The Lutheran Layman

THE

LUTHERAN L AYMAN January - February 2019

see page 4

Gospel Adventures Begins. . . . . . . . 3 The Reluctant Witness . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 New Project Connect Booklet . . . . 9 Ministry Impact Report . . . . . . 11-14 Changing Lives Globally. . . . . . . . . 18 LHM Sunday Coming Soon. . . . . . 20 Men’s NetWork Work Day. . . . . . 23

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SPEAKING UP

by Rev. Dr. Michael Zeigler Speaker of The Lutheran Hour

Reality-with-a-Capital-R When I try to become the star in my own reality show, I need something to re-ground me in Reality with-a-capital-R.

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recent study concluded that more than half of all adults in America engage in “binge-watching.” Bingewatching involves stringing together several TV episodes all in a row, sometimes for hours on end. Binge-watching is becoming an epidemic, with 50 percent of viewers in their 20s saying they binge-watch weekly. Researchers at the University of Texas found that binge-watching is correlated to depression, loneliness, obesity, and loss of self-control. Bingewatching is like piloting a space craft near a black hole. If you’re not careful, you’ll be sucked in forever.

What if we’re all tempted to “binge-watch”—even when we’re not looking at a screen? So often, I am caught up in my own pursuits and obsessions, trying to control the people around me.

I’ve created a make-believe world that revolves around me. When I try to become the star in my own reality show, I need something to re-ground me in Reality with-acapital-R. I’ve found that biblical narratives do this for me. I don’t mean reading an inspirational verse or two. I mean letting

yourself get swept up in the great, grand narrative of the Bible. Even non-Christians recognize the power of this book. Dr. Jordan Peterson, a secular professor at the University of Toronto, gave a series of lectures on the “Psychological Significance of the Biblical Stories.” He spoke to large audiences of biblical outsiders, saying, “Isn’t it interesting that the Bible has outlasted kingdoms, many, many kingdoms. It’s really interesting that a book is more durable than stone, more durable than a castle, more durable than an empire.” (Jordan Peterson Podcast, May 2017).

These stories of Israel—the family of Jesus—have been told, heard, and re-told for thousands of years and are still told today.

Kingdoms and revolutions came and went. The people caught up in those stories thought they had found something real. Now they are buried in the rubble of history. Their stories proved to be fantasies. Deep down, I think even modern people know that the dominant story that shapes our culture today—the story of technological and social progress—is also fantasy. Perhaps that’s why we do so much bingewatching.

Binge-watching might be an epidemic, but sometimes people

need to escape the monotony.

Maybe we binge-watch because we all intuitively sense that we were made for something more than a meaningless cycle of production and consumption, one day ending in death. Maybe we binge on fictitious narrations of gritty, joyful, world-making catastrophes because we know that we were made for something more. Maybe you’re searching for the story that makes sense of you.

Maybe you need some Realitywith-a-capital-R? Try listening to the biblical narrative.

Devotionals with snippets of Scripture are a great resource, but we need something more. I like listening to an audio Bible.

My favorite right now is the “NIV Dramatized Version” published

by Zondervan, but there are many good versions. Try listening to the entire book of Exodus, Mark, or John. Short on time?

It takes 20 minutes to listen to Ruth; less than 10 for Jonah.

Listen to God’s story centered on the crucified, risen, ruling, and returning Jesus. Not as an escape, but as a link into the story that makes sense of the universe and makes sense of you—you, who were written and redeemed in Jesus, not for binging on fantasy, but for delighting in Reality. n

Adapted from a message for The Lutheran Hour aired December 2, 2018.

L AYMAN The Lutheran

Chad Fix, Editor

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Vol. 90, No. 1 January - February 2019

Andrea Thompson, Layout

Subscription: $5. Printed bi-monthly. Send color photos for use. Photos sent to the paper may not be returned. Lutheran Hour Ministries, The Lutheran Hour, Bringing Christ to the Nations, BCTN, This is the Life, Ayer, Hoy y Siempre, Cristo Para Todas Las Naciones, Esta Es La Vida, Para el Camino, THRED, and The Hoffmann Society are ® registered marks, or SM service marks. The Puzzle Club is a service mark and trademark of Int’l LLL. All rights reserved, 2018 Int’l LLL.

LHM Response Center: 1-800-876-9880

2 | The Lutheran Layman January - February 2019

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

People of the Passion LENT 2019

You will see God at work—from the fall of man to the first century—slowly, steadily, unfolding His master plan of love and redemption.

Download now!

lhm.org/lent

Bringing the World to Kids by Paul Schreiber Gospel Adventures helps kids and adults alike know His love for them!

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ospel Adventures (formerly Online Mission Trips) is going to South America in January 2019! Lutheran Hour Ministries, in partnership with Group Publishing, is giving kids a five-day passport to Peru to explore this fascinating country along South America’s western coast. Through activities, video, and discussion, kids in the U.S. will learn about Peruvian culture, the country’s amazing history, and what it’s like to be a kid living in Peru today.

Better yet, kids will see more clearly the love God has for the whole world as they bridge into a place many thousands of miles away.

Experiencing the Good News of Jesus at work in other cultures is often reserved for adults and older teens who work on mission teams in foreign countries. Gospel Adventures: Passport to Peru, on the other hand, brings the country to kids— whether at home, in the classroom, or in Sunday school. Once you or, if you’re a teacher, your school registers for Gospel Adventures, a world of excitement is on your doorstep. Kids will encounter and learn about Peru’s people, places, animals, landscapes, foods, music, and more. Along the way, Peruvian kids will tell their own stories about what it’s like to live in a country that has places as wonderful as the Amazon rainforest or the Incan temple complex of Machu Picchu.

To give you an idea how this works, Day One of Passport to Peru features six different elements. There’s a 1) geography lesson on the country of Peru and its place in the world; 2) a video trip with Neil and Sharith, Peruvian twins who share a bit of their daily lives and who then visit the ruins at Machu Picchu; 3) fascinating information on the Inca who built Machu Picchu and the culture that thrived in Peru some 700 years ago; 4) video and pictures of wildlife in Peru; 5) a look at Psalm 23 with questions about how God comforts us as our Good Shepherd; and 6) additional discussion questions for students which review the day’s highlights.

And that’s only Day One!

To sign up for Gospel Adventures: Passport to Peru, go to gospeladventures.org.

• Prior to National Lutheran Schools Week, January 27 – February 2, 2019, registered users receive an email containing the link to the interactive webpage and the link to the teacher curriculum. The videos on our interactive page are pre-recorded, so you can choose the best time during the week to show them in conjunction with your curriculum. (Please note: Gospel Adventures: Passport to Peru can be utilized anytime during the year.)

• Teachers will have access to curriculum to enhance the lessons learned through the Gospel Adventures videos. Kids will have the opportunity to answer questions and enjoy activities related to the daily video.

• Kids and schools can donate to the Global Kids Fund to provide children’s ministry in South America.

… kids will see more clearly the love God has for the whole world as they bridge into a place many thousands of miles away.

“We are super excited about the new release of Gospel Adventures: Passport to Peru,” said Ashley Bayless, curriculum development manager for LHM. “With high-quality videos and engaging activities, the curriculum helps kids learn about life and culture from kids like them but who live in another part of the world. Kids are constantly surprised how life isn’t all that different in other places around the world. Kids go to school; they help with chores; they play soccer with their friends—and yet life can still look very different: new foods, different transportation, another language. One of the greatest similarities, though, is God’s love for all His children, no matter where they live in the world. Gospel Adventures helps kids and adults alike know His love for them! This is one of the messages kids will learn in this year’s trip to Peru,” she added. n Paul Schreiber reports on the impact of LHM’s ministry work in the United States.

The Lutheran Layman January - February 2019 | 3

Households Faith of

Second LHM-Barna Research Monograph to Be Available Soon

by Paul Schreiber

LHM now has at its disposal reams of data on how faith functions in American homes, and its subsequent influence on spiritual development.

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rofessionally obtained research is a

vital resource for any business or organization to possess, especially as it operates within its

respective domain. With Households of Faith, the second monograph prepared by the Barna Group for Lutheran Hour Ministries, LHM now has at its disposal reams of data on how faith functions in American homes, and its subsequent influence on spiritual development. The current three-year partnership between LHM and Barna focuses on how Americans are expressing their faith in their personal lives, their households, and their communities. The third Barna report, Communities of Action, will appear in 2020; it will show the influence Christians have on the broader communities in which they live and work.

As Barna’s 2018 study, Spiritual Conversations in the Digital Age, examined how sharing one’s faith has changed among Christians in the last 25 years, Households of Faith will consider how faith is passed down, cultivated, and encouraged in households. The goal of this study is to observe interactions among practicing Christians who live together and how faith is being transmitted among them.

Here are five findings from Barna’s research concerning the households of faith-practicing Christians:

It’s Not My Job …

Level of Agreement: l Agree l Disagree l Don’t Know 1993

Today

3%

8%

21%

Every Christian has a responsibility to share their faith

64%

15% 89%

17%

30% 78%

58% 12%

5% 8%

Converting people to Christianity is the job of the local church

25% 86%

• Faith formation and hospitality go hand-in-hand.

• Mothers’ spiritual influence seem to be especially positive and enduring.

• Couple households primarily made up of boomers (born between 1946 and 1964) and elders (born before 1946) are less interactive with extended households and community.

• Spiritually vibrant households share traits that can be nurtured within any household.

5%

My church does a good job of training people to effectively share their faith

• Faith experiences in youth affect Christians’ beliefs and practices into adulthood.

28%

47%

Barna research reveals significant disparities regarding sharing one’s faith and the work of local churches. The statistics shown above, which were included in the Spiritual Conversations in the Digital Age monograph from year one of the LHM-Barna partnership, reflect the types of data that will be included in the Households of Faith monograph being released soon.

Households of Faith will consider how faith is passed down, cultivated, and encouraged in households.

Kurt Buchholz, president and CEO of LHM, was quick to note the possibilities in the fifth point above: “It’s that last finding that has me particularly excited. The qualities of these vibrant households where faith is cultivated in a beautiful, lasting way are attainable for any household— no matter the size or makeup—which is good news for the cause of the Gospel. Any spiritually passive household can become, over time and with intention, a spiritually vibrant household of faith.”

Considering Barna’s research from year one and two of its multi-year look at America’s faith, a few things become apparent: people today are reluctant to even speak about faith, with concerns about appearing angry, disrespectful, or judgmental being the main reasons spiritual conversations are kept at bay. Compared to data collected from Barna’s first research for LHM in 1993, Christians are more reticent to talk about their faith, too. This hesitancy appears to be a factor in shifting faith-related or Christ-centered conversations away from the public sphere and into more private areas of living like the home. As a result, Barna’s “preferred spiritual conversation partners” like close friends and family members such as a spouse or child are the participants in these dialogues.

