Lutheran AMBASSADOR
Unity, not uniformity.
“There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call—one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all” (Ephesians 4:4–6).
This might be news to you, but the AFLC has not always agreed on every issue. We’ve had some disagreements in our comparatively young history, sometimes over significant topics. Most of us can likely remember passionate floor discussions animating past Annual Conferences, some of it unproductive and some of it even uncharitable.
We had another difference of opinion earlier this summer at the Annual Conference, but we walked through it with poise and patience.
For the last few years we have been discussing the process of rostering pastors in the AFLC and the Coordinating Committee’s longstanding policy to not roster any man who has been divorced for any reason or who has married a woman who has been divorced. The 2024 Annual Conference in Plymouth, Minn., commissioned a committee to put together a biblical study on the topic, and this report was presented at the 2025 Annual Conference at the Association Retreat Center, near Osceola, Wis.
This summer, the conference passed a resolution encouraging the Coordinating Committee to “carefully consider the circumstances of a divorce and the man’s present character who is seeking the Pastoral Office on a case-by-case basis instead of automatically rejecting all men in this category.” Additionally, the Coordinating Committee was asked to create guidelines and protocols for the screening of pastoral candidates for review at the 2027 Annual Conference.
More than 300 ballots were cast, and the final margin was four votes in favor of adoption. This remains an area of disagreement within the AFLC, now demonstrated with objective numbers. Yet, in a fellowship like ours, disagreement is inevitable and can even be healthy; disunity is not. And we remain deeply rooted together in Christ and united around our core convictions: the authority and inerrancy of Scripture, the biblical truths professed in the creeds, Luther’s Small Catechism, the Unaltered Augsburg Confession, the AFLC’s Fundamental Principles, and the work of the Holy Spirit in each local congregation.
A relatively even split on an important topic like rostering pastors is not a sign of disunity. In fact, our productive and charitable discussion is evidence of precisely the opposite. We have love for one another in the AFLC (John 13:35), and the Holy Spirit continues to work his unity and the bond of peace among us (Ephesians 4:3).
This is far from the only thing that happened at Annual Conference this summer! Six men were ordained into the office of the ministry, we heard positive reports from world and home missionaries, and many men and women were elected to important roles that will help steward the vital mission of our association.
A full report can be found in this issue. Pastor Terry Olson, who preached during the conference’s opening service, also wrote a helpful article on the theme of the Annual Conference: “Sure Hope,” looking at Philippians 1:6.
Please do not hesitate to let me know if anything in these pages can be improved or if you have any ideas on future stories or news items. My email is found at right.
—Pastor Andrew Kneeland
AUGUST 2026
VOL. 64 NO. 8
Editor
Pastor Andrew Kneeland laeditor@aflc.org
Managing Editor
Ruth Gunderson ruthg@aflc.org
Circulation
Liz McCarlson lasubscriptions@aflc.org
Editorial Board
Monica Coyle
Pastor Jerry Moan Pastor Craig Johnson
The Lutheran Ambassador (ISSN 0746-3413) (USPS 588-620) is published monthly by the Association of Free Lutheran Congregations, 3110 E. Medicine Lake Blvd., Plymouth, MN 55441 Phone (763) 545-5631 Periodicals postage paid at St. Paul, MN and additional mailing offices. Postmaster send address changes to The Lutheran Ambassador, 3110 E. Medicine Lake Blvd., Plymouth, MN 55441.
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From the 2026 Annual Conference
We have a unique opportunity in the AFLC to demonstrate how a group of believers who disagree can work through that disagreement in pursuit of truth and in pursuit of prudent policy while also demonstrating the words our Lord spoke: “By this all people will know you are my disciples, if you have love for one another” (John 13:35). [David Olson]
We come this year with the same request we have every year: pray for more missionaries. … Many of our mission fields long for ones who will respond to God’s call and go to the world with the message of hope.
[Craig Johnson]
The more I travel this country and interact with people from different backgrounds, the more I’m convinced that the AFLC offers a unique home that people are hungry for.
[President Micah Hjermstad]
Studies continually confirm that church planting is the number one form of evangelism. This is the heartbeat of church planting. [Andy Coyle]
This work to win, build, equip, and multiply teens is most effective at the local level—in a teen’s congregation and home. And so, we want to see congregations, parents, and youth workers cooperate with one another to disciple teens for lifelong faith in Christ. [Adam McCarlson]
TOP:
participated in a week-long program of Bible study, games, and activities.
MIDDLE: Nikki Hanson pauses to pray with other conference attendees in a business session.
ABOVE: At the end of the morning sessions, conference attendees gathered in groups to pray for the work of the AFLC.
RIGHT: Shelby Greven participates in the Mission Festival Service’s worship.
Teens
SURE HOPE
THE 2026 ANNUAL CONFERENCE
By Pastor Andrew Kneeland
The 64th Annual Conference of the Association of Free Lutheran Congregations met June 10–13 in Moorhead, Minn., with sessions and services held at Concordia College. The theme for the week was “Sure Hope,” taken from Philippians 1:6.
A total of 529 people registered for the conference, including 376 lay members and 142 pastors. Many volunteers together made the week possible, including individuals working with the youth, elementary, and nursery-aged children. Election results from the week are available on pages 12–13.
Prior to the conference, the AFLC Evangelism and Discipleship department hosted a Rekindle the Fire event on Tuesday afternoon at St. Paul’s Free Lutheran Church in Fargo, N.D., with Pastor Tom Parrish leading a time of teaching and training.
WEDNESDAY,
JUNE 10
Resolution committees met throughout the day on Wednesday. The Women’s Missionary Federation also met before the conference, with Dr. Jason Gudim, Laurie Nash, and Marian Christopherson leading sessions on Wednesday. The theme of the WMF Day was “I Believe, Help My Unbelief,” taken from Mark 9. Praise and worship was led by Abby Anderson, and Joyce Erickson brought devotions. Shelby Greven, communications coordinator for AFLC World Missions, was the speaker at the WMF breakfast on Thursday morning.
The conference’s opening service was held on Wednesday evening. Pastor Lyndon Korhonen led the service, and Pastor Terry Olson, who has served seven congregations in the Eastern North Dakota District of the AFLC, brought the message from Philippians 1:6. As he shared about the sure hope available in Christ, he said, “If there is one thing to focus on in our heritage, it is this: we need free and living pastors to serve free and living congregations. And we need free and living congregations to serve our free and living pastors.”
Dr. Jason Holt led the conference in a time of remembrance of departed pastors, including Wendell Johnson, Keith Quanbeck, Don Greven, and Dr. Tim Hurley, Jr.
Six men were ordained into the ministry by President Micah Hjermstad at this
service, each of whom has accepted a congregational call. Pastor Adam Erickson serves Faith Free Lutheran in Minneapolis, Minn., Pastor Alexander Grimes serves Alsace Lutheran in Reading, Pa., Pastor Caleb Korhonen serves Maple Bay Free Lutheran in Mentor, Minn., Pastor Micah Moan serves New Luther Valley Lutheran in McVille, N.D., and Bethany Lutheran in Binford, N.D., Pastor Adam McCarlson serves Solid Rock Free Lutheran in Anoka, Minn., and Pastor Alex Monseth serves St. Ansgar’s Lutheran in Salinas, Calif. Erickson, Korhonen, and Monseth shared devotions each morning through the week, and Grimes, Moan, and McCarlson shared their testimonies each afternoon. Pastor David Franz led the conference in times of prayer throughout the week.
