The Lutheran Layman

THE

LUTHERAN L AYMAN Your Partner in HIS Mission!

May - June 2016

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Serving Through Servant Leadership . . . . . . . . .7 Two New Booklets . . . . . . . . . .8 Pursuing Digital Missions . . . . 14 Ramp Building, Texas Style . . . 19 New Ministry Center in Paraguay . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 The Big Celebration is Near! . . 24

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

St. Louis, MO. Permit No. 619

PAID

Non-Profit Org. U.S. Postage

SPEAKINGUP

by Rev. Dr. Gregory Seltz Speaker of The Lutheran Hour

All TIMES, All PLACES, All PLATFORMS “Preach the Word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction.” (2 Timothy 4:2)

A

s I write this, I just returned from a convention in Nashville, Tennessee, where virtually every radio, TV, and Internet speaker or leader in Christian broadcasting in America gathered.

It was called the NRB, the National Religious Broadcasters’ convention. There were compelling presentations and sectionals, of course, on almost every topic you could think of. But what truly got my attention was the exhibition section of the convention where broadcasters, production companies, and ministry tech companies gathered to show their stuff.

When you walked into that exhibition area, you were first met by an 11-foot robot that personally welcomed you. Then there were exhibits with wallThe enduring sized TV screens, laser significance light shows, and HD of our work is video cameras at every the Jesus we turn. Radio broadcasters proclaim with were producing their programs “live” amidst His message the activity. And Franklin of Grace alone, Graham’s fully equipped through Faith traveling bus for his “pray alone … for America” tour was right there as well. At first thought, you might think that much has changed since The Lutheran Hour first went on radio so many years ago. Or has it?

Into the future of broadcasting, we are going.

It’s a multiplatform world of radio, TV, and digital media. It is a wonderful time of new opportunities for the work we do here at LHM. But the enduring power of our ministry is the unique message we preach. The enduring significance of our work is

L AYMAN

the Jesus we proclaim with His message of Grace alone, through Faith alone; His message of Law and Gospel, the power of God’s Word at work; with His Life and Death as the Crucified and Risen one who still comes through words, water, bread, and wine to bring us HIS forgiveness, life, and salvation as a gift! In some ways, nothing has changed at all. There are new opportunities to proclaim the Good News of our Lord Jesus, yes, but the power of God to do that well still is a “His Word at work” proposition.

At the convention, I was privileged to experience the very truth of that statement when I was blessed to receive an award from the Bott Radio Network, a network that offered us the “Billy Graham” time slot for our cherished program The Lutheran Hour, 8:00 a.m. Sunday mornings, on all 103 of its radio stations around the country. I said to those gathered at the Bott Radio Network breakfast what I share with you now: “We at The Lutheran Hour and Lutheran Hour Ministries are committed to sharing the message of Jesus Christ who can change a person’s life with a word and transform a person’s heart with His merciful touch of Grace. We preach Him and not ourselves, and we will do that until He comes again, or until He takes us home.”

So, when it comes to the future, bring it on. We’re ready—well, in Him we are ready for whatever opportunities He brings at all times, in all places— and yes, even on all platforms. God Bless. n

Hear Rev. Dr. Gregory Seltz on The Lutheran Hour and online at www.lhm.org!

YOUR PARTNER

IN PROCLAIMING

THE GOSPEL

The Lutheran

Vol. 87, No. 3 May - June 2016

Dr. Gerald Perschbacher (LL.D.), Editor • Denis Kloppenburg & Andrea Thompson, Layout Subscription: $5. Printed bi-monthly. Send color photos for use. Photos sent to the paper may not be returned. Lutheran Hour Ministries, The Lutheran Hour®, Bringing Christ to the Nations, BCTN, This is the Life, Ayer, Hoy y Siempre, Cristo Para Todas Las Naciones, Esta Es La Vida, Para el Camino, and The Hoffmann Society are ® registered marks, or SM service marks. The Puzzle Club is a service mark and trademark of Int’l LLL. All rights reserved, 2016 Int’l LLL. LHM Response Center: 1-800-876-9880

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

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The Lutheran Layman May - June 2016

LHM.ORG

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christian shift and You

By Gerald Perschbacher

T All these do not necessarily point to a LACK of Christian principles, but the frequency and severity of the shift in social mores may be a symptom of the lessening of a Christian mindset and active presence on the continent.

HERE IS A SHIFT IN THE CHRISTIAN PRESENCE IN NORTH AMERICA. You may have sensed it. Society is not as “Christian” as it had been. Communications have become bolder, brasher, and bawdier. Sexual innuendoes abound, word choices are more pointed even bordering on the argumentative, and some say a basic respect for people has waned. All these do not necessarily point to a LACK of Christian principles, but the frequency and severity of the shift in social mores may be a symptom of the lessening of a Christian mindset and active presence on the continent.

Christianity “by the numbers” has declined, according to pollsters. There was a nearly eightpercent drop in the Christian share of the United States population over a seven-year period (2007 to 2014), according to the Pew Research Center (2014 Religious Landscape Study conducted June 4 to September 30 of 2014).

Mainline Christian denominations have faced the greatest drop. Established Protestant denominations have had an accumulative dip of 3.4% while the Catholic dip amounted to a more modest 3.1%, according to the study. On the “up” side, people who consider themselves as “unaffiliated Christians” have increased by 6.7%.

The Pew Research Center noted that the United States is home to more Christians than any other nation but that the number of people who

consider themselves to be agnostic, atheist, or just nothing in particular has risen from 16.1% to 22.8%.

People of non-Christian faiths including Hindus and followers of Islam are now at 5.9% (up from 4.7%).

People in North America are searching for security while enjoying the freedom to explore. A faith structure can provide a good degree of security, although some are based on legalism and strict practices that impinge on an individual’s feeling of freedom. However organized religion may be seen by longtime residents in Canada and the United States, there appears to be a growing segment of people who are aggressively expressive in their desires, who wish to be free from restrictions whether social or religious, and who may not be prone to follow longestablished practices of previous generations.

The percentages may seem small but do some calculating by playing straight percentages. Out of 35,000 people polled, more than 2,700 are no longer professing Christians. Out of every 10 people you can predict that 7 of them are Christian. The question is, will that number continue to decline? If it declines, what happens to the principles of Christianity that have nurtured society for centuries? The following question may be even more important to ask: How many Christians are firm in their faith and willing to share the Word of God according to His good and gracious will?

Change is Slow or Abrupt Over the years, shifts in the directions of populations have been slow or abrupt. Germany faced massive population movements following its division in the immediate post-World War Two era.

Estimates vary but as many as 14 million Germans see next page The Lutheran Layman May - June 2016

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fled from what became known as communist East Germany, Poland, and other areas in favor of being refugees casting their futures on democratic West Germany and Austria. Abrupt and massive moves of populations overly stressed governments and social structures. The simple acts of finding food and housing, let alone jobs, became horrendous. In the midst of such situations even the strongest Christians may have wavered in their faith.

Population shifts continue today. The Middle East is plagued with skirmishes and battles centering on Syria, and its people seek shelter in stable lands across their borders. What is in their future? Much the same may be said of Islamic states and diverse cultures constrained by borders and military might in realms of fear.

Shifts in disciplines can result. If persons who had earned doctorates and who held high-paying jobs in one country, then face disruption of that country’s

economy and social fabric through turmoil (either military, political, or by way of disaster), they may only be able to find a low-end, entrylevel job if they flee to another country. There they may earn far below their former level of income. Lives become radically changed. Ties with relatives may be torn asunder.

Interestingly, not all shifts bring despair.

Consider the Roman Empire. Christianity was seen as a dangerous belief well before the year 100 A.D. Its followers were persecuted even up to gruesome death. Why? Because social and political mindsets felt threatened by the advance of the religion.

There were shifts in populations, too, as families fled persecution. By God’s grace as the years advanced, the Christian faith took hold while formerly long-standing humanistic faith-practices declined. During the time Constantine was emperor (306 to 337 A.D.), Christianity became legal and openly gained widespread use.

What resulted was a shift to positive morals and a bent toward philanthropic responsibilities to meet the needs of others.

Be Equipped and Ready !

Lutheran Hour Ministries is no newcomer to Gospel outreach.

Since the first broadcast of The Lutheran Hour in October of 1930, LHM is the active expression of the motivated laity of the International Lutheran Laymen’s League formed in 1917. Today the laity of all ages plus pastors, teachers, and commissioned ministers can benefit from the wealth of resources available through LHM. Some of these are free or available at little cost as a means to keep the outreach going and growing.

Here are options for sharing your faith that you can implement via LHM at www.lhm.org: 4

The Lutheran Layman May - June 2016

+ As the year progresses, there will

be seasonal devotional booklets for Advent and Lent available to read or download for your congregation to distribute. Share the resource! Alert your congregation to the opportunity!

Tell your friends and relatives when the seasons draw near.

+ Listen to Daily Devotions prepared

by staff members of Lutheran Hour Ministries, including our Speaker Emeritus Pastor Ken Klaus of The Lutheran Hour. There are printed and audio versions for your edification and to be used as tools to draw others to the Gospel. Make a list of your e-savvy friends and family who can benefit spiritually through your encouragement to get these Daily Devotions.

+ The LHM Men’s NetWork is a

hearty way to share the goodness of God in a manly manner. There is a wealth of video Bible studies, too, to enrich your understanding of the faith. These are entertaining and Scripturally nourishing. Know of a group in your neighborhood, school, club, or congregation that is looking for wholesome videos to watch and discuss? Try it out.

Flexibly Anticipate the Future What movements can anticipate the future and adjust in ways pleasing to the Lord?

There are various ways in which Christians in America can augment the current shift and aim it in a wholesome, spiritual direction. The result can be witnessing at times when non-Christians in dire need appreciate the physical support and assistance of Christians. They see faith in action. Once connected through that need, the opportunity exists for clear sharing of the Word of God in Christ Jesus.

This is happening through various local, regional, and national initiatives.

One is Christian Friends of New Americans (previously featured in the July-August 2015 issue of The Lutheran Layman). Rev. Dr. Allan Buckman (who is a longtime mission-minded man) gives credit to wife Carol and Karen Vaughn for starting the idea more than a decade ago. CFNA has a goal of

linking with 200 new refugees annually within two weeks or less of their arrival.

Health care, home furnishings, and welcome packages are part of the support that is offered. The support is a link between the new arrivals and Christians. Conversions and baptisms by the dozens have resulted for newcomers who had a background in Hinduism and Buddhism.