With data derived from in-person interviews and online surveys involving 2,347 practicing Christians, Barna was guided by two important questions: 1) What does faith look like on a day-to-day basis, in practicing Christians’ most familiar relationships, personal environments, or unobserved hours? 2) With the help of churches, how might that everyday faith become vibrant and enduring? For LHM, one hoped-for result in acquiring this fresh data would be to develop targeted resources churches can use to enhance the spiritual health of the households in their congregations and, in turn, to better understand how households can contribute to the health of the church.

Many are the factors that influence the frequency and diversity of spiritual interactions within the home. But, as with most things in life, creating a home that reflects a dynamic spiritual life is often the result of being intentional about the matter, and then following through on the decision to do so. see next page

“… Any spiritually passive household can become, over time and with intention, a spiritually vibrant household of faith.”

The Lutheran Layman January - February 2019 | 5

continued from previous page

Spiritual Conversations Monograph Speaks to How We Share the Gospel

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esearchers working on the Barna report, Spiritual Conversations in the Digital Age, interviewed more than a thousand people on the topic of spiritual conversations. From their responses, a picture emerges of shifting definitions and practices of evangelism over the past 25 years. Data gathered led to findings on why Americans are reluctant to talk about God; why many find it unacceptable to share their views on religion; and why people perceive that sharing their faith in the 21st century is considered more offensive than it was in the past.

What emerged from these findings was that, while many are reticent to speak of God or religion, those who do share their faith exhibit certain qualities.

Eager Conversationalists Share These Qualities …

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The Barna report revealed other interesting findings about households of faith. These give important details on how members interact on spiritual matters and how they live out their faith: • In general, active households are spiritually active households, and vice versa.

• Faith formation is connected to and increases with hospitality.

• Most practicing Christians participate in spiritual conversations, prayer, and Bible reading with their household members.

EMBRACE THE GOSPEL

APPLY SPIRITUAL DISCIPLINES

GRASP THE CALLING

EXPECT SPIRITUAL CONVERSATIONS

RESPOND CONFIDENTLY

In a nutshell, eager conversationalists or Gospel-sharing laypeople speak about their faith more than 10 times a year.

Understanding these characteristics is essential for Lutheran Hour Ministries as it goes forward, creating resources to help laypeople and congregations share the Good News of Jesus.

“This research allows LHM to provide timely and relevant resources that meet people where they are. It enables us to gain a hearing for the Gospel in an inviting and contextual way—guiding those who seek toward faith,” said Rev. Dr. Tony Cook, vice president of Global Ministries for LHM. This revealing report also includes data on the impact of social media; perceptions of faith sharing from both sides of the conversation: the sharer and the hearer; a database profile of a good evangelist (i.e. the eager conversationalist); infographics, charts, and other data pieces; and much more.

To get your own copy of this specially prepared monograph, please visit lhm.org/ conversations. The cost is $39.00, plus shipping and handling. n

“This research allows LHM to provide timely and relevant resources that meet people where they are. …”

6 | The Lutheran Layman January - February 2019

• Kids become a catalyst for any interaction, including faithrelated ones.

• Spiritually vibrant households are characterized by fun and quality time. (In other words, good fun, good work, and good faith seem to go hand in hand.)

“It was this fun aspect of a vibrant Christian household and the type of house that would, I presume, be also a faith-sharing household, that really struck me,” said Rev. Dr. Tony Cook, vice president of Global Ministries for LHM. “It’s this idea that there is real joy, real delight, in sharing the Gospel that is so empowering to consider.

Gone is the glum-faced evangelism team member timidly tapping on someone’s front door, hoping silently that no one is home, so they don’t have to get into an awkward Jesus conversation. Replacing this, instead, is a picture of a person sharing his or her faith—joyfully, confidently, done as a matter of course because they know the fields are ripe for the harvest. It’s what they do. It’s the life they live. It’s the joy they have knowing their sins are covered by a Redeemer, who has set them free.”

To define the kind of household where sharing the Good News is fostered, Barna noted three markers present in households that exhibit an actively nurtured faith: 1) Home worship—defined as praying every day or two and reading the Bible weekly altogether; 2) spiritual conversations—defined as talking about God and faith at least weekly altogether; 3) hospitality—defined as welcoming nonfamily guests regularly, or at least several times a month.

Overall, Barna’s findings indicate that while factors such as ethnicity, family faith history, education attained, available resources, and home location may describe a family well enough, these factors in themselves don’t govern a family’s level of spiritual expression or vibrancy. This suggests that a family’s attitude toward spiritual growth in the household, its willingness to invite others into that household, and its desire to engage conversationally on spiritual matters isn’t wholly determined by characteristics that are preset.

Rather, the household’s spiritual life and posture of outreach are marked by things that any Christian family can improve and expand. In other words, one may assume, a household’s spiritual vibrancy is logically linked to factors such as spending time in God’s Word, sharing the hope we have in Christ, understanding how the body of Christ works on earth, caring for those who are less fortunate than us, and taking the Great Commission in Matthew 28:16-20 seriously.

Creating and maintaining a household of faith where spiritual concerns are addressed and the love of Christ is expressed takes work and attention to detail.

The Barna research consistently indicates that an active household of faith is not something that will just happen without a concerted and proactive effort to foster such an environment. The value of the two Barna survey reports, and the third yet to come, is the real-time, real-life data they provide. This data, in turn, informs and guides resource development at LHM so that congregational and individual resources reflect, as much as is possible, the actual life and faith situations among believers in 21st-century North America.

“Barna’s research data is precisely the kind of information we need at LHM. It empowers our staff as they brainstorm ideas, storyboard concepts, and test drive works in progress to see how ideas will flesh out as a finished product— be it a book, podcast, video, audio, or something else we haven’t thought of yet. As always, the end goal is ‘Bringing Christ to the Nations—and the Nations to the Church.’ In the postmodern world we live in, the ways we do that might appear to have changed but, in the end, perhaps not so much. It’s still one person telling another person about Jesus,” Cook said. n

As always, the end goal is ‘Bringing Christ to the Nations— and the Nations to the Church.’

Spiritual Conversations Webinars Now Available Online

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f you missed the three webinar sessions based on research done by the Barna Group and LHM, you can still access them online. Hosted by Rev. Dr. Tony Cook, vice president of Global Ministries for LHM, these webinars explore findings detailed in the Spiritual Conversations in the Digital Age monograph—the first fruit produced through the LHM–Barna Group partnership.

While technology, social media, and popular culture continue to influence people’s ideas about God, faith, and religion, the command from Jesus to take the Gospel into all the world remains constant.

In these three webinars, participants will see how faith-sharing has changed over the last 25 years.

Additionally, and, perhaps, most importantly, a profile of traits will emerge of those who eagerly share their faith. This character study will be an important

takeaway for those interested in increasing the number of spiritual conversations they have.

While these webinar sessions are ideal for professional church workers, volunteer directors, or lay leaders, they’re presented for anyone interested in sharing Jesus more consistently. The webinars’ three sessions are 1) Sharing Faith, Then & Now; 2) Digital Faith Interactions; and 3) Eager to Share. These sessions tie in nicely with the various online courses LHM offers through its LHM Learn format of digital instruction.

By creating a free account at lhm.org/learn, you can find courses on Christian Foundations, Cultural

Concepts, Everyday Insights, Outreach Essentials, and Spiritual Reflections. You can also access a recording of these webinar sessions on this site. n

… the command from Jesus to take the Gospel into all the world remains constant.

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Upcoming

Spiritual Conversations

Book Speaks to the Reluctant Witness in All of Us

by Paul Schreiber

“What if we began turning to the people next to us and simply said ‘Hi’ more often?”

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new book coming out this spring by Don Everts, content development manager for Lutheran Hour Ministries, is a book written for all of us—all of us who struggle with, are confounded by, or are just plain hesitant to share our faith in Jesus. It’s called The Reluctant Witness (Discovering the Delight of Spiritual Conversations). It’s based in large part on original research conducted by Barna Group for LHM as found in the 2018 monograph, Spiritual Conversations in the Digital Age. In The Reluctant Witness, Everts blends Barna findings with his own real-life experiences. He shows how our attitude toward outreach and our confidence to enter spiritually related conversations can improve by looking at the way we communicate and why we often don’t. He writes, “On the whole, Jesus’ church in our new postmodern age has grown silent, but I wonder: what if we started talking again? What if we began turning to the people next to us and simply said ‘Hi’ more often?”

Drawing from personal experience as both a campus and congregational minister, Everts bookends his text with a road trip he made several years ago from Ontario, Oregon, to Tacoma

Washington. It was a 500-mile journey which translated into 15 long hours on a bus—13 and a half of which went without a word exchanged with the person sitting next to him. It was a trip that had profound consequences on his approach to sharing his faith. It also showed him how simply saying, “Hi,” can lead to wonderful and unexpected things.

Tucked between the events of this marathon journey, Everts gets honest about the state of our witness. Along the way, he considers reasons why we don’t witness, references Scriptures to empower our faith conversations, and poses questions for reflection and/or discussion to get us thinking seriously about the state of our own faith-sharing frequency.

Part of Everts’ style is he’s not afraid to toss in his own experiences as fodder for others to learn from. To do that, he draws from his experience as an ordinary Christian witnessing to others, from his role as a campus minister for InterVarsity Christian Fellowship, from his life as a pastor of a thriving church in St. Louis, and from his life as a husband and father of three.

The book opens with Everts speaking candidly about the state of our witness,

reflecting on why we don’t talk about Jesus more. Per his observations, he offers a number of points that speak to our reluctance to converse. He then goes on to explore why it is we stopped talking about God and faith and Jesus.

He writes, “Many a Christian has remained silent because they feared what might happen if they brought Jesus up. In our culture, there are times when speaking loudly about our faith is pretty much the conversational equivalent of passing gas. Loudly. They can be awkward, embarrassing, and make people think less of you. Or cause people to make fun of you, depending on the crowd.”

Along the way, Everts debunks myths about spiritual conversations and how it’s possible to get past these obstacles and have fruitful conversations about faith and life. Everts adds, however, that there are people who are talking, who are sharing their faith. These eager conversationalists appear to share some traits in common that make communicating their faith a more natural, more spontaneous part of their lives. These traits or characteristics aren’t impossible to attain either; Everts believes they’re habits we all can develop. n

Pass on Your Blessings through Thrivent Choice by Chad Fix A culture of generosity can make a massive difference in the world today. Thrivent Financial promotes this belief through many of the programs and services it offers for members. One of the longest-running examples of this fostering of generosity is the Thrivent Choice program.

Members of Thrivent continue to amaze us at Lutheran Hour Ministries with how they show generosity through their lives and material blessings.

Through the Thrivent Choice program, eligible Thrivent members are designated Choice Dollars at various times throughout the year, based on their insurance premiums, contract values, and Thrivent Financial volunteer leadership positions. Those Choice Dollars can then be directed to tens of thousands of nonprofit organizations nationwide. LHM has been blessed to receive nearly $1.3 million in direct support for God’s mission through Thrivent Choice since the program’s inception in 2010.

If you still have Choice Dollars available from 2018, the deadline to designate those 2018 dollars is March 31.

8 | The Lutheran Layman January - February 2019

Please consider using those blessings to take part in God’s mission to proclaim the Gospel of Jesus Christ worldwide through LHM. Thank you for sharing the Gospel through Thrivent Choice!

Supporting Lutheran Hour Ministries through Thrivent Choice is very simple. Go to www.thrivent. com/thriventchoice and search under “Lutheran Hour Ministries”, “LHM,” or “International Lutheran Laymen”. Or call Thrivent at 1-800-847-4836. Eligibility requirements can also be found at this website.

Please remember that recurring direction of Choice Dollars to organizations such as LHM is no longer an option; you must now go through the gift direction process every time you receive notification that Choice Dollars are available. Thrivent officials made this change several years ago to ensure that the program continues to be fully funded so that members can contribute as much as possible to the causes they support. n Chad Fix oversees the corporate communications of LHM.

Thank you for sharing the Gospel through Thrivent Choice!

Bennett Passes to Glory Faith in Christ Explored in Donald Walter Bennett died peacefully Nov. 4 at the age 90. A long-time Lutheran who loved his Lord Latest Project Connect Booklet andofsought to serve Him in every aspect of his life, “What does it mean to believe in Jesus?”

by Paul Schreiber

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ounding out a three-pack of Jesus-related booklets, What Is Faith in Jesus? completes a trilogy begun with Who Is Jesus? and Why Did Jesus Die? These booklets, penned by Don Everts, content development manager for LHM, provide a handy resource for reviewing the topics of faith and Jesus, and as a tool to give others who have their own questions about the topics posed by the three booklet titles.

Everts writes, “What does it mean to believe in Jesus? This fascinating question is related to other important and sometimes hotly debated topics around Christianity such as ‘Is the Bible true?,’ ‘Is the Christian church corrupt?,’ ‘Aren’t all religions the same?’ These are all important questions to ask, but if you want to understand the core of the Christian faith, you also need to ask this important question: ‘What does it mean to believe in Jesus?’”

With that, Everts considers what faith looks like. He maintains it’s more than an intellectual activity—an intellectual assent toward something. He notes in the Gospel of John how the Greek word pisteo is a “rich word that implies real trust.”

It’s not a mind word; it’s a life word. Elaborating on this, he says trust is all-in; it’s beautiful; and it’s authentic. Citing Jesus’ words about the man who found a treasure hidden in a field and the merchant who found a pearl of great value in Matthew 13, faith in the biblical context is shown to be something that is all-in, beautiful, and authentic as displayed in the responses of these two men to their sudden windfall.

Everts writes, “In my own experience I was a little bit like the careful pearl merchant and a lot like the fellow just wandering through the field.” He goes on to tell the story of a Christian summer camp he attended in Canada during his sophomore year of high school. A thought-provoking skit about a girl’s heart, symbolized by an orange, left a profound impression on him. It was a moment of coming to faith for Everts, and he said “Amen” to placing his trust in Jesus. That night, he prayed to God: “It was a simple prayer. There is nothing fancy or religious about this prayer. It was simply a heartfelt way of telling God that I saw now what a treasure He had given me in Jesus. I told Him I was all-in. I didn’t literally sell all my possessions but, in a way, I did. Here is my true treasure: Jesus.”

Everts maintains that it is important for those wanting to know more about Jesus to keep a few things in mind: 1) they need to encounter Jesus Himself through Bible reading and conversations with Christians; 2) they should be inquisitive: asking questions, searching for answers, and reading the Bible as God’s Word; and 3) they should consider deeply the costs and benefits of following Jesus. “Faith is authentic. It is about the real you, following the real Jesus,” Everts adds.

As with the other two Jesus booklets in this set, this booklet is ideal for passing along to others who have questions about Jesus and the faith we share as Christians. You can check out What Is Faith in Jesus? by going to lhm.org/ projectconnect. There you can download the booklet as a PDF, listen to an audio reading, or click over to LHM’s storefront to purchase copies. n

“Faith is authentic. It is about the real you, following the real Jesus.”

Bennett served as interim executive director for LHM in 2003-2004. He also served on staff for several years as a supervisor for LHM’s district manager program.

A resident of Lansing, Michigan, Bennett was an active Int’l LLL member since 1975 who served numerous positions at all levels, including Int’l LLL president, regional governor, and president of the Michigan and Michigan Southeast Districts. In addition, he chaired numerous special committees, including the development roundtable, financial advisory council, 75th anniversary committee, and domain study task force committee.

Under his 1992-1996 leadership as Int’l LLL president, LHM launched a comprehensive and successful ministry campaign called “Go ... Tell a NEW Generation” that raised more than $104 million to fund numerous new ministry outreach programs worldwide.

Bennett retired in 1979 as director of crime laboratories for the Michigan State Police after working as a trooper, crime scene investigator, captain, and detective. He returned to the workforce as vice president of corporate security for Michigan National Bank before retiring again to devote his energies more fully to the church at the local, national, and international levels.

In addition to his Int’l LLL involvement, Bennett served as chairman of the Concordia University–Ann Arbor Board of Regents and president, Sunday school superintendent, and chairman of the board of elders and stewardship for his home congregation, Trinity Lutheran Church in Lansing.

He is survived by his beloved wife of 69 years, Esther, six children, 10 grandchildren, and 17 great-grandchildren. n

Explore the most common—and perhaps important—questions of the last 2,000 years with these new Project Connect booklets.

shoplhm.org • 1-800-876-9880

Only $20!

Order now to receive 10 copies of each booklet and a free PC Junior Display!

Set also includes 10 copies of “Do You Know Who Jesus Is?” for the kids!

The Lutheran Layman January - February 2019 | 9

NURTURING YO U R FA I T H :

Prayers of Confession I

n this third installment of Nurturing Your Faith, we look at prayers of confession. When we make confession before God—of our faith (Romans 10:10), of our sins (1 John 1:9)—we acknowledge Him as sovereign over our lives. When we declare our sins to God, we put it all “on the table.” Solemnly, we recognize that “no creature is hidden from His sight, but all are naked and exposed to the eyes of Him to whom we must give account” (Hebrews 4:13).

How dire the consequences without Jesus! Though we sin greatly, we trust in God’s greater forgiveness. Though we daily return to our old selves, the Holy Spirit renews us as we confess our sins and turn to God who wipes out our sin and blesses us with times of refreshing (see Acts 3:19). From the wayward children of Israel to the errant kings of Israel and Judah, confession of sins was routine—and necessary.

Watch video introduction at lhm.org/studies PRAYERS OF CONFESSION IN THE OLD TESTAMENT

PRAYERS OF CONFESSION AND JESUS

PRAYERS OF CONFESSION AND THE EARLY CHURCH

By the time of the Babylonian exile, the people of God had centuries to indulge in their sins and apostasy. Daniel, writing at the time of the Persian conquest of Babylonia in the sixth century B.C., provides an incriminating summary of how Israel got into its predicament—and the hope that God may yet restore them to Jerusalem.

In the Lord’s Prayer, Jesus comes alongside us. “This, then, is how you should pray,” He says, and with that gives us the prayer template for the ages. People are to seek God’s forgiveness.

“Forgive us our debts” implies confession of our sins and a knowledge that it is God alone who can forgive (see Mark 2:1-12).

It’s no surprise the early church, like the rest of us, have grappled with pride and selfdeception. In the brief letter of 1 John, the author stresses the need for God’s people to confess their sins and acknowledge their status before Him. “If we say we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His Word is not in us” (1 John 1:10).

Read Daniel 9:3-19 1. Daniel pulls no punches in his confession to God. Is there a lesson here for us in the way we should approach God with our sins?

2. Like Daniel our pleas are based on God’s mercy, not our self-righteousness. Does this truth need a greater place in your prayer life? Are there times when your prayers border on the “I’m a sinner, but not as bad as some other people I know” mindset?

3. Sometimes when the distractions in life are reduced, we see our sins more clearly. Is there a way to keep confession—and the lessons it teaches in right living—more front and center in your life?

Confession should be a regular part of our prayer life. Without dwelling on our sins, confessing them to God gives them to Him. He alone can forgive our sins and separate our transgressions from us “as far as the east is from the west” (Psalm 103:12a).

Read Matthew 6:5-15 1. As sinners we are lost without Jesus’ triumph over the grave. How much does this sense of absolute dependence on Christ inform your prayers of confession—and the sorrow you sense for your sins?

2. “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!” (John 1:29b) How can you keep this truth in mind so you can more readily confess your sins to Jesus, disclosing your hidden wrongs, knowing that His forgiveness is sufficient for you?

Read John 1:8-10 1. “If we say we have no sin …” verse 8 begins— but who could be so foolish as to say that?

Yet, our hearts speak it every day when we blame others, excuse ourselves, or accuse God. How does a steady practice of confessional prayer ward against the careless disregarding of our sins?

2. There’s a transactional quality to our faithbased confession. We confess. God forgives— and does us one better: He purifies us from all unrighteousness. How does knowing this encourage you to greater confession in prayer?

PRAYER Heavenly Father, as we live so will we sin—and do so continuously, which is how often we need to know Your forgiveness and the mercy that sets us free. Instill in us by Your Holy Spirit a daily desire to confess our sins to You and by so doing know the peace of Your forgiveness. In Jesus’ Name we pray. Amen.

ST A IEL A N B LDE VAI TD EL O HM / L. E D O W N L OFAUDL LS T UU DD Y YG A UVI D A .TO LRHGM OA RR GN /STUDIES 10 | The Lutheran Layman January - February 2019

Share

Gospel You

to the through

2018 MINISTRY IMPACT REPORT Brothers and Sisters in Christ, In 1917, a group of faithful “pioneers” gathered together for the first time as laity in Milwaukee to support the Church in word and deed. It was with this particular act that the ministry of the International Lutheran Laymen’s League/Lutheran Hour Ministries (Int’l LLL/LHM) first formed. Little did those laypeople know then of all the tremendous plans God had for this worldwide ministry, yet we are here today as a testimony to the sovereign plan of God, attesting to what He can do with people following His will.

The world may have changed, but the power of the laity remains strong today as the Int’l LLL/LHM continues to move forward by adapting with the times to remain a leading force for providing the Gospel message to others. Since our founding, we have repeatedly faced the learning curve of how to best present the Gospel to new generations using new technologies, and throughout that history we have seen examples of God’s providence, power, and protection! God truly is good ALL the time ... even when we may not understand His ways.

Thanks to the sustained, generous support of faithful individuals like you, the Int’l LLL/LHM enters its second century of ministry knowing that bold new strategies are required for sharing the love of Christ with the billions of people who do not know Him. Technology and rapid cultural shifts may have altered the face of evangelism, but Christ’s Great Commission still stands … and God continues to call us as His SENT people on a constant mission for the Savior.

We are extremely blessed that you made the decision to partner with us during the past year. Your support allows LHM to share the Good News with more than 125 million people each week in more than 50 nations around the world through a variety of culturally relevant outreach programs and resources. Your gifts, prayers, and volunteer involvement allow hurting people to find answers and relief in the Gospel.

