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Confessing Jesus: The Heart of Being a Lutheran
Who are you? No really… Maybe you identify by your name, hometown, marital status, vocation, occupation, kids, pets, hobbies, or a plethora of other traits. But this still leaves the question, “who are you really?”
The answer is simple, and it can be found by digging into God’s Word and discovering what it truly means to be a child of God. Jesus takes our brokenness, selfishness, and arrogance, and redefines us as redeemed, whole, and perfect in the eyes of the Lord. We no longer are bound by our past, or sin, or our pride; instead, we have been claimed and redeemed by the greatest Father of all.
Molly Lackey encourages readers in her book, Confessing Jesus: The Heart of Being a Lutheran, to rediscover their identity in Jesus and grasp onto the promises of salvation. She challenges readers to acknowledge that they are children of God and hold onto this as their primary source of identity.
Praise for Confessing Jesus:
Socrates faced death, saying, “The unexamined life is not worth living.” Molly Lackey helps us live life (as well as face death) by examining ourselves in light of who Christ is and what He has done for us. Plumbing the central truths of Scripture in eminently accessible fashion, she leads her readers to know themselves as God knows them in Christ. She faithfully teaches that life examined in light of Christ is worth living now and for eternity.
- Rev. Dr. Kevin Golden, Associate Professor of Exegetical Theology, Concordia Seminary St. Louis
Catechesis in the Church can sometimes be reduced to making sure a person can define the “big words” we use on Sundays, but in our world of chaos and confusion, Molly very simply puts forward the truth of your identity as being found in Jesus and in Him alone. Who is Jesus and why does His work matter, you ask? Confessing Jesus does exactly that: it candidly confesses Jesus—His life, death, and resurrection—and grounds your life and hope in Him. With discussion questions at the end of each chapter, Confessing Jesus is helpful for individual study or groups.
- Rev. John Bussman, Senior Pastor, St. Paul's Lutheran Church and School Cullman, AL
Whether you’ve been Lutheran for 1 Year, 80 years, or anywhere in between, Molly presents our core theology of “Jesus for you” in an engaging, relatable, and honest way. She retells our story of salvation with toe-holds for every reader, with a beautifully clear exposition of Law and Gospel. In our rapidly changing culture and sometimes overwhelmingly confusing world, Molly’s words about who we are in Christ and His creation bring a delightful and introspective pause in order to refocus on what Christ has done for us, why that’s a big deal, and how we can rest in Him.
- Sarah Gulseth, Digital Media Specialist, KFUO Radio
A lot of energy is being spent in our current culture to know one's identity. Things become even more problematic when individuals turn inward for answers. This is why Mrs. Lackey's book, Confessing Jesus, is so incredibly pertinent, timely, and helpful. With a refreshing writing style, combined with a deep knowledge of scripture, culture, and history, Mrs. Lackey turns a searching culture outward to the who, what, where, when, and why of Jesus. But how does confessing Jesus address identity? Mrs. Lackey wonderfully answers this in the pages of Confessing Jesus, saying, "to know ourselves, we must first know Christ." Indeed, Mrs. Lackey's gem-of-a-book gets all of us to the core of our identity - hearing and knowing how Jesus defines us.
- Rev. Dr. Matthew Richard, pastor of St. Paul's Lutheran Church of Minot, ND and author of Will the Real Jesus Please Stand Up? 12 False Christs and Minute Messages: Gospel-Filled Devotions for Every Occasion
The answer is simple, and it can be found by digging into God’s Word and discovering what it truly means to be a child of God. Jesus takes our brokenness, selfishness, and arrogance, and redefines us as redeemed, whole, and perfect in the eyes of the Lord. We no longer are bound by our past, or sin, or our pride; instead, we have been claimed and redeemed by the greatest Father of all.
Molly Lackey encourages readers in her book, Confessing Jesus: The Heart of Being a Lutheran, to rediscover their identity in Jesus and grasp onto the promises of salvation. She challenges readers to acknowledge that they are children of God and hold onto this as their primary source of identity.
Praise for Confessing Jesus:
Socrates faced death, saying, “The unexamined life is not worth living.” Molly Lackey helps us live life (as well as face death) by examining ourselves in light of who Christ is and what He has done for us. Plumbing the central truths of Scripture in eminently accessible fashion, she leads her readers to know themselves as God knows them in Christ. She faithfully teaches that life examined in light of Christ is worth living now and for eternity.
- Rev. Dr. Kevin Golden, Associate Professor of Exegetical Theology, Concordia Seminary St. Louis
Catechesis in the Church can sometimes be reduced to making sure a person can define the “big words” we use on Sundays, but in our world of chaos and confusion, Molly very simply puts forward the truth of your identity as being found in Jesus and in Him alone. Who is Jesus and why does His work matter, you ask? Confessing Jesus does exactly that: it candidly confesses Jesus—His life, death, and resurrection—and grounds your life and hope in Him. With discussion questions at the end of each chapter, Confessing Jesus is helpful for individual study or groups.
- Rev. John Bussman, Senior Pastor, St. Paul's Lutheran Church and School Cullman, AL
Whether you’ve been Lutheran for 1 Year, 80 years, or anywhere in between, Molly presents our core theology of “Jesus for you” in an engaging, relatable, and honest way. She retells our story of salvation with toe-holds for every reader, with a beautifully clear exposition of Law and Gospel. In our rapidly changing culture and sometimes overwhelmingly confusing world, Molly’s words about who we are in Christ and His creation bring a delightful and introspective pause in order to refocus on what Christ has done for us, why that’s a big deal, and how we can rest in Him.