According to a recent report by The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod’s global mission effort, foreign-born residents comprise 5% or more of the populations of California, Texas, Florida, and New York. In 2014 the Hispanic population in the United States was well past 55 million with nearly two-thirds being born in the U.S.A. Major languages being used in the country now range from English to Spanish, and include Korean, French, Vietnamese, Filipino/ Tagalog, Hindi, and Chinese. No longer are German, Irish Gaelic, Greek, and Portuguese the common languages of choice in many American households.

As with social shifts, languages shift, too. That means outreach to people must linguistically adjust, also.

Orphan Grain Train based in Norfolk, Nebraska, seeks to meet the immediate physical needs for

countless people afflicted by major disasters or facing tremendous odds in daily living here and at key points around the globe. Recipients are treated warmly and considerately, OGT matching its shipments of items to the needs and wishes of those people. Truth be told, over the years quite a good number of distributions took place thanks to the arrangements of key LHM ministry centers overseas.

Perhaps your congregation is “mission sharp.” If so, your fellow members and staff leaders are probably on the move to meet the growing demands of the present—with a clear eye for the future. After all, just see next page

+ The Lutheran Hour can be

accessed at any time on the website, which means no one can say they can’t hear it! In this manner, the Word of God is always available in spoken version. There are mobile apps to enhance a person’s walk with the Savior, too. Check the options.

+ There are times words escape us or the

encouragement we provide needs to be extended beyond a visit. That’s when a printed reminder of God’s grace in Christ is especially helpful. Through Project Connect there are numerous options for booklets you can share with others or even set up in a distribution display in congregations, schools, and businesses.

Check the ideas and the subjects at the LHM website. If you don’t use the Internet, form a team with someone who does and pursue the ideas for sharing!

+ Through electronic means, LHM’s Online

+ GodConnects presents a

variety of short video ideas and resources in an online platform for pastoral outreach and to help deepen your faith. Check the subjects at the website soon!

Mission Trips make Lutheran school students “virtual missionaries” as they discover different lands, cultures, and people living in key points around the globe. Online Mission Trips use social media for students and schools to interact with the LHM ministry centers in exciting ways. Facebook and Twitter buzz with questions, comments, and photos from students and other participants. Suggest the idea to Lutheran schools and expand the idea to Bible classes, vacation Bible schools, and small groups in your area! They can contact LHM for future Online Mission Trips: lhm.org/onlinemissiontrips. n

The Int’l LLL through its Lutheran Hour Ministries is Bringing Christ to the Nations--and the Nations to the Church!

As you use the material and support the outreach by prayer and (as the Lord has blessed you) by a financial gift, you, too, are bringing Christ to the nations of the world in unique ways.

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The Need is Near You

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as shifts take place in society, so shifts take place in outreach. It’s always been that way. If we did not keep pace with change, then we all would still be driving Model T Fords, stoking Franklin potbelly stoves, and plowing with horses. With that type of negative attitude toward change, we would NEVER have landed men on the moon or be focusing longing eyes on Mars.

Local congregations adopt mission projects and events to help people overseas or across town. In effect, the ability to change the direction of society may be a one-on-one effort resting in the hands of individuals even more actively than in the hands of mission experts and officials.

Take Others Seriously Rev. Peter Kirby, an overseas expert on staff for LHM, observes that we need to take others seriously. This is especially true when Christians reach people in other established non-Christian religions such as Muslims. He reframes the thinking of missionary Dr. Roland Miller. Says Kirby: “Our first commitment must be to love the Muslims around us as people worthy of being a friend. It is only as we engage them in serious dialogue and spend time with them that they will have the opportunity to see our faith in action and appreciate the changes that Jesus Christ has wrought in our lives.”

People have basic needs shared around the world. As more immigrants enter cities in North America and seek to integrate into those societies, will they be welcomed or shunned? Better to the welcomed, if the grace of God is to be shared first and foremost. The continuing arrival of immigrants usually feeds areas where their relatives or friends have already settled. Did you know how Bosnian Muslims in the United States prove to be benefactors for new arrivals? They visit estate sales in order to buy good used refrigerators, ranges, and furniture so that their friends and family members as new immigrants will have the tools to set up a home, American-style.

Also, typical of pioneers in the Wild West, when Bosnians have established a settled home and have provided necessities for their families, a good number band together and spend free time building a mosque in good neighborhoods into which they are expanding.

Had they received the Gospel for the betterment of their souls, they would be opting to build churches for the Lord.

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The Lutheran Layman May - June 2016

The need for sharing God’s Word is as near as your friend, your neighbor, your son, your daughter, your spouse, and anyone else with whom you share your moments during the day. The question is simple: HOW will you reach them?

Honestly, it is best to reach them WHERE THEY ARE. If they read, provide material that is Christ-centered. If they mourn, mourn with them as one who has hope in Christ. If they rejoice, do likewise so that they realize their joy is a gift of God, too. If they use computers and are Internet-savvy, enjoy e-books, live most of their waking hours with cell phones and tablets, then find the options to reach them through those avenues. If they like to travel with a purpose, consider volunteer trips overseas to help others. These and many other options (plus sources of materials) are available for consideration at lhm.org. Truly, LHM stands ready to help YOU in your witnessing for the Lord!

Simply put, be God’s person right where you are and wherever you go!

For some people, you may be the only living, breathing contact they have with the Good News of God’s love in Christ Jesus. Make the most of that “calling,” which is shared by every believer this side of Paradise.

How do you do it? Kindly. Compassionately. Sometimes sternly but always with true conviction and Scriptural certainty. YOU are the living example for some people, perhaps more than you realize. As you meet people this day, give them a good word in the Lord. Give them a blessing from your heart. Remember them in prayer. Send a card. Send an email. Share a smile. Offer a helping hand.

Your hands reach out with the love of God. Your smile is His when His Word is in you and shared through you.

The need for sharing God’s Word is as near as your friend, your neighbor, your son, your daughter, your spouse, and anyone else with whom you share your moments during the day. The question is simple: HOW will you reach them?

The Future What does the future hold? Hard to tell. But we know WHO holds the future.

It’s the Lord, of course. He is Lord of all creation and retains that role as He sustains His creation: “O Lord, how manifold are Your works! In wisdom have You made them all; the earth is full of Your creatures…these all look to You, to give them their food in due season…I will sing to the Lord as long as I live … Bless the Lord, O my soul! Praise the Lord!” (excerpts from Psalm 104, verses 24-35).

If more people knew of His presence and goodness, would they become part of His Body of Believers?

While it is the Holy Spirit who brings faith into the hearts of people, we are the humble conveyors of His Word of Law and Grace. How will they hear unless someone tells them?

Imagine a newly created North America with population centers that look to the Lord for His love in Christ, His guidance in their lives, His model for wholesome living, and His hope amid tribulation. Imagine this being multiplied around the world.

His Word and will are THAT strong. n Dr. Gerald Perschbacher serves as editor of The Lutheran Layman and manages the LHM Research Center Archives.

Sharing Christ Through Servant Leadership

equipping the laity, widespread international ministry work, and sharing the Gospel through media and online efforts.

Lee and Mary Louise believe in the LHM mission and are passionately working to support it. Their service is hugely beneficial to LHM, but it’s equally important when they share topical booklets with hurting friends or direct the people they know to use the Daily Devotions app on

by Brad Neathery their smartphones. These actions help share the Gospel and help connect others to the work of It is easy to look at the lives of Lee and Mary Louise Kucker and Lutheran Hour Ministries. see how God brought their paths together in a union that has blessed Ultimately, the Kuckers only see themselves as not only the people in their lives but also organizations like Lutheran willing servants who are following God’s leadership Hour Ministries. to do His work. In this way, there is no difference They both entered the world in interesting circumstances. Lee was between Lee and Mary Louise and yourself. God born on Christmas Eve during the worst snowstorm of 1943. Mary has called each of us to do His work among our Louise and her twin brother were blessed news for their father when families, congregations, and communities. By Mary Louise and Lee Kucker he heard of their birth while he was in a fox hole during World War II. God’s grace, we are all servants whom He can bless Lee and Mary Louise were raised in Christian families whose faith to do amazing things in this life! extended beyond worshipping every Sunday to spending time in devotions as a Lee and Mary Louise express a sentiment that is shared by all believers: “The only family every day. Lee summarizes this Christian foundation by explaining, “I always hope for future generations is for the world to receive Christ as their personal Savior.” felt God was by my side—if He felt distant sometimes it was because I moved—not Lutheran Hour Ministries is grateful that the Kuckers are working with the LHM Him.” The similar paths of Mary Louise and Lee finally came together when they met family to, as Mary Louise says, “Change hearts. Change behavior. Change the world.” at South Dakota State University. They were introduced by a friend at a bowling alley If you’re not sure how to get started, Lutheran Hour Ministries stands ready to in Sioux Falls—three weeks later they were engaged and six months later they were provide you with outreach training and Gospel-centered resources. You can also married. Clearly, they couldn’t wait to begin their life of mission together! stay involved in LHM’s global work through your prayers, advocacy, and financial Family life for Lee and Mary Louise support. If you would like more information on supporting Lutheran Hour Ministries The Kuckers have chosen has been abundantly blessed by the or sharing our mission with your church, please contact us at 1-877-333-1963 or addition of two children—Heather and lhm-gift@lhm.org. n to serve with Lutheran Hour Todd—who have returned the gift of life Ministries for one main Brad Neathery works with philanthropic supporters of Lutheran Hour Ministries. to their parents in the best way possible. reason: MISSION. Mary They are leading lives and raising Louise says they see LHM families that are walking close to Christ.

Lee states that “we are often humbled as a “missional arm of the by them and are thankful that they and LCMS which excites us and their families love the Lord.” gives us hope.” Lee relates, Life beyond family for the Kuckers has “We have been concerned always been identified by volunteering for many years that our local and ministry service. Lee was on the Board of Medical Ambassadors LCMS congregation had no International for 10 years. Mary Louise involvement in missions. LHM helped found Modesto Pregnancy—a has provided us a way to be local crisis pregnancy center that is involved both domestically and still saving the unborn. They have also supported other ministries. Despite on an international setting.” this diverse level of involvement in ministry efforts, their association with Lutheran Hour Ministries was relatively minor for some years.

