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.”

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  • Is it worth it?

    Matthew 6:1-15 Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him. 9  Pray then like this: “Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name. 10 Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. 11 Give us this day our daily bread, It it was simply a matter of daily bread,…

  • Matthew 6:1-15 Pray then like this: “Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name. 10 Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. When Jesus taught his disciples to pray the Lord’s Prayer he gave us not only a model for prayer, but also some vitally important building blocks for faith.…

  • Whose kingdom is it?

    Matthew 6:9-10 Pray then like this: “Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name. 10 Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. We need to hear Jesus’ teaching on prayer in the context of a greater issue than prayer itself. Jesus’ sermon on the mount describes first of all who…

  • Regarding PLI and Other Activities Outside the Local Church

    I am at the annual conference for the Pastoral Leadership Institute (PLI). PLI is a virtual campus for teaching, equipping, inspiring, and training pastors for missional leadership. One key aspect of the PLI program is also the inclusion through the partner program of the pastors’ wives along side their husbands in much of the core…

  • I’ll have both!

    Matthew 6:9-10 9  Pray then like this: “Our Father in heaven,hallowed be your name.10 Your kingdom come,your will be done,on earth as it is in heaven. There is a recent move in the Christian/missional community to distinguish between the Kingdom of God and the local church. Those who seek to make this distinction make much over the antiquated,…

  • First Order Priority

    Matthew 6:9 Pray then like this: “Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name. What if every time you are faced with a decision – moral, ethical, or otherwise – you sought to honor God’s name? What if every time you were ready to go to work you had in mind how you were going to…

  • Blessing, Honor, Glory, and Praise

    Matthew 6:9 Pray then like this: “Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name.   The book of Revelation has several beautiful songs of praise to the Lamb as the vision unfolds. Although the book as a whole is difficult and for some almost frightening, the message is clear: God is the only one who deserves…

  • Prayer, Giving, and the Kingdom’s Presence

    Matthew 6:2, 5, 7 2  “Thus, when you give to the needy, sound no trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets… 5 “And when you pray, you must not be like the hypocrites. 7 “And when you pray, do not heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles do… There is little doubt…

  • Religion is no calling card

    Matthew 6:1 “Beware of practicing your righteousness before other people in order to be seen by them, for then you will have no reward from your Father who is in heaven. Jesus offers several ways in which we who follow him must not practice our faith. He calls us to a different religious practice than what one…

  • When you pray

    Matthew 6:5 “And when you pray, you must not be like the hypocrites. For they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, that they may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. Some people are intimidated by the challenge of praying in public. They…