On the Bible and Business

The education of those who are going to be pastors is an important topic. There are many things a person who is going to fulfill the office of pastor must learn. Some of the important things a pastor must know can be learned from the classroom or books, but many of aspects of pastoral ministry can only be learned by guided experience. Many know the academic side of ILT. This side of the ILT education of pastors has been widely discussed. ILT students have a reputation of being theologians. While this is a wonderful thing, it should be noted that ILT students learn theology so that they can be better prepared to deal with the very practical concerns each pastor must face. ILT students go through a rigorous study of Biblical theology, systematic theology, and history. These are the more traditional topics which Lutheran pastors have studied in preparation for pastoral ministry. ILT students must also study ethics and philosophy. These topics are always in relation to the theologica...

We really did not know how it was going to go. I have often said over the last week that I would not want to play poker against any of our accreditation visitation team or the commission members. They did not in any way let us know what they were thinking about ILT as a candidate for initial accreditation. We did not have a good feeling, either way. However, one week ago, ILT was granted initial accreditation from the Associate for Biblical Higher Education (ABHE). Most people connect to ILT have probably never heard of ABHE until they heard that ILT had decided to receive accreditation from them. Most Lutheran schools are accredited by the Association of Theological Schools (ATS). There were a couple of hurdles for ILT concerning ATS. One is that ATS does not allow for a 100% online learning modality. ATS accreditation would radically change the way ILT approaches online education. Our integrated online approach which combines the academic classroom into the real life ...

For Sunday morning Bible class the last two weeks, we studied Romans 6 and 7. In these chapters, Paul talks about how we might abuse the grace of God and the gift of salvation offered to us. Paul begins here his conversation with the Christians in Rome about doing good and doing evil. He talks about this in a way different from the way we usually talk about. We might ask if doing this specific work is good or bad. Paul does not deal at the level of the specific but at the level of what is alive in us and in terms of what enslaves us. In chapters one through five, Paul outlines the gift of God's grace which we receive by faith. He first details how we have nothing good in us and how works righteousness is not an option for us because of the corruption of our bodies and the sins we commit. He then goes on to explain that there is a righteousness apart from works we can receive because of Christ through faith. In chapter 6, Paul deals with one improper response to this grace: licent...

In today's Bible class, we covered the end of Romans chapter four and the beginning of chapter five. In chapter four, Paul comes to the point and then in chapter five he goes beyond it. His point is that anyone who believes in Jesus will be counted as righteous before God. What goes beyond this are the implications for our lives if we believe this. Being a Christian is easy. God does all the work. But it does have an effect on life. Jesus tells a parable about counting the cost of being his disciple. A man does not being building a tower before he is convinced that he has enough resources to complete the project. Likewise, those who would follow Jesus need to count the cost. Paul identifies this cost, or at least part of it, in chapter five. Romans chapters one through four is perhaps the longest instance of Paul's description of the difference between an approach to God based on works verse faith. In these chapters, Paul argues that no one can be saved according to works. Th...

Yesterday Tim Swenson and I went to a Town Hall meeting hosted by the Association for Biblical Higher Education ( ABHE ) president to discuss possible changes in ABHE. Being fairly new members of the association, this is the first of these that staff from ILT has had the opportunity to attend. It was a fascinating experience for the two of us. This meeting was in response to ABHE's own strategic planning and focused on addressing some threats and opportunities they face. The big question of the day was about how to be prepared for the changes coming in the future of higher education in North America. One of the challenges addressed was the continuing debate between the value of career-focused education and a liberal arts education. There has been a dramatic shift in what potential students believe an education should accomplish. This is a shift from the student wanting to receive a well-rounded broad-based education to an education that will ensure job placeme...

In the Book of Romans, Paul identifies two different struggles each Christian must face. In Bible class today, we faced one of those struggles; and boy did we struggle. Today, we studied the first half of Romans chapter four. Our struggle focused on how salvation is a free gift of God's grace. You would not think that it would be a struggle to receive a free gift, but for many people it is. Normal people are skeptical of something that is free. We want to know what the catch is. But when it comes to our relationship with God and with our eternal life, it is even more important. We want to have a part in it. We want to know what we can do. This is the struggle between works righteousness and faith. Paul is very clear that if we earn something by works of the law, then it cannot be a gift. It is an obligation. If we believe in works righteousness, the doctrine that we must earn our place before God, then we do not receive eternal life as a gift from God, but as an obligation. We ea...

In Bible class this morning, there was an attitude of thankfulness that we were finally going to talk about the forgiveness of sins instead of the demands of the law and God's wrath. For the last four weeks, we have been studying Paul's words concerning Gods wrath and judgment against sinners. Today, we made the transition to Paul's words concerning the salvation we have received by faith in Jesus which he writes at the end of Romans chapter 3. Today's challenges in Bible class were not about facing the law of God, but in understanding what Paul says about our salvation. Paul begins by saying that there is no righteousness before God through the law, but only through faith in the gift of God's grace; the blood of Jesus that makes atonement for our sins. There are a lot of things happening in that statement. To start with, Paul makes a distinction between being justified before God by our works and being justified by the gift of God. He says that being justified be...

