Can you finish this quote?
“May the Force __ ____ ___.”
Or this one?
“Help me, Obi-Wan Kenobi, you’re my only ____!”
What about this conversation?
[Villain] “Obi-Wan never told you about your father.”
[Hero] “He told me enough. He told me you killed him!”
[Villain] “No, _ __ ____ ______.”
If you are stumped, go to your local movie theater. Ask the first five people you see to try filling in the blanks. I bet they will say: “be with you,” “hope,” and “I am your father.”
People can fill in those blanks because the story from which they come (Star Wars) is part of popular culture. Two thousand years ago, the “Star Wars” of that time was a story called The Odyssey. It was an adventure set in the land around the Mediterranean Sea and centered on a deathdefying hero called King Odysseus. Now, when a man named Mark wrote his biography of Jesus of Nazareth, the Odyssey-story had been around for hundreds of years. In Mark’s day, people could quote King Odysseus like we quote Luke and Leia. So, Mark wrote his narrative about Jesus with many parallels to The Odyssey. Dr. James Voelz notes how these parallels help explain why (humanly speaking) the Jesus-story “resonated throughout the Mediterranean world and in less than three centuries conquered the Roman Empire.”1
To be clear, Mark did not concoct a story about Jesus, copying The Odyssey. No, he reported Jesus’ words and deeds in history. And, when he put it together, he did it in a way that would meet people where they were, like how Paul quoted a pagan
proverb and a popular poet before preaching the resurrection of Jesus (see Acts 17:28). Paul and Mark met people where they were. They wanted everyone to know that our good Creator has not abandoned us. Instead, He has intervened to meet us in His beloved Son, Jesus.
In Jesus, God personally took on our humanity. He meets us where we are. But He doesn’t leave us there. God meets us in our flesh, in our language, in our culture to complete our deepest longings and to correct our dangerous distortions. For example, The Odyssey expressed a cultural longing for the wise king to return and set all wrongs right. And Mark tells the Jesus-story with echoes of The Odyssey to complete that longing. At the same time, Mark corrects its distortions. The Odyssey tells of warring gods meddling in the affairs of a warring, human king. That king tries to conquer by force—by mastering his circumstances and slaughtering his enemies. In contrast, Mark tells of the One, Creator God—the Almighty, loving, Father God, who sends His royal Son to become a servant. God’s Servant-King conquers the world not by force but by self-sacrifice—by dying for His enemies, and rising for them.
As we carry the message of King Jesus to new generations and cultures, we look for ways to connect with them. We sacrifice our preferences to be interested in what interests them, to meet them where they are (see 1 Corinthians 9:19-23; Philippians 2:3-4). There is much in their songs, stories, and longings we can affirm (and learn from). At the same time, every cultural expression is deficient. We all need Jesus to fill in the blanks for us, to tell us who our Father really is. He is our only hope, but He is more than just a force. That’s why we say, counterculturally, “The Lord be with you.” u
1 James Voelz, Mark, Vol. 2 (St Louis: CPH, 2019), p. 600.
Raziel and his two younger siblings have grown up participating in LHM–Panama’s Project JOEL activities at their school. Raziel loves reading the Bible and devotionals, and he enjoys working with games and puppets. Encouraged by the Gospel, Raziel and his siblings aspire to be missionaries when they grow up.
Help us continue to share the Gospel with people like Raziel and his siblings by visiting LHM.ORG/GIVE or sending a gift in the enclosed envelope.
Lutheran Hour Ministries
by MEGAN MCDANIELrecent studies show that more than one quarter (28 percent) of adults have left the faith in which they were raised in favor of another religion or no religion at all. As these people raise families of their own, the number of American children raised in homes without God will only multiply. This is why Lutheran Hour Ministries offers people many ways to share the Gospel with their children and grandchildren. LHM provides a variety of resources and programs to help strengthen the faith among people of all ages.
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offers people many ways to share the Gospel with their children and grandchildren.
LHM, in partnership with Group Publishing, takes grade school- through middle school-aged children and some adults on a weeklong adventure each year. Gospel Adventures is an informative and interactive virtual learning experience that is complete with five days of FREE curriculum in two formats and bonus materials. Kids learn about the foods, animals, people, and places of different countries with Gospel Adventures. The annual program has included “trips” to Peru, Mongolia, Thailand, Zambia, and India. Visit gospeladventures.org to sign up today!
“We used the Gospel Adventures: Zambia Bound program for first- through fourthgrade attendees during a five-week session for our Crossroads program,” shares Linda Schulz, a member at Our Savior’s Lutheran Church in Springfield, Illinois. “Crossroads is a family-focused Wednesday evening program we run several times each year. I had heard about Gospel Adventures in a Lutheran Laymen’s League publication, and this was the first time I had used the program. We utilized the curriculum, a few of the activities, the videos, and the song. In addition, we hosted a Zambia meal night that was sponsored by our Global Mission Committee through a Thrivent grant. The children gave a brief presentation, which included the song and what each student learned about Zambia at the conclusion of the program. The children really enjoyed the videos (especially that the videos portrayed kids in Zambia) and the song. They also enjoyed the take-home coloring papers. The students seemed to look forward to each weekly session, and they were especially excited to share the song and what they learned with the other attendees.”
Lutheran Hour Ministries and Group Publishing teamed up for an exciting new Gospel Adventure for kids! The Gospel Adventures Show is a weekly audio program that takes young listeners on a Bible journey with hosts, Ben and Noah, to learn valuable biblical lessons from some of the most-loved Bible characters. Each 30-minute episode has a theme, Bible verse, Bible story, an interactive activity, and a story from a kid. The Bible stories, along with memorable music and engaging activities, will teach valuable lessons in each week’s new episode! The vibrant songs will send kids singing memorable melodies and meaningful lyrics to remind them of each valuable lesson. For added fun, listeners can even join in special guided activities with their Adventure hosts!
Plans are underway to syndicate the Gospel Adventures Show across the country. More than 50 radio stations will air the show; beginning in September visit lhm.org/guide to see if the episodes are on near you. You can also continue to listen to the episodes wherever you listen to podcasts or at gospeladventures.org/show
We are excited to share that Gospel Adventures is heading to Australia in 2024! Be on the lookout for more information in the coming months about Gospel Adventures: Awesome Australia and how you can register your school, church, or home school.
• The official name of Australia is the Commonwealth of Australia. It includes 7,617,930 square kilometers (2,941,300 square miles) and is the sixth largest country in the world. It includes the Australian continent, Tasmania, and many other smaller islands.
• The Sydney Opera House was designed by Jørn Utzon from Denmark and built by an Australian team. It is the result of a worldwide design competition.
• There are six particular climates in Australia: equatorial, tropical, subtropical, desert, grassland, and temperate.
• Australia is a very developed, high-income country, ranked as the 14th largest economy in the world in 2022. Its income comes from mining, banking, agriculture, manufacturing, services, and international education.
• Altogether, Indigenous Australians make up about 3.3 percent (2016 Census) of the population of Australia.
• The Great Barrier Reef is a huge system of coral reefs, the largest in the world. You can even see it from outer space.
“My kids have been loving them and asking for them in the car!” – ERIN
“The children really enjoyed the videos … and the song.”
“My boys and I just listened to one in the car tonight. Very good!” – ABI
Project Connect is a booklet ministry of Lutheran Hour Ministries that uses a display (rotating booklet stand) of pocket-sized, topical booklets to promote outreach. It gives congregations a tangible, take-home resource of Christ-centered value they can offer to visitors, members, or others in their community.
In addition to the topical booklets for adults, LHM has produced several topical booklets for children. These children’s booklets are ideal to use for Vacation Bible School, fairs and festivals, classrooms, holidays, outreach, and more! Give one to a neighbor or friend. Anyone can use these fun and colorful booklets to discuss prayer, how to share their faith, and more—each in a way kids will understand and remember. To learn more about Project Connect booklets for children, visit lhm.org/kids/books.
Breely Schiltz purchased a total of 300 booklets, 25 copies of 12 titles, to share with her mother’s Bible study group. “There were about 12 moms in my Bible study,” says Schiltz. “Once I got the booklets, I sorted them all out so each mom would get one of every title, and I put them into little bags. Then I handed them out at Bible study and also gave them to my sisters and cousins. I had a few left over that I kept at home to give out whenever the opportunity arose. When a man was installing my dishwasher, we got to talking about our children and the Lord, so I gave him a bag. I met a mom at a park who ended up being a friend who invited me to join a mom’s group at her church, and I shared a bag with her, too. Now I only have one bag left! I think these are great gifts and a wonderful way to introduce children to the Gospel. I have an almost four-year-old and a two-and-a-half-yearold, and they both enjoy reading the booklets. I love that I can teach them about God in simple ways they can understand. I’m also a sucker for any books that rhyme, and every single booklet does. That is so impressive to me!”
Garet Ellis is the pastor of Christ Community Lutheran Church and Leesburg Open Arms, a Christian child development center in Leesburg, Virginia. “I love giving out the booklets,” says Ellis. “In the past few years, I have given them out at community festivals, in tour bags for prospective students and families of our school, one each day of the week during National Lutheran Schools Week, at the beginning of the school year, during certain chapel lessons, during the holidays, at my daughter’s school when I was the mystery reader, and at our free resource shelf in our narthex and school entry. I predominantly use the Do You Know Who Jesus Is? and The Bible Tells Me So, but I have used pretty much all of them over the last few years. The children love receiving the booklets, and it makes the story of Jesus really easy to engage with for parents who might have left the faith and are slowly making their way back.”
