The Lutheran Layman

THE

LUTHERAN L AYMAN Your Partner in HIS Mission!

May - June 2014

y r t s i n i M New Americans

Among

by Allan R. Buckman

Gagan Gurung arrived in St. Louis, Mo., as a refugee on July 9, 2013, marking the end of a journey which began in the Bhutanese village of Phanphana some 22 years earlier. At that time, Gagan was 14 years of age.

The day before their departure, a company of Bhutanese soldiers arrived to inform the more than 2,000 primarily Nepalese farmers, tradesmen, and laborers living in Phanphana that before sun-up the next day, all the Nepalese residents were to be gone. Any remaining could expect harsh treatment.

Because this sort of thing had happened elsewhere, the residents knew the punishment would indeed be severe, so this was no idle threat. They also recognized this as the latest in see page 3

PC Booklet is Now in French and Chinese

page 2

Outreach in Southeast Asia page 6

How LHM Fits with You pages 8-9

Maximize Your Witnessing pages 12-13

LHM Outreach Conference pages 16-17

Lutheran Hour Ministries 660 Mason Ridge Center Drive St. Louis, Missouri 63141-8557

St. Louis, MO. Permit No. 619

PAID

Non-Profit Org. U.S. Postage

speaking up

by Rev. Gregory Seltz Speaker of The Lutheran Hour

Are You Ready To Be sent Lutheran Hour Ministries is gathering in Detroit, July 24-27, under the theme “Sent.” I can’t wait to be there. It’s my hometown. It’s a place that will rise again, especially as God’s people take up the task of being Christ’s “salt and light” to the city.

The question, “Will you be a ‘sent one’ with us?” My prayer is that everyone reading this and more will answer “Yes,” to that invitation. It will be a mission celebration, a witnessing education, and a dynamic deployment that is sure to bless you and those you love.

But, people often think, “Me? A sent one?” Often we’re like, “Here I am, Lord, but send him/her instead.” Let me just encourage you, that already in your Baptism, God is sending you to others in His Name. Already, you have gifts that God has given you to be His people for others.

Take a chance and see what more He can do—not only in your life, but through your life for others. In fact, as you read the Bible, you’ll see that God has worked with people just like you and just like me to get His work done in this world. Take a look at 1 Corinthians 1:26-31 as an example. To know your calling, to know the gift of being sent, and to grow in your knowledge and skill of “boasting about Jesus and His

L AYMAN

?

Gospel,” you can truly be a blessing in Christ’s hands for another.

Do you know the story of Fanny Crosby? When she was only six weeks old, she came down with a cold that affected her eyes. Due to a doctor’s negligence, she wound up being blind rather than cured. But that didn’t stop this little girl at all. By the age of 10, she had memorized the entire New Testament. When she was in her 20s, she became a teacher and a well-known poet.

When she was 30, a cholera epidemic swept through her town. In the midst of illness and sorrow, God used her amazing ability, “sent her,” to put into beautiful words the truths of His Word.

If you’ve ever sung, “To God be the Glory,” you’ve sung one of her songs. If you’ve taken comfort in “Safe in the Arms of Jesus,” you’ve been comforted by her words. “All the Way, My Savior Leads Me,” “Jesus is Tenderly Calling,” “Rescue the Perishing,” and nearly 8,000 other hymns came out of this one woman’s pen.

In her lifetime, she knew kings and presidents and was always in demand as a speaker. That’s what God can do with a person, even a little blind girl, who knows that she is sent by the Beautiful Savior with a life-changing message!

So come learn this summer what God can do with all of us. Come be empowered by the Good News of Jesus that sent shepherds forth to proclaim the Christmas message to all who’d hear, that drew kings to the manger from the East, sending them on their way with joy. Come be empowered by the message that changed simple fishermen into “sent ones” with a Gospel message that changed the world, one person at a time.

Mark your calendars, tell your friends, but more importantly, get ready to understand the power of being Christ’s “sent one,” with His power, with His presence, with His promises, to those you love, even to those you’ve yet to meet!

SEE YOU IN DETROIT! n

The Lutheran

Vol. 85, No. 3 May-June 2014

Dr. Gerald Perschbacher (LL.D.), Editor • Denis Kloppenburg, Layout • Andrea Thompson, Design Assistant

Subscription: $5. Printed bi-monthly. Send color photos for use. Photos sent to the paper may not be returned. Lutheran Hour Ministries, The Lutheran Hour, Bringing Christ to the Nations, BCTN, By Kids...For Kids, JCPlayZone, Life...revised, Living for Tomorrow, This is the Life, On Main Street, Ayer, Hoy y Siempre, Cristo Para Todas Las Naciones, Esta Es La Vida, Para el Camino, Woman to Woman, Family Time, Teacher to Teacher, Reaching Out and The Hoffmann Society are registered marks, or SM service marks. The Puzzle Club is a service mark and trademark of Int’l LLL. Copyright 2014, Int’l LLL

®

Bringing Christ to the Nations — and the Nations to the Church

2 The Lutheran Layman May-June 2014

PC booklet Now in French and Chinese for Canada

W

ith the assistance of two Lutheran Church — Canada pastors and several other people, a select number of LHM Project Connect booklets have been translated into French and Chinese. Stephen Klinck, managing director of LLL of Canada, says, “PRAYER, When You Don’t Know What to Say; Comebacks; and Coping with Cancer were selected as the first of what we hope will be a number of translated booklets.” LLL of Canada is undertaking the project.

“For many years we have been able to make use of these fine booklets that Lutheran Hour Ministries makes available in English and Spanish,”he adds. “We felt that making selected titles available to our Canadian congregations that minister in other languages would also be useful.

When we asked pastors of some of those parishes, we received enthusiastic responses. It is good to be able to contribute to the wide array of resources that Lutheran Hour Ministries offers to individuals and congregations around the world.”

French and Chinese were selected because of their widespread use globally and because Lutheran Church—Canada has congregations serving those language groups. Printed copies will be available in limited quantities. Significantly, “with the help of Noel Hwande at the LHM office in St. Louis, Mo., we are able to make digital copies of the booklets available via the internet at www.LLL.ca/booklets.

“Shortly after the booklets were produced we were advised that the LHM ministry center in Korea thinks that the Chinese texts will be helpful as they work with students,” Klinck concludes. n

try s i n i M Among

New Americans

from page 1

the government’s action to “Bhutanify” the entire population including, especially, the thousands of Nepali residents who had migrated to Bhutan over an extended period of time. These regulations specified that all education, business, and official communication must be carried out in the Bhutanese language. Furthermore, all Nepali literature was banned, as were all religions except for Buddhism. Additional prohibitions also applied to the manner of dress, and more.

That night the displaced Nepali people left en masse, mostly by foot, for the city of Galephu some 10 miles away. In addition to Bhutanese currency, they carried with them their identity papers and little more.

Upon arrival in Galephu they sought bus transportation to Jhapa, Nepal, where the Nepalese government had, with the support of the UN, established six refugee camps, and yet another large camp in the nearby city of Morangi. Refugee Camp 3 (Beldange 3) in Jhapa, which was to grow to more than 6,000 residents, became the home of Gagan and the Gurung family for the next 22 years.

Life was Far from Ideal Though their safety was now assured, life in Beldange 3 was far from ideal. For most, it was pretty much a daily, hand-tomouth existence. Relief agencies, such as World Food Program and Lutheran World Federation provided most of the basic food necessities, but on a supplemental basis. The balance had to be purchased.

Though work was available, jobs were not plentiful and pay was low. Teachers were paid the equivalent of $23 per month and day laborers $1.50 per day. A truck driver could earn $100 per month if qualified, and fortunate enough to find this kind of work. For a variety of reasons, better paying jobs were seldom, if ever, available to refugees.

Upon arrival at the camp each family was given a plot of ground on which to build a house, this to be built by the family from bamboo to be found nearby. The Gurung home, and most of the others, were less than durable and when it rained hard, as it often did, the roof leaked profusely.

Gagan Gurung (left) of Ascension Lutheran Church in St. Louis, Mo., recently was confirmed. He is pictured here with Rev. Matthew Clark.

Everything inside had to be covered with plastic.

A strong wind could easily damage this kind of a house, if not destroy it entirely.

Education in Beldange 3 was primarily provided

by CARITAS, a Catholic relief agency, and generally the schools were of good quality. These schools offered education through class 10 (USA high school senior equivalent). College education was available outside the camp but enrollment was difficult, if only because these schools were costly and not easily accessible.

Many Uncertainties on a Daily Basis Marginalized, restricted, and forced to deal with numerous uncertainties on a daily basis, Gagan, his family, and many others searched for the one thing they needed most—a source of hope. The shamans, who played a key role in the animistic form of Hinduism in which so many of the Nepalese participated, were of little help. In this environment the use of drugs and alcohol along with family dysfunction, became more common. Many previously stable families fell into discord.

Desperate for a better way, Gagan’s brother and his wife yielded to the urgings of a Christian neighbor and began attending church. Urged by his brother to accompany them, Gagan went along. When it came time for baptism, however, Gagan—who at first agreed to receive this blessing—ran away while in route to the river for the immersion. He wasn’t ready to join the small but growing body of Christian believers who were shunned by the majority Nepali Hindus, inside Beldange 3 and beyond.

Excoriated by his brother for having done so, Gagan again began attending church, if only to maintain peace in the family. Shortly after his return, the Pastor sent him off to be enrolled in a nearby Bible College, even though he still was not baptized. Obviously, he had recognized Gagan’s latent gifts for evangelism, leadership, and learning.

While a Bible College student, Gagan slowly began to realize that only in Christ could he find the “…only in Christ hope that he and so could he find many others had been the hope that seeking. He definitely needed to be baptized he and so many and, through the pow- others had been er of the Holy Spirit, let Christ take control of seeking.” his life. This happened on Sunday, October 13, 2002. Having made this decision, Gagan never looked back.

Upon completion of his study program, Gagan was made youth leader of his congregation, Trinity Church. The next few years for Gagan were a mixture of additional study and increased responsibilities at Trinity. Upon completion of his study program he was asked to serve as youth leader for all 20 congresee page 4 The Lutheran Layman May-June 2014 3

ni istry

M

Rev. Clark baptized 21 Nepali immigrants, including Aita Gurung, on Sunday, Jan. 12, 2014, at Ascension Lutheran Church in St. Louis, Mo.

Among

New Americans

from page 3

gations, some of them quite small, which had been established in Beldange 3. A few years thereafter, Gagan was appointed to serve as missionary to the unbelieving Nepali in all the Jhapa refugee camps and beyond.

Selected for Resettlement in the U.S.A. In this capacity he founded Revival Church which grew, over a period of six years, to a congregation with an average Sunday attendance of almost 200. Gagan left the service of this congregation when he was selected for resettlement in the USA. Arriving in St. Louis on July 9, 2013, he joined family members who had been resettled in St. Louis four years earlier.

Upon their arrival in 2009, Gagan’s sister Shiva, her husband Chattra, and the other 12 members of the Gurung family were settled into apartments on Grand Boulevard, approximately six blocks from the Peace Center, the primary ministry center of Christian Friends of New Americans (CFNA). After participating in the After School Tutoring program for a short time, some of the children inquired about baptism. This was brought to the attention of their parents, and after prayerful deliberation the entire extended Gurung family of 14 asked to be baptized. This happened at the Peace Center on Sunday, January 10, 2010.