This changed when Teresa Fairow, a Ministry Advancement Officer at Lutheran Your life has been saved Hour Ministries, came to speak at their church. Teresa shared the work that God through the Gospel. You can was doing through LHM and the amazing impact being made on a global scale. The help share the Gospel with Kuckers were surprised to realize that Lutheran Hour Ministries’ scope included future generations by programs for individuals and congregations as well as media programs with the remembering Lutheran Hour ability to reach millions worldwide. Mary Louise related that “we were surprised at Ministries in your will. the many layers of LHM and wanted to be part of it.”

As the Kuckers became more closely connected to Lutheran Hour Ministries, they were asked to consider serving on the National Leadership Council for LHM. If you would like more information on impacting others in this way, That council is a group of volunteers working to guide and support Lutheran Hour contact Lutheran Hour Ministries at lhm-gift@lhm.org or 1-877-333-1963.

Ministries in a five-year initiative focused on reaching the world for Christ through The Lutheran Layman May - June 2016

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New Project Connect Booklet Offers

by Paul Schreiber The grief we may experience over the death of a loved one—either a family member or a friend—is an experience unlike any other in this world. The loss we feel can put us into a tailspin that can derail our lives and impact us for long periods. In Grief: Where Sadness and Hope Meet by Dr. Bruce Hartung, readers will find sound advice gleaned from his ordeal at losing his mother— and how he learned to cope with it.

Hartung, whose mother died decades ago, knows there is no fixed time-table for the pain of loss to cease. “A few would wonder why I was still so affected, given so much time had passed. ‘Time heals all wounds,’ they would say. The inference I took from this kind of response was that perhaps there was something wrong with me from which I had not fully recovered.

After all, why was I still feeling such a sharp sense of loss over the death of my mother more than 50 years ago?”

Coming to terms with the death of a deeply loved family member or friend

Hope

involves a healing that is different for each of us. And while our grief can overwhelm and sideline us from the ongoing affairs of our lives, the good news is simple: God’s power is present even when sorrow and anguish cloud our faith and weaken our trust. Through His Word, His Sacraments, and the fellowship of the church, God steps in and calms our quaking hearts.

It is here that sadness and hope meet.

Still, moving forward is not easy. It often takes unpacking loads of deep-seated feelings as the grieving person works through their sorrow in fits and spurts.

Along the way, we continue to honor the person we’ve lost, even as we forge ahead to new horizons. It is here that turning our thoughts toward fresh challenges and routines can prove beneficial to prevent getting stuck in our grief. Here’s where taking charge and being proactive in our journey can make a big difference. For instance, instead of reciting a litany of selfdefeating jabs, the grieving person should seek to replace this internal monologue

GRIEF

GRIEF

Where Sadnes s and Hope Me et

The grief we exper ience over profound loss in this world, particularly the death of a loved one, is an emotional journey different for each of us. There are no hard and fast rules for getting throu an ordeal; as indiv gh such iduals we ride it out to the best of our ability. Whil e some are emotional cases,” erupting in “basket tears others face this traum for long periods of time, a with a type of stoici or hard-edged exter sm ior. Regardless of the person’s reaction, however, God is there in the middle of it, ever available to comfort and bring us through our suffering and tears.

Where Sadnes s and Hope Me et

with more uplifting, edifying affirmations that acknowledge God is in control—even though the grief may still hurt.

In the end the grief we experience over the death of a loved one is an emotional journey peculiar to each. There are no hard-andfast rules for getting through such an ordeal, and as individuals we ride it out to the best of our ability. Regardless of the person’s reaction, however, God is there in the middle of the situation, to comfort and bring us through our suffering and tears. Though life has dealt a terrible blow, we know His grace is sufficient, capable of healing even the heartache of our loved one’s absence in this world. n And that’s the point of while it can be inten this booklet: our grief, se and debilitatin g, is not a thing that can’t be managed and, eventually, overcome. That is, of course, where God comes in.

Though life has dealt us a terrible blow, His grace is suffic we know ient, healing even the heartache of our loved one’s absence in this world .

6BE164

660 Mason Ridge

Center Dr. • St. Louis, MO 63141 -8557 1-800-876-9880 • www.lhm.org

Paul Schreiber reports on the impact of LHM’s ministry work in the United States.

To order this and any other Project Connect booklet, go to www.lhm.org/projectconnect.

There you will find a complete list of titles, with many in Spanish.

Spanish Version of ‘A MAN NAMED MARTIN’ Now Available

The Bible study A Man Named Martin is now available with voiceover in Spanish. Un hombre llamado Martin includes the same five sessions of the English version, and the discussion guide containing relevant Scriptures for study, questions to answer, and “Digging Deeper” Internet links for further exploration.

Casiodoro de Reina translated the Bible into Spanish in 1558-1563 8

The Lutheran Layman May - June 2016

The Reformation tie between Germany and Spain is generally unfamiliar. There’s a link between Martin Luther and a Spanish Christian—also a Roman Catholic monk— Casiodoro de Reina—that was instrumental in propelling forward the vital truths of the Gospel. “At the same time that Luther was trying hard to reform the church of his time, another monk, Reina, was also proclaiming Luther’s ‘justification by faith’ in Spain and translating the Bible into Spanish,” said Beatriz Hoppe, project manager.

“Their 16th-century translations into their respective languages left a most precious legacy to the Christian church: the Holy Scriptures in vernacular language. Martin Luther translated the Bible into German while exiled in the castle (1521-1522), and Casiodoro de Reina into Spanish while

exiled in England and Holland (1558-1563). The translations of those two Roman Catholic monks who had been expelled from the Roman Catholic Church, outlawed and persecuted, in time became pivotal for the continuity of the Reformation and the expansion of the Gospel of Jesus Christ,” Hoppe added.

Un hombre llamado Martin is ideal for sharing with your Spanish-speaking friends and/or members of your congregation. Does your church wish to offer Bible studies to Spanishspeaking members? If so, this resource meets that need nicely. As a study topic (Martin Luther, the Reformation, 16th-century religion in Europe), it can be adapted to school and student use in religious studies or history courses. You may have ideas of your own on how to utilize Un hombre llamado Martin. n

Seltz Accepts Legacy and Leadership Award for ‘The Lutheran Hour’

by Chad Fix Rev. Dr. Gregory Seltz, Speaker of The Lutheran Hour, was honored with this year’s Legacy and Leadership Award from Bott Radio Network during a special breakfast hosted for Bott’s network affiliates at the National Religious Broadcasters (NRB) Convention in Nashville, Tenn. The award recognizes Seltz’s service as a Christian leader as well as the history of The Lutheran Hour radio program.

“It was a joy to be honored at the “In many ways, one can Bott breakfast in the presence of many of the pillars of the Christian Radio see the legacy of community,” says Seltz. “It shows The Lutheran Hour again, the power of our message and the kindness of the Lord we serve.” coming full circle.”

“Bott Radio Network was honored to present the Legacy and Leadership Award to Pastor Seltz and The Lutheran Hour at the 2016 NRB Convention,” says Rich Bott, president and CEO of Bott Radio Network and past chairman of NRB. “We appreciate the marvelous history of The Lutheran Hour as one of the founding ministries of NRB in 1944, and its faithful proclamation of God’s Word over these many years. Further, we appreciate the visionary leadership of Pastor Seltz as he faithfully proclaims the truth of God’s Word with clarity and relevance to today’s generation.”

“When I first went to the National Religious Broadcasters Convention back in the late 1950s, I learned that it was formed by a group of wonderful, Godly men who wanted to band together and keep the airwaves open for the preaching of the Gospel,” says Dick Bott, founder of the Bott Radio Network and a journalist for more than 50 years. “That is when I first heard the name of Dr. Walter A. Maier because The Lutheran Hour was one of the programs that came together to keep Gospel programming from being forced off the airwaves.

“Then in 1962, Bott Radio Network was started in Missouri and The Lutheran Hour was one of the first broadcasts that we aired,” says Dick Bott.

The Lutheran Hour returned to the Bott Radio Network in May 2015 when the

From left: Rev. Dr. Seltz, Rich Bott, and Dick Bott, at the award presentation.

program began airing on the network’s 103 stations. The weekly program now fills a prime slot formerly held by the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association on the network’s broadcast coverage into 15 states, airing on most Bott stations at 8 a.m. every Sunday (some stations air the broadcast at 9 a.m.). Check local listings or go to www.bottradionetwork.com/stations to find out if you have a Bott station in your area.

“In many ways, one can see the legacy of The Lutheran Hour coming full circle,” says Seltz. “When Walter Maier died, Billy Graham rose to prominence on radio and television. A great respect was developed between him and Dr. Oswald Hoffmann.

For the Botts to think of us as a respected replacement for Dr. Graham’s Sunday program is an opportunity that I will cherish for a long time.”

The NRB International Christian Media Convention is an annual event that connects, equips, and edifies thousands of Christian communicators by providing internationally known speakers, networking events, and helpful industry insights. n Chad Fix oversees the corporate communications of Lutheran Hour Ministries.

Vote by May 30!

The annual election for the International Lutheran Laymen’s League Board of Directors is underway! Contributing members of Lutheran Hour Ministries (who are also members of a congregation of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod or Lutheran Church—Canada) are entitled to vote this year on three potential Bylaws changes as well as open positions on the Board.

Election details were mailed to you recently. You can also find this information, and cast your vote, by visiting https://vote.election-america.com/LHM and entering your election code and voting PIN. Don’t delay! Your vote must be received by the independent tabulation firm no later than May 30th to be counted.

Election results will be publicized this summer once the election committee has verified the ballots submitted.

Questions?

E-mail LHM@election-america.com or call 1-866-384-9978.

The Lutheran Layman May - June 2016

9

The Power of a Story:

Find Your

V

oice

through

MISSION U

by Paul Schreiber

L

utheran Hour Ministries creates a wide variety of resources for the laity to use in personal witnessing and outreach. As a hands-on program specifically designed to encourage and empower outreach on a one-on-one basis, MISSION U is the go-to choice for individuals and congregations.

Its five topic-specific, on-site workshops offer Christ-centered tools that can radically enhance the way talking about Jesus and personal faith takes place.

Susan Spitz-Morrison, LHM’s training specialist, and Rev. Mark Frith, training manager were asked about outreach and how churches can be more proactive in assisting their members to share their personal faith stories—and how MISSION U can help.