Please explore this year’s ministry impact report to see some of the ways God is working through you. I hope you are humbled to see how God uses our talents and treasures to make His Gospel known.

Thank you so much for your faithful support. May God bless you richly in the coming year!

Your Partner in HIS Mission,

KURT BUCHHOLZ PRESIDENT & CEO, LUTHERAN HOUR MINISTRIES The Lutheran Layman January - February 2019 | 11

A YEAR IN REVIEW

How Your Gifts Helped LHM

Share the Gospel in 2018

L

utheran Hour Ministries launched SENT, a global initiative to proclaim the Gospel, during a special celebration event in Milwaukee in August. As an expansive, holistic, multi-layered plan to answer the pressing challenges and realities of the 21st century, this initiative brings greater vision, clarity, and definition to the work LHM is already doing.

To create the greatest impact for our friends, families, churches, communities, and world, the ministry is focusing on four key strategic priorities outlined in our comprehensive five-year strategic plan. Following are some of the ways in which LHM was abundantly blessed by God during the last year thanks to your generous support.

ENERGIZE, EQUIP, AND ENGAGE Laity for Outreach The strategic partnership with Barna Group provided LHM with vital insights in 2018 related to Spiritual Conversations in the Digital Age, and a monograph based around this topic was offered to church leaders around the United States.

Based on this research theme, Barna painted a picture of the “Eager Conversationalist,” a person who has conversations about faith more than 10 times a year. These findings allowed LHM to create the profile of an engaged, Gospel-sharing layperson that guided the development of resources tailored to help laypeople grow in various areas of sharing their

faith. The creation and implementation of a “Spiritual Conversation Curve” not only helps LHM equip Christians as witnesses but provides an overarching framework to align products.

Our LHM Learn website (lhm.org/learn) provides free outreach resources that help individuals reach out with the love of Jesus Christ in their everyday lives. At any given time, around 1,300 active users are participating in the more than two dozen courses available under five categories: Christian Foundations, Cultural Concepts, Everyday Insights, Outreach Essentials, and Spiritual Reflections.

Nearly 600 teachers, parents, and other educators registered for the 2018 Online Mission Trip to Cambodia—which means tens of thousands of students saw firsthand how the Gospel is shared in another part of the world. The “trip” provided four days of content on an interactive website including videos, photos, online curriculum, and discussion questions to allow participants to explore Cambodia’s culture, discover how LHM is meeting the needs of the local population, and reflect on what it means for their daily life.

GROW GOD’S KINGDOM through Expanded Media Outreach LHM welcomed the Rev. Dr. Michael Zeigler in October as the new speaker of The Lutheran Hour®. In addition to connecting with people through the traditional methods of radio and in-person events, we look forward to partnering with him to utilize the expanding possibilities for sharing the Gospel that are offered by new technologies.

The launch of an online radio station, SENTradio (lhm.org/sentradio), provides around-the-clock archived sermons from various speakers of The Lutheran Hour, as well as hymns, contemporary Christian music, Scripture readings, morning prayers, and evening vespers. In addition to airing on 1,800 traditional stations throughout North America, The Lutheran Hour is also now available on new media platforms such 12 | The Lutheran Layman January - February 2019

as a mobile app, Amazon Alexa, Spotify, iHeartRadio, and Sirius XM satellite radio.

A podcast section on the LHM website (lhm.org/podcasts) now includes seven offerings: The Lutheran Hour, a Reflections segment, a special broadcast of The Lutheran Hour airing on American Forces Network, Daily Devotions, Action in Ministry, Sentido Latino, and Ayer, Hoy y Siempre.

Syndication efforts for Christmas television specials were especially robust, with more than 1,250 clearances being secured for Christmas Is, Little Shepherd, The Puzzle Club Christmas Mystery, Red Boots for Christmas, The City that Forgot About Christmas, and The Stableboy’s Christmas. When combined with Easter syndication, nearly 2,100 airings of LHM television programming occurred.

BRING THE GOSPEL TO THE UNREACHED Around the World

The Power Bank television program in coordination with SAT-7 began airing in June. The weekly, 60-minute variety show dramatizes real-life problems and struggles for young people and their families, many who doubt God’s grace and forgiveness and are uncertain of their role in life and God’s intention for them. The broadcast has the potential of reaching

tens of millions of viewers in more than 20 countries throughout the Middle East and North Africa.

Drawing on the success of Power Bank through SAT-7’s Arabic channel, LHM began sponsoring a live program, Golpand, on SAT-7 PARS that focuses on children ages 5-13 and teaches morals and values through games, educational videos, and drama.

Providing funding for staff and production as well as the design of a new web page expands proclamation of the Gospel among Farsi/Dari speakers in the region.

Social media is shining the light of Christ into

the Middle East and North Africa. In the past year, LHM messages have reached tens of millions of people, and about 380,000 people from more than 15 countries have responded by subscribing to our page.

Loading MP3 players with the Kazakh Bible and Lutheran Bible courses, sermons, teaching content, songs, and hymns allows LHM to reach nomadic Kazakh people in eastern Asia who spend up to six months a year with their flocks and herds in pasture lands and outside the range for radio signals.

New efforts in southeast Asia and Puerto Rico are proclaiming the Gospel to the multi-cultural and multi-ethnic communities in these areas.

ENGAGE COMMUNITIES in the Digital Mission Field In today’s digital age, people increasingly go online to learn, connect, and even build relationships. The online community of THRED continues to deepen relationships with non-Christians through digital means by offering open and honest conversations with people of different backgrounds about life, faith, and Jesus. More than four million unique impressions have been made through this important program.

The platform provides multiple opportunities for important conversations to happen online—from articles

to videos and from forums to social media—and THRED staff is always looking for ways to start better conversations in more places: • THRED Dialogues videos allow individuals to hear a conversation with people of different backgrounds reacting to the words of Jesus found in key moments of His life. Then, they can interact with others and share their own thoughts in the comments.

• The Spoken Word video series by Joe Davis and Chad Armour helped THRED connect with audiences it was previously not reaching, such as a more diverse group of individuals between the ages of 25 and 45.

• Social media LIFE conversations have transitioned from using blogs to vlogs (video blogs), increasing engagement with the addition of the video element.

• Monitoring social media allows THRED staff to see what people are talking about online. Engaging in discussions about heated topics such as the school shooting in Parkland, Florida, can be difficult in maintaining middle ground, but that doesn’t stop THRED from allowing open conversations on its page. A long-time follower who identifies himself as agnostic mentioned how much he enjoys coming to THRED for conversations that make him think about his ideas and how he forms them.

MINISTRY BY THE NUMBERS 125 MILLION + People Reached with the Gospel Globally Every Week

50 +

Countries Ministry Reach

75,000 Members Today

64,614

New Bible Correspondence Course Students Enrolled Annually Around the World

1,800

65,728

Annual Referrals to Churches

546,919

North American Stations Airing The Lutheran Hour

Annual Responses to Outreach Efforts

1 MILLION

Listeners to The Lutheran Hour Each Week

109,000

317

Staff Members Worldwide

Video Plays in the Last Year on LHM’s Vimeo Page

142,958

23,364

People Connected with Christian Communities Last Year

4,500 +

Engagements (likes, comments, shares, etc.) through THRED Platforms

LCMS/LCC Churches Using LHM Resources

68,341

People Trained in Evangelism Last Year

The Lutheran Layman January - February 2019 | 13

17% - FUND DEVELOPMENT

7% - ADMINISTRATION

7% - OTHER INCOME

LHM Board of Directors (As of Dec. 2018)

76%

I B U TI O N S

Income

O -C % 65

- M

International Lutheran Laymen’s League and Subsidiaries Consolidating Statement of Activities (in thousands) Year ended May 31, 2018, with comparative totals for 2017 LHM FOUNDATION

2018 CONSOLIDATED TOTALS

2017 CONSOLIDATED TOTALS

$30,909 753 31,662

$873 1,604 2,477

$31,782 2,357 34,139

$30,485 3,135 33,620

OPERATING EXPENSES Ministries 24,021 Administration and Fundraising 7,267 Operating Expenses 31,288

178 178

24,021 7,445 31,466

25,024 7,781 32,805

2,299

2,673

815

OPERATING SUPPORT AND REVENUE

INT’L LUTHERAN LAYMEN’S LEAGUE

Donor support Other income, net Operating income

Operating Income in Excess of Expenses Non-operating income Non-operating expenses Non-operating Net Income Endowment and other fund distributions

374

Chairman Phillip Johnson

Secretary Janice Wendorf

Maplewood, Minnesota

Grafton, Wisconsin

Vice Chairman Gene Partlow

Treasurer Paul Pettit

Williamsburg, Virginia

N

IN

IS

Expenses

Consolidated Operating

TR

TRY

Consolidated Operating

- ESTATE 28% GI F

TS

Directors Londa Borer-Skov

Michael “Mick” Onnen

Sacramento, California

Davenport, Nebraska

Jack Ficken

Leonard Pranschke

Fairview, Tennessee

St. Louis, Missouri

Richard "Dick" Gast

Edith Schoepp

Canyon Lake, California

Onoway, Alberta, Canada

Gretchen Jameson

William Snow

Muskego, Wisconsin

Watertown, South Dakota

Jonathan Laabs

Karen Soeken

Roselle, Illinois

Ellicott City, Maryland

The Lutheran Hour Ministries Foundation (As of Dec. 2018)

Officers John “Jack” Kidwell Chairman Bay City, Michigan

Brian Mitchell

Vice Chairman Lee’s Summit, Missouri

Jeffrey Craig-Meyer President St. Louis, Missouri

Loren Podoll

Secretary Riverton, Wyoming

David Lanius

Treasurer St. Louis, Missouri

Lois Engfehr

Assistant Secretary Collinsville, Illinois

Rev. Jay DeBeir Vice President St. Louis, Missouri

1,370 1,209 161 1,062

637 (637)

1,370 1,846 (476)

(1,062)

-

1,344 1,367 (23) -

Trustees Kurt Buchholz

1,597

600

2,197

792

Net Assets, Beginning of Year 28,524 Net Assets, End of Year $30,121

17,984 $18,584

46,508 $48,705

45,716 $46,508

Lutheran Hour Ministries is the registered d/b/a name for the International Lutheran Laymen’s League.

A copy of the full audit report is available online at lhm.org/report.

14 | The Lutheran Layman January - February 2019

Kelly Keithly

LHM President & CEO St. Charles, Missouri

Yuma, Arizona

Phil Daniels

Alexandria, Virginia

Chesterfield, Missouri

Jack Ficken

Change in Net Assets

Lincoln, Nebraska

David Leege

Calvin Neeman Waterloo, Illinois

Int'l LLL Board of Directors Representative Fairview, Tennessee

Lynn Scudieri

Glenn Gerber

Shawn Sny

Katy, Texas

Phillip Johnson

Int’l LLL Chairman of the Board Maplewood, Minnesota

Naples, Florida

Saginaw, Michigan

ON THE MOVE

by Kurt Buchholz, President & CEO, Lutheran Hour Ministries

Moving Forward

After a Year to Remember

I

t always sneaks up on you when you are not looking … the beginning of a new year! If you are at all like me, you just finally trained yourself to write 2018 on everything, and here they go again changing the date. I guess it is true that time and tide wait for no one.