When Gagan arrived almost four years 4 The Lutheran Layman May-June 2014

later, he was urged by family members and CFNA leaders to undertake catechetical instruction and become a full member of the Lutheran community. He agreed to do so and on Sunday, January 12, 2014 he became a member of Ascension Lutheran church, along with 21 other recently resettled members of the Nepali community who were baptized during the same service!

St. Louis three years ago with his parents and two younger siblings, he wasn’t quite sure what to expect. What he soon learned was that while crowded living conditions, polluted air, inadequate food, and low pay were thankfully now in the past, new uncertainties loomed.

In some southern portions of St. Louis, security issues are present and more than a few New Americans have learned the hard way that you just don’t walk the streets after dark. For women and the elderly, walking the streets anytime can be hazardous, and for New Americans who must depend on public transportation for their travel needs, this can be truly problematic. Even in the refugee camps they could move about day or night without any real sense of imminent danger.

Upon arrival in St. Louis, members of the growing numbers of ethnic communities quickly connect with other community members. For Govinda, Gagan, and many others, this is how it was in the communities from which they came; all for one and one for all. Embedded in American culture, however, this sense of community often dissipates rather quickly—thereby presenting another challenge, and a serious one—the question of identity.

The Need for ‘Identity’

If the need for identity can no longer be entirely satisfied by the ethnic community, where can it be found?

The answer for more and more New Americans is agencies like CFNA and, even more significantly, the congregations with whom they are affiliated. This, through the power of the Holy Spirit, is where growing numbers of New Americans are finding their friends, an identity, and the true hope which only Christ can provide.

Hundreds Arrive Each Year, For the past two years Rev. Sam Thompson, an orin Need of Witnessing dained pastor from India Evangelical Lutheran Church Between 600 and 1,000 refugees arrive in now enrolled as a Ph.D. student at Concordia Seminary, St. Louis each year. Like others, the Gurung has been leading a home Bible study in the homes of two family arrived with many needs including or three Nepali families, one of them being the residence language acquisition, education, medical is- of Govinda’s family. Govinda readily points to this home sues, home furnishings, employment, and Bible study as the gateway to his baptism and membermore. Their greatest need is the need for a ship at Messiah Lutheran Church. He, together with friend—someone who might spend a little fellow Nepali member, Tara Basnet, now serves on the time with them on a more or less regular ba- Messiah Church Council.

Now enrolled in a study program taught by Dr. Matt sis, and perhaps help with just one or two of their needs. They need someone who might Hoehner, Govinda will be quick to tell you that his dream is to become an LCMS pastor. convey a sense of genuine hope Christian Friends of New Though only 18 years of age, that tomorrow could be better Americans (CFNA) is an outreach he is clearly well on his way. than yesterday, and someone would be there to help ministry to immigrants and refugees Gagan has a Dream make that happen. in the greater St. Louis area. The What virtually all refWhen asked about his dream, mission is to be involved in ugees discover, howevGagan will be pleased to tell you it relationships with New Americans er, often to their suris to become a missionary pastor, eswith whom we can share the Gospel prise, chagrin, and pecially among the Nepali people. As through caring words and actions. disappointment, a member of the leadership formation is that arrival in class now meeting weekly at the Peace America doesn’t free them of all their difficul- Center, he very much appreciates the opportunity to enties. Indeed, it is more like replacing one set of hance his already considerable missionary leadership daily challenges with another. That at least, is skills. Gagan serves as the primary leader of a weekly how Govinda Ghalley sees it. home Bible study that rotates among six homes in south When now 18-year-old Govinda arrived in St. Louis. Weekly attendance fluctuates between 35 and

Can You Be That Friend?

by Carol Buckman

Dr. Buckman (at center, holding plate) remains supportive of LHM, an association that has lasted over the decades as indicated by this 1980s luncheon served at the former LLL headquarters when foreign officials visited the office.

50. Almost all of them have become members or are considering membership at Ascension Lutheran Church.

With respect to CFNA, Rev. Dr. John Loum, himself a New American and now serving on the staff of Concordia Seminary as the Director of their dynamic Ethnic Immigrant Institute of Theology (EIIT), puts it this way: “In our post-modern 21st century context, this multi-ethnic approach to ministry is not only both meaningful and viable, but is increasingly finding its place among growing numbers of New Americans. More and more of them identify with this approach entirely, and appreciate it sincerely.”

For its part, CFNA is grateful for the more than 30 Lutheran congregations and agencies serving as partners for outreach among New Americans; this in addition to other organizations and agencies beyond the Lutheran community. Support in the form of prayers, financial donations, volunteer service and in-kind donations are much appreciated.

An example of the latter are the generous weekly donations of free food made available by the Missouri-Illinois branch of Orphan Grain Train, previously affiliated with the International Lutheran Laymen’s League. For the most part, food is distributed to the most recently arrived New American families. To be sure, these are received as gestures of friendship by those most in need of not only food, but friends.

Are you interested in exploring the possibility of being part of a service oriented, friendship making ministry focused on New Americans? CFNA has opportunities available in several cutting edge initiatives including after school tutoring, registering patients in Health and Wellness screenings, assisting with the delivery of food and furniture, ESL classes and more. Visit the CFNA website, or call 314-517-8513 for more information. n Rev. Dr. Allan Buckman, chairman of CFNA, specialized in exegetical theology while at Concordia Seminary, St. Louis, and obtained his Doctorate of Missiology in 1978 from Fuller University in Pasadena, Calif., with his major in Church Growth. He has served in leadership positions on the mission staff of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod and since his retirement in 2003 has dedicated much of his effort, along with that of his wife Carol, toward helping new arrivals in America via CFNA.

A frail old man stands on a street corner. It’s cold, the rain is falling, and cars never stop. He stands for 20 minutes before a passerby presses “something on a metal pole.” Cars stop, and the old man can scurry across.

A young boy is so excited. He’s singing in the Christmas program and has his first tie. His father was killed in the war. His mother and five sisters never learned how to tie a tie. A grandpa helps him and everyone smiles.

A citizenship student smiles proudly when asked about the Declaration of Independence. She points to a decoration on the wall and says that is what a declaration is. Her teacher carefully writes the two important words on the white board and talks about the meaning of each.

We smile at these stories because we can see ourselves struggling with the same challenges if our roles were reversed and we were war weary refugees in a strange land, trying to learn a

strange language, and adjust to a strange culture.

Timid or aggressively outspoken, hidden behind stumbling words and ragged attire, are beautiful, gifted people that need a friend to share Christ’s love. Deep within each person is a “God hole” that only Christ’s love can fill.

Can you be that friend who takes the first basic steps toward building a solid relationship?

From five to 95, the Christian friend prays for and searches for the person who needs Christ’s love NOW. You have a niche that God has prepared.

He has good works planned for you and perhaps they include service with Christian Friends of New Americans. For ideas, call (314) 517-8513, or email mail@cfna-stl.org if you’d like to learn more. n

Carol, wife of Dr. Allan Buckman, shares in his enthusiasm for outreach to New Americans.

with Rev. Gregory Seltz

BROADCASTING ON MORE THAN 1,400 STATIONS ACROSS NORTH AMERICA

LISTEN ONLINE OR DOWNLOAD MP3S

AVAILABLE AS A MOBILE APP FOR YOUR IPHONE OR ANDROID DEVICE

DAILY DEVOTIONS AVAILABLE ONLINE OR VIA E-MAIL

W W W. T H E L U T H E R A N H O U R . O R G The Lutheran Layman May-June 2014 5

The LHM—Cambodia staff and volunteers welcome Londa (second from left), Luane (third), Luther (sixth), Teresa (third from right), and Gunya (second from right) to the ministry center in Phnom Penh.

Visitors Experienced

OUTREACH in

Southeast Asia

by Greg Koenig

“Oh, for the excitement of telling others ed churches in Phnom Penh and saw LHM— theran Hour Ministries supporter and leadCambodia’s sport ministry in action. er can open minds and hearts—both “in the the HOPE they have in Christ Jesus!”

T

hose words offer a glimpse of the thrill that Int’l LLL board member Londa Borer-Skov experienced halfway around the world in February. Londa, her husband Luther Skov, and fellow LHM supporter Luane Guyton joined Lutheran Hour Ministries’ Gunya NaThalang and Teresa Fairow on a trip to learn how LHM’s outreach centers in Cambodia and Thailand are Bringing Christ to the Nations—and the Nations to the Church every day.

“Londa has previous experience with LHM traveling in China—and an ongoing interest in ministry in Asia,” says LHM’s Asia Regional Director Gunya NaThalang, “She and Teresa were both so excited to learn about our Cambodia and Thailand centers; it was fun to be with them.”

“Going to Cambodia and Thailand offered us two different perspectives,” says Ministry Advancement Officer Teresa Fairow. “In Cambodia we witnessed a small-staff ministry sharing the Gospel in a poor country that still lives in the shadow of the Killing Fields of the 1970s. In Thailand we saw a large-staff ministry reaching out primarily from the major urban center of Bangkok.”

Both ministry centers kept their guests busy. After a cultural trip to Cambodia’s famous Angkor Wat temple complex in Siem Reap, Londa, Luther and Luane went with Teresa and Gunya to a local school where the ministry center staff performed a puppet show and where Londa and Teresa took turns teaching conversational English to children. Then they traveled to a local church where the staff showed a Christ-centered film. They also visit-

6 The Lutheran Layman May-June 2014

In Thailand, Londa and Teresa participat- field” and back home. ed in the ministry center’s Valentine’s Day “The local leaders and the staffs of our minprogram. At two public schools, they taught istry centers really appreciated having Londa, students to make witness-bead bracelets and Luther, Luane and Teresa with them,” says helped present lessons in conversational En- Gunya. “They were excited for them to arrive glish. They also had opportunities to meet and were encouraged every day by their preswith local pastors and to visit the radio studio ence and enthusiasm.” during a live broadcast of an LHM—Thailand Londa adds, “I have done several presenprogram. tations since I’ve been back….At each, people It was the opportunity not just to observe told me, ‘Thank you for letting us know firstbut to teach that had the greatest appeal for hand what LHM does; it’s great to know how Londa, a veteran college professor. “That wisely our gifts are being used!’” She emphawas the best,” she says. “I was thrilled when I sizes: “That’s also why I support Lutheran taught English at the school in Cambodia. Stu- Hour Ministries. I know that the gifts I provide dents really responded to hearing me speak help do wonderful things to proclaim Christ!” and interact with them. I also loved being able Congregations, congregational groups, and to present the salvation bracelets to the school individuals can partner with LHM ministry children in Thailand. My prayer is that many centers in Asia—or in other places around the of them were able to clearly hear the message.” world—to help spread the saving Gospel of Teresa also enjoyed leading a witness Jesus Christ. Visit www.lhm.org/partner to bracelet activity and teaching English. But she learn more. n was just as excited to bring home personal stories. In particular, she is retelling the story of a young boy who came to realize the love of Jesus through the Cambodia center’s soccer ministry. She also is excited to tell about a young man who grew up begging as a Buddhist temple boy but who learned to know Jesus through LHM—Thailand’s radio messages. “Praise God for lives changed by His Word and by faithful Christian witness,” says Teresa.

Students at the Rat Suksa school display completed Londa, Teresa, and Gunya witnessing-bead bracelets during an activity led by Londa, agree that a visit from a LuTeresa, and Thailand Director Boom Ekwanit-Denow.

