Rev. Dr. Allan R. Buss was elected president of the LCMS Northern Illinois District in 2018. During his presidency, the one thing everything we do will serve is “keeping the main thing the main thing,” faithfully serving the Gospel of Jesus Christ and sharing it in our community and the world. His commentaries help us unpack and apply this vision to church life everywhere.
Click Here: Spring 2023 Ministry Update President’s Commentary for Printing and Sharing
Click Here: Winter 2023 Ministry Update President’s Commentary for Printing and Sharing
President’s Commentary from Ministry Update Spring 2023:
Where did you learn that? Well, I was taught how to milk a cow by my neighbor, Dale, and my Uncle Donnie. My old friend Edwin taught me how to drive a Case SC tractor. I was taught how to be a husband by observing others and by my wife’s patience and advice.
And being a pastor? College, seminary, vicarage, fellow pastors; but mostly I learned from the laity with whom I have served over 33 years of pastoral ministry. Even in my current role, by the grace of God, I am still learning! Yes, we sometimes learn the hard way. All Christian Education begins and ends with God’s Word!
All this is to say that Christian Education continues throughout life and is for more than children. One
speaker says, “it’s what you know after you ‘know it all’ that matters.” Jesus took grown men and women and called them to “Follow Me” and made them life-long disciples. He chose them, they did not choose Him! To every disciple, Jesus gives a cross to carry and still leads us (Luke 9:23). Some of those men, who were followers of Jesus, He made into apostles and sent them out in His place to carry out His public ministry. God intends every disciple to continue to grow.
I’d like to give a “shout out” to all faithful Christian Educators among us:
• To Sunday School teachers, Thank You!
• To teachers in our Lutheran Schools, Thank You!
• To devout professors at Concordia University Chicago, Thank you!
• To parents who teach their children God’s Word in the home, Thank You!
• To those engaged in Children’s Ministry, Thank You!
• To those who lead and teach in Youth Ministry, Thank You!
• To those who facilitate small group Bible Studies, Thank You!
• To our pastors who take every opportunity to teach, including in sermons, Thank You!
We love those who teach because we are not “know-it-alls”!
A pastor just told me that he had learned from a mistake he made. How encouraging to hear. He, like all of us, was ready to hear that the Lord and his congregation were ready to heal and restore. He was ready to move on.
What mistakes have you learned from? What mistakes are you learning from today? Not every mistake is
a sin, but every sin is a mistake, a grave one. We repent of our sins and look to Jesus for His complete
forgiveness. What He earned, He gives freely!
The uplifting news is that there is so much more to learn. About life? Yes! There is so much to learn from God’s Word and our Savior, Jesus! That truth of God revealed in the pages of the Scripture and in the
person of Jesus. There is nothing boring about digging into the depths of God’s Grace and Truth. No wonder we begin our meetings and life together in the Word!
The old adage goes, “We have two ears and one mouth so that we do twice as much listening as speaking.” More listening and less talking will provide us with more opportunities for Christian learning. There is more power in the Word of God and much less in human opinions and sometimes no power and value in those opinions.
In the Church, it is great to learn together and from one another! Jesus has so much to give in Word, community, and Sacrament! Let’s lead and learn by example!
Rev. Dr. Allan R. Buss
President
LCMS Northern Illinois District
