During a recent visit to a local pizza shop, a bystander asked Minnesota Governor (and current candidate for Vice President) Tim Walz, “Would you all be willing to talk a little bit more about your religion?”

Moments like this do not come around very often. They are pure gold.

Walz is a member of a congregation that belongs to the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. So he considers himself a “Lutheran”.

So not only was this a golden moment for any Christian to give “a reason for the hope” that he has in “Christ the Lord”, but here was a golden moment gilded in platinum!

This bystander had given a public figure an opportunity to use his spotlight to proclaim the wonderful Lutheran Christian faith to an entire nation.

Perhaps this was a once-in-a-lifetime moment!

My Answer

I know what I would have said.

I would have said, “As a Lutheran, I believe that Jesus Christ is my Lord, and that through the gift of faith, I am made righteous before God in heaven.”

Or perhaps I would have said, “As a Lutheran, I believe that the only way to salvation is through faith in Jesus Christ, and I thank God that He has blessed me with faith in that promise.”

Or maybe, “As a Lutheran, I know that I am saved by the grace of God which He has shown me on the cross.”

Better yet, maybe I could have said, “As a Lutheran, I know that Jesus suffered and died for the forgiveness of the entire world, and that He freely gives faith in that atonement to anyone who comes to him in repentance.”

Or whatever.

There are a hundred ways for a Lutheran Christian to answer anyone who is genuinely curious about their “religion”.

Please, Lord, may I be asked a question like this every day for the rest of my life!!!

Your Answer

How would you respond to that question?

If you’re not sure, this is a fantastic opportunity for you to think about it.

Start with the Apostle’s Creed. Read it. Reread it.

Then review Luther’s explanation of the Creed in your Small Catechism.

Then ask yourself, how can I distill these credal ideas into an expression of my faith that might make sense to someone who wants to know more about it?

You would be looking to include a few basic ideas.

1. That there is only one true God. Don’t feel the need to get into the finer points of the doctrine of the Trinity until you’re a little deeper into the conversation. But be prepared in case the conversation does get that far.
2. That Jesus Christ has done 100% of the “work” necessary for your salvation. Remember, it isn’t your faith that saves you, it is Christ’s work on the cross that saves you. Your faith is God’s gift so that you believe in Christ’s completed work.
3. That you belong to a whole host of people who are equally redeemed from their sin. Christian faith does not put you above anyone else, it is the great equalizer. All have sinned and fallen short of God’s glory. So without faith in Jesus we’d all be lost.

Somehow those basics should probably work their way into whatever short answer you might have prepared to give for the hope that is in you.

Some Bible verses that might also inspire your preparation:

Romans 6:23 “For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

2 Corinthians 5:21 “For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.”

Romans 4:4-5 “Now to the one who works, his wages are not counted as a gift but as his due. And to the one who does not work but believes in him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is counted as righteousness,”

John 6:44 “No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him. And I will raise him up on the last day.”

Hebrews 12:2 “looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.”

Psalm 3:8 “Salvation belongs to the Lord; your blessing be on your people!”

Whatever you do, remember 1 Peter 3 at the top of this article, “always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you”.

Governor Walz's Answer

So how did Governor Walz answer the question when the golden moment was upon him?

He said, “We’re Lutherans, we don’t talk about religion much.” (yes, that’s a link to the moment)

And just like that, the moment was gone. What a knucklehead.

I am not a member of a congregation which belongs to the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America.

I am the pastor of a congregation which belongs to the Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod.

I would like to think that any member of my church and synod would be able to answer a humble question about their faith by at least pointing the questioner to Jesus Christ.

I really want to think that. I might be wrong, perhaps there are some who would shy away from the question.

I also want to think that any member of any Christian church would be prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks for a reason for their Christian hope.

But I must say that I am terribly disappointed that this public figure completely blew it.

I am disappointed that the opportunity was lost to proclaim, in front of a rolling camera, that Jesus Christ is Lord.

And I am also disappointed in another way; I’m even angry that this public figure inadvertently told the world that Lutherans are not interested in professing their faith in public.

Governor Walz, you are wrong. Lutherans LOVE to talk about their “religion” in public, and I hope your pastor will gently correct you on that one.

I also hope, Governor Walz, that you will rethink your personal testimony of faith. Next time this happens, do what a good Lutheran will do: proclaim Jesus Christ as Lord.

And finally, Governor Walz, I hope nobody will ever hear the words you said. 

You have discredited the name “Lutheran”.

You’ve given false testimony about what a “Lutheran” is.

And you may have caused one or more people, who might be looking for a church home, to cross “Lutheran Church” off their list.

I’m certainly willing to forgive you for all of that, Governor Walz, but unfortunately I don’t know a single thing about what you believe, so I don’t even know if repentance and forgiveness is part of your religion.

It's at the core of mine.

Let’s all try to do better.

Closing Prayer

Father in heaven, forgive us all for our missed opportunities to share your gospel of salvation. Strengthen us with your Spirit, and give every Lutheran an opportunity like the one you gave Governor Walz, so that through their voices the world might believe that Jesus Christ is Lord. Amen.