I have to admit that there are some years that I am happy to be done and start January with a clean slate.

2018 was not one of those kinds of years. 2018 saw incredible gains for the Gospel! Thanks to God and your generous support, our weekly Gospel reach surpassed 125 million! To think that just four short years ago we were reaching just over 50 million a week.

We have seen increases in all areas of programmatic ministry so, yes, 2018 is not a year I am happy to be done with.

Like time and tide, change continues to carry us straight into 2019 and the ministry opportunities God has waiting for us here. Lutheran Hour

Ministries is driven to not sit back and coast. By the time you are reading this, we will be elbows deep in new and exciting Gospel projects. Here’s a preview of what you can expect as we seek to bring the Gospel to where people are (instead of bringing people to where we happen to have the Gospel). We look forward to expanding our resources and offerings that equip Christians to know the Gospel in their own lives and share it confidently in personal conversations, bring the Gospel alive within their households touching those who are closest to them, and live out that Gospel together in action that impacts their local and global communities.

We are excited to be on this journey of a growing Gospel movement with you!

• Our ministry-inspiring research with Barna Group will release Households of Faith and begin studying Communities of Action.

• LHM Learn will continue to expand curriculum and learning tracks and package content for easy use in group Bible study and Sunday morning class formats.

• Gospel Adventures will bring the world and a missionary vision to our youngest generations.

• At THRED.org—already proven to be able to reach unbelievers and the de-churched, engaging them in conversations about life, faith, and Jesus—we will turn our focus to creating the bridge that connects seekers to welcoming Christian relationships and developing a multitude of volunteer digital missionaries using these tools, training, and digital platforms to multiply THRED’s missionary impact exponentially!

• We will continue expanding into the Middle East and North Africa region and other closed countries.

This work is essential, and the impact is incredible, but we must be careful in telling this story and engage supporters through traditional means. Your missionary zeal and support are the only way this will not only continue but expand. Opportunity far outweighs our means to expand.

Our future plans hold all of this, while we continue being blessed with the ministry of Rev. Dr. Michael Zeigler, Speaker of The Lutheran Hour, in reaching audiences through radio while expanding the proclamation boldly into the digital realm.

Yes, it is 2019 already and yes, there is much work yet to be done. We are excited to be on this journey of a growing Gospel movement with you!

May God richly bless our partnership in ministry throughout the year. n

SENT Performance Management:

SENT Update: Initiative Surpasses 2020 Goal for Weekly Gospel Reach Comprehensive Strategic Plan Years 2015-2020

Lutheran Hour Ministries created the SENT Initiative as an expansive, holistic, multi-layered plan to answer the pressing challenges and realities of sharing the Gospel in the 21st century. God has shown us that He can do far more through people like you and me than we could ever imagine—if we only allow ourselves to go where He is sending us.

SENT was quietly launched in January 2015 with a five-year goal to reach 108 million people each week with the Gospel by the year 2020. When SENT began in 2015, the average weekly reach was 51 million people. It is with gratitude to God, and deep appreciation to the multitude of people who have supported this effort, that LHM announces this goal has been met and exceeded—today reaching 128,333,672 people each week with the Gospel!

This is 119 percent of the original goal set in 2015.

While we rejoice that this goal has already been surpassed, the work of SENT is not over. There is still much work to be done—billions of people around the world live without the hope of Christ. The challenges of a declining church membership and the hesitancy of many believers to share their faith continues. LHM’s mission of Bringing Christ to the Nations—and the Nations to the Church is more relevant now than ever before.

LHM will not rest until every person has the opportunity to hear the Gospel in an understandable way. It is with this vision in mind that we have increased our 2020 goal for weekly reach to more than 137 million!

The thermometers to the right show SENT’s progress not only for reach, but for response and funding as well. n

$25

$50

FUNDS RAISED (IN MILLIONS)

$75

$100

$125

$150

$175

$200

$225

5-YEAR GOAL: $242 million

$168,014,751

69%

(as of 10/31/18)

20

40

WEEKLY GOSPEL REACH (IN MILLIONS)

60

80

100

WEEKLY GOAL: 108 million people

128,333,672

119%

(as of 10/15/18)

100,000

ANNUAL RESPONSE (Requests for follow-up)

200,000

300,000

546,719

76%

400,000

500,000

600,000

ANNUAL GOAL: 715,535 people

(FY 2018)

REACH: A reasoned estimate of the average number of people who listen to, read, view,revised or12/13/18 hear the Gospel through one of our outreach programs, activities, or materials weekly.

RESPONSE: When someone intentionally provides contact information to allow LHM to follow up as a result of engagement with an LHM outreach program or product (annual goals).

The Lutheran Layman January - February 2019 | 15

Leaving a Legacy

of Christian Service

by Robin Forsythe

I

f our Heavenly Father were to call you home tomorrow, would you have a legacy to leave behind? LHM supporters Mark and Barb Kuhlmann of St. Louis, Missouri, answered this question quite admirably.

Mark and Barb’s courtship started in 1967 when they met at The Lutheran Family Camp in Arcadia, Michigan.

They have been married for 48 years and are blessed with two children and five grandchildren. Mark credits his father for creating awareness of how he and his family can be disciples of God. His father served for many years on numerous boards including Lutheran Television, which produced the highly successful Christian drama series This Is the Life. The program tackled everyday problems families were facing and then offered a Christian solution during its nearly 40-year run dating back to the 1950s.

Professionally, Barb taught art at both elementary and middle school levels and has always loved volunteer work.

She enjoys the interaction she receives from philanthropy and reflected on a time when she met a woman who helped abused children at St. Louis Children’s Hospital. Barb stated, “I remember a boy who was so severely beaten, he was unrecognizable.” Since most hospital televisions have limited channels, Barb volunteered to make a television guide so it would be easier for a child to find his or her favorite TV programs during a hospital stay.

Mark’s career path led him on a different route into philanthropy.

After finishing law school, he worked for 23 years at McDonnell Douglas, first in the IT field and then as general counsel, before taking a position at SSE,

a St. Louis IT firm. Mark’s passion for volunteerism led him to participate on numerous Lutheran and civic boards.

Mark said, “Once you serve on one board, it leads into serving on others.

I enjoy the comradery of serving on boards with various people while I learn other aspects of the business world. I have learned that what you give, you receive double in return.”

Mark and Barb were introduced to the SENT Initiative by Jim and Vickie Dankenbring, co-chairs of LHM’s National Leadership Council for SENT. “The Dankenbrings told us about a Regional Leadership Team that was forming to help with an upcoming initiative for LHM,” said Barb. “We quickly learned how LHM planned to spread God’s mission through this initiative to reach lost souls worldwide and get God’s Word out beyond our normal areas.”

Mark continued by saying, “Most initiatives focus on helping their own people. Yes, it’s important to take care of and fundraise for existing Christians while ensuring that new churches are being built, but one of the focus areas for LHM and the SENT Initiative is not on brick and mortar, but to win souls across the world for Christ.”

Some of Mark and Barb’s favorite aspects of LHM are the partnerships created with other Christian media networks such as SAT-7. LHM and SAT-7 are co-producing a new family television series being broadcast throughout the Middle East and northern Africa where the Gospel would normally be unheard. Barb is also impressed with the creation of THRED, a form of outreach ministry that resides online through the internet, Facebook, and YouTube.

Mark & Barb Kuhlmann Mark & Barb Kuhlmann

“Our hope for our legacy would be to pass our Christian values on to our children, our grandchildren, and future generations.”

“Through the SAT-7 partnership and the online program of THRED, it really is immeasurable how many people will be touched by LHM’s mission to share the Good News of Jesus Christ,” said Barb. “It’s amazing that THRED is having everyday conversations with believers and non-believers who are struggling with current issues such as depression, alcohol/drug abuse, divorce, etc. The goal of THRED is to eventually redirect those people to Christian communities where they can receive good Christian solutions. This program is fantastic!”

“When people hear or think of LHM, they think of The Lutheran Hour or maybe Lutheran Television, but LHM is really the media outreach arm of the Lutheran Church,” added Mark.

“Although some types of media may not necessarily appeal to me, LHM does an exceptional job of appealing to generations younger than mine and reflecting on what is current in

society. Furthermore, I think LHM is stepping beyond the Lutheran box and appealing to other Christian denominations and unbelievers by sharing the Good News of Jesus Christ with everyone. LHM does what most others won’t, and we are glad to be a part of that mission. It’s similar to the types of media that were broadcasted years ago in the television episodes of This Is the Life and radio broadcasts of The Lutheran Hour, but now it’s using the current forms of social media and the internet to spread the word about our Savior.”

Still wondering what Mark and Barb’s answer to the legacy question was?

Both answered collectively, “Our hope for our legacy would be to pass our Christian values on to our children, our grandchildren, and future generations.” n Robin Forsythe works in the Constituent Services division for Lutheran Hour Ministries.

For more information about the SENT Initiative, please visit lhm.org/SENT. 16 | The Lutheran Layman January - February 2019

Lenten Devotions Draw on Diverse Cast of Characters to Tell their Story

P

eople of the Passion is the title of Lutheran Hour Ministries’ 2019 Lenten devotions. Just who these people are comprises an ancient and diverse ensemble. Stretching back to Adam and the patriarchs, God was at work setting the stage for His greatest act of love—the sending of Jesus to save sinful mankind.

Throughout the Old Testament, through promise and prophet, God was pointing to the cross where Jesus would give His all for you and me.

When asked what prompted her to take this angle toward the devotions, LHM’s Theological Writer Dr. Kari Vo replied, “I wanted to see the suffering, death, and resurrection of Jesus through as many eyes as possible. I hope to see what Jesus’ saving work meant to each of the people who encountered it, friends as well as enemies, believers and nonbelievers. Since Jesus came to rescue the people of the whole world, I thought seeing his Passion through the eyes of the world’s many different people would give us a sharper insight into who He is and how wonderfully He loves us.”

One such insight comes through in Vo’s devotion for April 19 where Isaiah, speaking of the coming Messiah, tells us it was God’s will to crush Him, to put Him to grief, but when that was accomplished, “Out of the anguish of His soul He shall see and be satisfied” (Isaiah 53:11a). The devotion continues, “‘He shall see and be satisfied’—with what? With you! You are the fruit of His cross. When He looks at you, He sees His offspring—the child He has given life to. You are the result of the anguish of His soul. And He is satisfied.”

