The Lutheran Layman

THE

LUTHERAN L AYMAN March - April 2019

A Practical Tool for RELUCTANT WITNESSES

see page 3

Prepared to Respond. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 Men’s NetWork WORK DAY . . . 12 Board Nominees . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14-15 Lenten Devotions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 Changing Lives Globally. . . . . . . . . 18 Rose Parade Reflections . . . . . 20-21 Seasonal TV Specials . . . . . . . . . . . . 22

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SPEAKING UP

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

Lord’s Supper Preaching Baptism

Christ-centered conversation

FIRING ON FOUR CYLINDERS God’s Word powers the four cylinders of faith.

I

was planning to be a mechanical engineer. In my senior year of college, I had a change of heart. I thought God was calling me to be a fulltime servant of His Word. I switched my major to general engineering, which let me drop “Differential Equations” and take “Christian History” instead.

But, to complete my degree, I had to take one more engineering elective. I picked “Automotive Design.”

Building cars, this should be fun. Not so much. The final project—removing, repairing, and replacing an engine in a donated Chevy pick-up—drove me and my partners to an emotional breakdown.

It was a secular school, but, at one point, after hours of failing to reconnect the engine and the transmission, we stopped to pray for God’s mercy.

Even engineers need God’s Word. Along with that lesson, I also learned why it’s dangerous to drive on a misfiring cylinder. The cylinder is the spot in your engine where internal combustion takes place. This is the source of your car’s power—the torque that turns the wheels. A mid-size car normally has four cylinders. What if one isn’t firing? It’s like a horse running on three legs. Also, it’s likely to lead to bigger problems—as with the seized engine in that Chevy, hence, the donor’s willingness to part with it.

The Christian’s life is like a car powered by four cylinders. The Bible reveals four sources of saving power for followers of Jesus: (1) listening to the preaching of repentance and forgiveness for Christ’s sake; (2) receiving Baptism and returning to its promise; (3) participating in the Lord’s Supper; and (4) Christ-centered, forgiveness-infused

L AYMAN

conversation with brothers and sisters in the faith. Martin Luther identified these four sources, explaining that God’s Gospel offers “help against sin in more than one way” (The Book of Concord, “Smalcald Articles,” Part III, Article IV).

The four cylinders in your car all run on the same fuel; so also, God’s Word powers the four cylinders of faith. A four-cylinder engine provides for ideal balance, torque, and efficiency. In a similar way, God wants His Word to power our faith in four ways, not just one.

The first three—Preaching, Baptism, and the Lord’s Supper—usually happen in the public gatherings of the church. And, after the formal worship ends, God still has more to give. That last one—Christ-centered conversations—is as needful as the others. Talking with other Christians about Jesus and His Spirit’s ongoing work in our lives gives us the boost we need to speak of Him with our neighbors and live for Him in our callings, even those whose callings include those blessed “differential equations” I never mastered.

Where do we connect to this fourth cylinder, this “mutual conversation of the saints”? It could be in a formal “small group” or something informal with members of your household. It can be planned, like a monthly meeting over coffee; or spontaneous, like four engineering students praying together they don’t fail their automotive design class. Whatever it looks like, through every breakdown, God’s Word powers us. n

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

LUTHERANHOUR.ORG

A Practical Tool for RELUCTANT WITNESSES LUTHERAN HOUR MINISTRIES’ FIRST

research project with the Barna Group revealed that nearly three-fourths of all Christians in the U.S. are “reluctant conversationalists”—that is, they have nine or fewer spiritual conversations a year. As Christians, we just aren’t talking about spiritual matters as much as we used to.

Why does the cat have our tongue? The research suggested there is a strong correlation between how prepared for spiritual conversations people feel, and how often they engage in those conversations. The more prepared a Christian feels, the more they will engage in spiritual conversations. In fact, one of the core features of “eager conversationalists” (the one-fourth of Christians who are talking about their faith a lot) is that they

feel prepared to engage in spiritual conversations.

Based on these findings, LHM set out on a mission to find a practical way to equip Christians for spiritual conversations. If we are to be Christ’s witnesses, we need to be able to engage in spiritual conversations in natural, winsome, and fruitful ways.

This desire to equip the church led to the careful development of a practical new tool for reluctant conversationalists: The Spiritual Conversation Curve.

Christians throughout the country are just now starting to discover the Curve and see for themselves what a difference it makes in their own life (and in their church’s life) to have a memorizable tool to help them engage in all sorts of spiritual conversations. see next page

by Don Everts

As Christians, we just aren’t talking about spiritual matters as much as we used to.

E

A

G

E

R

EMBRACE THE GOSPEL

APPLY SPIRITUAL DISCIPLINES

GRASP THE CALLING

EXPECT SPIRITUAL CONVERSATIONS

RESPOND CONFIDENTLY

The Lutheran Layman March - April 2019 | 3

… when a Christian is talking with a non-Christian, what should they talk about?

A Practical Tool …

continued from previous page

The Spiritual Conversation DILEMMA A few weeks ago, I was driving to my favorite breakfast joint and freaking out. I wasn’t freaking out because of the breakfast (the food at this place is always great), but because of the conversation. You see, I was going to meet with someone I had never met before—Lucy.

In my church work I get all sorts of emails, but the email I received from Lucy stood out. Lucy had attended my church a few times with her boyfriend and had a lot of questions.

And feelings. She wrote in her email that she had been an atheist her whole

Um ...

NON-CHRISTIAN

life, had tried going to church in high school for a whole year but had been treated terribly, and now her new Christian boyfriend was bringing her to church.

In her email Lucy told me that being in our church brought up lots of emotions and questions and confusions, and she was wondering if we could get together to talk.

I agreed without hesitation, but now that I was driving to meet Lucy for breakfast I was starting to freak out. What should we talk about? What questions will she ask? Would she want to process her church hurt from her high school days? Should I have brought a Bible with me? Do we chat first, or should I just dive right into the spiritual?

I was facing a real spiritual conversation dilemma: when a Christian is talking with a non-Christian, what should they talk about?

You might think church workers have

CHRISTIAN

4 | The Lutheran Layman March - April 2019

all of this figured out, that spiritual conversations with non-Christians come naturally and intuitively to us, but that’s not necessarily the case.

It isn’t with me. And that’s why I said a prayer while driving (asking God to guide me, to be present at our breakfast), and then I mentally consulted a simple conversation model that I have memorized.

The prayer gave me a sense of peace.

The conversation model gave me wisdom for what to talk about. And I was so thankful for these gifts of peace and wisdom as I sat down across the table from Lucy.

I know I’m not the only person that needs some guiding wisdom for how best to talk about my faith with nonChristians. Do you want to talk with non-Christians about the Christian faith, but you feel like you don’t always know how? Let me introduce you to this simple, biblical model that helped me know how to approach my breakfast with Lucy—the Spiritual Conversation Curve.

This conversation model is simple, but not simplistic. It is based on careful research and biblical theology. But

this model is simple enough to be able to travel around with you in your head, able to be consulted mentally no matter where you are in life. We’ll get into the details, but let’s start by considering the basics of the model.

The curve illustrates the relationship between three important questions: 1. What is the spiritual posture of the person I want to talk with?

2. How can I be in prayer for them given their spiritual posture?

3. What type of conversation would be most fruitful to pursue?

Three basic spiritual postures (unreceptive, receptive, and seeking) can be found at the base of the curve. Of course, there’s a multitude of religions and spiritualities and

Line art sketches in this article are from LHM Learn course Prepared to Respond: The Spiritual Conversation Curve

philosophies on today’s spiritual landscape; that’s one of the striking features of the age we live in.

But relative to the Christian faith, there are actually three basic spiritual camps in our culture today: those who are unreceptive to Christianity, those who are receptive to Christianity, and those who are seeking clarity about Christianity. You can see these three basic camps along the bottom of the Spiritual Conversation Curve.

The corresponding prayerful responses to each posture (gain a hearing, give good news, and guide toward faith) can be found in the arrows along the top of the curve. As you can see, if someone is unreceptive, the wise approach is to pray God would help us “gain a hearing.” If someone is receptive, we pray God would help us “give good news.” And if someone is actively seeking clarity about the faith, we pray for help to “guide toward faith.”

But what do you actually talk about? Notice the six different conversation types found at each point along the curve. Each distinct conversation type is helpful, but it’s the spiritual posture of the non-Christian that determines when each type of conversation is most helpful. Knowing where someone is in their spiritual journey helps you discern whether it is most helpful to chat, relate, share, connect, explore, or clarify.

We’ll be unpacking what all of this means, but before we do, I want to point out a couple features of the curve. While the colors of the curve illustrate the different stages of someone’s spiritual journey, the shape of the curve illustrates the different dynamics of that journey. For example, notice that if you are relating with someone who is unreceptive to the Christian faith (praying that God would help you gain a hearing, chatting about everyday things, relating to each other’s joys and pains) this can feel like walking up a hill. It takes time. It’s not fast. It can be fatiguing.

That’s why the curve illustrates that part of the journey as heading up a hill.

Notice the top of the curve. This is the tipping point. This is exactly what it is like to bring Jesus up in conversation with someone who is receptive. There is just something about the

It is actually quite rare for a single Christian to journey with a non-Christian through all three stages of their journey.

Name and Person of Jesus—once He is brought up in conversation with someone who is spiritually open, the nature of their journey shifts. This is why the curve has a tipping point at the top.

So, what about the downhill part of the curve? Does that mean that being in conversation with someone who is actively seeking clarity about the Gospel is “easy” or “fast”? Not really. But there is an appropriate sense of urgency at this point of someone’s spiritual journey. Why? Well, it turns out that being a seeker is exhausting. Considering the faith in a serious way, contemplating changing your entire worldview and focus in life is rather intense. A non-Christian simply can’t sustain a seeking posture forever. They may come to faith or they may revert back to a receptive or unreceptive posture, but they can’t seek forever.

