Lest anyone think preachers have no authority, Jesus says that he is with them when they exercise their office of baptizing and teaching, meaning this: not only authority, but all authority in heaven and on earth is attached to the preaching of the Gospel.

Someone recently observed that I am significantly interested in adiaphora.  It's true.  Thinking about adiaphora has occupied much of my time and attention for the past decade or more, and that continues to be so; not only from a theoretical perspective, but with very practical consideration.

Last Sunday, we stopped at Holy Trinity Lutheran Church in Columbia. It is a small congregation, but it is not a dying congregation. The amount of young families is what caught my eye right away. We were greeted right away by a young father of four. When we made our way into the nave, there before our eyes was an amazing stone crucifix that hangs to the right side of the altar. What a sight to see!