Time for LHM Sunday at Your Church Many congregations celebrated Lutheran Hour Ministries Sunday 2014 on Feb. 2 in response to God’s call to share the Good News of Christ. But other congregations, including St. John’s Lutheran Church in Orange, Calif., have shared that they observed LHM Sunday on an alternate date.

Historic St. John’s celebrated on March 9 by bringing back Rev. Gregory Seltz, Speaker of The Lutheran Hour, to deliver the message at its services. Seltz had preached there often while he was on staff at Concordia University in Irvine. Parishioners also heard Dr. Susan Njemanze, a member of their congregation and a native of Kenya, share her experiences with LHM’s ministry center in Kenya.

She used to worship at Lutheran Cathedral in Nairobi, where current LHM—Kenya Director John Maina used to preach.

While March 9 was a great day for St. John’s to celebrate the blessings of Lutheran Hour Ministries, Bethel Lutheran Church in Bryan, Texas, put LHM resources to work in an even bigger way. The church is what Cathy Holste, a member of the church’s Witness and Outreach Board, calls a “highly visible church in a growing university community, very interested in reaching out to neighbors and passers-by.”

Recently the congregation ordered 100 copies of Lutheran Hour Ministries’ new witnessing-themed Project Connect booklet Live the Six: Learning to Live as an Everyday Missionary. When LHM’s Witness Tools Coordinator Suzie Sallee followed up on Bethel’s order, Holste told her, “Over the past five years we have offered three MISSION U courses here. Our groups really became ‘fired up’—and we started thinking about how we can be even more intentional in our outreach. So, we declared all of February to be Lutheran Hour Ministries MONTH —instead of just one Sunday!”

Bethel made plans to spotlight a different LHM program each week with bulletin write-ups and special messages and displays.

The focus of Week 1: JCPlayZone; week 2: International Volunteer Trips; week 3: LHM’s Project Connect booklet ministry; week 4: the Men’s NetWork.

“We offered the Live the Six booklet to every family as a culminating activity and reminder,” Holste said.

You don’t have to plan a “month of LHM Sundays” like Bethel did—but if you haven’t celebrated Lutheran Hour Ministries Sunday 2014 yet, you still can. Any time is good to celebrate the great things God is doing through Lutheran Hour Ministries and to learn about LHM’s bold proclamation of God’s Word and its resources for outreach.

LHM wants to be your partner in His mission, too! To get resources and get started visit www.lhm.org/lhmsunday. n

It’s not too late to celebrate LHM Sunday!

We are

lutheran hour ministries sunday 2014 Order bulletin inserts and other resources for FREE at

www.lhm.org/lhmsunday

We are

SEN

The Lutheran Layman May-June 2014 7

HOW

LHM Fits

with You

by Gerald Pershbacher

W

hat have YOU done—what do you CONTINUE to do—and what do you HOPE to do in supporting the efforts of Bringing Christ to the Nations— and the Nations to the Church through Lutheran Hour Minstries?

The question was put to several people in various regions across North America. Answers varied depending on the person and opportunities.

For many years Fred Neebe has witnessed the results of outreach via the Central New York Lutheran Laymen’s League at the New York State Fair. This year continues that effort. Fred says it will involve pastors and the laity thanks to a special mailing that included the plan and schedule for the project.

Two thousand copies of a “Preschool Scripture Activity Booklet” have been printed. Three thousand copies of another booklet have been ordered, while more material has been secured, befitting the event and demand in past years.

Sources have been contacted to offer financial assistance. One means of raising funds was through a pancake supper held at Grace Lutheran Church in Vestals, N.Y. Thrivent Financial offered supplemental funding for the Bible Booth at the fair.

Still, by God’s grace, it takes volunteers working the booth that make the witness personable. Fred would not have it any other way.

Seemingly Tireless in Outreach Longtime supporters of Lutheran Hour Ministries never seem to grow tired of coupling their outreach with LHM. Ed Tiefenbach is an example.

Living in Saskatchewan, he has been involved organizationally in the Int’l Lutheran Laymen’s League of Canada for decades. Time has not slowed him down, apparently. “You continue to volunteer in your own community informing people, whenever you have an opportunity, of the work of Lutheran Hour Ministries. I do that at congregational meetings, Oktoberfest Suppers, Fundraising Dinners for LLL projects, and to individuals.”

But he doesn’t stop there. “I help spearhead our annual fair booth ministry at the Regina Ex” (a significant and well-attended exposition).

“Our LHM booth reaches out to fair goers with the love of Christ handing out Project Connect booklets, New Testaments, Bibles, and related Christian materials. Our local churches and LHM are identified in all of our handouts.” He realizes the need is always there. “You must con-

“I try to continue to serve God in my life, and pledged support for LHM, but always wondered if it was enough…”

8 The Lutheran Layman May-June 2014

tinue to work in the Lord’s Kingdom as long as you are able.” His choice of outreach uses LHM as its launch pad.

South of the Canada-U.S.A. border is Michigan.

You might think people there did not have Ethiopia in mind as their “witness field,” but that idea quickly changed for one woman. Now she is eager to tell others. Her name is Norma Oxley (who also spends time in Arizona). She heard about the outreach in that land and found out LHM was active in sharing the Good News.

Individuals from the LHM – Ethiopia center travelled from Addis Ababa to Jawissa, a 25 minute rural drive. Three days and nights of Christ-centered activities were conducted under a large tent since the church was too small for a large gathering. A workshop was held for 120 church leaders and ministers (112 were commissioned from six congregations). In the evening, films were shown, and 156 people said the films helped in renewing their faith. About 600 people were involved in all the activities. Dozens of LHM Bible Correspondence Course graduates were honored. As a result, more students signed on.

When Norma discovered the news, she took it to heart and imagined how exciting it must have been to see the Christ-centered jubilation!

“What a blessing that LHM does so much with our little offerings!” said Norma. The domestic side hit her right away. “It seems that the mission field here in the U.S. is also so ripe for the Word, and yet we as Christians tend to forget to reach out to our neighbors, friends, and family who may not be churched.

“As I read obituaries in my local newspaper … I was dismayed by the number of persons in my own community who have no mention of their involvement in a relationship with their Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.” She added, “I try to continue to serve God in my life, and pledged support for LHM, but always wondered if it was enough. There are so many needs…I keep trying to stretch my dollars to provide for all those ministries that I love.

“God bless the efforts and the financial stewardship of LHM. There certainly have to be God-appointed persons who manage to do so much all over the world. Bless them.”

More on the Domestic Front of Outreach Ed Wright is a New York-to-Florida transplant, so to say, and if he applied for the title of the busiest man for LHM over the decades, he may have a shot at the crown. He has held positions in the Int’l LLL locally and internationally. His enthusiasm does not seem to diminish over the years.

“When I was 18 years old and had been president of my church Walther League for three years I was approached by the LLL Congregational Rep who was retiring and moving. He said ‘I want you to be my replacement. It’s your promotion to be a part of a one-of-a-kind organization of proclaiming the message of salvation.”

It was a “WOW” moment for Ed. “I accepted that invitation. Since that time I have been part of the league’s efforts in bringing Christ to our nation and inter-

nationally in lesser and greater ministry positions.

“I remember 1964, as president of the Queens Zone of the Mid-Atlantic District. We were manning The Lutheran Hour exhibit at the New York World’s Fair. Our exhibit separated the large Salt Lake City Temple and a hallway of Mormon history from the Vatican’s presentation, Michelangelo’s statue of the Pietà. I think an angel put us there because of the foot traffic that was going by to see those exhibits. We definitely were out-done but we weren’t ‘out-shined.’”

That impactful image is fresh in Ed’s mind as if it were yesterday.

He made a segue from being an elected Int’l LLL regional governor to jumping right in the thick of ministry as an employee of LHM (District Manager of Florida and Georgia from 1999 to 2008). “The ministry included Parish Media Teams and ‘Living for Tomorrow’ events that kept me busy. Visiting pastors and their congregations, enrolling donors and men’s clubs, administrating the Ambassadors in the district, giving zone training meetings, preparing and issuing bi-monthly newsletters” were just parts of his busy schedule.

Back in Canada but farther east, Beth Fischer grew up in the shadow of LHM as her father actively pursued avenues for witnessing through the Int’l LLL. She had a simple answer to the question that was raised. “‘What does it take to impact others’ lives and promote or inspire missions through Lutheran Hour Ministries…and HOW are people (are you) doing it?’ It starts by being in connection with God’s Word, in prayer and attending His Church, and it takes ‘keeping in touch’ to let people know what’s going on and listening—whether that’s in person, by phone, letter, e-mail, Facebook, Twitter, Skype, etc.”

Truly, outreach is precious when it is shared one-on-one, honestly and simply, Biblically and sincerely. It’s a challenge that spans the generations over centuries, and still holds strength. Whether an individual does that type of outreach personally or through the media efforts of LHM, the Word is moving forth by the grace of God and through the supportive hard work, prayers, and heartfelt sacrifice of supporters just like you! n

START A

NSHIP O I T A L E R L U F G N MEANI !! !!

THE WORLD D N U O R A HALFWAY

Make an impact by supporting an international ministry center.

R

G/PARTNE Visit WWW.LHM.ORou ries, to see how Lutheran H Hr isMminissistion . can be your partner in

The Lutheran Layman May-June 2014 9

Strengthening our Partnership ‘DOWN With Lutheran Media, Australia

UNDER’

by Douglas Rutt

Lutheran Media Australia Director Rev. Richard Fox, left, and LHM International Ministries Director Dr. Douglas Rutt appreciate the 68 year production coordination effort of the organizations to share the Gospel around the world.

week on more than 700 radio stations and reaches more than one million people. The goal of the program is evangelistic—to bring messages of hope to people who need good news of healing and life through the love of Jesus Christ.

The program is also available on the internet (www.facetoface.org.au) and is formatted for easy access through an iPhone or Android device.

My visit made it possible to meet with Lutheran Media Director Rev. Richard Fox to update the LHM-Lutheran Media partnership agreement and explore ways for more cooperation in the future. This could even include joint sponsorship of a ministry in another country.

“Like Lutheran Hour Ministries in the U.S.,” he told me, “Lutheran Media benefits from the generous support of the Lutheran community in Australia.

And like Lutheran Hour Ministries, we have the capacity to move beyond Australia’s borders.”

Rev. Fox will attend Lutheran Hour Ministries’ SENT National Outreach Conference, July 24-27 (see articles in this issue). While in the United States, he will also visit Lutheran Hour Ministries headquarters in St. Louis. n (Rev. Dr. Douglas Rutt directs the International Ministries division of LHM, a position he has held since 2010.)

I

t was on September 2, 1945, when The Lutheran Hour first was broadcast throughout Australia on 36 stations. History buffs will remember that on the same day the document of surrender was signed by Japanese Foreign Minister Shigemitsu and General Umezo on the deck of the USS Missouri in Tokyo harbor. It was a momentous day in world history, to be sure, but also it was the beginning of a partnership between Lutheran Hour Ministries and Lutherans in Australia that has continued for more than 68 years.

The Lutheran Hour had been broadcast to the region via short-wave radio since the early 1940s; however, on that day in September 1945, it would be firmly established as a local—Australian—ministry. Today our partnership is as strong as ever with the Australian organization now known as Lutheran Media (www.lutheranmedia.org.au). The mission of Lutheran Media is “Connecting People to Christ through Media,” and the focus is reaching out in “a contemporary easy-listening style.” This is important in a nation where only approximately 60% of the population claims to be Christian and over 21% claims “no religion” at all!

