SALT Church LCMS

08/23/2026

Monday Morning Devotion
August 24, 2026
Mathew 28:19-20

Folks, I come to you with an urgent plea, not from myself, but from God Almighty. You’ve no doubt heard me quote from Matthew 28:19-20 “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

It’s a command that we should not take lightly, especially when we consider these facts:

* Gen Z and Millennials have the highest rate of church attendance now at nearly two times per month. Boomers and elders are on the decrease. We need to reach out to our kids and grandkids, and all who fall into those categories.

* Spiritual openness doesn’t necessarily lead people to Jesus. It leads them to whoever is positioned to reach them. We need to reach them now before they fall into cults or worship Gods of the world.

* We lose 60% of our kids before confirmation and 80% before they reach the age of 20. Church engagement with them at all times is vital! Sports and other activities cannot and should not replace worship.

* In the next 15 years the number of ordained ministers in the LCMS could drop by 50% from 6,000 to 3,000. We need to do more to support our pastors and encourage young men and men of all ages to go into the ministry. Their call comes from local churches, not Synod.

* In a recent survey, it was discovered that the world views the LCMS as insular, in-ward focused, rigid, culturally distant, suspicious, defensive, politically entangled, emotionally distend, intimidating, out of touch, divided, inaccessible. We have to do more to love our neighbors and be inviting.

The call to love our neighbors and to invite them in is biblical and part of our calling as servants of Christ. As Christ said as recorded in Matthew 22 “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets.”

We pray: Lord, give us the courage and strength through the Holy Spirit to be able to reach all people so that they might know your joy, peace, and love. Amen.

08/23/2026

Hi friends,

Here is a YouTube link to Sunday's sermon.

https://youtu.be/w-G0MTjXnvo

Blessings,
Pastor Franklin

Enjoy the videos and music you love, upload original content, and share it all with friends, family, and the world on YouTube.

08/23/2026

SALT Church Worship Services

08/19/2026

08/16/2026

Monday Morning Devotion
August 17, 2026
Who Is My Neighbor?

Who is our neighbor? Do you remember learning about this in the Bible? It’s a very good question, one we need to ask ourselves everyday of our lives. As an example of “Who is our Neighbor”, I will go back to the parable of the Good Samaritan, starting with the Jewish perspective.

The Jews, by law, could not touch or be around anything unclean. So, is a fellow Jew your neighbor? Yes. What about a gentile? No. What about a Samaritan? Absolutely not! The original Samaritans were once considered clean, but because the Babylonians intermingled with them as a way to breed them out, they were considered unclean, thus the hatred the Jews had for them.

When the Pharisees told parables, they usually involved three people: A priest, a Levite, and a Pharisee. The first two weren’t looked at as good, but the Pharisee was, setting him up as the hero of the story. They used this device to puff themselves up – a prideful thing.

Now look at this from Jesus’ perspective: When He told the parable of the Good Samaritan, He, too, used a Priest and a Levite, but He added a Samaritan. The first two simply walked past the wounded and bleeding man in the road. However, the Samaritan patched him up, took him to an inn, and paid for his after care. This angered the Jews because it was an indictment against them.

Why did Jesus do this? To prove this point: Everyone is our neighbor! Fellow Jews, yes. Unclean people? Yes. Even Samaritans? Absolutely yes. In our day, we might ask – what about the homeless man on the corner? Yes. The Muslims that want to kill all Christians and Jews? Yes. People of color? Yes. People who aren’t like us or that don’t look like us? Yes. So then, all people? Yes!

Jesus gave us the Great Commandment in Matthew 22:34-40 “But when the Pharisees heard that he had silenced the Sadducees, they gathered together. And one of them, a lawyer, asked him a question to test him. “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?” And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets.”

If we’re honest, that’s a hard commandment to follow, what with all the hate and vitriol in the world. But there are innumerable benefits to carrying out this commandment – It deepens intimacy with God, restores broken human relationships, displays God's love to unbelievers, breaks down cultural barriers, and draws others to the faith! I’d say those a re pretty good reasons to Love Our Neighbor!

We pray: Dear Lord, please strengthen our faith and our love for others, and use us as beacons of Your Love so that they will come to know You. Amen.

Pastor Franklin

08/16/2026

Hi friends,

Here is a YouTube link to Sunday's sermon:

https://youtu.be/G6ExRsy_680

Blessings,
pastor Franklin

Enjoy the videos and music you love, upload original content, and share it all with friends, family, and the world on YouTube.