Donnie Stubblefield works with Casas por Cristo, connecting churches in the United States with pastors and churches in Latin America. Casas por Cristo’s mission is to open doors with local pastors and churches so they can share the love of Jesus as we build and serve. “While our goal is to build homes, building relationships and disciples is actually job number one,” says Stubblefield. “The booklets from LHM have blessed many young niños and niñas with the joy of Jesus. I strongly encourage the teams that I recruit to be ready with a ‘backpack VBS,’ so when the kiddos show up, you can have time for sharing. The teams will bring bubbles, soccer balls, and coloring books, but by far, the best is watching mission workers sit in the shade with a child on their lap, reading the LHM booklets together in Spanish. And the kiddos love keeping the booklets and reading them to each other. We have gone through a few hundred booklets, and LHM has always sent several versions, which have all been received enthusiastically. It is such a blessing to add this extra gift of the Gospel to the team experience of being Jesus with skin on for the children of Latin America.”
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“The booklets from LHM have blessed many young niños and niñas with the joy of Jesus.”
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Lutheran Hour Ministries has produced several award-winning holiday specials, which air each year on stations across the U.S. and Canada. These Easter and Christmas specials in English and Spanish offer an opportunity for children to hear the Gospel in an interactive way. Visit our broadcast guide at lhm.org/guide in the weeks leading up to Easter and Christmas to see where these shows are airing in your area.
St. Paul Lutheran Church in Waco, Texas, has built a relationship with Lutherans Doing Life Together, a registered student organization with Baylor University. After joining St. Paul in August, Senior Pastor Rev. Dr. Brian Hesse led the first Bible study for the group for the fall 2022 semester. When deciding what Bible study to use, Hesse knew he could look to LHM. “I have relied on LHM as my backup partner for many years to produce good materials for my congregation,” says Hesse. Hesse has known about LHM and our resources for more than 30 years. He taught LHM studies for years, including many Bible studies for men’s groups. “I’ve used all the LHM Bible studies at some point in my ministry.”
The students started asking questions based on the conversations they have in their Baylor Bible classes. This campus ministry group provides an opportunity for questions and responses. “First, I listened to the
needs of the students. I knew that LHM has a variety of resources available to choose from. Then I was able to match the Bible study to fit the needs of the students.”
Hesse’s advice for anyone looking to incorporate LHM’s resources into their programs is “don’t be afraid to go off script. I didn’t always stick to the study guide word for word. We looked into what the study meant in our lives, the application to today, and the challenges we face. Then we turned the study guide into relational conversations that allowed us to dig deeper into the Scripture. I wanted to keep it relational.”
“It is great to have this program established, and we need to keep it going on campus,” says Hesse. “Our members love the students. We have a great relationship with the students. They sing in our choir and help out with events. Our church is their home away from home.”
Amazing Grace Early Learning Center in Oxford, Florida, gave a copy of The Spiritually Vibrant Home to each of their 17 VPK graduates as a congratulatory gift to encourage these children and their families to instill and nurture Christian faith in their households. Lois Schaefer, a member of Amazing Grace Lutheran Church and a long-time supporter of LHM, shared more about this educational program for children. “Voluntary Pre-Kindergarten is an educational program that prepares four-year-olds for success in kindergarten and beyond,” says Schaefer. “Geared toward ages one through four, the Amazing Grace Early Learning Center has just expanded into its new building addition, doubling the number of children they can accommodate. Its Christcentered curriculum is focused on research-based best practices for early childhood learning and development. Since its opening in 2018, members have provided high-quality family devotion wooden boxes containing family devotion resources, CDs for the children to teach their parents/ guardians the songs they learn during the day, children’s booklets from LHM, and LHM Project Connect booklets, such as Learning to Pray. This is an extremely creative resource for promoting deep spiritual development, including intentional spiritual conversations and delightfully exciting new family rituals.” u
“I have relied on LHM as my backup partner for many years to produce good materials for my congregation.”Photo from Lois Schaefer
It seems like summer, or the 2023 calendar year for that matter, just began and already the days are getting shorter, kids are returning to school, and we are starting to anticipate falling leaves and cooler temperatures. While summer sometimes offers a slower pace of life, that has not been the case for many of us at Lutheran Hour Ministries over the past few months. This has been a busy summer preparing for and attending two major denominational events, the Lutheran Women’s Missionary League Convention and the National Convention of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod. These gatherings allow us to engage in meaningful conversations about how God is using LHM to share the saving message of Christ with people around the world more than 195 million times each week. They also always serve as a reminder that we are part of a larger body of Christ in mission and ministry and that we are not alone in our goal to share Jesus with those who do not yet know Him.
The LWML Convention offered a tremendous opportunity to not only share the remarkable things God is doing through our ministry globally
but provide an update on how a grant the LWML approved two years ago has helped us expand ministry with women and children in Mongolia. In addition, we are extremely grateful to have been approved this year for two grants that will help us expand work in Kazakhstan and through Hispanic ministry in the United States. We cannot thank the LWML enough for their continuous support. I always look forward to meeting lay delegates, pastors, church workers, and church leaders at the LCMS Convention and hearing how our resources are serving as a tremendous blessing throughout our church body. Our ongoing research in partnership with Barna Group has shown that many Christians are inspired to share their faith, they are using social media to connect with others, and they are finding an authentic joy in having faith-based conversations. However, they are also looking for help in making better connections between their everyday, ordinary life and the faith that sustains them.
I was excited to hear positive feedback about how our research-based kits of in-depth tools focused on a yearly theme have helped kickstart
Ongoing political turmoil and an economic crisis have provided challenges to the efforts of LHM–Sri Lanka staff in sharing Christ’s love with people throughout the country. But by God’s grace, they have been able to reach significant numbers of people through their radio programs in the Singhalese and Tamil languages. These two programs provide dramas, discussions, stories, short messages, Christian songs, and a Bible quiz and are being heard by people from many religious backgrounds. The broadcasts have opened the door to tell people about the hope and comfort provided by Christ.
While Mahinda comes from a non-Christian background, he says he looks forward to hearing the broadcasts because they have helped him increase his spiritual knowledge and offered comfort during a time of crisis. He says that he enjoys the music and has purchased song CDs from the LHM ministry center
Staff have also shared the Gospel through Bible Correspondence Courses, youth programs, and their Facebook page. Three recent youth gatherings brought God’s blessings to nearly 250 people who attended, including more than 80 individuals from other religious backgrounds. Attendees participated in various group activities like games, group discussions, a Bible quiz, and more. A Bible study session was also held. Most importantly, many of these young people heard the Gospel message of Jesus Christ for the first time and the Holy Spirit has started to work on their hearts. Pastors and church leaders thanked our staff for conducting programs like this in their congregations. u Chad Fix oversees the corporate communications of Lutheran Hour Ministries.
individual and congregational outreach efforts. Spiritual Conversations in the Digital Age, Households of Faith, Better Together, and Gifted for More are each designed to empower Christians in their walk of faith through handy reference materials to study and implement in their lives, neighborhoods, and congregations.
In addition to our Barna-based materials, we continue to produce several other resources that are offering convenient ways for people to connect with Jesus and share their faith with others. From our Project Connect booklet ministry with more than 50 topical titles to dozens of online LHM Learn courses under five faith-strengthening categories, and from Daily Devotions to online video Bible studies, LHM has numerous offerings to connect with people at any stage of their individual faith journeys. None of this work would be possible without you! Thank you for your gifts, prayers, and volunteer involvement, and for allowing us to support and encourage you in your daily life. May God continue to bless you richly! u
by PAUL SCHREIBER
This year’s Correctional Ministries and Chaplains Association (CMCA)
Summit was held May 18-20, at Wheaton College, Illinois. With HOPE for the incarcerated as its theme, it took inspiration in Paul’s letter to the Romans: “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope” (Romans 15:13).
Attending was Suzie Sallee, LHM’s community facilitator, congregations. She worked a display table that saw attendees eager for information to bless and support those behind bars and their friends and families back home. Several of LHM’s Project Connect booklets were distributed. Among them were Loved … And Not Forgotten, Comebacks, The Great Deceiver, and Regrets, Reality, Restoration.
“We offered LHM resources to chaplains and volunteers who work in prisons and jails directly with inmates and with those who work with inmates re-entering civilian life,” Sallee said. “Chaplains in particular are very grateful for The Journey Home, written by Rev. Leroy Johnson. It is a 12-lesson Bible study booklet developed specifically for the incarcerated and based on Jesus’ parable of the Prodigal Son,” she added.
Along with LCMS prison Chaplain Paul Weber, volunteers Pastor Bob Bartel, Greg Krug, and Gary Loss help teach The Journey
Home. They do this weekly with about 20 inmates at Illinois’ East Moline Correctional Center (EMCC), a minimum-security prison. Loss said, “It took more than seven months to complete this study as it prompted hearty discussions among the men. They identified with the prodigal son’s bad decisions and the Father’s unconditional love. They especially liked the detailed pointers in the study’s last three lessons on how to face the world after prison.”
Best of all was the hope the inmates received from their participation. “Many took a copy of the booklet with them at the study’s completion, and they were encouraged to use it as a resource in their lives going forward. Upon ‘graduation,’ the personalized certificates of completion were much appreciated and received with enthusiastic rounds of applause,” Loss said.