Therefore, a kind of urgency is appropriate for this part of the journey—thus the “downhill” illustration.

It is actually quite rare for a single Christian to journey with a non-Christian through all three stages

of their journey. Usually there are several Christians who are conversation partners with someone at various points along their journey to faith. This is what makes it so important that we Christians be able to discern where somewhere is in their journey so that we know how to pray and what types of conversations will be most helpful for where they are in their journey.

If this sounds sort of complex, stick with me. It may seem easier to just memorize a Christian message that you use no matter which non-Christian you are talking to. Or, to be honest, it may seem easier to just avoid spiritual conversations with non-Christians altogether! But it turns out learning a simple model like the Spiritual Conversation Curve helps tremendously.

And it also turns out that this empathetic, responsive approach to witnessing is not an option. We are called as Christians to wisely adapt to the actual nonChristians we are talking to. You see, the good news is God didn’t just call us to be His witnesses (see Acts 1:8), He also gave us wisdom on how exactly to do that. see next page

Knowing where someone is in their spiritual journey helps you discern whether it is most helpful to chat, relate, share, connect, explore, or clarify.

The Lutheran Layman March - April 2019 | 5

A Practical Tool … continued from previous page

The Biblical Call to GRACIOUSLY ADAPT One such piece of wisdom is in Paul’s letter to the Christians living in the city of Colossae:

“Walk in wisdom toward outsiders, making the best use of the time. Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer each person.”

(Colossians 4:5-6) Paul’s words give us important insight into how to talk about our faith with folks who aren’t Christian.

First, we learn we are supposed to be thoughtful and informed and wise in how we interact with the nonChristians in our lives. Paul invites us to “walk in wisdom toward outsiders” not just “wing it” by saying whatever comes to mind.

Second, Paul reminds us that it is important, and even urgent, that we do this. After all, we are only given so much time on earth, so it is important that we are “making the best use of the time” that God has given us. (A literal translation of the Greek here would be something like “cash in on the appointed moments.”)

Third, Paul is clear that spiritual conversations aren’t supposed to be angry or aggressive or argumentative.

Paul urges us to “Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt.” This is similar to how Peter urges us to always answer questions about the faith “with

JEW

gentleness and respect” (1 Peter 3:15b).

Fourth, Paul encourages us to gear our spiritual conversation to the actual person sitting in front of us.

You can’t just memorize one Gospel speech that you go to no matter who you are talking to or where they are in their journey.

As we’ll see, there is a time for succinct Gospel summaries, but Paul calls us to “know how you ought to answer each person.”

This means part of being wise is knowing how to talk with the particular person (like Lucy) that God has put across the table from you. We are supposed to graciously adapt to the people we are having a spiritual conversation with.

This is exactly what Paul did. Paul talked with lots of different nonChristians about Jesus. But from one spiritual conversation to the next, Paul didn’t always talk about Jesus using the exact same words. In spiritual conversations, Paul graciously adapted his words to the spiritual posture of the people he was talking to.

For example, consider Acts 13. In this chapter we find Paul talking with Jewish non-Christians about Jesus and the Christian faith.

If you read an excerpt from Paul’s words that day (Acts 13:16-41), you’ll notice that he speaks in language and

PAUL

6 | The Lutheran Layman March - April 2019

… “walk in wisdom toward outsiders” … metaphors that would have made a lot of sense to Jews. Paul even quotes multiple times from their Hebrew Scriptures. It’s clear he has graciously adapted to their spiritual posture as Jews. Paul is “answering” the people he is talking to.

But then look at Acts 14. Just a chapter later Paul is talking with pagan (non-Jewish) non-Christians about Jesus and the Christian faith.

If you read an excerpt of Paul’s words from that day (Acts 14:14-17), you’ll see that his words are very different than the previous chapter. Gone are the Jewish metaphors and references.

In their place we find Paul talking about nature, the earth, the sea, fruitful seasons … he has adapted his

Paul graciously adapted his words to the spiritual posture of the people he was talking to.

message to the language and cares of his pagan audience so that he is really “answering” them.

Paul had a single Gospel message, but graciously adapted how he presented that message to the particular people he was talking to.

Paul summed up this way of relating with non-Christians as “being a Jew to the Jews” and “being as one under the Law to those who are under the Law.” Paul was convinced that graciously adapting to the people he was talking to was how to “walk in wisdom towards them.” As he summarized at one point, “I have become all things to all people, that by all means I might save some” (1 Corinthians 9:22b).

Jesus did the same thing. Not only

LYSTRIAN

PAUL

was Jesus gracious adaptation personified (God becoming human to save humans), but have you ever noticed how Jesus adapted His conversation to different people?

Jesus spoke with tenderness to a new widow (Luke 7), but He spoke with sharpness to stubborn Pharisees (Matthew 23). Jesus softly invited the timid to “come and see” (John 1), but He boldly invited the ready to “come and follow” (Mark 1).

If Jesus Himself was in the habit of gracious adaptation in spiritual conversations, no wonder Paul practiced this same habit in his conversations—and encouraged other Christians to do the same. This gives us great insight into how to handle our own spiritual conversations today and explains why people find a model like the Spiritual Conversation Curve to be so practically helpful. Whether the non-Christian in your life is unreceptive, receptive, or seeking, it is possible to walk in wisdom toward them.

Want to LEARN MORE? In addition to explaining the basic features of the Curve, a soon-to-be-released Project Connect booklet, How to Talk About Your Faith, gets into the specifics about having these conversations. In the section, “Walking Uphill: How to Talk with Someone Who Is Unreceptive,” you can learn more about how chatting and relating can help you gain a hearing with an unreceptive person in your life. In “The Tipping Point: How to Talk with Someone Who Is Receptive,” you can find out how to bring Jesus up in a conversation in a way that is natural, helpful, and powerful. And in “Calm Urgency: How to Talk with Someone Who Is Seeking,” we get very practical tools for how to be a helpful guide to someone in your life who is actively seeking clarity about the Christian faith.

»» How to Talk About Your Faith will not only be available this

spring as a printed booklet, but will also be offered as a free, downloadable PDF and as an audio book.

»» LHM has also developed pocket-sized Curve Cards that you can

use to help you pray for a non-Christian in your life and develop a conversation plan for how you can graciously adapt to wherever they are in their journey to faith.

»» An upcoming book titled The Reluctant Witness will blend Barna’s

findings with real-life experiences by showing 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 (read the article on page 11).

»» Or, if you want to do a more in-depth study, you can take our new LHM Learn course: Prepared to Respond: The Spiritual Conversation Curve (read the article on page 8).

You can find the resources listed above at lhm.org/conversations.

“… He has chosen to use simple people like you and me to help guide people to faith. …”

Start Using this Tool Right NOW! Think of someone in your life who does not share the Christian faith. Reflect on what you know about this person’s story and experience with the church.

Now, simply answer these three questions as best you can:

1. What is their spiritual posture? (unreceptive, receptive, seeking) 2. What is my prayerful response? (gain a hearing, give good news, guide toward faith) 3. What type of conversation would be most fruitful to pursue? (chat, relate, share, connect, explore, clarify) While answering these questions may seem awkward or scary or risky, the reality is we are all called to be Christ’s witnesses. And for that to happen we, the church, have to get our voice back. As How to Talk About Your Faith concludes, “The reality is God could save people any way He wants. But He has chosen to use simple people like you and me to help guide people to faith. This is a true honor. And it is truly worthy of our best thoughts and actions and prayers.

Would you join me in praying that God would help us all talk about our faith?

“Father, I confess there are people in my life whom I really want to have hear about You, but sometimes I really have no idea what to say to them. Help me discern their spiritual posture. Help me focus in prayer on their spiritual journey. Help me wisely pursue fruitful conversations that are graciously adapted to where they are in their journey. And, Father, would You open doors for these conversations?

Help me talk with my friends about my faith. Amen.” n Don Everts is the content development manager for Lutheran Hour Ministries.

The Lutheran Layman March - April 2019 | 7

Are YOU Prepared to Respond?

by Paul Schreiber

Talking about Jesus is one thing; sharing the hope and joy you have in Him as Lord and Savior is another.

________________’s po sture toward the Gospel is ...

T

he witnessing life of a Christian is fraught with challenges. Living as light in the world yet staying free of its many entanglements is a full-time job.

One major dilemma for believers when navigating the ever-changing social and cultural milieu of the 21st century is how to effectively share the Savior with others. LHM Learn’s latest online course, Prepared to Respond: The Spiritual Conversation Curve, was designed to help users make the most of the time they spend talking about life, and faith, and Jesus.

In the course introduction, Rev. Dr. Tony Cook, vice president of Global Ministries for LHM, puts it this way: “In Colossians 4, Paul encouraged all Christians to wisely discern ‘how to answer’ each non-Christian in their life. But how exactly do we do that in an age where many non-Christians have experienced ‘church hurt’ or don’t show any interest in Jesus at all? Prepared to Respond is the third course based on Lutheran Hour Ministries’ research with the Barna Group. In this course, we will teach you about the Spiritual Conversation Curve and equip you to have those spiritual conversations with the non-churched people in your life.”

Your guide through Prepared to Respond is Don Everts, LHM’s content development manager in Global Ministries. Familiar with both parish and campus ministry, Everts has spent more than 25 years engaging others in conversations about Jesus, faith, and living one’s life for Christ. Inspired by the style and approach of the apostle Paul, Everts helps

8 | The Lutheran Layman March - April 2019

o UNRECEPTIVE

I am praying God wil l help me ...

o GAIN HEARING o RECE participants assess ofAothers.

This PTIVEthe “spiritual posture” o GIVE GOOD NEWS o SEEKING is crucial as we learn to “graciously adapt” our words in o GUIDE TOWARD FAITH “such a way thatDET they AILS: can hear the Good News.”

