King of Kings Lutheran Church

Believers Reflecting Christ

The above graphic represents the three characteristics of the disciple and the five-fold Christian purpose. The three characteristics and the five-fold purpose form the foundation for King of Kings 2005-2006 ministry objectives. Feel free to leave your comments by clicking the comments link below.

Spirituality Online

Pew research reports that 64% of 128 million internet users in the United States have used the web for religious or spiritual purposes. Internet for Christians founder Quentin Schultze comments that the research did not address the spiritual pitfalls of excessive use of the internet, but the report "is an interesting snapshot at how cyberspace has become part of people's everyday religious communication."

—Internet for Christians, Apr 16-22, 2004

Ohio Defends Marriage

Ohio Gov. Bob Taft signed into law the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) last Friday, making Ohio the 38th state to do so.

The new law, which will go into effect in 90 days after Taft signed it, declares that same-sex marriages are "against the strong public policy of (the) state," and reserves marital benefits for the union of one man and one woman.

Rarely does a governor provide an explanation for signing a bill, but Taft took that step with DOMA.

"The singular purpose of House Bill 272 is to reaffirm existing Ohio law with respect to our most basic, rooted, and time-honored institution: marriage between a man and a woman," Taft said in a statement issued when he signed the bill.

Many states that already have DOMA's are taking additional steps to protect marriage from lawsuits that are expected to be filed if Massachusetts allows same-sex marriage to stand. The Ohio governor recognized the threat that marriage is facing at the hands of judicial tyrants.

"Four judges in another state should not, and cannot, hold the power to redefine marriage in Ohio," Taft said. "Rather, it is for citizens of Ohio, through our elected representatives and after extensive public and legislative debate, to determine our laws and, here, to define our fundamental institutions."

Marriage and family advocates are especially encourage by Ohio becoming the 38th state with a DOMA in place because 38 is the smallest number of states needed to ratify the Federal Marriage Amendment, if Congress should pass it and send it to the states.

by Sonja Swiatkiewicz, state issues analyst for Focus on the Family (www.focusonthefamily.org)

News from Andy Bacon

Good news from Army Reserve Chaplain Arthur “Andy” Bacon, serving in Iraq:

Chaplain Bacon reports on an incident following one of the Bible classes he was teaching for his troops:

“The words of Scripture spoke clearly to one Specialist who regularly attended the class. Her face changed and the Spirit must have begun moving in her heart as she heard about baptism. As we moved rapidly out the door to make room for [another] service that morning, she came up to me and said, in much the same words as the Ethiopian eunuch must have said to Philip, ‘Can I be baptized?’

“I said, ‘Of course. When would you like to be baptized?’ ‘Chaplain,’ she said, ‘Whenever you can work it into your schedule.’ I thought for about a microsecond. ‘How about this evening?’ ‘O.K.,’ she said.”

Chaplain Bacon is president of Concordia Lutheran Seminary (Lutheran Church—Canada) in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.

New Synod hymnal to use English Standard Version

Lutheran Church--Missouri Synod News:

The English Standard Version (ESV) of the Bible will be used as the "primary translation" in the Missouri Synod's new hymnal and in the "agenda" for pastors, both scheduled for publication in 2006.

The Synod's Commission on Worship made that decision in a resolution adopted during its Oct. 27-28 meeting in St. Louis.

The decision concurs with a recent opinion of the Commission on Theology and Church Relations that the ESV and the New American Standard Bible are preferable to other versions, in terms of "theological and linguistic ... [and] text-critical grounds."

Dr. Paul Grime, executive director of the Commission on Worship, said that the ESV "reads in a familiar voice." He explained that it is a "conservative revision of the Revised Standard Version, which many people in the Synod used not too long ago."

The CTCR said it would leave the question of readability to the worship commission.

"This decision is not to be seen as an endorsement of an official translation for the Synod," said Grime.

"Lutheran Worship," the most recent Synod hymnal to be published, uses the New International Version, which the CTCR found was less preferable "on theological and linguistic grounds."

"We are not recommending that congregations throw out their current Bibles," said Grime, who pointed out that "members of our congregations use a variety of translations."

Grime said that the Commission on Worship's planned insert with the December "Reporter," the Synod's newspaper, "will elaborate on the translation choice." He said that the insert also will have results from the most recent congregational field-test of hymnal material.