“Many Christians say they don’t get into conversations of faith because they’re afraid others will ask them Biblical questions they can’t answer,” says Spitz-Morrison. “There’s something in us that’s terrified of ignorance or appearing like less-than-wellinformed Christians. Here’s the thing: not having all the answers may make you more believable. It certainly will show the other person you’re learning, too. Don’t be afraid of it. When you don’t know an answer, admit it. Chances are you have a friend or pastor who can help you find the answer, think it through, and then share it with the one you’re in dialogue with. This will also create a scenario where you’re learning along with the one you’re witnessing to, so there’s a mutual aspect to your witness. Rest assured that person will be impressed that you sought out the answer and thought enough to get back to them.”

That being said, expressing one’s faith story requires some thought, especially to make it more relatable to others. Frith added, “Hopefully, leaders in your church can help you work out your story of faith in Jesus Christ, a story of brokenness and redemption. As you drill 10

The Lutheran Layman May - June 2016

down into your own experience of faith, you will likely solidify for yourself why you believe what you believe.

That is the key. As you shape and streamline your story, you now have something inspiring to tell others. Here’s the thing; people won’t question your story, because it’s personal. Your story is your story. You don’t have to be afraid of it. In fact, in ‘MU-102 Equipping to Share: Stories and Styles,’ we help workshop attendees clarify their faith stories so they can more naturally incorporate them into their conversations. We also advocate people work out their stories with their pastors. This is so they can tie in a few helpful Scripture passages—nothing complicated. There is a purpose to your being a Christian, and you know it. However, when you don’t know your purpose, and can’t plainly articulate the impact God’s Son has made on your life, your witness lags a bit, making it less inspiring than what it could be.”

Helping participants get their faith stories out and shaped into a conversational narrative is one of the central goals of MISSION U events. And as with anything that involves speaking in public, it takes a bit of practice to find one’s comfort zone. Spitz-Morrison recalled an instance at a workshop that highlights the value of sharing our faith stories—out loud—with others.

“One woman balked when she started hearing about how we were going to practice witnessing to one another in the workshop. She thought if she just showed up and listened that would be enough. At first her comments in the small-group discussions were less than enthusiastic; she didn’t really believe she needed to witness her faith to anyone. But as the workshop progressed, she became more engaged. At the end I asked her, ‘Are you feeling better or worse having gone through this workshop?’ She replied, ‘Oh, much better!

I now feel more confident and I realize I don’t have to force my beliefs on someone else. I just have to build relationships and look for chances to talk about this in a normal way. It’s much easier than I thought it was!’”

While MISSION U workshops are designed to help

participants become more focused and at ease when sharing their faith, we wondered what it is that persists after these events are over that hinders people from sharing their faith regularly on a one-on-one basis.

Frith replied: “For many people it’s simply a matter of being intentional about it. People are busy and on the move. They’ll attend a MISSION U workshop on a Saturday, which is about a six-hour commitment.

Then they run home or to another activity.

Sunday comes next with its routines. Before they know it, it’s Monday and back to work with all of its pressures and distractions.

While Christians know they’re called to be relational, they don’t set aside much time to be that way with others. Pretty soon a month or longer has gone by since the MISSION U workshop and something triggers the memory of how they were supposed to be intentional about sharing their faith. Unfortunately, by then their confidence has waned and what they learned seems a distant memory, at best.

“The other side of this is if you don’t use it, you lose it. Our enthusiasm fades because we don’t practice being intentional, at least many of us don’t. We need time to allow for relationships to start and grow. It’s in relationships where trust is earned and where the best opportunity for sharing our faith takes place. If you don’t have time for people, they’ll likely have little time for you, or bother to learn why it is you believe in a Savior whose Name is Jesus.” n

For more information on how a MISSION U workshop can help your church members become more intentional about sharing their faith, send an e-mail to missionu@lhm.org or call C.C. Brown at 1-800-944-3450, ext. 4217. Find answers to your questions, read presenter bios, and check out MISSION U’s monthly webinars by going to lhm.org/missionu/ The workshop price is $750 in U.S. ($850 in Canada). To enroll visit www.lhm.org/missionu/enrollment.asp.

ON THE MOVE

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

‘Mate’ & Gifts A traditional mate

We all have spiritual gifts and we are all called

by God to identify, develop, and use them.

I

am sitting here drinking a mate, contemplating spiritual gifts. What’s a mate, couple those phrases with the universal language of a smile, and get passersyou ask? A mate is a tea-like hot drink very popular in the southern half by to accept and keep the material she was giving out. We gathered after these of Brazil, Uruguay, and Argentina. I was introduced to it during the recent distribution opportunities, and the rest of us Americans would comment on Board monitoring trip to Uruguay and Brazil; seems like everybody down there how few brochures we could get people to accept. But not Jenny; she passed drinks it. As I sip on one now, I understand why. And why am I contemplating out all of the material assigned to her, and more. At one point, I saw a resident spiritual gifts? Because during this trip to South America for the LLL Board of of a favela (a slum in Brazil) give Jenny a hug of appreciation after she knocked Directors, I saw a side of my wife Jenny that I had never seen before (and I have on a random door and gave the resident a brochure about the hope we have known her for more than 36 years). I saw at least one spiritual gift in my wife in Christ. I’m wondering now whether my wife has a spiritual “gift of tongues.” that neither of us knew was there.

So now I am thinking about spiritual gifts in my wife and in myself. How 1st Corinthians, chapter 12, is the most can we identify new gifts; how can we develop the ones we know we have; and common source for listing and explaining how can we find new ways to share them, to use them in Bringing Christ to the the gifts of the Holy Spirit—spiritual gifts— Nations—and the Nations to the Church? Have you thought about your spiritual but additional gifts and their uses are found gifts? Maybe you can think about it over a mate. n in other places in the Bible (Romans 12 and Ephesians 4, for example). These gifts, sometimes supernatural, sometimes quite ordinary, are abilities that God gives us specifically to fulfill His plan for creation. According to Kent Hunter in his book, Gifted for Growth, “Spiritual gifts are a means to an end: the long haul, the mission From immigrant and ministry of the Body of Christ.” communities of German We all have spiritual gifts and we Christians to a mainline NOW are all called by God to identify, Jenny Krauss (left) and Rev. develop, and use them. Spiritual AVAILABLE! denomination of more Mario Fukue were among a group gifts are meant to uplift each other than 6,000 congregations, of LHM supporters handing out and ourselves, and to reach out to Christ-centered literature in Brazil.

We the Church: The the lost. They include things like apostleship, prophecy, healing, Priesthood of All Believers wisdom, teaching, and speaking in tongues. Tongues—that’s what got talks about the origin and me thinking. development of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod This recent Board monitoring trip (what got me contemplating spiritual gifts, and sipping on a mate) is on my mind because those (LCMS) and examines how early church leaders viewed of us who went have to report back to the Board of Directors about the role of laity inside and outside of the church. This whether, and how, the ministry centers in Uruguay and Brazil are fulfilling the mission and strategic goals of the LLL and Lutheran video resource challenges today’s church members to Hour Ministries. Included in our trip was participation in some of embrace their rich heritage as disciples by sharing the the ministries common to our work in these two countries. Twice we message of hope we have in Christ Jesus. passed out locally produced material about Jesus, the Church, and our ministries to people “on the street.” Getting people to accept the material was complicated by the fact that we didn’t speak Spanish (the language of Uruguay) or Portuguese (the language of Brazil). My Watch online or purchase the DVD wife, a woman who has never studied a foreign language and who by visiting lhm.org/studies or call generally does not like to approach people she doesn’t know, was able to overcome her shyness, pick up some basic words of both languages, 1-800-876-9880 today!

New resource from LHM!

The Lutheran Layman May - June 2016

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International Volunteers

BUILD RELATIONSHIPS

in God’s Kingdom “There is no more powerful influence for your own walk with Jesus than working side by side with brothers and sisters around the globe in the fulfillment of The Great Commission.”

by Greg Koenig

“T

Immanuel Waterloo volunteer team member Anne directs an here is no more powerful activity at Kigezi Lutheran School. Students wear bright green influence for your own walk shirts the team brought for them; each shirt is emblazoned with Jesus than working side by side with the message Yesu Anjagala, “Jesus Loves Me.” with brothers and sisters around the globe in the fulfillment of The Great build a relationship that Commission,” says Adam Eggemeyer. A team from Adam’s congregation in increases the capacity Waterloo, Illinois, discovered that up-close on an LHM International Volunteer of our international Trip to Uganda, East Africa earlier this year. ministries to share the That seven-member team from Immanuel joined the staff and volunteers Gospel—and extends of Lutheran Hour Ministries—Uganda in upgrading the center’s facilities and the kingdom of God!” reaching out with children’s ministry programs. says LHM’s Chris LHM—Uganda’s offices are just across the street from Kampala International Team members Linda Polansky, left, Myers, who manages University in the country’s capital city. Director Rebecca Kyomuhendo and and Anne Stumpf the trips for LHM. her staff plan to open a coffee house to connect with the university’s students. get their hands dirty “Right now, three Toward that end, the Waterloo team worked to build two pergolas and improve adding greenery to teams are getting the landscaping on the center’s grounds. the LHM—Uganda ready to head to When the team wasn’t spiffing up the center’s property, they were sharing the center’s grounds.

Guatemala, Panama, message of Jesus—primarily through a vacation Bible school program for kids in and Latvia—and we rural communities. Over three half-day sessions, the team interacted with more have 14 opportunities for more teams—for your team!” than 500 children.

Myers says that LHM even has spring break volunteer trip opportunities in This is the second time in three years that members of the Waterloo Uruguay and Jamaica for student groups. (See lhm.org/teams) congregation have traveled to Uganda to join hands with the workers of LHM’s outreach center. Most of the members of the 2016 team were part of the group “One team composed mostly of students has just returned from their fifth trip that went in 2014. to Guatemala!” says Myers. “Some students have continued to participate in “A Lutheran Hour Ministries International Volunteer Trip is a great way to these trips even after they graduate.” n

Are you ready to stretch your comfort zone and share Jesus in another part of the world? To learn how you can form a team and get involved, contact Chris Myers, 800-944-3450 x4268 or christine.myers@lhm.org, today!

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The Lutheran Layman May - June 2016

Digital Outreach— It’s NOT JUST a North American Thing “… a digital evangelism program holds tremendous potential for sharing the Good News of Jesus to the growing number of people who are connected to digital media.”

