July 2025
When People Will Not Endure Sound Teaching
Pastor Schopp
“I charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by his appearing and his kingdom: preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching. For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths.” (2 Timothy 4:1-4)
This charge from St. Paul to the pastor Timothy is often used at ordinations and installations of pastors. It describes some of the duties of a pastor, but also warns the young pastor Timothy what he faces in the coming years. People will not endure sound teaching. They will grumble and grouse about the Law, about having their sins pointed out by the Word of God, by expectations of charity and forgiveness and generosity. So their “itching ears” lead them astray, to other teachers, to other religions that will tell them what they want to hear. They stop listening to the truth, because God’s truth clashes with the message of the world and their own sinful nature. They leave and create their own spirituality. They say things like “I worship god in my own way” or “I don’t have to go to church to be a Christian.”
But that is a lie. Nowhere in Scripture does it say we can do whatever we want. Nowhere does God say we are “free” to worship Him in “our own way”. Scripture is full of warnings against this and teaches the opposite. God has established the Office of the Holy Ministry so that His Word may be taught and preached in all of its truth – even the uncomfortable parts – and His Sacraments rightly administered. “I don’t have to go to church” is not a statement of faith, but of rebellion against God and unbelief. Even Jesus, during His earthly ministry, went to the synagogue each week and made it a point to partake of the big religious festivals. Why would the Word incarnate need to hear the Word of God? Because He modeled both the role of pastor for His pastors-in-training (the future apostles) as well as the importance for God’s people to gather around His Word, to give praise to our Creator and Redeemer and to receive His gifts. To learn to love those whom God has placed around us, here in His sheepfold.
Pastors cannot provide pastoral care to those who refuse to come to church. I can’t get to know them and, importantly, they can’t get to know, love and serve anyone else. “Refuse” is the key word here. Pastors can and do visit the members of the congregation in the hospital, at home, in nursing homes, etc. That is very different from those who refuse to gather with the saints, who have contempt for Christ’s Body and Blood, who think they have no need for forgiveness. What they need first and foremost is repentance.
Over the summer, the elders will be working with me to contact our delinquent members. The numbers are shocking and, quite frankly, embarrassing. Not because people have left. The “itching ear syndrome” is always going to be around. But because we, as a congregation, haven’t really done anything about it. It is loving to call people to repentance. It is loving to talk to our family members and friends about going to church. And it is loving, when necessary, to remove delinquent members from membership. Why? Because only then will they understand how important church is to both their temporal and eternal life. Letting people think they are going to heaven because they were confirmed at such-and-such church thirty years ago is not loving.
In the parable of the Ten Virgins, Jesus tells about 10 women waiting for the arrival of the Bridegroom. Five are wise and stay awake, keeping their lamps trimmed and full of oil. Five are foolish and do not. When the Bridegroom arrives, the wise virgins are allowed into the wedding feast, but the five foolish ones are blocked. They said, “‘Lord, lord, open to us.’ But He answered, ‘Truly, I say to you, I do not know you.’” (Matthew 25:11-12)
If you have family members who stopped coming to church, talk to them. If they have moved away, find the location of the nearest LCMS church and encourage them to attend there. Encourage them to come to the Christian Foundations class in September. Encourage them to meet with the pastor one-on-one. But especially, pray for them. No name on a computerized list will gain us access to Christ’s banquet hall. Only trust, wisdom and perseverance will keep us awake and ready for the day of that celebration.
Our Savior July Birthdays
1 Darlene Hinz 14 Daryl Bierman
2 Paul Bohling 16 Linda Krage
2 Alexis McHenry 18 Riley Lee
4 Susan Heinz 19 Betty Zundel
4 Cody Lee 21 Walter Schott
4 Conner McKown 25 Abigail Andreasen
7 Charles Angerhofer 25 Shawn Healy
7 Frances Rutschke 26 Jonathan Imberi
11 Matthew Hales 26 Lloyd Jerde
11 Emelia Nelson 27 Don Hoops
12 Whitney Rauscher 28 Loretta Podoll
Anniversaries
4 Chris & Brenda Aman
5 Walter & Phyllis Schott
23 Troy & Hallie McKown
29 Dan & Susan Heinz
Meetings at Our Savior:
Elders – Thur July 10th at 5:15 pm
Church Council – Thurs July 10th at 6:30 pm
Voters’ Meeting – Sun July 13th at 9:30 am
Board of Education – Sun July 20th at 12:00 pm
Our Savior Voters’ Meeting – The next quarterly voters meeting will be Sunday, July 13
th at 9:30 am. All communicant members age 18 and over can attend to help conduct the business of the church.
Elders for July – Brandon Christianson & Russell Brandt
Head Ushers for July – Eric Johnson & David Johnson
Acolyte Schedule:
July 6
th – Dalton Lee & Tristan Tschappat
July 13
th – Grace Rausch & Cassie McKown
July 20
th – Teigan McKown & Caleb Siebert
July 27
th – Tucker Brick & Ella Brick
July 4th – The church office will be closed on Independence Day.
