Columnists

Nathan Aaseng


Nathan Aaseng
Pastor
St. John's Lutheran Church
Eau Claire, WI

Most Recent Column:

A Week Without Faith

I just got back from vacation. I spent a week almost entirely free of faith, and I loved it.

That's not to say I took a week off from God. We were in pretty close touch all week.

 
Eric Barreto


Eric Barreto
Assistant Professor of New Testament
Luther Seminary
St. Paul, Minnesota

Most Recent Column:

A Review: Inception

Summer blockbusters frequently have to choose between ambition and spectacle.

The latter typically draws on explosions and CGI to draw in the masses. The former pushes the boundaries of film but only to a small crowd of aficionados. Only rarely does a film strive to do both, especially in the doldrums of a hot summer. Christopher Nolan's Inception is the newest member of this elite group of films that both dazzles and provokes a critical response.

 
Kae Evensen


Kae Evensen
Pastor
Mercy Seat Lutheran Church
Minneapolis, MN

Most Recent Column:

Topical Preaching or “At The End of the World There Will Be Snacks”*

I tend not to be a topical preacher, impossibly dependent upon the lectionary. So, each week, I fervently search the assigned texts, hoping one will capture me and pull me into a sermon.

But every now and again, there are times when veering from the lectionary seems like a good idea: maybe a sermon series during Lent, stewardship, world events that need addressing, even those times when your congregation needs a little push or encouragement.

 
Kendra Mohn


Kendra Mohn
Associate Pastor
Mt. Zion Lutheran Church (ELCA)
Wauwatosa, WI

Most Recent Column:

Changing Words

For the last few years, I've spent a lot of time talking.

Sermons, funerals, Bible studies, Confirmation classes, hallway conversations, financial decisions, and council meetings have all requested my preparation, my interpretation, or my feedback. Even if I said very little, like in pastoral counseling sessions where the person "just needed to talk," my few words have been important to the hearer, and I've been careful to say what I mean and to use words to bring strength, comfort, and healing.