THURSDAY, JUNE 11
After receiving nominations for corporation positions, Hjermstad (AFLC president) and Pastor Brett Boe (AFLC secretary) led the conference through reports from the Association’s ministries. These reports were available in print format prior to the conference and can be reviewed on the AFLC website (aflc.org/conference).
In his report, Hjermstad shared about the identity and confession of the AFLC and a caution to not fall into captivity. He wrote: “We are a people marked by freedom and life with Lutheran distinctives. We’re humble and joyful, quick to repent and forgive. And we are a people of hope. No matter our current circumstances, no matter what our future holds, we have sure, living hope.”
The ministries of the AFLC were given the chance to present more detail about current projects and goals during elective hours following lunch each day. Evangelism and Discipleship, World Missions, Ambassador Publications, and Home Missions met with conference attendees on Thursday afternoon. Following the electives, more reports were received from AFLC ministries.
Pastor Earl Korhonen led the Missions Festival Service in the evening, with Pastor Matthew Pillman preaching from II Corinthians 4:5–7. Sue Ann Berntson (Valley City, N.D.) shared special music, and two Home Missions church planters were commissioned: Owen and Rachel Parsley in Flandreau, S.D., and Adam and Courtney Osier in the Minneapolis, Minn., area.
FRIDAY, JUNE 12
When business resumed on Friday morning, the conference received the remaining reports and re-elected Pastor Lloyd Quanbeck as AFLC vicepresident with 91 percent of the vote. Boe was re-elected as AFLC secretary with 96 percent of the vote, and the conference elected members to the Nominating Committee for the next Annual Conference.
The ARC Corporation, Home Mission Corporation, World Mission Corporation, and Schools Corporation all held their respective annual meetings on Friday afternoon. While they met, the conference enjoyed lectures from both Dr. Nathan Olson and Pastor Jon Langness. Olson taught on Martin Luther and piety, and Langness taught on the congregation as the body and bride of Christ.
During regular business, the conference took up a resolution from last year’s conference regarding the issue of divorce and remarriage as it relates to the Pastoral Office. The resolution would encourage the Coordinating Committee to not automatically reject all men who have a divorce in their history and instead consider applicants on a case-by-case basis. The floor
CLOCKWISE FROM OPPOSITE PAGE, TOP: John
Rieth talks with Pastor Alan Arneson following a business session. A group of men from St. Paul’s Free Lutheran, Fargo, played special music during the Mission Festival Service. Ruby Abel, former missionary to Brazil, greeted the conference. Pastors Joe Frech, Mikey Meester, and Kyle Smith talk in the atrium outside the conference meeting room. Pastor Alex Monseth, who was ordained at conference, listens as someone speaks to a resolution. Pastor Adam Osier and his family and Owen Parsley and his family were commissioned as church planters
commissioned a biblical study on the topic at the 2024 Annual Conference, which was received at the 2025 Annual Conference and distributed and made available to pastors and congregations. Several congregations held Bible studies on the topic throughout the year.
An amendment to the resolution was offered and approved, which said: “BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Annual Conference request the Coordinating Committee submit what they believe to be the acceptable biblical exceptions and the guidelines for such rostering, as well as the protocol and method for fair and unbiased screening of possible candidates, to the 2027 Annual Conference for its review and consideration.”
Much of the discussion Friday afternoon involved two motions that would have postponed considering the entire amended resolution until either the 2027 or 2028 Annual Conference. Both motions failed, and the discussion on the amended resolution was tabled for the evening.
The Pastors’ and Wives’ Banquet was held at the Marriott in Fargo, with Pastor Elden Nelson sharing. Following the banquet, the conference participated in a Communion Service. Pastor Brandon Marschner led the service, and Nathan Dalager preached from I John 5:13–20.
SATURDAY, JUNE 13
The morning session began with an amendment that would have prevented the Coordinating Committee from rostering any pastor with divorce in their history until the proposed guidelines are approved, but it was ruled out of order due to it not being fair to our congregational polity.
Discussion continued with more than a dozen individuals speaking either for or against the main, amended resolution. The resolution passed with a final vote of 162 in favor, 158 opposed, and two abstentions.
Other items of business brought to the conference floor from Committee No. 1 included a resolution encouraging congregations and pastors to continue teaching and affirming the Word of God, the Creeds, Luther’s
CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: Ernest and Kathryn Hilbert (Wheatland, Iowa) participate in the Friday evening communion service. Phil Johnson (chair of the FLBC Board of Trustees) and Pastor Jim and Marsha Johnson (Ontonagon, Mich.) talk about a resolution for the Free Lutheran Bible College and Seminary. Karen Hart, Fairbury, Neb., speaks to a resolution during a business session. Nathan Dalager (Moorhead) brought the message. Sarah Larson (Pipestone, Minn.) participates in a prayer group. Pastor Tim Herset (Kalispell, Mont.) spoke to a resolution. Rachel Woodworth (Northwood, N.D.) and Pastor Joe Frech (Milford, Ill.) talk outside the Knutson Center, where the conference was held. Elika Korhonen (Fargo) reacted to a comment during a business session.
Small Catechism, the Unaltered Augsburg Confession, and the Fundamental Principles of the AFLC.
Committee No. 3, bringing resolutions relating to World and Home Missions, presented a resolution encouraging Home Missions to hire a Renewal director to strengthen and support the work of the ministry. Home Missions Director Andy Coyle shared more information on this position in his report in the conference booklet. Another resolution encouraged support of the Alaska Mission staff as they continue to search for a pastor and director and transition toward a missionary support model.
In the afternoon session, Committee No. 4 brought a resolution encouraging congregations to make use of Parish Education’s recently redeveloped online bookstore (store.ambassadorpublications.org).
Committee No. 5 presented several resolutions relating to the work of the Evangelism and Discipleship (AED) department, including a request that congregations intentionally engage their local communities, make use of the materials on their website (aflc.org/evangelism), and invite the director of AED to share in their church.
Committee No. 2 presented resolutions relating to the work of Free Lutheran Bible College & Seminary. The conference floor affirmed resolutions encouraging prospective students to consider attending FLBC, continued use of their rolling three-year strategic plan, and encouraging both pastors and laypeople to attend the Summer Institute of Theology and the Seminary Symposium.
Finally, the four corporations presented reports from their annual meetings. Brian Rice presented the report of the ARC Corporation, Pastor Nick Schultz presented the report of the Home Missions Corporation, David Fugleberg presented the report of the Schools Corporation, and Ethan Zeltinger presented the report of the World Missions Corporation.
The conference also learned of the locations for the next three Annual Conferences. Next summer it will be held in Stanwood, Wash. In 2028 the conference will be held on the campus of Free Lutheran Bible College & Seminary, and in 2029 it will be held at the Association Retreat Center near Osceola, Wis., to help celebrate the 50th anniversary of the ARC.
