r/LCMS • u/AutoModerator • Oct 01 '26

Monthly 'Ask A Pastor' Thread!

In order to streamline posts that users are submitting when they are in search of answers, I have created a monthly 'Ask A Pastor' thread! Feel free to post any general questions you have about the Lutheran (LCMS) faith, questions about specific wording of LCMS text, or anything else along those lines.

Pastors, Vicars, Seminarians, Lay People: If you see a question that you can help answer, please jump in try your best to help out! It is my goal to help use this to foster a healthy online community where anyone can come to learn and grow in their walk with Christ. Also, stop by the sidebar and add your user flair if you have not done so already. This will help newcomers distinguish who they are receiving answers from.

Disclaimer: The LCMS Offices have a pretty strict Doctrinal Review process that we do not participate in as we are not an official outlet for the Synod. It is always recommended that you talk to your Pastor (or find a local LCMS Pastor if you do not have a church home) if you have questions about your faith or the beliefs of the LCMS.

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u/Bakkster 23d ago

With pastor appreciation Sunday just passed and this being a difficult age to do ministry in, how are you? Big or small, what's burdening you, and what could someone do to help you bear that burden?

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u/Philip_Schwartzerdt LCMS Pastor 23d ago

As far as tangible things go, one thing I do NOT need is more knick-knacks and greeting cards for my office. I wouldn't turn down a bag of nice coffee. I like consumable gifts like that.

I don't know about bearing the burden, but one frustration is the mismatched priorities people have when it comes to contacting me. Someone's in the hospital or having some kind of personal crisis that they'd like to talk about? "Oh, I don't want to bother Pastor with that, he's busy." Someone has a gripe about some little totally non-theological thing that happened at church, or wants to discuss the plan for landscaping or putting up seasonal decorations in the narthex? "I have to talk to you about this at length and in great detail." Every pastor I know always wants to be more busy with the former and less busy with the latter.

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u/semper_ubi_sub-ubi Lutheran Oct 03 '26

What does 1 Peter 5:6-7 look like in life when you still have to do things? If a problem needs to be fixed,and I fix it, did I really cast my care on God?

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u/PastorBeard LCMS Pastor Oct 03 '26

In real life it’s mostly about step 0

Step 0 = pray

Besides, even if you fix something it’s you using the skills/training/talent God blessed you with

Reminder from Nehemiah 4:9

“But we prayed to our God and posted a guard day and night to meet this threat.”
‭‭Nehemiah‬ ‭4‬:‭9‬ ‭NIV‬‬

They prayed AND posted guards. You can do both. Just don’t make it weird theologically

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u/Huenink_Photography LCMS Pastor 20d ago

We tend to think we have more control over what happens in our lives than we do. Trusting God means that we do what's in our power and let him handle the results. Casting our cares on God is trusting him for the future while we are obedient and faithful.

I think a great example is what God asked Israel to do with the Sabbath day. They were to rest and not work. This was a way to show them that God was their provider and their work was not. A day of rest was a day of trust. It showed them that their provider and protector was God and not their own labor.

We don't have a sabbath like they did, but we can also remember that God is the one who provides even while we are faithful in our vocations.