Lutheran Men’s Retreat – March 14-16, 2025

The Estate of the Church

The Lord Jesus instituted the church in the Garden of Eden for the giving out of the promise of eternal life. The church continues in this God-ordained role. But how does the church engage with the other estates of the family and the state? We’ll explore the boundaries where the estates meet, and seek God’s wisdom for the blessing that the church can be to the home and state.

Bryan Wolfmueller is pastor of St. Paul Lutheran Church and Jesus Deaf Lutheran Church in Austin, Texas.

The Estate of the Family

Luther viewed the fourth commandment as “the first and the highest” of those commandments concerned with earthly life because the duty of parents within the family is both spiritual and temporal. All other authority flows from the authority of the parents, and the family lives out the life of faith that is fed and nurtured in the Church.

Pastor David Woelmer serves Grace Lutheran Church in Smithville, TX. His hometown is Plano, Texas, and he is a graduate of Concordia University Nebraska (2019) and Concordia Theological Seminary (2023). He is married to his wife, Elizabeth, and has three children: Ellie (4), Ruth (3), and Henry (1).

The Estate of the State

In establishing the State (Government), God has given it specific tasks such as ensuring justice, peace and order in society through laws and governance. But what is the State’s proper role in relation to the Church and the Family? In our contemporary society, the State is often elevated above these other God-ordained institutions. Is this right? Together, we will explore how to rightly understand God’s design for the State and its place within His broader plan.

Rob Doughty attended Concordia Theological Seminary where he received his Master of Divinity in May 2024 after practicing law for 25 years in New Mexico. He currently serves as a part-time Associate Pastor at Eternal Life Lutheran Church in Mesa, Arizona, while working full-time as a Prosecutor for the City of Phoenix.

Rob has a significant history of political legal representation. His notable work began in 2004 when he served as one of the lead lawyers for President George W. Bush’s reelection campaign in New Mexico. He has represented figures such as New Mexico Governor Susana Martinez and Secretary of StateDianna Duran during their terms as well as the New Mexico Republican Party. Additionally, Rob worked with The Becket Fund for Religious Liberty in the Elaine Photography case, which was litigated in the New Mexico Supreme Court regarding a photographer’s refusal to cover a same-sex “marriage ceremony.”