L

says Flavio Knopp of LHM’s Hora Luterana ministry center in São Paulo, Brazil. “Latin American ministry leaders discussed the concept at a regional workshop in October and agreed that with Latin languages as a unifying feature, a digital evangelism program holds tremendous potential for sharing the Good News of Jesus to the growing number of people who are connected to digital media.”

“Lutheran Hour Ministries has outreach centers in thirteen Latin American countries,” says Flavio.

“Twelve of those are Spanish-speaking and one, Brazil, is Portuguese-speaking. Spanish is the second most widely-spoken language on earth with 500 million speakers, and Portuguese is the sixth most widely-spoken, with about LHM—Brazil’s Flavio Knopp leads 265 million speakers—so our projected the Latin America digital outreach audience is immense. team. “Reaching new generations of “Our Latin American ministry digitally connected people means we network is uniquely equipped to must be not just digitally connected but digitally innovative!” he says. make practical and efficient use of a digital strategy,” Flavio adds. “We have strong Latin American leaders, and we also have native Spanish-speaking and Portuguese-speaking workers who live within and understand local culture—and can serve as points of contact for people who respond to our outreach. Additionally, the widespread use of Spanish, especially, will make it possible for us to develop resources that can be employed seamlessly in multiple countries.

utheran Hour Ministries’ new strategic digital Gospel outreach project in the United States holds the potential for reaching new people—new generations of people—in new and exciting ways (see article on pages 14-15). LHM is actually developing not just one strategic digital outreach project, however, but two.

As the U.S. project moves closer to its anticipated 2016 launch, a concurrent project to reach the Spanish—and Portuguese—speaking world is also underway!

“The concept of digital outreach in the U.S. spurred the idea for a digital initiative in Latin America,”

by Greg Koenig

Lutheran Hour Ministries— Brazil Director Paulo Warth, ready for a digital ministry revolution in Latin America.

LHM’s center in Brazil has been chosen as the host ministry for the new digital initiative. Although the language of Brazil is Portuguese, not Spanish, the center in São Paulo offered several advantages.

“Our physical facility has ample space, and technology in São Paulo is world-class,” explains Flavio. “The leadership and human resources of LHM—Brazil will afford our network the capacity needed to sustain a project of this size and complexity.” Flavio will serve as the leader of the team tasked with developing the digital project.

“Our focus will be unchurched Spanish- and Portuguese- speaking people who are unacquainted with the church,” says Flavio. “We have done considerable research on the kinds of things people use technology to search for; we are constantly on the lookout for that ‘open door.’ Internet-based tools such as blogs, Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube, together with mobile-device media, will enable us to present content that responds to those search trends.

“We will also encourage Spanish- and Portuguesespeaking Christians to share our digital apps and other resources with people who are not believers,” Flavio says. “Our aim is not to preach at people but to engage them in conversation and build relationships—and we believe that can happen when friends share resources with friends. Our prayer is that with this strategy we’ll be able to help grow the kingdom not just through addition but through multiplication!”

Stay tuned; there is much more to come! God is up to something big in Latin America. n

Greg Koenig reports on the impact of LHM’s ministry work globally.

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“Today, when it comes to sharing the Gospel, “the message doesn’t change,

but the methods are changing.”

LHM Faithfully Pursues

DIGITAL MISSIONS

by Greg Koenig

C

ody and Jen moved in together while they were in grad school. Now after four years, they are employed and earn a combined income that affords them an active lifestyle and the ability to surround themselves with technology that helps make living easy. Each is approaching 30.

When they welcomed baby Skye into the world two years ago, Jen found herself thinking in new ways about things like marriage, home, family, and parenting. Once she had assumed that she and Cody would “try out” being married for a year or so, then actually tie the knot, then find a home and start a family. But today things are not going as she had imagined; and when she tries to talk to Cody about her concerns, he seems to evade the issue. For Jen, this is a concern—a signal that their relationship might not be going as she had imagined.

Cody and Jen have no spiritual affiliation; they are among the nearly one-fourth of the U.S. population described by researchers as the religious “Nones.”

Just about any truly mission-minded Christian would consider it obvious that Cody and Jen need commitment and a marriage blessed by God; they need to know that God has a plan for their lives; they need to sense their purpose within God’s plan; they need a faith family. They need Jesus.

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But how to connect them to the things they need might not be as easy as it sounds.

“First, it’s important to point out that this fictional couple is not unusual,” says Lutheran Hour Ministries’ Andrew Fitzgerald. “Research has been telling us that the number of ‘Nones’ is significant and rising, that the majority—two-thirds!—of youngadult couples in the United States live together before marriage, and that the number of children born to cohabiting couples is also rising. 1 “But research is also telling us that traditional paths that lead people to faith and church are growing narrower. Fewer families have active faith lives, and fewer parents are teaching the faith to their children. Unchurched people have fewer friends who go to church. Fewer people acknowledge the Bible to be an authoritative source of information and guidance for living.

Religious institutions don’t enjoy the levels of respect and trust that they once did. So we can’t reasonably expect them to show up at church on Sunday or at the pastor’s office on Tuesday.”

One answer may be to look for other paths to faith and church.

Today, when it comes to sharing the Gospel, “the message doesn’t change, but the methods are

changing,” says author and speaker Jeff Bethke. “Go where the eyeballs are.” 2 Fitzgerald, who heads LHM’s new digital evangelism project, agrees. “If Cody and Jen are connected digitally, there’s a good chance that we can get our message in front of their eyes.”

Nearly 90 percent of the U.S.’s people have the Internet and are connected through their computers

Digital media is on the increase, according to recent statistics.

or handheld devices. This includes more than 300 million personal computers, 180 million tablet computers, and 190 million smartphones.

On any day, a user will get on at least one of these types of devices and use Google or Bing or YouTube to search for instant information on a limitless number of topics.

“A knowledge revolution is in full swing,” says Fitzgerald. “Customized, personalized, and on-demand information is available to everyone.”

If we’re intent on going where Cody and Jen’s eyeballs are to share the Gospel, this may be one of the best strategies available.

“One challenge, though, is that the Codys and Jens don’t Google topics such as ‘Does God love me and have a plan for my life?’ or ‘How can I receive forgiveness for my sins and escape the wrath of God?’” Fitzgerald cautions. “Fortunately, we can learn from the Internet what they are searching for and develop a strategy for connecting them to deeper truths that speak to their deeper needs.

“LHM’s new digital outreach tools are being developed to be able to create a digital dialogue that begins with the kinds of things people are searching for,” says Fitzgerald. “These include, among others, • How to manage relationships; • Divorce and relationship breakdown; • Family and parenting; • Financial worries and debt; • Finding fulfillment; • Coping with stress and worry; • Workplace problems and unemployment; • Physical or mental illness; • Pain, bereavement, and grief; • Despair—both on a micro and macro level; • The meaning of life.

truly only be possible through the involvement of the Holy Spirit,” Fitzgerald says, “and this is why we earnestly desire the prayers of our supporters—many of whom have seen how the Spirit has been active in earlier technologies such as radio and television.”

LHM’s pioneering venture in digital evangelism will launch later this year. Please pray, and stay tuned. n “Number of children born to unmarried, cohabiting parents at record high” Fox News, adapted from the Wall Street Journal, March 11, 2015, accessed March 7, 2016.

2 Tweeted by a participant at the National Radio Broadcasters’ Proclaim 16 Digital Media Summit Dinner, February 22, 2016.

1

“One powerful characteristic of online mass communication is that it allows for a two-way conversation in which we can both listen to and respond to unchurched individuals who engage with us online.…”

“We believe we can make initial contact in one or more of these contexts through several avenues such as search engine optimization (SEO), online advertising, personal referrals by friends and acquaintances, and social media such as Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube,” says Fitzgerald. “One powerful characteristic of online mass communication is that it allows for a two-way conversation in which we can both listen to and respond to unchurched individuals who engage with us online. We are building our new digital outreach media to take full advantage of that.”

The hope is twofold: (1) that dialogue will set the stage for authentic relationships to be established, which can then be continued and extended through live, face-to-face interaction with ministry volunteers, and (2) that these authentic relationships will lead naturally to connection with a Christian congegation where the Gospel of Jesus Christ is proclaimed.

“What this means for us and the church is that while the digital outreach component is being built and tested and refined, LHM will also be recruiting and equipping congregations and individuals to form a network designed to provide a dynamic human component,” adds Fitzgerald. “This is one of the things that will make LHM’s digital evangelism strategy unique.

“At its core, the task of reaching people with the Gospel via digital platforms will The Lutheran Layman May - June 2016

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Excited students display books they received as gifts during LHM—Lebanon’s visit to their “school in a tent.”

Lebanon Center Helps Meet EDUCATIONAL NEEDS of Refugee Children

T

he ministry work of LHM—Lebanon’s Katia Sahyouni includes specialized outreach to women and children in the Syrian and Iraqi refugee communities the ministry center serves. One thing Katia has encountered over and over is the refugees’ concern for their children’s education. In environments where the daily priorities have been survival and the preservation of relatively good health, school has often been put on hold or given a secondary status.

Yet, where the active refugee communities are making efforts to resume some form of education for their children, Katia has discovered a thirst for resources—and an openness to the Christian message of hope.

School in a crowded city

Even though there are many schools in the busy city of Beirut, getting an education has been a struggle for the children of many Iraqi families who have sought refuge there. “Many of their kids are without schools and many others don’t fit into the levels of our schools,” says LHM’s Middle East Lutheran Ministry (MELM) Director Fadi Khairallah, “so a school ministry has been established especially for refugee kids who are not in regular Lebanese schools.” Katia visited this education center in February.

“It was a great opportunity to teach kids Christian songs and give a Bible lesson,” she says. “The lesson we presented was the story of Jacob and Esau, and it focused on how God

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blesses us even in times of great physical and emotional need—how the gift of salvation through His Son is the most precious of blessings.”

School in a tent

Syrian refugees in the Bekaa Valley face similar challenges. One community has set up a tent to serve as a school for its children. During February, the LHM—Lebanon team also paid a visit to this encampment, and Katia presented an educational program.

“We had a good time,” Katia reports.

After some ice-breaker games, she says, the (MELM) team showed a Puzzle Club animated video about God’s care and the love of Jesus.

“Afterward, we provided lunch and gave each student the Puzzle Club storybook as a gift.

Some of them expressed their gratitude by picking wildflowers in the fields and making bouquets to give to us.

“There is no heart like the heart of a child who accepts the Word of God with that kind of gratitude!” she says.