DETAILS: The four-session course provides indispensable insights into sharpening our approach toward having conversations of faith. To assist in understanding this, the Spiritual Conversation Curve was developed.

This graphic paradigm shows how, by being more astute observers and intentional in our outreach, we can build bridges that open doors to spiritual-type conversations, passing along God’s Good News and helping guide others to faith in the process.

The four sessions of Prepared to Respond are: 1. The Biblical Call to Graciously Adapt; 2. Discerning Someone’s Spiritual Posture; 3. Discerning What to Talk About; and 4. Praying for Open Doors … and Walking Through Them.

Throughout the course, participants will steadily sharpen their faith-sharing skills while gleaning insights into assessing the frame of mind of those they’re speaking with—i.e. are they unreceptive to the Gospel, are they receptive to the Gospel, or are they seeking clarity about the Gospel?

Prepared to Respond includes a detailed four-part journal with targeted questions and session prompts to assist in grasping the material; a discussion guide that highlights the main points of each session; tips for small group discussion; and a complete transcript of the video. Each item can be downloaded and

A resource to keep In my conver handy when you’re sations with my friend, I will ... tracking the spiritual Spiritual o CHAT conversations you’re o RELATE Co nversation o SHARE CONNECT onew having isPLO LHM’s o EX RE o CLARIFY Spiritual Conversation AILS: pocketCurve Card.DET This CU RV E CA RD sized (it’s a little bigger than a business card) tool Walk in wisdom toward is perfect as a tangible outsiders, making the best use of the time.

Let your speech always reminder of the people be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know you’re talking to (and how you ought to ans wer each person.

COLOSSIANS 4:5-6 praying for) in your life. The three spiritual postures are illustrated with quick descriptions of each. You can order packets of 25 for $5 from the LHM storefront at shoplhm.org. printed at your convenience.

All LHM Learn online courses are FREE and require nothing more than registration to use. To sign up and take advantage of these excellent faithbuilding courses, go to lhm.org/learn and make your selections. Remember, too, that you can start and stop courses mid-stream, returning later to where you left off, so they are ideal for people with busy schedules.

Talking about Jesus is one thing; sharing the hope and joy you have in Him as Lord and Savior is another.

Are you prepared to respond? n Paul Schreiber reports on the impact of LHM’s ministry work in the United States.

ON THE MOVE

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

New Leaders, Same Mission

“S

o they nominated two men: Joseph called Barsabbas (also known as Justus) and Mattias.

Then they prayed, ‘Lord You know everyone’s heart. Show us which of these two You have chosen to take over this apostolic ministry, which Judas left to go where he belongs.’ Then they cast lots, and the lot fell to Matthias; so he was added to the eleven apostles” (Acts 1:23-26).

One hundred twenty people were called upon to decide who would fill the position left open after Judas betrayed Jesus, and those 120 people had to reach agreement on who his replacement should be. Jesus wasn’t bodily present to direct their choices, but it was an important decision. This man would be a leader of the church, setting an example for those who would follow in the faith. They didn’t take this responsibility lightly.

But this wasn’t a popularity contest.

They did consider the qualifications of each candidate, but the qualification had to do with each man’s relationship with the Lord Jesus. It was simple really; the one they chose must be a witness, giving testimony to the Lord Jesus’ teaching, life, death, and resurrection.

Two men were identified as meeting the qualifications. Both Barsabbas and Mattias were capable and qualified. How could they know which one the Lord wanted? One hundred twenty people needed to come to an agreement. How could such a thing happen?

First, they prayed. This is important.

The act of praying together was a tangible recognition of their need. They couldn’t know, because only God can read the heart. By placing the decision into the hands of the Lord Jesus, they could be assured that the choice they made was safe and sure.

Once they agreed upon the men and placed them before their Lord in prayer, they cast lots. Cast lots? Really? Yes;

Blind draw, roll of the dice, whatever you want to call it. They knew that there is no such thing as “luck” in the life of a Christian, and so they prayed, cast lots, and Mattias was chosen.

Every year members of the Lutheran Laymen’s League are asked to select leaders to serve them as members of the Board of Directors in this important ministry we have been given. Now I am not advocating rolling the dice or drawing cards for each one of them, but I am encouraging you to participate in the process. The decision you make may not be as weighty as the one that faced the early church, but the implications for this organization and, by extension, for the kingdom of God, are real.

I am asking you to participate in the process. How? First, take the time to consider the qualifications of those who have been nominated. Look at how God has blessed them with gifts, talents, and abilities. Second, spend time in prayer. Ask for wisdom and discernment. Pray for each of the people nominated to serve. By committing your choice to our Lord in prayer you can be certain of His guidance and direction.

Finally you will need to vote.

We don’t cast lots. We select from those who have met the nomination requirements by registering to vote, and then each one making a choice.

It isn’t perfect, but it is the process we have agreed upon, and you are an important part of the process.

If there is still time for you to vote this year (registration ends March 15), please consider doing so. The active participation of people like you, guided and directed by the Lord Jesus, selecting leaders has blessed this organization for more than 100 years in the service of Bringing Christ to the Nations—and the Nations to the Church. n

By committing your choice to our Lord in prayer you can be certain of His guidance and direction.

LHM Sunday LHM’s members and partners meet the greatest challenge of the 21st century—to proclaim messages of hope in the Name of Jesus Christ.

Be a part of our mission by hosting LHM Sunday on any Sunday of your choosing throughout the year, equipping your community with the power to spread the Gospel.

Find all the materials and information at lhm.org/lhmsunday or call 1-800-876-9880.

The Lutheran Layman March - April 2019 | 9

NURTURING YO U R FA I T H :

Prayers of Praise I

n this fourth and final installment of Nurturing Your Faith: Prayer, we look at prayers of praise. The joyful voices of praise leap out from the pages of the Old Testament and the New. The children of Israel had much to delight in God for: His covenant with Noah after the flood; His deliverance from Egypt; His provision of judges, kings, and prophets to guide them; His pledge of a promised land and—even after generations of sinning and apostasy—His promise of restoration after the Babylonian exile.

And in the New Testament we have Jesus: “Oh, for a thousand tongues to sing, my dear Redeemer’s praise. The glories of my God and King, the triumphs of His grace.” Thank you, Charles Wesley! Of course, some of the most memorable lines about giving God glory (for obedience to the Gospel, for love abounding, for every spiritual blessing, for rescue from darkness) come from the apostle Paul who was no stranger to praising God in the throes of adversity. His life is a lesson for all of us.

One way to foster an attitude of praise and devotion to God is to believe and graciously accept that He is in control. Whether it’s sunshine and blue skies that mark our days or the tumult of heartache and pain, praising God is biblically sound. He is here with us, in the midst of it all, and He wants us to know and abide in that fact (Isaiah 41:10; Psalm 46:1; Luke 12:22-26).

Watch video introduction at lhm.org/studies

PRAYERS OF PRAISE IN THE OLD TESTAMENT

PRAYERS OF PRAISE AND JESUS

PRAYERS OF PRAISE AND THE EARLY CHURCH

While the children of Israel religiously trumpeted God’s blessings on their behalf in their worship life, there’s one victory that must have been most satisfying to them: the capture of the Ark of the Covenant from the Philistines and its return to Jerusalem. David’s song of thanks speaks to the significance of this event.

Jesus’ dialogue with a Samarian woman at Jacob’s well in Sychar covered a lot of territory.

Notable was His comment that those who worship truly will be those who “worship the Father in spirit and truth.” No longer will Mount Gerizim in Samaria or the temple in Jerusalem be singled out alone as the place where God is worshiped, praised, and glorified. Instead, He will be worshiped rightly—from the heart.

The communal expression of praise in the early church must have been awe-inspiring. In places like Damascus and Jerusalem, Caesarea and Antioch, voices were lifted in praise and adoration to God the Father and His blessed Son Jesus. Gathered together—beyond the eye of Roman authorities, Jewish religious leaders, and Gentile and Jewish citizens who had grown tired of this “fringe group” with its weird beliefs in a risen Messiah—they could praise God mightily.

Read 1 Chronicles 14-16 1. How does David remind Israel of God’s involvement in their lives over many generations?

2. What object from Israel’s recent victory is conspicuously absent in David’s prayer?

Why do you think that is?

Praising God—what a privilege this is!

Worshiping and adoring a living God who cares for us the way His Word says He does should transform our lives. Gone are the ancient sacrificial system for sin atonement and the legal code we could never follow. Here instead is the prospect of a new life, which is available to each of us by God’s grace—a life made possible by Jesus and His triumph over the grave.

Read John 4:23-24 1. What do you think it means to worship God in spirit and truth?

2. Today, church is our go-to place to worship God. Is Jesus’ statement regarding Mount Gerizim and the Jerusalem temple in any way a comment about attaching too much significance to a place of worship? Why or why not?

Read 1 Peter 4:10-11 1. The writer of this letter speaks of glorifying God in everything we do. How can that take place? Is there a praise element to scrubbing your tub, feeding your baby, paying your taxes, bowling a strike?

2. Can you recall when praising God during a hard time made a difference in your life?

PRAYER Heavenly Father, let our praises begin—and never end! For Your creation of the universe out of nothing and Your boundless determination to bring us into Your fold of faith, we praise You. For Your Son and His saving work on our behalf, we worship and adore You. 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 March - April 2019

New Book Helps Us Discover— and Engage—the Reluctant Witness Inside

by Paul Schreiber

“… life-change happens because of spiritual conversations with everyday folks.”

PREVIOUSLY,

we introduced The Reluctant Witness (Discovering the Delight of Spiritual Conversations), a 2019 book release coming from InterVarsity Press. Written

by Don Everts, content development manager for LHM, the book draws from two distinct sources: data gathered by the Barna Group and a 15-hour bus ride in the Pacific Northwest.

