LHF: LOOKING TO THE NEXT 25 YEARS Who would have guessed what the Holy Spirit had in mind? In the spring of 1994, Rev. Robert Rev. Matt Heise Rahn was guest preacher at Guardian Lutheran Church in Dearborn, Mich., where the people were bidding a fond farewell to one of their members about to become a missionary in Russia – Matthew Heise. To Rev. Heise, now executive director of the Lutheran Heritage Foundation, this chance meeting was just one more example of God’s plan he’s witnessed in all his mission work. “This is nothing
we’re putting together,” he said. “God is way ahead of us!” After more than a decade as an LCMS missionary in Russia, Rev. Heise now uses his experiences in Eurasia to lead LHF in serving other missionaries and church bodies. “I saw firsthand people reading LHF’s materials, such as Luther’s Small Catechism and the Book of Concord, and it made a change in them,” Rev. Heise said. As LHF continues its work of translating and publishing books like the catechism, Rev. Heise sees a need for even more basic materials. “Sometimes missionaries are going
to people where there is no established Lutheran church, or even a Christian church! We need to be able to give them some basic, easy-to-read pieces for people who are beginning to investigate the faith.” In looking to LHF’s next 25 years, Rev. Heise said he’s most excited about LHF’s new work beginning in Asia and Africa. “The idea of Christianity moving to the southern hemisphere really is true,” he said. “There’s an explosion of faith in those areas. For example, there’s a chance we might be able to get LHF’s books into Chinese bookstores. Can you imagine? That would be huge! Where the Holy Spirit leads, LHF will go.”
HELP SHARE THE GOSPEL IN ALL CORNERS OF THE WORLD! From Africa, from Asia, from the Americas, from Europe...the calls continue to come: “We need good books about Jesus!”
book about the one true God - Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Imagine what the Holy Spirit can accomplish through a gift of $25 or even $100!
For 25 years, LHF has been answering these calls, publishing the books of our Lutheran heritage in nearly 100 languages.
If you’re a new LHF supporter, or if you haven’t given a gift to the mission in the past 12 months, you can DOUBLE your new gift with the LHF Match. Simply mail your gift or donate online (www.LHFmissions.org) and your donation will be matched dollar-for-dollar, up to $5,000 per gift.
Help LHF continue this important work for churches worldwide! Every $5 you send to the LHF mission gives a pastor, new believer, or young child a
LUTHERAN HERITAGE FOUNDATION
HELP LHF CONTINUE IN THIS MISSION!
51474 Romeo Plank Rd. ■ Macomb, MI 48042 1-800-554-0723 ■ info@LHFmissions.org www.LHFmissions.org
LUTHERAN HERITAGE FOUNDATION 51474 Romeo Plank Rd.
■
Macomb, MI 48042
LHF “WORD AT WORK” STAFF:
EDITOR: Rev. Matthew Heise MANAGING EDITOR: Jennifer Bagnall GRAPHIC DESIGN: Jennifer Bagnall “The Word at Work” is the official publication of the Lutheran Heritage Foundation. Permission is hereby granted to excerpt from this publication for not-for-profit purposes. The Lutheran Heritage Foundation is a Recognized Service Organization of The Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod. LHF translates, publishes, distributes and introduces confessional Lutheran materials throughout the world so that people can be brought to Christ. LHF is not subsidized by the LCMS or any other church body. It is entirely supported by individual donations and grants.
8
Title and Name ___________________________________________________ Address _________________________________________________________ City _____________________ State ____________ Zip ___________________ Phone ___________________ E-mail _________________________________ ☐ Enclosed please find my tax-deductible gift made payable to the LHF to support its
worldwide translation and publishing efforts.
PLEASE SEND ME INFORMATION ABOUT: ☐ including LHF in my estate plan ☐ hosting an LHF mission speaker or preacher at my congregation ☐ LHF mission projects for children ☐ “River of Life,” LHF’s 5-day VBS program ☐ LHF’s LWML mission program, “Jesus Saved Me”