Volume I, No 2 Syndouloi November 1999

Now is the time we’ve all been waiting for: finals! Well, perhaps that needs to be restated. Now is the time we’ve all been waiting for: summer! The only thing left to determine is what you’ll do over the summer. What better way is there to spend dead week than to try to plan out the next three months of your life?

Camps, or college life without classes, are definitely a great way to spend the summer. Where else would you be able to run around in the mountains all summer and get paid for it? Camps also offer the benefit of mirroring college life. You can still stay up until 2 am, but you’ll also have to get up early to do your job. Camps are big draws for the DCEs and other church workers who like working with kids. Just in case you’ve run out of church workers to date, camp is the place to be.

Of course, there is life outside of camp too. If you’re really diligent and really love college, but aren’t so sure about the kids, you can always hit the books and go to summer school. During this time of high-priced education, summer school is a great opportunity to take a few more general education classes so you can spend even more time on Greek and Hebrew flashcards.

Yet if you’re taking classes either here or at another school, you’re going to need to fill that free time (and pay the bills) with some type of job. Fortunately McDonalds is available to prepare church workers and help them with their people-skills, etc. What better way to associate with your congregation than that? There are all kinds of other jobs available for those who like to work hard, ranging from hard labor in the great outdoors to office work in an air-conditioned cubicle. The Editor’s bias would aim more for a nice bookstore (think of the discount on books J), but try to find something that is in an area that interests you.

So you’re probably interested in church work, hence the reason that you’re reading this text. Fear not, for this too is a good job. In some congregations, however, due to budget constraints it’s hard to get paid to do anything other than stuffing envelopes. This is a perfectly good job, but don’t forget to keep your horizons open. For example, you could kill two birds in one stone by helping out at church and going to summer school or working another job. You could start a Bible study for college-aged students in the congregation or help teach a Bible class on Sunday mornings. The opportunity is incredible, just ask your pastor and he’ll probably be very willing to plug you in wherever he can.

But suppose none of those options listed above fit your preferences. Maybe, you want to be a bum and sleep all summer. Chances are you’ll get bored if that’s all you do, so consider reading in addition to sleeping. They make for a complete aerobic workout. Maybe you don’t exactly know where to start. There are quite a few books out Too many books leaving you wondering what to start with? Start with the Bible, it will be your key to the life ahead.

Home, Sweet Home

Read Heb 11: 13-16; 1 Pet 2:11; Ap. IV: 122ff, 312. Tappert p. 124, 155

Soon you'll wake up in a different bed. You'll glance at the clock and jump out of bed, hoping that you won't be late for class.

Sometime before you reach the bathroom you'll realize that you're not in school anymore and you'll go back to bed only to get up again at 1:30pm.

Well maybe that's not exactly how your summer will go, but it's easy to get confused during these college years

Where do you call your home? Is it the place where you were born? The place where your parents live? Maybe it's the place where most of your friends are. Or maybe home is a place that is always on the move. For a lot of people home is simply the place where they lay their head that night.

No matter what place we call home now, it's bound to change. This life is merely a transitory one.

During this time of Passion, we are reminded that this world is not our home. In fact we learn to hate this world and all of its evil ways. Even while not in college, we are living in a time of transition.

It is only by God’s grace that we are able to live life through with confidence, that though we had an integral role in our Savior’s crucifixion he was able to say “Father forgive them.” We wait to be brought to our heavenly home where we can live forever in the fellowship of all the saints and in perfect communion with God. That will be place where we won’t have to worry about moving parties, fires or break-ins. It will be a place of joy, a place of love and a place of eternal life where we won’t have any distractions, but will finally be able to worship God in all his glory! Amen.

No doubt you’ve all heard stories about the LCMS. As seniors are busy trying to decide which Seminary fits them best, you hear the whispers: Can you believe he decided to go there?

