…because if you confess with your lips that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.  (Romans 10:9)

Dear brothers & sisters in Christ,

Grace and peace to you from God our Father and Jesus Christ the Lord and Savior. Amen.

There is an old joke that goes as follows:

Q: “What do you get when you cross a Jehovah’s Witness with a Lutheran?”

A: “Someone who knocks on the door and doesn’t say anything.”

There is an element of truth to that joke – at least the Lutheran part. We have been called ‘shy Lutherans,’ ‘bedroom evangelists’ (evangelism primarily via marriage & procreation), and probably a slew of other catchy phrases that have a similar tone. As a whole, Lutherans are currently known for keeping their faith fairly quiet and private.

Rather ironic considering we were dubbed ‘the Evangelicals’ at the time of the Reformation. This name persists in German speaking countries. Early Reformers, including Martin Luther, were adamant that Christians know what they believe and share that faith in word and deed. In their historical context, baptism had become a method of citizenship. Many ‘Baptized Christians’ had no opportunity to hear the Gospel in a language they understood. Despite being baptized, people had very little awareness of God beyond the tremendous fear instilled by political and ecclesiastical leaders. The acceptable ‘religious edification’ was just enough to terrify so-called believers.

The passage from Romans below took on a different, but just as poignant, urgency. The Romans were afraid to talk about faith; 16^th century Europeans had become complacent about it. The end result remained the same: People cannot call on one in whom they do not believe, they cannot believe in one of whom they have not heard, they cannot hear unless someone proclaims, and no one can proclaim unless they are sent. Whether it be out of fear or complacency, the absence of the Gospel remains an absence of the Gospel.

Before the merger of our three predecessor bodies (American Lutheran Church, Evangelical Lutheran Church, & Lutheran Church in America) in the late eighties, careful consideration was given to what this new church body should be called. Attention was given that the components of this new name reflect both the current identity of the predecessor church bodies and the future identity to which God was calling this new church body to cultivate over time. Just as parents try to envision the future of their child when choosing a name, leaders tried to envision the future identity of this fledgling church body. The first, and arguably most important, word of that new name harkened back to our Reformation roots …EVANGELICAL.

Those leaders did not envision a quiet, private church body. They saw God calling this new church body to have an identity steeped in doing mission in the world – a church body living out its calling to be evangelical. Luther certainly did not envision a church body that said nothing. Paul warned several churches about hiding their faith.

Luther’s explanation of the third Article of the Apostles’ Creed (aka Holy Spirit) staunchly asserts this claim, “  I believe that by my own understanding or strength I cannot believe in Jesus Christ my Lord or come to him, but instead the Holy Spirit has called me through the gospel, enlightened me with his gifts, made me holy and kept me in the true faith, just as he calls, gathers, enlightens, and makes holy the whole Christian church on earth and keeps it with Jesus Christ in the one common, true faith.” “Calling, gathering, enlightening, and sanctifying the whole Christian church on earth” is not exactly a discreet task.

The nature of faith is anything but private or quiet. Faith is a gift of the Holy Spirit – the same Spirit that shot out of the sky in flames and wind on Pentecost. It is active, not passive. Faith is vibrant, lively and vigorous. We practice faith. We live by faith. We ‘run the race’ of faith. Faith is not an intellectual endeavor, but our very existence – the reflection of Christ’s being.

“No one after lighting a lamp puts it under the bushel basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all in the house.” (Matthew 5:15) Jesus made this obvious (especially considering lamps at that time had flames and bushel baskets were highly flammable) observation to expose the absurdity of “private or secret faith.” Faith does not lend itself to hiding. The Holy Spirit is not clandestine. The nature of light is to shine. God’s Word is not meant to be silent. The nature of the Word is to be heard.

Although often co-opted by extremists, the actual term ‘evangelical’ is not a naughty word. It literally means, ‘being of the Gospel’ (or ‘being of the good news’). That fits. We are a church body that emphasizes the ‘good news of Jesus Christ.’ We are ‘people of the good news.’ We proclaim Him crucified and risen. His light shines. His Word is proclaimed and heard. We confess that Jesus Christ is Lord.  Our nature is to shine and to proclaim. Therefore, as we are led by the Holy Spirit to roam this earth, we are evangelical.

The grace and peace of God which surpasses all understanding keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Amen.

In Christ,

Pastor Carla

¹⁴ But how are they to call on one in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in one of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone to proclaim him? ¹⁵ And how are they to proclaim him unless they are sent?  (Romans 10:14-15a)