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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  • Christmas is more than a religious holiday.

    From the civil perspective, Christmas is a religious holiday. There is plenty of rancor about political correctness, the public display of nativity scenes, Christmas trees, or even the greeting “merry Christmas.” The holiday is fraught with religious overtones from a worldly and civil perspective. But the holiday is not merely religious, for “religion” is a…

  • Playground Rules

    A family was visiting a park in Fort Wayne, Indiana. They were moving there from Springfield, Illinois. Two African American boys were playing on the only swings that were available at that particular playground, so one of the boys from the Illinois family hit upon an idea. “Only boys with blond hair, blue eyes, and…

  • Waiting

    How are you with waiting? As a child I recall having such a difficult time waiting for the presents under the tree to be opened that I peeked into one that was for me, and I was actually disappointed by it. Waiting for your 16th or 21st birthday can be a challenge. Waiting for (putting…

  • The Lord Reigns!

    Psalm 99 1 The Lord reigns; let the peoples tremble! He sits enthroned upon the cherubim; let the earth quake! 2 The Lord is great in Zion; he is exalted over all the peoples. 3 Let them praise your great and awesome name! Holy is he! 4 The King in his might loves justice. You…

  • Infamy’s End

    On this day “that will live in infamy” it is good to remember that every evil has its end. Satan is not eternal. Evil will fall under its own weight. The bully will one day be gone. But the righteous will find salvation in the Lord. Psalm 37:35-40 (ESV) 35 I have seen a wicked,…

  • Pause

    I am a busy person! And this time of year I have lots of company. Whether it’s long commutes to work, or the pressure of year end projects, or the addition of Christmas parties, shopping, decorating, or cooking, we’re all busy this time of year. That’s why today’s psalm is so salutary. Three times in…

  • To be so blessed

    Psalm 1 is a keeper. Not only is it a great psalm, worth reading, marking, meditating on, and memorizing; it is worth emulating, striving for: keeping.     Psalm 1 [ESV] 1Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the…

  • Ascribing and Acknowledging God’s Glory

    On retreat today for prayer and sermon planning, I decided to depart from Matthew and look at the Psalms for today (Psalm 29; 59; 89; 149 {leaving Psalm 119 for the 31st day of the month}) Well and good. But how do we do this thing that God calls us to do? How do we…

  • He’s worth it. So is she.

    In the land of “I did it my way,” and “If it is to be, it is up to me,” it is easy to lose sight of our need for others. We are a fiercely independent lot. We have self-reliance down to an art. What proof? How many of us have stand-by generators, or at…

  • It’s Esential

    This is Thanksgiving week. Many are thinking about turkey, pumpkin pie, football and family gatherings. Along with those gatherings will go opportunities to be offended, remember old hurts, relive past gatherings – happy and sad. Some will gather for their meal missing one special person for the first time. Others will take the opportunity to…