That’s part of the marvel of God’s work of redeeming mankind: we all figure into the narrative—one way or another. “I learned that all of us, whether we know it or not, are people of the Passion. Even those who have scorned and refused Him are in some sense His—because they played a role in His story, and God used them as actors in the drama of how He redeemed humankind,” Vo said. “Even today, no one is untouched by the suffering of Jesus; all of us must face up to it, and find a way to relate to it, whether our response is good or bad. Jesus’ suffering, death, and resurrection have changed this world forever,” she added.

You can read People of the Passion or hear it as a podcast. During the Lenten season, you can receive these devotions as a daily email, beginning on Ash Wednesday, March 6, 2019. A downloadable version, which includes a large-font text and bulletin inserts, is available, too. Audio begins on March 6 with Rev. Dr. Michael Zeigler, Speaker for The Lutheran Hour, reading the devotions. Visit lhm.org/lent for all the details.

Los personajes de la Pasión, the Spanish-language version, will be available to read or listen online, or as a daily email through the Lenten season beginning March 6, 2019. A customizable print version becomes available for download on February 1, 2019, and audio was recorded by Rev. Hector Hoppe. Please go to paraelcamino.com/cuaresma.

The regular Daily Devotions are suspended during Lent; they will resume on Tuesday, April 23, 2019. n

START YOUR JOURNEY TODAY!

Mobile, audio, and Spanish also available!

People of the Passion LENT 2019

IN PARTNERSHIP WITH The Lutheran Layman January - February 2019 | 17

Changing Lives Around the World with the Gospel

Lutheran Hour Ministries develops culturally relevant programs and resources to reach people in more than 50 nations who may not be familiar with the Gospel.

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.

by Chad Fix Pastor Joasy faces challenges in the congregation he serves in Madagascar’s Antanetilava region.

Many people in the region still practice traditional ancestor worship; there was more than enough opportunity to spread the Gospel—but the 160 members of his church were not familiar with how to share Jesus with their neighbors. They were content to let Pastor Joasy do any outreach that was to be done.

Pastor Joasy had learned about LHM–Madagascar from some of his ministry colleagues. He contacted the center and asked to host an Equipping the Saints witnessing training workshop at his church. Eight members were commissioned as volunteers and became very active—especially in reaching out to unchurched people.

“As a result, twenty-five children and adults came for baptism ... and ten unchurched cohabiting couples even decided to join together in Christian marriage,” he says. In two years, the congregation has grown by leaps and bounds, and more than 80 people have enrolled in LHM’s Bible Correspondence Courses.

“I no longer work alone!” says Pastor Joasy.

MADAGASCAR

Dimitry was not a Christian. As a prisoner in Russia, his circumstances were dim. Racked with torment, unable to find peace, he pleaded his case before God. Soon after, God used LHM’s Bible Correspondence Courses to introduce him to Christ’s forgiveness. Dimitry believes the material was God’s answer to prayer.

“These lessons helped me to know about the Christian faith,” Dimitry says. “Reading through these materials, I began thinking and meditating and—what’s even more important—I began applying Christ’s teaching and God’s will to my own life.” He appreciated the structure of the Bible Correspondence Course lessons, which help students grow in their faith and give them a chance to contemplate the depth of what they learn.

Today, Dimitry understands that Jesus Christ is the sovereign Lord of his heart. “I want to begin a new life—the life with Christ—and this life is the eternal one,” he says. “I am not separated from God now. As soon as I’m released from prison, I’ll come to church. No matter what people might say, I am a Christian, for there is one God and Christ is my Lord! May His name be hallowed forever!”

RUSSIA

18 | The Lutheran Layman January - February 2019

Gaew is a 41-year-old seamstress who lives in Bangkok. A mother of four and grandmother of two, she spends much of her life caring for others. Oftentimes, her life leaves her feeling drained and discouraged.

One afternoon, Gaew turned on her radio and heard “Home for Love,” one of LHM’s radio broadcasts in Thailand. The information and content variety drew her in. Yet the program offered something even more precious: encouragement in her hour of need. Gaew contacted the LHM ministry center to receive the free Bible Correspondence Course she heard about on the air. The studies ignited such happiness in her heart, Gaew believes the Lord used it to provide His leading in her life. She prays regularly.

“My life is not chaos like before, because I know that God is here to take care of my life,” she says. “I know God and trust in Him, so I’m happy now.” Ministry staff introduced her to a local congregation, where she could attend services and receive spiritual nourishment as she grew in her faith.

Today, her faith is growing stronger. She continues her Bible Correspondence Courses. She craves to know the Lord better—and desires Him to bring her family members to faith in Jesus, too.

THAILAND

Members of Zion Lutheran Church in Fort Myers, Florida, have conducted several outreach activities to reach out to a poverty-stricken neighborhood nearby. For the past two years, they have taken a Vacation Bible School to the children there. This year they had 115 children enrolled, most of whom do not hear the Gospel in any other venue and many of whom are hearing it for the first time.

Unfortunately, for many reasons, the children are unable to attend Zion’s Sunday school classes. In the meantime, church members distributed LHM’s The Christmas Journey booklet and other Christian resources during a bilingual worship event held for the community to keep the children in the Word until they can get back in front of them with VBS next summer.

UNITED STATES

Seven-year-old Ignatio is talkative, full of life ... and restless.

One day, LHM–Uruguay volunteers visited his school and he signed up to participate in their Junior Chefs program. He loved it so much that he was the first to arrive each week, asking “What are we going to cook today?” with a big smile.

On Ignatio’s first day at Junior Chefs, when the time came for the Bible lesson, he wandered away since he did not come from a Christian home. “I came to cook, not to hear about Jesus,” he said. However, as the weeks passed, he grew interested in the Bible lessons and became an active participant. The Gospel seed took root in him.

One day, after misbehaving, Ignatio told his mother he had asked Jesus for forgiveness, because Jesus would not want him to do bad things. Then he asked, “How do I know if Jesus forgives me?” His mother didn’t know. She contacted LHM–Uruguay and asked the same question, which opened the door for staff to tell her about the loving, redemptive work of Jesus Christ. We rejoice as the Lord continues to move on the hearts of Ignatio and his family! n

URUGUAY

ON THE MOVE

by Phil Johnson, Chairman, Int’l LLL Board of Directors

hat’s new? It’s a common question, especially when we are greeting someone we haven’t seen for a while. We are looking for news—new information about events and people that impact their lives.

Sometimes the response is something like “Oh, you know, same old, same old”. Sometimes in this world “new” is expressed in terms of loss and brokenness: the new reality of living with disease or facing a new day without someone we loved so very much. Sometimes new isn’t wanted or welcomed.

As disciples of our Savior Jesus, we can answer the question “What’s new?” by reflecting on His work in our lives. We can share about God’s new mercies to us each day (Lam 3:22); His work of making us new creations (2 Cor 5:17); the new song He gives us of His redemption in Jesus (Ps 96:1);

even the new commandment we have been given to love others in the same way that He has loved us (Lk 1:78). Alright, launching into all of this might be going a bit overboard for a brief conversation or chance meeting, but hopefully you get the idea. We experience new life and hope each day through the promises of our God of grace.

When people ask me “what’s new” at Lutheran Hour Ministries, I immediately get a big smile on my face and respond, “Well, let me tell you what’s new”! Then I go on to describe the exciting and amazing ways God is blessing this organization and the work of proclaiming Jesus Christ all around the world.

We have a new Speaker of The Lutheran Hour—have you heard him? Have you had a chance to meet him? There is a new SENT Initiative that gives people an opportunity

W

What ’s New? HAPPY NEW YEAR!

We experience new life and hope each day through the promises of our God of grace. to partner with us in our work of connecting people to Jesus.

Have you heard about SENT? We have some new members of our Board of Directors that the membership elected last spring.

What a great team of people you have serving you! We have some new staff serving in new positions and new ministry partners we have joined with to strengthen and amplify our worldwide efforts. We have new outreach ministries here in North America, in the Middle East, Africa, the Far East, and in nearly every place we have a presence. Why, I even saw a new Lutheran Hour Ministries float in the 2019 Rose Bowl Parade on January 1st thanks to the Southern California District of the Int’l Lutheran Laymen’s League. There is a lot that’s new!

What’s new at LHM? I’m always excited to tell people what’s new. However, I am just as excited to tell people what

isn’t new at LHM. You see, for more than 100 years we have been meeting the same need—a broken world and lost souls, separated by sin from God, all in need of the same message of hope and salvation offered to everyone who would believe in Jesus the Christ who is the same yesterday, today, and forever.

What’s new at LHM? Both common responses are true— “lots” and “same old, same old”. New places, partners, and opportunities; the same need for the same message of hope about the same Savior. New people and new ministries; the same commitment to being your trusted resource in global media and worldwide Gospel outreach.

New people on staff leading our response to new opportunities; the same mission of Bringing Christ to the Nations—and the Nations to the Church.

What’s new? Thanks for asking! Happy New Year! n

LHM’s Voter Registration

Begins Soon by Chad Fix

As part of LHM’s upcoming election process, anyone who has given a gift to the ministry between July 1, 2017 and December 31, 2018 will receive a postcard in early February with details on how to become part of the voting membership in 2019. Members will have the option of registering online to receive an electronic ballot (the preferred method since it saves substantial ministry dollars) or mailing back the postcard to receive a paper ballot.

Since a new voting membership is established for each election cycle, you must sign up to participate in the 2019 election regardless of whether you registered (or voted) in previous years.

All members who register by March 15 will constitute the voting membership that will receive materials to participate in the annual election running from April 15 through May 15 for open positions on the Board of Directors. Election results will be announced by the end of May so that the new Board will be in place at the beginning of the ministry’s new fiscal year on June 1. n

Questions? Call: 1-800-876-9880 or e-mail: lh_min@lhm.org.

Give a gift

and raise your income?

Would you like to support Gospel ministry AND receive fixed payments for your life—and the life of a loved one?

A Charitable Gift Annuity may be right for you!

Contact LHM’s Gift Planning department at lhm-gift@lhm.org or 877-333-1963 to learn more or go online at lhm.org/giftplan.

Copyright© 2018 Crescendo Interactive, Inc. Used by permission. Photo licensed from AdobeStock for use by LHM.

The Lutheran Layman January - February 2019 | 19

LHM Sunday Coming to Churches Soon by Becky Pagel As we enter the new year, we’re more excited than ever to share with you Lutheran Hour Ministries’ new initiative called SENT. More than just an initiative, SENT encapsulates what we are really doing to live out our mission of Bringing Christ to the Nations—and the Nations to the Church.

Beginning the first week of January, LHM will be calling all LCMS congregations and asking them to host an LHM Sunday on Feb. 3, 2019. Based on the model of our past LHM Sundays, we will provide promotional materials so churches can tell their congregations about how LHM is seeking to share the Gospel through the SENT Initiative. During an LHM Sunday, your church will learn more about SENT’s four strategic priorities:

1.

2.

3.

4.

Energize, equip, and engage laity for outreach Grow God’s kingdom through expanded media outreach Bring the Gospel to the unreached around the world Engage communities in the digital mission field

Ask your pastor if your church can sponsor an LHM Sunday on Feb. 3 or on any other Sunday that works for your congregation. LHM will provide everything needed to share the message of SENT including a sermon outline, bulletin inserts, bulletin blurbs, videos, and slides.

