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This is the page for FormingLutherans.org, a fledgling movement advocating for and supporting the catechumenal model as an effective means to “form Lutherans” in the 21 st century.

03/12/2026

The author of Hebrews, alluding to the account in Genesis 18 of the three men/angels/the Lord visiting Abraham and Sarah, wrote,

“Let mutual love continue. Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for by doing that some have entertained angels without knowing it” (Heb 13:1-2).

Shortly after returning home from the Best Practices Ministry 2026, all the attendees (I assume) received an email from Jeff Schrank, pastor of Christ Lutheran in Phoenix, which hosts the conference. Jeff wrote:

“Would you please be willing to reflect upon how this event impacts you, your team, your church? I will share these thoughts with the congregation and the army of volunteers that wanted to encourage you last week.”

Here, Jeff, my response to your email. This year was my third time attending BPM, and what amazed me that first year continues to blow me away, namely the astonishing love and hospitality of the people of Christ Church, especially those who serve behind the scenes.

The author of Hebrews, alluding to the account in Genesis 18 of the three men/angels/the Lord visiting Abraham and Sarah, wrote, “Let mutual love continue

02/20/2026

I, Rhoda, also had the joy of presenting at a breakout session at Best Practices Ministry last week. After a brief presentation that began with the “grim statistics” of the decline in church membership in recent decades, moved to the need for adult faith formation, and zipped through a quick summary of the stages of the adult catechumenate, my formal presentation ended with brief descriptions of three models for small group reflection on Scripture. Common to all three is use of the Gospel texts from the three-year lectionary. The focus on Gospel readings in these small groups introduces those unfamiliar with the Bible to the person of Jesus – not doctrines or teachings about Jesus – but the stories of Jesus, what he said and did.

I, Rhoda, also had the joy of presenting at a breakout session at Best Practices Ministry last week. After a brief presentation that began with the “grim stat

02/18/2026

On Thursday at the Best Practices in Ministry Conference in Phoenix, Arizona, Kent’s breakout session room was full of pastors, musicians, and other church professionals to hear his presentation—I counted 70 people. Everyone was engaged as he presented, and the questions and discussion were lively.

I had the joy of reconnecting with a number of CSP alum and former students. I’m pictured here with Pastor Ryan Barnett. I was his third favorite CSP theology professor, after Dr. David Lumpp and “the other” Dr. Schuler. But he did purchase a couple of our book, Journey to Jesus, which will be signed by both Kent and me!

On Thursday at the Best Practices in Ministry Conference in Phoenix, Arizona, Kent’s breakout session room was full of pastors, musicians, and other church pr

02/06/2026

Kent and Rhoda will both be presenting at Best Practices in Ministry, “a conference hosted by Christ Church Lutheran . For over 10 years we have offered this FREE conference to remind professional and lay church workers that you are loved, you are not alone, and you matter. And when we say free, we truly mean that: free meals, free shuttling, free speakers, free snacks, free activities, free registration.” For any of our readers who will be with us in Phoenix next week, here are the details about our respective breakout sessions.

Luther’s Contemporary Worship: Worship that is Always of, by, and for Faith, by Kent Burreson, will explore how Luther’s vision of the church’s worship life was always contemporary: oriented toward birthing, strengthening, and nurturing the baptismal life of faithful trust in God the Father here and now.

Kent and Rhoda will both be presenting at Best Practices in Ministry, “a conference hosted by Christ Church Lutheran [in Phoenix, Arizona]. For over 10 years

01/28/2026

Since both Kent and I are alumni of Valparaiso University, we wish to remind our readers that the early-bird registration for the Institute of Liturgical Studies at VU ends on January 31. To save $100 on the registration cost, click here by Saturday, January 31. The Institute meets April 13 - 15, 2026. It's a great post-Holy Week retreat for pastors and musicians.

Registration fees: Early Regular Registration – $350 (ends January 31)Registration – $450First-Time Attendee – $250Retiree – $250Additional Registrant (same address) – $300

The Feast of Creation—liturgy as creation groans

In April and May 2025, an ecumenical seminar was convened for the second time in Assisi, Italy.

Since both Kent and I are alumni of Valparaiso University, we wish to remind our readers that the early-bird registration for the Institute of Liturgical Studie

01/01/2026

Although it is (apparently) an urban legend that the origin of the carol "The Twelve Days of Christmas" stems from a time when Roman Catholics in England (16th to early 19th centuries) were not allowed to practice their faith openly, we're featuring the modern legend on today's post. The carol was purportedly written as a catechumenal song to teach youth Catholics about their faith, with each gift holding the hidden meaning of a Christian truth. As critics have pointed out, the 12 "hidden meanings" are shared by Christians across denominational boundaries; there is nothing distinctive to Roman Catholicism in them, and the hypothesis is rather recent. Nevertheless, I find the "hidden meanings" a lovely way to christianize an otherwise secular "carol," especially since the celebration of Christmas by those for whom it is a secular and cultural holiday ends on "the second day of Christmas."

Here are the 12 hidden meanings:

- The Partridge in the pear tree is Jesus Christ.

Although it is (apparently) an urban legend that the origin of the carol "The Twelve Days of Christmas" stems from a time when Roman Catholics in England (16th

12/05/2025

Shrouded in legend, Bishop Nicholas of Myra (270-343) evolved over the centuries into the patron saint of children (in the West) and sailors (in the East). According to one Roman Catholic source, this devolution—my word, not that of my source—of a fourth-century saint revered for acts of mercy and charity into the King of consumerism at Christmas started in Protestant circles.