- Sarah Gulseth, Digital Media Specialist, KFUO Radio
A lot of energy is being spent in our current culture to know one's identity. Things become even more problematic when individuals turn inward for answers. This is why Mrs. Lackey's book, Confessing Jesus, is so incredibly pertinent, timely, and helpful. With a refreshing writing style, combined with a deep knowledge of scripture, culture, and history, Mrs. Lackey turns a searching culture outward to the who, what, where, when, and why of Jesus. But how does confessing Jesus address identity? Mrs. Lackey wonderfully answers this in the pages of Confessing Jesus, saying, "to know ourselves, we must first know Christ." Indeed, Mrs. Lackey's gem-of-a-book gets all of us to the core of our identity - hearing and knowing how Jesus defines us.
- Rev. Dr. Matthew Richard, pastor of St. Paul's Lutheran Church of Minot, ND and author of Will the Real Jesus Please Stand Up? 12 False Christs and Minute Messages: Gospel-Filled Devotions for Every Occasion
208 pages, Kindle Edition
Published October 11, 2022
5 people are currently reading
56 people want to read
About the author
Molly Lackey
4 books32 followersMolly Lackey is a wife, author, historian, and artist.
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
March 28, 2023
This book is a beautiful confession and a invaluable tool for pastors to give to their lay people who have lost the plot on what it means to hold the Lutheran confession of their own. I cannot recommend it highly enough.
This is a beautiful, brilliant jewel in the crown of the faith once delivered to the saints.
This is a beautiful, brilliant jewel in the crown of the faith once delivered to the saints.
October 25, 2022
"Our status before the almighty God in eternity is defined by Jesus, and our own awareness of ourselves is defined by how we think about Jesus. In order to know ourselves, we must first know Christ." —Molly Lackey
October 28, 2022
A fantastic lay treatment of the one true faith and how it intersects our lives. Well worth reading if you’ve ever wondered what Lutheranism is, or how one can speak one’s faith to others.
October 5, 2023
My grad school advisor once told me, “It’s easy to explain something complicated in a complicated way. It’s hard to explain something complicated in a simple way.” That really stuck with me as a piece of writing advice.
This wonderful little book explains all of Lutheran doctrine in a simple way. It doesn’t over-complicate anything or over-simplify anything. In a lot of ways it really reminds me of books like Mere Christianity- incredibly approachable, but also very deep and worthy of many rereads.
This book is a such a gift to the LCMS! Everyone should read it.
This wonderful little book explains all of Lutheran doctrine in a simple way. It doesn’t over-complicate anything or over-simplify anything. In a lot of ways it really reminds me of books like Mere Christianity- incredibly approachable, but also very deep and worthy of many rereads.
This book is a such a gift to the LCMS! Everyone should read it.
January 15, 2023
Warmly and gently written, this primer of the faith teaches the meaning behind what we confess as Lutherans and who we confess in Jesus. I enjoyed reading it as a review for myself and a preview for my children. I do plan to read it aloud with my homeschooling middle school student next year. What a treasure for our family!
November 5, 2022
An impulse purchase after a number of instagram reviews of this and a youth devotion book. All in all good read/refresher. Some nuance from my particular (ELCA) beliefs but still appreciated much of it.
November 15, 2022
This book would be a great "next step" for young adults who want to grow in their knowledge of the faith.
The tone is casual and conversational, answering commonly raised questions about Christianity and Jesus in a way that is both theologically robust and accessible. I love the author's personal experiences and stories woven throughout.
I would give this as a gift to high school graduates, or use it to lead high school or college Bible study. (Of course folks of all ages can benefit from it as well!)
The tone is casual and conversational, answering commonly raised questions about Christianity and Jesus in a way that is both theologically robust and accessible. I love the author's personal experiences and stories woven throughout.
I would give this as a gift to high school graduates, or use it to lead high school or college Bible study. (Of course folks of all ages can benefit from it as well!)
July 16, 2024
Three stars = "I liked it" In comparison, 5 stars = "it was amazing"
This is a solid look at the essential elements of Lutheranism: Christ alone, Grace alone, Faith alone, Scripture alone.
I especially appreciated short exposition on the historicity of Jesus, and the plain acknowledgement that there is much that humanity simply does not and cannot understand. How refreshing, when so many people claim to understand that which is unknowable! Lackey is clear that Christianity, particularly it's Lutheran manifestation, is in many ways a religion of mystery and wonder.
The other essential Lutheran thing Lackey highlights is that "scripture interprets scripture" and that we are to use passages of plain meaning (in historical context) to interpret difficult to understand passages.
But, this is gushy at times, which was a turn off for me and will prevent me from recommending it.
This is a solid look at the essential elements of Lutheranism: Christ alone, Grace alone, Faith alone, Scripture alone.
I especially appreciated short exposition on the historicity of Jesus, and the plain acknowledgement that there is much that humanity simply does not and cannot understand. How refreshing, when so many people claim to understand that which is unknowable! Lackey is clear that Christianity, particularly it's Lutheran manifestation, is in many ways a religion of mystery and wonder.
The other essential Lutheran thing Lackey highlights is that "scripture interprets scripture" and that we are to use passages of plain meaning (in historical context) to interpret difficult to understand passages.
But, this is gushy at times, which was a turn off for me and will prevent me from recommending it.
September 29, 2023
It’s all about Jesus for you!
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews