Nebraska Synod ELCA

For the Lord gives wisdom; from God’s mouth come knowledge and understanding… Then you will understand righteousness and justice and equity, every good path; for wisdom will come into your heart, and knowledge will be pleasant to your soul; prudence will watch over you; and understanding will guard you. —Proverbs 2.6, 9-11—

Beloved in Christ,

During the Fall Conference of Bishops in Chicago last week, I spent some time inviting my colleagues to lift up the questions they’d like to ask of you. So here are some questions you could spend some time pondering this month, from myself and from bishops around the ELCA:

1. How would you live differently if you didn’t know Jesus?
2. What about your congregation is compelling enough that someone would want to be a part of it?
3. What would your community miss if your congregation was no longer there?
4. What is God up to in your context? Where have you seen God working in your congregation/ministry/life in the past month?
5. How did you come to be part of the Lutheran movement within the church?
6. What’s your favorite hymn or worship song, and why?
7. Is there one passage of scripture that has a particularly strong meaning for you? If so, what is it, and how has it impacted your life?
8. How’s your prayer/devotional/spiritual life? When it’s good, what makes it so? When you’re struggling, how do you struggle?
9. How are you praying for your pastor, deacon, bishop, and other church leaders?
10.  What’s your hope for the future of the ELCA, and where is the Holy Spirit calling you to go as a part of that future?
11.  Who are the mentors and partners that have made a difference in your faith? Have you shared your thanks with them lately?
12.  What does your family do to build up faith together? What at-home or family practices have been meaningful to you?
13.  Have you invited anyone to consider if God is calling them into leadership in the church recently?
14.  What books have made you think about faith or God recently? Were they religious in nature? Fiction? Non-fiction?
15.  Who are some of your most beloved figures in the Bible? What about their story makes an impact on your own?
16.  What was your Confirmation verse? Does it mean the same to you today as it did on the day you were confirmed?
17.  If you could be part of one story in the Bible, or in the history of the church, what would it be?
18.  What would you most like to ask God, if given the chance?
19.  What do you love most about the Nebraska Synod?
20.  Why does Jesus matter in your life?

Ponder away, friends – it’s a great month for asking these and other good questions as disciples of Jesus together in this church.

Blessings,
Bishop Scott Alan Johnson

P.S. I’d still like the chance to answer any questions you might have about life in the Nebraska Synod in October 2023, so please do send those questions to office@nebraskasynod.org.