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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  • 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…

  • God’s Work

    Yesterday’s message at the Sunday worship service of the LCEF National conference was based on John 17:20-21, where Jesus prays, “I do not ask for these only, but also for those who will believe in me through their word, 21 that they may all be one, just as you, Father, are in me, and I…

  • Jesus’ Presence

    When Jesus promises to be present in the gathering of his people – with as few as two or three – we ought to take note. In fact, his presence is what makes such gatherings possible and truly beneficial. Matthew 18:15-20 “If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault, between you…

  • Whose business is it?

    There’s quite a brouhaha going these days over new airport screening methods by the Transportation Safety Agency. A man in San Diego threatened to have a TSA employee arrested if he touched him inappropriately. Airline pilots are refusing to submit to the new procedures. There has even been a congressional hearing on the matter. An…