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.”

Oops!

Romans 3:22b-24

There is no difference, 23for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.

"Designer Orange" barrier fencing surrounds a hole at St. John in preparation for construction of our new Worship Center. The initial work (before the main project gets underway) involves electrical re-routing for current buildings on campus.

As we prepare for the actual construction of our new worship center at St. John, we must re-route the electrical service to some existing buildings. This involves a significant boring underground (400 feet) and moving the junction of several of these electrical feeds out of the footprint of the new building. In the process, however, and in spite of many precautions, a phone cable and digital fiber-optic cable were snagged. This resulted in the loss of phone service to the church for just over a day. All is now restored, and the electrical re-routing process can continue. Not a grave or insurmountable problem, but certainly an auspicious beginning to a project that we pray will go well for us in the months ahead.

One of my favorite fun movies is Independence Day. It’s certainly no heavyweight in cinematic art, but it’s a fun flick. And there is a particularly funny scene in the movie when two heroes get in an alien spaceship and attempt to launch off on a rescue mission. The pilot moves the controls the wrong way and backs up the ship rather than launching it forward. His comment: “Oops!” Oops indeed; minor detail. His compatriot says, “Let’s try it again – without the oops!”

In a far more grave and far-reaching way, we too have “oops-ed” our way through life. We move forward when we should stand fast. We sidestep the truth. We move away from doing the good we ought to do. Many times we must turn 180 degrees and go a new way because our direction is just plain wrong. That’s the message of Romans 3: we have all sinned; we’ve all fallen short of God’s praise.

When it comes time to repair the damage of our sins, however, the solution is in the grace of God: we have been justified by God’s grace through faith. That puts us on a standing that is solid and secure. We have been redeemed by Christ’s death and saved by His resurrection. Whatever shortcomings we have  in being or doing has been forgiven.

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