As Hjermstad shared in his report, the Coordinating Committee recently approved a plan to transition primary hosting responsibilities of the Annual Conference to the Conference Planning Committee. Previously, these logistical and financial burdens were met by the host congregation or district. The Coordinating Committee will meet this expense in 2027 and is working on ways to fund future years.
Hjermstad wrote: “This will enable us to plan farther in advance, find venues that best fit us at the best rate, and even travel to parts of the country where we can encourage local congregations there and represent the AFLC to those communities. All of this serves our local congregations, which is our primary goal.”
The 65th Annual Conference will be held June 16–19 at Warm Beach Camp in Stanwood, Wash. Information on registration and housing will be published as it becomes available.
Kneeland, a member of Solid Rock Free Lutheran, is the editor.
SURE HOPE HE i S OUR
By Pastor Terry Olson
“For
I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus” (Philippians 1:6).
Every year, AFLC congregations gather at the Annual Conference. We hear reports of our mutual work in God’s kingdom. We reflect on the successes and the needs of each ministry. Our hope for the future is cast in expectations. Much emphasis is placed on prayer as we acknowledge that “God was causing the growth.” (I Corinthians 3:6). We can plant and water, but our hope is in the ongoing work of the Holy Spirit and the Word of God.
Our “Sure Hope” is anchored for us in our theme verse from Philippians 1:6: “For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus.”
It is good for us to remember that the inner life, whether in the individual or congregation, must be alive in Christ. The spirit in which we fulfill his calling must be healthy, not cold, worldly, proud, pleasure-loving, or selfmotivated. “Sure Hope,” therefore, cannot be found in the flesh. And yet, that is where we often turn.
Paul firmly addressed the believers in Galatians 3:3: “Are you so foolish? Having begun by the Spirit, are you now being perfected by the flesh?” Jesus warned the 70 who came back rejoicing in a successful ministry by telling them, “Nevertheless do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rejoice that your names are recorded in heaven” (Luke 10:20). The Ephesian congregation in the Book of Revelation was sound theologically in addressing false teachers. However, Jesus said, “you have left your first love.” He called them to remember, repent, and return, “or else I am coming to you and will remove your lampstand” (Revelation 2:4–5). It is easy and natural to turn to fleshly pride for hope. But it is never hope.
Paul’s confidence and our confidence, until the day when Jesus returns, rests only in the Triune God and his work. We are reminded of the same in Philippians 2:13: “For it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure.” Paul affirms this in his testimony in Philippians 3:3: “For we are the true circumcision, who worship in the Spirit of God and glory in Christ Jesus and put no confidence in the flesh.”
Jesus is the treasure in the field and the pearl of great price (Matthew 13:44–45), which a man “from joy over it ... goes and sells all that he has and buys.” Nothing is more important than Jesus and him crucified. When we as Christians truly experience Christ deep within our own hearts and continue daily at his throne of grace, then and only then are we prepared and fitted for the eternal kingdom work.
We must always remember that “Sure Hope” is found only in Christ himself. Nothing can be more important than Jesus and him crucified in any ministry.
Olson, who gave the message at the opening service of the 2026 Annual Conference, is a member of Bethel Free Lutheran, Grafton, N.D.
2027 COMMITTEES
One-year terms, serving at the Annual Conference, June 16–19, 2027, at Warm Beach Conference Center, Stanwood, Wash.
Committee 1 • Administration
Pastor Rich Carr, Astoria, Ore.
Flint McLoughlin, Berthold, N.D.
Luke Pedersen, Cannon Falls, Minn.
Ruth Rautio, Osceola, Wis.
Rachel Woodworth, Northwood, N.D.
Committee 2 • Schools
John Amundson, New Leipzig, N.D.
Jeremiah Bang, Bloomington, Minn.
Amy Dalager, Moorhead, Minn.
Lydia Hooper, Laurel, Neb.
Cathe Johnson, Ferndale, Wash.
Committee 3 • Missions
Pastor Steve Berntson, Jamestown, N.D.
David Johnson, Burtrum, Minn.
Pastor Jon Langness, Rapid City, S.D.
Jonah Norby, Plymouth, Minn.
Miriam Schultz, Chamberlain, S.D.
Committee 4 • Pub., Parish Ed. & Youth
Candice Johnson, Buffalo, Minn.
Katy Kupser, Stanwood, Wash.
Michele Mobley, Plymouth, Minn.
Jeremy Nikunen, Plymouth, Minn.
Pastor Dennis Norby, Valley City, N.D.
Committee 5 • Evangelism & Benefits
Pastor Jim Fugleberg, Moorhead, Minn.
Christopher Hooper, Laurel, Neb.
Thor McIlrath, Stanwood, Wash.
Dana Osborn, Marysville, Wash.
Stan Strong, Blackduck, Minn.
OFFICERS
One-year terms
Vice President
One-year term
Pastor Lloyd Quanbeck, Moorhead, Minn.
NOMINATING COMMITTEE
Central Tri State
Pastor George Lautner, Eagle Grove, Iowa
Eastern
Jodie Riley, Bethel Park, Pa.
Eastern North Dakota
Ashley Blake, Grand Forks, N.D.
Illinois
Pastor Joe Frech, Milford, Ill.
Lake Superior
Joyce Knapp, Mason, Wis.
Minneapolis
Philip Mundfrom, Maple Grove, Minn.
Nebraska/Kansas/Colorado
Pastor Ken Hart, Fairbury, Neb.
North Central Minnesota
Wonell Miller, Fosston, Minn.
Secretary
One-year term
Pastor Brett Boe, Elk River, Minn.
One-year terms
Northern Michigan
David Blake, Ontonagon, Mich.
Northwestern Minnesota
Don Balmer, Thief River Falls, Minn.
Pacific Northwest
Lavonne West, Columbia Falls, Mont.
South Central
Brad Bauer, Stover, Mo.
South Dakota
Chanel Pederson, Sioux Falls, S.D.
Southwestern
Pastor Chad Friestad, Camarillo, Calif.
West Central Minnesota
Pastor Micah Klemme, Starbuck, Minn.
Western ND/Eastern Montana
Pastor Gideon Johnson, Killdeer, N.D.
BOARDS, COMMITTEES, ETC.
Association Retreat Center
• Layman, five-year term
Kermit Berge, Larimore, N.D.
Bay Broadcasting
• (Two laymen, three-year terms)
Rodney Scheel, Fergus Falls, Minn.
Loren Tungseth, Fergus Falls, Minn.
Benefits Board
• Pastor, five-year term
Pastor Ron Smith, Brookings, S.D.
Budget Analysis Committee
• Two laymen, three-year terms
Michael Jackson, Versailles, Mo.
Danielle Joyce, Anoka, Minn.
Colloquy
• Pastor, five-year term
Pastor Phil Haugen, Crystal, Minn.
Coordinating Committee
• Layman, five-year term
David Olson, Sioux Falls, S.D.
• (One pastor, five-year term)
Pastor Jon Benson, Newark, Ill.
• (One pastor, three-year term)
Pastor Jon Wellumson, Williston, N.D.
Evangelism & Discipleship
• (One pastor, five-year term)
Pastor Tom Parrish, Mendota Heights, Minn.
• (One layman, three-year term)
Lowell Watt, Fargo, N.D.