The Reluctant Witness speaks to each of us who would like to see our conversations more frequently turn to Jesus but, for whatever reason, don’t quite seem to get there in real life. Everts is no stranger to these conversations—and the many reasons why they don’t take place, too. But more than that, he’s come to see how talking about Jesus with others can be a delight—something to be embraced, not eluded.

There’s irony in a story where there’s so much good news to be shared, but we can’t even manage the “Hi” necessary to start a conversation. (That was Everts’ opening volley to shatter 13 hours of silence between him and the woman next to him on the bus.) And

it worked! Then, with a first timid step behind him, a bridge … a conversation, was possible.

In a voice that’s informed and personal, Everts addresses spiritual conversation myths or roadblocks to speaking to others about Jesus. He points out that these dialogues aren’t the exclusive domain of your pastor or some trained church “professional”— nor should they be.

“Not only is Scripture clear that being a witness is something for every Christian, but the research reveals spiritual conversations can take place in rather mundane, everyday circumstances. And more often than not, spiritual conversations happen with the regular people who are in your life. In fact, nine out of ten folks who’ve had a life-changing spiritual conversation say they had it with someone they knew well (31 percent) or very well (57 percent). In other words, life-change happens because of spiritual conversations with everyday folks,” Everts writes.

Another conversational wall we may have to hurdle is the need to have all the right answers to the questions

we receive. Obviously, this can be a real chit-chat-killer, but it doesn’t have to be. Everts writes, “Asking lots of questions is a natural part of someone seeking out more about the faith. Often, rather than getting a crisp, memorized answer, non-Christians are more interested in Christians being willing to give them space to ask their questions and being willing to honestly and humbly journey with them toward answers.”

This was borne out dramatically in Everts’ talk with the woman on the bus.

As you can soon read for yourself, three short lines—“Hi.” “Are you coming or going?” and “Oh.”—were all it took to get the conversation going. “Three simple steps forward: just putting one foot in front of the other. And just three short steps up the trailhead of this conversation and we were having a spiritual conversation about life, temptation, hope,” Everts added.

The Reluctant Witness is loaded with pertinent research and personal insights about how we talk about Jesus, faith, and life. It’s supported in large part by research included in the 2018 monograph, Spiritual Conversations in

the Digital Age, a Barna-based report produced exclusively for LHM. To help make your own spiritual conversations more fruitful, LHM has recently developed two more resources for you. One is an LHM Learn course: Prepared to Respond: The Spiritual Conversation Curve.

This four-part online learning module gives participants powerful ideas and takeaways to improve their faithoriented dialogues with others. Video, a discussion guide, questions to answer, and a four-part journal are provided to maximize the material. It’s available at lhm.org/learn. (See separate article on page 8 of this issue for more details.)

The other tool to keep handy is LHM’s Spiritual Conversation Curve Card. This pocket-sized piece will help you keep in mind the situation of people with whom you’re having—or want to have—spiritual conversations.

A graphic illustrates the three spiritual postures people typically have toward the Gospel (unreceptive, receptive, seeking) as well as things to consider when speaking with them. Learn more at lhm.org/conversations. n

… talking about Jesus with others can be a delight—something to be embraced, not eluded.

The Lutheran Layman March - April 2019 | 11

Reserve the Last Saturday in April for Something Great!!

by Paul Schreiber

Ffrom Lutheran Hour Ministries is encouraging

or the seventh year in a row, the Men’s NetWork

men’s groups around the nation to step off their church campuses and into their communities to help those in need. On Saturday, April 27, the Men’s NetWork WORK DAY will positively impact the lives of others by doing for them things they may not be able to do themselves.

Perhaps a quick glance at projects tackled over the years is in order: there have been home repairs and room remodeling; landscaping, gutter cleanouts, brush hauling, tree trimming, and flower bed work; beautification and sprucing up of public access areas, nature sites and even cemeteries; painting, trash removal, and service to the elderly and those without means to pay for it.

Remember if you’re short on ideas, there’s always the power of synergy; your group can piggyback with another outfit or organization already doing work in your area. Maybe there’s a neighborhood project already planned or ongoing. Perhaps there’s a service event in preparation to aid the homeless.

Maybe your group can help build a house with Habitat for Humanity, help distribute food at a soup kitchen, gather food for a local food bank, or do

minor repairs at a halfway house or a women’s shelter.

A phone call or an email to just about any nonprofit in your area should net some ideas on how your men’s group can make a difference on April 27. We like to remind guys, too, that your work doesn’t have to be done on that day. Ideally, it will be, but your group can pick any day during the year to call a WORK DAY. Just be sure to register with us in advance, so we can get your project “on the books,” so to speak, and so others can be inspired by what you’re doing.

The whole premise of WORK DAY is to serve others by being the hands and feet of Jesus.

This is most effectively shown when your group works at a location in the community—i.e. someplace else besides your church campus. And that’s logical, too. People expect people to do things for their “own” (i.e. your church proper), but when you get into your community, you’re “taking it to the streets.” You’re going to the people—which is the way Jesus and His disciples did it.

Also, and this is important, your “group” doesn’t have to be an official church group to participate

The whole premise of WORK DAY is to serve others by being the hands and feet of Jesus. in the WORK DAY. If you’ve got a few buddies and you’ve got a job you’d like to go after—by all means, sign up and join the fun! We welcome your participation!

You can find all the details you need for the Men’s NetWork WORK DAY, along with some helpful ideas on WORK DAY suggestions, by going to lhm.org/men/workday. As always, we will have caps for all WORK DAY participants. To receive them for April 27, please register by April 12. n

Building Relationships through Radio in Madagascar by Chad Fix

M

adagascar is an impoverished country where Lutheran Hour Ministries uses many formats of outreach to connect with people in both rural and urban settings. In rural areas, people struggle with drought, locusts, and banditry on the roads.

In urban areas, unemployment and political uncertainty are among the top concerns. People in both settings are consoled by the Gospel and the knowledge that despite these

hardships, God loves and cares for each of them uniquely.

Since 2013, LHM has strategically expanded our radio outreach throughout the country to take advantage of the extreme cost effectiveness of this platform (many program airings cost less than $10 U.S.). LHM programming now airs in 13 different cities, primarily in coastal areas where Christianity is not well known. From a university station in Toliara to stations on the northern Island of Nosy Be, LHM is reaching thousands of people weekly with the Gospel message.

The programs typically feature young guests and content experts who discuss and share how they cope with life struggles such as inter-generational and romantic relationships, economic issues, or alcohol use. During the Christmas

12 | The Lutheran Layman March - April 2019

season, special programs aired where listeners could phone in or send a text message to register to win prizes like Bibles or kids’ backpacks. The ministry received more than 2,000 responses in December alone to these special airings. Whenever people respond to the radio broadcasts, they are offered LHM’s Bible Correspondence Courses or other materials. LHM staff and volunteers then nurture and work with respondents, often by enlisting the help of volunteers from the listener’s local community.

Emma is one of these volunteers.

She is a teacher who lives in a rural, coastal town in southeast Madagascar.

She was married in 2005, but she and her husband have been unable to have children. While she has visited many doctors and followed their advice, nothing has worked. Eventually, she felt so angry and ashamed that she

began to blame Jesus and stopped going to church.

Some years later, she met some of our ministry staff at an outreach event in her home town of Manakara. She says meeting the LHM team showed her that Jesus was leading the way back for her so that she could return to serving Him. Today she volunteers for LHM by helping students in the Bible Correspondence Courses in her community and by coordinating films at her local congregation. She says it’s difficult to convince non-Christians to come to a church to watch a Christian film, but as she visits people doorto-door, village-by-village, she slowly convinces them to attend. Today she feels blessed that God has led her back to Him, renewing her faith and empowering her to share her faith with others. n

LHM Highlights “Best Practices” with Other Ministry Leaders by Sarah Cooksey

L

utheran Hour Ministries was front and center in presenting its outreach tools to thousands of pastors and church leaders during February’s Best Practices for Ministry Conference in Phoenix, Arizona. The conference serves as a place where ministries gather to share ideas and resources that will help them grow.

This year’s conference began with a mainstage session in which multiple experts briefly covered the topic of their choosing to a large and excited audience. Rev. Dr. Tony Cook, LHM’s vice president of Global Ministries, discussed the findings from our joint project with Barna Group on Spiritual Conversations in the Digital Age and shared the resources that were produced and driven by this research.

These include Project Connect’s Sharing Jesus bundle, the upcoming novel from Don Everts titled The Reluctant Witness, and the Spiritual Conversation Curve found in our LHM Learn course, Prepared to Respond.

LHM staff also presented during breakout sessions on several topics to boost like-minded ministries

Don’t Forget to Direct Your Thrivent Choice Dollars

by March 31 by Chad Fix With Thrivent Choice, you can recommend where some of Thrivent Financial’s charitable outreach funds go. Since the program’s inception in 2010, eligible members have used this program to direct more than $370 million to nearly 40,000 churches and nonprofits nationwide. The program has been a great blessing for Lutheran Hour Ministries, bringing in more than $1.3 million for ministry!

If you still have Choice Dollars available from 2018, the deadline to designate those 2018 dollars is March 31. Please consider using those blessings to take part in God’s mission to proclaim the Gospel of Jesus Christ worldwide through Lutheran Hour Ministries. Thank you for sharing the Gospel through Thrivent Choice!

Supporting Lutheran Hour Ministries through Thrivent Choice is very simple. Go to 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 web site.

Please remember that you must now go through the gift direction process every time you receive notification that Choice Dollars are available. Thrivent officials eliminated recurring direction of Choice Dollars to organizations in 2012 to ensure that the program continues to be fully funded and allow members to contribute as much as possible to the causes they support. n

searching for outreach tools. Everts led a session about the Spiritual Conversation Curve, Rev. Dr. Jason Broge delved into the EAGER Conversationalist profile, and Cook led a breakout on Spiritually Vibrant Households. In addition, Everts and Rachel Legouté discussed ways in which THRED reaches those who have never been to church or those who have chosen to leave the organized church, and Legouté and Sarah Cooksey spoke about social media audiences and fundraising.