I’m not going to come straight out and say all is well in the LCMS because in a sinful world, all is never well, but we must realize that we are the future of the church. This understanding will make a huge difference in how we deal not only with the Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod, but also how we deal with all Christians and the world in general.

Like any institution, the LCMS finds trouble when it seems to drift apart. Long before the LCMS existed, the Catholic Church had the same problem. The people in power wished to keep everything under control, whereas some of the other people in the Church wanted to increase their liberty.

Other denominations have become separate for numerous reasons, but among these reasons was the political question. If politics is defined as the science of controlling power, then what part of that do we have as servants of Christ?

The greater issue I see in the LCMS is not about women’s ordination, closed communion or contemporary worship, rather it’s about politics. Advocates for those issues see their issue as the most important issue in the world. Some congregations follow their own will and split from the LCMS, while others bide their time on the fringes, waiting for an opportune time to make their voice heard.

As future ministers, I think it’s time we think about this type of attitude and perhaps even change it.

As servants of Christ, we need to examine ourselves and ask why we do what we do. We are called to spread the Gospel, but it’s hard to spread the Gospel with a biting tongue.

We need to seek to put that Gospel of Christ first. If we start fighting about issues, what witness are we giving to others?

· Syndouloi is still looking to expand its authorship. If you have a book review, devotion, story, opinion, prayer request, or anything else that you think would be a good addition to this publication, please send it to the editor, Heath Curtis, in campus mail.

One issue that Syndouloi would especially like to cover is Bible translations. Which translations are good translations? What makes for a good translation? How do different translations affect our theology? What about God’s Word, a recent Lutheran effort into the wide range of available translations? These and other issues would be worthy to explore and would be sure to find a space in Syndouloi, so please get your thoughts to the editor soon.

· The Pre-Sem Club has three officers, an editor of this publication, and a sponsor, all of whom are there to serve you. Here is their information if you need to contact them: President, Bert Mueller, 8665; Vice President, Dan Wing, 8530; Secretary/Treasurer Chris Ahlman, 8631; Editor, Heath Curtis, 8505; Sponsor, Prof. Block, 7442

· The February and March meetings are all scheduled at the regular time and place: 9pm Wednesday nights in the Pre-Sem Room, Founders 203. These one-hour meetings usually consist of free pop and cookies, a speaker or Bible study, and prayer. If you, or someone you know, would like to lead one of our weekly meetings please contact Bert or Dan.

· As spring approaches, the Editor of Syndouloi and the officers of the Pre-Sem Club will be looking for someone to fill Syndouloi’s editorship next year. If you are interested please let Heath Curtis know in person or on the phone.

Something to Ponder

As we all know, Martin Luther had a lot to say, much of it good, some of it bad, and not a little of it very amusing. The following quotations are from What Luther Says, which can be found in the library or from the Editor.

#4413 I do not like it that folk call our doctrine and people ‘Lutheran’ and that I must suffer them to disgrace God’s Word with my name in this shameful manner. Nevertheless, they shall let this Luther, the “Lutheran” doctrine and people, remain and come to honor.

#4416 The pope says: I have the Bible and the right prooftext; thus I say just what you say. Now what are we to do about this? God alone must be the Judge as to which side is right and most clearly and plainly expounds Scripture strictly according to the content of the words, according to their plain and simple meaning, as they have been put down on paper by the Holy Spirit. We must not misconstrue, understand, and twist them according to the dictates of reason and philosophy. Rather we must accept them as God Himself spoke them through the mouth of His prophets and apostles and godly teachers, as we, thank God, indeed have them, pure and unadulterated. This position I will continue to maintain.

#1169 For the Holy Spirit is of a stout heart. He speaks up boldly [for us], ‘World, death, devil, hell, do not disturb me! You have no share in me. If you do not want me alive, why, I simply die. But you will not gain your point. If you strike off my head, no harm will be done. I have Someone who, I dare say, will put it back on.

#3660 If, then, you want to explain the Old Testament well and safely, place Christ before you; for He is the man to whom everything applies completely