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Strengthen Faith, Build Hope, Share Love in Christ Our Savior
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Christ Our Savior
Lutheran Church
ANDY KELTNER, PASTOR
5 South 8th Street
Louisburg, KS 66053
(913)837-4502
Office Hours: Monday - Friday, 10 AM - 2 PM
Worship 8 AM, 10:30 AM, & 7 PM
Sunday School 9:15 AM -10:15 AM
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Pastor Andy Writes...
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| Pastor Andy Keltner |
Apologetics
According to Webster's Dictionary, the definition of apologetics is a "1. systematic argumentative discourse ... 2 a) in defense (as of a doctrine) 2 b: a branch of theology devoted to the defense of the divine origin and authority of Christianity."
One of the opportunities we have as Christians is to be apologists. This means we will have opportunities to defend and discuss our faith. This can be amazing. Here we live in quiet Louisburg, Kansas. we often make assumptions that everyone here believes in Jesus. We would like to assume that people are reading their Bibles. I do not think these assumptions are accurate.
According to a survey last year by LifeWay Research, more than half of Americans have read little or none of the Bible. Theologian Albert Mohler has noted, aghast, that more than 10 percent of Americans think that Joan of Arc was Noah's wife. In 2010, the Pew Research Center revealed that, "only half of self-identified Christians could identify the four Gospels. (In case you're wondering this Easter eve, they're Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John.) And as the religious "nones" in the United States continue to rise, the amount of even cursory religious knowledge we share seems to fall."
Many were offended when former President Barack Obama said that, "We are not just a Christian nation." Instead of being offended we should acknowledge this fact, and grasp the opportunities this presents for us to share our faith in Christ. The truth is, it is impossible to be a Christian apologist if we are Biblically ignorant.
Living in our pluralistic culture there are questions that as Christians we should be able to answer.
What is the Christian faith? The answer: "The Christian faith is the confession that Jesus Christ is the world's only Savior and Redeemer."
Secondly, we should be able to answer the question: Who is Jesus? "Jesus is the Son of God who takes away the sin of the world."
Thirdly, how do we know this? The short answer: "This is what the Bible says."
As Lutheran Christians we have Creeds and Confessions that help us with our apologetics. The question will then arise: Why do you need creeds and confessions if everything you teach comes from the Bible? Here is the long answer from the 2017 edition of Luther's Small Catechism page 352.
"Thus the Lutheran Church accepts without reservation the Scriptures as the inspired and inerrant Word of God and the creeds and confessions in the Book of Concord as a true and unadulterated statement and exposition of the Word of God. The Word of God is the ultimate standard of Christian teaching. The Lutheran Confessions are normative for our teaching because they fully accord with the Word of God. They are accepted, not insofar as the match up with the Word, but because we have come to know that they correctly explain the Word of God?"
Study your Bible.
Celebrate the Lutheran confessions.
Be an apologist.
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Bible Presentation
Eamon Grove and Ally Bell were presented their Bibles from Pastor Andy, during Sunday School on 09/08.
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COS Worship Word by Janie Ott
I LOVE fall! I love the change of the leaves, the cooler weather, the cinnamon and pumpkin scents, and FOOTBALL!! On the weekends we keep up with high school football on Friday, college football on Saturday, and the Chiefs on Sunday. And as I watch the opening of the Chiefs' game and see CHIEFS' KINGDOM come alive, I immediately draw a parallels to CHRIST'S KINGDOM.
As I think on Pastor Andy's sermon many comparisons come into my brain between football and our lives as Christians. Every Football team has their own playbook; and we as Christian share the same playbook with Christians across the world, the Bible. Every football team has a coach; Jesus promised to leave a helper behind before He went to the Right Hand of the Father; we have the Holy Spirit as our coach. Every team has a quarterback, Chiefs' kingdom has Patrick Mahomes. His job is to direct his team toward the end zone and score as many points as possible. Christ's Kingdom has a number of coaches that He has called, to many places, whom he is working through to help us achieve a victory in heaven. Jesus has given us Pastors and other Church Leaders.
The left tackle's job is to block and physically keep defenders away from the ball carrier and enable him to drive the ball toward the end zone. As Christians, our goal is to drive everyone toward eternal life in Christ's Kingdom. Every team has cheerleaders, cheering the team on, motivating and inspiring. We, the church, are cheerleaders helping motivate all players, and inspiring one another to obey and serve our Lord.
This reading from the Old Testament in Deuteronomy 30:19-20, the Lord says, "
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I call heaven and earth to witness against you today, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and curse. Therefore choose life, that you and your offspring may live, 20 loving the Lord your God, obeying his voice and holding fast to him, for he is your life and length of days, that you may dwell in the land that the Lord swore to your fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give them."
The COS Board of Worship is calling you to serve on Christ's team and to serve in Christ's kingdom. We have many members of our church who have wonderful gifts, for example, at second service Michelle sang a beautiful solo during communion that enhanced the experience of communion for me personally.
The Board of Worship wants to welcome all who have a gift to share it with Christ's kingdom. We need Greeters, Singers, Musicians, Altar guild, and the list goes on and on. We absolutely acknowledge that to volunteer week after week is not something everyone can commit to; we want volunteers for one Sunday at a time. If you are interested in singing and you don't want to do a solo, just let us know and we will give a call out to others that would love to join a singing group.
We will help you find a way to serve with your special gift from God and in turn, it becomes a gift to all of us who come to worship. Often times in my life, I have felt a tug on my heart to serve and as hard as I looked, I couldn't find my place. I always felt empty knowing my desire to serve was compelling, yet I just couldn't find a spot. The Board of worship will promise to help you find your spot! Please contact Debbie Keltner or Janie Ott and we will help organize your talent so that it becomes a blessing to all of us at COS.
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| If interested in serving, please contact one of the current council members, Pastor Andy, or Becca Burton to be placed on the nomination form. |
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POTLUCK DINNER NEWS!!!
Happy 15th Anniversary
Christ Our Savior
- WHO: YOU! Come help us celebrate 15 years of faith, family and ministry.
- WHAT: A German-themed, potluck dinner. (Why German-themed? Because the Lutheran Church is German in origin. History's cool.)
- WHEN: October 19, 2019, from 5:30-7:30.
- WHERE: In the community center.
- WHY: Because it's our church's 15th anniversary!!!(Actually, the anniversary is in January but we're party people. We might as well start celebrating now!)
- HOW: It's a potluck. Everyone brings something and we all share. (Becca's making beirocks. Cuz she's cool like that. And cuz they're yummy.)
Everyone is welcome to come and enjoy some wonderful food and fellowship..
If you would like to join us for dinner or contribute please contact
Christine Fauss at
913-645-4003
(And if you don't know how to make German food that's ok. We'll take any kind of food. We don't discriminate. But if you want to try your hand at some kickin' German fare, you can ask Christine for a recipe. She's got all the knowledge.)
Thanks so much...
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