Recently I was able to visit the headquarters of Lutheran Media, located in Adelaide, South Australia.

The occasion was the 30th anniversary of their flagship program, Face to Face. In 1984, after broadcasting The Lutheran Hour for 39 years, the Lutheran Church in Australia decided that it was time to produce their own radio program, which would be more directed toward the language, culture, and needs of the Australian population. Today Face to Face is broadcast each 10 The Lutheran Layman May-June 2014

Vote by May

30!

The annual member election for the International Lutheran Laymen’s League Board of Directors is underway. Contributing members of Lutheran Hour Ministries are entitled to vote for the open positions on the board, as long as they are members of a congregation of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod or Lutheran Church—Canada. The open positions in 2014 are for chair and four directors (one of these director positions will be filled by a Canadian).

Biographical information on each candidate was included in the March – April issue of The Lutheran Layman (which may also be viewed online at www.lhm.org) and voting instructions were mailed to you recently. Voting is also available online by visiting https://vote.election-america.com/LHM and entering your election code and voting PIN to access the web site.

Don’t delay! Your vote must be received by the independent tabulation firm no later than May 30th to be counted. Election results will be publicized this summer as soon as the election committee can verify the ballots cast.

If you have questions, send an e-mail to LHM@election-america.com or call 1-866-384-9978. n

Illinois Volunteer Team Reached Beyond its Comfort Zones Valerius (at left), Wittbracht (second), Polansky (fourth), and Eggemeyer (at right)

E

UGANDA International Volunteer Trip, Part I

arlier this year a group of eight members of Immanuel Lutheran Church in Waterloo, Ill., headed for Kampala, Uganda, to serve Lutheran Hour Ministries’ Uganda ministry center as an International Volunteer Team. The team, which included LHM—St. Louis staff members Curt Wittbracht and Adam Eggemeyer, spent a week-and-a-half working alongside local staff and volunteers to renovate the center’s office and assist with children’s programming.

Eggemeyer and Wittbracht, together with teammates Bob Polansky and Jason Valerius, visited Lutheran Hour Ministries in St. Louis to offer insights about their trip and about volunteering with LHM. Conducting the interview was Greg Koenig of the LHM staff.

Koenig: How does a Lutheran church like Immanuel, in a small town in Illinois, decide to send a mission team to serve in Uganda, East Africa?

Polansky: It started about three years ago at a church trivia night. Adam had just come back from an LHM trip to Ethiopia and Kenya. He suggested that our church should do a volunteer trip. We talked about it and presented the idea to the congregation.

Valerius: As a church, we had never gone outside the United States to do any kind of mission work.

Eggemeyer: But you know, what struck me was that right away so many people came to us and said, “I’ve always wanted to do that but never did it.”

Wittbracht: For me, having been to a lot of these countries on business with LHM, I’ve seen people’s situations, how they live—I knew it would be a good experience for us all.

Polansky: After we presented it to the congregation, those of us who were interested began looking at options. LHM’s Chris Myers visited us and helped

narrow down those options. I know we wanted to challenge ourselves, and we were kind of intrigued that LHM’s Uganda ministry center never had hosted a volunteer group! We thought, “Hey, we could be the first!”

Koenig: Give our readers a picture of the kinds of service your team performed while you were in Uganda.

Valerius: They explained to us that they wanted us to repaint the walls in one building—but once we were done cleaning out, scraping, and painting in there, we moved on to their main office and did the same thing. So we had four or five days’ worth of that.

The staff had also planned to do a movie outreach in one of Kampala’s slums one night, so three of us went along. When they present a film show in an outlying area, they take a generator—because there’s no electricity—plus a projector, DVD player, screen, and sound system—everything. The night we went, the sound system wasn’t working properly. The staff had to interpret what was going on for the audience. The movie was The Ten Commandments with Charlton Heston, so it went pretty late. Still, at the end, a number of people came up to me and the two women from our group and asked us to pray for them!

Polansky: My wife had maybe 30 people who asked for prayer. She was a little overwhelmed.

Valerius: I told so many people this that I sound like a broken record, but the movie experience, with the technical challenges, the people’s response— including the times the audience cheered for Moses—and these opportunities for three members from a congregation in the Midwest to pray with total strangers in a village in Africa…we really found ourselves stepping out of our comfort zones!

Following their film show experience, the Waterloo volunteer team went with the Uganda ministry center staff to two rural villages for outreach activities among children. Look for their adventure, together with the insights they have to share with anyone interested in international volunteer service, in the next issue of The Lutheran Layman! n The Lutheran Layman May-June 2014 11

Maximize

Q&A

Your Witnessing

B

ruce Sutherland is a staff member of Lutheran Hour Ministries and a congregational lay leader. He has trained hundreds of lay people in witnessing to their faith and regularly leads evangelism teams into public places to tell others about Jesus. He is interested in increasing others’ concern for the eternal destiny of their neighbors. At LHM he is responsible for communicating the organization’s outreach ministry resources and programs to congregations and professional church workers. Paul Schreiber of the LHM staff offered the following questions.

Sharing Boldly The apostle Paul knew that maximizing your witness starts, continues, and ends with God’s help. The apostle encouraged believers to pray “at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints, and also for me, that words may be given to me in opening my mouth boldly to proclaim the mystery of the Gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains, that I may declare it boldly, as I ought to speak” (Ephesians 6:19-20).

12 The Lutheran Layman May-June 2014

Q: What does it mean to boldly declare the Gospel, as I ought to speak?

A: Even Christians can fall short of speaking the

message. We might pray for God to give us the words, but our zeal fades when it comes to opening our mouths to express the words He has given us. Ephesians 6:19-20 is a call to fervent prayer and bold proclamation from our lips, without reservation. Subconsciously, however, we place an asterisk next to that boldness. We make a list of necessary conditions before we will exercise Gospel boldness.

Q: What self-imposed conditions hold people back from sharing?

A: That’s a long list. I would venture to say the most

common conditions involve our desire to create the ideal relationship with unbelievers and our hope for pre-conversational brokenness. Most contemporary evangelism training emphasizes the need to build relationships. I agree the best way to share the Gospel is person to person, face to face, and heart to heart. Nonetheless, most of us spend years building relationships but never take the bold step to share a complete Law-and-Gospel message. It’s kind of like building a beautiful brick landscape around your house and then taking a sledge hammer to it. The minute we change the conversation from the weather to eternal destiny we take a risk of tearing down the relational landscape we’ve been building for years.

Another common self-imposed condition for sharing is awaiting personal tragedy or broken-heartedness. Last summer at a conference, a nice Christian woman insisted we look for the broken-hearted before we share the Gospel. So I asked her, “Pretend for a moment I am a young man, and I tell you my life is good. I am living with my girlfriend,

entertaining myself as I see fit, have a great job with money to spare, and am glad that religion is working for you.” I asked her how she would witness to that young man. She paused for a while. Then she said she would maybe build a relationship and wait until his life started to fall apart before sharing the Gospel. That bothered me because the Gospel is for people with no jobs and great jobs, bad marriages and good marriages. We don’t have to wait five years to build just the right relationship, and we can’t wait for life to crumble before we speak a bold message.

Q: What’s more important initially—sharing the Gospel or building a relationship?

A: That’s tricky because we never know when

someone will be snatched into death. If God gave you a new neighbor tomorrow, would you run over with a plate of cookies, help them move a couch, and then share Law and Gospel? Chances are you wouldn’t.

Most of us would invite them over for a barbeque, then spend the summer getting to know them before sharing the Gospel.

However, we do meet people we know we won’t see again. It’s possible we can build a relationship in a very short period of time. By my own count, most Christians would be surprised to find that a close examination of the Gospels shows that only about 20 percent of the evangelism contacts took place within longstanding relationships. The same would be true in the book of Acts.

It seems to me we are called to always be prepared to share the reason for the hope we have in Christ Jesus (see 1 Peter 3:15).

Eleven years ago I was leading one of our evangelism camps, and I spoke with a woman who was a complete stranger. After a 30-minute conversation of listening and sharing I gave her one of my cards, and

“To share the Gospel one must often take it to the streets, out to the highways and byways where people are.”

we parted. Nine years later she contacted me through Facebook to thank me for sharing what was a challenging message for her at the time and to let me know she was recently baptized. It was confirmation to me that the Holy Spirit is at work in both long- and short-term relationships when His Word is shared boldly.

Q: Rather than having an agenda in the back of your mind all the time (i.e., “I’ve got to share the Gospel with this person”), how do you relate to him or her and keep the lines of communication open?

A: I am not sure “agenda” is the word in the back of my mind. We are to be ready to share in season and out of season (see 2 Timothy 4:2), meaning all the time. The motive for us is twofold. First, there’s God’s love for us in Jesus Christ, which motivates us to share that same love and thus make disciples. The second is love for people, which means I care about my neighbor’s eternal destiny: heaven or hell. With that foundation I relate to my neighbor in a way that’s similar to parent-child communication. We have fun, we share, we serve and, at some point, we warn them of the impending danger. The internal tension we feel between sharing and relating might just be a sign of compassion.

you know about yourself. Imagine capturing your thought-life, complete with the most graphic sexual ideas you’ve ever had and putting them on the big screen. This production would feature all the times you lied to your parents, your friends, your spouse; all the times you stole something from somebody else or withheld what was yours to give; all the times your words scorched somebody else, making you angry enough to wish that person never existed.

Now take all that and put it on the big screen in full HD. Is that something you would want your wife to watch, something you would want your mother to Bruce Sutherland (left) takes it to the street to share the Good News of the Gospel. see? How about your kids? Would they be surprised? (Pause and let that sink in a little.) I am a Christian, and I have one of those, “show thyself approved” (see 2 Timothy 2:15).

Proclamation: God is making His appeal too. I wouldn’t want you to see it because our DVDs are horror flicks in the eyes of a Holy God. But I’ve through you (see 2 Corinthians 5:20), so pracgot news for you; God has already seen your DVD. tice Law and Gospel presentations out loud.

In fact, even though His wrath abides Do it when you are all alone, driving your car, on you because of your sin, the Scrip- or cutting the grass. Practice, practice, practice ture says, “If we say we have no sin we is the idea here. Get it down so you get accusdeceive ourselves and the truth is not in tomed to hearing your own voice share the reus, but if we confess our sin, God who is deeming work of Jesus on the cross. Then find faithful and just will forgive our sin and yourself a sinner and see the Holy Spirit at work. cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:8-9). At this point, if the individual Q: What frequent mistakes do Christians genuinely senses the gravity of his situation… I then make in faith-sharing conversations? ask him if he knows what Jesus did for him to escape A: Think of a faith-sharing conversation as judgment and hell. From this question, you can exhaving several ingredients. One basic mistake pound on the glory of the Gospel.

Christians make is to leave out some of the essentials. Watering down the doctor’s medicine Q: On the other side of things—when nagging may make it a little easier to swallow, but it can sins from our past/low self-esteem/the recol- also strip it of its curative properties. Most of us lection of previous blown witnessing efforts, etc., want to include the themes of grace, love, merhaunt us and seem to dismantle our witnessing cy, and joy, but we fail to talk about judgment, attempts, how do we move beyond these things hell, the holiness of God, wrath, and divine justice. The key is to talk about the tough stuff in to a place where we can talk about Jesus and the a way that says I care about you so much that I victory He delivers? am going to share it all. It’s not easy to do someA: Almost everything we learn and learn well is times, but that should not come as a surprise to through repetition. Sharing the Gospel despite past us, since the battle we wage is not against flesh failures certainly falls into this category. As I teach, and blood (see Ephesians 6:12).