• (One pastor, four-year term)
Pastor Brent Raan, Tioga, N.D.
CORPORATIONS
ARC Corporation
Noah Demo, Plymouth, Minn.
Charles Dietz, Canal Winchester, Ohio
Lois Grothe, Astoria, Ore.
Alex (A.J.) Hall, Plymouth, Minn.
Pastor Steve Jensen, Loveland, Colo.
Brenda Johnson, Upsala, Minn.
Katie Johnson, Dilworth, Minn.
Hannah Langness, Rapid City, S.D.
John Rieschl, Minneapolis, Minn.
Lavonne West, Kalispell, Mont.
FLAPS Board
• (One layman, five-year term)
Bill Holt, Ralph, S.D.
• (One pastor, five-year term)
Pastor Jeremy Crowell, Arlington, Wash.
Home Missions Board of Directors
• (Two laymen, two-year terms)
John Greven, Big Lake, Minn.
Dana Hagen, Sioux Falls, S.D.
• (Two pastors, two-year terms)
Pastor Matthew Ballmann, San Antonio, Texas
Pastor David Franz, Baxter, Minn.
Parish Education
• Pastor, five-year term
Pastor Joe Larson, Pipestone, Minn.
Schools Board of Trustees
• Pastor, five-year term
Pastor Kirk Thorson, Sioux Falls, S.D..
• Layman, four-year term
Walter Rolf, Lisbon, N.D.
World Missions Board of Directors
• (One layman, two-year term)
Bill Sheldon, Ray, N.D.
• (One layman, two-year term)
Ken Sletten, Duluth, Minn.
• (One pastor, two-year term)
Pastor David Johnson, Larimore, N.D.
• (One layman, two-year term)
Jim Thompson, Edgerton, Wis.
Youth Board
• (One layman, five-year term)
Wendy Greven, Big Lake, Minn.
Home Mission Corporation
Pastor David Franz, Baxter, Minn.
John Greven, Big Lake, Minn.
Josh Greven, Newark, Ill.
Bill Holt, Ralph, S.D.
Kevin Hoops, Byron, Neb.
Brian Lee, Ray, N.D.
Pastor Ron Smith, Brookings, S.D.
Donna Trapp, East Gull Lake, Minn.
Andrew Wellumson, Williston, N.D.
Rachel Woodworth, Northwood, N.D.
Schools Corporation
Pastor Luke Berntson, Northome, Minn.
Pastor Dana Coyle, Beulah, N.D.
Nathan Dalager, Moorhead, Minn.
Pastor Chad Friestad, Camarillo, Calif.
Pastor Rodney Johnson, Buffalo, Minn.
Karen Pederson, Tioga, N.D.
Pastor James Pierson, Golden Valley, N.D.
Pastor Steve Snipstead, Kalispell, Mont.
Curt Twedt, Oxbow, N.D.
Pastor Sam Wellumson, East Grand Forks, Minn.
Three-year term:
Dana Osborn, Marysville, Wash.
One-year term:
Diana Richardson, Fosston, Minn.
World Mission Corporation
Pastor Mark Antal, Apple Valley, Minn.
Mike Berntson, Valley City, N.D.
Pastor Richard Carr, Astoria, Ore.
Victor Hembree, Camarillo, Calif.
Michael Jackson, Versailles, Mo.
Vicki Johnson, Larimore, N.D.
Elijah Jore, Rogers, Minn.
Mark Riley, Bethel Park, Pa.
Karl Trost, Hastings, Minn.
Ethan Zeltinger, Fargo, N.D.
Smitten by God
THE BEAUTY OF THE CRUCIFIXION
God is faithful to give his Word of comfort to the terrified conscience. Christians are to speak this Word to one another, fighting on each other’s behalf against the accusations of Satan. But God’s Word of comfort is not only spoken; it is enfleshed—the Word made flesh, who died in flesh on the cross, and is given to us in flesh and blood at the altar. When we are comforted by God’s Word, it is because we have received Christ the Word, whose body was actually nailed to a cross so that he could say with words, “It is finished.”
It is because of this incarnated Christ that the ancient church believed images of Jesus affirmed the two natures of Christ and testified that God had “worked out [our] salvation through matter” (John of Damascus, On Holy Images, 10). Images of Christ, and especially of his Passion, don’t just spur the imagination of the Christian—they have the power to shape our expectations of God’s redemptive work in our lives. But in an American church milieu heavily influenced by the iconoclasm of Reformed and Presbyterian churches, a minority of Protestant American Christians have visual access to Jesus’ beauty in the crucifixion. While pastors often use the terminology of sight when they speak of God’s grace, telling their congregations, “Look to the cross,” few people are offered an actual image of Jesus to contemplate.
Christ is not just retrospectively beautiful to us in the moment when he was on the cross identifying himself with sinners. He is presently and forever beautiful to us, as is his crucifixion. His beauty has been eternally revealed through his violent death for our sake. An empty cross can function as a metonymy for this death, a symbol that allows us to reflect on what Christ has done. But as my brother-in-law Pastor Ben Davis once pointed out, the ultimate significance of the cross is not that it is empty—that is the significance of the tomb. The significance of the cross is that it was filled.
“Rarely,” writes the artist Makoto Fujimura, “do we encounter art that gives attention to the complexity, paradoxes, and mysteries of life without falling into the abyss of despair” (Silence and Beauty: Hidden Faith Born of Suffering). He asserts that “[a]rt probes deeply into the darkness and reaches beyond nature at times to reveal what
is truly beautiful on the other side of darkness.” No subject of art can better probe this darkness, better grapple with the paradoxes of the human and Christian experience, than Christ on the cross.
To either a Christian or non-Christian prone to minimizing the degree of their internal ugliness, the image of the crucified Christ is a war cry. It is an inevitable, visceral grappling with what God must do to sin. The image of Jesus on the cross catechizes us into recognizing that God does not give sin a cover, nor a lethal injection; it must die, but it will not go gently.
On the other hand, to a Christian spiritually decimated by the holy war of God, the image of the crucified Jesus reaffirms what God considers beautiful: the publican beating his breast, the immoral and contrite king begging for mercy, the woman at the well rejoicing that Jesus told her everything she ever did. Our beauty is only ever grounded in Christ’s beauty, and Christ’s beauty is revealed in bearing the war of his Father for our sake. In the crucifixion, and therefore, in crucifixion art, these two kinds of beauty embrace.
The beauty of the crucifixion reminds us that beauty is never confined to disembodied ideas. Philosopher Roger Scruton asks in his Oxford introduction to beauty, “How can you separate the content of a work of art from its form?” (Beauty: A Very Short Introduction). In other words, if the form of a piece of art changed in some way, would its meaning change too? This question finds its highest stakes at the cross, where the church has been tempted to separate the content of salvation from the form of the violent crucifixion. The beauty of the violent, salvific death of Christ, therefore, presents us with artistic as well as theological implications for our engagement with it. Is there a prominent place in our congregations, or even our homes, for example, where people can physically look to Jesus on the cross? Are people in our congregations being aesthetically as well as intellectually catechized in the holy war of the crucifixion and prepared for God’s violent work of beauty in their lives? In our churches, can we gaze upon the beauty of the Lord where he has revealed it, in Jesus’ body on the cross?
