FormingLutherans

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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.

Rhoda handed off to me the masterful theology of Diakonia from Galatians and chapter 9 of Ever to Emmaus, leading direct...
08/18/2026

Rhoda handed off to me the masterful theology of Diakonia from Galatians and chapter 9 of Ever to Emmaus, leading directly into the final chapter 11—Just’s personal diakonia in Spain (“I Will Leave for Spain by Way of You”)—and chapter 12—international theological education (“Word and Sacrament: The Means for Mission”). The liturgical mission has a missiological end, the heavenly banquet/kingdom of God. As these chapters make clear there is no divide between liturgy and mission: “There is no greater act of love to our unbelieving neighbors than to bring them into the liturgical assembly to receive the gift of salvation” (243).I have said to my students that the catechumenate is a sort of personal apostolate for me (and I believe I can rightly claim it is for Rhoda as well). So too is it for Arthur. But not the catechumenate alone! Also, Spain and global theological education.

Rhoda handed off to me the masterful theology of Diakonia from Galatians and chapter 9 of Ever to Emmaus, leading directly into the final chapter 11—Just’s

The final section of Art’s memoir (Liturgy, Catechesis, Diakonia, and Missions) includes four chapters, with today’s pos...
08/03/2026

The final section of Art’s memoir (Liturgy, Catechesis, Diakonia, and Missions) includes four chapters, with today’s post covering the first two. The baton for this relay returns to Kent in August for the final blog post on Ever to Emmaus.

Reading chapter 8, “Liturgy and the Catechumenate: What Is at Stake in the Worship Wars,” was a constant reminder of why we accepted the offer from his (and our) publisher, Wipf and Stock, to review the book; namely, because of many shared convictions about the church and world; the value of a strong adult catechumenate well integrated into the liturgical life of a congregation; and a biblical theology rooted in Christ and his ongoing presence in the world though the eucharistic banquet.

The final section of Art’s memoir (Liturgy, Catechesis, Diakonia, and Missions) includes four chapters, with today’s post covering the first two. The baton

Our thanks to a subscriber who emailed me, asking for information about where to buy the Art's book. What poor marketing...
08/02/2026

Our thanks to a subscriber who emailed me, asking for information about where to buy the Art's book.
What poor marketing we have done thus far! To purchase the book, click here.

Our thanks to a subscriber who emailed me, asking for information about where to buy the Art's book. What poor marketing we have done thus far! To purchase the

Rhoda ended last week’s blog with Arthur Just’s words about good pastoral ministry in the context of and oriented toward...
08/02/2026

Rhoda ended last week’s blog with Arthur Just’s words about good pastoral ministry in the context of and oriented toward the Eucharist, which is always for him and for all of us a Return to Emmaus, an act of remembrance. Section two of the memoir, entitled “Jesus and Mary,” remembers Just’s teaching of the “Gospels as Kerygmatic Memoirs,” especially the Gospel of Luke and enunciates an incipient Lukan (and Lutheran) theology of Mary, who in the church’s remembrance on the basis of Luke’s Gospel is arguably the second most important person in Luke’s narrative. The book is worth reading for innumerable reasons, not the least of which is Just’s provision of a much-needed Lutheran theology of Mary.In chapter 6, “Returning to Emmaus,” Just returns to the “blick,” the hermeneutical insight of seeing clearly the high Christology and high sacramentology of the Scriptures, that weaves as the thread through all of his teaching of the Gospel of Luke.

Rhoda ended last week’s blog with Arthur Just’s words about good pastoral ministry in the context of and oriented toward the Eucharist, which is always for

With this post, Kent and I begin a series reviewing a new book, Ever to Emmaus: A Theological Memoir, by our friend Arth...
07/08/2026

With this post, Kent and I begin a series reviewing a new book, Ever to Emmaus: A Theological Memoir, by our friend Arthur Just, Professor of New Testament at Concordia Theological Seminary, Ft. Wayne, Indiana. Since Art graciously wrote one of the forewords to our book, Journey to Jesus, we’re delighted to be able to thank him by featuring this newly published work.

