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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  • How to Run the Universe

    There is a great scene in the movie “Bruce Almighty” that has Bruce in charge of answering all the prayers of all the people in the world. He is overwhelmed by a mere few seconds of that duty. Finally he answers all the prayers, “YES,” only to discover that he has made a worse mess…

  • Covenant and Kingdom

    Covenant and Kingdom are two themes that run through Scripture and help us understand what it means to be a disciple of Jesus. God has established his covenant with us through the blood of Jesus Christ. God has called us his children. God is our heavenly Father. We have been saved. That is our identity.…

  • Built to Last

    Anyone who knows me knows that I’m pretty jazzed about our new building program at St. John. I do realize that Jesus told the disciples that the temple in Jerusalem would be completely destroyed, “not one stone will be left on another.” (Mark 13:2) He is speaking about the most important religious building for the…

  • Bold and Wise

    Good responds to authority. Evil requires an exercise of power to limit its misdeeds. Jesus speaks of both power and authority in these words to Peter. We need to be bold and wise in our use of both. Matthew 16:18-19 (ESV) [Jesus says,] “And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I…

  • Gate-Breaking Power

    There is incredible power in the confession of Jesus as the Messiah, the Son of the living God. It is a power that is desperately needed today. It is a power that is neglected all too often. It is a power that Jesus says will overcome the stronghold of hell. Matthew 16:13-20 Now when Jesus…

  • My Church

    We may refer to a church as Pastor Jones’ church, as Mike’s, Tom’s, or Mary’s church, or even “my church.” We surely don’t mean to imply that any pastor, person, or that we ourselves own the church; we know better than that. But our easy language habits may betray a failure to remember whose church…

  • The Anointed One

    It’s easy to tell who the good guys are in art from 500 years ago. The saints often have halos. Lucas Cranach painted many portraits of famous people including Martin Luther. He used the color yellow (which he identified with evil) to identify Judas Iscariot in altar triptych at the City Church in Wittenburg. Matthew…

  • Beyond Multiple Choice

    We live in a multiple choice world. We choose among various alternatives each and every day. If our main route to work is stacked up, we look for an alternative. When it comes time to buy a car we have hundreds to choose from. If we need to go to the doctor we can choose…

  • God in the Dock

    God in the Dock is a collection of essays and speeches from C. S. Lewis. The title implies “God on Trial” (the “dock” is British English for the defendant’s place in the courtroom). The title is based on an analogy made by Lewis suggesting that modern human beings, rather than seeing themselves as standing before…

  • Testing God

    On the one hand we are to test God. That’s what Malachi tells the people of his day to do. Four hundred years before Christ was born God says, “Test me in this…” (Malachi 3:10).  But this testing was never to be an arrogant challenge of God. Malachi also laments, “‘But now we call the…