Ask the Pastor

What's the difference between Lutheran and Methodist churches? Where did the Presbyterians come from? What do Quakers believe? These are the questions asked by this week's inquirer on "Ask the Pastor."

This is the sermon from July 25, 2021 in the "Ask the Pastor" summer series.
The question today was: How do we reconcile our faith with many of the events described in the Old Testament?

On Sunday, July 11,  Rev. Dr. Megan Rohrer, Bishop of the Sierra Pacific Synod (ELCA) and their family worshipped with us on Zoom. This is the sermon (actually more a conversation) that Bishop Megan had with us on being the church in this time.
Also included, music by Good Shepherd's director of music, Michael Strelo-Smith. 

As we celebrate Independence Day, we also affirm our interdependence with all people and all of creation. 

In virtually every workshop I've ever led about interfaith matters, someone asks the question: "What about when Jesus said, 'I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life. No one comes to the Father except through me?"

Here is the interview I did with Steve Kindle of Pastor to Pew a few years ago. We talk about my book, The INTRAfaith Conversation. But mostly it's my take on John 14: 6 and how taking the intrafaith question seriously is a necessity for today's church.

The question submitted today is a good one for thinking Christians. We know the biblical passages that support enthusiastic evangelism - such as the Great Commission telling us to "go and make disciples of all nations . . ."
But many of us are uncomfortable with that today. We don’t want to offend. We want to be sensitive to other religions. And we don't want to be criticized or assumed to be a certain kind of Christian. So what to do?
Here are some thoughts - hopefully to begin a conversation on the subject.

I'm the pastor of the Lutheran Church of the Good Shepherd in Burlingame, CA. And I definitely believe that's it's OK to ask questions about faith, religion, Bible, spirituality, church matters, etc., etc.
To submit your question, leave me a voice mail and I'll get to your question as soon as possible.