The Lutheran Layman

THE

LUTHERAN L AYMAN September - October 2018

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Zeigler is New Speaker. . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 Together, We are SENT. . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 Barna Research = Products + Resources. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 Nurturing Your Faith. . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 International Ministry Milestones . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 “Gospel Adventures” in 2019 . . . . 15

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SPEAKING UP

by Dr. Oswald Hoffmann (1955) in his then— new calling as Speaker of The Lutheran Hour

We Preach Christ Crucified … making the Cross of Christ your own, accepting the Crucified Christ as your personal Savior, will change your whole outlook on life.

A

affected by these developments, as well as those in the field of peaceful use of atomic energy, which are coming a lot faster than most people recognize?

Things are happening so fast that it is impossible to get a grip on them before they slip away, replaced by something new and better. Is there no way to get a grip on anything in our rapidly developing civilization?

I want to talk to you for just a few minutes about the real thing—the one that never changes. It’s what we preach on this program.

“We preach Christ Crucified.”

St. Paul said that. He went on to say that wherever he preached Christ crucified, he was met by incredulity and skepticism. “But we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumbling block and unto the Greeks foolishness; But unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God” (1 Corinthians 1:23-24).

t the close of this last session of the United States Congress, a representative introduced a bill to give the name “astronaut” to a new object not yet in existence. The latest addition to the family, whose birth has been announced as being two years off, is the satellite which scientists hope to shoot into outer space. It is expected to revolve around the earth about 200 to 300 miles above the earth’s surface, and to keep on going around for several weeks or even for months until it finally re-enters our atmosphere and is destroyed by the heat which friction will then create.

Things are happening pretty fast these days when the dreams of a decade ago become realities so quickly.

There is the prospect of even bigger things to come—with “automation” in industry, for example. Who is to say how much our lives are going to be

All too often being in the dog house is not only a matter of having incurred the anger of someone else, but of our setting up a wall between them and us through our own feeling of guilt. We don’t want to give.

We don’t want to admit that we were wrong. It only makes things worse to know that we were wrong.

I can’t promise you that acceptance of “Christ crucified for you” will solve all your personality problems—or will solve any of them immediately.

But this I say with complete confidence: making the Cross of Christ your own, accepting the Crucified Christ as your personal Savior, will change your whole outlook on life. It will bring you into a relationship of friendship with God, the kind that God wants to have with you. It will give God His chance to make you more and more the kind of person He intended you to be. n

This column was condensed from the classic message, “We Preach Christ Crucified” that aired on The Lutheran Hour, in October of 1955.

L AYMAN The Lutheran

Vol. 89, No. 5 September - October 2018

Dr. Gerald Perschbacher (LL.D.), Editor

•

Andrea Thompson, Layout

Subscription: $5. Printed bi-monthly. Send color photos for use. Photos sent to the paper may not be returned. Lutheran Hour Ministries, The Lutheran Hour, Bringing Christ to the Nations, BCTN, This is the Life, Ayer, Hoy y Siempre, Cristo Para Todas Las Naciones, Esta Es La Vida, Para el Camino, THRED, and The Hoffmann Society are ® registered marks, or SM service marks. The Puzzle Club is a service mark and trademark of Int’l LLL. All rights reserved, 2018 Int’l LLL. LHM Response Center: 1-800-876-9880

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

2 | The Lutheran Layman September - October 2018

Now you can listen to The Lutheran Hour on Sirius XM! Sundays @ 10AM ET on Channel 131 – Family Talk

Check out page 10 for LHM’s NEW single-page Bible study.

The first of a four-part series …

NURTURING YO U R FA I T H :

Prayers of Intercession

Zeigler is the New Speaker “Best of all, this means that I get to know Jesus better and help others know Him, too.”

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eginning Reformation Sunday, Oct. 28, you will hear a new voice behind the microphone on The Lutheran Hour. Rev. Dr. Michael Zeigler of St. Louis, Missouri, has accepted a call to serve as the eighth full-time Speaker of The Lutheran Hour and joins the staff of Lutheran Hour Ministries on Oct. 1.

“We are pleased that the Lord has led us to Rev. Zeigler as the next person to carry on our rich history of proclaiming the Gospel through The Lutheran Hour,” says LHM President and CEO Kurt Buchholz. “While we will soon have a new voice behind the microphone, our focus for the program remains the same: proclaiming the clear Gospel message of salvation which comes through Jesus Christ.”

“Rev. Zeigler is a wonderful addition to the LHM team,” says Rev. Dr. Tony Cook, executive director of United States Ministries for LHM. “His skilled preaching and gracious demeanor make him a perfect fit for The Lutheran Hour program. In addition to connecting with people through the traditional methods of radio and in-person events, we will partner with Rev. Zeigler to utilize the expanding possibilities for sharing the Gospel that are offered

by new technologies. I look forward to working with him as we expand the proclamation of the Gospel throughout North America.”

Zeigler has served as pastor of Epiphany Lutheran Church in south St. Louis since August 2014. Prior to that, he was assistant pastor at nearby Timothy Lutheran Church. Before becoming a pastor, he served as an aircraft maintenance officer in the Air Force.

