Book honors former Synod vice-president

The Rev. Dr. Matthew C. Harrison, LCMS president, shows a copy of The Resurrection Changes Everything, a new book honoring former LCMS First Vice-President Rev. Dr. Herbert C. Mueller Jr., after chapel at the LCMS International Center in St. Louis on May 7. (LCMS/Erik M. Lunsford)

By Cheryl Magness

Members of the family of the Rev. Dr. Herbert C. Mueller Jr., former first vice-president of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod (LCMS), gathered with other special guests for daily chapel at the LCMS International Center in St. Louis on May 7. The occasion was the presentation, to Mueller’s wife, Faith, of a copy of a new book published in Mueller’s honor.

Mueller, who served three terms as LCMS first vice-president, died on March 21, 2020, at the age of 66. Exactly eight months earlier, on July 21, 2019, he had addressed the LCMS convention, held that year in Tampa, Fla. By that time, Mueller had received a diagnosis of brain cancer. A little over a month after the convention, he retired from Synod service.

The book, titled The Resurrection Changes Everything: Essays in Honor of the Rev. Dr. Herbert C. Mueller Jr., was a dream of Mueller’s — one he had begun before his death but had not been able to finish. With the help of many who wanted to see the dream become a reality, the book was completed. It is now available from Concordia Publishing House.

LCMS President Rev. Dr. Matthew C. Harrison preached for the service on Luke’s account of the resurrection (Luke 24:1–12).

“I still really can’t believe Herb’s gone, Faith,” Harrison began. He recalled Mueller’s service to the church — “he knew everybody in the whole Synod” — and spoke of Mueller’s influence on him personally: “He was my older brother … in the faith … always full of great wisdom.” He recounted Mueller’s diagnosis and his death during the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, necessitating only a small funeral and graveside service. “So, I’m so glad all of you could come today for this wonderful event.”

Calling Mueller “a man of the resurrection,” Harrison held up a copy of the book. “It was his dear goal and desire to write a book on the resurrection,” Harrison said. “You’ve gotta get this book. It’s full of Herb’s … folksy talk. It’s remarkably ‘Herbian’: so solid, so matter of fact, so utterly faithful. It’s just a delight.”

After serving several congregations in Illinois (1979–1994), Mueller was elected president of the LCMS Southern Illinois District (SID). After six terms as SID president, he was elected in 2010 as first vice-president of the LCMS. He was re-elected in 2013 and 2016.

He and Faith (Anderson) were married on June 21, 1971, in Bay City, Mich.

Before the conclusion of the May 7 chapel service, Harrison invited the Rev. Randy Asburry, pastor of Hope Lutheran Church, St. Louis, to share some reflections on the book. Asburry served as general editor.

“The request came to finish Herb’s book,” Asburry said. He recalled asking a variety of authors to write chapters on themes Mueller had planned to include. He thanked the contributors, many of whom were present for the service, and called the result “a testament to what Herb wanted to confess — that is, in Christ we have eternal life. So, not only did Jesus rise from the dead bodily, [but] He promises the very same thing to us.”

Faith Mueller said that her husband worked on the book up to a few days before he died, leaving behind “three bins full” of notes. “Herb told me before he died, ‘Just be happy.’ … My joy is in knowing that we will be with him forever in heaven, and that … takes away a lot of pain.”

The Resurrection Changes Everything includes essays from a variety of writers, including Mueller’s son, the Rev. Herbert Mueller III; Harrison; LCMS Third Vice-President Rev. Dr. Scott Murray; and former director of LCMS Worship Rev. William Weedon. The final chapter in the book, “Joy:fully Lutheran: Rejoice, Pray, Give Thanks,” is the text of Mueller’s address to the 2019 convention, in which he said:

“We are joyfully Lutheran because our teaching from the Bible brings the greatest possible comfort for penitent sinners, for hurting and broken people. … That’s what we have in Christ for us: God Himself showing up to suffer with us and for us, and to conquer even death by His resurrection.”

The Resurrection Changes Everything is available at Concordia Publishing House.

Posted May 29, 2025