In our context of pietist Lutheran congregations, one salient follow-up question emerges. What if crucifixion art makes a church “look Catholic”? The short and unavoidable answer is that it might, to some people. As pastors and congregational leaders exercise spiritual care and catechesis, they are best-equipped to know what ideas present (at least for a time) too large of a barrier, as well as what values they should communicate at the expense of a congregation’s comfort.
My own exhortation is to dedicate time and prayer to considering, first, how your congregation can depict Jesus’ crucifixion. In my own home congregation in Jerez, Mexico, a crucifix would present a high cultural barrier for our members exposed to a heavily syncretic expression of Catholicism. But for many years, we had a painting of Jesus carrying the cross that invited people to contemplate Jesus’ suffering and death. This mode of depiction protected our congregation from disparaging any other controversial images of Jesus’ crucifixion and respected their concern about, as Mark Mattes writes, “misplaced trust in an icon instead of in Christ alone” (Martin Luther’s Theology of Beauty).
Nonetheless, Mattes also affirms Luther’s belief that “icons extend Christ’s incarnation.” He quotes Martin Luther:
But it is impossible for me to hear and bear it in mind without forming mental images of it in my heart. For whether I will or not, when I hear of Christ, an image of a man hanging on a cross takes form in my heart, just as the reflection of my face naturally appears in the water when I look into it. If it is not a sin but good to have the image of Christ in my heart, why should it be a sin to have it in my
eyes? This is especially true since the heart is more important than the eyes, and should be less stained by sin because it is the true abode and dwelling place of God.
For this reason, we do not have to be inherently concerned about any given “icon” of Jesus’ crucifixion, except insofar as it might communicate something false about him. The denominational baggage of the crucifix or any other depiction of the crucifixion is not an essential feature of the work of art. (Even the Israelites who had fled from idolatrous Egypt were commanded to look at a bronze snake on a pole.)
If anything, this baggage is a sign that something has been lost or muddled through time, and each of us, in our own congregations, have an opportunity to help restore it.
Second, consider how to depict the crucifixion in a way that avoids the pitfalls of kitsch, which Scruton describes as art “[that permits] us to pay passing tribute to love and sorrow without the trouble of feeling them.” The simple fact that a picture portrays the crucifixion does not make that picture beautiful. We have all seen a sentimentalized, Germanic, glowing Jesus, either bloodless or with gaudy, artificial wounds on his body. It is not just the “content” of wounds and suffering that communicates Jesus’ beauty, but also their form. Kitschy art in the church offers a saccharine gospel, while beautiful crucifixion art offers what Scripture does, a gospel arresting in its intensity and consolation.
In our next issue, Skogerboe, the digital communications coordinator for the AFLC, will conclude her series.
Art: “Cristo Crucificado,” by Diego Rodríguez de Silva y Velázquez, 1632, Museo del Prado.
Network of friends.
BY DAN AICHELE
The Bible teaching and theological training I received at the Free Lutheran Bible College and Seminary was wonderful. But it wasn’t just me who was embarking on a life-altering journey toward pastoral ministry. My wife and children had established a treasured group of friends from over a decade of living and working in Killdeer, N.D. Neighbors playing together in our backyard and playdates at the park down the street are sweet memories. Our kids were young, but a couple of them were old enough to be keenly aware of what they were leaving behind.
When considering a life change that involves the entire family, it is reasonable to be concerned about how it affects them. And yet, having completed our three years on campus at the seminary, I am seeing that God has blessed our whole family throughout this time of transition.
We still connect with the dear friends our family left in Killdeer, but those friends have multiplied into a whole new circle of precious friends, both from campus and from the greater Twin Cities area. Now, a few months into our internship, it is heartwarming to see the process repeating itself as we and our children have been graciously welcomed into the community at Bethel Free Lutheran Church in Grafton, N.D.
Besides the good memories, I can’t help but be excited about the way God is setting up our kids’ future through this odyssey we have been on. In a few years, when they hopefully attend the Free Lutheran Bible College, they will likely be starting college with a whole network of old friends from Killdeer, from our seminary years, and from our year in Grafton. I picture all these old friends reconnecting and introducing one another to new friends, and all of them mutually encouraging one another in the faith.
Moving your kids around three times during their preteen years sounds scary, but it appears to have been a blessing in disguise that began when their dad brought them to seminary.
Course Spotlight: Theology of the Christian Life
• Instructor: Dr. Jason Gudim
This course explores what a life transformed by the gospel looks like. The doctrine of vocation will be presented as a key component to understanding the Christian’s various roles or stations in life. These roles all fall into one or more of the “Three Estates”: family, church, and society. Attention will be given to such topics as sanctification, romantic relationships, Christian ministry, and civic responsibility.
Dan and Bethany Aichele and their family, from Killdeer, N.D., now live in Grafton, N.D., where Dan is serving his seminary internship at Bethel Free Lutheran.
An excerpt from President Mobley’s report to the 64th AFLC Annual Conference. Read the full Free Lutheran Bible College and Seminary report online (flbc.edu/aflcconference2026).
Focused, not small.
BY DR. WADE MOBLEY
Ihave always thought of FLBCS as a small institution. Several years ago, a visitor from the Alliance Defending Freedom gave me some context:
“You’re not small; you’re narrow.” She meant that in a good way, as in, “focused.” Other college presidents can’t believe that we have as many students as we do, considering the narrowness of our program and this era when Bible colleges or small private colleges in general are struggling to survive. I explain that we are able to maintain or grow our student enrollment largely because we are so mission-focused. Our undergraduate program of about 112 students would be just a very large Bible/ministry program at a broader college, and our graduate program would be a typically sized graduate program. We are not small; we are focused.
We have chosen to stay focused on the Bible and ministry. Our courses are about one-third exegetical (verse by verse), about one-third systematic (doctrine by doctrine), and about one-third a combination of educational foundations (learning how to think, write, speak, read, and listen) and practical application (music, or how to carry out various kinds of ministry). That narrows our pool of prospective students, but we think almost anyone would benefit from this kind of training before they finish their degree or enter the workforce.
Our residential program is not just a place to live but a lab setting for discipleship. We have well-trained, mature faculty and staff who invest in our students in the classroom and beyond. This is what we do. It’s not that doing something else is wrong or that other institutions err in broader deployment of educational resources. It’s just that this is what we think God has called us to, and the results in the lives of our students speak for themselves.
Through steadfast, Christ-centered ministry of the Word, in the years ahead we will see the following:
• Thriving AFLC congregations led by servant-hearted pastors and lay leaders shaped at FLBCS.
• Christ-honoring marriages and homes where children and grandchildren rise up and call Jesus Lord because their parents were transformed here.
• Communities marked by compassion, integrity, and hope because our graduates live with Scripture as their compass.
• Generation after generation returning to this campus, hungry for the same life-giving truth.
• And everywhere we look—God’s Word, sent out from this place, is still accomplishing what he desires, never returning empty.
Upcoming FLBCS events.
