David Bahn – Reflections

Light from the Word and through the lens

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In 1968 Jerry Snell opened a door in the hallway outside our first hour chemistry class. He invited me into what I discovered was a darkroom. Soon I was on the school newspaper and annual staff as a photographer. Later I learned that Jerry was a Lutheran who was planning to become a pastor. A few years later I was not only a Lutheran, but I was heading off to seminary to become a Lutheran pastor, too. Jerry followed a year later and served as a pastor in Missouri until his untimely heart attack and death. I thank God for Jerry and enjoy photography still today – not to mention rejoicing in having served as a Lutheran pastor in congregations in Utah, Colorado, Arkansas and Texas. I’ve retired now and serve part time as a Congregational Support Specialist for the Texas District of the LCMS. I also provide coaching and leadership training through various PLI cohorts and with individual congregations and organizations. David Bahn is a follower of Jesus Christ, husband to Diane, father and grandfather. He is an avid amateur photographer. His photo website is “Flowers by God Photos by David” He also publishes a devotional blog DavidBahn-Reflections.com. He and Diane live in Cypress Texas and enjoy visiting their grandchildren who live in the United States and Germany. He graduated from Concordia Theological Seminary in 1979, and earned a Doctor of Ministry degree from Fuller Theological Seminary in 1991. Diane, his wife, is now retired from PLI (PLIleadership.org). They have offered presentations on Marriage and Ministry Partnership, Leadership, Changing Your Congregation’s Culture, and Missional Living. They look are working with PLI International training pastors and wives of the ELVD Diocese of the Lutheran Church of Tanzania. David’s personal mission statement is “Leading people to realize Jesus’ calling and plans for their lives.”

When God Works

Matthew 3:4-5

John’s clothes were made of camel’s hair, and he had a leather belt around his waist. His food was locusts and wild honey. 5People went out to him from Jerusalem and all Judea and the whole region of the Jordan. 6Confessing their sins, they were baptized by him in the Jordan River.

Small and easily overlooked this leaf found its place in a corner of a split rail fence.
Small and easily overlooked this leaf found its place in a corner of a split rail fence.

Matthew describes John the Baptist in terms not easily identified as compelling or pleasing to the eye. Whoever heard of preachers gathering crowds by means of clothes and diet such as these?

This was significant as a mark of his prophetic office (Old Testament prophets were known for doing some outlandish things). But even in his day, John could easily have been dismissed.People back then knew a crazy man when they saw one. So they could have dismissed John and his message: “We’ve heard it all before: ‘Repent. Believe. Get ready. God is coming.’ Yeah, yeah, yeah.”

But that is not what happened. People came out. People confessed their sins. People were baptized – a sign of their repentance and desire to prepare their hearts for God’s reign there.

The Kingdom of God is His reign in the hearts of people. If God is going to reign in our hearts, we need to make room there. That requires throwing out some bad stuff, getting rid of the idols, and making a place for Him to stay. It requires confessing our sins. It requires listening to His prophets – no matter how outlandish they may appear.

The con artist will go to great lengths to look respectable and presentable. He will comb his hair, put on a suit and tie. He will gather all the accouterments of success and trustworthiness to gain a sympathetic ear. John seems to care nothing about these things. He is in the wild. But his message takes aim at our hearts and God moves people to go to him, confess their sins and prepare themselves for His Kingdom to come among them.

God doesn’t always break into our world in conventional ways. But His desire is that we, like the people of John’s day, “repent and believe the good news: the Kingdom of God is near.”

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