Encourage. Support. If you were to ask your pastor why he enrolled at the seminary, I am confident that he would not identify an admission counselor. Likewise, he would not point to a seminary brochure, publication or website. Instead, he would name one or more pastors, fellow church members or family members who encouraged him to pursue the ministry. The Seminary can only train pastoral and deaconess students who are enrolled. The Admission team cannot recruit perspective students without names and contact information. Pastors, church workers, congregational leaders and family members need to encourage those with the love and aptitude to serve as a pastor or a deaconess to contact the Seminary or even contact the Seminary for them. At Call Day in April 2016, there were more than 30 congregations whose requests for a pastor went unfilled. These are congregations that were awaiting a shepherd only Germany Tour ad FALL2016 FLOW:Layout 1
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to be disappointed. The need is great. The fields are ready for harvest, but the laborers are few. Pray. Identify. Encourage. Support. Pray that many would offer themselves for the Office of the Holy Ministry and other church work vocations. Identify those who are firmly grounded in the Word and have a heart for service and encourage them to pursue seminary studies. Support those at CTSFW with your prayers and generous financial gifts. By so doing, your joy will be great when the Lord of the harvest sends out His workers into the harvest field! The Rev. Douglas D. Bauman (pastor@stpaulcolumbus.org), CTSFW 2002, serves as pastor of St. Paul Lutheran Church, Columbus, Indiana.
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BERLIN WITTENBERG EISLEBEN LEIPZIG EISENACH ERFURT PRAGUE AUGSBURG MUNICH
Lands of Luther & Eastern Europe Celebrating the 500th Anniversary of the Reformation
Hosted by Concordia Theological Seminary–FortWayne
November 11–21, 2017 $3389 per person from Chicago
(Air/land tour price is $2699 plus $690 government taxes/airline surcharges)
For more information contact CTSFWTours@ctsfw.edu or 260.452.2119.
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