Selected excerpts from the latest edition of the Trinity Messenger, a bi-monthly publication of Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church.

• The Way of God More Accurately, by Pastor Campbell
• Children of God or God’s Children, by Pastor Dowding
• With Gratitude, by President Matt Carnagie

(Typos are entirely inadvertent and will be corrected as they are noticed.)

Pastor’s Corner

The Way of God More Accurately (Rev. Delwyn X. Campbell, Sr.)

The Book of Acts tells us about a man named Apollos. According to the text, he was eloquent and competent in handling the Word of God.

“He had been instructed in the way of the Lord. And being fervent in spirit, he spoke and taught accurately the things concerning Jesus, though he knew only the baptism of John.” —Acts 18:25 (ESV)

I have often wondered how we should view other Christian ministries that exist in the communities where we serve. Are they fellow-workers with us, or are they, based upon their embrace of theologies of glory, their comingling of Law and Gospel, or their enthusiasm, actually enemies of the cross of Christ? It is a difficult question, and it impacts us in so many different ways.

On one level, perhaps it is a question that we can set to the side. After all, we are not responsible for what others are doing, only for what we are doing. Like the three servants, we are given, “to each according to his ability,” and no one is being compared with the other servants. We know, by faith, that God knows what we are capable of and will give us opportunities for ministry that will be commensurate with the gifts that the Holy Spirit has given to us for ministry.

“He began to speak boldly in the synagogue, but when Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they took him aside and explained to him the way of God more accurately.” —Acts 18:26 (ESV)

God allows us to develop relationships with other Christians, and in many cases, they will be ignorant of Lutheran teaching, even though they may use words that we use, like “grace alone” or “faith alone.” They will talk about salvation by grace through faith. At the same time, their other teachings direct congregants to seek to hear from God outside of His revealed Word, deny the efficacy of the Sacraments, and to a greater or lesser extent, would view our worship with some degree of skepticism.

We do not live for the approval of anyone but the Lord our God. We do not measure ourselves by numbers of congregants, by our financial assets, or by our social influence. In fact, properly, we don’t measure ourselves by anything other than our faithfulness to Christ. We know by faith that if we keep our eyes in Christ, He will order our steps according to His Word. If we trust in His faithfulness, He will be faithful to keep His promises. Our discipleship serves the purpose of training us in the faith once for all delivered to the saints. He cannot deny Himself, therefore the proper distinction of Law and Gospel along with the commitment to be faithful witnesses of Christ will be met by God drawing others to Himself through the preaching of His Gospel.

This matters more than any measurements of success that are used by man. God wants all people to be saved, and He chooses to work through His Bride, the Church. Anyone who names the name of Christ, or, as Jesus said it, “He who is not against us” is for us. If those who self-identify as Christians are open to it, we offer our resources and our support, helping them to “grow in grace and in the knowledge of Him.” Bible and Confessional study is one of the tools we can use to sharpen ourselves, participation in regular worship is another. The more we engage in these resources, the more God can work in us both to will and to do for His good pleasure. I enjoy the opportunities to explore how God is fulfilling His mission through His Church, and how, the more we agree to walk together, God works through us in the unity of the Spirit. We do not sacrifice Biblical faithfulness and doctrinal integrity for the sake of a shallow “unity” based around the use of the Lord’s name. We seek the deep unity of the Spirit, based around faithfulness to sound teaching. As a pastor, it is my happy task to help you, both as individuals and as a congregation, to become equipped and built up in Christ unto every good work. I pray for you, and I cheer for you as you “work out your own salvation with fear and trembling,” because I know that God is working in you, both the “to will” and the “to do” for His good pleasure.

So redeem the time, make use of the opportunities to get to know others, and especially those who name the name of Christ. We are called to “do good to all, and especially to the household of faith.” There is no higher good than speaking the words that God can use to birth faith in the life of the hearers. As Dr. Luther wrote in the Smalcald Articles, Part III and Paragraph 4, the Gospel is spread by “the mutual conversation and consolation of brothers and sisters.”

So go in peace and serve the Lord, giving thanks to God for His grace.