“While accepting this call means that I must suffer the heartbreak of no longer being pastor to the people of Epiphany, I have the joy of meeting and working alongside wonderful people with Lutheran Hour Ministries,” says Zeigler.

Zeigler grew up in a military family, living throughout the United States, from North Dakota to Alabama and Virginia to Colorado. His family moved 11 times before he finished high school in Springfield, Missouri. He graduated from the U.S. Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, Colorado, in 2001 with a bachelor’s degree in general engineering and served five years in the Air Force. He left active duty in 2006 to enter Concordia Seminary, St. Louis, where he completed a Master of Divinity degree in theological studies and a Ph.D. in doctrinal theology.

“The role of Speaker has been held by many distinguished men of God; I am in awe of their work and intend to learn from their example,” says Zeigler.

“Despite my own feelings of inadequacy, I step into this role with the confidence that the Lord Himself has called me to share His truth and love with a wider audience. Best of all, this means that I get to know Jesus better and help others know Him, too.”

He continues to serve part-time as an Air Force reserve officer and as a guest instructor at Concordia Seminary. Previously, he was a guest lecturer for the Concordia University Network and a ministry leadership course coordinator for Christian Friends of New Americans. He published a book in 2017 titled Christian Hope Among Rivals: How Life-Organizing Stories Anticipate the End of Evil and has written several papers for symposia, circuit meetings, and national conferences. He and his wife, Amy, have four children.

You can hear The Lutheran Hour on more than 1,800 stations across North America, as well as on the American Forces Network, online at lutheranhour.org, through a podcast or mobile app, or on new media platforms such as Amazon Alexa, Spotify, iHeartRadio, and Sirius XM satellite radio. n

The Microphone Passes

“We have been blessed to have these two distinguished and extremely popular Speakers share the Good News over the airwaves the past ten months.”

With much gratitude and thanks, we say goodbye to our interim Speakers, Rev. Dr. Dale Meyer and Rev. Dr. Ken Klaus.

Both officially ended their tenure with The Lutheran Hour program Aug. 31. These gifted and experienced men of God have been heard on each broadcast of The Lutheran Hour since November 2017, with one preaching the sermon and the other offering his unique perspective on the week’s theme during the program’s post-sermon Reflections segment.

“We have been blessed to have these two distinguished and extremely popular Speakers share the Good News over the airwaves the past ten months,” says LHM President and CEO Kurt Buchholz. “We are truly honored that these men were so eager and willing to help us make sure this transition to our new Speaker was as seamless as possible.”

Klaus retired from the full-time Speaker role in 2010 and, prior to last November, had been writing and recording a sermon a month for The Lutheran Hour and writing most of LHM’s Daily

Devotions as Speaker Emeritus. Meyer served as Speaker from 1989 through 2001 (as well as host of LHM’s previously aired On Main Street weekly television program) and currently serves as president of Concordia Seminary in St. Louis.

As part of the transition to the new Speaker, Klaus has also officially retired from writing the Daily Devotions as of the end of August. The Daily Devotions will now be written by multiple authors and will follow a weekly template keyed to the three-year lectionary found in the Lutheran Service Book.

While multiple authors will be used, the devotions will have one “voice” provided by Rev. Dr. Michael Zeigler, the new Speaker of The Lutheran Hour.

“The gifted writing of Pastor Klaus has brought thousands of devotions to life over the past 11 years for the more than 40,000 subscribers who follow this program,” says Rev. Dr. Tony Cook, executive director of United States Ministries for LHM. “We look forward to growing the reach of this already strong program.” n The Lutheran Layman September - October 2018 | 3

Together, We

Are SENT!

by Chad Fix

LHM staff, volunteers, and supporters shared in the excitement of being SENT!

T

ens of thousands of individuals throughout North America have been blessed by the Lord through The Lutheran Hour radio program since it first aired in 1930. Yet, when you talk to many of them, they are surprised to hear that Lutheran Hour Ministries’ (LHM) work is much broader in scope—and that the Lord is using all aspects of that wider scope to bring people to faith. You might say the full span of LHM’s work resembles a best-kept secret.

That secret ended Aug. 4 at the LHM Celebration Event in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, with more than 300 supporters in attendance. Following a full day of updates from staff, volunteers, and individuals who have been mightily affected through the ministry work, LHM hosted a gala celebration in the evening to unveil SENT, a global initiative to proclaim the Gospel.

“We want people to have the eternal hope and peace that comes from knowing Jesus as their Lord and Savior, and we will do whatever it takes to make that happen,” says LHM President and CEO Kurt Buchholz. “As our mission statement proclaims, we are committed to Bringing Christ to the Nations—and the Nations to the Church. That’s why the SENT initiative was brought into existence as a movement to send forth the Gospel in new and dynamic ways.”

“LHM is a global ministry that shares the Gospel message here in North America and around the world

in effective and efficient ways … through indigenous foreign mission fields in more than 50 countries, cutting-edge digital media, Bible studies, animated and live productions, and so much more,” says Vickie Dankenbring, co-chair of LHM’s SENT National Leadership Council with her husband Jim. “We have been blessed to be part of several different ministries, but LHM represents the best talent we’ve experienced and is by far the most well run and impactful organization.”

The funding aspect of SENT was quietly launched in 2015 with a goal to raise $242 million by the year 2020.

It is with gratitude to God, and deep appreciation to the multitude of people who have already supported this effort, that the SENT initiative has already raised more than $161 million—a number that continues to grow each day! This includes more than $3.35 million raised by the attendees of Saturday evening’s gala celebration in Milwaukee.

With the unveiling of the SENT initiative, the secret is out! However, billions of souls worldwide have not yet heard of the Savior. He remains a “secret” to them.

LHM now reaches more than 100 million people each week with the Gospel—and we pray the Lord uses SENT to introduce Him to many more.

“The truth is, when it comes to the Gospel, there is no secret,” says Buchholz. “We are not about keeping

the message of salvation a secret. As the priesthood of all believers, we are called, equipped, and SENT to make that Gospel known to the more than three billion people who have little-to-no opportunity to hear of its life-saving message.”

For more than 100 years, LHM has been sowing seeds of biblically-inspired hope, love, and transformation throughout our communities and around the world.

But this work is FAR from complete—and some of our greatest challenges lie ahead.

Two-thirds of the world’s population does not know Christ. More and more Americans—both inside and outside the church—are pledging allegiance to the “morality of self-fulfillment,” which is rapidly becoming the culture’s moral norm. Islam is the world’s fastest-growing religion and is projected to surpass Christianity in the second half of the century.

Today—RIGHT NOW—the call is urgent. Now there is a new opportunity for you to take a bold step forward with LHM. The ministry launched SENT as an expansive, holistic, multi-layered plan to answer the pressing challenges and realities of the 21st century.

This initiative brings greater vision, clarity, and definition to the work LHM is already doing. To create the greatest impact for our friends, families, churches, communities, and world, the ministry focuses on four key areas.

“…we are committed to ‘Bringing Christ to the Nations—and the Nations to the Church’ …”

4 | The Lutheran Layman September - October 2018

“I had no idea Lutheran Hour Ministries did all of that!”

Photos for this article were taken during the LHM Celebration Event, August 3-5, at the Pfister Hotel in Milwaukee. More than 300 supporters were in attendance to hear dynamic presentations about LHM’s four strategic priorities and celebrate the launch of SENT, a global initiative for sharing the Gospel that brings greater vision, clarity, and definition to the work LHM is already doing.

ENERGIZE, EQUIP, AND ENGAGE Laity for Outreach: God has called you, me, all of us, to share His love to those around us, which is why LHM tirelessly equips believers to live out and share their faith with boldness in everyday life. To do this, LHM has invested in three approaches.

First, LHM has partnered with researchers, developing a greater understanding of how Christians today can most effectively engage today’s evolving culture.

A partnership with Barna Group has, so far, opened insights on the topics of Spiritual Conversations in the Digital Age and Households of Faith, allowing us to jointly publish our research findings.

Second, LHM has invested in equipping individuals or groups of all ages to share the Good News with others in their everyday lives. Last year’s launch of LHM Learn, an online curriculum designed for Christians to deepen their knowledge of outreach strategies, is serving more than 1,500 subscribed users who have already consumed over 2,000 hours of LHM Learn curriculum through 19 courses in five faith-strengthening categories.

And third, developing resources like Gospel Adventures open a window to the world for individuals of all ages as they learn about God’s plan for global mission.

GROW GOD’S KINGDOM through Expanded Media Outreach: Mass media proclamation of the Gospel has long proven a powerful tool for outreach by allowing people to connect through a variety of expanded media platforms like television, radio, print, and the internet. LHM is expanding on this, bringing the Gospel message to people wherever they are.

The results speak for themselves. Today, more than 1,800 radio stations in North America, combined with the American Forces Network, touch the lives of one million listeners a week by broadcasting The Lutheran Hour. LHM is constantly looking for new, effective platforms to expand the reach of this life-changing content, such as iHeartRadio, Spotify, plus a new Sunday morning timeslot airing at 10 a.m. EST on Sirius XM’s Family Talk Channel 131. The ministry is also evaluating the creation of new children’s specials, introducing God’s story to a new generation through cutting-edge animation. Looking forward, a new podcast network has launched, designed to target LHM’s 75,000 current supporters as well as new audiences of young Christians and non-Christians. see next page

“We are not about keeping the message of salvation a secret … we are called, equipped, and SENT to make that Gospel known … .”

The Lutheran Layman September - October 2018 | 5

Together… from previous page LHM Reach

Current Reach:

101,023,695

93% FY 2016 Reach:

FY 2020 Goal:

56,068,203

108 million

SENT Funding Goal Current Total:

$161 million

67% Goal:

$242 million Reaching people and funding that process work together toward success.

BRING THE GOSPEL TO THE UNREACHED Around the World: Modern communication tools offer the potential to proclaim the Gospel to every unreached person on the planet. LHM is poised to do just that—to expand global outreach to the furthest corners of the earth.