Pastor Schopp will be out of town July 24 – 26. If you need pastoral care during this time, please contact Pastor Ludwig.
Our Savior LWML does not meet in July. The LWML Breakfast will be Thursday, August 7
th at 9:00 am at The Waffle Cone (201 S Main St). There will be a sign-up sheet in the narthex.
Coffee & Confessions – Join us Tuesday mornings at 6:30 am. We continue to look at the Lutheran Confessions from the Book of Concord. All are welcome!
Saturday Bible Study – July 12
th 9:00-11:00 am at Our Savior – The humiliation of our Lord Jesus Christ – What does it really mean that Christ “humbled himself, taking the form of a servant”? Did he temporarily become less than God? Did He forfeit His abilities to know all, to do all, to be everywhere? What does Christ’s humiliation mean for our salvation? This study will include the Christ-hymn of Philippians 2:5–11 and other passages of Scripture that illuminate this great mystery of the Word become flesh.
Lutheran Witness – The June/July issue of LW is available in the narthex. The theme is “Endurance in Jesus – Let Us Not Grow Weary”.
Portals of Prayer for July – September are available in the narthex.
Our Website – Audio recordings of sermons are on the website, as well as online giving for Our Savior, current bulletins, newsletter, calendar, and more at
www.oursaviorlutheranchurchaberdeen.com.
Church League Softball – Come out to cheer on our team on Monday evenings! Players Fields are the new fields north of 8
th Avenue NE. The old north field is to the east of the Players Fields. Here is the July schedule:
July 7
th – 7:30 pm – vs St. Paul – Old north field
July 14
th – 7:30 pm – vs Assembly – Players field B
July 21
st – 8:30 pm – vs Arise 2 – Players field B
July 28
th – 6:30 pm – vs New Life 3 – Old north field
St. John’s July Birthdays
14 Dalton Podoll 31 Lucas Daggett
16 Levi Christianson 31 Tara Meints
24 Jodi Hart 31 Trevor Meints
25 Mic Daggett 31 Jordan Miller
28 Lyle Podoll 31 Mike Ringgenberg
Anniversary
7 Ray & Cyndy Larson
St. John’s Usher List
July 6 – Karl & Val Eichler
July 13 – Tony & Amanda Bisbee
July 20 – Brent & Barb Miller
July 27 – Lyle & Cathi Podoll
Aug. 3 – Josh & Desa Larson
Aug. 10 – Jack & Jennifer Hieb
Aug. 17 – Mike & Molly Ringgenberg
Aug. 24 – John Bisbee & Lucas Daggett
Aug. 31 – Dean & Lorie Ringgenberg
You’re Invited – Mark your calendar for Thrivent’s Stock the Food Pantry Family Fun Day. Join us for free Mini Golf, Go Carts, Bumper Boats, and Bike Shop Rentals from 10AM to Noon. Walking tacos will be served at 11AM. We invite you to bring a non-perishable food item or monetary donation that will be utilized to help stock local food pantries, including the mini food pantry which is located outside the Thrivent office. You do not need to be a Thrivent member to attend, but we ask that you register for this in advance by calling 605-725-2025.
Saturday, July 19
th, 2025
10:00 am – 12:00 pm
Wylie Park – Picnic Shelter A
Hosted by Upper Midwest Advisor Group
We hope to see you there!
Dear Friends in Christ,
The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod is asking the youth of our Synod to help us improve Set Apart to Serve, the LCMS church work recruitment initiative.
Please invite your congregation’s youth to take a brief online survey using this link:
lcms.org/set-apart-to-serve-youth-survey
The survey is open to seventh-graders through recent high school graduates. All responses are anonymous and confidential.
We would appreciate receiving all responses by
July 15. Thank you for your time.
In Christ,
Rev. Dr. James A. Baneck
Higher Things –
Save the date! There is a Higher Things Youth Retreat coming up on August 9 – 10 at St. John’s Lutheran Church in Gregory, SD. Watch the Sunday bulletins for more info coming soon.
The Brown County Fair is coming up August 11-17. This year Aberdeen Area Lutherans for Life will share a booth with Lutheran Family Service. They will need volunteers to help man the booth. A sign-up sheet will be in the narthex later in July. Watch the Sunday bulletins for more information.
Our Savior Lutheran Church
624 North Jay Street – Aberdeen, SD 57401
St. John’s Lutheran Church
23 North James Street – Columbia, SD 57433
Phone 605-225-7106, Email
oursaviorlutheran@nvc.net
www.oursaviorlutheranchurchaberdeen.com
Rev. Chad Schopp – Cell # 605-380-2545
Email: cschopp@protonmail.com
Rev. Alan Ludwig – Cell # 509-540-9083
Email: lutheranprof@gmail.com
Secretary’s office hours: Mon-Fri 9:00am – 2:00 pm