In the end, be grounded in the Word but be I encourage ongoing commitment to the three Ps: Prayer (Luke 2:10); Preparation (1Peter 3:15): and proactive, too. To share the Gospel one must often take it to the streets, out to the highways and Proclamation (2 Corinthians 5:20).

Prayer: My suggestion is to make a list of people byways where people are. We won’t always feel who (as far as you know) are lost. Pray for them ev- we’ve got the situation under control, but that ery day. By God’s grace this will help you put a com- doesn’t mean the Holy Spirit isn’t doing a marpassionate face on eternal destiny. In addition to velous work through our humble efforts to tell this, we need to pray and read the Scriptures daily so others about Jesus. In truth and thanks to God, the groundwork of your efforts is often the founthat the Word of Christ dwells in us richly.

Preparation: Learn how to share the Gospel. dation He uses later (often through other laborParticipate in a faith-sharing Bible study; read the ers) to bring individuals to faith in His Son, their catechism; attend a MISSION U event and study to Savior. n

“Anything ‘holier than thou’ will kill the conversation.”

Q: When the topics of sin/repentance/hell/ Gospel and Jesus are broached in a growing friendship, is there a best way to get these ideas across so as not to offend or come off as “holier than thou”?

A: Anything “holier than thou” will kill the conversation. We need to approach our neighbors as one beggar telling another beggar where to find bread. Listening to their stories first and asking open-ended questions will help give you insight into their beliefs, feelings and predispositions. This informal fact-finding should also provide a clearer comprehension of those truths necessary to effectively share a God-centered message.

I typically use a Gospel illustration with a compassionate tone that helps them in four ways. It (1) helps them see the seriousness of sin against a Holy God; (2) helps them understand I am in the same boat; (3) leads them to contemplate just judgment, and (4) helps them see the need for the Savior.

Now hold on tight here, as this will sting a little—maybe a lot: imagine for a minute a DVD was made of your life, including all those things only

The Lutheran Layman May-June 2014 13

onthemove

by Phil Krauss ll Chairman, Int’l LLL Board of Directors

WHEN IS a Good Time to Speak Up? OK, I admit it. I used to have a hard time speaking to strangers and acquaintances about Jesus.

For those of you who know me, this is probably a little surprising—I have a reputation as an extrovert—but it was true.

What happens if “they” decide I’m one of those “religious nuts”? What if they tell me to mind my own business? I had visions of that annoying guy on a busy sidewalk yelling at by-passers and wearing a sandwich panel sign with the words “Repent, for the end is near!” I’ve seen a few of those guys over the years, and I usually cross to the other side of the street.

When I thought about it, I knew I shouldn’t have been nervous about sharing the Gospel—the “Good News” of salvation by grace through faith in Jesus Christ. I knew as Christians we have the responsibility, the calling, even the privilege to share God’s saving grace with the world (have you read Matthew 28:19-20 lately?). Nevertheless, I found myself mute when presented with opportunities to share my faith with somebody I didn’t know well.

Frankly, that’s part of the reason I started donating to Lutheran Hour Ministries almost 20 years ago. I figured my donations to an organization whose sole purpose is to make known the love of Christ, coupled with the example I thought I was setting, made up for the times I didn’t share God’s love directly myself. I didn’t have to evangelize if I helped someone else do it, right? I even patted myself on the back for being a good Christian because I supported LHM and other mission focused ministries. I never felt the time was right to speak personally about Christ.

Then something happened. As the Holy Spirit was at work, some people close to me encouraged me to do more for LHM, and within a few years, in addition to my treasure, I was donating my time and talent. That increased involvement exposed me to LHM faith sharing ministries like Equipping to Share (EtS), Men’s NetWork Bible studies, and evangelism sessions held at Lutheran Laymen’s League conferences. These ministries allowed what I knew in my head, to overcome my fears of rejection.

For the last decade or more now, I have discussed Jesus and His saving sacrifice with co-workers, neighbors, wayward family members, even a few complete strangers. I have used skills God gave me (like being an extrovert), developed others (like learning about apologetics), and now I feel pretty comfortable speaking to anyone about my faith.

The Holy Spirit has moved some to respond, others we are still working on. What is important, though, is that I learned it’s not hard to talk to people about Jesus and my fears were unfounded. If anyone felt I was one of those pushy Christians, they kept it to themselves. Some have even thanked me.

I learned that NOW is a good time to speak about Christ.

Whom have you spoken to about Christ lately? n

I learned that NOW is a good time to speak about Christ

14 The Lutheran Layman May-June 2014

MEET A DIRECTOR:

JAMAICA’S Ancella Gregory!

Ancella Gregory, director of LHM—Jamaica pictured at right.

Ancella Gutzmore-Gregory will be at LHM’s SENT Outreach Conference this July 24-27 in Detroit.

Ancella has worked on the staff of LHM—Jamaica since 1995 and has directed the ministry center since 2013. She oversees the center’s various evangelism strategies, which include radio and television broadcasts, Internet and print media, and evangelism training plus school outreach.

The Holy Spirit is active through the efforts. Ancella says, “The Lutheran Hour in English has been broadcast on Jamaica radio since the early 1950s and still airs on both a national station and a local Kingston

station. Lutheran Hour Ministries in Jamaica works hard to reach out to people from all walks of life—which is why we use social media, Project Connect booklets, face-to-face witnessing, school programs, even sports and games. We aim to continue and extend these methods—and to introduce new ones in order to bring more people to the light of life of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.”

A native of Jamaica’s capital city, Kingston, Ancella holds a certificate in early childhood education. She loves to socialize and enjoys cooking and decorating. To learn more about Lutheran Hour Ministries—Jamaica, visit lhmjamaica.wordpress.com. n

are you Attending the

Outreach Conference in Detroit?

Download the FREE app today! www.lhm.org/conference

outreach conference Get the latest updates on schedules, maps, speakers and more!

Available for Apple and Android devices.

onthemove

by Kurt Buchholz Executive Director Lutheran Hour Ministries

CHOOSING Isn’t Easy This is our first spring back in St. Louis and in our new home. We are blessed to be on the end of a cul-de-sac. All winter we enjoyed looking out over the trees in an area of common ground behind our home. When spring arrived, the Bradford Pear tree in the middle of our back yard bloomed and leafed out. It is beautiful to see and provides needed shade on the back of our house and yard. Unfortunately, it completely blocks the view of the common ground that we so enjoyed when the tree was bare. We are coming to terms with the fact that the tree will need to be introduced to a chainsaw.

When we have a choice between something good and something bad, something beautiful and something ugly, or easy versus difficult, making that choice tends to be simple. Unfortunately, we are often put in positions to choose between two very good things, like the view out the back of our house.

This is also relevant for the work of our church and, for me, it is very relevant for Lutheran Hour

Ministries. As the Lutheran Church seeks to engage its members and be relevant to an increasingly complex global society, the opportunity to do good becomes filled with difficult choices. Those choices are not between good and bad Kurt Buchholz but between really good service opportunities, outreach programs, and internal discipleship plus spiritual care.

How do you choose when all are good and needful? “‘Martha, Martha,’ the Lord answered, ‘you are worried and upset about many things, but only one thing is needed.

Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her’” (Luke 10:41-42).

The trap we want to avoid is the sinful desire to label a good thing “bad” so that we have a basis for choosing something else. It is fine to admit that something is really good but because of limited time, resources, or readiness we may choose that we will not do it.

As the church diligently seeks to engage today’s

“LHM is supported by dedicated people of God who never want to say no to new ministry opportunities …”

Get to Know LHM—

Vietnam’s Director, Dinh Hai Au This summer, Lutheran Hour Ministries will welcome Dinh Hai Au to the United States and to the SENT Outreach Conference in Detroit. Hai Au is the Director of LHM—Vietnam, which is located in Ho Chi Minh City.

“I was born into a Christian family but did not really understand who God is,” Hai Au relates. Some personal crises led him to seek God in prayer, and God answered his prayers in powerful ways. “Since then I have experienced countless blessings in my life and work,” he says.

Hai Au majored in English and worked as an English teacher for 12 years after his graduation. From 2003 to 2007 he worked for Lutheran

Hour Ministries, organizing music and puppet shows that shared the Gospel with non-Christian children and youth. During this time he also served as acting director while then-Director Mr. Truc was studying in the United States.

Hai Au began work as the center’s director at the end of 2011. Under his leadership, LHM— Vietnam has experienced overwhelming response to new or revitalized evangelism strategies such as sports ministry, eyeglass clinics, live music performances and Internet media outreach, among others.

“We can’t help thanking God for His power and His deeds through us,” says Hai Au of the recent successes that LHM—Vietnam has enjoyed. “We have been given opportunities to work with Him so that we are more and more successful for the Lord!”

We invite you to visit with Dinh Hai Au at the SENT conference and get a sense of his Spirit-driven trust and optimism. For now, you can learn more about Lutheran Hour Ministries— Vietnam at lhmvietnam.wordpress.com. n

world, Lutheran Hour Ministries is in a position to provide more and more resources to help the church accomplish this task: more Bible studies, devotionals, training, media, international offices, conferences, etc.

This is great news because it indicates that we as an organization are relevant to the church that wants to make sure the Gospel is being proclaimed in today’s world.

In some cases this is because other entities within our church are no longer providing resources for ministry and mission that they once did. Either way we must make the difficult decisions of what good opportunities we will support and which ones, just as needed and just as good, we will not. These are difficult choices.

The beauty is that LHM is supported by dedicated people of God who never want to say no to new ministry opportunities that can be Bringing Christ to the Nations—and the Nations to the Church. I thank you for your continued support that allows us to say yes to many more opportunities. Be assured that with Lutheran Hour Ministries you are joining with other mission-minded Lutherans to have direct Gospel impact—impact, by God’s grace, that changes individual lives for an eternity! n

Maier in Arizona Close to 400 folks joined Dr. Paul Maier on Feb. 8 at Mountain View Lutheran Church, Apache Junction, Arizona, for his presentation on Lost Books? of the Bible. The event was sponsored by the Grand Canyon District of the Int’l Lutheran Laymen’s League, reports Lou Marting.

Maier reviewed some ancient writings that failed to make the final cut and why other texts met the standard as the inerrant Word of God, a trustworthy, cover-to-cover revelation of God to man. n The Lutheran Layman May-June 2014 15

Register Now for the LHM Outreach Conference!

R

eflecting Lutheran Hour Ministries’ outreach programs and training, this year’s LHM Outreach Conference in Detroit, Mich., July 24-27, takes the place of the Int’l LLL International Convention as a biennial event.

No official league business will be conducted during this conference. The purpose has shifted to resourcing, training, and encouraging the laity in evangelism, showcasing ministries in which the Int’l LLL/LHM are engaged, and allowing volunteers and partners who are passionate about sharing the Gospel to network.

You will gain in-depth knowledge from the keynote presentations, labs, and breakout sessions. The Detroit conference is also a chance for you to catch up with friends—while also meeting new people. Since the new focus is intended to encourage more laity from throughout the LCMS to attend an Int’l LLL/LHM event, this is a great opportunity for you to invite congregation members and friends to join you.

See www.lhm.org/conference or call toll-free at 1-800-876-9880. Be equipped and empowered. Be SENT!

