Imagining Martin Luther if he was just starting out in ministry today

                                                                                                                                    I just got back last night from Houston where I spent a wonderful two days with Lutheran youth leaders from the Lutheran Missouri Synod.

Each year they have a "Symposium" on various subjects and this year I was the speaker and their theme and focus was "Emerging from what?: Exploring Ministry With Young Adults".

Because it was a symposium, the schedule was really interesting as they would have me speak, then they had a Lutheran theologian do a summary and offer some thoughts on what I said. Then another staff would guide those there in discussion about the application to the context they are specifically in. I liked that format, instead of just more of a usual speaker then it ends with maybe some questions. Especially because it was a denominational event, they could really focus on common things they are know.

In the introduction, Terry Dittmer (who leads the Youth Ministry department for the denomination) shared some statistics about teenager and the denomination. How there is less and less Lutheran teens, as with many other denominations who are experiencing the same thing.

It was refreshing being around youth leaders and I am always reminded of how important those who work with youth are. I can't ever say enough about the importance of youth ministry. So, it was fun listening to stories from youth leaders the past 2 days and what it is like serving in a denominational context.  At one point, a conversation I was in turned to Martin Luther who was 29 years old when he nailed the Luther nailed a copy of the 95 Theses to the door of the Castle Church in Wittenberg. He had a heart for the Scriptures to be translated into the common language of his day. He wrote music. But then the question came up "What would Martin Luther do and focus on if he was just starting a ministry today?" That question is one I have been thinking about since it came up.

In seriously pondering the scenario, with many younger Lutheran leaders at this symposium and seeing their energy and passion - what if a 29 year old young and zealous Martin Luther was alive today passionate about having young adults know Jesus and the gospel:

• What would be the theological issues would be his concerns and what he would be taking stands for (or against) in today's current theologically diverse landscape?
• Would he write music as he did then using the cultural music genres of his day (he wrote classic hymns such A Mighty Fortress is our God)? Would we see Martin Luther hip hop worship songs? Or Martin Luther rock worship songs? Would he listen to mainly contemporary Christian pop worship music on his iPod?
• Would he find local pubs and as part of his ministry hold "Theology pubs" and drink beer with people while discussing theological topics? (It is common knowledge he did like beer).
• If Martin Luther was a youth pastor today, where would he be getting in trouble in his church? What changes would be want to make to the average church if he was a 29 year old young pastor going into the average church in today's culture?
• Would Luther change the lay out of a church meeting place and take out the pews and when he preached he wouldn't want to preach from behind those large pulpits in some churches?
• Would a 29 year old Luther wear a suit when preaching in today's culture? Would he ever wear a robe? Would he wear jeans in Sunday church meetings?
• If he was a youth pastor, would he be on staff at John MacArthur's church? Would he cause trouble there or fit in there? Would be on staff at Mars Hill Seattle or Mars Hill Grand Rapids and fit in one of them? Where would he choose to go to seminary today?
• Would Luther be taken seriously only being in his late 20's to make major change in established churches today? Would his innovation and desire to make the changes needed to communicate the gospel in our culture today be stifled and not listened to by senior pastors and elders at the local church he would be serving at? 
• Would he stay in the Lutheran denomination? 

Interesting things to ponder. We can never know what would happen and so much of today's church world was shaped by some of his actions and challenges to the existing church of his time. But trying to think of him alive today at age 29, and as a youth or young adult leader in a church - what would he do?

Anyway, I thoroughly enjoyed being with the staff of the youth department of the Lutheran Missouri Synod and was very impressed with the zealousness they have for seeing emerging generations know the gospel. The youth staff were so incredibly kind and so passionate about what they are doing with youth. At the end, they even gave me a Lutheran Service Book, as I commented on how beautiful some of the readings they were doing were in their morning devotionals. So, thank you for having me there with you and a refreshing and encouraging two days.