Free to Die:  The Martyrs as Our Christian Heroes

A DOXOLOGY Seminar

August 12, 2023 — Trinity Ev. Lutheran Church, Davenport, IA

Registration for this event has closed.  Please contact Nancy Ewert newert@doxology.us to learn if seats are still available.

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Presenters:  Rev. Bryan Wolfmueller & Rev. David Fleming

Rev. Bryan Wolfmueller

Pastor Bryan Wolfmueller is pastor of St. Paul and Jesus Deaf Lutheran Churches in Austin, TX. He is the author of Take They Our Life: Martin Luther’s Theology of Martyrdom (2019), A Martyr’s Faith for a Faithless World (CPH, 2019), Has American Christianity Failed? (CPH, 2016) and Final Victory: Contemplating the Death and Funeral of a Christian (CPH, 2010). He is host of What-Not, The Podcast, posts videos on YouTube at wolfmueller1, and has a number of other theological projects that all end up on his blog, www.wolfmueller.co. Bryan is a member of the DOXOLOGY Collegium. He and his wife Keri live with their four children in Round Rock, TX.

Rev. David Fleming

Pastor Fleming is DOXOLOGY’s Executive Director for Spiritual Care and a Collegium Fellow. He remains a part time pastor at Our Savior Lutheran Church in Grand Rapids, MI where he served as Senior Pastor from 1993-2019. He previously served in Warrenville, IL, a Chicago suburb, and is a 1986 graduate of Concordia Theological Seminary, Fort Wayne, IN. He serves on the Concordia University Wisconsin Board of Regents. Rev. Fleming co-wrote “God’s Love at Christmas”, the 2010 Advent-Christmas resource from Concordia Publishing House. David and his wife, Jo Marie, née Wunderlich, have three children and three granddaughters.

Program:  Saturday, August 12, 2023

8:15 am – 8:45 am    Matins

9:00 am – 9:45 am    They Did Not Love their Lives unto Death, Rev. Wolfmueller

• What does the fear of death have to do with Spiritual warfare? How should the Christian think about suffering and death? We’ll look at the Bible passages that strengthened the martyrs as they faced the tyrants and the grave. (Hebrews 2, Revelation 12)

9:45 am – 10:00 am  Q &A

10:00 am – 10:15 am  Break

10:15 am – 11:00 am  The Greatest Martyr Ever to Live, Rev. Wolfmueller

• We’ll consider the man who Luther considered the “greatest martyr ever to life”: Noah! He suffered 120 years of ridicule and mockery for preaching the righteousness of God. How do we live as holy people in a filthy world? (2 Peter 2)

11:00 am – 11:15 am  Q &A

11:15 am – 11:30 am  Break

11:30 am – 12:30 pm  Hope, Rev. Wolfmueller

• We walk through this dark world with joy and hope. How? How can we maintain a joyful spirit, a light heart in the midst of so much heaviness? We’ll look at Luther’s favorite martyrs: Agnes and Agatha, and let these two Christian martyrs teach us how to skip to the grave.

12:30 pm – 1:15 pm     Lunch

1:15 pm – 2:15 pm     Fighting the Good Fight: Holding Faith and a Good Conscience, Rev. Fleming

• Our success in the daily battle against Satan, the world, and our sinful flesh, is full reliance on what Christ has done for us and how He looks at us. (2 Timothy 1 and Ephesians 6).

2:15 pm – 3:00 pm     Discussion, Rev. Wolfmueller & Rev. Fleming

3:00 pm – 3:15 pm     Prayer for Travelers

Registration:

• Cost: $20 ($10 for High School, College, and Seminary students) includes registration, conference materials, lunch and refreshments. (Lunch is guaranteed to those who register through July 31st.)
• Pastors can register for both Saturday’s seminar and Friday’s preconference for $20 total.
• First come first served; register NOW for this timely seminar.

Who should attend:  Pastors, church workers, and all interested laity– everyone!

Pastors:  There is a Friday Pre-Conference available to you. See below. You can register for both Saturday’s seminar and Friday’s Pre-Conference for $20 total.