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A Review of Thy Kingdom Come on Brothers of John the Steadfast

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Thanks to Rev. John Frahm III for posting his review of Thy Kingdom Come by David H. Petersen:

“I’ve received my copy of a new book of sermons by Rev. David Petersen of Redeemer Lutheran Church in Fort Wayne, Indiana. The book is a new publication from Emmanuel Press. It is a nice sized paperback volume with a classic painting of the crucifixion on the cover. The kingdom of God comes by itself without our prayer, but it is clear as we learn from the preaching of the Word of God, it comes thereby to us for the delivery of forgiveness, life and salvation.

We have in this selection of Pastor Petersen’s sermons during Lent and Easter (historic one-year lectionary) a glimpse both into the art of preaching and of pastoral care through such preaching. It is clear that these sermons are applications of the Word of God in its full counsel for the sake of the congregation, the feeding of the sheep, and their repentance toward trust in Christ, the Good Shepherd who laid down His life for the sheep. Pastor Petersen gets himself out of the way to be a mouthpiece of the Lord’s gracious voice. His sermons are concise in a way that reminds one of Peter Chrysologous, the Doctor of Homilies. In this respect, I commend this book of sermons for pastors to hone the art of purposeful and exegetically grounded preaching. I have much I can learn from David Petersen in this way. He is a seasoned pastor and spiritual father to the congregation. Redeemer in Fort Wayne is often noted to be one of the ‘most liturgical’ congregations in the Missouri Synod. But it is clearly the case that Redeemer enjoys the gift of good preaching as well as reverent Divine Services. It is helpful for pastors to read the sermons of other faithful pastors to break free their own style and usual vocabulary to express the unchanging faith. Pastor Petersen gives much in the way of a model for both new and experienced pastors who want to deliver a sound proclamation of Christ into our postmodern context.

For the laity, sermons are most always good devotional material to read (such as those of Luther or Johann Gerhard, or more recently those of Norman Nagel). I would certainly commend Thy Kingdom Come as reading for Lutheran laity who wish to have additional good devotional reading to supplement their prayers and reading of Scripture or perhaps in the context of using the daily office at home (Matins, Vespers et al). While Pastor Petersen’s sermons are meaty and substantive, they are also very accessible, and most of them are brief enough for a brief gathering of the family for prayer and catechesis.

In short, I commend this volume to both pastors and laity as another good addition to the Lutheran bookcase at home or in the pastor’s study, or the church library for that matter. For Petersen, clearly our theology informs his preaching, but he does not preach about it.  He proclaims Christ with our dogma and sound exegesis forming the grammar and syntax of his homilies. This is an excellent application of the fact that the power of the Holy Spirit is truly shown in the Word of Christ Himself. The power of the sermon is in the divine monergism of the Christ who speaks through His holy office. Additionally, the Foreword by Rev. Todd Wilken and Introduction by Rev. Michael Frese also are helpful in thinking of the art of preaching. This too is good grist for thought for both those who speak and those who listen. ‘Faith comes by hearing, and hearing through the Word of Christ.'”

Solemn Vespers for the Free Conference at Redeemer

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For those of you who will be attending the conference at Redeemer on January 21, on Monday before the Symposia, here is the bulletin for Solemn Vespers, developed from The Brotherhood Prayer Book. We are making this available in advance so that you may prepare and practice the Gregorian chant prior to the conference, if you wish. In the following files, all of the service has been chanted by Pr. Sean Daenzer. Special thanks to Dr. Benjamin Mayes for developing the bulletin.

Solemn Vespers:
Bulletin (.pdf)
Introductory Versicles and Psalms
Responsory
Hymn
Magnificat
Prayers and Benediction

Click here for a full schedule. We look forward to seeing you there.

The Brotherhood Prayer Book: Text Edition – Now Available for Kindle and Nook

Text cover websiteAfter numerous requests for an e-reader version of The Brotherhood Prayer Book: Text Edition, it is finally available for Kindle and Nook!

The Brotherhood Prayer Book: Text Edition is a book of prayers centered around the entire 150 Psalms. It includes liturgies for Matins, Lauds, Sext, Vespers, English Compline, Latin Compline, German Compline, and more. It also contains a full set of propers for the Liturgical Week, the Liturgical Year, and Saints’ Days. Another highlight is the Beichtspiegel unique to The Brotherhood Prayer Book. This “confession mirror” is a tool used for reflection and self-examination in preparation for private confession and absolution or for the Divine Service.

Thy Kingdom Come: An Excerpt from Ascension

Cover-Website“God’s will is constant. Fallen men need a preaching of repentance, an exposure of our complicity and selfishness, a warning of impending death, and an invitation. You are not God. You do not make the rules. You have not behaved in ways honorable or just or good. You have looked the other way. You have cheated. You are a traitor to your own cause, in league with demons, a pervert, a deviant, a sycophant, a liar, a braggart, a hypocrite, a bureaucrat. Repent. Submit. Stop making excuses. Do not seek to have your sins justified, but seek instead to have them forgiven, removed, and counted against Him, that His good works might be counted to you.”

-David H. Petersen, author of Thy Kingdom Come

Katie Schuermann reviews Thy Kingdom Come

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Katie Schuermann, of He Remembers the Barren, relates how her morning run was stopped dead in its tracks while listening to an Issues Etc. podcast which reviewed a sermon by Pr. Petersen:

“I noticed that I had slowed down. In fact, I was standing still on the curb, looking up the street but seeing nothing. Well, I was seeing something. I was seeing my reflection in Rev. Petersen’s words, and it wasn’t pretty. It’s never pretty when you stare your Sin in the face, when your conscience plays chicken with a Law-wielding pastor. This guy was telling me that I turn everything, even Scripture, into something about myself. And he was right.

My Old Adam lay slain on the pavement….

With the blessed Word, this Midwestern pastor had gunned down the black heart of an insignificant pastor’s wife way down below the Mason-Dixon line and then resuscitated it back to life with the precious, life-giving blood of Christ, all within a span of a few minutes.

Needless to say, I didn’t get much of a workout that day, but I did start downloading more Issues, Etc. episodes, especially the ones with the word ‘Petersen’ in the tag line.”

Read her entire review here.

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