‘The Nativity Story’ VOL.125 NO.11 DECEMBER 2006 6 14 18 JESUS IS COMING ST. NICHOLAS— MISSION FOR YOU— THE REAL STORY INVESTMENTS SOONER AND LATER www.lcms.org/witness VOL.125 NO.11 DECEMBER 2006 6 JESUS IS COMING FOR YOU— 6 10 SOONER AND LATER by Robert E. Smith Advent reminds us that God comes to us—in Bethlehem, today and every day, at the end of our earthly life, and at the end of time. 10 THE NATIVITY STORY by Ardon Albrecht This surprisingly accurate and wonderfully moving portrayal of what Mary and Joseph might have felt, said, and believed can refocus the holidays for millions of viewers. 14 14 SAINT NICHOLAS—THE REAL STORY by Julie Stiegemeyer 18 Modern marketing may have morphed him from a devout and caring Christian church bishop into the ubiquitous, seasonal pitchman, but the real Saint Nicholas is worth knowing. 18 MISSION INVESTMENTS by Robin R. Mueller LCMS Early Childhood Centers are a way of doing Gospel 22 outreach for many congregations. 22 LOVE CAME DOWN by Bill Simmons A son’s letter from Afghanistan helps his family focus on the only important truth of Christmas. Dr. Albrecht knows of what he preaching. TO THE READER speaks when it comes to celluloid. As you will note, Dr. Albrecht was In this month’s cover story, Dr. For 17 years he was a writer and then highly impressed with The Nativity Ardon D. Albrecht of Simi Valley, producer of the Synod’s legendary TV Story, which he screened on Nov. 9th Calif., offers an inside peek, replete show, This Is the Life. He wrote the in Los Angeles. It remains to be seen with pastoral and professional five-hour Yeshua documentary on the how this film, which opens on four insights, into the soon-to-be-released life of Christ, hosted by the late Dr. times as many screens as The movie, The Nativity Story. Oswald C.J. Hoffmann. And in recent Passion of the Christ did in 2004, Headlining the film, as the Virgin years, along with fellow southern will stack up at the box office versus Mary, is Keisha Castle-Hughes, best Californian Dr. Charles Manske, he the Mel Gibson blockbuster. known as the Maori girl who rode has been the prime mover behind ashore on the back of an orca in Point of Truth, the LCMS TV program David L. Strand, Executive Director 2003’s Whale Rider. built around worship and exceptional Board for Communication Services DEPARTMENTS COMING NEXT MONTH... 3 LIFELINE 26 FAMILY COUNSELOR • The Light of Epiphany 4 LETTERS 27 SHEDDING SOME LIGHT • Stem Cells—What’s Religion Have to Do with It? 17 SEARCHING SCRIPTURE 28 Q&A • Two Kingdoms; One Me 24 NOTICES 29 FROM THE PRESIDENT LETTERS Overlooking a major player by-side in our collaborative efforts vocation. But along with worrying to reach out to those affected by whether Lutherans are doing what Thank you for including the the tsunami-reaching out with they should be doing, we must insightful and moving article by Christ’s love in Word and deed. also be concerned with seeing Anna Meyer regarding her short- Again, I thank you for bring- that there are more of them term teaching experience in ing attention to this important (more Christians to carry out their Indonesia, (“Moving Rocks in task God has placed before the Christian callings)—by proclaim- Indonesia,” October ’06). The article LCMS, and I urge members ing the earth-shattering news we highlighted our Synod’s sustained throughout the Synod to answer do have, of Christ crucified, risen, involvement and assistance to the the urgent call for short- and long- and coming again. people in tsunami-devastated areas term servants to continue the of Indonesia, as well as the ongoing Carol Geisler work of “moving rocks” in need for LCMS members to serve as St. Louis Indonesia. The appropriate Web short- and long-term volunteers site for international service infor- Mercy! there. mation, which was not provided Thanks for the superb However, the article was not in the article, is www.lcmsworld “Mercy— Lutheran style!” clear in describing the significant mission.org/service. Individuals (November ’06). The writer neatly involvement, work, and partner- interested in serving can also encapsulated why we Missouri ship of LCMS World Mission in speak with one of our placement Synod Lutherans have been, and Indonesia. LCMS World Mission is counselors at 1-800-433-3954. should be, involved in charitable the international sending arm of The works. I particularly appreciated Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod. Dr. Robert M. Roegner the history section of the article, Anna and the teachers mentioned Executive Director, which highlighted the leadership of in her article are all LCMS World LCMS World Mission