How many more Iraqi and Syrian children are hungry for the truth of God’s Word— how many more will learn about the love of Jesus because of Lutheran Hour Ministries— Lebanon’s commitment to Bring Christ to the Nations—and the Nations to the Church?

To learn more about LHM—Lebanon/Middle East Lutheran Ministry, visit: lhmlebanon.wordpress.com. n

Above: Refugee students were moved to pick flowers and bring them to LHM—Lebanon’s Katia Sahyouni to say “thank you” for her presentation. Below: Making Christ-pleasing points with students.

ON THE MOVE

by Kurt Buchholz President & CEO Lutheran Hour Ministries

C E L E B R AT I N G A C E N T U R Y of a Changeless Message

A

I am so looking forward to October 21-23, 2016, s a nearly 100-year-old organization, I am our society, the answer to all of its problems and often amazed at how little we have changed failings, has not changed one bit. And because of when we will gather at Union Station in downtown and how little the world has changed around that our mission, that’s all of us as SENT people, has St. Louis to celebrate the milestone of this ministry us. I know, that was not a sentiment you were not changed either. Sure, we’ve gone from sharing proclaiming the Gospel for 100 years. We will relive expecting to hear from an organization that has that message through word of mouth, to print, to our shared mission history, connect with friends moved from small gatherings of laypeople to global radio waves, to television, to the worldwide web, and whom we may only see every couple years at an Int’l radio, primetime television, and beyond, all while beyond, but really we haven’t changed our message LLL convention, praise together the Lord who has conducting ministry in a country that has quickly one bit through the years. We now share this message called us in joyous worship, and renew our passion shifted from being a majority Christian nation to through multiple formats and speak it in more than for our shared mission as we stare down the next 100 years, knowing that everything the society we see around us W E L I K E T O S AY I T T H I S W AY: is pretty much the same and our today. But really, very little has God never changes. changed for Lutheran Hour B R I N G I N G C H R I S T T O T H E N AT I O N S — I hope that you will save these Ministries over all of that time, A N D T H E N AT I O N S T O T H E C H U R C H ! dates to join your Int’l LLL/LHM and I will tell you why.

As we prepare for our 100th anniversary 40 languages (from English, Spanish, and French to family in St. Louis and celebrate all those saints who celebration event in October 2016, we have an Portuguese, Kazak, and Russian; and from Amharic, have gone before us and the mission that God has opportunity to recognize that we have always Swahili, and Chinese to Hindi, Korean, and many for us today and into the future. n been motivated by a calling from God as His royal more). We have moved from being a group of 12 that priesthood (1 Peter 2:9) SENT (John 20:21) to share met only for specific purposes to a global ministry of that Gospel message as far and wide as possible so tens of thousands of passion-filled members driving Visit www.lhm.org/100years that many will come to know their Savior and join in a Gospel ministry as far as they can in faith. And yet, today to find additional details about the global congregation of believers. We like to say nothing really has changed.

The same problem of man’s sin is met with the it this way: Bringing Christ to the Nations—and the this exciting weekend’s schedule loving message of Christ’s free salvation. The Holy Nations to the Church! of events, to register, or to learn We know our world has changed in many Spirit works in the heart of sinful man and another how to book your hotel room. observable ways, but in reality the greatest need of soul is embraced by heaven for eternity!

Join us at Historic Union Station in St. Louis to Celebrate 100 Years of Gospel Proclamation!

This power-packed weekend will: • Honor LHM’s rich history of partnering with the laity to share the Gospel; • Feature dynamic presentations from outreach experts; St. Louis Union Station • Bring the ministry’s global reach to life through the eyes O ct o b er 21 – 23, 2016 of LHM’s international ministry center directors; • Provide engaging youth activities; and • Offer plenty of opportunities for fun, fellowship, and food!

Visit lhm.org/100years for more information and to make hotel reservations today!

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Oscar for Di Caprio

Reminds us of WAM

Years ago on a message of The Lutheran Hour, Dr. Walter A. Maier (shown in portrait) referenced the person recently characterized by actor Leonardo Di Caprio.

by Gerald Perschbacher

W

hen award-winning actor Leonardo di Caprio recently won an Oscar as Best Actor at the Academy Awards for his portrayal of Hugh Glass in the epic movie drama The Revenant, it brought a flashback to Lutheran Pastor Joseph Fabry of Livonia, Michigan. More than that, it also created an unusual “link” to earlier days on The Lutheran Hour.

Briefly stated, the movie’s plot centers on a group of trappers in 1823 who sustain a devastating surprise attack in the northern plains of the Dakotas. Intrigue between survivors heightens. Glass, who scouts ahead of the group, is severely mauled by a grizzly bear. Eventually left on his own, Glass crawls from his shallow grave and slowly walks toward safety. Past encounters flash through his mind until he eventually is befriended and gains strength. An important element in the film comes in the idea that revenge is up to the Creator.

The current film is based on Michael Punke’s book, The Revenant: A Novel of Revenge (2002).

Pastor Fabry reported the following to Dr. Paul Maier, younger son of the founding speaker of The Lutheran Hour. “All the buzz at the Men’s Bible Study Group at Christ our Savior last week was the recent film, The Revenant, starring Leonardo DiCaprio….

You will remember that your sainted father began his Christmas Day sermon, 1949, (the last sermon he preached), with an illustration about Hugh Glass. This

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The Lutheran Layman May - June 2016

“The hellish misery they have put sermon appears in the WAM Memorial booklet printed in 1950 by the LLL and it also appears in your book, The Best of WAM, page 202.”

In that final message delivered by Dr. Walter A. Maier, he stated, “A huge grizzly attacked Glass, a giant of a man. Though 60 years old and armed with nothing more than a knife, he killed the bear—after one side of Glass’ face had been scraped away and the other injuries in his mangled body brought him to death’s door.”

The expedition of trappers needed to keep moving so two were left with Glass. After five days “his companions found the delay too tedious and dangerous. They took Glass’ few possessions, heartlessly deserted him, and a week later overtook the expedition, reporting that they had given him ‘a decent burial.’”

Maier went on to say that as Glass recovered “he began an heroic struggle. They had not only abandoned him, they had also robbed him of his gun, his knife, his flint and steel for making fire. The burning desire to take bloody revenge helped keep him alive.

He headed to the Missouri River, a hundred miles to the east. At first he had barely enough strength to crawl, and all the painful way he lived on berries, grass, roots, or, frightening the wolves away from a buffalo carcass, on raw meat.”

Having basically recovered and enraged with the desire for revenge, Glass “secured a rifle, a pistol, and

a knife. He had it all planned. One bullet from his rifle, one from his pistol, and his false friends would be no more,” said Maier in his radio message of 1949.

Weeks later, Glass met up with the trappers. The broadcast noted, “Quietly he entered the lighted room and without a word of greeting demanded of the awe-stricken men who first thought him a ghost, ‘Where are the two curs who deserted me when I was dying, stole my rifle, my knife, and everything I had?’

No one answered; instead, all eyes centered on two men, and Glass caught the meaning of their glances.

This was the moment for which he had dragged his aching, mutilated body across almost endless miles of prairie, through foodless days and freezing nights, over friendless paths of pain. In a flash the score would be settled! Just one shot from his gun and one from his pistol! He pulled the pistol from its holster.

“As he did, he noticed a rough, evergreen cradle “A huge grizzly with a homemade figure of the Christ Child. Then his attacked Glass, eyes swept the room to see a giant of a man. decorations of pine boughs Though 60 years and red calico strips. After an amazed moment he old and armed paused to ask: ‘What’s all with nothing more this? Why all the pretty than a knife, he things?’ The answer came

killed the bear....”

Has Your Men’s Group Stalled?

Ramp Building, Texas Style

by Paul Schreiber

Frequently, men’s groups gather for Bible study, for fellowship centered on a church event or activity, and for an occasional hands-on effort similar to what many groups did during the Men’s NetWork WORK DAY on April 30. Often, though, these groups want to do more, but for various reasons—inertia, lack of funds, stumped for ideas, varying numbers in attendance—their attempts to venture beyond the church campus are limited.

A Texas men’s group took a chance and changed the paradigm of the way it does ministry. The results made a huge difference for them. The group is called Ignite, and it’s from Lamb of God Lutheran Church and School in Humble. By pairing with another organization—the Texas Ramp Project (TRP)—Ignite found an ideal way to infuse fresh energy into its purpose and mission. What TRP does is build ramps for the elderly and disabled who cannot afford to build them on their own.

We wondered if Rich Gutekunst, Lamb of God’s director of Christian education, who also works with adult discipleship, could tell us how TRP has changed the game for the men of Ignite. Here’s what he had to say:

me through—I forgive them.” from several men, but they all gave the same reply, ‘Christmas!’”

Maier went on: “As Glass looked once more at the hand-carved Christ Child, the Savior’s love it recalled proved itself stronger than the avenging desire to kill which had goaded him on through those mad months. Dropping his rifle, he stared in bewilderment and cried, ‘Christmas! And I am here to take my revenge! But I can’t kill a dog on this day!’ He glanced again at the Christ Child in the bark and pine-cone manager, and his voice softened and broke as he cried, “The hellish misery they have put me through—I forgive them.”

Maier added “twelve words of triumphant faith: ‘If God so loved us, we ought also to love one another’ (1 John 4:11). May the Holy Spirit grant us the Christ Child’s love first for our souls and then for our lives! …We thank the Almighty that He uses us, unworthy as we are, in offering the gift of salvation to many who thankfully receive it and keep it…. We want you to be born again into a new life through Him who…was born for you. God help you break down every barrier which would keep you from Jesus and bring you, in spirit, on your knees…to declare: ‘Were the whole realm of nature mine/ That were a present far too small;/ Love so amazing, so divine, / Demands my soul, my life, my all.’”

While motion pictures often fictionalize people and events, the truth of the matter was summed up by Pastor Fabry in a note to Paul Maier earlier this year. “The climax of the story as your father preached it, is a message of forgiveness by Glass toward his heartless friends….” During the Bible class, Pastor Fabry read that story as stated by the first speaker of The Lutheran Hour. The Good News of Christ took on added and very current meaning through that witness.

The success of the motion picture now provides Christians an opportunity to unfold the Christ-centered message of long ago. n

You mention the Texas Ramp Project has been a “ministry changer.” Can you describe what you mean by that?