Between sessions, attendees intermingled between information booths to learn more about the represented ministries. LHM staff provided items such as bookmarks, prayer cards, and other outreach materials to anyone wanting to learn more about our mission. They also discussed our 2019 Barna research topic, Households of Faith, and offered the newly-released monograph on the topic to interested laypeople.

“Many individuals approached our table with enthusiasm and praise towards our resources,” says

Broge, LHM’s director of design and development for Global Ministries.

“They were especially excited about the Spiritual Conversation Curve and the positive impact that our recently-released Gospel Adventures: Passport to Peru has on children across the country.”

Best Practices for Ministry takes place each February at Christ Lutheran Church and School in Phoenix (the conference is repeated in the fall in Indiana). Starting at around 400 attendees during its inaugural event in 2012, the conference has grown each year, this year reaching nearly 3,000 registrants representing a wide variety of ministries. The three-day conference is full of breakout sessions, meals, mainstage presentations, and plenty of fun for attendees … and it’s free! The cost of the conference is covered by Christ Lutheran School’s summer camp program, in which all proceeds are given to support Best Practices for Ministry. n Sarah Cooksey is the digital marketing specialist for LHM.

7TH ANNUAL

On April 27, 2019, the seventh annual Men’s NetWork WORK DAY will take place! Join men from around the country as they serve their communities and neighborhoods, targeting needs with outreach.

SIGN UP TODAY at lhm.org/men/workday Registered groups receive FREE ball caps!

SATURDAY, APRIL 27 The Lutheran Layman March - April 2019 | 13

2019 Candidates FOR THE

INTERNATIONAL LUTHERAN LAYMEN’S LEAGUE BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Wendell Lee Kucker of Oakdale, California Kucker has been in the financial services industry for 40 years and is currently senior vice president for Morgan Stanley. A Certified Financial Planner, his focus is on managed money, retirement planning, and corporate money management. Married (two children and seven grandchildren), he earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees from South Dakota State University and a Ph.D. from Michigan State University. A member of LHM’s National Leadership Council, Kucker has served as president and board chair for numerous organizations, including Medical Ambassadors International and Capstone Ministries–Kenya. Congregational participation includes finance/stewardship committees, Bible class teacher, and co-leader of several study tours to Israel.

Michael “Mick” Onnen of Stanton, Nebraska

HAVE A SAY IN WHO REPRESENTS YOU!

BOARD NOMINEES: (listed in alphabetical order; vote for four) The following individuals are this year’s candidates for open positions on the Int’l LLL Board of Directors in compliance with Article III of the current bylaws. Contributing members of the ministry who are registered with Lutheran Hour Ministries’ headquarters by March 15 will be able to vote in the 2019 election, as long as they are also members of a congregation of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod or Lutheran Church—Canada.

Eligible members can register at lhm.org/voter by entering the unique ID and PIN found on the postcard received in February. If you are not able to go online, you may place the postcard in an envelope and mail it back to LHM at 660 Mason Ridge Center Dr., St. Louis, MO 63141.

Individuals returning the postcard in an envelope postmarked by March 15 will receive a paper ballot.

The election runs from April 15 through May 15. To be counted, online votes must be received or paper ballots must be postmarked

by May 15. Results will be reported this summer in The Lutheran Layman.

14 | The Lutheran Layman March - April 2019

Onnen was general manager of a natural resources district for 41 years and handled administration, budgeting, personnel, planning, and legislative matters. A member of the LHM Board, he previously served the LLL at the international level as president, secretary, regional governor, and committee chair. He also was district president, vice president, and special projects chair, as well as zone president, vice president, and secretary. Married with three children and eight grandchildren, Onnen served several roles in his congregation (including chairman and elder). He holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Nebraska and was founder/ president of the Davenport Community Foundation.

Robert “Bob” Rauscher of Scottsdale, Arizona Rauscher’s increasing responsibility with Amoco over 36 years led to group vice president–petroleum products marketing.

His executive duties included sales/marketing operations, strategy development/execution, human resources, and more. A member of LHM’s National Leadership Council, he served on Boards of Regents for Concordia University Chicago (including Foundation chair) and Concordia College Alabama.

He also served on Concordia Seminary’s National Leadership Council. Married, with three children, he has been active in LCMS congregations as president, vice president, elder, and call committee chair. Rauscher received a bachelor’s degree in marketing from Southeast Missouri State University and completed the Management Program at the University of Pittsburgh.

Kurt Senske of Austin, Texas Senske is CEO of Upbring (formerly Lutheran Social Services of the South), a multi-faceted, multi-state, social service agency with nearly 1,000 employees. He previously was assistant to the president for Concordia University–Texas after practicing law and being a political consultant. He was board chair for Thrivent Financial and InFaith Community Foundation and is completing his second term on the LCMS board. Married (one daughter), Senske completed undergraduate studies in business administration at Concordia University—Austin and Valparaiso University. He holds a law degree from the University of Illinois, earned a Ph.D. at the University of Texas, and has authored five books.

Douglas Werth of Arrington, Tennessee Werth worked for a leading international manufacturing corporation for 27 years in progressive leadership positions, including four years as chief auditor with global responsibilities and six years in Hong Kong as chief financial officer of the Asia region. He has served on four Lutheran nonprofit boards (including chair for the Hong Kong International School–LCMS) and has 35 years of church leadership experience. A member of LHM’s National Leadership Council, he has visited more than 60 countries through work and short-term mission trip experiences. Married (father of four), Werth holds a bachelor’s degree in commerce from Washington & Lee University.

Jane Wittlinger of Longboat Key, Florida Wittlinger is a lifelong Lutheran whose father was active in the Lutheran Laymen’s League and spent many summer vacations at LLL conventions. She serves on LHM’s National Leadership Council and has experience in strategic planning, foreign mission trips, fundraising, and special events planning. She earned a bachelor’s degree in education from Valparaiso University, served on its board for 11 years, and received the university’s alumni service award in 1987. She also received a distinguished service award with her husband from Concordia College Alabama. A native of Brooklyn, New York, she loves to think “outside the box” to uncover new strategies.

Impacting Lives with the Gospel through the SENT Initiative by Chad Fix What does it mean to be SENT? It means we have a higher purpose as part of the Body of Christ, called by God to share His redeeming love and equipped as believers to spread hope to those who need it. Lutheran Hour Ministries’ members and partners are setting about this work through the SENT Initiative, an expansive, holistic, multi-layered plan to answer the pressing challenges and realities of sharing the Gospel in the 21st century by bringing greater vision, clarity, and definition to the work we are accomplishing … together!

God has shown us that He can do more through people like you and me than we could ever imagine—if we only allow ourselves to go where He is sending us. With billions of people around the world living without the hope of Christ, declining church membership, and the hesitancy of many believers to share their faith, LHM’s mission of Bringing Christ to the Nations—and the Nations to the Church is more relevant now than ever before.

One by one, the Lord is changing lives through ministry programs which the SENT Initiative is making possible. Like many people living in Cambodia, Rien grew up in an area where people know very little about Christianity. As a principal overseeing three schools, his job is very time consuming. Adding to his stress, he also juggles spending time with his wife and two children with serving as a caretaker for his immobile 85-year-old mother. One day LHM staff stopped by his school to inquire about using the playground for a film showing. As they chatted about the film, he began asking questions about the Gospel. The LHM team provided some materials that sparked a curiosity to learn more. Rien now prays to Jesus daily asking for His guidance in facing life’s challenges and feels more hopeful as he continues to grow in his faith.

Rien is just one example of how you are sharing the Gospel through SENT. To date, the SENT Initiative has raised more than $175 million towards a goal of $242 million that enables LHM to reach more than 128 million individuals each week through broadcasts, literature, education opportunities, and other means. Last year, 546,719 individuals contacted us to learn more about Jesus, receive ministry materials, or receive a referral to a local congregation.

This work is far from done! To learn more, visit lhm.org/sent. Also, watch your mailboxes in the coming weeks for a special package that will share information SENT in Performance Management: about how you can get involved the life-changing work taking place through Plan Years 2015-2020 SENT. Thank you for yourComprehensive continuedStrategic prayers and support. n $25

$50

FUNDS RAISED (IN MILLIONS)

$75

$100

$125

$150

$175

$200

$225

5-YEAR GOAL: $242 million

$175,454,419

73%

(as of 12/31/18)

20

40

WEEKLY GOSPEL REACH (IN MILLIONS)

60

80

100

WEEKLY GOAL: 137 million people*

128,320,386

94%

(as of 12/31/18)

* The 2020 Weekly Gospel Reach goal was increased to 137 million people due to surpassing the original goal of 108 million people.

*The 2020 Weekly Gospel Reach goal was increased to 137 million people due to surpassing the original goal of 108 million.

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)

revised 02/26/19

REACH: A reasoned estimate of the average number of people who listen to, read, view, or 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 March - April 2019 | 15

English, Spanish Lenten Devotions

Speak to God’s Unfailing Love

by Paul Schreiber

T

As we live in this broken world, we remain ‘people of the Passion.’

Jesus lives with us and in us.

People of the Passion LENT 2019

Mobile, audio, and Spanish also available!

16 | The Lutheran Layman March - April 2019

his year’s Lenten devotions, People of the Passion, by Dr. Kari Vo, not only focus on the sublime passion narrative of Christ, they also give readers a broader picture of God at work in the Scriptures. Individual devotions that center on Old Testament characters, along with the well-known cast of New Testament persons, show the continuity of God at work through history.

As such, People of the Passion, available in Spanish as Los personajes de la Pasión, gives readers an enhanced picture of God’s marvelous plan of redemption by tying it back to the earliest chapters of Genesis.