“LHM’s long-running ministry to the incarcerated benefits greatly from conferences like HOPE,” Sallee said. “We get to walk beside chaplains and volunteers who work with very few resources, and its these dedicated individuals who are the essential gateway to getting resources behind prison walls to men and women who are anxious for the Gospel message.”
To learn how you can support prison ministry, contact Sallee at 314-317-4214 or suzie.sallee@lhm.org. u
Paul Schreiber reports on the impact of LHM’s ministry work in the United States.
New this year, the Fall 2023 LLL Event will take place during a different day and time. Join us virtually Wednesday, September 20, from 12 p.m. to 1:30 p.m. CST to learn more about how you can engage with the giftedness of your congregation. The event will help participants recognize the value of their own gifts and how the collective use of gifts within the congregation or community can lead to impactful action. Using resources based on the Gifted for More research done in partnership with Barna Group, join us for a deeper dive into the gifts God has placed in you and your congregation using the EveryGift™ Inventory Participants will be able to register individually online or, just like previous LLL events, some LLL districts might choose to host a local in-person event to view the event together. To see the list of participating districts, visit lhm.org/LLL2023.
Jennifer Prophete, director of community programming, will host the event; Jeff CraigMeyer, president of United States Ministries, will provide an executive update and greetings; and Rev. Dr. Jason Broge, senior director of global research and development, will lead the training portion of the event, focusing on the Gifted for More Church Campaign. Participants will also enjoy a time of devotion together.
“A mantra we use at LHM, based on this research, is ‘Everyone is a gift with gifts to share.’ And, I can say personally, living out that mantra has been powerful in my family and my community. I can’t wait for churches to bring this to life in their congregations and watch the Gospel impact,” says Prophete.
Registration is open now at lhm.org/LLL2023. We look forward to sharing this time together! u
“A mantra we use at LHM, based on this research, is ‘Everyone is a gift with gifts to share.’”
MCDANIEL
We are God’s offspring (see Acts 17:29). No historian can track definitively the derivation of the nickname for people from Indiana, namely, Hoosiers. One fable is that the name comes from the rural practice of attempting to determine one’s family association with the question: “Who’s yer daddy?”
“Beloved, we are God’s children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when He appears we shall be like Him, because we shall see Him as He is” (1 John 3:2). And that good news gives us reason to say: I am a child of God, reconciled to rejoice and made to praise.
God, the Divine Being, the Father of all creation, has uniquely imprinted on human beings His very nature. We are signed with the nature of God, or more playfully, we are given His “sign-nature.” Though ruined by sin, all people yet possess the promise of the image of God. This includes an inborn knowledge of what’s right and what’s wrong. Even non-believers have a sense of morality or a conscience which appropriately accuses or excuses them and us from our sin (see Romans 2:14-15). Though this image within us is clouded and corrupted by sin, and only restored by Jesus Christ’s death and resurrection, all people possess a sense of some divine destiny. They are “meant for more.” (To learn more, check out Dr. Nunes’ book, Meant for More: In, With, and Under the Ordinary.) Meant to be in the community called the church, we are certainly meant to be more than the broken reflections of the image of God that we are. God has placed eternity into human hearts (see Ecclesiastes 3:11). This sense of eternity, however, too often gets misapplied or misdirected. As Martin Luther suggests, everyone has some sort of God, because a god is “anything on which your heart relies and depends” (Large Catechism, First Commandment, p. 4).
• What assurances do you have knowing that you are a child of God?
• Think of seeing Jesus face to face. What might the very fact that you can imagine this mean about your connection to God by faith?
Read Romans 5:1-11.
St. Paul is a master of the rhetorical and the logical use of “progression.” He uses this technique to lead the reader to spiritual truths which, if separated from one another, would be difficult to digest. For example, Paul suggests that “we rejoice in our sufferings” (verse 3). At face value, this seems counterintuitive. But wait! People of faith have a deeper recognition “that suffering produces character,” and not only that, “character produces hope.” But there’s more, “hope does not put us to shame,” and here’s why, “because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit” (verses 3-5). Upon considering that sequence, exuberant doxology makes sense. Since God is working out His divine plan, even in our nightmarish pain, even through our shadowy valleys of death, even in our dying and our crying, through tears and fears, we offer God our highest alleluias.
A similar move is executed by Paul a few verses later. Even in the heart of our worst antagonism toward God, we are “reconciled to God by the death of His Son” (verse 10). Here’s that same verb again that makes us otherwise (katallage) than we are: enemies made friends of God by God’s initiating grace. Wait, there’s more: “much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by His life” (verse 10). Christ is risen and we, too, shall rise to life.
A deceased friend, theologian, and Christian leader, Jack Preus put it like this (I enjoy thinking that what he wrote about faintly by faith in this life is something he now vividly sees, something breathtakingly beyond description): “At best, our lives in this present age are only a faint image of the life to come. … ‘Where, O death, is your victory?’” (1 Corinthians 15:55a). Life has overcome death. Therefore, death is no longer the doorway into the unknown, much less into nothing. Rather, death is our portal into life, life eternal with Christ in heavenly bliss and happiness in the presence of Him who is life” (Just Words, p. 54).
The sequence moves us from death to life, from enmity to reconciliation, from outside exclusion to inside inclusion, from being God-haters to being made friends of God (amicus Dei). This is because Jesus loved us to death and was raised to life to overcome the deaths we must die. Again, counterintuitive. But the momentum of that reconciliatory sequence impels us (see 2 Corinthians 5:14). “More than that, we also rejoice in God” (Romans 5:11a).
The progression continues from justification to sanctification, which is the terrain of rejoicing. Our praise of God flows from what the Spirit has poured into our hearts. We move from death and resurrection to the power of Pentecost and
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the rebirth of the Spirit. Martin Luther once complained that some Christians cannot move beyond the cycle of Good Friday and Easter to Pentecost.
“They may be fine Easter preachers, but they are very poor Pentecost preachers. … Christ did not earn only gratia, ‘grace’ for us, but also donum, ‘the gift of the Holy Spirit,’ so that we might have not only forgiveness of, but also cessation of, sin” (Luther’s Works, 41:114). Even our new life in the resurrected Christ comes to us as a pure gift of God.
• What kind of person am I? Consider a reason to rejoice related to the following:
» The First Article of the Creed (I am a person God made.)
» The Second Article of the Creed (I am a sinner saved by God in Jesus Christ.)
» The Third Article of the Creed (I am a saint filled with the Holy Spirit.)
Because “God has made me and … given me my body and soul, eyes, ears and all my members, my reason and all my senses, and still preserves them, and because God has redeemed me, a lost and condemned creature, purchased and won me from all sins, from death, and from the power of the devil” (Small Catechism, Second Article, p. 355). Therefore,
• I am a person who “prays, praises, and gives thanks” (Small Catechism, Second Commandment, p. 344).
• I will “make a joyful noise to the Lord” (Psalm 100:1a).
• I am a person in whom the Spirit has stirred Himself, and I overflow in praise with “heartfelt trust in God” (Large Catechism, First Commandment, p. 47).
Part of this eternal praise and everlasting happiness includes, as Preus puts it, “rejoicing in God’s diversity.”
And not only does God make us, He remakes us for new life in each day. Sometimes we can be overwhelmed by the social trends, the culture wars, the endless cycle of scandal-mongering and editorializing and opinionating that poses as news. Even though these feel like the most dismally “gray and latter days,” the hymnwriter reminds us that hope is not done; our identity is founded on solid ground; we are called to rejoice as those “whose life is praise” (Lutheran Service Book, 834).
“This is the day that the LORD has made; let us
rejoice and be glad in it” (Psalm 118:24). The verbs which describe what God has made offer at least two Hebrew ways to think about “making.” The first, found in Genesis, describes God making everything out of nothing. The second—found here in Psalm 118—describes God making something more out of something that already exists. The first is creatively fresh. The second is as fresh but with reconciliatory power. The first gets life going; the second gets life back on track. The first describes God making what we call day; the second describes God taking that day that already exists and making something special of it. Therefore, every day is packed with potential. Every moment is loaded with promise. Every age and stage of life can be filled with praise—not because things are perfectly good, but because the goodness of God remakes our lives with courage to face every new day as new creations in Christ. Every relationship can be recreated. We don’t give up on anybody! No one too far down, not to be lifted up. No one too far lost, not to be found. No one too far out, not to be brought in. God persistently, consistently, insistently sends us grace. “There was never a time when God was not creating” (Philo of Alexander). As Luther puts it in the Small Catechism: “I believe that God has created me together with all that exists” (First Article, p. 2).
• Consider the two Hebrew ways to think about “making.” How does that change your perspective on a familiar verse like Psalm 118:24?
• In what ways does “making something out of what already exists” help us look at our relationships differently?
Watch the video at lhm.org/studies from Rev. Dr. John Nunes on this topic and then come back here to finish the study below.
REFLECT
• Read Psalm 148 again. How does beauty in worship, in architecture, or in church artwork shape our identity?
• How does it draw us to the One who is the Source of all beauty?