Event information can be found online: flbc.edu/events
• FLBC Move-In: Aug. 31
• UpClose Campus Preview: Oct. 15–16
• Alumni Tournaments: Oct. 16–17
• Christmas Concerts: Dec. 4–6
• Seminary Symposium: Jan. 21–22
Mobley, a member of Solid Rock Free Lutheran, Anoka, Minn., is the president of the Free Lutheran Bible College and Seminary.
WMF Day report.
BY KAREN PEDERSON & JOANNE HERSET
WMF Day 2026 was based on the theme “I Believe, Help My Unbelief” (Mark 9:24b). With an attendance of 226 women, this was the largest attendance for WMF Day we could remember.
Our Bible study writer Joyce Erickson shared devotions on Matthew 14, where Jesus invited Peter to “come.” Belief is an action verb, she said; it is not rationalizing our excuses but getting out of our boats and trusting God.
Dr. Jason Gudim shared that Joyce’s devotional was a perfect introduction to his presentation. Gudim presented a talk on “Apologetics for the Christian Life” in our first session. He looked at the theme verse through the lens of apologetics for the purpose of strengthening our faith.
As the day continued, we noticed how the day’s theme came together. We prayed and asked people to share on our theme verse, and God combined our efforts as each speaker built on the previous speaker’s words, demonstrating how the Holy Spirit spoke through each presenter to us that day.
During the next session, Laurie Nash spoke of the battle between belief and unbelief. She shared personal experiences of a crisis of faith and how she learned to trust God in the hard times.
Anne Presteng led our memorial service, challenging us to “run the race” (Hebrews 12:1–2) as we remembered WMF ladies who have completed their race and entered into glory.
The ladies from the WMF at St Paul’s Free Lutheran in Fargo, N.D., and Maranatha Free Lutheran in Glyndon, Minn., decorated our lunch tables and created hand-sewn potato bags—fitting for our baked potato lunch.
In the afternoon, Marian Christopherson, director of AFLC Parish Education, spoke about the paradox of faith. From “I believe, help my unbelief” to authentic trust and honest doubt. She shared that doubt is not an enemy of faith; it can lead to greater faith.
Election results:
• Second vice president: Kristin Peterson
• Treasurer: Pam Twedt
For more information about changes to the WMF constitution and by-laws, visit our webpage:
• aflc.org/women
Pederson is the WMF president, and Herset is the WMF recording secretary.
In our business meeting, a new statement of faith, based on the AFLC statement of faith, was proposed. It passed soundly with one amendment. Other new business included a brief explanation from Liz McCarlson, the WMF’s second vice president, on her work with David Olson, chairman of the Coordinating Committee, to update our constitution and bylaws. A few amendments were presented and passed, including the addition of AFLC Evangelism and Discipleship and AFLC Youth Ministries to the list of ministries supported through WMF giving.
Our WMF Day offering, a generous $7,250, was divided between the WMF General Fund, Christian education, and the Free Lutheran Bible College and Seminary.
At our mission breakfast, Shelby Greven enthusiastically shared about her time as a missionary assistant in Brazil and Paraguay. She highlighted the faithfulness of God in the Brazilian ministry, the compassion of the Miriam Infant Home, and God’s provision for the new work in Paraguay.
The Mission Festival service was led by World Missions Executive Director Earl Korhonen and included the commissioning of two Home Missions church-planting families. Pastor Matthew Pillman, Ankeny, Iowa, preached from Philippians 1:12–18. He challenged us to put our confidence in Christ and the Word of God. The evening’s offering total was $5,476, divided between Home Missions and World Missions.
TOP: Marian Christopherson, Cathe Johnson, and Michele Mobley form a prayer group. MIDDLE: The WMF Board runs the business meeting. ABOVE: Laurie Nash.
WMF Day business.
Meeting cultural challenges.
BY PASTOR RANDY NELSON
As we move through the second half of 2026, AFLC Evangelism and Discipleship (AED) is deeply encouraged by what we see the Lord doing in and through our congregations. In a rapidly changing culture where fewer people identify as Christian or attend church regularly, we continue to hear stories of God at work as believers pray, build relationships, and share Christ in simple, everyday ways.
This year we sense a particular urgency around in-person ministry. In addition to our online communication and ministry materials, we have begun making regional visits to AFLC congregations with a special focus on encouraging outreach to unchurched people in the Millennial and Gen Z generations through relationships and everyday conversations. We have started visits to congregations in Nebraska, South Dakota, Kansas, Minnesota, and Colorado, meeting with pastors and lay leaders, listening to their local context, and sharing Disciple Equipping Workshops and other practical tools. Lord willing, we are looking to continue these trips with an eastern route in September and a southern route in late October and November, as congregations invite us to come.
The feedback we’ve received from our in-person visits has encouraged us to continue pursuing this avenue of ministry. One participant told us, “My husband and I invited three sets of neighbors over for a meal a few days after the seminar ended!” Another wrote, “I found it gratifying to be challenged, in a warm, gracious, firm but gentle way, to look outward and be thinking and praying intentionally about how our congregation (and each of us as individuals and families) can be involved in the commission to reach people who are outside of the kingdom of grace and who need the light of Christ and the liberation that he alone can provide.” To help AFLC congregations look outward, see their neighbors, and love them into a relationship with Christ is the whole purpose of our ministry.
One other way we worked to fulfill that purpose this year was our Rekindle the Fire gathering. More than 120 people joined us as Pastor Tom Parrish led sessions on “Loving Your Neighbor to Christ,” helping us think about how to build trust with neighbors, friends, and coworkers in ways that naturally open doors for the gospel. Digital copies of his notes and a link to the YouTube recording are available through the AED website for those who would like to revisit or share this teaching. We were also able to partner with Lamb of God Free Lutheran Church in Moorhead, Minn., where volunteers helped canvass the neighborhood and invite people to an outreach event at this young church plant.
These steps of in-person ministry come with financial challenges. Over the last decade, our annual support has declined by more than $20,000, and in 2025 we finished the year with a shortfall of just more than $13,000. To help meet the increased travel costs, we have established a designated travel support account through the AFLC and our website for those who sense the importance of this work and wish to partner with us.
We remain deeply grateful for your prayers and support. Please join us in praying for wisdom as we schedule and carry out these trips, for open doors and divine appointments, for spiritual fruit in lives and congregations, and for the Lord’s provision for our financial needs. Together, by God’s grace, we desire to encourage, equip, and assist our AFLC congregations in loving God, loving their neighbors, and making disciples in this changing world.
On the road with AED.
Nelson has been traveling for AED this summer and into the fall. The schedule includes:
• July trips to St. Francis, Kan., Loveland, Colo., and Deshler, Neb.
• August trips to Laurel, Neb., Bruce, S.D., and Ortonville, Minn.
• September trips to Illinois, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Maryland.
• October trips to Iowa, Missouri, Oklahoma, Mississippi, and Alabama.
Nelson is the director of AFLC Evangelism and Discipleship.
More Annual Conference photos
Members of St. Paul’s Free Lutheran, Fargo, N.D., would like to express our thanks for all the help we received in hosting the AFLC Annual Conference in June. We would especially like to thank the Eastern North Dakota churches and Maranatha Free Lutheran in both Glyndon and Ulen, Minn. Your financial help and all the volunteer aid were greatly appreciated. To God be the glory!