In-Depth Learning Opportunities Highlight LHM Outreach Conference Through the Lutheran Hour Ministries Outreach Conference, lay leaders like you will learn valuable insights from main-stage speakers such as The Lutheran Hour’s Rev. Gregory Seltz, best-selling author Jon Acuff, renowned missiologist Alan Hirsch, Valparaiso University’s Rev. John Nunes, Concordia Seminary’s Dr. Joel Biermann, and others, and participate in labs and workshops where you can dig deeper into pertinent outreach topics.

Below are the confirmed topics for main-stage presentations, labs and workshops as of press time. Other topics are being added to the conference web site as they are confirmed (www.lhm.org/conference and check out the “Speakers” tab for the latest details).

Jon Acuff New York Times Best-Selling Author Working (and Winning) with Millennials Every time a new generation enters the work force, companies face a simple decision: adapt and win or ignore and lose. What motivates this new generation is different from what motivated the last generation.

Rev. Dr. Todd Biermann Senior Pastor–Grace Lutheran Church, Grand Blanc, Mich.

Marriage God’s Way Marriage is an institution under attack. Some even believe it has received its fatal blow and is in the throes of death. However, God, who created the institution of marriage, speaks otherwise. His Word guides us to a way for marriage that will enable this institution to survive and thrive.

16 The Lutheran Layman May-June 2014

Rev. Ken Chitwood Missions and Leadership Development Coordinator – CrossPoint Community Church, Katy, Texas A Sacred Duty: Understanding, and Responding to, the World’s Religions Chitwood, a religion commentator, newswriter, and doctoral student in religious studies, will share what it takes to be “religiously literate” and converse, dialogue and interact with the ever-increasing number of people who are Muslim, Buddhist, Sikh, and “none” in a pluralistic society.

Be prepared to listen and learn, dialogue and discern, and witness to the worldview of those around you who believe something you don’t even understand.

Rev. Mark Frith Outreach Initiative Program Director, Lutheran Hour Ministries • Understand Our New Post-Church Culture: “We’re not in Kansas Anymore” • Developing a Culture of Outreach: Preparing Your Church for Belonging Before Believing— Building Relationships • Developing Consistent Follow Up: Going the Extra Mile or Two for the Sake of Relationship • Developing Your Community Connections: Building Bridges to Your Community The largest and fastest growing religious group in America is the unchurched. They are “faithful” in staying clear of your congregation and, what’s more, they have no plans to visit. Are you struggling to figure out why so many people are just not interested in what you have to offer?

Together let’s consider the blueprints for executing a dynamic and practical plan for reaching those who live in your community.

Rev. Roosevelt Gray Director of LCMS Black Ministry Sent to Disciple all Ethnics Jesus was sent from the Father to save the world (John 3:16).

Jesus sends His disciples (John 20:21), the Church, to disciple all nations (Matthew 28:19).

What does it mean today to be sent from the Father, by the Son, to disciple the nations?

Seth Hinz Web/Media Director for Michigan District, LCMS SENT into Social Media Understand the ministry opportunities social media presents, and how our identity in Christ impacts the way we post and tweet to engage and build relationships.

Rev. Dr. Mark Larson Director of United States Ministries, Lutheran Hour Ministries Speaking Christ’s Word to Those Engaged Sinful Lifestyles Sixty percent of Americans live with someone else before marriage. This is just one example of cultural mores that embrace a sinful and harmful behavior. Learn practical steps for speaking the Word of Christ into situations like this with the goal of transitioning people from a lifestyle that is harmful and contrary to the Word of God to being a member of the Body of Christ.

Rev. Bill Johnson Director of Distance Learning, CTS SENT Online Media continues to change the world around us every day. Learn how to put websites and social media to work for your ministry and find out how to reach digital natives.

Rev. Dominic Rivkin Lead Pastor–Trinity Lutheran Church, Temecula, Calif.

LINC: A Principled Approach to Mission Ministry The Lutheran Intercity Network Coalition (LINC) is an organizational model for an entire metro area with the primary purpose to plant groups of new believers throughout the city. Not only do new groups typically grow faster than established ones, but they have the opportunity to change more quickly to reflect the needs and values of the community where they are planted. Learn about the foundations of LINC and discuss how they can influence the mission of your faith community.

Rev. Dr. Robert Kasper Congregation Mission and Ministry Facilitator for the Michigan District, LCMS Acts 2 Enterprise: Transforming Spirits, Stories, Cities: The Michigan District’s Urban Outreach Initiative Learn how urban ministry today can be framed into the future. Be equipped to develop an intentional strategic plan of IMMERSION, IMITATION, INVITATION, and IMPACT toward a holistic approach to urban ministry including urban renewal that gains the platform to share “the HOPE that is within us” (1 Peter 3:15).

Faith Spelbring Regional Outreach Conference Manager, Lutheran Hour Ministries Using Digital Media to Share Christ As early as 1911, newspapers ran ads noting that a picture is worth a thousand words. Today, more than ever, we see the truth in this old adage. With the rise of social media, telling stories through digital snapshots is easy!

Explore how to share the message of the cross through digital media and hear about the latest efforts to illustrate the Gospel in an image-driven world.

Rev. Kevin Wendt Pastor – Grace Lutheran Church, Destin, Fla. Compelled to Engage People with Jesus What does it take for a Christian to be a missionary everywhere they go? Learn how lay leaders like you can be equipped, energized, and SENT out into the world to live lives of dynamic witness in the name of Jesus Christ.

Sharing the Gospel through Short-term Mission Trips Interested in ministry and serving with Christian brothers and sisters around the world? Chris Myers, specialist for LHM International Ministries Partnerships, guides you through the adventure of serving internationally through short-term missions. Learn from Ancella Gregory (LHM International ministry center director from Jamaica, see page 14) and Dinh Hai Au (LHM manager from Vietnam, see page 15) as they share the impact of North American volunteers on ministry efforts.

Sharing the Gospel with our Muslim Neighbors According to Pew Research from June 7, 2013 there are 1.6 billion Muslims in the world– around 23 percent of the world’s population.

Learn about and experience different outreach efforts to the Muslim community through LHM International ministry center director in Lebanon, Fadi Khairallah, and LHM regional director of Africa and the Middle East, Eric Gates. Apply outreach techniques to reach the Muslim community here at home.

Sharing the Gospel by Meeting Physical Needs Learn about meeting physical and spiritual needs in unique holistic outreach efforts in several parts of the world: Hear about the LHM International ministry center in Mexico (director Eugenio Gallastegui), efforts in Europe and the Caribbean (shared by Rev. Peter Kirby, LHM regional director of Europe and Jamaica), and efforts elsewhere (revealed

by Rev. Dr. Douglas Rutt, LHM International Ministries director).

Presentations may be subject to change.

The Lutheran Layman May-June 2014 17

R

S Y A W W E N G N I D FIN TO TODAY’S CULTURE

ENGAGE

Chris Coletti

Interview by Paul Schreiber

18 The Lutheran Layman May-June 2014

ecently, we connected with ministry, is relational. Lives are rarely impactChris Coletti—a youth and ed from behind a desk or computer monitor. family ministries director Utilizing the technological connections is imas well as Lutheran Hour Minis- portant, but the basics remain the same. We tries’ presenter for MISSION U need to love people, experiencing their life and five14—and asked about with them. This investment in their lives is the struggles young people what then allows you to share the love of Christ face in today’s rapidly changing with them. That actually might be more vital society. What we found is that now than ever before,” explained Coletti. some “Millennials” (born roughly between the On some weekends Coletti may be found early 1980s to the early 2000s) are finding it on the road making MISSION U presentations, highly daunting to fit into society while discov- thanks to Lutheran Hour Ministries. “What I ering unique ways to shine for Christ. love about MISSION U is it’s not just theories Coletti, a Southern California native, di- about how to witness. Instead, each course prorects Youth and Family Ministries at Faith vides practical, real-world preparation on how Lutheran Church, Vista, Calif., where he has to effectively share the Gospel of Jesus Christ. served since 2000. In this community north “People in congregations all over the counof San Diego, he works with more than 160 try are discovering they can be witnesses for children, youth, and young adults, as well as Christ in their workplaces, schools, and comtheir parents and families. He credits Faith’s munities in very simple, nonthreatening ways, Pastor B.D. Droegemueller as being a “power- and that seems to be very empowering to peoful advocate” for the church’s ple. I’ve never seen another ministry creative youth ministry. outreach that connects with people “Today’s teens right Coletti believes the church where they are and empowers are often ‘like must be proactive in its apthem to participate in the Great Comproach toward reaching the mission like MISSION U. It cuts across sheep without world. “The days of throwing generational lines, too. Regardless of a shepherd’…” open the church doors and the participants’ age, they will definitepeople flowing in because it’s ly discover a more effective way to witSunday are over,” he said. “We need to be in ness to the world around them,” he noted. the world. We need to be in the culture. And Coletti has a strategy. Attending events this is such a fantastic opportunity for us! Our such as the LCMS National Youth Gathering is culture is almost begging us to get involved, a key part. “Watching our youth walk into the to be with them! As Lutherans we un- stadium for the first time and seeing 30,000 derstand this perfectly through voca- other Lutheran teenagers excited about Jesus tion. Our vocations (wherever God has is one of my favorite moments. The opportuplaced us, in whatever circle of influ- nity to worship with that many other youth ence He has given us) give us tremen- is an experience we can’t duplicate at home. dous opportunities to shine the light Some of our best teenage leaders are a direct of His love in a world that desperately result of the National Youth Gathering. In fact, needs it. Our culture is primed for the in many ways it’s a centerpiece of our youth Gospel. And you can see young people ministry. We see it as a leadership-building struggling to figure out what is missing experience, viewing every aspect of prepain their lives. This is an amazing oppor- ration and participation as chances for our tunity because we as Lutherans have a youth to grow as leaders,” he said. tremendous message of grace,” he added.

As a five14 presenter, Coletti works with Though church attendance is waning in young people coming from various contexts. many areas and communication technology When asked about the program’s strengths is everywhere, relationships still remain cen- and its relevance, he said: “Today’s teens are tral to outreach. “Social media, online gam- often ‘like sheep without a shepherd’ (see Mating, the ever-expanding world of apps—it’s all thew 9:36); five14 brings them to the one eleabout people wanting to connect. For Chris- ment they are missing: the unconditional love tians we can easily use these same methods and forgiveness of Jesus Christ. That is powerof connecting to reach this generation for ful for them. So often young people work on Christ. Ultimately, what matters is the per- issues or serve their communities or press on sonal relationship.” for causes they believe in, but many have never He goes on: “Ministry, especially youth experienced forgiveness or pure acceptance. So

SOUND BITES

five14 serves them in a way that is irreplace- group to promote additional awareness. able. It shows them the pure love and forgiveColetti clearly stated, “We set a goal of raisness of God. ing about $8,000 since the estimated cost of “Because of today’s fast-moving culture, providing freedom for one person held in slavthe fact that young people have instant ac- ery is $1,000. Our goal is to provide freedom cess to many things previous generations for eight people. A well-known quotation by did not, and because they’re living in a world Edward Everett Hale, ‘I can’t do everything, that allows them opportunities to have mabut I can do something,’ ture experiences without provided inspiration, too. having adult maturity, many “Main fundraising ef“I can’t do everything, of them struggle deeply with forts will come during In His public minbut I can do something.” Lent, as we encourage guilt and not being able to foristry, Jesus was a masgive themselves.” people to support ‘Freedom ter of the casual conTeenagers understand and cling to the for- for Eight’ as part of their seasonal sacrificial versation. Among His giveness of Jesus Christ at five14 events. They giving. We’re finding that getting the word many encounters were see others “eagerly receive His love,” which out about human trafficking is vital because truth-seekers, religious results in seeing “some of the greatest bless- many people are unaware of the issue. We’re leaders, skeptics and naysayers, future disciples, and a mulings of my life. One thing I’ve noticed at every very encouraged that we raised $1,000 early titude of others—people everywhere—pressing Him with event... is that youth are embracing grace. The on, even before the major fundraising push. questions, ailments, demons, burdens, and a host of other unconditional love and acceptance from Je- All funds raised will go to the International needs. Ever ready to help the weary and downtrodden, He sus Christ impacts them in a way I rarely see.