God made humans to be the crown of creation, as bearers of the divine identity. Humankind rebelled, fell away from God, and has become enemies of God and His holy will. Through Word and Sacraments, the Holy Spirit breaks us out of sin’s bondage by joining us by faith to the death and the resurrection of Christ Jesus. We have a new identity. We have a new hope. We have a real reason to rejoice. Even in our sufferings, we give thanks and praise to the Triune God (see Romans 5:3). When children of God raise their praise to their Father, it is like an hors d’oeuvres, an appetizing foretaste of the feast of victory. God has redemptively re-defined our identity not only for this life—albeit short and sometimes brutal—but for a glorious eternity. We are made to praise God.
Blessed are You, O Lord our God, Ruler of the universe; You are the Source of all that is good, true, and beautiful.
Amidst the uncertainty of life, You fill our hearts with faith, our minds with peace, and our days with blessings innumerable. We praise You for Your greatness, Your kindness, Your acceptance of us. Please receive the works of our hands offered to Your honor and glory. In Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
by DR. KURT SENSKE, Chairman, Int’l LLL Board of Directors
Ihave been privileged to not only serve on many nonprofit boards throughout my professional career, but to chair them as well. While there are many reasons why people join a board—like building their resume or expanding their professional network—I have always taken great pride in being able to work with organizations that not only allow me to maximize my personal impact but become more involved with a cause whose mission aligns with my beliefs.
While my entire family has long been enthusiastic about supporting the work of Lutheran Hour Ministries, my direct involvement with LHM began in 2019 when I was elected to the Board of Directors. I have served as chairman of the Board since 2020. The closer I have become to the work of LHM, the more that work has come to life for me. And the more that work has come to life, the more passionate I have become about telling others about the critical work of this ministry taking place around the world.
I have just returned from the National Convention of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod, where I had numerous opportunities to highlight LHM’s impact through one-on-one
conversations with church leaders, pastors, and laypeople, and a presentation to members of the Texas District. Let me tell you, what God is accomplishing through LHM is truly amazing:
• People reached with the Gospel around the world last year led to more than 1.65 million of these individuals providing LHM with contact information for follow up and around 255,000 being referred to churches and Christian communities. In addition, ministry activities were completed nearly 360,000 times by people who have been equipped to share their faith more effectively with others.
• In the past year, LHM’s social media messages in the Middle East and North Africa have reached tens of millions of people, and nearly 1.5 million from throughout the region have responded by subscribing to LHM pages. LHM staff has had conversations with tens of thousands of these individuals where they shared the message of God’s hope and love for their lives.
• More than 1.5 million people have explored a diverse range of content at Vivenciar.net, a digital platform that reaches Portugueseand Spanish-speaking individuals who are searching online for answers to some of life’s most pressing issues.
• More than 56,000 people enrolled last year for the first time in an LHM Bible Correspondence Course. These courses are designed to introduce the Gospel to people who do not know Jesus, and to reinforce a biblical understanding for people who do.
While all of these numbers are extremely important, what moves me the most are the personal testimonies of people who have experienced the transforming work of Jesus in their lives. For example, one of our local team members in Kazakhstan established a trusting relationship with a young girl who had attempted suicide. LHM was there in her time of need to share that the Gospel provides a hope and peace that is bigger than her current struggles. It is so gratifying to know that God is using LHM’s talented staff and volunteers to save lives for eternity.
Thank you for your continued involvement and support of Lutheran Hour Ministries to impact lives around the world. There is no greater feeling than knowing you helped someone experience the hope and love of Christ for the first time so that the Holy Spirit can continue to work on their hearts. u
Over the past several years, LHM has partnered with SAT-7, the first and largest Middle East and North African satellite TV network, to produce satellite television programming that shines the light of Christ into dozens of countries throughout the region. Many viewers watching these broadcasts hear about Christ for the first time or have incorrect knowledge about Christianity.
Based on extensive audience research, a fourth season of Arabic programming will be rebranded under the name Catalyst when it begins airing later this fall. This new program will continue the proven approach of addressing issues youth in the region are facing by showing that God cares about their struggles and then providing a Christian perspective.
Catalyst will follow a new format by filming on location instead of in the studio to meet the needs of the audience in a more engaging way. In each location, the presenters will film guests with firsthand experience of the topic. For example, in an episode about facing a mental health crisis, hosts will introduce a person who went through a crisis, came out the other side, and now supports others experiencing the same situation. Each guest will share his or her personal experience and offer advice for overcoming life’s challenges.
In addition to the Arabic program, LHM’s partnership with and support of the SAT-7 PARS channel helps make several programs possible for Persian-speaking viewers of all ages throughout Central Asia.
• Golpand (meaning “hope” or “Golden Advice”) focuses on children ages 5-13 and teaches morals and values to viewers through games, educational videos, and dramas.
• Hashtag shares important faith lessons through life experiences and educates children and youth about God’s Word in a culturally appropriate manner. Each episode introduces viewers to a Bible story or Bible character, visualized by a short video. To participate in the episode’s games, activities, and quizzes, viewers must pay close attention to the story.
• New Identity is a 60-minute live format that discusses topics of concern to Persian women through a biblical lens.
• Signal conveys the message of the unconditional love and everlasting grace of Jesus Christ, who is the path to salvation despite the troubles and uncertainties of life. u
CHAD FIX
In May, LHM’s 12 ministry center directors from Asia and three of its directors from Europe gathered in Thailand for a two-day regional workshop. Rev. Dr. Tony Cook, LHM’s chief mission officer, led it along with LHM’s regional directors for Asia and Africa and the Middle East.
The ministry center directors appreciated Cook’s support, teaching, and encouragement through a devotion based on 1 Peter 3:8-22, “Jesus’ Witnesses in a Troubled World,” an informative presentation on “Gospel-Rich Environments: A New Perspective on Sharing the Gospel,” and details about LHM’s global expansion plans. The regional directors shared information about using social media for engagement in spiritual conversations, key policy and reporting updates, and best practices before each ministry center director had an opportunity to provide highlights of what they are doing in their own countries.
After completing the workshop, ministry leaders attended media outreach training organized by The Eurasia Media & Distribution Consultation. Since LHM ministry centers are directly involved in media content creation and distribution, the directors appreciated the variety and quality of the 16 sessions that helped expand their knowledge and skills to benefit ministry efforts moving forward.
Immediately following the workshop in Thailand, a similar workshop was held in Nairobi, Kenya, for the ministry center directors from the Africa and the Middle East region. The content taught by Cook in Thailand was shared by video and by the regional director for Africa and the Middle East in person. Strengthening ministry planning and administrative management and learning more about LHM’s global expansion plans and the new International Internship Program (IIP) were highlights. Spending time as a group in fellowship was also appreciated after many years without gathering as a group. Three and a half years after their last in-person workshop, ministry center directors from Latin America gathered this spring in Uruguay. They were joined by LHM CEO Kurt Buchholz, LHM Board member Linda Arnold, and Cook. The group enjoyed participating in devotions and Bible studies, hearing presentations, sharing experiences, and learning ways to increase the effectiveness of their ministries.
Each day’s agenda started with a devotion led by a Lutheran pastor from Uruguay, aligning each topic with the presentations that followed the devotion. In addition to Cook sharing information about IIP, Buchholz presented his vision on how LHM can reach the world with the Gospel in new and innovative ways. The creator of Project JOEL, Porfirio Franco from LHM–Panama, shared details on changes he is making to the program’s curriculum to maximize opportunities.
A fellowship celebration with Lutheran pastors and local staff (as well as their families) joining the directors provided a wonderful conclusion to the week in a spirit of joy, friendship, and thanksgiving for the blessings of joining LHM in Bringing Christ to the Nations—and the Nations to the Church. u
by PAUL SCHREIBER
As Hispanics—and millions of others—increasingly live on their cell phones, solid online connections are critical to Gospel ministry. Therein lies the challenge. “Media ministry often involves distance between those creating content or running programs and the people we hope listen to, read, or in some other way engage with our efforts to introduce them to Jesus or nurture their faith,” said Rev. Dr. Chad Lakies, director for LHM’s North America region. Bridging that gap is integral to LHM’s Hispanic ministry focus.
In the Spanish-speaking world, LHM is known as Cristo Para Todas Las Naciones (“Christ for all Nations”) or CPTLN. It addresses religious-practicing and non-religious, non-practicing groups. For a “Christian” or religious-practicing audience, there’s Para el Camino (PEC) (“For the Journey”) at paraelcamino.com. It has daily and seasonal devotions, booklets for adults and children, Bible studies, and Christian audio messages. Also featured are original Spanish sermons, including notes for further study.
In its outreach to a non-religious, nonfaith-practicing audience, Sentido Latino (“Latin Sense”) at sentidolatino.com features a podcast of the same name. Hosted by Pastor Luciano Vega-Ayala and Deaconess Noemí Guerra, they speak to the cultural, moral, relational, and social challenges that Hispanics face daily, from a Christian perspective. Audio messages,
topical booklets, and life-relevant articles are also on the website.
The potential of LHM’s Spanishlanguage digital connections proved itself in a remarkable story recently. Shortly before Easter, Omar from Bogotá, Colombia, reached out to PEC on Facebook Messenger. Omar was suicidal. He made text contact with Beatriz Hoppe, coordinator for Hispanic ministry at LHM. The rest is about networks and relationships.
Hoppe contacted Pastor Fester from LHM–Argentina. He coordinates volunteers through Vivenciar.net, a digital platform serving Latin America. Fester contacted Julyssa, a counselor with LHM–Mexico. She called Omar for more info and crisis management. Fester then called Pastor Marín in Medellín, who connected with a colleague in Bogotá who—per Julyssa’s recommendations— located Omar and got him help at a medical clinic.