Pastors Buenger and Herzberger. Mission long-term personnel, but the St. Louis They and their peers knew that concern for and involvement in “Together LCMS World Mission and LCMS World charity has been a characteristic of Lutherans of all nations and ages. Relief/Human Care are providing long-term hope Dr. Martin R. Noland, Director and assistance to tsunami victims in Indonesia, Concordia Historical Institute Sri Lanka, India, and Thailand.” St. Louis Dr. Robert M. Roegner You can do better Executive Director, LCMS World Mission Undoubtedly you get lots of letters expressing differing opin- ions. As editor, in all fairness, you article did not note that. choose responses representing Dennis Denow, the career staff- We are in the world Dr. Siemon-Netto (“We Are both sides of an issue. In answer person coordinating education and Needed,” November ’06) asks why to the positive response regarding assistance projects for tsunami Lutherans don’t face the world Lutheran Service Book provided survivors, serves on behalf of both head-on. I believe that Lutherans by one letter-writer, you chose a LCMS World Mission and LCMS do just that. Every day they go negative response provided by World Relief/Human Care in about their work as Christians in another whose complaints, frankly, Indonesia. Together we are provid- the world—in kitchens, classrooms, were trivialities. Surely you could ing long-term hope and assistance or construction sites. They may have chosen something more sub- to tsunami victims in Indonesia, Sri not be in Congress, but they do stantive if you felt it necessary to Lanka, India, and Thailand. Our col- vote. These things are not usually have a negative. laborative work has a long history, the stuff of earth-shattering news, In view of the very recent and in the case of Indonesia, began but they really are world-shaping publication of the new hymnal, just days after the tsunami. activities. I feel that printing anything nega- In January 2005, LCMS World It is possible that many do not tive serves no good purpose and is Mission sent two survey teams of know they are serving Christ as better not done at all whether the our personnel sponsored by LCMS they carry out these ordinary tasks comment is true or not. World Relief/Human Care. From of daily life. That means we must Ron Royuk those initial days, we’ve stood side- more clearly teach about Christian Seward, Neb. 2 THE LUTHERAN WITNESS The reliable Word Professor Jeffrey Kloha has provided a commendable article for the church’s study in his “The Revelation and Inspiration of the New Testament” (September 2006). His unveiling of the “lost gospels” as generally unorthodox, late rivals of the truth recorded in our four Gospels is particularly useful given the recent unpleasantness unleashed by Dan Brown’s The Da Vinci Code. What Professor Kloha might have explored further is the impor- tant truth that the Church grew up around the preaching and docu- ments that essentially became our New Testament collection. Further, one would hope for greater clarity about the relationship between faith, Christ, and Scripture than is presented in Kloha’s piece. His conclusion is along the lines of “our faith is not in the Bible, it is in Jesus Christ.” While I appreciate his emphasis on Jesus, one must ask, “Whence does faith come?” It issues from hearing words about Jesus as this testimony is drawn from and based on the prophetic and apostolic witness! As St. Paul wrote, “Faith comes by hearing the message, and the message is heard through the Word of Christ” (Rom. 10:17). We trust that God has left us with the prophetic and apostolic witness concerning Himself in the Bible. It is not intellectually honest or fair to pit faith in Christ against faith in the Bible. Faith in Christ and faith in God’s revelation of Himself in Sacred Scripture go together. Apart from His Word, we do not know Jesus Christ as our loving Savior. So, indeed, extol God for the gift of faith in Christ! But also praise Him that He has moved us to trust in Him through the very reliable Word that we proclaim in order to elicit faith! Rev. Lowell S. Sorenson Red Wing, Minn. DECEMBER 2006 3 Jesus Is Coming for You — Sooner and Later Advent reminds us that God comes to us— in Bethlehem, today and every day, at the end of our earthly life, and at the end of time. by Robert E. Smith ven before children put on “Where is God?” we ask again their costumes to go trick- and again. E or-treating, colored lights Hidden in the glitter of the sea- and hot, new toys already had son, God replies, “I am coming appeared in stores from coast to soon!” All but forgotten in the rush coast.