From Adam and Eve and Abraham, to Moses, David, and the prophets, the centuries-long unfurling of God’s plan of salvation comes to light, playing itself out in in the lives of ordinary people, long before the Savior’s birth in Bethlehem.

For those unfamiliar with the events of Lent, Vo’s devotional approach provides fresh perspective on how, immediately after man’s fall into sin, God provided a way—the only way possible—for mankind’s return to God (see Genesis 3:15).

Already, after our rebellion had alienated us completely, the Father was pointing to the cross of Christ with this Garden of Eden announcement.

Through the centuries, it gave hope to the children of Israel that one day, “when the fulness of time had come” (see Galatians 4:4-7), God’s Son would be born, and He would bear our griefs and carry our sorrows (see Isaiah 53).

It’s easy to look at Lent, like Advent, as sort of a singular event that took place and is now finished, so to speak. Vo was asked how it is we can continue on as God’s people of the Passion, going forward as hope-filled believers in the world?

“Jesus’ Passion is not just something that happened ‘way back then, as people say. It’s like a spring of water from which a river flows, even to our lives today in the

world. As we live in this broken world, we remain ‘people of the Passion.’ Jesus lives with us and in us. When we suffer, He bears that suffering with us. When He triumphs over death and evil, we are also victorious.

And that is true no matter how limited our lives are—whether we make decisions that affect millions of other people, or whether our lives are confined to the boundaries of four square walls. Jesus is living with us, in us, and through us—and that makes all the difference. We are never alone,” Vo said.

Lenten devotions—and all the devotions LHM produces—are excellent resources to share with others. Each day’s devotion throughout the year features a link to Bible Gateway with Scripture references, so readers can begin a daily reading of God’s Word. Seasonal devotions include the added feature of three reflection questions, allowing readers to consider the message and its personal application from another angle.

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 also begins Ash Wednesday 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 will be available to read or hear online, or as a daily email through the Lenten season.

A customizable print version became available for download in January. Audio has been provided by Rev. Hector Hoppe.

Please go to paraelcamino.com/cuaresma.

Remember, too, you can now read the Daily Devotions in Spanish by going to paraelcamino.com/alimentodiario.asp.

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

THRED Gains Traction at InterVarsity Mission Conference W “Our goals were to network hen better to get college students, professors, ministry leaders, and others interested in outreach together than during Christmas break? That’s part of the strategy behind the most recent InterVarsity Urbana Student Missions Conference. It was held in St. Louis on December 27-31, 2018, and attended by more than 15,000 people, including a few from Lutheran Hour Ministries.

In addition to insights from dozens of seminars, Bible studies, morning and evening sessions, and informal chitchat along the way, there was a cornucopia of resources and information available on everything from campus ministry and college/ seminary programs to media ministry, church planting, and Bible translation. For LHM, the conference was an excellent venue to highlight THRED, its expanding online social media ministry. Dedicated to encouraging an “open and honest conversation about life, faith, and Jesus,” the philosophy of THRED was well-suited to minds interested in discussing issues on religion and God and life and death.

For Rachel Legouté, manager of digital development for LHM’s Global Ministries division, it was her first time at the conference. “Our goals were to network with people from InterVarsity (IV) and other ministries, recruit 15 Facebook volunteers for THRED, and get our brand name out in front of a broader Christian audience,” she said. “People were very curious about THRED’s ethos and its intentionality of fostering healthy conversations, and they

liked our new Spiritual Conversation Curve cards, too. There were more than 11,000 college-aged students at the conference from around the world, and we left the conference with 115 leads for THRED volunteers; this far surpassed our expectations with participation in this event,” she added.

For Don Everts, content development manager for Global Ministries at LHM, the InterVarsity Conference showed him how essential the work being done on THRED is—and how important it is to make people aware of its mission.

“It was a joy to hear one student from Fresno light up when he realized what THRED was doing. He told me he had a passion and gifts for digital conversations. In fact, he’d been walking around the missions conference, asking God all week: ‘Is there any way You can use me?’

Then he noticed our display and was thrilled with what he saw. Please, please, get in touch with me! I haven’t seen any other organization that is doing what you are doing,’” Everts said.

Post conference, both Everts and Legouté saw anew how critical it is for THRED team members to gain the knowledge and tools necessary to connect with people and to build bridges for sharing the Gospel. There’s an art to effective digital communication, and both sensitivity and savviness are good character traits when engaging online audiences. Those characteristics, along with generous hours of prayer, are essential when the task is as important as sharing the timeless Good News of Jesus.

It was a fitting close to 2018—a year of real growth and development for THRED. The IV Urbana Student Missions Conference, with its energized attendance of students and faculty, pastors, church and ministry leaders, as well as mission schools and organizations, was an ideal venue to showcase THRED which, though only two years old, continues to show a promising future. n

by Paul Schreiber

with people from InterVarsity and other ministries, recruit 15 Facebook volunteers for THRED, and get our brand name out in front of a broader Christian audience.”

The Lutheran Layman March - April 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

Unwanted by his father, Marcos has known rejection and pain from a young age. Heartache continued once he married and had children. One son died young, while another departed the family for another country. They haven’t heard from him in a long time. Marcos’ wife sank into deep depression and turned to alcohol for comfort. Treatment for her addiction was unsuccessful and she soon passed away.

Yet Marcos’ heartache continued with the worst ordeal a parent can know: His daughter died, leaving behind a son and daughter. Both children were orphans before their fifth birthdays.

Marcos’ life hit rock bottom. He struggled alone. Without a church, he had no place to look for answers. Fearing he couldn’t be the grandfather his grandchildren would need him to be, Marcos prepared to give them up for adoption.

Then, Marcos heard a radio spot from Lutheran Hour Ministries. Desperate for help, he contacted the ministry staff. As they shared Christ’s love with him, Marcos grew hopeful … and decided to keep his grandchildren in his care.

Working through the LHM staff and its radio programming, the Holy Spirit brought Marcos restoration. Today, he lives with his daughters—and grandchildren—in the town of Pirayú.

PARAGUAY

Ndérem is a 64-year-old farmer who has lived his life with no knowledge of the Christian faith. He first learned about Jesus when he came across an outreach activity hosted by volunteers of LHM– Cameroon on the outskirts of the capital city of Yaoundé.

He became interested in the messages shared by volunteers and soon registered for the ministry’s Bible Correspondence Courses. As he began to learn more about the Gospel, he decided to join the on-site Bible studies hosted by the volunteers at their local church.

Ndérem’s life is gradually changing through the teachings of our Lord Jesus Christ. “I have come to understand that living without Christ is senseless” he says, confessing that a good part of his life has been dedicated to worldly things. “It is time for me to turn to Jesus and try to live under His holy name.”

Ndérem continues to study the Bible and read Christian literature provided by LHM–Cameroon as he moves toward getting baptized.

UNITED STATES

Baiba is a 30-year-old woman who is married and the mother of two girls. But her marriage has not always been smooth.

“When I got married, I was very young,” she says. “I thought marriage was a magic wand where everything becomes perfect. Back then, I didn’t realize you have to work on your marriage, build your family step-bystep, and, most of all, be humble.”

One Sunday she came across a program on the radio called “The Little Truths” sponsored by LHM– Latvia that was discussing family relationships. As she listened, she couldn’t believe what she was hearing—she started to understand that she had been putting her needs and opinions first.

“To be honest, at first I was very mad,” she says. “As days passed, I kept thinking about the program and wanted to have answers. But it was hard to admit that I had been doing something wrong.”

She looked up the program on the internet and called to ask for more information. LHM staff sent her several brochures about family, relationships, parenting—and building a loving relationship with God. “I still have my ups and downs,” Baiba says. “But I have peace and strength in my heart that I haven’t known before. I know now that I’m not a failure or a bad wife. I am human—a human loved by God!”

Young Akila’s life nearly ended as harmful choices caused her to spiral into darkness. Akila couldn’t find hope or peace. Struggles overwhelmed her and left her brokenhearted. Finally, she reached a point of despair but couldn’t find the courage to confide in anyone.

She bottled up her sorrow and soon considered ending her life.

Amid those suicidal thoughts, she heard about a youth event hosted by LHM in Sri Lanka. Since childhood, she had heard about Jesus but wasn’t interested in Him. However, Akila decided to attend this event because she needed hope.

The Lord healed her broken heart that day.

Akila tells us God has given her new hope. He used the Good News she heard at the LHM–Sri Lanka event to strengthen her. In the days that followed, the Lord helped her face the issues that had intimidated her.

Today, Akila approaches her days with fresh perspective. She shares Christ’s love with her friends and neighbors. Best of all, this girl—once brokenhearted— now praises God for the change His grace has wrought in her life. n

CAMEROON

LATVIA

18 | The Lutheran Layman March - April 2019

John was a college freshman when his girlfriend, who he was convinced God intended for him to marry, left him. The loneliness, combined with the frequent hazing and stress often associated with starting college, led him to fall into a deep struggle with pornography. He felt God had abandoned him in his time of darkness before he came across the sermon archive for The Lutheran Hour while searching the internet.

“I found light in the sermons while listening at all hours of many sleepless nights,” says John. “Eventually God walked me out of my darkness, and I regained the love of my life and was able to move away from my addiction to pornography.

God truly used The Lutheran Hour as a tool to change my life, and His plan is bringing me far more riches than I could ever hope to see by my own design.”

SRI LANKA

Men’s NetWork GIVES BACK Event Scores Big

by Paul Schreiber

Trobust participation for our first GIVES

he Men’s NetWork was inspired by the

BACK event. Held between Thanksgiving and Christmas of last year, we encouraged men’s groups to reach out and help those who needed it during the holiday season. It was a chance for guys to pay it forward in response to all the blessings they receive from God through the year.