Once on the ground with Omar, this distraught man was encouraged to receive the care he needed. He is now regaining his physical and emotional health and has found employment. He passed this note on to those who helped him: “Thanks to God and to you. This is what I can now do with great love.”
Omar’s case highlights the global yet personal way one-on-one ministry is happening through LHM’s Hispanic ministry. u
Message sent from Bogotá, Colombia. LHM received message in St. Louis, MO. Message forwarded to Buenos Aires, Argentina.
Message sent to Guadalajara, Mexico, for crisis management ... ... and to Medellín, Colombia, to a Lutheran pastor.
The pastor asked people he knew in Bogotá to take care of Omar, and they did—and still are today.
by CHAD FIX
More than 73 percent of Lutheran Hour Ministries’ registered voting members cast ballots in this past spring’s election to fill open seats on the Board of Directors for the International Lutheran Laymen’s League/Lutheran Hour Ministries. Karl Abraham of Lochaber-Ouest, Quebec, Canada, and Ryan Bredow of Gilbert, Arizona, started their first terms on the Board at the July Board meeting; Jim Dankenbring of St. Louis, Missouri, and Virginia Miller of Rochester, Minnesota, were re-elected to their second terms.
The Board is also responsible for appointing its four officer positions each year from among sitting Board members. The Board of Directors has re-appointed Kurt Senske of Austin, Texas, as chairman, and Melanie Braun of Tempe, Arizona, as treasurer. Kristi Matus of Boxford, Massachusetts, will serve as vice chairman, and Donald Scifres of Greenwood, Indiana, is the new secretary. Visit lhm.org/about/board.asp to learn more about your elected Board members.
Thanks to everyone who participated this year in the election process! Want to vote in 2024? Anyone who gives a gift to LHM between July 1, 2022, and Dec. 31, 2023, and is a member of a congregation of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod (LCMS) or Lutheran Church—Canada (LCC), will be eligible to register for next year’s voting membership. Look for a postcard in the mail in February 2024 with details on how you can register to vote before next spring’s March 15 deadline.
Nominations for candidates to serve on the Board of Directors for the Int’l LLL/LHM are being requested now for next spring’s election. The Board is seeking dynamic, visionary, mission-minded leaders who are committed to helping LHM share the Gospel around the world. You are urged to prayerfully consider the God-given talents, skill sets, passion for outreach ministry, and service to the Lord when considering potential nominees from your personal and professional networks. In addition to being an LHM/ Int’l LLL member, all nominees must be members of an LCMS or LCC congregation and cannot be ordained clergy.
To download a nominations form, or learn about additional eligibility requirements for nominees, visit lhm.org/nominations. Nominations must be received by Nov. 1, 2023, to be considered. u
Located between the Pacific Ocean and the Caribbean, Guatemala is the most populous country in Central America. The large population has provided LHM with tremendous opportunities to share God’s love throughout Guatemala since launching its ministry there in 1993.
LHM–Guatemala (known locally as Cristo Para Todas Las Naciones) recently celebrated its 30th anniversary, as well as the 30th anniversary of Director Rebeca de Franco, with a full weekend of activities. These included a special Project JOEL field program for youth on Friday; a music concert on Saturday; and a worship service on Sunday.
The Project JOEL event, with 425 junior high students as well as school officials and teachers in attendance, included a motivational speech by a former Project JOEL student who has now started his career as a sports journalist. In addition to hearing him share details about his personal journey to accomplish his professional dreams, attendees watched a drama written and directed by Guisselle Pena, the ministry center’s Project JOEL coordinator, and performed by a group of volunteer actors. Following the presentations, each student received a Bible with the Small Catechism from Lutheran Heritage Foundation before enjoying light refreshments.
Rebeca was walking among the kids during the program when she noticed a sad girl looking down with her hair covering her face. Rebeca asked, “Are you okay?” The young girl replied, “No,” with tears in her eyes and running down her cheeks. Rebeca said to her, “Whatever is happening in your life, I want you to know that you can talk to God and ask Him to help you. He will do it because He keeps His promises. He has done it for me, and He will do it for you, too.”
Rebeca gave the girl her phone number and the next day the girl texted saying her name was Maria and asking if she could talk with Rebeca on the phone. During their call, Maria asked if she could introduce a friend that also would like to talk to her. The girls continue to have conversations with members of the LHM team and hear how God provides hope and comfort for their lives.
A large number of volunteers were engaged at different times throughout the weekend, including the concert performed by the “Schola Cantorum Cristo Rey” and the “Duo Yadá” at the Cristo Rey Lutheran Church, the worship service that was the official closing of the celebration, and a fellowship luncheon that followed the service. Local pastors were recognized for their support of the ministry and the pastor and several members from a Lutheran church in Zacapa traveled a long way to attend the festivities.
by CHAD FIX
As young people face complex moral and social challenges, Project JOEL continues to be the ministry center’s flagship program by providing a safe space to discuss tough topics, such as relationships, gangs, and drugs, all rooted in the love of God for them. Through partnerships with public schools, staff and volunteers offer Project JOEL events that engage and empower young people to make positive choices. The program has been widely successful and is even endorsed by the Guatemalan government’s Ministry of Education. LHM–Guatemala currently works in four elementary schools, with 1,600 students, and at four junior and high schools, reaching 1,500 students. Besides reaching the students in class, the staff hosts four special meetings with parents each year, with presentations on different topics of interest.
In addition to Project JOEL, the ministry provides 30-minute children’s television specials airing during Easter and Christmas (El Pastorcito and Botas Rojas) on a station that reaches the majority of the Guatemalan population; brings food and spiritual counseling to families dwelling in extreme poverty through its holistic program; sends daily devotionals with messages of encouragement, hope, and reflection based on the Christian faith through various channels like WhatsApp and email; and reaches people through digital platforms and virtual workshops that provide online resources and establish relationships with people who are looking for help and biblical answers for their lives. u
by MEGAN MCDANIEL
Daily Devotions from Lutheran Hour Ministries are a great way to help strengthen your faith journey. They can be read or listened to anywhere for personal reflection, used by small groups as a devotional for Bible study, or even structured as a full Bible study by using a few days at a time. The devotions continue to provide encouragement and spiritual nourishment to many and are growing in popularity.
LHM’s Daily Devotions are currently the second result on Google when someone searches for the phrase “Daily Devotions.”
Feedback from Supporters of LHM’s Daily Devotions:
I’m very thankful for your online devotions and the inspiration and wisdom those bring! I’m also thankful to be blessed beyond measure by our great God! – Kimberly
Thank you for your world outreach, your weekly broadcast, and your Daily Devotions. Please continue your good work of spreading the Gospel of Jesus. – William
We subscribe to Daily Devotions and find them very meaningful. These devotions always relate to current life situations and provide a fresh viewpoint of the Scripture. – Al
Have you been encouraged by LHM’s Daily Devotions? Email us at marketing@lhm.org to possibly be featured in an upcoming issue of The Lutheran Layman. Your story might be an encouragement for others looking to incorporate devotions into their daily routine.
Available through a variety of platforms, LHM’s devotions can be read or heard online, delivered right to your inbox, accessed on our FREE mobile app, or listened to as a podcast with Spotify, iHeartRadio, Alexa, or Google Home. In addition, seasonal devotions for Advent and Lent are available in both English and Spanish and are perfect for personal reflection or to share with family, friends, and congregations. Subscribe to receive LHM’s Daily Devotions in your inbox at lhm.org/subscribe.
Uplift your friends and family with LHM’s Daily Devotions. You can share the Daily Devotions by email, social media, and more. Look for the colorful ‘share’ icons to send daily inspiration to your friends and family. You can also invite your friends and family to subscribe to receive Daily Devotions in their inbox. u
More people than ever are searching the internet for guidance on topics like stress, anxiety, depression, fear, suicide, and other issues. Vivenciar.net has been an instrumental digital platform for LHM to reach Portuguese- and Spanish-speaking individuals seeking information on topics like this since its launch in 2017. Vivenciar.net offers relevant content to help people through downloadable e-books, topical videos, and an opportunity to talk to a team of volunteers throughout Latin America and in the United States.
A young woman from Panama who has trouble interacting with others recently connected with volunteers through the platform because she wanted to chat with someone about how she feels. She says people describe her as “weird,” but she has never examined why she allows herself to be treated poorly. After a period of time, the volunteers began to help her reconsider the intrapersonal relationships she has and introduced her to the Word of God as a key source of understanding, forgiveness, and new life.
Over the past six years, stories like this have been common among the more than 1.5 million visitors to the website from 85 countries who have explored a diverse range of content covering 28 topics. The platform has facilitated meaningful interactions with 6,100 individuals who started an ongoing conversation with volunteers. In addition, Vivenciar.net reached 2.8 million people during just the last year through its presence on Facebook and Instagram. These accomplishments inspire our Latin America staff to continue bringing the message of Jesus’ love and salvation to hurting people through digital strategies. u
When you become a Mission Monthly member, you are joining a group of dedicated fellow Christians whose monthly support of LHM helps spread God’s love around the world. Join today and receive exclusive access to personal stories that show the impact you are making on people’s lives.
