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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  • Better than a “come to Jesus” meeting

    Perhaps you’ve heard of a “come to Jesus meeting”. It’s an encounter of accountability and confrontation. When a person is to have a come to Jesus meeting he braces himself to be criticized, shown the errors of his way, and put in his proper place. Matthew 14:22-27 Immediately [Jesus]  made the disciples get into the…

  • You do it!

    Some things only God can do. But Jesus, in this miracle account challenges his disciples: “You give them something to eat.” Matthew 14:13-21 13Now when Jesus heard this, he withdrew from there in a boat to a desolate place by himself. But when the crowds heard it, they followed him on foot from the towns.…

  • When Evil Wins

    There are times when we must conclude that evil has won. A child is abused. Drugs claim the life of a young man. A business executive fires a woman who spurns his advances. The list is long, and it’s very depressing.      Matthew 14:1-12 At that time Herod the tetrarch heard about the fame of…

  • Stopping God

    I wouldn’t suggest it. There is such a thing as an unstoppable force and an immovable object. God is either and both.  But having said that… Matthew 13:53-58 And when Jesus had finished these parables, he went away from there, 54 and coming to his hometown he taught them in their synagogue, so that they…

  • If God really is in control…

    If I were Emperor of the World, then…” How do you finish that sentence? Be careful! We’re likely to make things worse and even more likely to miss the work of God. Matthew 13:53-58 And when Jesus had finished these parables, he went away from there, 54 and coming to his hometown he taught them…

  • More New and Old Treasures

    Matthew 13:51-52 [Jesus said,] “Have you understood all these things?” They said to him, “Yes.” 52And he said to them, “Therefore every scribe who has been trained for the kingdom of heaven is like a master of a house, who brings out of his treasure what is new and what is old.” In what was…

  • Treasures new and old

    I used to love going into my grandmother’s attic. It was filled with lots of neat stuff. An old electric heater with a cone-shaped heating element in the middle of a concave heat reflector sat on the shelf to the left. A large trunk was directly in front of you when we entered the attic…

  • Today

    When I was much younger, I worked in a local super market. It bore little resemblance to anything that today we would call “super”. There were three check-out lanes (none of them express). The cash register was operated by punching the dollars and cents in rows and columns. A bell rang when the total was…

  • Built on the Rock

    Many years ago I attended a church convention where nearly every vote went the opposite way that I voted. None of “my candidates” were elected. I was even on the ballot and I was not elected. I remember the sense of disappointment I felt. I went around singing, “Built on the Rock, the Church doth…

  • How much is it worth? How much am I worth?

    I’ve embraced two different understandings of these parables. Both are worthy explanations. Both embrace profound truths. One centers on the value of the Kingdom of God to man. The other emphasizes the love of God for and value of man to God. Matthew 13:44-46 44“The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field,…