Join us in this episode as we sit down with Craig Parrott, a theology teacher at Lutheran High School and discuss his book, ‘We Are Engaged: Our Love Story with Jesus.’ Discover what inspired Craig to explore the engaging analogies of Christian faith through the metaphor of engagement and marriage, and how his experiences as a high school teacher offered unique insights into spiritual growth and devotion.
00:00:00 Introduction and Background of Lutheran High School
Well, hey, it’s Mike Triem with KLTT Radio and Crawford Media Group. We’re here with Craig Parrott. Craig is teacher of high school theology at Lutheran High School. And Craig, thanks for taking the time with us.
SPEAKER 03 :
Thank you for having me, Mike.
SPEAKER 01 :
It’s a blessing. We have worked with Lutheran High School over the years, especially in just getting new students to Lutheran High when it was a lot smaller than it is today. And now you say, how many kids go?
SPEAKER 03 :
Oh, we’re around 1,200 in the Parker area, and praise God.
SPEAKER 01 :
That’s that is a move of God’s people and his spirit, because I don’t know what the attendance was. I think three or four hundred when we worked with the high school. Yes.
SPEAKER 03 :
And when it eventually started, it was in a strip mall along Parker Road. Yeah.
SPEAKER 01 :
Yeah. It’s so many changes. And I think they had their building when I went down there and it was growing. It was vibrant. And it’s not just about numbers. You and I just talked about that. But still, it’s just amazing to see that many high schoolers get a Christian education. Amazing.
SPEAKER 02 :
Yes.
SPEAKER 01 :
And that’s not available throughout the whole metro area. They’re just special places where there are great schools like yours.
SPEAKER 03 :
Well, I’m I’m blessed and grateful to be there.
SPEAKER 01 :
So Craig, tell us how you started with We Are Engaged, writing the book, our love story with Jesus, and why you picked that theme.
SPEAKER 03 :
Well, I studied Revelation with seniors at Lutheran High School, and of course that book ends with our being described as the Bride of Christ. And I had a co-worker that gave a chapel last year on being engaged, and a good friend told me, you know, I should take up writing. I had written another book for the faint of heart, and… The idea started percolating in my mind and heart, and then I did just a cursory Google search and was kind of surprised I hadn’t found many titles on this analogy. And yet it’s a common analogy, you know, beautifully depicted in Isaiah as well. And throughout the school year with the class of 2025 at Lutheran High, I would go home and I would wake up 3 a.m. with chapter ideas and pages to write. So God had you excited to write the book? Well, I don’t want to put myself on the same par as the inspired writers of Scripture, but all praise and glory to him. I mean, it’s certainly not an original thought with me.
SPEAKER 01 :
Do you think being a high school teacher had part of that? Because you’re teaching these young people who Beautifully, you’re in a place where they’re hungry for God, I would assume.
SPEAKER 03 :
Oh, yes. I have seniors give devotions to start class, and Lucy Heaney, a graduate from last year at Lutheran, actually gave a devotion on our being engaged to Jesus, which I’ve heard students give devotions for, you know, I’ve been teaching 47 years, and I’d never heard that before. So there were just all of these different points that kept pointing me to I’m engaged with Jesus. And then, of course, my own personal journey. I can empathize deeply with the Samaritan woman at the well from John 4.
SPEAKER 01 :
It’s really fun to see that the Holy Spirit’s got these places that are unique to you in terms of how Scripture has affected your life.
SPEAKER 03 :
Oh, certainly. And at this point, you know, I all glory to him with how he’s used the race marked out for me. And it dawned on me the book is essentially about our sanctification and how he’s preparing us to live with us not only now, but for eternity in the new heavens and new earth. And I would be so grateful if readers derived as much joy reading the book, Mike, as I did writing it. I didn’t want to stop. And no wonder I’m pouring over God’s unfailing, steadfast love for us every time I pick up a pen.
SPEAKER 01 :
We’re speaking with Craig Parrott. He is the author of We Are Engaged, Our Love Story with Jesus. And Craig is also a theology teacher at Lutheran High School in the Parker area, right? Correct. Down south. Yes. So, Craig, as I look through the table of contents, There are a number of topics, starting with God’s proposal and vow to us, and it kind of walks through that whole marriage cycle, if you will, of the different things that happen. Having wedding clothes and a makeover, leaving former lovers, which I think is one I’d like to ask you just a little bit about. Is that concept some of the things that we love in our lives that aren’t of the Lord? What’s that about?
SPEAKER 03 :
Yes, it’s essentially a chapter on idolatry. And, of course, my mind has been pondering that concept for the last 10, 15 years. After reading Tim Keller’s Counterfeit Gods, that really got me started. So good. And then, of course, again, teaching Revelation, I think five of the seven churches Jesus writes to, he asked them to repent of idolatry. And I started looking at my life. And I’m embarrassed to say this as a theology teacher for so many decades. I had not picked up on that in earlier years and really wish I had.
SPEAKER 01 :
That’s pretty cool that the theology teacher says that. You know, there’s some theology I need to pay attention to.
SPEAKER 03 :
Well, I certainly have not arrived yet. That is for sure.
SPEAKER 01 :
That’s amazing. And your students have to be really blessed by having that kind of realism and authenticity.
SPEAKER 03 :
You know… I wake up every day and it’s not going to work. I feel that we can just go and mutually encourage each other in the Lord. I very well might learn more from them and what God teaches me through them than vice versa.
SPEAKER 01 :
Yeah, that’s beautiful. That’s a wonderful part of teaching. Another chapter in the book is called We Need the Gift of Faith. What does that look like and how did you talk about it in the book?