Justice Mission, which fights human traffickmet them where they were.

“Many young people attending five14 ing worldwide and works to provide freedom Life is still that way, isn’t it? The world at large is such events have never heard the Gospel,” Coletti for those enslaved. We are very hopeful that that we can interface with different people just about every elaborated, “but because five14 meets them with everyone’s help—everyone doing their day, if we want to. For the Christian, this is an enormous opwhere they are in life they are extremely open small part—we will exceed our goal of raising to hearing the Good News and receiving the $8,000. We’ve also applied for grant money (see page 24) love of Jesus Christ. That’s exactly what you from Wheat Ridge Miniswant in an outreach to teenagers. Lives are tries as a way to supplechanged at five14 events.” ment our efforts.”

Recently, Faith’s high school youth group Coletti has learned was involved in an ambitious project. Called over the years that teen“Freedom for Eight,” it’s about raising aware- agers and young adults ness—and $8,000—to help eight individuals can get the job done when who are victims of 21st-century human slav- called upon. “For me it’s ery. It shows the impact of five14. been a reminder to never “Without a doubt ‘Freedom for Eight’ is a limit the ability of what direct result of five14,” Coletti acknowedged. teenagers are capable of “After attending a five14 workshop at the and never set limits on LCMS 2013 National Youth Gathering in San what I expect God to do Antonio, our youth were extremely motivat- through them. I think it’s ed to shine the light of Christ to the world,” as inspiring to me as it is THIS GENERATION CRAVES he added. to the youth to see this ef“In a Bible study after the Gathering we fort embraced not only by talked about the 27 million people in slavery our congregation but also today and how girls as young as 11 years old by community members, are trapped in human trafficking. Since San and even other churches.

Diego County is one of the largest regions of “What we began as a EQUIP YOUTH TO SHARE THE human trafficking in the nation it was instant- short-term project looks ly obvious to our youth that this was an issue like it will very likely turn AUTHENTIC TRUTH – THE GOSPEL - WITH INTENSITY. we should be involved in,” Coletti said. into an ongoing effort that Coletti encouraged Faith’s youth to think will reach beyond just our big. Within a week they created signage, church,” he concluded. produced awareness flyers, generated news For more details FACEBOOK.COM/FIVE14 WHATSFIVE14.TUMBLR.COM contacts, and created interest in public high about MISSION U go to schools. They have an online funding cam- www.whatsmissionu.com. paign at www.indiegogo.com and Facebook For more on five14, check pages of the congregation and the youth www.whatsfive14.com. n

to Whet Teens’ Witnessing Appetite

AUTHENTICITY. INTENSITY. RESULTS. FIVE14’S TRAINING WORKSHOPS READY FOR RESULTS?

The Lutheran Layman May-June 2014 19

a i l o g n o M

Outreach in M

is Possible

ally Mongolians have practiced Buddhism and Shaongolia! The very name elicits manism, but much religion was suppressed during pictures of cold treeless steppes the years that Mongolia was closely allied with the and the very ends of the earth.

Soviet Union. The independence of the country in But this country also is one for which God the early 1990s has led to openness to western insent His Son. So Lutheran Hour Ministries vestment and business development made a visit in March to explore the and to new religious ideas.” possibility of working with LCMS Kirby adds, “Christian church and Missionaries to do radio outreach “… Media leaders with minority groups among the in Mongolia are media leaders in Mongolia are very Mongolian people. very welcoming …” welcoming and supportive of our media outreach efforts. They have an “The church is only 22 years old ambitious goal of seeing more than in Mongolia, but during that time 10 percent of the 2.8 million Mongolians following it has grown from a handful of Christians Christ within the next few years. The church is growto over 100,000 people professing faith in ing, and leaders are being trained in outreach and Jesus Christ,” says Rev. Peter Kirby, LHM’s development of new congregations. The Lutheran regional director over the area. “TraditionHour model of recruiting and employing local staff fits very well with the context in Mongolia.

“Pray that God will give wisdom as we seek approaches for radio ministry and the development of young Christians in Mongolia. Pray also that God would bind those who seek to intimidate young Christians and to keep them from boldly sharing their faith with family, friends and neighbors.

People are hungry to hear about the hope that Christ brings into the challenges of their lives, also in Mongolia.”

Keep in step with LHM’s progress online at www.lhm.org and in future pages of The Lutheran Layman. n

The landscape is rugged. The people are proud, often cordial but apprehensive. Non-Christians abound. Trust is to be won, not given freely.

Witnessing to Christ often is done one-on-one (see photo, bottom right).

20 The Lutheran Layman May-June 2014

Genuine Concern is

Necessary for Our Faith

by Paul Schreiber

Overcoming our proclamation inertia is the focus of First-Class Faith Sharing: Methods & Motivations, a new Project Connect booklet by author and pastor Peter Mueller. As anyone who has shared the Gospel can probably admit, getting the words out is no simple matter.

Do any of the reasons that follow sound familiar?

First, there’s that nagging sense of being illequipped to respond to any but the most basic comment or question about Jesus or salvation.

Next, there’s the rationale we offer as to why now is not a good time to talk about Jesus. Confounding things further is our super-sensitive, highly selective, internal filter of who might be the most receptive (i.e., who would give us the least push back) to the controversial and potentially life-changing message we want to share. Thankfully—for us and the church

at large—the Holy Spirit is present to give us the strength we need, when we need it (see Luke 12:12).

Unfortunately, our personal insecurities can bury any impression that we actually care about the individual we’re trying to connect with. Driving our outreach, according to Mueller, should be “an authentic love for Jesus that plays itself out in everyday decision-making.” Rather than seeing outreach as reciting some point-by-point presentation, we would do well to view our Gospel witness as building a relationship—just like we would with any person with whom we’re establishing a rapport. Approaching it this way not only relieves the pressure of an awkward monologue about Jesus, it allows the exchange to grow organically, naturally, making the conversation healthy and dynamic for both parties.

Still, overcoming obstacles to sharing the Good News is not easy. “For many there is an intimida-

tion factor that leads some to feel they aren’t equipped to share their faith. What they might need to remember is that Jesus walked and talked with all kinds of people in their environment and in a way that they would understand—love,” said Suzie Sallee, coordinator for outreach tools for Lutheran Hour Ministries. “In this booklet Mueller offers ways to reach out to an outsider to the Christian faith and delay the impulse one might have to invite them to church; instead, when communicating the faith to others he recommends we ‘be real, be present, be patient, and when the time is right to use words, be brief,’” she added.

For more on this Project Connect booklet, as well as dozens of other topical booklets, go to www.lhm.org/projectconnect. n

“...be real, be present, be patient...”

Pocket-sized Primer for Junior Witnesses In time for summer, Sharing Your Faith blends fun rhymes and cool artwork to tell kids about the importance of being a Gospel lightSTfor SS FIR -CLAJesus. : INGviThis handy booklet shows kids that telling others about their FASavior ITH SHARis s & Motivations hod Met tal, and so is living their faith in front of others. It reminds young people that actions reinforce words and that how they live conveys the sincerity of their faith.

“This booklet shows how even the youngest of God’s children can share their faith. Though their efforts might seem insignificant when compared to a more mature presentation, these little ones are still reaching their peers in ways they understand,” said Suzie Sallee, who coordinates witness tools for Lutheran Hour Ministries.

While being a kid is about having fun and cutting loose, it’s also important that youngsters acquire a Godly foundation to stand on in the future. Establishing a practice of sharing the Gospel early in life can serve a junior Christian well during high school, into college, and beyond. Like any task done consistently, over time sharing one’s faith becomes more natural; this is especially true when the practice begins in youth.

Faith-sharing situations, especially among kids, can be ordinary and off the cuff. “There are many chances for kids to share their faith while playing and having a good time. By simply making a joyful noise in song about Jesus or being kind or sharing toys, they are mirroring what Jesus would do,” Sallee said. “There is no age limit when it comes to sharing our faith. Often very young kids are more comfortable sharing as they don’t yet worry about what someone else might think, but are happy to tell of God’s love.”

This booklet is ideal for youngsters in elementary or vacation Bible school or as a complement to give students who are studying one of the Gospels or epistles in Sunday school. n

FIRST-CLASS : FAITH SHARivatING ions Methods & Mot

Learn How to Help Spread the Good News!

Lutheran Hour Ministries is releasing two booklets designed to help people express their faith. From Project Connect, First-Class Faith Sharing: Methods & Motivations is loaded with road-tested ideas on overcoming reluctance to speaking the Good News. Sharing Your Faith is full of fun rhymes for youngsters (and parents).

For a limited time, purchase 20 First-Class Faith Sharing: Methods & Motivations booklets ($10 plus shipping and handling) and receive 5 Sharing Your Faith kids booklets free!

Visit our special ordering page, www.lhm.org/faith and enter code LMFAITH14 to receive this offer.

Offer valid May 1-June 30, 2014, while supplies last.

The Lutheran Layman May-June 2014 21

1

THREE BOOKS

Sensitize Readers on

“The only thing that embarrassed me was the presence of the American soldier who was standing beside Hermann,” said the wife of Hermann Goering, the Once-powerful Nazi at the Nuremberg Trial that followed the Second World War. “I should have had one beside me, too, but his place had been taken by Pastor Gerecke for which I was very grateful….” Rev. Henry Gerecke was the LCMS military chaplain who was assigned to protestant defendants linked to the failed Nazi cause.

Her comment is in the new book, “Mission at Nuremberg, An American Army Chaplain and the Trial of the Nazis,” written by Tim Townsend, William Morrow Hardcover, HarperCollins Publishers, New York (in book stores; $28.99).

St. Louisan Gerecke took on the challenge to witness to prisoners amid the most strenuous times as the weight of justice and public outrage swirled around the 21 German officials who faced war crimes against humanity.

Most were sentenced to death, and the time they spent at the trial was the worst point in their lives. If ever the Gospel of Christ needed to be shared and take root in their lives, it was then.

How does a person minister to such people during the months following the international crisis of war that resulted in millions of deaths? Did the whole idea of offering a word of grace seem to be ill fitted to that situation?

For Gerecke it was an assignment from the Lord. Some outsiders believed the “brand of Cain” marked the men as murderers. Says Townsend, “To the chaplain, the brand of Cain meant protection—even for murderers—from harm, through the grace of God.” The chaplain saw sin as a universal flaw. Succumbing to that evil power was man’s greatest weakness. Amid this thinking, Gerecke counseled with Biblical clarity, prayed with the incarcerated and their fam-

ilies, and stayed with each of his assigned prisoners who walked to his death by hanging.

The experience of Gerecke is well applied to today’s circumstances. Sin abounds, but grace abounds even more as witnesses proclaim through outreach to family, friends, and strangers, plus ongoing opportunities among those whose hearts are hardened. As with the repentant thief on the cross next to Jesus, the call of salvation is active up to a person’s final moment. So it was at Nuremberg.