For more information, visit lhm.org/lhmsunday. You’ll find links to the videos and slides as well as downloadable PDFs of the promotional materials.

We will even send you FREE pre-printed bulletin inserts you can use in your services. Simply call our response center at 1-800-876-9880, Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. (CST), to request an LHM Sunday kit.

LHM Sunday is a great way for congregations nationwide to become more involved with global outreach efforts through Lutheran Hour Ministries.

Starting Feb. 3, 2019, watch for LHM Sundays, and if you don’t see one, you can make it happen at your church.

LHM wants to work with people in the pews to bring the Good News of the Gospel to everyone who hasn’t heard. Hosting an LHM Sunday is a great way to make this happen. Talk to your pastor today! n Becky Pagel is director of constituent advancement for Lutheran Hour Ministries.

Building Online Relationships in Latin America

R

esearch shows that traditional paths that lead people to faith and church are growing narrower. Fewer families have active faith lives, and fewer parents are teaching the faith to their children.

Unchurched people have fewer friends who go to church and fewer people acknowledge the Bible to be an authoritative source of information and guidance for living.

These changes in the religious landscape mean we must look for other paths to faith and church. Today, when it comes to sharing the Gospel, the message doesn’t change, but the methods do. We must find new ways to get our message in front of people wherever they are.

LHM is using a digital platform called Vivenciar.net to connect with unchurched Spanish- and Portuguesespeaking people in the Latin America and Caribbean regions, as well as around the world. Based out of the LHM–Brazil ministry center and led

by Flavio Knopp, Vivenciar provides information about some of the common issues of today as conversation starters to reach out to a potential population of 400 million Spanish and 250 million Portuguese speakers.

“We have done considerable research on the kinds of things people use technology to search for and are constantly on the lookout for that ‘open door,’” says Flavio. “Internet-based tools

such as blogs, Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube, together with mobile device media, enable us to present content that responds to those search trends.”

At the moment, the Vivenciar platform addresses 12 topics to get people connected: • Depression • Personal Communication • Anxiety • Overcoming Loss • Fear • Loneliness • Dealing with Cancer • Single Mothers • Guilt • Pornography • Addiction • Stress Each topic offers an online quiz and an e-book for download with additional information about the topic. Interested individuals provide their name and email address to download the resource so that ministry staff and volunteers have a way to contact them and begin a conversation with the purpose of talking about the Christian faith and how Jesus can make a difference in one’s life. The ultimate goal is to develop a trusting relationship and refer the individual to our online Bible course called Who is Jesus? or to a Christian community.

“Our aim is not to preach at people but to engage them in conversation and build relationships—and we believe that can happen when friends share resources with friends,” says Rev. Nilo Figur, LHM’s regional director for Latin America. “By sharing messages of love and hope

20 | The Lutheran Layman January - February 2019

by Chad Fix

Today, when it comes to sharing the Gospel, the message doesn’t change, but the methods do. with the millions of people immersed in an increasingly virtual world, we can provide answers and the peace that can only be found in Jesus Christ.”

If someone connects with the platform from one of the 12 countries where LHM has a ministry center in Latin America, the connection goes directly to a volunteer or staff member from that ministry center.

If the connection comes from a country where LHM does not have a ministry center, the connection goes to Argentina for Spanish speakers and to Brazil for Portuguese speakers.

Nearly 500 people from throughout Latin America who live in one of the countries where LHM has a ministry center are currently interacting with volunteers. One of these individuals is Violeta, who came across Vivenciar in September while searching for information about depression. She has

since been communicating frequently with a ministry center volunteer.

“The person who has been talking with me is very patient,” she posted.

“Thank you so much for helping me. I know how difficult it is to be counseling someone who is as depressed as I am.

The person has been so kind in every message she has sent me. Thank you for being there.”

Violeta is just one example of how Vivenciar is making a difference.

The site garnered nearly 104,000 new visitors, 12,000 responses, 4,400 quiz completions, and 2,500 e-book downloads for Fiscal Year 2018, numbers that have already been surpassed during just the first half of the new fiscal year.

“Our prayer is that this approach will continue to help growing the kingdom not just through addition but through multiplication!,” says Flavio. n

Providing Hope to Flood Victims in India and Myanmar In India, a major flood struck the Kerala region in August and brought heavy damage that negatively impacted the livelihood of people living in and around the region.

Many people lost their homes and belongings due to the flooding and accompanying landslides.

LHM–India responded by providing 500 families in the region with packages containing rice and other grocery items as well as clothing materials.

The ministry center also distributed copies of Why Do Bad Things Happen? in the Malayalam language to provide comfort and hope to the victims.

As a follow-up to its flood relief

Convenient New Ways to Support LHM’s Mission by Chad Fix

G

od’s Word makes it clear—He loves and blesses a cheerful giver.

Lutheran Hour Ministries believes that God has called us to tell the nations about His love and forgiveness; and that’s why we ask for financial support. Your partnership allows us to reach out with the Gospel.

LHM is always attempting to add convenience to your generous gift-giving.

Two new options mean that showing your support for LHM’s mission is now easier!

efforts, LHM–India staff hosted counseling programs at several locations in the affected region throughout September. Nearly 250 people attended these events, including many non-Christians. This provided an opportunity to share the Word of God through a puppet show as well as local pastors explaining why bad things happen in life with the help of applicable Bible verses. The pastors and LHM staff then closed the program by praying for the individuals in attendance. Many attendees said they had never experienced a program like this but were happy to provide contact information for LHM staff to follow up if they host similar programs in the future.

The flooding in India came on the heels of similar devastation in Myanmar over the summer that affected more than 100,000 people in the southern part of the country.

LHM–Myanmar staff and volunteers

offered hope and comfort to more than 250 families by providing emergency food and drink supplies such as rice, drinking water, cooking oil, canned fish, noodles, and potatoes. In addition, the ministry center handed out booklets and other Christian materials not only to those people they met, but to pastors and church leaders from the Myanmar Council of Churches and East Pwo Karen churches for further distribution throughout the region.

“This type of holistic outreach has been an effective way of demonstrating and telling people of the love of Christ,” says Gunya Na Thalang, LHM’s regional director for Asia. “Holistic outreach and proclamation programs have a comprehensive impact in reaching both body and soul. It is ministry to the unchurched in word and deed where we can address physical as well as spiritual needs.” n

“This type of holistic outreach has been an effective way of demonstrating and telling people of the love of Christ.”

1. FACEBOOK FUNDRAISERS. Facebook Fundraisers allow donors to make a gift directly through this popular social media platform. It can also inspire peer-to-peer giving. When you donate on Facebook directly, you have the choice to share the fact that you donated with your Facebook friends. This provides excellent publicity and an ever-growing reach for the mission of LHM. In addition to LHM setting up specific giving campaigns on Facebook for things such as #GivingTuesday, individual supporters can also solicit donations for the ministry. One recent example was Jim Hoeft setting up a Facebook fundraiser for his birthday and encouraging friends to donate in celebration of his special day.

2. TEXT “GIVE” TO 417-815-8105. Since the first text message was sent more than 20 years ago, text messaging has become the most favored type of communication in the entire world. On average, Americans today make or receive about six phone calls per day but send and receive 32 texts per day.

That’s 960 text messages each month or 11,520 every year!

Text messaging now provides an easy and secure way for donors to make gifts to the causes they support, which is why LHM now offers a text to give option to our supporters. By texting the word “GIVE” to the number listed above, you will receive prompts to follow on how to donate to LHM through the convenience of your cell phone! Standard text/data rates may apply.

While these new giving options provide additional convenience through frequently used platforms, you can continue to make a gift through the following options: Mail: Lutheran Hour Ministries,

660 Mason Ridge Center Dr., St. Louis MO 63141 Online: lhm.org or lhm.org/give Phone: 1-800-876-9880. n

God has called us to tell the nations about His love and forgiveness.

The Lutheran Layman January - February 2019 | 21

Fulfilling the Great Commission in a Changing World

by Lorri Hackett

L

utheran Hour Ministries has long been committed to bold proclamation of the Gospel, using the most relevant and cutting-edge methods. In addition, we have focused on proclaiming the Gospel to those who are outside the church— those who do not yet know the saving love of Jesus Christ.

As we look at a world infatuated with self and the philosophy of “do what makes you happy,” we realize the need to investigate new ways to cut through the noise and reach those people who are living apart from God. In a Barna Group study conducted in 2016 on morality and truth, it was found that “three-quarters (74 percent) of Millennials (born between 1984 and 2001) agree strongly or somewhat with this statement: “Whatever is right for your life or works best for you is the only truth you can know.” This is compared to 38 percent of Elders (born before 1945) who agree with this. For comparison’s sake, Millennials (31 percent) are three times more likely than Elders (10 percent) and twice as likely (16 percent) as Boomers (born between 1946 and 1964) and Gen-Xers (born between 1965 and 1983) to strongly agree with the statement.

That is a startling reality check for anyone, but especially so for Christians. Many of us have seen this reality in the lives of our children and grandchildren. It appears there’s increasing acceptance for the viewpoint that leaves each person with the last word as to what truth is—and even then, it’s pretty much determined simply by someone’s opinion.

To know this reality and not address it would be to turn a blind eye to the Great Commission. We’re not called to simply share the love of Jesus with those who already know Him; we’re called to share the love of Jesus with everyone, especially those who don’t yet know Him. We cannot do this if we do not meet people where they are and walk alongside them in their journey. We cannot do this by preaching to the choir or staying safely in our comfort zones. And yet, change is hard.

LHM has accepted this difficult challenge and crafted a strategic ministry plan that includes ways to reach younger audiences, many of whom find themselves outside the church. Through ministry endeavors like THRED, an online community where honest conversations about life, faith, and Jesus are happening, we have opened doors that encourage non-believers and skeptics to consider the truth we know in Jesus. As the THRED community expands its reach, we continue to seek fresh opportunities to speak to Millennials and Gen-Xers who are most skeptical of religion.

Aside from THRED, there’s another addition to the LHM lineup of ministry programs: LHM Learn, an online training resource, is our newest way to teach and encourage users to grow in their faith and get comfortable sharing Jesus. As a complement, Project Connect booklets are being aligned

… we’re called to share the love of Jesus with everyone, especially those who don’t yet know Him. with LHM Learn courses to create enhanced opportunities to share content. And, of course, The Lutheran Hour continues to preach a changeless Christ to an ever-changing world.

In order to do that, we must embrace change. Our new Speaker, Rev. Dr. Michael Zeigler, is crafting messages that resonate not only with loyal listeners but also provide touch points and cultural examples for GenXers and Millennials—your children and grandchildren—to give them something to connect to. One goal is that through these messages they might hear something that makes them challenge their current way of thinking while igniting a desire to learn more about this Jesus—our Jesus. The only way to challenge the morality of self-fulfillment is with the life-saving, grace-sharing, forgivenessgiving message of Jesus Christ.