TOP LEFT: Pastor Steve and Mary Berntson pause to pray with Pastor Brent Raan during a break from conference business. TOP MIDDLE: Conference attendees chat outside the Knutson Campus Center, site of the conference. ABOVE: Caleb Korhonen, a 2026 graduate of the Free Lutheran Seminary, was ordained by Pastor Micah Hjermstad, president of the AFLC, during the opening service of the Annual Conference.
Pastor’s
Conference: plans for 2026 and beyond
The 2026 AFLC Pastor’s Conference will be held Oct. 6–8 at the Association Retreat Center. The theme for the conference is “Renewed by Hope” from Isaiah 40:31. A schedule can be found online at aflc.org/pastorsconference. Final plans are yet to be made.
ABOVE: Bobbi Jo Zeltinger led a crafting session for children of conference attendees. A vacation Bible school program was held throughout the week, as well as a program for youth. Two FLBC summer teams and members from area congregations volunteered to run both events.
In a letter to AFLC pastors, President Micah Hjermstad shared some significant changes being made to future events. Beginning in 2027, the conference will switch to being held Sunday evening through Tuesday in the spring. The 2027 conference will be held April 18–20 at the DoubleTree Hotel in Bloomington, Minn. Hjermstad also wrote that the Coordinating Committee is investing financially in the event. More information will be shared as it is made available.
Morris church celebrates 150 years
Members of Grace Lutheran, Morris, Ill., celebrated the congregation’s 150th anniversary with a three-day weekend of special events July 10–12. Speaking at the event were former pastors Steven Heilmann and Craig Benson, as well as Dr. Jason Holt, AFLC presidential ministry associate, and Pastor Steven Cook, who serves the congregation.
“Our anniversary services were truly highlighted by the proclamation of God’s Holy Word,” wrote Cook. “Through … preaching, teaching, Scripture readings, personal reflections, and faithful obedience to the leading of the Holy Spirit, the people of Grace were
Emmaus to observe 75th anniversary
Members of Emmaus Free Lutheran, Bloomington, Minn., will celebrate the congregation’s 75th anniversary Sept. 18–20. The weekend will include a Friday night musical celebration. On Saturday, activities will include a golf tournament and a 5k run followed by an evening anniversary banquet.
Sunday morning will feature a 9 a.m. event called “I remember when ...” with a special anniversary service at 10:30 a.m. A light lunch will be served followed by an afternoon open house with a review of ministries from the past.
The anniversary theme is “Generations Saying Yes to Jesus,” which recognizes the years of faithful service of Emmaus in which the gospel has been shared.
For more information about the event, visit emmauslutheran.org/ connect/75years.
encouraged, challenged, and spiritually renewed. … The seeds planted during this historic weekend will continue to bear fruit in the lives of those who heard them and in the future ministry of Grace Lutheran Church.”
Amery congregation marks 50 years
Members of Amery Free Lutheran, Amery, Wis., held their first service on July 4, 1976. The first cluster of families involved in the early years came together to start a Christian school.
Roger Krueger, a community leader involved in the beginning of the Association Retreat Center and other ministries, played a key part in bringing things together. He secured a license for the Accelerated Christian Education’s (ACE) Scripture-based curriculum. Then he and his wife, Rittie, joined with four other families to finance the construction of a building: a schoolhouse that was also used for Sunday services. The newly formed church was soon affiliated with the AFLC.
On June 7, the congregation celebrated its 50th anniversary. More than 225 attended the festivities between the two services and the catered dinner. Pastor Michael Brandt, the congregation’s first full-time pastor, brought the message at a morning worship service with the theme “God’s Faithfulness Through All Generations” (Psalm 119:89-90a). A highlight of the day was hearing from a panel who were there in those beginning years. To God be the glory; great things he has done!
TOP: Pastor Alan Arneson (left) moderated a panel of four founding members of Amery Free Lutheran during a special anniversary remembrance event. They include Gary Bottolfson, Charlie Hansen, Lester Carlson, and Bev Houghahl.
ABOVE: (front, from left) Pastors Michael Brandt, Alan Arneson, Richard Gunderson, David Johnson, and Todd Schierkolk, (back) Micah Hjermstad (AFLC president), Eric Christenson, Jason Norlein, Brian Davidson, and Andrew Olson.
TOP RIGHT: The congregation at Grace Lutheran. RIGHT: Pastor Steve Heilmann, Pastor Steven Cook, Pastor Craig Benson, and Dr. Jason Holt.
PEOPLE & PLACES
Six 2026 Free Lutheran Seminary graduates were ordained at the opening service of the Annual Conference, June 10, at Concordia College, Moorhead, with Pastor Micah Hjermstad, AFLC president, officiating. Ordinands include Adam Erickson, Alexander Grimes, Caleb Korhonen, Adam McCarlson, Micah Moan, and Alex Monseth.
Pastor Erin Tormanen has resigned from his call to First English Church of Lostwood and Our Savior’s Free Lutheran, Stanley, N.D.
Pastor Tom C. Olson has resigned from his call to Minnesota Valley Free Lutheran, Lakeville, Minn.
Pastor Kevin Olson has resigned from his call as associate pastor at Emmaus Lutheran, Bloomington, Minn., and has accepted a call to Minnesota Valley Free Lutheran, Lakeville. Olson continues as the director of the International Orality Institute.
Members of the AFLC Coordinating Committee have accepted Living Word Lutheran, Caldwell, Texas, onto the AFLC Congregational Roster.
Pastor Micah Moan was installed July 12 at Bethany Free Lutheran, Binford, N.D., and New Luther Valley Free Lutheran, McVille, N.D., with Pastor Lloyd Quanbeck, AFLC vice president, officiating.
Pastor Jordan Langness was installed July 19 at United Free Lutheran, Greenbush, Minn., with Pastor Jason Holt, the AFLC presidential ministry associate, officiating.
Pastor Alex Monseth will be installed Aug. 9 at St. Ansgar’s Lutheran, Salinas, Calif., with Pastor Micah Hjermstad, AFLC president, officiating.
Dave Perkins, Atonement Free Lutheran, Arlington, Wash., has been hired as the coordinator for the Alaska Mission in Naknek, Alaska, a part-time position. He takes over for Loren Tungseth, who has retired from the role.
Jenn Thorson has resigned as the executive secretary of the WMF.
FLBCS
Marcella Johnson
Dennis Wahl
Jeanette Wahl
Bonnie Brazer
Carol Melby
Don Olson
Home Missions
Harry Weinkauf WMF
Marilyn Bowman Duane Ruud
Linda McCreary
Pastor Alvin Sather
Pastor Alvin Delano Sather, 88, of Greenbush, Minn., died June 27 at LifeCare Greenbush Manor.
Born May 8, 1938, in Greenbush, he was the son of Alfred and Deborah (Graff) Sather. He married Marcella (Marcie) Puttbrese on June 3, 1958, in Strathcona, Minn. She preceded him in death on Sept. 6, 2024.