But how can we reach so many and speak the Truth when we may not even speak the same language? LHM has developed a unique approach: from the inside out.

While many ministries send missionaries to foreign countries, LHM lifts up and equips local staff and volunteers who know the language, understand the culture, and can most effectively communicate the Gospel in their context. LHM focuses its international work on three emphases: by finding areas in our world where unreached people have little or no possibility of hearing the Gospel; in urban areas which statistics show have a higher concentration of people who have yet to hear the Good News; and in the emerging global youth culture, where there is a growing population of unreached.

Through expanded radio and online ministry, as well as strategic personal and holistic outreach, millions of lives are being reached—including people in new areas of the world. A media partnership with SAT-7 broadcasts new TV programming to reach most of the Middle East and North Africa. The launch of new social media platforms in the Middle East, as well as South and Central America, reaches tens of thousands of people with God’s message of hope and love.

“ … LHM’s mission of ‘Bringing Christ to the Nations—and the Nations to the Church’ is more relevant now than ever before.”

6 | The Lutheran Layman September - October 2018

ENGAGE COMMUNITIES in the Digital Mission Field: Statistics show that our country’s younger generations—even those raised within the walls of our churches—are choosing to walk away from church.

Today, society teaches us that truth isn’t timeless … it’s relative.

But there is one thing that isn’t changing. People everywhere are hurting and seeking more from this life. How do we start deep, authentic conversations with people about life’s tough topics? How do we connect with a younger generation that would rather search for truth on Google?

At LHM, the answer started with a bold, new idea. If we want to change tomorrow’s statistics, we must start with those who will live them out—our children and grandchildren. After extensive research, LHM launched THRED, a network of online content that ignites conversations with non-churched people on digital platforms to create personal connections that lead to community.

Since THRED’s launch in February 2017, the site has made more than four million unique impressions, a number that grows daily. Videos, articles, and discussions cover everyday topics that can have eternal ramifications. These people have made thousands of posts, shares, likes, and other forms of dialogue.

Also, the THRED forum has engaged churched and non-churched people in discussions that open their eyes to Jesus and His message of love and hope.

THRED’s first year proved that the thirst exists for this type of discussion in the online space. Now, as we look to the future, LHM is determined to drive those conversations deeper and strengthen the emerging online community.

Since the SENT initiative has been introduced, Jim and Vickie Dankenbring, co-chairs of the SENT National Leadership Council, emphasize that it will take the “power of many” to make it an overwhelming success.

“God has shown us that He can do more through people like you and me than we could ever imagine—if we only allow ourselves to go where He is sending us,” says Jim Dankenbring. “With billions of people around the world living without the hope of Christ—not only in foreign lands, but also in our communities here at home—declining church membership, and the hesitancy of many believers to share their faith, LHM’s mission of Bringing Christ to the Nations—and the Nations to the Church is more relevant now than ever before.”

Event photos by Pam Rempe

LHM—Thailand girls show their recent bracelets.

SENT in Culturally Relevant Ways

by Chad Fix

F

How can you get involved with SENT? »»Energize, Equip, and Engage Laity for Outreach Explore lhm.org/resources to see all the ways LHM works to equip YOU! »»Grow God’s Kingdom through

Expanded Media Outreach

Download, listen to, and share LHM’s podcasts.

Subscribe at lhm.org/podcasts. »»Bring the Gospel to the Unreached

Around the World

Share LHM’s unique international ministry model and the message about our global work with others. »»Engage Communities in the Digital Mission Field Watch THRED content, share it, and pray for God to work through THRED to reach people’s hearts. »»Learn More About the SENT Initiative Visit lhm.org/sent to read more about the four strategic priorities and how you can support this initiative.

Thank you for being part of this Gospel mission. Together, we are SENT! n Chad Fix oversees the corporate communications of Lutheran Hour Ministries.

or more than 75 years, LHM’s international efforts have actively pursued the execution and achievement of a global mission of sharing the life transforming Gospel of Jesus with those who do not know Him. This is done through strategically-placed ministry centers around the world that are staffed by indigenous people who identify, develop, and use media resources in local languages that are culturally-relevant and attractive.

LHM’s international work focuses on the unbelieving world, with a specific emphasis on the unreached, urban areas, and young adults. Below are just a few ways that LHM ministry center staff, volunteers, and partners are being SENT to share the Good News of Jesus worldwide.

Chile: Pastor Adrian Ventura, the new pastor of the missional point in the city of Constitución, Chile, sets up a booth in the city and partners with volunteers to hand out LHM booklets to residents of the sector. LHM–Chile supports this mission by supplying advertising, the booth, booklets, and other materials. This ministerial work of Pastor Ventura was very well received by the neighbors of the sector and several contacts were made. We pray that these responses, with God’s help, will soon be connections to that local mission.

Middle East/North Africa: When the Lord opens the door, LHM’s team in the region is always ready to take the lead in ministry to refugee students.

The LHM team recently visited a camp of Syrian refugees and had a unique opportunity to share the Gospel and love of Christ with students there. Through a science experiment that ministry staff performed for them, students learned how only grace through Jesus can cleanse us from every sin. No good deeds can remove our sin, but Jesus is Lord who cleanses us, saves us, and gives us eternal life. The students enjoyed the class and follow-up discussions about the experiment. The program also included games as well as refreshments.

Thailand: A recent Equipping the Saints outreach training workshop taught the normal modules to the 47 participants who came from five churches in the area. During the workshop, 19 children separated from the group and began studying LHM–Thailand’s children’s Bible Correspondence Course.

The children enjoyed the study and finished Course One. At the end of the day, ministry staff received positive feedback from attendees and 36 people became commissioned volunteers and 27 attendees signed up to begin receiving weekly Gospel text messages of encouragement on their mobile phones.

Liberia: The ministry recently conducted a youth program designed to bring together church youths that were backsliding and community youths who were involved with substance abuse and addiction. They held counseling sessions and led Bible lessons that were followed by fun games at Cooper’s Beach on the outskirts of Monrovia. The event reached more than 50 youth. n

To learn more about how LHM staff and volunteers are SENT internationally, visit lhm.org/international.

The Lutheran Layman September - October 2018 | 7

Barna Research will Drive

LHM’s Products and Resources

For example, • Many of today’s younger

F

or a century, Lutheran Hour Ministries has consistently developed Christ-centered resources for congregations and individuals. Gleaning useful data from which to produce new resources was derived from contacts with congregations, informal questionnaires and surveys, feedback from field staff working directly with church members, plus conversations between LHM staff and attendees at the many on-site events held around the country over the years.

This street-level approach to outreach is about meeting people where they are.

Going forward, LHM is partnering with Barna Group to refine and expand the data it collects. Barna, a trusted leader in church research for the last three decades, has produced its first report for LHM: Spiritual Conversations in the Digital Age. Of this relationship, LHM President and CEO Kurt Buchholz said, “In David Kinnaman and his Barna colleagues, we again found the right partner for finding up-to-date, real-world, research-based answers to our questions. (Barna worked with LHM previously in 1993.) Many of the findings from this first year of research confirm hypotheses we had formed based on trends we had nervously observed—but the findings also give us a lot to get excited about.”

Christians feel a strong personal responsibility to share their faith.

• Christians are having more “faith conversations” through social media and other digital avenues.

• An increasing number of Christians say they are most comfortable sharing their faith within the warmth of friendship, using genuine conversation and dialogue.

• Most encouraging, people who share their faith these days typically feel joy and are energized to share even more; outreach begets outreach, even in our changing times.

These are good indicators. People are sharing their faith and are inspired and more comfortable doing so. They’re using social media to connect with others, and they’re finding an authentic joy in having faith-based conversations.

This street-level approach to outreach is about meeting people where they are.

It reminds one of the Savior’s many offthe-cuff interactions with the people He encountered.

“We believe Christ’s followers have something essential and meaningful to share with their families, neighbors, friends, and those they come into contact with,” said Roxanne Stone, editor in chief at Barna Group. “We want to see churches come alongside believers and empower them with confidence to talk about their faith. We want to see Christians begin to make connections between their everyday, ordinary life—their sleeping, eating, going-to-work and walking-around life—and the faith that sustains them.

8 | The Lutheran Layman September - October 2018

And we want them to tell others the Good News of Jesus.”

Taking 2018’s findings, LHM uses this data to develop fresh resources like new LHM Learn courses, topical booklets, Bible studies, devotional aids, and other offerings. Moving ahead, it will combine Barna’s first-year findings with data already collected for year two (2019) of its three-year focus. This then will be used to create products tailored to the needs the Barna research is uncovering.

For the 2019 Households of Faith report, Barna surveyed more than 2,500 “practicing Christians who live with others.”

This is what was discovered: • Households of faith that

regularly engage with God are not dour or legalistic; they’re vibrant and connect with each other on many levels.

• Faith formation does not happen in families alone.

• The person you depend on for faith will likely change as your household changes—especially as married couples have children.

• Not that “bigger is better” necessarily, but bigger/more diverse households have different types of nurture, guests, and activities, and tend to be more vibrant.

• Hospitality influences spiritual growth.

A warm and inviting faith household is like a tree where birds flock.

These homes draw others in, accept differences and diversity, and, in respect to faith concerns, positively influence spiritual growth. Key in vibrant households of faith was

by Paul Schreiber

the consistent intention to practice hospitality. The upside—the faith of family members was fostered while opportunities for sharing the Christian faith with visitors increased.

Understanding how to better share our faith is central to what LHM is getting from Barna. Dr. Tony Cook, executive director for United States ministries at LHM, put it this way: “Sociologically, we have learned that when we are exposed to the salvation narrative we begin to take that narrative as our own. Over time, it shapes our identity, values and, ultimately, behaviors, giving us a new way to see ourselves and the world around us.

This change in identity and perspective is further strengthened and solidified as we give voice to that narrative. In the end, the more we share our faith, the more we understand who we are and the more confident and eager we become as Christians.”

Confident and eager Christians who no longer hesitate to speak with others about Jesus—that goal in itself is worthy of the actionable insights on faith and culture the Barna partnership provides.

For your own copy of 2018’s Spiritual Conversations in the Digital Age, go to barna.com/spiritualconversations.

There you’ll find commentary and video about this project, and can sign up for a FREE research-based email from Barna Group. n Paul Schreiber reports on the impact of LHM’s ministry work in the United States.

“ … the more we share our faith, the more we understand who we are and the more confident and eager we become as Christians.”

New Booklet Probes the Question: Who Is Jesus?

W

hile Jesus Christ is central to Christianity, a faith held by millions worldwide, He still proves to be an elusive figure to many. He’s considered a prominent teacher, a wise sage, an enduring historical character, even a rebel, but who is He really? Why do Christians call Him their Lord, their Savior, their God? In LHM’s latest Project Connect booklet, bestselling author and LHM Content Development Manager Rev. Don Everts helps readers navigate their way to an understanding of who Jesus is and why He’s important to us all. Everts’ style is casual, his tone engaging. He opens with, “My name is Don and I am a Christian. One of the things you’ll learn about me in this booklet is that I find Jesus pretty fascinating.” And so, do we?

Everts notes how from the very beginning of the Christian movement, Jesus’ followers were consumed with the carpenter from Nazareth.

His words and teachings amazed those around Him. They were both astonished by His actions and seized by the strange things they witnessed.

Everts writes, “There are dozens of verses of people responding—stunned—by the words of

… “I am the Bread of Life,” “I am the Light of the world,” “I am the Good Shepherd” …

W ho Is Jesus?

Christians have alwa ys been a Jesus-co nsumed group of people. From the very beginning, their conversations and letters and sermons and songs were saturated with his name. Their com munities were preoccupied with the simple stor ies of his life.

They handled and carefully passed on his words as if they were a valuable treasure.

But why? Why wer

e people so amazed

by Jesus?

Why did som I estand innato bow long Jesus. Everywhere Jesus went, it was as if a moose Why people feel draw before him? were so many peop le silenced and thril words? Why have led by his Chri of had walked into the room. How do you account been so preoline stianpastors s throughout the cent uries ccupied with Jesus? emperors, for this? This is too loud a chorus to be ignored In this booklet,and we tackle honestly and head -on one of mon, and perhaps imposinners, saints and as insignificant. How do we make sense of these ofthethemoslastt com rtant, questions two thousand year s: Who is Jesus? farmers and reactions?” soldiers and Citing both scriptural and secular sources, Everts CH RIS TIA N FOU beggarsNDand notes historical, textual, and literary data about ATI ON S mothers and the life of Jesus. He concludes that non-biblical children who references to Jesus, the vast number of biblical answer this manuscripts about Jesus relative to other ancient question the same sources about characters or events we accept as PROJECT CONN way: Jesus is God true, and the New Testament writers’ agenda—all ECT speak to the truth that Jesus lived and did the things in the flesh.”

PROJECT CONN This booklet said about Him. ECT is ideal for sharing with those who have So, if Jesus lived, what is it about His identity questions about the life and character of Jesus. that’s important for us today? That’s where Jesus’ Uncomplicated language and style make it perfect many comments about Himself—“I am the Bread for using in Bible study groups, having it handy of Life,” “I am the Light of the world,” “I am the when Mormons or Jehovah’s Witnesses ring your Good Shepherd”—come in. He’s making claims bell, or enjoying in your own private study time. about Himself, and not just ordinary claims. His “I Go to lhm.org/projectconnect to check out am” sayings are putting Him on par with God the Who Is Jesus?. There you can download the booklet Heavenly Father. as a PDF, listen to an audio reading, or click over to With that in mind then, who is Jesus? Everts LHM’s storefront to purchase copies. n writes, “Ultimately, that is for us each to answer.

For free online cour ses, and more infor covering five faith mation -strengthening categ ories, visit lhm.org/learn today.

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New Single-Page Bible Study on Prayer Launches in This Layman Included in this issue of The Lutheran Layman is part one of a four-part Bible study on prayer. Nurturing Your Faith: Prayers of Intercession explores the nature of intercessory prayer in the Old Testament, in the life of Jesus, and in the early church. A brief introduction and some capping comments at the end give the reader a brief but thoughtful look at how intercessory prayers—prayers offered on behalf of another—figure into the biblical record and how they can be employed in our own lives. A prayer concludes the study.

Each of the four sessions of Nurturing Your Faith includes an online video featuring Don Everts, content development manager for U.S. Ministries. In these brief videos, he’ll highlight how, in this case, intercessory prayer can become a part of our personal prayer lives. In this first video, Everts tells an interesting story about Hans, a freshman at the college where Everts was a campus minister. He also delves into an area of intercessory prayer that may be difficult for many of us: praying for our enemies.

Each session will be available online at lhm.org/studies where Scripture citations are included in full. There you will find reflection questions to explore specific examples of intercessory prayer in the Bible and how they have applications for us today. This Bible study can be downloaded and printed for individual or group use. You may also clip the page out of The Lutheran Layman and save them that way.

Nurturing Your Faith will continue in the next three issues of The Lutheran Layman with special attention given to prayers of gratitude in Nov.-Dec. 2018; confession, Jan.-Feb. 2019; and praise, Mar.-Apr. 2019. When all four sessions are completed, the study will be compiled into a DVD available for purchase. n

NOW AVAILABLE ON

To find out other ways you can listen, visit lutheranhour.org.

The Lutheran Layman September - October 2018 | 9

NURTURING YO U R FA I T H :

Prayers of Intercession W

elcome to Prayers of Intercession, the first of four installments in the Nurturing Your Faith Bible study series. This session’s focus is intercessory prayer: prayers made on behalf of another person or group of people.

Watch video introduction at lhm.org/studies

It is a privilege for the Christian to intercede to God on another’s behalf, knowing He alone has their best interest at heart. Prayers of intercession are different than prayers of confession, thanksgiving, supplication, or praise, to name a few. When we intercede for others, we elevate them in our prayer focus. We may be seeking God’s restoration of their health, or His spiritual comfort in their time of need. We may be asking God to grant them protection, or that His Spirit would grant them the gift to believe, for the first time. While we gladly seek the wellbeing of our spouses and children or the blessings of employment and health, it is when we intercede for another, perhaps, even for a rival or an outright enemy, that we take the risen Savior’s words to heart: “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you” (Matthew 5:43-44).

INTERCESSORY PRAYER IN THE OLD TESTAMENT

INTERCESSORY PRAYER AND JESUS

INTERCESSORY PRAYER AND THE EARLY CHURCH

Intercessory prayers appear early in Scripture. There we discover Abraham’s intercession (2200 B.C.) when he prayed on behalf of Sodom that God not destroy it for its wickedness. Note the remarkable ring of conversation in this exchange.

Jesus’ “High Priestly Prayer” in John 17 is the epitome of intercession. He prays for His disciples’ safety, their constancy of faith, that they know the joy of Jesus, and for others who believe in Him through their word. What a magnificent example of selfless concern— spoken to God the Father only hours before the spectacle at Golgotha!

Classic Pauline pragmatism here. Ever eager to share the Gospel, Paul instructs the church at Colossae to pray for the faithful gathered there and for Paul himself, so he can do what he does best: “declare the mystery of Christ.”

Read Genesis 18:16-33 1. What strikes you most about Abraham’s outspokenness when approaching God? What, if anything, surprises you about God’s response?

2. Abraham makes a case for persistence in interceding for others. How does this compare with our “one-and-done” prayers?

Read John 17:1-26 1. Here we have the magnum opus of intercessory prayers. How many times does Jesus speak on our behalf to the Father?

2. How does this prayer differ from other prayers Jesus offered (Matthew 11:25–26; Luke 10:21; John 11:41–42; John 12:28)?

Intercessors seek the good of others—deliberately putting their needs before the throne of

Intercessory prayers make their appearance early in Scripture. There we discover an God, entreating Him to act on their behalf. This is a Christlike thing to do; this is a Christlike way intercession from Abraham B.C.) prayed to God on behalfChrist of Sodom, to live. Jesus supports us in this (2200 ministry, too.when As Paulhe writes, “Who is to condemn?

Jesus is that God would not destroy it for its wickedness (Genesis 18:16-33).

The exchange here the One who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is between God and Abraham has a remarkable ring of conversation to it: one man pleading interceding for us” (Romans 8:34). This gives us courage to persevere in our prayers, knowing Jesus Himself intervening on our behalf. his caseisto the Almighty that He spare two notoriously evil cities.

We encourage you to make intercessory prayer a part of your life today. Please consider three people you know who are in definite need (relationships, family issues, health, finances, crises of faith, etc.) and pray for them. You can test your intercessory resolve one step further by including someone who, if not an enemy, would best be considered a non-friend.

1.

What is it that strikes you most about Abraham’s 3. outspokenness when approaching God? 1. ____________________________ 2. ____________________________ ____________________________

Read Colossians 4:2-4 1. Paul was always eager for God to use him to proclaim the Gospel. Do you think he made frequent requests of others to pray on his behalf? Why? 2. What might an intercession from Paul sound like? Based on what you know of his life and mission, write a short prayer that reflects a heartfelt concern he likely had for another individual or group of believers struggling

with faith issues.

PRAYER

What, Father, if anything, you about Heavenly remindsurprises us how Jesus interceded us. His prayers for others—in the God’sfor response? wilderness, in the garden, during tumult and discord, even when life awas leaving Him on the 2. Abraham makes case for persistence cross—marked Him as consumed by needs in interceding for others. Howthe does thisof others. Let us likewise put those in need at the front compare with our “one-and-done” prayers? of our prayer line, knowing Jesus Himself is at Your There is certainly no greater example of right hand, intervening on our behalf. It is in His intercessory prayer than Jesus’ “High Name we pray. Amen.