The Lutheran Women’s Missionary League (LWML), also known as Lutheran Women in Mission, welcomed more than 3,500 people to its 40th biennial convention under the theme “Celebrate the Lord of the Nations” based on Psalm 33:12-13.
LHM CEO Kurt Buchholz was invited to share greetings from the main stage, lead a “Mites in Action” presentation highlighting how a grant awarded by the LWML at their 2021 convention has helped share the Gospel with women and children in Mongolia, and speak about the ministry’s global impact during a lunchtime presentation. LHM also hosted a reception on Saturday evening for attendees to visit with staff and enjoy snacks and beverages.
The exhibit booth allowed attendees to learn more about LHM’s global
ministry efforts, ask questions about our work in Mongolia, and meet Dr. Kari Vo, author of LHM’s popular Daily Devotions. They also had an opportunity to sign up for the Daily Devotions and pick up a special bookmark to help them share the devotions with friends and family members.
“LHM is blessed by our collaboration with the LWML, and we appreciated the experiences made and conversations had, sharing in mission at the heart of it all,” says Nicole Heerlein, LHM’s associate director, external relations.
Right next to the LHM booth was the Petal Pushers booth, which offered a chance to learn more about the dedicated volunteers that make the LHM float and several other Tournament of Roses Parade floats possible each year.
More than 5,000 people convened in Milwaukee for the 68th Regular Convention of The Lutheran Church— Missouri Synod. This year’s convention theme of “We Preach Christ Crucified” was based on 1 Corinthians 1:1825; in a world of uncertainty, the church’s proclamation, mission, and identity remain the same: We preach Christ crucified.
Buchholz shared greetings during a general session to highlight several ways that LHM shares the Gospel with people around the world.
LHM’s exhibit booth provided information about LHM’s worldwide ministry under the themes of global, digital,
and community. This year’s booth layout also allowed convention attendees to have extended conversations with LHM staff, including President of United States Ministries
Jeff Craig-Meyer, Speaker of The Lutheran Hour Rev. Dr. Michael Zeigler, Director of Constituent Advancement Becky Pagel, and Heerlein.
“The booth was a welcoming place where people could find resources to take back to their home while visiting with our staff between sessions to learn more about our ministry,” says Heerlein. “LHM’s tools and resources not only help to grow and nurture faithful Christians by the power of the Holy Spirit but allow them to
share their faith with others. LHM has a variety of offerings to connect with people at any stage of their individual faith journeys.”
The booth also allowed church workers and laypeople to sign up for LHM’s Daily Devotions and acquire the devotions bookmark to share with others as a way to highlight this timeless resource that helps strengthen and encourage your faith as you do for others. There were also fun giveaways, including Project Connect booklets for adults and children, mobile device screen cleaners, globe pens, and more. u
“LHMis blessed by our collaboration with the LWML, and we appreciated the experiences made and conversations had, sharing in mission at the heart of it all.” “… LHM has a variety of offerings to connect with people at any stage of their individual faith journeys.”
During the recent LWML Convention, Lutheran Hour Ministries received two of the 31 mission grants approved by the LWML for the 2023-2025 biennium. The LWML accepted LHM’s grant submissions titled “Sharing Christ to Women and Children in Kazakhstan” and “Expanding Gospel Outreach to Hispanics - U.S.” Each grant was approved for $100,000 as part of the $2.35 million mission goal adopted by the LWML voting body.
The primary focus for this grant is to reach those who identify as Hispanic in the United States and speak Spanish primarily. One in five people in the U.S. is Hispanic, with the country being the second largest Spanish-speaking country today. By 2060, it is expected that Hispanics will constitute more than 27 percent of the American population. There are extremely limited Hispanic Lutheran Christian resources today supporting the church at large for Hispanics. The grant will help share the Gospel with:
• Hispanic Families: Through a variety of Hispanic resources, LHM can reach the Latino population in the U.S. with a Christ-centered message that is applicable to daily life in American culture.
The primary focus for this grant is to work through churches in the region to share God’s love with:
• Women and Children: LHM–Kazakhstan partners with churches to reach out into the broader community, including remote areas to share the Good News of salvation through Jesus Christ to wives and mothers and their children.
• Families and Youth: Through children’s programs and youth programs, LHM makes God’s love visible among families and youth.
• People of the Region: Using a variety of digital platforms and materials, people will be able to hear the Word of God in their language, strengthening and encouraging them in the faith.
• Latino Communities: Working with LCMS ministry leaders, churches, districts, universities, and seminaries, LHM can reach out to the Hispanic population with the Good News of salvation.
• The Hispanic Population: Through LHM’s media outreach technology, such as Para el Camino, Sentido Latino, and Vivenciar.net, Hispanics will be able to hear God’s message of salvation in Spanish, strengthening and encouraging them in the faith.
“We are so very thankful to the LWML for these mission grants to reach out with the Gospel of Jesus Christ in Kazakhstan and to Hispanics in the United States,” says Lois Engfehr, LHM’s director of grants and foundation relations.
“We are extremely grateful for the continued partnership with the LWML,” says LHM CEO Kurt Buchholz. “It is a true blessing to be able to come together in mission to share God’s Word with those who have not heard it.” u
As we head toward fall, Christmas is not far behind. This year LHM is again offering original Advent devotions in both English and Spanish. What Child Is This? is written by Dr. Kari Vo, while El profundo amor del Padre (“The Deep Love of the Father”) has multiple authors. Each devotional series covers the Advent season from Sunday, December 3, 2023, through Saturday, January 6, 2024.
As you use these brief messages for personal inspiration or as part of a group devotion, consider the depth of God’s love for us as He Himself comes to us in the form of Man. “When Jesus is born into the world, that is God Himself coming to be our Savior. And that says that we matter to Him—so much that He won’t delegate our salvation to any lesser person. God came Himself, to rescue us and make us His own beloved children. He didn’t care what it cost Him. That is how much He loves us,” said Dr. Vo.
And as God has given Himself to be our Savior, we are transformed, and “our life changes when we recognize that God’s love is in our hearts. …, because … the love of God is perfect. His love is patient and kind; does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. His love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things” (taken from El profundo amor del Padre’s December 22 devotion).
Five writers contributed to the Spanish Advent devotions: Dr. Leopoldo Sanchez, Deaconess Perla Rodriguez, Ms. Melissa Salomon, Mrs. Abigail Ramirez, and Rev. Héctor Hoppe, who also reads the Spanish devotions. Chris Macky, instructional designer for LHM, is the reader for the English version. Both versions will be available online for reading/listening beginning Sunday, December 3, at lhm.org/advent and paraelcamino.com/adviento.
Both devotions are available as a daily email during Advent and can be downloaded and printed, too, beginning in October. These messages are ideal for self-study, passing along to others, and for use in a group context. Each devotion includes reflection questions that prompt discussion and expand their usefulness. A church member in Talca, Chile, agrees: “Excellent contribution to the work in our congregation. The Advent and Lent devotionals have been a great blessing to all the families.” u
“It is a true blessing to be able to come together in mission to share God’s Word with those who have not heard it.”
Congregation name: St. Paul Lutheran Church
Location:
Bellmead, Texas (Waco area)
Congregation size: 900 members
Contact person: Pastor Brian Hesse
How does your congregation support LHM?
As a congregation located along a major interstate highway, we have an immense opportunity to reach out. We have supported LHM for a long time through the Project Connect booklet ministry and look to support LHM as they support us in our mission to be “the church on the highway that loves others into the love of Jesus Christ.” The partnership we have with LHM will grow over the next three years because we will be relying on their outreach materials to assist in training our members for more direct outreach into our community. This will happen through workshops being planned around the topics of “Households of Faith” and “Spiritual Conversations.” Also, whenever possible, we make use of the numerous videobased Bible studies produced by LHM.
What was the motivation behind supporting LHM?
LHM is a reliable Lutheran partner producing relevant materials to address the questions people are asking. Their research, in partnership with Barna Group, and other resources have proven to be helpful many times in reaching a community that is often not familiar with Lutheranism or even Christianity. LHM also has the history and track record of providing these vital materials that make them an authentic partner with a history that can be appreciated by young people who are looking for a solid footing in a chaotic world.
What has been your members’ feedback? What do your members like about LHM?
Our members like that the Project Connect booklets are providing hope and answers to the topical issues people are facing in their daily lives. The booklets dealing with the topics of family, marriage, cancer, and Lutheranism remain the most popular booklets on our Project Connect display. Often times we have members taking these booklets to friends, relatives, or neighbors and sharing them in real-world situations outside the doors of the church. As a church on the interstate, we know that life changes fast, and LHM is a trusted resource that helps us keep up the pace.
If your congregation would like to learn more about how you can support LHM’s mission, contact Robin Forsythe at 314-317-4152 or robin.forsythe@lhm.org. If you would like to make a gift of support, visit lhm.org/give
John Kateen grew up in New Jersey and went to a nearby college for a year before volunteering to serve in the United States Army. After serving in the Army for two years, he went back to school and got his Bachelor of Arts before moving to Denver to attend a hotel and restaurant school. After graduating, he was hired by InterContinental Hotels, where he worked in San Juan, Puerto Rico, and Bogotá, Colombia. After a couple of years, he returned to the United States to manage an inn in Tucson, Arizona, for his brother before buying and running a restaurant in the area.
“While I was in Tucson, I met a beautiful young woman. We went to a chapel in southern California and got married there. When we got back to Arizona, we started going to Lutheran churches because she was Lutheran. I’ve been Lutheran ever since.”