Our suggestion list included things like giving back to a men’s or women’s shelter; offering car winterizing services; helping out at a veterans hospital; or providing toys to kids who wouldn’t get them.

To put a bit of healthy competition into the GIVES BACK event, we included a little contest with three winning categories: 1) most creative service idea; 2) most community-oriented project; 3) best “holiday-themed” dressed group.

Winners in each group would receive $150 Amazon gift card to use how they choose. We received some excellent entries and saw some great work accomplished; we also came away with three distinct winners.

For the most creative service idea, the winner is Men Celebrate Jesus from Celebration Lutheran Church in Seymour, Tennessee (pictured, top left). Dean Hempel writes, “Since our church is located on the route of the Annual Seymour Christmas Parade, we decided to take advantage of the traffic and exposure to our community. This year was the 25th annual parade to benefit local families in need. Teachers selected families based on their familiarity with students in the community. Our men’s group, Men Celebrate Jesus, decided to have canopies and tables along the parade route and serve up some brats, hot dogs, and kraut to help raise funds for the same cause.

Local business participation helped with food and publicity. This event helped share the Good News of Jesus in our community, provided an outreach for our church, and served those less-fortunate families in our community.” Hempel noted the unofficial tally showed that more than 80 families had been assisted and at least $500 had been raised.

The winner of the most community-oriented project was Concordia Men’s Ministry at Concordia Lutheran Church in Kirkwood, Missouri (pictured,

It was a chance for guys to pay it forward in response to all the blessings they receive from God through the year.

“… people received more than turkey and trimmings that day.”

top right). For the fourth year, the group’s “Turkey Blessing” made a huge impact on families in the St. Louis area through its distribution of 1,000 Thanksgiving dinners (frozen turkey, stuffing, green beans, gravy and potatoes). The event had the markings of a well-oiled machine. More than 200 volunteers helped with the packing, hauling, and delivery of the dinners. One-on-one connections took place with volunteers interacting with drivers and passengers waiting in line and even offering to pray with them, if requested. Beyond the 1,000 meals given away by Concordia, 250 more were given to four other St. Louis organizations: All Nations Church in University City, Christian Friends of New Americans, Caring Ministries, and People of the Book Lutheran Outreach. The group’s volunteers were really impressed by the ministry taking place alongside the vehicles; “people received more than turkey and trimmings that day.”

The best “holiday-themed” dressed group went to the men and women volunteers of Shepherd of the Hills Lutheran Church in Horseshoe Bend, Arkansas (pictured, bottom). Their Men’s Prayer Breakfast

Group joined local and church volunteers to do the “Community Christmas Basket Project.” “These folks wrapped gifts for 314 children and packed food baskets for 146 families in the Izard County area,” said Rev. David Tews. “The group then distributed them to area schools and homes. We gave out the black-knitted GIVES BACK caps to the volunteers, and the local Roman Catholic priest, a native of India, wore his in the food-boxing assembly line. More than 30 people participated, and another group delivered them later that week,” he added. As you can see, this team of volunteers showed some lively Christmas spirit and sported sweaters, scarfs, reindeer antlers, and stocking caps as befit the season. Needless to say, the gentleman at left stole the show with his finely tailored suit of festive colors, matching trousers, and splendid necktie.

Our thanks to each and every group that took time to participate in the Men’s NetWork GIVES BACK event.

The weeks between Christmas and Thanksgiving are busy for everyone, but what a difference it makes to take some time and help those who could really use a blessing during that season—and a chance to experience the love of God in action. n The Lutheran Layman March - April 2019 | 19

Photos of individuals, courtesy of Sarah Cooksey.

The first day felt like a dream coming to life.

An Amazing Experience to Share the Gospel

B

eing a relatively new employee to Lutheran Hour Ministries, I am always eager to seek out opportunities and events that will teach me more about the vast ways this organization succeeds at reaching millions of people with the Gospel message of Jesus Christ. The first time I felt I got a full view of LHM’s impact was at our SENT Event last August at the Pfister Hotel in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Over the course of three days, I was submerged in everything LHM, learning a new piece of the puzzle every hour and noticing just how large and expansive our mission to touch lives with Jesus really is. I view my recent experience at the Tournament of Roses Parade similarly. This trip was an opportunity for me to absorb several new angles in which LHM is reaching far and wide with the Light of Christ.

When given the opportunity to cover the 2019 Rose Parade for LHM’s social media channels (Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram), I quickly jumped onboard, excited to help and observe the spectacle I had seen on television for many years from my living room. The first day felt like a dream coming to life. I tend to stop and linger around the fresh flower bundles at the supermarket, and this was an entirely new level of excitement. I was snapping every photo I could think of to try and convey the massive amounts of flowers, plants, seeds, and, most importantly, volunteers it took to sustain just one day of float-building within the warehouse.

Thousands of volunteers work tirelessly day and night to cut stems, place roses on foam palettes, carry the palettes to the allocated float, place the appropriate flowers in their section on the float, apply small beans to create text and logos, and so much more. The attention to detail and the large-scale decorations blew me away and I wanted to ensure our audience could view this experience from a firsthand point of view.

Phoenix Decorating Company is the warehouse in California where the 4,500 Petal Pushers volunteers assemble not only the 3-D living masterpiece known as

the Lutheran Hour Ministries float, but also eight other floats to help the LHM Float Committee receive a discount on the LHM float. It is also home to an additional dozen or so floats that are featured in the parade, giving LHM a unique opportunity to witness to thousands inside the building before ever hitting the parade route. The Petal Pushers sell apparel with the LHM float and message on the back of each shirt.

Volunteers are required to have a shirt to participate in decorating, meaning you see the LHM float hundreds of times a day just on the back of shirts.

The Petal Pushers, through the leadership of the Southern California district of the International Lutheran Laymen’s League, also provide invaluable opportunities to put up banners and an outreach booth, equipped with information and knowledgeable volunteers. With the outreach booth placed at the entrance of the warehouse, anyone walking in to volunteer, work, or take a tour of the facility is exposed to the LHM mission, Bringing Christ to the Nations—and the Nations to the Church. Additionally, the “Behind the Scenes” party, a fundraising dinner to promote the float with guests and volunteers the evening when decorating is finalized, is flooded with LHM banners about The Lutheran Hour, our priorities, and our other outreach tools. All of this together demonstrates that thousands of people are gaining a hearing for the mission of LHM before the floats even leave the building thanks to the efforts of Dick and Lynn Gast, (Dick is general chair of the LHM Float Committee and Lynn is chair of the Petal Pushers).

The Rose Parade was something like a scene from the movie “La La Land” …

20 | The Lutheran Layman March - April 2019

by Sarah Cooksey

Photo courtesy of the Petal Pushers.

Unveiling Households of Faith

My hope and prayer are that this message continues to spread like wildfire …

After days of executing the precise process of decorating our float “Joy to the World,” judgment time was upon us. Prior to the judging period, Rev. Dr. Michael Zeigler invited all Petal Pushers to a special worship service in front of the float full of song and scripture as tours and volunteers mingled about the building. Once the awarding judges were finished, it was time for the floats to start their journey to Pasadena for the parade.

The Rose Parade was something like a scene from the movie “La La Land,” with lights, cameras, and performers around every corner of the palm tree lined streets in California. Around one million people filled the stands and stood along the sidewalks waiting for the pomp and circumstance to begin.

Television producers recorded shots of excited crowd members, interviewed children, and gathered their needs for the networks. To think that Lutheran Hour Ministries can witness to such a large group of people LIVE in this parade is incredible. Beyond the stands, I was thinking about the little boys and girls sitting in front of their TVs just like I have done so many times in my living room and then one million seemed like an even smaller number.

God works in wonderful ways to reach those who don’t know Him. LHM will not rest until we have found every avenue in which we can spread this life-saving message. Being at the Rose Parade, though, it seemed like a huge event impacting an even larger mass of people but, in perspective, it is just one small way LHM is sharing the Gospel message to change lives. My hope and prayer are that this message continues to spread like wildfire, the efforts of LHM can continue to grow, and more people will learn to live and love like Jesus. n

LHM hosted a watch party at its headquarters Feb. 26 for St. Louis-area ministry partners and supporters to watch a webcast introducing its research findings in partnership with Barna Group about Households of Faith. The webcast explained: • The rituals and relationships that make a spiritually vibrant household; • How different households grow faith—regardless of household type or season of life; • The different ways fathers and mothers influence faith formation; • How faith heritage shapes beliefs in adulthood; • How churches and ministries can help create healthy homes; and • Practical insights for both parents and pastors.

In addition to LHM’s watch party, nearly 4,000 people registered through Barna’s website to watch the webcast at other locations throughout North America.

If you missed the initial viewing on Feb. 26, you can watch the archived webcast at lhm.org/households. n

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 March - April 2019 | 21

Sharing the

Joy of Christmas

Around the World by Chad Fix

LHM TV Specials Hit High Airing Mark for Christmas, Easter Looks Promising by Paul Schreiber

D

uring Advent and the Christmas holidays for 2018 there were more than 1,250 airings of Lutheran Hour Ministries’ television programs around the country, showing once again how these Christian-themed programs are perennial favorites with kids and parents alike.

“All six Christmas shows ran for a total of 1,258 airings,” said Sharmon Perschbacher, syndication specialist for LHM. “This has been the most airings to date for the Christmas season. We have our specials playing on major media outlets such as the 24-hour Smile of a Child TV network operated

by Trinity Broadcasting NetWork, The Walk TV Network, The Inspiration Networks, as well as several locally owned stations throughout the country. Their feedback is most encouraging, and they are pleased to air these programs, which LHM provides to them at no charge,” she added.

Among LHM’s six Christmas-based programs, Red Boots for Christmas, The Puzzle Club Christmas Mystery, Little Shepherd, and the Emmy Awardwinning The Stableboy’s Christmas are solid holiday favorites. Each features an engaging story creatively told with uplifting takeaways for viewers that bring to the fore God’s love as shown in the Christmas message of Jesus’ birth.