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Children of God or God’s Children (Rev. Bob Dowding)

Someone recently asked me an interesting/intriguing question, “Is there a difference between being a child of God and being one of God’s children?”

We know from Scripture that we all start out as a child of God:

“¹³For you created my inmost being;

you knit me together in my mother’s womb.

¹⁴I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;

your works are wonderful, I know that full well.

¹⁵My frame was not hidden from you when / was made in the secret place,

when I was woven together in the depths of the earth.” —Psalm 139:13-15

And Scripture tells us that God the Father loves us:

“but God shows his love for us in that while we were stil sinners, Christ died for us.” —Romans 5:8

The reality is we are born heirs of the kingdom of God in His image. We were created to be His children.

But we unfortunately are still dealing with the sin of our fathers. We are tempted by our sinfulness and the devil to turn away from the Lord and we lose our identity as sons and daughters of God. We maybe fallen. That identity may be lost. But there is still hope.

Through the love of God and Him alone can our identities as children of God be restored. God in His grace has fulfilled His original purpose for us by sending His own Son to rescue us fallen creatures.

“But when the set time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, Sto redeem those under the law, that we might receive adoption to sonship. ” Because you are his sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out, “Abba, Father!” T So you are no longer a slave, but God’s child; and since you are his child, God has made you also an heir. —Galatians 4:4-7

Through Jesus and Him alone can we become reborn children of God.

“¹²But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, ¹³who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.”—John 1:12-13

And all this is accomplished by faith alone in Jesus Christ alone as we are led by God the Holy Spirit. By God’s grace we are His newly created and adopted sons and daughters. By the Word of the Lord and His sacraments we are daily reborn and refreshed as we turn from disobedience and in repentance receive His grace.

And:

“¹⁴For those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God. ¹⁵The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship. And by him we cry, ‘Abba, Father.’ ¹⁶The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children. ¹⁷Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory.” —Romans 8:14-17

And:

“¹See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are. The reason why the world does not know us is that it did not know him. ²Beloved, we are God’s children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is.” —1 John 3:1-3

As wonderful as these new lives are – this is not our ultimate being. Our full redemption will only be accomplished at Christ’s triumphant return.

“⁵¹Behold! I tell you a mystery. We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, ⁵²in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed. ⁵³For this perishable body must put on the imperishable, and this mortal body must put on immortality.” —1 Corinthians 15:51-53

And all God’s children say – AMEN!

In His service,
Pastor Bob Dowding

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With Gratitude

Dear Trinity Family and Friends,

As many of you may know, Pastor Dowding has announced his retirement beginning on January 1st, 2024. Pastor Dowding has been a longtime member at Trinity, and his wife Diane, their children and grandchildren are life-long members of the congregation.

Pastor Dowding has served God’s Kingdom and the people at Trinity in many roles over the years. First, as a lay member of the congregation. Later, he became a Deacon and finally he was Called to be a Pastor at Trinity.

When Pastor Downs passed away Pastor Dowding stepped up to make sure that the Mission and Ministry of our church continued. He ensured that God’s Word was preached every Sunday and the Sacraments were administered, even to the homebound. He worked tirelessly throughout the long call process, even when it took longer than expected.

Finally, earlier this year, Pastor Campbell accepted the Call to become a Pastor at Trinity and Good Shepherd Lutheran Churches. I know that you will join with me in giving thanks to God for these Under Shepherds that he sends among us, and for the work they do on behalf of God’s Kingdom.

Pastor Dowding shared a letter with the Voter’s at our recent December meeting. In which he wanted to let our congregation know that while he is retiring, he still plans to continue to visit with our shut-ins, and he and Diane will continue to lead the Sunday morning and Sisters-in-Christ bible studies.

Pastor Dowding’s last service at Trinity, before he enters Emeritus status, will be on Sunday December 31st, at 8:45 AM. I am sure this will be a special service that our congregants won’t want to miss.

Again, I want to give thanks to God for the good and faithful work that Pastor Dowding has done and wish everyone a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Matthew Carnagie
President, Trinity Lutheran Church