Several years later, Kateen moved to Atlanta to manage two social clubs before eventually obtaining his real estate license. He has been in Atlanta for more than 50 years and now sells real estate and attends open houses every week.
“I really can’t pinpoint when I first learned about LHM, but I have become very familiar with their work after reading about their various ministry efforts over the years.”
Kateen has been especially impressed with LHM’s global ministry and how staff uses different approaches to reach out with the Gospel to unreached individuals. “LHM does great things around the world. They are able to bring the Gospel to non-Christians in Asia,
Africa, South America, and all over the world. I’m impressed with what they do and how the staff members care about how people feel in their relationship with Christ. I keep reading about all the amazing things they are doing, and it encourages me to support their work.”
Recently Kateen made the decision to include LHM in his will to ensure future ministry beyond his lifetime. For him, the decision was easy “because of what LHM does. The work of LHM is important to me. They are a great asset to our community and to the world. Since I don’t have any children, everything I have will be going back to various religious organizations.”
The process of working with LHM staff has been a positive experience for Kateen. When he visited with an LHM Senior Ministry Advancement Counselor, he shared that they had a delightful conversation and spent a couple hours together. “I enjoyed visiting with him.”
For anyone looking to include LHM in their will, Kateen encourages them to “learn about what LHM does around the world and how they are helping people grow their faith in Christ. And I think if they will learn about that, they would be very apt to make a gift. I don’t see why not.”
“I hope this encourages others and will help people get more involved in LHM’s ministry.”
To learn more about how you can continue LHM’s mission for years to come through LHM’s various planned gift options, visit lhm.org/giftplan or call 877-333-1963. u
“LHM does great things around the world.”Photo from Pastor Brian Hesse
“I hope this encourages others and will help people get more involved in LHM’s ministry.”
As part of its mission to share the love and teachings of Christ, LHM–Ghana is committed to reaching out to people in rural communities throughout the country and making a meaningful impact in their lives. Through many of their recent rural outreach activities, staff and volunteers have witnessed the power of connection, education, and faith sharing.
One of the ministry center’s primary platforms for engaging with rural communities is through radio programs on local FM stations. Broadcasting messages of hope, love, and faith, the programs have reached countless individuals who may not have access to other forms of media. Through insightful discussions, inspirational stories, and uplifting music, the programs bring light to the hearts and minds of those in need.
Film shows are another successful way of reaching people in rural locations. A recent film show in Tamale had around 20 people attend, providing a unique opportunity for individuals to come together, enjoy wholesome entertainment, and reflect on the important Gospel messages conveyed through the films. These events foster community
spirit while also planting seeds of faith and inspiration in the hearts of attendees.
LHM–Ghana also hosts Equipping the Saints workshops that empower church members in rural communities. The training consists of four stages, with each stage focused on building knowledge, developing skills, and cultivating confidence in sharing one’s faith. During the training, participants are divided into groups to
by PAUL SCHREIBER
Those who use LHM’s Daily Devotion app have noticed some changes recently: a fresh, new look; many expanded, easy-to-use features; and immediate access to sermons from The Lutheran Hour
When you download the FREE Daily Devotions by LHM app on your mobile device, you can read or listen to the day’s message and access the day’s Scripture text and related Bible readings. Users who create a free account will have access to a feature which allows them to take notes on the devotions. You can easily share devotions and sermons directly from the app via text messages, email, or on social media.
You can also search Daily Devotions by keyword topic, authors (Lutheran Hour Speakers and others), and by Scripture text. From the home page, you can explore Lutheran Hour sermons as far back as 2018. With each sermon, you can listen to the audio or read the transcript. Additional tabs at the bottom of the page allow you to read the Bible directly in the app and check out other LHM materials online with direct links to video-based Bible studies, Project Connect booklets, LHM Learn courses, Spanish resources (including their own daily and seasonal devotions), LHM’s online store, and more.
The updated Daily Devotions app improves user experience and makes navigation easy to the full range of Christ-centered resources LHM offers. It only takes a moment to download to your mobile device so you can use it anywhere you go. To get the Daily Devotions app, go to lhm.org/apps. u
CHAD FIXengage in meaningful discussions on assorted topics related to evangelism. This interactive approach allows for the exchange of ideas and experiences, enriching each participant’s understanding of effective communication and outreach. Additionally, each participant receives a copy of LHM’s booklet titled, How to Talk About Your Faith. This resource serves as a practical guide to equip individuals with the necessary tools to effectively share the Gospel and engage in meaningful conversations about faith. At the end of the training, each participant is awarded a certificate of completion to acknowledge their commitment and dedication.
“These rural outreach initiatives have been instrumental in bridging gaps, offering hope, and empowering individuals in remote communities,” says LHM’s regional director for Africa and the Middle East. “Through our radio programs, film shows, and training sessions, we are making a lasting impact on the lives of those we serve. We remain committed to spreading the light of God’s love throughout these communities to positively impact people’s lives through the power of the Holy Spirit.” u
You have faithfully served the Lord throughout your life. But there is still more work to be done to spread the hope of the Gospel throughout the world. You can help us continue this work that we have all been called to do by making a gift that will live on beyond your lifetime.
“These rural outreach initiatives have been instrumental in bridging gaps, offering hope, and empowering individuals in remote communities.”by MEGAN MCDANIEL
Samuel shared that the film gave him a better understanding of the Christian faith and the Word of God.
Durairaj is 45 years old and has two daughters. He works in a small shop and does not make enough money to support his family. He comes from a non-Christian religious background and initially connected with LHM–India staff through their topical booklet program. His circumstances had led him to consider ending his life when he came across LHM–India’s booklet about support. He was comforted by the message and wanted to learn more about Jesus. Durairaj continued to read additional LHM–India materials and, through the power of God’s Word, he became a Christian.
LHM–Ghana hosted a two-day film show as part of a rural outreach program. The LHM–Ghana staff announced that after the event, participants could share their testimonies with staff members. Samuel, a 45-year-old farmer, shared his story that night. He told the staff members that he had initially heard about the film ministry on the radio a few weeks before but did not plan to go to the event because he did not know what would happen. A friend of Samuel’s mentioned the event while they were talking and gave Samuel all the details that further sparked his curiosity. Samuel decided to attend the second day and was attentive during the whole film. Samuel told the staff members that although he is a Christian, he always believed good works would get him to heaven. He shared that the film gave him a better understanding of the Christian faith and the Word of God. The staff members gave him LHM booklets that are serving as encouragement for him to further grow in his faith.
Sonia is 68 years old and recently lost her husband, who was sick for many years. Sonia has followed LHM–Guatemala on Facebook for three years now and is always encouraged by the Bible verses, devotions, and reflections that they post. Even during the hardship of her husband’s illness, Sonia continued to share LHM–Guatemala resources with others who are hurting. She feels a strong connection to the LHM–Guatemala staff and is thankful for their materials that have brought hope and peace into her life. Together with LHM–Guatemala, Sonia is continuing to share the Gospel with those who want and need to hear it.
Egor is 38 years old and enrolled in the Bible Correspondence Courses through LHM–Russia while he was in prison. He shared that he was born in a nonChristian household and no one in his family ever talked about God. He had questions during his childhood about life and never had answers. Now that he is learning about Jesus, he has gotten answers to his questions. Through the power of God’s Word, Egor became a Christian. He has confessed his faith in front of his cellmates and is continuing to grow in his faith.
Through the power of God’s Word, Egor became a Christian.
Sonia is thankful for the materials from LHM–Guatemala, which has brought hope and peace into her life.
Durairaj was comforted by the message and wanted to learn more about Jesus.
LHM–Sri Lanka staff recently held a children’s program that 114 Christian and nonChristian children attended. A local pastor brought his Sunday school children to the program, many who were non-Christians enrolled in the LHM–Sri Lanka Bible Correspondence Course (BCC). The children enjoyed the program so much that the pastor asked for the ministry’s BCC lessons so he could use them in his Sunday school program. More children are now attending Sunday school and wanting to enroll in LHM’s Bible course to learn about Jesus. The pastor is eager to work with LHM–Sri Lanka staff again and provide the Gospel message to more children in the area.
Eduardo signed up to receive LHM’s daily messages of hope on his phone.
Eduardo and his wife connected to LHM–Uruguay more than 10 years ago. They received materials from them and continued to stay in touch through regular phone calls. Four years ago, Eduardo retired and had surgery. He and his wife called LHM–Uruguay staff weekly to pray and hear words of encouragement. Two years ago, Eduardo’s wife passed away. They never had kids, so he was lonely. He signed up to receive LHM’s daily messages of hope on his phone. Eduardo went to a Christmas play held by LHM–Uruguay and was encouraged to talk to the staff there. He is thankful for the relationships he has made with the staff and is encouraged by their materials and programs that share the hope of Jesus.
As James became more intrigued by what was being shared, he asked questions to learn more about Jesus.
James is a farmer, and although he knew about Christianity, he was never a Christian. LHM–Liberia staff recently went to a local church to help train church workers and pastors through their Equipping the Saints program. James saw the people gathering and asked what it was about. An LHM–Liberia staff member invited James to sit in on the two-day program, and he attended both of the training sessions. As he became more intrigued by what was being shared, he asked questions to learn more about Jesus. By the second day, James was excited to participate and deepen his knowledge about Jesus. u
Hyun is a social worker who, through the power of the Holy Spirit, became a Christian in college. She remembers hearing LHM–South Korea radio programs when she was a child. Now she appreciates the ministry’s text message program and YouTube channel in addition to the radio programs. One of the recent devotions touched her so much that she sent the LHM staff a note to say thank you. She is thankful for the high-quality materials that the staff works hard to produce. Hyun is using the LHM–South Korea materials to grow in her faith and share the Gospel message with those around her.
