Lutheran pastors need to meet the people where they are at, and guide them to where they need to be

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I have been reading Pastoral Meanderings for some years. Yesterday, Pastor Peters wrote a post that hit home.

I would not be surprised if he was on the money with his comparison of our two U.S. seminaries Concordia Fort Wayne, which I attend, and Concordia St. Louis, which I had been urged by at least one pastor to attend. Pastor Peters' review certainly was part of the discussion my wife and I had before we settled (rather quickly I might add) on Fort Wayne. And I do appreciate his answer, that yes, and yes, our seminarians should be trained to meet the congregation where it is at, and to guide, teach, shepherd them to where they should be as Lutherans, centered in the Word, proclaiming the Gospel that beckons to them.

As a first-year seminarian at CFW, I am still befuddled by why we separate the two schools into the traditional, stodgy, hymnal camp (yes, we are the ones who use the hymnal, as one member of my home congregation asked me before I came), and into the modern, happy clappy crowd (another member categorized CSL that way). CFW is not stodgy, and although I have never worshipped at CSL, I am sure they are not happy-clappy either.

The musical and congregational diversity at CFW is immense. I can't imagine another chapel with as rich a sound as CFW's Kramer Chapel -- what an incredible place to worship day in and day out, with two magnificent cantors. In Fort Wayne alone, we have highest of high church, a lot of middle of the road congregations, inner city, rural, missional, and contemporary without even an altar, let along a single trapping of our ancient traditions. I am fortunate to serve in a middle of the road congregation at Ascension Lutheran Church.

With just one quarter, not including summer Greek, under my belt, I can assure you that the professors I have worked with all have guided us so far into doing exactly to what Pastor Peters said CSL and CFW should be doing: teaching us to meet the congregation where they are, to preach the Gospel, to expect slow change if at all. I think he was spot on in saying our parishes benefit most when pastors have a clear idea what it means to be Lutheran. That means we should know, and should be able to celebrate the liturgy through Divine Service. 

It has to be much easier to loosen our collars than tighten them.

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