The opening words of the Prologue – “The room was large and the sherry was dry” – immediately drew me into Art’s story. The Prologue, the story of his doctoral dissertation (Luke’s Gospel through the lens of the Emmaus account), sets the stage for the theme of the book. His dissertation advisor declared, “Emmaus is a story that will serve you until you close your eyes in death. You will always be ‘Ever to Emmaus’” (xxiv).

Part I is titled “A Story of Pilgrimage,” and each of the five chapters has a pilgrimage theme.

With this post, Kent and I begin a series reviewing a new book, Ever to Emmaus: A Theological Memoir, by our friend Arthur Just, Professor of New Testament at C

Rhoda’s First Adventure at a Lutheran Camp – Part 3This will be my final installment of my first experience at a Luthera...
06/12/2026

Rhoda’s First Adventure at a Lutheran Camp – Part 3

This will be my final installment of my first experience at a Lutheran camp (as the keynote speaker at the LCMS Northwest District Youth and Family Ministry Conference, held at Camp Lutherhaven, Coeur d’Alene, Idaho). My apologies to CAMP LUTHERHAVEN! I have been using the wrong name for the camp, but corrections have been made on the previous blog posts.

The video, below, is a quick look at the Dexterity Competition, another event at the “Name the Gift Olympics.” This Olympic event was based on chapter 7 of Journey to Jesus, “The Path to Conversion: Belonging, Believing, Behaving.” For the Dexterity Olympic event, participants had to flip the two upside down cups upright and then fill both with water (another baptismal allusion). One of the two cups had the words (from top to bottom) “belonging, behaving, believing” written on the side (see the featured image, above).

Rhoda’s First Adventure at a Lutheran Camp – Part 3 This will be my final installment of my first experience at a Lutheran camp (as the keynote speak

Rhoda’s First Adventure at a Lutheran Camp – Part 2Yes, my first experience at a Lutheran camp (as the keynote speaker a...
05/31/2026

Rhoda’s First Adventure at a Lutheran Camp – Part 2

Yes, my first experience at a Lutheran camp (as the keynote speaker at the LCMS Northwest District Youth and Family Ministry Conference, held at Camp Lutheridge, Idaho) was so enriching that I’m sharing a second installment. The opening worship included a rite of thanksgiving for baptism, spoken as water was poured from a pitcher into the font (a large salad bowl borrowed from the camp kitchen, as was the pitcher). In my first address the next morning, I spoke of the process of baptismal living as the primary way in which we as Christians are “formed” to be Christ for others in ministry, linking the ritual we had experienced in worship to our transformation through baptism. I had also provided a pithy definition of ritual as actions that are repeated, communal, and symbolic, assigning “homework” to the group that asked them to reflect on ritual in family or civic life that met the definition.

Rhoda’s First Adventure at a Lutheran Camp – Part 2 Yes, my first experience at a Lutheran camp (as the keynote speaker at the LCMS Northwest District Yo

Last month I (Rhoda) had the privilege and joy of serving as the keynote speaker at the LCMS Northwest District Youth an...
05/22/2026

Last month I (Rhoda) had the privilege and joy of serving as the keynote speaker at the LCMS Northwest District Youth and Family Ministry Conference, held at Camp Lutheridge in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho. The theme of the conference, “Formed,” was a great opportunity to introduce some of the resources Kent and I have promoted through this website and our book, Journey to Jesus. For two of the sessions, the whole group (about 50 people) practiced the African Scripture Reflection Method and Luther’s Four-Strand Garland Scripture Reflection. I also facilitated a breakout session for those interested in the Visualization Method. Three people attended: DCE Scott Thurman (St. John Lutheran Church, Vancouver, WA), Deaconess Amanda Mumm (Immanuel Lutheran Church, Twin Falls, ID), and DCE Ethan Mirly (St. John Lutheran Church, Palmer, AK).

Last month I (Rhoda) had the privilege and joy of serving as the keynote speaker at the LCMS Northwest District Youth and Family Ministry Conference, held at Ca

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

I, Rhoda, also had the joy of presenting at a breakout session at Best Practices Ministry last week. After a brief prese...
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

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