“Even though these wonderful programs have aired for years, viewers both young and old can learn anew of the love of Jesus each time they see these specials. And what’s more, they play well across the board, too. For instance, we have media outlets like the Catholic Diocese of Pittsburgh running them, along with many other stations having no religious affiliation whatsoever,” Perschbacher said.

The Easter season will see three more LHM specials being aired around the country: The Puzzle Club Easter Adventure, Easter Is (45th season), and 3 Days (35th season). For those new to Easter Is, it features the characters of Benji and Waldo, the longtime stars of this animated 30-minute special

that’s been an Easter staple for nearly a half century.

As with LHM’s Christmas specials, these programs will likewise be broadcast by stations around the country.

Throughout its 100-plus year history, LHM has been on the cutting-edge in using technology to share the Gospel. From radio’s early days in the 1920s and ‘30s and the emergence of The Lutheran Hour as a religious broadcast phenomenon, the proclamation of Jesus over the airwaves has been a constant. In the decades that followed, the wide-sweeping popularity of television gave rise to numerous Lutheran-based productions. These featured kids-oriented shows (dramas, animated specials); programs geared to young adult and older audiences (talk shows, documentaries); and even the long-running TV series, This is the Life, developed by Lutheran Television Productions, which aired on commercial TV stations from 1952 to 1988.

In fact, This is the Life is once again airing weekly on stations in the upper Midwest in cooperation with Main Street Living, a 30-minute program based in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. Dutch Te Slaa, executive director of Main Street Living, reports that episodes can now be seen in eight markets, with a recent expansion into Minneapolis. Te Slaa reports a total of 20 markets are planned with two additional markets to be added by the end of 2019.

“The success over the years of LHM’s rich catalog of television specials is undeniable,” said Jim Arand, LHM’s manager for audio development. “While personal media devices like cell phones, laptops, and home computers appear to be here to stay, our televisions are household fixtures as irreplaceable as are our refrigerators or living room sofas. With that kind of preset viewer potential, LHM’s Christmas and Easter TV specials can become seasonal favorites for an ever-widening audience. These programs, with their traditional flavor and timeless message, are too good to miss.” n

“… These programs, with their traditional flavor and timeless message, are too good to miss.”

22 | The Lutheran Layman March - April 2019

The Christmas season is recognized as the most likely time of the year for non-Christians to consider matters of faith. From the carols that are sung to the nativity scenes that are set up to the imagery on the front of Christmas cards, Jesus is placed front and center in our cultural eye. The season also provided LHM ministry centers around the world with more opportunities to give unchurched people the gift of the Gospel than any other time of the year.

Staff and volunteers in Thailand hosted their annual Christmas outreach program in nine government schools to explain the true meaning of Christmas to teachers and students. Through a two-hour program including songs, an English activity, a viewing of the Red Boots for Christmas animated video, and more, the ministry team presented the Gospel message to more than 4,000 primary and middle school students.

LHM–Ethiopia staff and volunteers ended 2018 by hosting a joyous Christmas celebration filled with songs of praise, messages sharing the Word of God, and the distribution of oil, flour, and soap to people in need. The event proved to be practical and timely by encouraging participants to live a Christian lifestyle and teaching them to how pray.

In Guatemala, a local television network aired Little Shepherd and Red Boots for Christmas on a Sunday morning to share the meaning of Christmas with viewing families. Volunteers passed out flyers throughout major cities to promote the airings and distributed headbands that included the LHM–Guatemala phone number so people could call to receive a children’s coloring book. Adults stopping by the ministry center received an Advent devotional booklet.

Volunteers in Kazakhstan shared the joy of the season by purchasing gifts for hundreds of children in local orphanages and medical centers. Each gift included materials that shared more about the love of Christ and the hope He provides in their time of need.

Staff also partnered with a local church to host an event for children and adults that included a tea party, decorations, prayer, Christmas carols, and a program sharing the story of Christmas. n

Valued Partnerships Move Ministry Forward

Partnerships are vital to ministry.

by Lorri Hackett

P

artnerships are vital to ministry. They allow us to create new resources and widen the networks through which our resources are shared. While Lutheran Hour Ministries embraces new partnerships, we recognize and value the long-standing relationships that have been nurtured over the years within our church body.

One of the most critical of those relationships is with our seminaries—Concordia Seminary in St. Louis, Missouri, and Concordia Theological Seminary in Ft. Wayne, Indiana. Over the years LHM has had visibility on campus by providing lunch for incoming students and hosting a banquet for concluding students on both campuses. We have had LHM leadership represented at conferences and symposia and are always supportive through LHM presence at campus events. We hold these relationships in high esteem. However, over the past year we have taken a closer look at our engagement with both campuses and have intentionally sought out ways that we can broaden our partnership and increase LHM awareness among these students. After all, these are exactly the people who will make use of our products within their congregations.

Part of this new seminary engagement strategy includes collaboration with Concordia Seminary– St. Louis to offer continuing education credits for participation in LHM programming. Beginning in January 2019, CEUs (Continuing Education Units) are being offered by Concordia Seminary St. Louis for workshops, webinars, and online courses developed

by LHM. Anyone interested in this opportunity should contact Erika Bennett in the Office of Continuing Education at ce@csl.edu or 314-505-7286 for more information on how to obtain these units.

We’ve also created new opportunities that capitalize on our three-year partnership with Barna Group and the resulting research. In order to share the critical findings, LHM is hosting workshops on both St. Louis and Ft. Wayne seminary campuses in 2019. This year’s theme, Households of Faith, looks at what factors work together to create vibrant households who grow together, practice hospitality, and share their faith with those around them and the next generation. The workshops will explore faith heritages and history, the state of Christian households today and building vibrant households of faith.

The first workshop will be held on Saturday, March 16 from 11:30 a.m. – 4 p.m. in Luther Hall at Concordia Theological Seminary in Ft. Wayne. We are excited to host the workshop on campus for faculty, staff, and students as well as local church and lay leaders. If you are interested in registering for this event, visit lhm.org/barna2019 for more information.

This workshop, led by LHM’s Vice President of Global Ministries Rev. Dr. Tony Cook, is just one of several LHM/LLL sponsored events in the Ft. Wayne area that weekend. Dr. Cook will also be keynoting at the concluding seminarian banquet on Friday evening and at the area’s community prayer breakfast on Saturday morning prior to hosting the workshop on campus.

We are committed to continued creation of high-quality resources based on research of what people need—not just what we assume they want.

On August 3, 2019, Concordia Seminary in St. Louis will hold their annual Summer Lay Bible Institute at which Households of Faith will be the focus. The event will be held in the Clara and Spencer Werner Auditorium in Wyneken Hall and is open to the public. Registration for this event will be available after April 1, so be sure to check csl.edu/resources/ continuing-education/lay-bible-institute/ for updated information.

Finding ways to have an ongoing presence on both campuses is a continued focus for LHM. Opportunities like hosting coffee after chapel or setting up an exhibit table in the dining hall during lunch are just a few of the ways we are working to get LHM resources in front of students and introduce them to all we have to offer. The most critical purpose for this is to educate students, faculty, and staff about the many ways LHM can come alongside them in their personal faith walk and help equip them and their congregations for outreach into the future. We are committed to continued creation of high-quality resources based on research of what people need— not just what we assume they want. That makes our content incredibly relevant for the issues many of these students will face no matter what type of ministry they are called to in the future.

Partnerships are a crucial part of moving ministry forward. At Lutheran Hour Ministries we will continue to seek out the most relevant and strategic relationships for the creation and distribution of our resources as we continue our work in Bringing Christ to the Nations—and the Nations to the Church. n Lorri Hackett serves as associate director of strategic engagement for Lutheran Hour Ministries.

The Lutheran Layman March - April 2019 | 23

A Simple Opportunity to Help Both Your Family and LHM

by Chad Fix

I

f only life required us to answer one question at a time—things would be easy. But it just doesn’t work that way. Every day there are so many questions that need to be addressed:

• What will I do today?

• How will I pay for it?

• How will I provide for the people I care about?

• How can I support the causes I care about?

It’s enough to overwhelm most any person, but there are ways to simplify your life. If you ask the question of “How can I provide for myself and my family?”, then a charitable gift annuity (CGA) may be a good option to consider.

A charitable gift annuity is an irrevocable financial agreement that provides regular payments to you for the rest of your life. Here’s how it works when you establish a CGA through Lutheran Hour Ministries: 1. You make a gift with assets such as cash, appreciated stock, or appreciated mutual funds.

2. Based on the terms of your charitable gift annuity, Lutheran Hour Ministries will guarantee a stream of income for the duration of up to two lives. You may also be eligible for a tax deduction for your gift today.

3. Once the terms of the CGA come to an end, the remainder of the funds can go to support Gospel outreach through Lutheran Hour Ministries. This future gift is where the charitable aspect comes into play. Your forward-looking actions will make a lasting impact on the Lord’s work, even after you have gone to Heaven.

If you ask the question of “How can I provide for myself and my family?”, then a charitable gift annuity (CGA) may be a good option to consider.

If this sounds simple, that’s the whole idea! Charitable gift annuities are simpler than many other types of planned gifts and often require only a simple contract to execute the agreement between you and Lutheran Hour Ministries.

You can set up a charitable gift annuity with as little as $5,000!

If you aspire to support Gospel ministry into the future, but need to provide for loved ones today, Lutheran Hour Ministries would be glad to talk with you about whether a charitable gift annuity is the right option. We can even provide you with a personalized illustration at no cost or obligation to you.

As you pray over this opportunity, please feel free to contact our gift planning staff to learn more at 1-877-333-1963 or lhm-gift@lhm.org, or go online to lhm.org/giftplan. n

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.

lhm.org/lent 24 | The Lutheran Layman March - April 2019