Discovering how the chaplain wrestled with this challenge may provide added insights to anyone active in outreach. n

2

22 The Lutheran Layman May-June 2014

Outreach

While the writer follows Methodism, you can add your Lutheran perspective as you set the “GPS” on the pages. Even that can be a good starting point for discussion by pastors during Bible class.

How can this be used in outreach? The book can institute thinking, conversation, and “internal mapping” for those who run through its concepts, thus sharpening a person’s witnessing abilities. This book helps folks put their minds and thoughts in order, which is a fine attribute in outreach. n

3

The Global Positioning System is gaining the upper thought in the minds of many drivers in recent years, and some would never leave home without it. So it was a matter of time before the concept was compacted into a book about the Bible.

Specifically, “Travels with St. Mark, GPS for the Journey,” a pedagogical aid by Eugene E. Lemcio, WIPF & Stock, Eugene, Ore. (call (541) 344-1528).

The author examines the Gospel of Mark from 31 positions in 64 pages. OK, so it isn’t the GPS like you expected in your Buick. But the idea is similar—a “mapping” in words of Mark’s inspired book.

Perspectives compare Mark’s chapters and concepts with the Book of Daniel, why Mark started the Gospel like he did, healers, kingdoms, the use of parables, signs and wonders, Christology, wisdom, and Resurrection. Charts show significant themes as compared to various sections of Holy Writ. The writer raises questions which can serve as discussion starters in Bible study groups, too. Seasoned class leaders can tweak this “system” toward a marvelous destination.

The “Son of Man Shift” is a good example. The author cites use of the concept in four chapters of Mark. “Jesus is the only one ever to use it throughout all of the gospels,” says Lemcio. “It is the only expression that covers all aspects of (Jesus’) career.”

He adds, “It is the action term. The others are acclamations/confessions, saying more about His identity/status than His role/assignment.”

by Gerald Perschbacher

“The Real Luther, A Friar at Erfurt & Wittenberg” by Franz Posset (Concordia Publishing House, St. Louis, 1-800-325-3040), is a softbound, 195 page book on preparing Lutherans for the Luther year of 2017—which will mark the 500th anniversary of the Reformation.

The book encourages a search for the historical Luther, not an embellished personage. To wit, the book asserts that Saint Bernard of Clairvaux “was of greater impact on Luther than Augustine,” that the Reformation initially was celebrated (especially in the southern German territories) on June 25 “which is the date of the presentation of the Augsburg Confession,” and that fellow reformer Melanchthon wrote on the early formative stage of the Reformation years after the events, sometimes interviewing others for accuracy.

Questions are examined. Was Luther a monk or friar? Were the 95 Theses posted or nailed to a door? What were the major theological implications? Can we verify the year of Luther’s birth?

(His mother was adamant on the day and time, but could not verify the year.)

Overall, a scholarly work, sometimes sternly analytical but always respectful. Understanding the human aspects of Luther and the facts that have been ascertained allows Lutherans to provide a clearer picture of him as man and theologian. It does admirably in showing how Luther reached out to others with God’s Word, less as a legend and more as a man of faith. n

Special Class

Taught by Rutt at Sem

by Philip Gruenwald

A two week intensive course (March 31 to April 11) on Cultural Anthropology for outreach was taught by Rev. Dr. Douglas Rutt, director of International Ministries for Lutheran Hour Ministries. The course setting was Concordia Seminary, St. Louis, Mo. Rutt is an expert on Ph.D.-level studies explaining cultural theories and their uses within Christian outreach. This was his first class at the St. Louis campus.

The course followed Rutt’s tenure as supervisor of the Ph.D. program in Missiology at Concordia Theological Seminary, Fort Wayne, Ind. Since coming to LHM, he typically returns to Fort Wayne to teach one course each year. In 2014, that was a course May 5 to 9 on Foundations for Missionary Leadership.

“Most cultures are like an iceberg,” said Rutt, with “90 percent ‘un-

Finding Favor with God Among the Old Testament’s more unusual stories, Noah and the ark must surely land near the top. Here a man of robust age (more than 500 years old) was instructed to build a seafaring craft (nearly 500 feet long) in which would be carried “two of all living creatures, male and female” (Genesis 6:19). To keep this floating menagerie alive, Noah stored food sufficient for the “float” he and his family were preparing to take. The sixth chapter of Genesis then closes with a divine stamp of approval on this patriarch: “Noah did everything just as God commanded him” (Genesis 6:22).

Hosted by Rev. Kurt Klaus and filmed on location at the Creation Museum in Petersburg, Kentucky, Noah: The Man, the Ark, the Flood is a four-part Bible study from the Men’s NetWork. Among the topics explored by specialists will be the historicity of Noah, the phenomenon of centuries-old life spans, and the ancient technology available to build a seafaring vessel capable of housing thousands of animals.

Some questions the study considers are how did all those animals fit into the ark? Where did waters sufficient to cause such a flood come from—and where did they go? Why do numerous cultures scattered throughout the world have stories of creation and flooding that seem to echo the biblical text?

The deluge account in Genesis 6-9 is a fantastic one to be sure as it chronicles Noah and his devout righteousness, contrasting his blameless fidelity to God with the wanton corruption and violence in the world around him. Along with his immediate family, Noah is singled out for God’s redemptive blessing—and salvation—from the waters of a flood let loose to wipe out every living thing, except the people and creatures aboard the ark. In the end, God establishes a covenant with Noah and his sons to never again destroy the earth by flood. This ancient event also is an object lesson in the New Testament, where it is connected to Baptism in 1 Peter 3.

As with all Men’s NetWork Bible studies, an in-depth discussion guide helps users get the most from their viewing. Related links on geology, ancient flood accounts, ark particulars, dinosaurs, and more are included as well. For more on this Bible study and other resources available from the Men’s NetWork, go to www.lhmmen.com. n

derwater’ and you don’t see it – you see the artifacts and the behaviors, but you don’t see what’s going on inside of people.

This course provides tools to help analyze what’s going on at the deeper level.”

Teaching helps Rutt as much as he helps the students, he said.

As he instructs stuRev. Dr. Douglas Rutt shared his expertise dents on research and recently at the seminary in St. Louis. how different cultures process key issues in Scripture, he hears feedback from former students who go on to live and work in those environments.

I have friendships with many former students from around the world who are now leaders of churches with whom LHM works,” added Rutt.

“The president of the Lutheran Church of Korea was a former student of mine. It’s helped me to have someone ‘on the ground’ with whom I’ve had a long-lasting relationship.” n

Watch the new video Bible study from the Men’s NetWork for FREE at www.LHMMEN.com!

Special Offer: Receive 5 FREE discussion guides with your purchase of Noah on DVD. Enter promo code LMNOAH14 at lhmmen.com/noah (offer ends June 30).

The Lutheran Layman May-June 2014 23

HUGE Huge ‘Partnership’ ‘Partnership’ Success inSuccess Florida in Florida

SOUND BITES

LHM’s Rev. Gregory Seltz brought a special measure of Christ-centered enthusiasm to the event and the Holy Spirit stirred up interest in congregational partnerships with LHM.

W

hen more than 1,400 people gathered under the banner of Christ at venues in Florida on Feb. 16, everyone sensed something special was happening. Much of that activity took place at Trinity Lutheran Church, Summerfield, Fla., and was called “A Partner in His Mission.” The Shine the Light event was held in conjunction with Lutheran Hour Ministries.

Rev. Gregory Seltz, in his position as Speaker for The Lutheran Hour, spoke mightily of God’s grace in and through Christ Jesus. What crowds also heard were success outreach ideas via LHM and human involvement. Active with the presentations and planning were Joe Regnier, area Ministry Advancement Officer for LHM, Dale Stoner, an energized part of the area’s LHM team, Seltz, and LHM staff members from St. Louis: Harold Melser (who directs Ministry Advancement) and Debra Hill, senior marketing specialist.

“People came to hear…and learn more about the impact the ministry is having around the country and world,” says Regnier. To emphasize the ways in which God works through the human element, “Rev. Mark Abram told about his family connection to Lutheran Hour Ministries with his mother serving as secretary to … Dr. Walter A. Maier,” first Speaker of The Lutheran Hour. Regnier adds, “Rev. Dan Kelm shared his experiences playing golf with Rev. Seltz, current Speaker.

People were given the opportunity to join God in the mission of Lutheran Hour Ministries through prayer, ministry partnership, and involvement.”

Stoner attested to his passionate involvement with LHM. “I thought the event and weekend were awesome! The people really took to Rev.

24 The Lutheran Layman May-June 2014

Photo by Bill Miller

Seltz and became excited about partnership with Lutheran Hour Ministries. There is no greater activity than to be reaching people with the Gospel of Jesus Christ.”

Stoner should know. He has held elected posts for LHM internationally and is a former district president from Colorado. All the while his energy level for proclamation of the Good News in Christ has never wavered. In recent years he has brought much of his energy to bear in Florida.

“The partnership from Trinity Lutheran Church was incredible,” says Regnier. “The Shine the Light volunteer committee was composed of 15 wonderful people from Trinity including photographer Bill Miller” who preserved a visual record of the activities.

The more than 1,400 people who were involved at the event included church attendees at two services plus over 200 who stayed longer to hear more pertinent information on LHM outreach endeavors domestically and worldwide.

The LWML organization from Trinity provided the lunch while the local men’s club supplied ushers, greeters, and other services for the event.

Seltz also spoke at an evening service at Our Redeemer Lutheran Church, Ocala, Fla., which sponsors area broadcasts of The Lutheran Hour.

Regnier concludes, “This is a great model for other churches in the LCMS to partner with Lutheran Hour Ministries and be meaningfully connected to the evangelistic mission. Our desire is for God’s people to be filled with His faith and power as Stephen was in the book of Acts.”

A large number of personal contacts also were made over the weekend. n

from page 19 portunity to connect with others and share the Good News. It’s also a sobering responsibility.

That’s where five14’s “Tips of the Week” come in. Delivered by teens for teens—and the rest of us, too—these brief video clips (usually less than two minutes long) offer insights on communicating the changeless message of Jesus Christ to a world that’s pinched for time on all sides. These videos remind the viewer how important sharing our faith is—and how easily it can be done. You can find these tips and a whole lot more at www.whatsfive14.com.

Here are examples of what’s online.

From “Help out a Classmate”— “When your teacher takes attendance, look around you and see who’s absent. Send that person a text to let them know you’re thinking about them and praying for them. Ask them if there’s anything you can do.… They’ll be amazed that you noticed they were gone.”

From “Volunteer!”

“Get outside of your bubble.… Can a pregnancy resource center use help sorting baby clothes?

Does a food bank need help? Grab a friend—or two—and donate a couple of hours of your time some Saturday afternoon.… Do it. Volunteer.”

From “Welcoming New People” “This week at church keep your eyes open for new people. Make sure to welcome them and introduce yourself. Show them around and introduce them to people their age. This will show them that they are accepted by Christ, and His church. And encourage them to become a part of this awesome family.”

Five14 is a Christ-centered, online ministry resource for teenagers and young adults. Its components are all designed to empower the witness and faith walk of believers. At five14 you’ll find engaging videos; loads of pictures; band info and concert dates; devotions targeting issues young people face; CDs and other merchandise, and social media options like Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and Vimeo. You can find it all at www.whatsfive14.com. n