He attended school in Greenbush and was baptized and confirmed at Bethania Lutheran Church. He joined the Air Force and, following his discharge, was married. In 1960, they moved to Illinois, where he worked as a farm laborer before he became a mechanic at Punk’s Firestone. In 1969, they returned to Greenbush to help on the family farm with his brother Dean for a number of years before he and Marcie started Northern Agri Sales. He entered the Free Lutheran Seminary and was ordained on Aug. 25, 2002. He served several congregations through the years, including United Free Lutheran Church, Greenbush; Bethany Lutheran, Bemidji, Minn.; Warroad Free Lutheran, Warroad, Minn.; Pinecreek and Concordia Lutheran Churches, Badger, Minn.; Pukwana Free Lutheran, Pukwana, S.D.; St. Olaf Free Lutheran, Chamberlain, S.D.; Oiland and Badger Creek Free Lutheran Parish, Greenbush and Badger, Minn. He continued his ministry and served during his retirement. He enjoyed woodworking, restoring tractors, fishing, and yard work.
Surviving are two sons, Aldyn (Brenda) Sather and Rick (Trish) Sather; one daughter, Tracy (Nathan) Halbakken; 12 grandchildren; 20 great-grandchildren; and one brother, Clark (Sandra) Sather.
The service was July 6 at United Free Lutheran Church of Greenbush. Burial was in Old Bethania Cemetery of rural Greenbush.
New members received
Five families were received as new members May 31 at Maranatha Free Lutheran, Glyndon, Minn. Pictured are Josie and Kasey Horn and children; Emily and Jack Olek and daughter; Rhonda and Dave Freeh; Rick Myhra; Morgan and Emily Lloyd and family; and Pastor Lloyd Quanbeck. Submitted photo.
Healed by his wounds.
BY PASTOR JOE DOMBROWSKI
But He was pierced for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon Him, and by His stripes we are healed. (Isaiah 53:5).
saiah 53 is a familiar text that we often hear read during Lent. In it, the Lord reveals his plan of salvation to be enacted through his suffering servant, our Lord Jesus Christ. The passage refers to the events that would take place on Good Friday, the death of his Holy One for our sins and the sins of the entire world.
The Lord proclaims his message of salvation throughout Isaiah’s writings, as well as those of Moses and the prophets. He very specifically points to his servant as being the agent by whom it will come to pass. He says in Isaiah 49:6 that his servant will be a “light for the nations, to bring My salvation to the ends of the earth.” This wonderful message of salvation, repeated in 52:10, would be doubted.
Chapter 53 opens with the question, “Who has believed our message?” The succeeding verses provide some insight into why the servant and his work would be treated with skepticism.
First, the servant’s appearance would
be ordinary. “He had no stately form or majesty to attract us, no beauty that we should desire Him” (v. 2). Jesus was not born in a palace, and his birth was not announced as though he were a prince or king. He was not born to royal and wealthy parents. He was born in a stable, where a feeding trough functioned as his crib, to parents of meager means. Though his lineage is royal and his Father divine, nothing about Jesus’ physical appearance suggested that he was anything other than ordinary. And Jesus is fully human, knowing the weaknesses of humanity. He grew up like a tender shoot, a sapling, in the same way that we grow up. However, he was the shoot that would spring up from the stump of Jesse—the Branch who would bear fruit and be lifted up for all peoples so that the nations would seek him (11:1, 10).
Second, the servant would be treated with contempt and rejected; he would be a man of sorrows. Isaiah 52:14 speaks of the servant’s appearance: “Many were appalled at Him—His appearance was disfigured beyond that of any man, and His form was marred beyond human likeness …” The rejection of the Lord’s anointed does not fit with the world’s idea of one who prospers and is exalted (52:13). However, it is in rejection and death that the work of God’s
salvation is completed. God’s salvation is not defined in earthly terms. The servant did not conquer lands and peoples as did an earthly ruler. Instead, he established peace through suffering, rejection, and punishment—for our iniquity and sin. “We all like sheep have gone astray, each one has turned to his own way; and the Lord has laid upon Him the iniquity of us all (Isaiah 53:6). We are the reason for the servant’s rejection and death. At the cross, Jesus was pierced for our transgressions. He took upon himself our sin, guilt, and shame. In his death, he did what we cannot do: he made atonement for our sins, satisfying the wrath of God and establishing peace between God and mankind. “By His stripes we are healed” (v. 5).
The message that salvation has come to us in the rejection and death of God’s servant is wonderful news that we proclaim to others. It is a message that is still questioned by the world, just as it was when Jesus himself stood before the authorities of his day. Those very authorities would be a part of bringing the prophecy of Isaiah 53 to pass as the Lord enacted his plan through Jesus, placing our iniquity upon him so that he would carry our sorrows to the cross and by his death and resurrection bring salvation to the ends of the earth.
Dombrowski serves United Lutheran, Manteca, Calif. Artwork: “The Crowning With Thorns,” Caravaggio, c. 1602, Kunsthistorisches Museum Wien.
SOMETHING TO SHARE
Hands up and hallelujah.
BY KYLEE GREENE
Iused to like roller coasters. My childhood memories are filled with fond excursions to the Twin Cities’ Mall of America and Valley Fair. But one day my tastes changed. I clutched the handle tighter and felt the butterflies turn to rocks in my stomach. My outlook on these thrills was no longer the same. Each ride produced thoughts of “What if” and “I’m terrified” rather than responses of happiness and excitement. I became uncomfortable with being uncomfortable.
This analogy appropriately describes the past year of my life in which there have been numerous ups and what feels like many more downs. Sometimes it seems like my seatbelt is the only thing keeping me from crashing altogether.
I like to think that Joseph, the son of Israel, felt like this too, though he had no concept of roller coasters. In the Book of Genesis, Joseph is sold by his brothers into slavery to Ishmaelites who are traveling to Egypt. I can’t help but wonder what those first few nights on the road must have been like for him. He had lost his entire world in a blink. Psalm 105 describes that Joseph’s “feet were hurt with fetters; his neck was put in a collar of iron; until what [the Lord] had said came to pass, the word of the Lord tested him” (vv. 18–19, ESV).
Imagine being dragged behind a cart or horse, hands bound, traveling for weeks in the desert heat with very little food or water while your heart longs for home and tempts you to hate your
betrayers. Over the next ten years, Joseph was made a servant, accused falsely, thrown in prison, and forgotten. Death was his final enemy. Like Joseph, David, or Job, it is tempting to ask the Lord, “Why?” To doubt, question, and plead for change.
Instead, according to Scripture, we are to remember three truths amid hardship. First, the Lord is seated over the flood and sovereignly redeeming what is evil by using it for his purpose, often to test and sanctify his people (Psalm 29:10; Romans 8:28; Genesis 50:20). Second, the Lord gives us the promise of his presence, as is seen in the story of Joseph. And last, the Lord will return to renew his creation (Genesis 39:2, 21; Revelation 21:5).
We are not promised an easy life; in fact, Jesus guaranteed us tribulation (John 16:33b). Knowing these truths, we can heed the words of the Apostle Peter when he writes: “Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice insofar as you share Christ’s sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed” (I Peter 4:12–13). By the help of the Holy Spirit, our response can be one of trust, surrender, and joy as we ride the roller coaster of life. So, get your hands up and shout hallelujah!
Greene is the lead dorm assistant at the Free Lutheran Bible College, Plymouth, Minn.