[God] chose us in [Jesus] before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love he predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will—to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves. Ephesians 1:4-6 Do you remember the feeling? You are preparing to play kickball during recess at school. Two captains are choosing players for their teams. They start with the best athletes. Was that you? Or were you picked later? ...
As the academic year draws to a close, the ALS family wants to wish all of our students, faculty, supporters, and friends a restful and blessed summer. Whether you are continuing your studies, serving in your congregation, or simply enjoying time with family, we pray that these months would be a season of refreshment for both body and soul. Rest is a gift from God, just as work is, and we encourage you to use this time to draw near to him in his word. We look forward to welcoming everyone back for the new semester ...
To help us think about this question based on Scripture, it is useful to divide it into three parts: Part 1: Can we Christians pray for people who have already died? Prayer is talking to God. In prayer, our petitions ask God to use his power to take action for people. Whenever we Christians use the Lord’s Prayer, we say “your will be done.” We know that God is our Creator and we humans are his creatures, so our knowledge and ability cannot compare with his. His will is key for our origin, our present, and ...
He will not shout or cry out, or raise his voice in the streets. A bruised reed he will not break, and a smoldering wick he will not snuff out. Isaiah 42:2-3 Do you know someone with a voice that commands attention? If you are at a large family gathering and you need to quiet the crowd, there might be someone in your family with a deep and commanding voice to get everyone’s attention. Certain leaders are known for their distinct voice that can capture a nation’s attention with powerful words. If God were to speak ...
A number of ALS professors are using the time between the semesters during the summer to take continuing education courses at our sister synod’s seminary, Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary (WLS). Every other summer WLS holds a “Summer Quarter” when pastors and church leaders from all over America (and the world) are welcomed to spend up to three weeks living on campus studying God’s word through intensive courses. These courses build the students up in their faith and help them to lead others to grow in their faith. Study of God’s word is a life long pursuit, even ...
Jesus went throughout Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom, and healing every disease and sickness among the people. Matthew 4:23 Preaching, teaching, and healing. Those three actions pretty much summarize Jesus’ earthly ministry. He touched a lot of lives during those thirty-plus years. But he’s touched a lot more lives since, like mine. He’s touched my life in ways beyond counting. He’s forgiven my sins. And there are plenty to pardon! He’s given me the peace of knowing that I’m loved by the Father despite myself. He’s reconciled the two ...
Every three years, Lutheran church bodies of the Confessional Evangelical Lutheran Conference (CELC) gather for a convention. Representatives from around the globe gather to discuss ministry, study God’s word together, and join in worship. This gathering celebrates the fact that these church bodies believe and confess the same doctrinal truths. This year, ALS President Jon Bare had the honor of being elected as the secretary of CELC. This is a proud moment for ALS. We look forward to serving CELC church bodies in Asia with solid theological education for the spread of the gospel.
“I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; he will crush your head, and you will strike his heel.” Genesis 3:15 Right in the middle of the wreckage, God speaks a promise. Adam and Eve have disobeyed. Trust is broken. Shame has entered the world. Everything good now feels fragile. And before the humans say a word—before they apologize, explain, or promise to do better—God talks to the serpent, “He will crush your head, and you will strike his heel.” It’s a strange moment. God isn’t giving instructions. He’s ...
ALS had the opportunity to engage with hundreds of other ministries across the globe at this year’s EMDC conference in Chiang Mai, Thailand. This allowed us to get view into what’s happening in the world of Bible translation and also what’s the latest with ministries that leverage the best of technology to get the gospel out to people. ALS’s TELL certificate piqued many people’s interest as a great way to train people on how to start groups that gather around God’s word.
[Abram] … pitched his tent there, with Bethel on the west and Ai on the east. There he built an altar to the LORD and proclaimed the name of the LORD. Genesis 12:8 “I can worship God at home. I can read the Bible at home. I can pray at home. And so, I really don’t get what the difference is between my worship at home and my worship at church. Isn’t it all the same thing?” Yes. And no. Can I praise my Lord in the privacy of my home? Yes. By myself, can I let ...
