David Bahn – Reflections

Light from the Word and through the lens

recent posts

about

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.”

Resolutions: Don’t Go There!

Many people make New Year Resolutions. Those who track such things say that if you write them down you are much more likely to keep them. In fact, however, I’ve written NYRs down and not written them down. My track record is rather mixed:
* Read 12 books in a year’s time: Check
* Reduce my golf handicap by 50%: Ha Ha Ha! My handicap is my swing!
* Read through the Bible in one year: Check (several times – a really good one)
* Lose weight: Many, many times…(Can you say, “yo-yo”?)
* Exercise, drive the speed limit, improve my leadership skills… the list goes on with mixed results. But here is a life-calling that is not so much a New Years Resolution as it is a life-long calling that I heartily recommend:
Daily look for God’s Kingdom, living in the covenant of his love.

Mark 1:14-15
Now after John was arrested, Jesus came into Galilee, proclaiming the gospel of God, and saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.

To hold to such an understanding of all of life is the key to a life of abundance, purpose, and meaning. It is God’s daily call to us. Watch for God. Repent and believe the Good News of his love for you in Jesus Christ.

Just as the boards now hidden from view in our new worship center, still provide strength and support for the building and the fixtures within the building, so a life-long commitment to “live under [Christ] in his kingdom and serve him in everlasting righteousness, innocence, and blessedness” (Luther’s Small Catechism, explanation of the 2nd Article of the Apostle’s Creed) is the kind of long-term life calling that we need to commit to again and again each day.

God has made a covenant with us: to forgive our sins, to be our God, to give us the gift of eternal abundant life. We live that out in his kingdom by serving others and joining his kingdom’s call in the world.

Discover more from David Bahn – Reflections

Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.

Posted in

Leave a comment

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.