“January 2015: when our men’s ministry Ignite reconvened after the December break, I asked the question, ‘What will our men’s group do? What will our ministry be to the community or the congregation?’ One of our new members shared with us his experience with Texas Ramp Project from his former congregation. He explained the impact it had on the men and the community.

“By February we were connected with Christ Memorial Lutheran Church in Houston, which has been involved with TRP for some time. Three of us went on a ‘build’ with Christ Memorial. It grabbed our hearts. This has all the makings of a great men’s ministry: outdoors, working with our hands, building something, camaraderie, and meeting a huge personal need in our local community. We currently have about 25 guys signed up to help, which makes it possible for us to build two ramps per month. This has become a connecting point for new men in our congregation, and it spans generations.

We have dads and sons, husbands and wives, all getting into the building process.”

Have you seen members from Lamb of God getting really inspired about doing this work for others?

“Yes. Recently, one of the guys brought his wife. At first I wasn’t sure how we were going to incorporate her into the build. Within a few minutes Shirley picked up an impact drill and got to work. Before long she was running the compact miter saw. We have another husband and wife team that has taken on the task of returning to the finished ramp a few weeks later to paint a non-skid surface on the ramp. In both cases there is such excitement in assisting those for whom we build the ramps.” (see page 21) The Lutheran Layman May - June 2016

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According to Lutheran Media Australia’s Director Rev. Richard Fox (foreground), Auckland (background) and the surrounding area represent a potential audience of 250,000 for the ministry’s Face to Face radio outreach program.

(Below) Lutheran Media Australia’s Face to Face will be the point for people who are searching for life’s answers to connect with the Lutheran Media’s partner, the Lutheran Church of New Zealand.

Lutheran Media Australia Reaches Out in New Zealand In February of this year, Lutheran Media, LHM’s Australian partner, began airing its radio program Face to Face in New Zealand.

“We get to mention Jesus in prime time on commercial media!” says Rev. Richard Fox, Director of Lutheran Media. New Zealand media company NZME will broadcast Face to Face on Newstalk ZB and The Hits, the nation’s two most popular commercial radio stations. The primary listening area will be New Zealand’s capital and largest city, Auckland.

In addition to NZME, Lutheran Media is working with two strong New Zealand partners, the Lutheran Church of New Zealand (LCNZ) and Mountainside Lutheran Church in Auckland.

“LCNZ’s Bishop Mark Whitfield and Mountainside’s Pastor Joe Kummerow, together with the faithful people of New Zealand, are excited to reach out to so many people with the Gospel,” says Fox. “Between 40 and 100 radio messages will be played each month during breakfast and drive

shows and at other popular listening times,” says Fox. “We believe Face to Face has the potential to share the Gospel with more than 250,000 people.”

The Christ-centered messages of Face to Face engage listeners by addressing everyday concerns such as parenting, grief, purpose in life, second chances, conflict, and forgiveness. Opportunities to order Lutheran Media’s topical outreach booklets and to join blog discussions about faith and living will be offered on each broadcast.

“Please pray for the people involved in this mission and our messages,” says Fox, “and pray for the people of Auckland and beyond, that their ears are opened to the Good News of Jesus Christ and His message of hope!”

You can learn more about Lutheran Media’s Face to Face program at www.facetoface.org.au and www.facetoface.org.nz. n

LHM Paraguay Center Dedicates New Ministry Center

O

n Sunday, March 13, friends, partners, and America Regional Director Rev. Dr. Nilo Figur, was a supporters gathered in Asunción, Paraguay to guest speaker for the worship service that kicked off celebrate the dedication of the new ministry facility the celebration.

CPTLN—Paraguay’s new, modern headquarters of LHM’s Cristo Para Todas Las Naciones (CPTLN)— is equipped with administrative offices, a recording Paraguay outreach center.

The new building is a joint project of the ministry studio, a multipurpose room, a kitchen and an center and Cristo Rey Lutheran Church in Asunción, auditorium. This configuration will provide the which provided a section of its property for Friends from Christo Rey Church in Asunción, together with leaders CPTLN’s use. The ministry broke ground from LHM and the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Paraguay, joined on the building project last June. CPTLN— to celebrate the dedication of LHM--Paraguay’s new facility.

Paraguay Director Victor Verruck said at the groundbreaking ceremony that the ministry was looking forward eagerly to having its own place.

With the cutting of a ribbon on March 13, Victor’s dream officially became a reality.

“What a day!” said Dr. Douglas Rutt, Director of International Ministries for LHM. “A beautiful worship service with our brothers and sisters of Paraguay and then the dedication of our new Lutheran Hour Ministries ministry center!” Rutt, who attended the festivities together with LHM President and CEO Kurt Buchholz and Latin

capacity to hold a variety of ministry activities, including workshops, conferences, training activities, and receptions.

“The new facility will enhance the quality of our ministry in Paraguay,” said Regional Director Figur.

“The space and location will be instrumental in developing outreach to the lost and connecting them to the church.”

Having a new home base is not likely to keep LHM—Paraguay’s staff and volunteers from their busy “outbound” schedule. One of their strengths is building relationships and sharing the love of Christ the old-fashioned way—hands-on—and they will continue to travel to the country’s other cities and remote villages to respond to need, present film shows and vacation Bible schools and values education, and provide microbusiness vocational training—along with the message of eternal hope in Jesus.

To learn more about the Gospel outreach of LHM in Paraguay, visit the center’s Facebook page, www.facebook.com/cptln.paraguay. n

NEWS ALERT: A partner of Lutheran Hour Ministries has offered to match support given to Paraguay, as well as two other ministry centers. Please see the insert inside this issue for more information.

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The Lutheran Layman May - June 2016

As for LHM’s Men’s NetWork WORK DAY on Saturday, April 30, will there be any Texas churches building ramps for the TRP project on that day that you know of?

“We typically build ramps on the third Saturday of the month. Christ Memorial also does this same schedule. If any churches want to be involved in a build they can contact TRP and find out what churches are building in their area.

We would love to have others join us on a build. We designated our April build to the Men’s NetWork WORK DAY. Our next goal is to mentor a new church and keep this momentum growing. The TRP website has a list of the counties in Texas that are currently being served.”

What do you find most satisfying about your work with TRP?

Ramp Building...

(from Page 19)

What were some initial hurdles (other than funding, perhaps) for getting Lamb of God involved in this project?

“At first we had to go through several ‘mentoring builds’ with Christ Memorial Lutheran Church. They taught us the details of ramp building from receiving the referral to surveying the property and ordering the materials. Then we had a build with John Laine, TRP coordinator. It was the final step to becoming an official TRP church.”

As to funding, what kind of must-have items (materials, fuel, tools, etc.) require dollars and cents to keep TRP busy building ramps?

“Texas Ramp Project is primarily funded through donations. As volunteers we donate the time, fuel, some tools, and some disposable items like paint brushes, rollers, and sandpaper. Otherwise, TRP will provide the tools necessary to do the job.

Many of the guys like to bring their own tools, which is fine. There is always a lot to do.”

“Our involvement with TRP is fulfilling on several levels. The most important being how this changes the lives of the people for which we are building these ramps. Some of these individuals cannot leave their homes. I currently have an individual who has not left her home in 15 months. She can’t get out. These ramps provide the freedom and assistance the family needs to help get the individual out for doctor appointments. We also have an opportunity to share God’s grace and love. Many times our clients share with us about how God’s goodness is being shown through our presence. Our mission is ‘Changing lives one ramp at a time.’

“The other aspect of this opportunity is that our men’s ministry has grown over the past year. It has brought us together in so many different ways. The guys have found a common place to have conversations about life. They have developed friendships that were non-existent; faith stories are being shared, and there is a deeper connection with the guys who can be a part of this ministry.”

To learn more about the work being done by Lamb of God’s men’s ministry Ignite, visit their website at lambofgod.net/ministries/adult. To check out the far-reaching work the Texas Ramp Project is doing, go to its website at www.texasramps.org. There you will find stories, pictures, and videos of numerous projects completed, throughout the state. n

What kind of creative solutions have been developed to keep Texas Ramp Project fulfilling its mission?

“One of the difficulties we are experiencing is that there is a lack of funding for individuals under 60 years of age. It has to do with the stipulations on the grant monies. So at Lamb of God we are trying to overcome that with the use of Thrivent Action Team dollars.”

At the end of an article that appeared on Lamb of God’s completion of a ramp for Les, an amputee, there’s this line in the story: “Ramps also allow clients to remain in their homes. A $600 wheelchair ramp can save taxpayers up to $80,000 a year for maintaining that client in a nursing facility at public expense.” That’s a powerful testimonial to the value of these ramps. Is there any financial assistance from government sources to build these ramps?

“Texas Ramp Project is primarily funded by grants from foundations that are supportive of our work with the disabled and elderly. About 60 percent of our funds fall into that category. Another 20 percent, approximately, comes from direct donations from churches, civic organizations, businesses and individuals. The remaining 20 percent is provided by vendor agreements we have with various agencies such as local Area Agencies on Aging that are spread across Texas, and we do some with Adult Protective Services within the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services.”

work day We Want to Hear from You! If you participated in this year’s Men’s NetWork WORK DAY please write us about your experience! We want to hear all about your group’s community outreach project. Please include photos with your submission. All entries will receive a FREE MNW knife. The group that sends the best story and photos will be featured in The Lutheran Layman and receive the grand prize of 10 video Bible studies of their choice!

SUBMIT STORIES AND PHOTOS to mensnetwork@lhm.org by June 30!

The Lutheran Layman May - June 2016

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FAITH-BUILDING

Tools and Resources from LHM

From the Daily Devotions to sermons from The Lutheran Hour to Project Connect booklets, Lutheran Hour Ministries has Christ-centered resources for reflection, instruction, and personal edification.

by Paul Schreiber

Here are sample comments we’ve received, along with some ideas folks have provided (in italics) as to how these resources are used for personal growth or group outreach:

THE LUTHERAN HOUR “As much as I would love to attend church as faithfully as I used to, my health prohibits it. Thank you for The Lutheran Hour on my laptop.”

“Thank You! My husband and I look forward to listening to The Lutheran Hour every week. It is his ‘church.’ I attend services and Bible studies weekly.”

Here are a few comments from people who listen to The Lutheran Hour from other denominations.

Assemblies of God: “I was getting ready for the day and was listening to The Lutheran Hour and your message came to me—truly needing this today.”

