Why Lutherans do what we do has been a question that has been of no small importance to me over the past thirty years. Be assured: it is not as though I have any objections to what Lutherans ‘do’ that causes me concern. No, it is simply part of the Lutheran ministry to be well attuned to what Lutherans typically ‘do’ that is in no small way important, I believe, to being an effective Lutheran minister. If Martin Luther pondered the issue of why Lutherans do what they do, he would…I suspect…return immediately to his study in Wittenberg and begin the composition of a serious literary piece of one form or another. My thoughts in this November newsletter will be far more modest.

It was actually a delightful article I recently spotted in the Thrivent Magazine that inspired me to give this question more serious consideration. The author Gretchen Roberts tackled this question…Why Lutherans Do What We Do…with some good insight and wonderful humor. Her comments were so fine, I thought, that I felt her words deserved to be shared with a wider audience than that of Lutherans who have life insurance or some other financial connection with Thrivent. So, in this lead article for November, I invite you to settle back and check out how one author creatively explored the very complex matter of ‘why Lutherans do what we do’ and see if you find something of the truth in her investigations…

Baptize babies…

While many Lutherans are baptized as babies, it's actually a nondiscriminatory practice: "We baptize sinners," one person said, as Jesus commanded in Matthew 28:19 ("Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit"). We Lutherans not stingy with grace. Luther taught that if grace is available, everyone ought to get it… including babies!

{ Personally, I agree. How about you?

Volunteer endlessly even though we believe we're saved by grace alone…

One of the main tenets of Lutheranism is found in the fourth article of the Augsburg Confession, which says we are saved by grace – through faith in Christ – not by works. (See also Ephesians 2:8-9: "For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith – and not from yourselves, it is the gift of God – not by works, so that no one can boast.") "When we feed on God's word, the natural result is service to our neighbor," one Lutheran says. "What Jesus did for us, He did willingly. We in turn serve freely and willingly, 'in fervent love toward one another,' because everything in the church is free – the grace of God and service to our neighbor."

{ Personally, I agree. How about you?

Consider it a badge of honor to show as little emotion as possible…

Our Lutheran ancestors were from northern Europe, where the cold climate made stoicism a survival tool. Though it began with physically enduring difficult environmental conditions, fortitude became an emotional state of mind as well. "When things get bad, Lutherans say, "Well, it could be worse.' And when things go really well, we don't say anything, because we're afraid to jinx it," one Lutheran says. "You can't waste energy celebrating, because there's work to do."

{ Personally, I agree. How about you?

Approach the church's spending with a careful eye, but often give anonymously to those in need…

We take pride in our thriftiness, which extends to getting full use out of every penny for God's church, too. "There's just not a penny to be wasted, and if we as a faith community can get by with an unheated building and secondhand hymnals, then we'll get by. It's almost a point of pride. We don't need fancy soap dispensers in our church," one Lutheran says. But Lutherans aren't stingy: "We're certainly frugal, but when Lutherans see someone in need, they're incredibly generous," another Lutheran says. "In my experience as a pastor and nonprofit radio show host, the more someone gives, the less they want anyone to know about it."

{ Personally, I agree. How about you?

Sit in the back of the church and/or protect our pew like it's reserved seating at a rock concert…

Staking out the back rows facilitates a quick escape for those wanting to avoid the Sunday restaurant rush, one Lutheran says. "Plus, Lutherans are leery of being too devout. We have a proper understanding of our sin, so we shy away from the holy things up front."
As to pews, one Lutheran pastor believes we get into ruts that are unrelated to holy rituals. In his first congregation, he had everyone switch seats during a sermon to get people thinking from a different perspective. "The congregation was good-natured, but it was, 'Ha, ha, don't do that again,'" he commented!

{ Personally, I agree. How about you? Also, I have no plans to try the above experiment at Faith Lutheran.

Consider our main form of socialization the potluck – with mandatory Jell-O®…

The potluck, a long-standing tradition among many Lutherans, is an opportunity for the same kind of table fellowship Jesus practiced throughout his ministry. "Recipes make good conversation like nobody's business, and that sharing is community-building," one Lutheran said. "You could never start a church without hosting food gatherings. They're critical." Another Lutheran believes Lutherans understand that food is a good gift of God. "If God gave it to us, why not enjoy it, and why not all together in the church basement?" The Jell-O dessert is just a bonus!

{ Personally, I agree. How about you?