We’ve also looked for partnership opportunities that allow us to share our resources and information with a wider audience. The insights gained from our threeyear collaboration with Barna Group give LHM an excellent reason for passing along this critical information on faith-sharing with church leaders from many backgrounds.

Those circles will only expand as this vital data continues to increase going into the second and third years. Also, through our newest collaboration with Group Publishing, we

are offering Gospel Adventures—an online resource that introduces kids of all ages to life and faith in an international setting. Our destination for 2019 is Peru, with its fascinating people, foods, culture, and history, and we can’t wait to see where we’ll go next! Going forward, it’s imperative that we seek these types of collaborative opportunities to get LHM resources into the hands of many more people.

But still, change is hard. Think how Peter, Andrew, James, and John felt when Jesus asked them to drop their nets and follow Him. I’m sure it was not easy. Yet, by the Holy Spirit’s power, they knew this was how they would change the hearts and minds of the people, and they knew Jesus was the real deal. But they had to leave their comfort zones to tell others; it was risky, hard, and a lot of work, but it was so worth it.

There really is no other way to accomplish our mission of Bringing Christ to the Nations— and the Nations to the Church than by boldly proclaiming the life-saving message of hope found in Jesus in a way that speaks to those who need to hear it. It may sound different than what we are used to, but the message is the same, and the need for this message is greater today than ever before. If we don’t speak to these generations, sadly, there are many voices that will. n Lorri Hackett serves as associate director of public affairs for Lutheran Hour Ministries.

… the message is the same, and the need for this message is greater today than ever before.

22 | The Lutheran Layman January - February 2019

Helping, Serving, Giving, Blessing— All in a WORK DAY G

by Paul Schreiber

rowing tired of winter’s frigid lockdown? Itching to do something outdoors that doesn’t require four layers of clothing? Well, then it’s time to shake off them winter blues. It’s time to think warmth, blue skies, sunshine and, you guessed it—the Men’s NetWork WORK DAY! Now that we’ve made it through Thanksgiving and Christmas, the new year is a great time to think about helping our neighbors and those who, possibly, can’t help themselves.

This year’s nationwide festival of cleaning projects, service jobs, repair tasks, and fix-‘em-ups will take place on Saturday, April 27. This is the seventh consecutive year that men’s groups will leave a mark on their communities and neighborhoods by doing something helpful for others. And there’s something in it for those who help, too. The comment we consistently hear from WORK DAY participants is how good the doing of the work made them feel. You gotta love a win-win!

As always, here at the Men’s NetWork we look forward to hearing about the outreach projects you have planned. Have there been any new and pressing needs uncovered in your area since last year? Does your group have any special skill sets it can contribute to tackling a tough job? What kind of work can you do to get your sons (and daughters) involved? Do they have any suggestions on a service project you can do?

Also, consider guys at church (outside your men’s group) whom you might approach for feedback on a service suggestion. This can open a door for you to extend an invitation for them to join you on WORK DAY. Sometimes doing something with a new group is easier for guys than coming to a Bible study or sit-down event. If this strategy doesn’t get their interest, be sure to tell them all WORK DAY participants will receive a cap for their efforts!

Be on the lookout for WORK DAY details like registration and project suggestions at the Men’s NetWork website: lhm.org/men. Another place to be

Begin 2019 by Enriching Your Bible Knowledge!

by Paul Schreiber

S

eeing Christ in the Old Testament and reflecting on the nature and glory of God are two mighty fine ways to begin 2019. That’s what you’ll get when you go to lhm.org/learn, take a minute and a half to sign up and register, and decide to fortify your Bible knowledge with a choice from LHM Learn’s expanding selection of courses—all of which are available to you—for FREE! To get your new year off to a roaring start, LHM Learn has recently released three new courses: Watch.

Read.Reflect: Christ in the Old Testament (a Christian Foundations course), Nature and Glory of God (a Spiritual Reflections course), and Prepared to Respond: The Spiritual Conversation Curve (an Outreach Essentials course). LHM Learn courses are designed to help

Does your group have any special skill sets it can contribute to tackling a tough job? checking for WORK DAY news is the biweekly Men’s NetWork newsletter, which can be received as an email subscription. To get this handy little news page— which features all sorts of ongoing information as to what’s going on at LHM and is capped off with a thought-provoking blog at the end—go to lhm.org/ newsroom and subscribe.

For all those who helped others with some holiday good deed during the just-completed 2018 Men’s NetWork GIVES BACK event, thanks for your participation! Look for pictures and stories on the LHM website and in the Men’s NetWork newsletter. We will be announcing the group winners in the GIVES BACK event in the next Layman. n

Christians grow in their faith while giving them tools to take the information provided and share it with others— speaking to the needs of those who have questions about Jesus, the Bible, and what Christian life is all about.

Watch.Read.Reflect: Christ in the Old Testament was written by Dr. Brian German, assistant professor of theology at Concordia University Wisconsin and the director of the Concordia Bible Institute. A four-minute motion-graphic video highlights Old Testament stories where Christ is likely to have appeared, and a set of text slides with relevant Scriptures further tells the story. A PDF journal page with questions to answer and a transcript of the video are provided so users can print out these items and refer back to them after the course.

In Nature and the Glory of God, key points and details about God’s magnificent nature are given in five sessions. Each session features Scripture texts (and audio); a chance for observations to see what can be gleaned from the passage(s); a look at some reallife applications; and a time for prayer, asking God to bless this study as we follow Him. A six-page journal PDF covers the questions raised in each session and features illustrations from Hannah Carlos, a talented artist and educator based in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

A third course, Prepared to Respond: The Spiritual Conversation Curve, draws from findings included in Barna’s report on Spiritual Conversations in the

Digital Age. Using Scripture, video and graphics, explanations of points presented, and video interviews, Prepared to Respond helps users make more of their faith conversations. By learning to better “read” the spiritual posture of others, we can speak in ways that resonate with their position on issues and make our conversations more sensitive to their concerns. The course includes a journal, discussion guide, small group discussion tips, and video transcript.

LHM Learn offers courses in five categories.

Each course gives users biblically based knowledge to enhance their Christian walk by supplying teaching and insights to empower their faith now.

The categories are Christian Foundations (basics of Christianity from biblical, theological, and historical perspectives); Cultural Concepts (understanding the different demographics, cultures, and religions in our world today); Everyday Insights (thoughts about the good and bad that life throws our way); Outreach Essentials (personal evangelism and tools to reach others with the Gospel); and Spiritual Reflections (devotional thoughts to strengthen and encourage).

LHM Learn is designed for flexibility and user friendliness. You can start and stop courses mid-stream to break for lunch or head off to your next appointment.

That’s right: LHM Learn courses are built for convenience, so you can dive into the riches of God’s Word and still make the most of your valuable time. n The Lutheran Layman January - February 2019 | 23

World Religions Focus of First-ever WAM Award Winner

Celebrating the

EVERLASTING POWER

of

Radio

by Chad Fix

“Radio can cross borders and reach into the homes, workplaces, and vehicles of people almost anywhere in the world …”

O

n October 2, 1930, the first broadcast of The Lutheran Hour radio program was aired, with Dr. Walter A. Maier as speaker. The Lutheran Laymen’s League (LLL), which had formed 13 years earlier, shared Maier’s vision of spreading the Gospel message using the young technology of broadcast radio and raised funds through its few thousand members for “the boldest undertaking ever conceived by a body of American Lutherans.”

The broadcast’s immense popularity in the late 1930s paved the way for the LLL to take the Gospel message overseas with the beginning of foreign language broadcasting. Dr. Andrew Melendez was elected in 1941 as the Spanish speaker to bring the Good News offered through The Lutheran Hour to Latin America, Spain, and cities in the United States with Spanishlanguage radio stations. While Dr. Melendez spoke in a different language to people of a different culture, the call of Christ remained the same and opened additional doors for the use of radio as the ministry known today as Lutheran Hour Ministries expanded around the world.

Even as LHM invests in new outreach strategies, radio continues to play an important role in our global efforts. Today, in addition to The Lutheran Hour being broadcast on traditional radio stations throughout North America, as well as in France, Switzerland, the Caribbean, and England, LHM ministry centers around the globe offer many locally-produced, topical programs, and syndicated episodes that encourage a wide variety of audiences to contact LHM to learn more about the Gospel. Respondents are prayed with, given Christian literature and/or information about Bible Correspondence Courses, and offered the opportunity to connect with a local church.

The importance of this more than a century-old medium is why the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) started World Radio Day in 2012 as an annual event on Feb. 13 to celebrate how radio positively impacts millions of lives every day—and why we need it today more than ever. Notably, radio represents a focal point for community life, accessible even in the most remote and underserved locations. It has been said that more than 90 percent of the world’s population currently has access to radio.

“Radio can cross borders and reach into the homes, workplaces, and vehicles of people almost anywhere in the world, which is why it continues to be an important strategy in our global ministry efforts,” says LHM President and CEO Kurt Buchholz.

UNESCO invites all radio stations and supporting organizations to join them on Feb. 13 for World Radio Day 2019, a chance to celebrate radio and how it helps shape our lives! n

For more information on World Radio Day happenings in your area, please visit https://en.unesco.org/events/world-radio-day-2019.

24 | The Lutheran Layman January - February 2019

Byron Lugo, a new media production major at Concordia College, New York, is the winner of the first WAM Award. The Walter A. Maier (WAM) Award for New Media is an award for college students that recognizes excellence in the design and production of Gospel-based visual digital media. For his winning entry, Lugo received a $500 scholarship paid directly to Concordia College.

Lugo’s two-minute video on world religions featured five participants answering two questions: “What is the main message of your religion?” and “What aspect of your religion is most important to you?” The respondents included a Buddhist, two Muslims, and two Christians (a Catholic and a Lutheran).

Of his entry, Lugo had this to say: “The message of this video is that we are more alike than it may seem in regard to our religious beliefs. However, there are also clear differences. Reverence for God and for one’s beliefs comes across in this film.”

One of Lugo’s teachers at Concordia College is Ms. Kit Fitzgerald, associate professor of new media communications

and digital production. “My goal is to get students to see the world and themselves more closely, with all its nuances and multiple interpretations. Creating works in new (digital) media opens students up to experiencing the complexity of the world, with multiple approaches, layers, and meanings. This requires time and deep observation, developing the students’ critical viewing and critical thinking,” she said.

Lugo, who is also interested in pursuing music and photography in his education, saw Concordia College New York as a good fit, in part, due to its size and the favorable student-teacher ratio. As he continues to pursue his studies, he cites the importance of having a genuine enthusiasm for one’s work: “What makes a filmmaker or media producer stand out is the passion and time they put into their piece. What makes them distinctive is that they do what they love, and they love what they do, trusting in their own personal style.”

This was the inaugural year for the WAM Award; it was open only to students at Concordia College New York. Going forward, the competition will be open to students at all Concordia Universities. n

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