A Blogging Redirect: My Favorite Lutheran Blogs and Bloggers

Nope... this is not my Christmas 2015 blog entry... that will probably come sometime in the next 36 hours if I survive being a paramedic through Christmas Eve and Christmas Day...

This one is on the blogs I read and enjoy. Actually, it is more than that... I learn a lot from all of the ones I follow, search out, or come across in Facebook feeds. 

I read some things and just have to sit back and contemplate the accuracy of the other writer's feelings in matching to how I feel, my views, my need for learning or some other epiphany of the moment. Sometimes it is just about how they further explain scripture.

Almost every blog I read is Lutheran in origin.

Sure, there is the occasional EMS or Scouting blog, but none of those are my regular reads.

So I thought I would share some of my favorite blogs. I love to read, but with busy schedules and little time to sit in one place, I have taken to trying to read more blogs and spend short vignettes of time in the areas I like the most. Blogs work well for that...

My all time favorite single blog entry is one by Chad Bird. I will let you see why.. it reflects how I view the Divine Service. All of Chad Bird's writings are excellent, but this one is my all time favorite and I want to share it far and wide:

https://birdchadlouis.wordpress.com/?s=how+a+small

The hub for all of his excellent writings can be found here: http://www.chadbird.com/

This next one is written by someone named Tanya... I do not know Tanya, but the blog entry she wrote recently (link below) really resonated with me. I had struggled with Americanized evangelical Christianity for many years before I went to my first liturgical service at a Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod congregation on Maundy Thursday 1996. My feelings mirror hers but I could never write this as eloquently... well worth the read!

http://sellersofpurple.blogspot.com/2015/11/why-i-joined-dead-religion.html

Some of the bloggers I follow write almost every day. Oh that I could be so prolific! The next contrast a bit even though they are both Lutheran pastors. The first is Pastor Mark Surburg. His offerings cover many commemoration days, scriptural explanations and liturgical history descriptions. I find his blog to be a daily learning experience. I love the intellectual depth and historical nature of this blog and it helps me grow as a Missouri Synod Lutheran. He even posts his sermons as well. I have included a link to one of his entries below:

http://surburg.blogspot.com/2015/12/o-antiphons-dec-20-o-key-of-david.html

The next blog belongs to Pastor Peters. He presents a diverse offering (as the word "random" indicates in the subtitle of "Pastoral Meanderings") of entries that range from a pastoral view of current events to thoughtful things that just need to be said. His are quick reads filled with content. As Advent changes to Christmas, her is a good example of his work:

http://pastoralmeanderings.blogspot.com/2015/12/when-day-of-our-homecoming-puts-and-end.html

I would be remiss if I did not include the work of Scott Diekmann. He is probably hands down one of the best Christian layman writers from my perspective. He stopped writing his blog some time ago, but the whole of his blog is still available to read. It is quite the learning experience as well and well worth reading from start to finish:

http://stand-firm.blogspot.com/

There are far more than these... and the list could go on for ever. I highly suggest all past and future blog writings by LCMS President Matthew Harrison. Being the president of the Synod, his writings are varied, insightful and timely. These can usually be located via http://www.lcms.org/

I would also suggest following any of the regular contributors at http://steadfastlutherans.org/

Now to go slightly off topic... I would be entirely remiss if I did not mention all of the video and other work being performed by Worldview Everlasting. Pastor Fisk and Peter Slayton (and all of the other contributors have put together an all encompassing hub for Lutheran learning through many video presentations, links and discussions. This site is beyond priceless... http://www.worldvieweverlasting.com/

Again, from a video perspective, but with a touch of humorous satire, I have to recommend the work of Pastor Hans Fiene at Lutheran Satire. Learn while laughing... My all time favorite is the one on St. Patrick describing the Holy Trinity... Check them out at http://lutheransatire.org

The St. Patrick's Bad Analogies can be found here: http://lutheransatire.org/media/st-patricks-bad-analogies/

On one last note... read this one the other day from a Lutheran pastor in Indiana, Rev. Jeff Alexander. He is in Greenwood as a matter of fact. I go to Greenwood on occasion for work and need to stop in and meet him sometime. It says quite a bit with the backdrop of a new Star Wars movie in the theaters... https://www.cph.org/b-258-the-faith-awakens.aspx?utm_source=Facebook&utm_medium=social&utm_content=Faith+Awakens&utm_campaign=Facebook

I hope this particular blog entry gets some additional read/views for those listed. They have all been great pieces of learning for me and I continue to go back for more.

Give these authors and video producers a few minutes of your time each day and be rewarded by the insights they provide.

Till next time... be safe and spread the Word.