Canton, Michigan, 18 Dec 2025, ZEX PR WIRE, Rev. John Burger, Missionary at Large for Metanoia Ministries, has spent over three decades applying Scriptural teachings to the human experience often using literature or the arts as teaching tools and illustrations. Based in Adel, Iowa, Rev. John Burger has served in various roles throughout his ministry, including Senior Pastor at Faith Lutheran Church in Adel, IA, a congregation of the Iowa District West (IDW) of the Lutheran Church Missouri Synod (LCMS). He recalled that while pastoring there he used two illustrations, one from Bob Dylan’s The Philosophy of Modern Song and another from Jeff Shelby’s Thread of Hope which offer profound insights into how Scriptural themes often spill over into the arts and can be used as gospel handles to illuminate themes of loss, endurance, and redemption.
In The Philosophy of Modern Song, Bob Dylan meditates on the interpretive power of music, particularly through his analysis of Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes’ “If You Don’t Know Me by Now.” Dylan draws a surprising parallel to the biblical story of Job, a narrative that has long inspired Rev. John Burger. Dylan’s insight into the prologue of Job, where God allows Satan to test Job’s faith through immense suffering, transforms the story from one of seemingly divine cruelty to a testament of unwavering trust in God’s covenant promises. Rev. John Burger, Adel IA, reflects on this connection, noting how Job’s declaration, “Though he slays me, yet will I hope in him” (Job 13:15), serves as a rallying cry for believers enduring trials. “Dylan’s work reminds us that art, like faith, requires patience and reflection to uncover its deeper truths,” says Rev. John Burger, Iowa.
Rev. John Burger, emphasizes that Dylan’s interpretation of Job encourages Christians to see their own trials in the context of God’s greater plan. Summarizing the Dylan book, “what seems like relational or personal breakdowns are often opportunities for growth, endurance, and ultimately, redemption.” This perspective resonates deeply with Rev. John Burger, a former pastor of Faith Lutheran Church in Adel, IA. While serving at Faith Lutheran and other LCMS congregations for over 30 years, Rev. Burger has counseled countless individuals through life’s challenges. He adds, “Just as Job’s story is reframed by its prologue, our own struggles can be seen as part of a redemptive narrative, where God’s divine plan and Fatherly care provide eternal context
Rev. John Burger also finds profound spiritual parallels in Jeff Shelby’s Thread of Hope. The story follows private investigator Joe Tyler, whose life is marked by the unresolved grief of his missing daughter. Tyler channels his pain into a relentless mission to reunite other missing children with their families. For Rev. John Burger, the Shelby book mirrors the divine pursuit of humanity depicted in Scripture. “Just as Joe Tyler refuses to give up on the lost, God is portrayed as a loving Father who actively seeks out His wayward children,” says Rev. John Burger. Ezekiel 34:16 declares, “I will seek the lost, and I will bring back the strayed, and I will bind up the injured, and I will strengthen the weak.” Rev.Burger considered the divine pursuit of the lost to be the core theme of his very mission minded former congregation, Faith Lutheran Church, Adel IA. Burger recalls that Faith Lutheran was a very mission minded congregation of the Iowa District West (IDW) of the Lutheran Church Missouri Synod (LCMS). This theme that our Savior’s pursuit is not passive but purposeful, driven by an unyielding love that refuses to abandon even one soul, has led Rev. Burger into his new role as Missionary at Large through Metanoia Ministries.
The parables in Luke 15, the lost sheep, the lost coin, and the prodigal son, vividly illustrate this theme, reminding believers that no matter how far they’ve strayed, God’s search is tireless, and His welcome is extravagant. Rev. John Burger stated that in the Shelby book, “Joe Tyler’s story is a powerful reminder of the lengths to which love will go to bring the lost home. It mirrors the heart of God, who sent His Son, Jesus, as the ultimate rescuer. In Luke 19:10, Jesus declares, ‘For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.’ This divine pursuit assures us that we are never beyond God’s reach, no matter how far we’ve wandered.”
Rev. John Burger points out that the Dylan book, also draws attention to the emotional depth of Shelby’s narrative, which captures the pain of separation and the hope of reunion. “As Christians, we can relate to the longing and persistence in Tyler’s story,” he says. “When we feel like the missing ones, lost in trials, relationships, or personal failures, we can trust that God is actively working to bring us back into His embrace. His love is relentless, and His grace is sufficient to transform even our darkest moments into testimonies of hope.”
Rev. John Burger explains that both the Dylan and Shelby book invite readers to see their own lives through the lens of faith. Dylan’s exploration of Job encourages believers to endure hardships with trust, recognizing that what appears as relational or personal breakdown may be part of a redemptive narrative. Similarly, Shelby’s story of a father’s relentless search for the lost mirrors God’s unwavering commitment to His children. Rev. John Burger points out that these themes are not just abstract ideas, but deeply personal truths that can transform how we view our own trials and relationships. “In our lives,” he says, “when circumstances confuse us or relationships falter, we can draw devotion from Job’s example and assurance from God’s pursuit. Rather than demanding immediate answers, we walk by faith and not by sight, trusting that God will indeed work all things together for our good when viewed from an eternal context.”
Rev. John Burger, Adel Iowa, also reflects on how these themes shaped his own ministry while at his former L.C.M.S. congregation, Faith Lutheran Church in Adel, as well as now serving as Missionary at Large to all people. He has encountered countless individuals who feel lost, broken, or abandoned. “One of the greatest privileges of ministry is reminding people that they are never beyond God’s reach,” shares Rev. John Burger. “Whether it’s through Scripture, prayer, or simply walking alongside someone in their pain, we have the opportunity to reflect God’s love and join Him in His pursuit of the lost.”
In closing, Rev. John Burger, offers a prayer inspired by these reflections: “Heavenly Father, as themes from your Holy Scriptures have spilled over into both the Dylan and Shelby book, help your word to over flow in us so that we join you in your pursuit of the lost and hurting people that you place in our lives. May we find comfort in our own trials so that we can comfort others with the joy and peace that comes from knowing You. In Jesus’ name, Amen.” Through his thoughtful engagement with these works, Rev. John Burger, Adel IA, encourages us to look for other powerful Scriptural themes that spill over into art and literature and to use them as gospel handles that have the power to illustrate how God’s hand is working in our lives as well as offering hope and redemption in the lives of others even in the midst of life’s deepest challenges.
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