
will remember and turn to the LORD,
and all the families of the nations
will bow down before him,

28 for dominion belongs to the LORD
and he rules over the nations.

29 All the rich of the earth will feast and worship;
all who go down to the dust will kneel before him—
those who cannot keep themselves alive.

30 Posterity will serve him;
future generations will be told about the Lord.

31 They will proclaim his righteousness
to a people yet unborn—
for he has done it.

God be praised! -landon

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