In the Fall 2009 issue of Thrivent Magazine, Gretchen Roberts asks “How many Lutherans does it take to change a light bulb?” The answer is “None. Lutherans don’t believe in change.” The joke makes us chuckle because we see ourselves in it, however on the outskirts of actual truth it may be. It’s not that we’re inflexible when it comes to change. It’s just that we put our hope in someone who does not change – God. His love, His grace and His word are eternal.
She goes on to shed a humorous light on 10 things that help make us Lutherans a unique bunch.
Go to the Thrivent Magazine website to find out why Lutherans:
- Sit in the back of the church.
- Reprint the entire worship service in a bulletin when we have hymnals.
- Consider our main form of socialization the potluck (with mandatory Jell-O®).
- Consider it a badge of honor to show as little emotion as possible.
- Approach the church’s spending with a careful eye, but often give anonymously to those in need.
- Live our faith all day and all week, even in our work.
- Avoid saying hello to new people in church.
- Volunteer endlessly even though we believe we’re saved by grace alone.
- Pass the peace when secretly we feel that shaking hands and/or hugging our neighbor in church is too intimate.
- Baptize babies.
