“Of Good Comfort” Martin Luther’s Letters to the Depressed
This video conversation takes a fresh look at Luther’s counseling experience and what it shows us about the necessity of soul care
Christ Centered Counseling … and Justification
Rick Marrs talks with David Loy about the connections between Christian counseling, justification, and the distinction between law and gospel
Christ Centered Counseling: Emotionally-Focused Therapy
Rick Marrs talks with Rev. Marty Hasz about Emotionally-Focused Therapy (EFT) and its possibilities in Christian counseling
Christ Centered Counseling: Next Steps
A new blog series on techniques and best practices to make Christian counseling more Christ centered
Dealing with Stress and Worry
Resources from Rick Marrs on “Stress and Worry in the Life of a Christian.”
Movie Review: Paul, Apostle of Christ
The life of Paul on the big screen
Proper 22 • Luke 17:1–10 • October 2, 2016
By Rick Marrs This is a difficult text for Lutherans to hear. We are more comfortable with texts about God’s grace, and being his children and heirs of his promises, but Jesus is prone to saying things that challenge our regular metaphors, and that will increase our faith. This is also a difficult text for ..
Easter 7 • John 17:20–26 • May 8, 2016
By Rick Marrs Background Our text is the end of Jesus’s High Priestly Prayer. Parts of the rest of this prayer, 17:1– 19, are texts for the same Sunday in different years (John 17:1-11 in Series A and John 17:11b-19 in Series B), so the preacher may want to familiarize the hearers with the salient parts ..
Proper 13 • Ephesians 4:1–16 • August 2, 2015
By Rick Marrs Paul has regaled the Ephesians with rich spiritual blessings they have in Christ (Eph 1), how both Jews and Gentiles are saved by grace alone through faith alone (Eph 2), how the mystery of the gospel has been revealed by the Spirit through the very human apostles and prophets; Paul then prays for spiritual strength ..
Proper 27 • Amos 5:18–24 • November 9, 2014
By Rick Marrs The words of the first writing prophet, Amos, come to us only five times in the three-year lectionary, and only once during the Series A year in this pericope. It is paired with important New Testament eschatological readings of 1 Thessalonians 4:13–18 (a frequent funeral sermon text) and Matthew 25:1–13 (the parable of the Ten Virgins) which ..
Concordia visits the Holy Land
Nineteen students, and one professor, walk where Jesus walked
Proper 28 • 2 Thessalonians 3:(1–5) 6–13 • November 17, 2013
By Rick Marrs Since becoming a seminary professor, I have been unpleasantly surprised at the number of lay people who have told me that they do not believe their parish pastor is working very hard. Note that this is their perception, and is not necessarily truth. They have said things like, “Our pastor preaches and teaches on Sunday ..
Peacemaking in Our Parishes
Rick Marrs recently wrote a piece for the Rural and Small Town Mission program of the Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod. LCMS Rural and Small Town Mission “supports and encourages rural and small-town congregations in engaging their communities and growing together in Christ through Word and Sacrament.” Rick has been long been active with Peacemakers ministries, and brings ..
Proper 27 • 1 Kings 17:8–16 • November 11, 2012
By Rick Marrs The kingdoms of Israel and Judah had been in spiritual decline for two centuries. Starting with Solomon’s syncretism (1 Kgs 11) and the division of the kingdom (1 Kgs 12), Israel was ruled by a whole series of kings who worshipped impotent idols. Even one of the LORD’s prophets who confronted a ..
A glimpse into the past (and future?) of the LCMS
Did German Lutherans in America wait too long to start speaking English?
Epiphany 4 • Deuteronomy 18:15–20 • January 29, 2012
by Rick Marrs When considering each text for preaching, pastors are called upon to ponder how the law of that text is speaking to the pastor as well as to the parishioners who will hear his sermon. In this case, the law of verse 20 (“But the prophet who presumes to speak a word in my ..