The Fall semester is almost over. Next week Tuesday is the last day of class for my course before finals week. In the Fall, I teach Old Testament History and Theology for the certificate program. This week we studied the period between the Old Testament and the New. The question I try to answer for the students in this lesson is: How do we go from the return to Jerusalem from exile and the rebuilding of the temple at the end of the Old Testament to the Roman occupation as it is in the Gospels? The rebuilding of Jerusalem is basically done by 500 BC and Malachi is thought to have prophesied about 430 BC. This means that there are about 500 years of history between the Testaments. I find the history of this time to be rather depressing. It is a time of constant change for those who live in Judah and there is no word from God about what it means. Throughout the Old Testament, there are times of trouble. For the most part, these times of trouble are related to immoral kings...

For Bible class this Sunday, we are going to continue looking at Paul's letter to the Romans. This week we are looking at the end of chapter two and the beginning of chapter three. This section is the continuation and conclusion of Paul's opening argument. He argues in these first few chapters that all people are condemned under the law. His opening argument is that the judgement of God is being revealed from heaven against all sin. He then goes on to make a distinction between God's judgment and ours. Just because we know the law does not mean we can judge others, instead we must wait for the judgment of God. In this final section, he is going to attack the false security the Jews have in their race and religion. There is some difficulty here for us modern readers. So much of the history of the West concerns the persecution of the Jews that Paul's words have a different tone for us than what he intended. Paul is a Jew. He goes to great length in Galatians to prove ho...

This week, we continue to look at Paul's letter to the Romans at our church Bible study. In his second chapter, Paul addresses one issue that can arise from reading chapter one. That is the issue of being judgmental. We can react to the law in many ways. One reaction is to push back because of the accusation we feel from the law. Another is to judge others according to it. Paul writes chapter two specifically against those who would judge. It is so easy, hearing a list of sins, to think immediately about those others who do such things. As if we don't. It creates an "us versus them" dichotomy. A position from which we have the high ground. It is so easy to see the sins in others. Jesus, of course, speaks against this attitude in the Pharisees.  Here, I am thinking specifically about Jesus' parable telling us to take the plank out of our own eye first. When the law is preached, it is not about our ability to judge others; it is about God's judgment of us. W...

It is not immediately apparent what ILT means by online education or distance learning. ILT is an online school in the sense that we do not have students in classrooms on site. All of our students come to their classes using online software. However, there are many ways the internet has been used to deliver education to off-site students. What ILT does is different than those typical means used by other online schools. Let me explain. ILT is dedicated to creating as much of a traditional classroom as is possible using an online environment. The key component is to use a system that will allow students and faculty to communicate as if they were all in the same room together. ILT does this using an online software system called Adobe Connect. This system is a video conferencing system which is designed to allow a presenter to share documents, power points, and video to a class of students who are also using a video feed to participate in class. ILT is different than traditional o...

We are studying Paul's letter to the Romans in the Bible study I teach at my church. This week, we looked at Paul's opening argument in chapter one starting with Romans 1:18. Paul is not always easy to read and this text says many controversial things about God's wrath and our sin. Most of us, if we are Christian, understand clearly God's revelation in Jesus Christ. God reveals his love, mercy, and grace toward us in the gospel. But, if God's grace is revealed through the preaching of the gospel, how is God's wrath revealed? Paul says, "The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven." Paul argues that this is against all human ungodliness and unrighteousness which suppresses the truth. It is evident there is a God and that he is the creator. Paul says this is clearly revealed to us through creation. The eternal attributes of God can be clearly seen in the world he created. Humans, however, do not honor God as creator. Instead, we have made idols...

A team of evaluators from ABHE visited campus last week as a part of the accreditation process. This visit provides the necessary information they need to make a decision concerning our readiness to be accredited. There are a number of criteria we must comply with as an institution. We submitted a report concerning our compliance. The visitors came to campus to confirm our report and to give us commendations, suggestions, and recommendations concerning our compliance with the accreditation standards. Overall, the visit went well. We will have to follow up with their comments when we get the official report in two weeks. I don't think there were too many surprises. A great deal of work went into our preparation for this visit. Work which we have done as an institution over the last few years. To be accredited is an important step for us, because it gives us a stronger legitimacy. But what does accreditation give us? It does give us a legitimacy, but there is more to it than...

In Old Testament class this week, we covered a survey of the first few of the Minor Prophets. Reading the Minor Prophets can be overwhelming. So much of the content is focused on the anger and wrath of God against the sins and persistent unrepentance of his people. It is just so sad, almost depressing. We know from the history of that time the people did not repent and the Assyrian army destroyed not only Israel but many of the nations around them. It makes me wonder how God's wrath is manifested today. It is hard for us to think about God being angry. We like to focus on the love of God in Jesus Christ. It is a great comfort to know that we do not need to fear God, to know that we are his beloved children. We don't like to think of God as being angry. We like to think of him as being gentle, kind, compassionate, loving, and merciful. How can a loving God also be an angry God who hurts people? The author of Hebrews talks about it in terms of discipline, but that does not s...

On the Bible and Business is a blog about my experiences as a member of the faculty and staff of the Institute of Lutheran Theology (ILT). Life at ILT is different and sometimes difficult. ILT is a startup. This means it has all the challenges and opportunities of a new business. ILT is a seminary. This means it has all the joys and challenges of raising up pastors to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ. ILT is Lutheran. This means it has all the challenges associated with Lutheran theology and the challenges of declining numbers of believers in North America. ILT is in some ways a very strange thing. One of the big challenges at ILT is explaining what we do. I have often found it difficult to explain what ILT is to people who are hearing about it for the first time. Technically, ILT is an independent Lutheran graduate school, seminary, and faith community dedicated to an online distance educational model using live video conferencing. But, this does not say muc...