More Sri Lankan children are now attending Sunday school and wanting to enroll in LHM’s Bible course to learn about Jesus.
Individuals around the world are reached more than 195 million times each week with the Gospel through Lutheran Hour Ministries’ culturally relevant programs and resources. Below are just a few examples to show how God has been using LHM recently to change lives around the world with His Good News.
Hyun is thankful for the high-quality materials that LHM–South Korea works hard to produce.
by CHAD FIX
Registration is now open to serve as a Petal Pushers volunteer who helps bring to life several of the floats for the 2024 Tournament of Roses Parade scheduled for January 1 in Pasadena, California. The Petal Pushers, a group of thousands of volunteers who decorate the Lutheran Hour Ministries (LHM) float and up to nine others each year, will begin decorating floats on the four Saturdays prior to Christmas (Dec. 2, 9, 16, and 23) and will then be working two shifts a day beginning Dec. 26 until the floats are completed.
Individuals ages 13 and older can work as little as one shift or as many as they want on a variety of tasks necessary to complete the floats, including attaching thousands of roses, carnations, lilies, mums, and other flowers, as well as natural materials, such as seeds, coffee beans, and leaves, to create the beauty and splendor of the floral floats traveling down Pasadena’s Colorado Boulevard on parade day. Volunteers of all skill levels are needed; whether this will be your very first time, or you are a seasoned veteran, there are dozens of jobs to do.
“My parents and brother had told stories while I was growing up about how much fun they had decorating the floats, so I first got involved about five years ago,” says Sami Herrmann, a California native who attends Concordia University, Nebraska. “I love detailed work, and this is a great way to express my love for art. I love meeting new people from all across the country, getting to know them, and seeing the tremendous camaraderie among the volunteers. It is inspiring to meet people who have never heard of LHM and share the great work of the ministry with them.”
“This had been on my ‘bucket list’ for about ten years,” says Arlene Price of Randolph, New Jersey. “I first learned about the opportunity to decorate parade floats during a Lutheran Women’s Missionary League convention and finally decided to come out with my husband to Pasadena last year as part of a Luther Tours group. It was a once-in-a-lifetime experience I will never forget.”
in the Rose Parade, the LHM float carries on a mission of providing a Gospel witness to viewers everywhere, from along the parade route to televisions worldwide.
The LHM float is a self-funded project of the Lutheran Hour Ministries Float Committee and the Southern California District of the International Lutheran Laymen’s League. The committee’s ongoing work is funded primarily by generous donations from Christian friends and multiple fundraising activities and is not included in LHM’s operating budget.
“My mom loved to volunteer for many things and had mentioned decorating floats for this parade would be a great opportunity,” says Gary Tiedt of Appleton, Wisconsin. “She passed away, so I decided to come to Pasadena during the week before the 2023 parade to honor her legacy of volunteerism.”
Building off the parade theme of “Celebrating a World of Music,” the 2024 LHM float entry is titled “Make a Joyful Noise unto the Lord” and marks the 73rd time our float has been part of the parade. As the only Christian float
“Only about 40 individuals are needed each year to work on the LHM float, so the majority of Petal Pushers decorate other parade floats, which brings in funds to lower the cost of the LHM float being part of the annual event,” says Dick Gast, chair of the LHM Float Committee. “Working on a variety of floats allows our volunteers to work with people from diverse backgrounds who join us from all across the country, believers and non-believers alike, offering a unique chance to make new friends, network, and share expressions of the faith that gives true meaning to this experience.”
Visit petalpushers.org for more information about the Petal Pushers, or to register to decorate. Information can also be found on the site about the two tour options that the LHM Float Committee is sponsoring through Luther Tours. u
“It is inspiring to meet people who have never heard of LHM and share the great work of the ministry with them.”Lutheran Hour Ministries will participate for the 73rd time with a float entry titled “Make a Joyful Noise unto the Lord.”
In May the University of Missouri Extension’s Missouri Good Neighbor Week took home top honors as the year’s Best Neighborhood Program at the 48th annual Neighborhoods USA (NUSA) conference in El Paso, Texas. And The Hopeful Neighborhood Project (HNP) from LHM was a part of that!
HNP joined the MU Extension in 2022 as a partner, helping take the program from the county level to a statewide presence. Together their work resulted in 12,854 acts of neighboring in 63 Missouri counties last year.
“This program was impactful because of the many volunteers involved and my partnership with The Hopeful Neighborhood Project,”
said David Burton, MU Extension community development specialist.
“The judges liked the volume of participants, the variety of things that took place, our unique website, and they loved that we improved on our county program in 2021 to take it statewide,” according to an MU press release.
“There is just so much good work happening throughout the country,” said Jennifer Prophete, director of community programming at LHM.
“To be honored by this group as the best was really humbling. In order to be selected, you have to submit an application, and then give an oral presentation. The judges were impressed with Missouri’s Good Neighbor Week because of its
tremendous geographical growth over a short period of time and for its many thousands of recorded acts of neighboring last year,” she added.
“This was an extremely competitive category,” said Precious McKesson, NUSA president. “All of the finalists were very good. We were very impressed with the results of Missouri Good Neighbor Week and believe it has merit as a national approach to get people talking about neighboring simultaneously,” per the MU press release.
More than 600 people from 34 states attended this year’s NUSA conference. It featured—in addition to the awards program—in-depth workshops and plenary sessions, networking events, tours, and
the chance for people to share ideas on how collaboration and intentionality are improving the face of their neighborhoods around the country.
Looking for ideas on how to make your neighborhood more hopeful? Visit hopefulneighborhood.org! There you will find the EveryGift™ Inventory, details on Neighborhood Labs, excellent online courses, annual events to celebrate your neighborhood, wonderful stories told by people making a difference, six sessions of videos on how to get the most out of your neighborhood, and The Hopeful Neighborhood Field Guide, an indispensable book for exploring your neighborhood’s possibilities. u
“To be honored by this group as the best was really humbling.”
Hundreds of thousands of people in southern Turkey and northern Syria continue to need basic supplies following a series of devastating earthquakes and aftershocks last February.
To help people who are trying to rebuild their lives, LHM partnered with Lutheran Church Charities to bring emergency assistance along with messages of comfort and hope found in Jesus Christ.
Through the generous donations from supporters of both organizations, around 4,000 people per month have received basic necessities like drinking water, baby bottles, baby food, food for adults, baby diapers, adult diapers, hygiene products, clothes, gloves, shoes, baby shoes, sleeping bags, blankets, and more. LHM staff in the region have been collecting and purchasing supplies to send to a partner church in Turkey for distribution to people directly affected by the earthquake. The amount of funds raised will allow LHM to continue providing ongoing relief for several months to come.
As part of its holistic response that addresses not only the physical needs of recipients but spiritual ones as well, LHM staff members in the region have started visiting one of the areas most affected by the earthquake and building relationships with families and individuals who have
been impacted. The staff continues having conversations with these people over the phone and through digital platforms and plans to visit the locations every two months to further expand the relationships.
“Often the recipients of holistic efforts like this desire to learn more about the God who motivates these Christians to reach out in love,” says LHM CEO Kurt Buchholz.
During their last visit, staff members met a woman named Zeynep and her 27-year-old grandson, Mirac. They invited the staff into their home (one of the few houses still standing in the city) and talked about how their friends and loved ones had been affected. They were interested in learning more about Christianity when they heard their visitors were Christians. The staff continues to answer Mirac’s many questions through WhatsApp, and he is looking forward to their next visit with his family.
LHM staff also met Alparslan outside his tent in a park near several destroyed buildings. Alparslan lost his wife and home to the earthquake and was feeling ashamed about being in such dire need of assistance. He shared that he had entirely lost hope and was in tears to receive LHM’s emergency relief supplies. LHM staff continues to build a relationship with him through WhatsApp and knows that God is working in his heart. u
by CHAD FIXFor many busy Americans, this yearly reminder is the motivation they need to sit down and create or update their last will and testament. Once they do, many find the process isn’t as tedious as they anticipated. Here are a couple reasons to write your will this August. Provide peace of mind to you and your family.
You may not think you own a lot, but you likely have more property than you realize. If you don’t have a will, your loved ones will be tasked with finding a home for this property when you pass on. Creating a will prevents family conflict, eliminates confusion, and ensures your assets go where you want.
Create a legacy that lasts beyond your lifetime.
None of us live forever. But there are ways to continue making a positive impact on this world long after you leave it. One way is by donating to a charity like LHM in your will. There are many ways you can use your will to benefit a charity—giving cash, stock, real estate property, and more. Leaving a gift for a nonprofit in your will costs you nothing during your lifetime but ensures you make a positive impact on causes close to your heart for years to come
Already have a will that includes LHM?
Many people have included LHM in their final plans and have not yet shared this decision. If you are one of these people, please let us know! For more information, or to tell us we are in your estate plans, contact LHM’s gift planning staff at lhm-gift@lhm.org or 1-877-333-1963. u