“…the giving of presents at Christmas … is not an old Catholic custom. It seems to have originated among the Protestants of the Low Countries and to have been taken to America by the Dutch immigrants of New Amsterdam” (Butler, Lives of the Saints, December vol., 60). The name “‘Santa Claus’” derives from “the Dutch ‘Sint Niklaas’” (ibid., 59).

Shrouded in legend, Bishop Nicholas of Myra (270-343) evolved over the centuries into the patron saint of children (in the West) and sailors (in the East). Acco

12/02/2025

This week's post covers Confession and the Office of the Keys and the Creed.
Here are some comments to help the reader understand how I arrived at the scripture readings and hymns chosen for this part of the catechetical sermon series.

Sermons on Confession and the Keys

The Scripture readings for the sermons on Confession and the Keys were primarily chosen from the passages listed in each part of the explanation to Luther’s Small Catechism. The order of the sermons reflects the order found in the current editions of the Catechism and LSB. The first sermon should reflect the two parts of confession: 1) the act of confessing one’s sins, and 2) God’s pronouncement of absolution by either the pastor or a fellow Christian. The second sermon should reflect the fact that at our Baptism God bestows on us the Office of the Keys. The Keys are exercised both by Christian laity and clergy – the laity privately, the clergy publicly on behalf of the laity and for their spiritual benefit.

Here are some comments to help the reader understand how I arrived at the scripture readings and hymns chosen for this part of the catechetical sermon series.

11/23/2025

Rev. Dr. Armand Boehme writes:
Here are some comments to help the readers understand how I arrived at my selection of the scripture readings and hymns for this part of the catechetical sermon series.

Baptismal Sermons

For each of the baptismal sermons I included in the readings the scriptural texts Luther used in his Catechism (Matt. 28:16-20; Mark 16:15-16; Titus 3:3-8; Romans 6:1-11).

For the first sermon the Old Testament and Epistle readings reflect the fact that circumcision is the Old Testament predecessor to Baptism, and that Baptism (the circumcision of Christ) can be administered to infants. Circumcision was administered to infants on the 8th day (Genesis 17:9-13). The sermon text contrasts Jesus’ Baptism with our baptism – Jesus was baptized as an adult and did not need Baptism; most of us were baptized as infants and all of us needed Baptism to be brought to faith and to have sin forgiven.

Here are some comments to help the readers understand how I arrived at my selection of the scripture readings and hymns for this part of the catechetical sermon

11/08/2025

We are pleased to announce the start of a new series, Preaching on the Catechism. In September, when I attended the Go First! Ministry Conference sponsored by the Minnesota South District, I was curious about the workshop titled “Catechetical Preaching.” After attending the session led by Pastor Armand Boehme, I shared a bit of the content from his presentation with Kent. We both agreed that his work dovetails well with our goals for adult faith formation within congregations. We are delighted that Pastor Boehme has agreed to share with our readers the resources he has developed over his decades of parish ministry. Here’s more about him:

Rev. Dr. Armand J. Boehme serves as Associate Pastor, of Trinity Lutheran, Northfield, MN. He previously served other parishes in Wisconsin and Minnesota. He is a campus contact Pastor, and was a vicarage supervisor, mentor for colloquy and Ethnic Immigrant Institute of Theology students and a District LWML Counselor.

We are pleased to announce the start of a new series, Preaching on the Catechism. In September, when I attended the Go First! Ministry Conference sponsored by t

10/31/2025

I’m nostalgic for 2017, a year filled with special commemorations of the 500th anniversary of Luther’s 95 Thesis and the reforms of the church launched by that event. While most people today (October 31) are fixated on costumes for their kids, Halloween candy to give out, or creepy lawn decorations, I’m musing about Luther’s 1520 treatise The Freedom of a Christian (Quotations are from The Annotated Luther Study Edition, edited by Timothy J. Wengert, Fortress, 2016). Luther wrote: "In order to point out an easier way for common folk (for I serve only them), I am proposing two themes concerning the freedom and servitude of the spirit."

The Christian individual is a completely free lord of all, subject to none.

The Christian individual is a completely dutiful servant of all, subject to all (488).

The remainder of Luther's treatise shows how these paradoxical statements are both true.

I’m nostalgic for 2017, a year filled with special commemorations of the 500th anniversary of Luther’s 95 Thesis and the reforms of the church launched by t

10/10/2025

Thank you, Concordia University, St. Paul, for this opportunity!
Earlier this week Concordia University, St. Paul hosted a book event to celebrate the publication of Journey to Jesus as a resource for the church. I had the “opportunity to thank publicly a host of people who helped bring this book to birth,” from my co-author, Kent Burreson—who had a vision for conducting research on the adult catechumenate and who invited me to join him in this project—to the student worker, Madi Patrow (now a DCE graduate serving in a congregation in the Twin Cities area) who “transformed my scribbled, chaotic interview notes into pages of order and beauty” (the quotations are from my comments at the event).

In addition to my public thanks to many, I also shared a bit about the book itself and our goals.

October 10 2025 Professor Schuler in the Library with the BookRhoda SchulerBlog, Speaking Engagement, Thanksgiving Catechumenate 0 Earlier this week Concordia University, St. Paul hosted a book event to celebrate the publication of Journey to Jesus as a resource for the church. I had the “opportun...

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