SPEAKER 03 :
Yeah, the gift of faith, I believe, of course, really starts with the faithfulness of Jesus. I mean, I think there’s a big aspect of Christmas, Mike, that comes closer to touching on Grid Friday than Easter Sunday morning. I mean, our Lord came here because the Father sent him to rescue us. and he leaves the the warmth the bliss the glory of being with all of these myriad of angels and the father’s presence to come to a dark us to come here in a dark violent world full of sin and death to save us and to become one of us and i’m not even talking about his trip to the cross yet So I marvel at in whom we have our trust. I try to make the distinction when we talk about faith. There’s the subjective sense in which I think a lot of Christians are often tempted to dwell on how much trust we have instead of the objective sense in whom we are trusting. That’s good. So this chapter is all about in whom we trust. There’s our confidence. There’s our assurance.
SPEAKER 01 :
I can see with your students that that would be such an important topic because they’re seeking, they’re probably a lot of them younger in their faith. Maybe some of them, faith is kind of a fuzzy thing because they were just told, you’re going to Lutheran. Then they said, okay, is that high school? Another is the gift of hope. And so there’s that faith, having faith in the marriage, in the marriage analogy, but also gift of hope.
SPEAKER 03 :
Yes. Well, speaking of those students, their favorite passage is Jeremiah 29, 11. You know, I know the plans I have for you declares the Lord, a future and a hope. And. That’s engagement. I mean, what do two engaged people do? They look forward. What did Jesus himself do? For the joy set before him endured the cross for us, for the Father. And so he was looking forward. And his high priestly prayer in John 17, Father, I just am so eager to be one with the people you have given me. Engagement. Engagement. Looking forward to being together. Seeing his face without sin. No more tears. No more crying. No more death. Come quickly, Lord Jesus.
SPEAKER 01 :
For a high schooler, I imagine really encouraging, right, to realize that that’s not in a person, that’s faith in the person of Jesus, not just a classmate or girlfriend or whatever.
SPEAKER 02 :
Yes, yes.
SPEAKER 01 :
Those things that are… very fleeting.
SPEAKER 03 :
Yes, he’s the faithful and true one. In fact, our unfaithfulness only demonstrates his faithfulness all the more, I think Paul tells us in Romans.
SPEAKER 01 :
So tell us, you said a really interesting one of the chapters is we have a gift registry, and people ask you about that. So tell us.
SPEAKER 03 :
Yeah, thank you for asking that, Mike. I’m Being Lutheran, of course, we’re familiar with a lot of Luther’s writings. I won’t say all of them because the man wrote a lot. But one of his big doctrines, if you will, that came out of the Reformation was the theology of the cross as compared to the theology of glory. And when I was a younger believer, I was kind of expecting not only the health-wealth mentality of a Christian life, but that I was to be happy at all times and things would work out if I just did A and then get B. And then thanks to the writings of a believer like Larry Crabb, now that’s linear legalistic thinking. Life doesn’t really work that way. So thanks to readings like Bonhoeffer, The Cost of Discipleship, especially how that classic ends, the final chapter, if people are familiar with that, then they know where I’m going in the gift registry of suffering. And, of course, God gives us the three greatest gifts of faith, hope, and love, I think often through times of suffering.
SPEAKER 01 :
Well, I have one more I want to ask you about, and that’s we’re moved to submit. And of course, that’s not very popular in a high school person’s life. We’ll just submit because they keep hearing, seeing ads, you know, say, well, it’s all about you.
SPEAKER 03 :
Yeah. Well, again, this is so cool with our position as a bride. It starts with looking at the submission of Jesus and what he gave up for us. And then, you know, by his grace, you know, we’re moved as Titus 2 would say, you know, to say no to ungodliness and worldly passions. It’s Corinthians that… Tells us, I mean, it’s no small shift for God to move us from trying to please ourselves in our life to trying to please him. And of course, that I think the spirit uses to throughout our entire life to become more submissive, more Lord, thy will be done. Praying more like our Lord did in Gethsemane. and not presume that he’s going to work things out the way I think he should or I believe he will. Lord, you know what’s best for your glory, my good, and hopefully the good of others around me.
SPEAKER 01 :
I can think of some high school students where that’s a really good message for them to hear. Well, I have a lot of adults around me, too. For sure. Craig, tell us, you’ve given us a great overall mini-view, if you will, of Primer for We Are Engaged, Our Love Story with Jesus. How do people get the book?
SPEAKER 03 :
They can go to Amazon.com, of course, but the publisher is WIPF, W-I-P-F, stock like the stock market, .com, and they might get a discount if they go directly to the publisher.
SPEAKER 01 :
That sounds good. And we want those independent publishers out there. We want to support them. You know, Amazon, I know that can be the most convenient for some people. Give us that web address again. Okay.
SPEAKER 03 :
Yeah, whiffandstock.com. And they are very supportive of Christian writers. They have a good history of them.
SPEAKER 01 :
Then we in turn should support them.
SPEAKER 03 :
Yes.
SPEAKER 01 :
Well, Craig Parrott, author, teacher, you’ve given us a lot to think about. You’ve also given us a chance to get into the book. I have the book. Trust me, it’s a read that… You know, a couple of weeks, and you’ll have a chance to really pour in there, make notes, have a chance to read about our engagement, our love story with Jesus. And that’s a wonderful way to engage with your book.
SPEAKER 03 :
Yeah, well, thank you very much, Mike. Again, I pray readers have as much joy reading it as I did writing it and basking in God’s unfailing, steadfast love for us.