Baptist: “We are a family of eight: six homeschool kids, mom, dad, and dog. Please pray for wisdom. Thanks and God bless.”

Non-denominational: “Your radio broadcasts are a blessing. My life is cluttered—so much so that I have been putting off all the things I need to do, waiting until I get everything done, and it never happens. I need a new start.”

Methodist: “Thanks for this resource and God bless your ministry. I enjoy The Lutheran Hour each Sunday before church.”

Hindu: “I would love to teach my daughter about how to pray and be close to God.”

PROJECT CONNECT BOOKLETS “I am on the evangelism committee, and we are ordering these booklets to offer our members for their own use but, more importantly, to encourage them to give them to friends and neighbors who are unchurched that they want to reach out to.

Thank you for the many resources LHM provides for very little cost.”

“We are planning to distribute them to shoppers waiting in line as part of a Black Friday early morning outreach event.”

“We plan to ask elders to deliver booklets to inactive members.”

“We are asking active members to share a booklet with a friend or family member and invite them to services.”

“I do a shut-in ministry and will be using these booklets there and also at a carnival that we are doing.”

“A man received via e-mail a PDF copy of Strength and Honor: The Spiritual Warfare Against Pornography from a friend. He thought it was an excellent resource and will be using it with the Celebrate Recovery program his Baptist church is starting.”

“We can put them into the clinic waiting rooms; pastor could take them along for hospital visits; I could leave them with the hospice patients I visit.”

DAILY DEVOTIONS “I teach a Bible study to the homeless each Tuesday. I read approximately 50 devotions each week and sometimes pick one to use in the class.

I use your devotions most consistently and call those handouts their ‘portable Bible’ this week.

The class has grown to 30-35 and is now being moved to a larger room, praise God! Keep up the great work. It is much appreciated and goes far beyond the eyes that read it via e-mail each day.”

“I have been thoroughly enjoying Pastor Klaus’ Daily Devotions. His way of connecting everyday life situations with Scripture is interesting and helpful. I have woven some of his thoughts into my Sunday school lessons.”

I read your devotionals every day; I’m a classroom teacher in a public school. I share them with my students quite often; they enjoy them also.

“I frequently listen to The Lutheran Hour Sunday message and read the Daily Devotion regularly. I use the devotions for our adult/ senior fellowship on a regular basis.”

“I have been thoroughly enjoying Pastor Klaus’ Daily Devotions the last couple of weeks. His way of connecting everyday life situations with Scripture is interesting and helpful. I have woven some of his thoughts into my Sunday School lessons.”

All these resources—either as an item to be downloaded, ordered for purchase, or found in one of our archives—are available to use and distribute in your personal or congregational outreach efforts. Costs for items are minimal and there are, in the case of Project Connect booklets, display stand options to make texts easily available to others. You can find it all at www.lhm.org. n 22

The Lutheran Layman May - June 2016

Cranor:

More than

His Last Word

by Gerald Perschbacher

A

person’s life often is summed up in several words—family, friends, work, achievements, obligations, and use of free time. Like a good editor, Walter E. Cranor knew those words in his “dictionary for life.”

Yet, the Walt I knew carried more virtues. One of those was “an inquisitive spirit” and a knack for getting answers. Sometimes that made people squirm a bit, but it was part and parcel of a good editor to seek the best answers possible.

He had family and knew numerous friends—in fact, his magnetic smile seemed to readily attract friends.

He had his work—and his achievements in the realm of publishing including 17 years in California and then 21 years in St. Louis as editor, publications manager, and division director at the International Lutheran Laymen’s League (which he affectionately called “the LLL”).

The greatest virtue Walt carried in “Life’s Dictionary” was FAITH. He loved the Lord, was willing to risk his own good to further the good of the Lord, and blended FAITH in God along with respect for his nation, without blurring one into the other.

He loved the Lord, was willing to risk his own good to further the good of the Lord, and blended FAITH in God along with respect for his nation, without blurring one into the other.

Walt made sure he went the extra mile to help the Lord’s “Causes” even beyond what we now call Lutheran Hour Ministries. One of those was Lutheran Braille Workers, which was headed by Helene Loewe.

Walt granted her and her organization an extra measure of publicity during the 1968 LLL convention in Canada, and Helene, being a sharp and perceptive force, was

quick to realize it. She admitted that she was “confident that many blessings will result…thank you for giving us these opportunities to reach more people.”

It’s easy to see that Walt was a MOTIVATOR. He also was a Walter Edgar REALIST. He was PRACTICAL and made some outstanding Cranor of decisions. He wasn’t perfect, of course, since he was made St. Louis, Missouri, of fallible substance in this “fallen” world of sin and former editor of regret—something which we, ourselves, all realize.

The Lutheran Layman That made him all the more determined to do all he Good Newspaper, was could to make the Will of the Lord PARAMOUNT called to heavenly glory in life. on March 14. He was 92.

For Walt, perfection came in the merits of From 1942 through 1945 Cranor served as a Marine Christ. Our Savior‘s life, His suffering, His death, in the Second World War, Pacific Theater. Seventeen and His Resurrection were meant for ALL. Yet, years of his editorial career were spent in Fresno, too often the GOOD NEWS is neglected by the California, as manager of the United Press office there very people who so desperately need it! and as copy editor for The Fresno Bee newspaper.

In time I succeeded Walt as editor of In 1967 he joined the management staff of the The Lutheran Layman and took over most International Lutheran Laymen’s League as editor of his former work. In a farewell article about of its official publication The Lutheran Layman. He Walt preceding his retirement on June 15th retired in 1988 as a division director of the LLL staff. of 1988, he said, “I’ll be spending most of my Cranor was born to his mining father in Tul Mi time fishing and gardening, and I’m looking Chung, Korea, attended schools in Colorado and forward to it.” And he did, but not necessarily California, and in 1968 was one of 32 editors of religious in the manner we may think. Walt continued periodicals selected for a special tour of the Holy to “fish” for souls and furthered his reach by Land at the invitation of the Israeli government. supporting ministry efforts in his church and through the LLL. That outreach went across Cranor had been a zone president in California and town and around the world. Walt knew it. He had been active in the Walther League. For many made a difference. He also was “gardening,” but years he had been active at Prince of Peace in an everlasting sense as he spread seeds of hope.

Lutheran Church in suburban St. Louis. He is Now Walt has reached the ULTIMATE horizon of survived by his wife Laura and several Eternal Life with His Savior. He is there by God’s grace, other relatives. through faith, not by his own works, not by fishing the Memorials were requested for best, editing the best, even smiling the best. He is there by Lutheran Hour Ministries grace alone. (www.lhm.org).

As Walt walks the streets of Heaven, I think he will see many people who were “caught by faith,” thanks to the Holy Spirit working through Walt’s efforts in spreading the Good News.

Maybe we can ALL take up that type of fishing—with a smile ! n The Lutheran Layman May - June 2016

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Lutheran Hour Ministries’ 100th Anniversary Celebration

Don’t Miss this ‘Once in a Century’ Event!

MARK YOUR CALENDARS to join us at historic Union Station in downtown St. Louis on Oct. 21-23 for an exciting weekend that kicks off a year-long celebration of the 100th anniversary of the International Lutheran Laymen’s League / Lutheran Hour Ministries! This weekend recognizes the rich history of LHM’s ministry and offers opportunities to learn about the bold vision that will carry LHM forward to new generations.

Below is a sampling of the highlights that will make this an event you won’t want to miss – all for the low price of $125 per person (cost for lodging is not included). A program for youth will be offered for $25 per person and includes the Friday and Sunday activities listed below as well as special day-long youth events on Saturday.

For more details, visit www.lhm.org/100years.

Friday

Enjoy a casual evening of fun and fellowship during LHM’s Family Night Oktoberfest. Kick off this full weekend of activities dining on German fare and experiencing the musical tradition of the German and Central European cultures combined with a modern flavor through marches, polkas, waltzes, and tangos performed by the Deutschmeister German Brass Band. The band will also be accompanied by authentic German dancers.

Saturday

Celebrate the many blessings that God has bestowed on this ministry and revisit some of the notable achievements of lay leaders. You will also be challenged, energized, and equipped by a full day of speakers giving you tools and encouragement to put your faith into action! Speakers will include Rev. Dr. Gregory Seltz, Speaker of The Lutheran Hour; Rev. Dr. Ken Klaus, Speaker Emeritus of The Lutheran Hour; Matt Popovits; Greg Finke; Cindy Steinbeck; and more.

Grab a passport and plan your “trip around the globe” as you visit with directors from each of LHM’s more than 30 ministry centers who will be in attendance to share what is happening through the wide array of culturally-relevant Gospel outreach activities in their country. This will be an unmatched opportunity to interact with a global panel of Gospel servant leaders in one place!

Saturday concludes with a gala celebration featuring a gourmet meal, entertainment by renowned jazz musician Erin Bode, and a look at future ministry with Rev. Dr. Gregory Seltz and Rev. Mike Newman.

Sunday

The weekend wraps up with a special morning on the beautiful campus of Concordia Seminary. A fellowship breakfast will be provided, followed by a special sending service led by Rev. Dr. Gregory Seltz. Free shuttle service will be provided from Union Station to the seminary.

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The Lutheran Layman May - June 2016

Special Room Rates On-Site at Union Station Lutheran Hour Ministries has reserved a block of rooms on-site at the DoubleTree Union Station for the reduced rate of $119 per night. This rate applies for room reservations booked for the nights of Oct. 16 through Oct. 26 and the discount is being offered until Sept. 26 (or until the group block is sold-out, whichever comes first).

Set in the center of downtown St. Louis, the historic AAA Four-Diamond St. Louis Union Station – a DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel – is just 20 minutes from Lambert International Airport (direct MetroLink access is available from the airport, as well as special event rates through a third-party shuttle service). ”Headhouse” Grand Hall has a lobby lounge area with sweeping archways, gold leaf detailing, mosaics, and art glass windows. Transport back to a time when travel was truly extraordinary. Witness a remarkable 3-D projected light show on the Grand Hall’s 65-foot tall ceiling every hour between 5-11 p.m. daily. The historic beauty helped achieve a top RailwayThemed Hotel rating by Condé Nast. All of the beautiful guest rooms and exquisite suites at this hotel feature elegant decor and modern amenities.

Parking is $10 per day for overnight selfparking and $20 per day for valet. For those not staying at the hotel and just planning to attend various event activities, daytime parking is $10 per day.