Last week was about the third most important week in the church, if you’re Lutheran. At the top of the list are Christmas and Easter. Last week was number three: Reformation week. It isn’t too difficult to see why it’s such an appealing week for Lutherans to celebrate. We’re named after the reformer after all.

Unfortunately we don’t seem to have much of the spirit of ol’ uncle Marty. For the last fifteen years I’ve heard sermons about the importance of congregations having a reformation attitude, but see (and hear about) congregations that struggle to change the smallest things. I hear reasons ranging from the importance of not pushing away the people already in the church to the importance of tradition.