ST A IEL A N B LDE VAI TD EL O HM / L. E D O W N L OFAUDL LS T UU DD Y YG A UVI D A .TO LRHGM OA RR GN /STUDIES 10 | The Lutheran Layman September - October 2018

Past & Present

Successes

The future awaits.

The time to plan and act is now.

by Gerald Perschbacher

t

The track record of Christ-centered successes became evident from the very first as the Lutheran Laymen’s League and its Lutheran Hour Ministries shared and supported Gospel advancement.

• In 1917, there was a heavy debt that threatened to cripple progress of the Missouri Synod and its missionary efforts. The LLL stepped forward by God’s grace to see that the danger was averted. (1) • In 1929, the LLL reorganized for greater action of a motivated laity which prepared for the launch of The Lutheran Hour on radio through key stations in the United States. What soon resulted was “a united Lutheran laity … able to serve our Savior and His Church efficiently by drawing members together into groups built around the individual congregation … to arouse interest in the work … and create a new and larger vision for the work and the opportunities of the Kingdom of God.” (2) • In 1940, The Lutheran Hour was energetically expanding to fill radio airwaves from coast to coast and into Canada, plus being beamed in Spanish; a high percentage of international radio listeners had the opportunity to hear the broadcasts via shortwave in many locations on the globe. (3) • Also in 1940, as war enveloped much of the world, Rev. Herman Gockel joined the LLL creative staff as a writer; later in the 1950s he would be tasked with the launch of Lutheran Television’s This is the Life. (4) • On October 3, 1943, a milestone was reached with 27,500 participants at a Chicago rally for The Lutheran Hour, largest attendance on record; many smaller rallies continued to be held for decades to follow as tens of thousands more participants were added. (5) • Early in 1950 Dr. Walter A. Maier, founding speaker of The Lutheran Hour, died suddenly, but the messages continued with new, vibrant voices in succession up to the present. Speakers were chosen as needs arose, each sharing the Good News of Christ in thoughtful, forceful, unique, and wholesome ways in step with Scripture. (6)

• Communication technology advanced with the times, spreading to nations in war-torn lands and nations and populations encircled by godless forms of government; the LLL/LHM never lagged in its enthusiasm and innovation to deliver the Word of God through radio, television, in print, and on audio tapes. Animated specials also were promoted. (7)

This multitude of advances epitomized the mission of Bringing Christ to the Nations—and the Nations to the Church, all to the glory of God in Christ Jesus. There are costs and dollar levels that have been met over the ten decades of this advance in order to keep programs and products current and lively. There is no price that can be put on the changed life of a person who becomes a believer in Christ. A saved life is priceless.

As the Lord motivates people just like you to prayerfully give toward future advances in these forms and formats, it is natural to anticipate even greater advances through social media and newer forms as they develop. The future awaits. The time to plan and act is now.

Our destination in outreach is limitless, as is the grace and authority of the One True God. n

• Since 1940, the reach of Gospel proclamation has been a stellar effort of the Int’l LLL and its Lutheran Hour Ministries before and especially after the Dr. Gerald Perschbacher serves as editor of The Lutheran general fall of Communism; Bible Correspondence Layman and manages the LHM Research Center Archives.

Courses have been a regular vehicle for Gospel Endnotes: sharing, as have special Gospel performances, events, and activities custom-designed by regional 1. The founding story of the LLL is told in the book, 75 Years of Blessings and THE BEST IS YET TO COME! by experts for effectiveness as the Lord blesses. (8) • Special projects and productions have abounded.

These include television specials (Easter Is, The Magic Boy’s Easter, The Puzzle Club series, The First Valentine, and more); unique messages on The Lutheran Hour (including dramatic programming); programs on topics hitting select targets such as radio’s Woman to Woman; projects to involve school-age children, teens, young adults, plus new Christians alongside seasoned believers, and creativity aimed at new “ministry models” for communities; targeted expansion overseas in areas where the fields are ready for Gospel growth and abundant yield in Africa, Asia, along with key points in Europe, North and South America, and Australia. (9)

Fred and Edith Pankow, 1992, pages 9-27.

2. Excerpts from the special anniversary insert in The Lutheran Layman, July-August 1999 issue, first page.

3. Ibid., second page.

4. Ibid.; also see THE BEST IS YET TO COME!, chapter 8.

5. Layman anniversary insert, 1999, third page.

6. The Research Center Archives of the Int’l LLL/LHM is replete with information of this advance through speakers and the impact they made as the Holy Spirit was at work.

7. Ibid.

8. The pages of The Lutheran Layman from 1940 onward reflect the mighty progress; office copies are accessible for research by appointment at LHM’s Research Center Archives in St. Louis, Missouri.

9. Ibid.; all programs and materials receive doctrinal approval through the auspices of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod.

The Lutheran Layman September - October 2018 | 11

The

URGENCY of being SENT

Albert Henry Ahlbrand A.G. Brauer

Benjamin Bosse John William Boehne

Walter A. Maier

God was moving and guiding individuals who were ready for action!

T

heir church body was in dire financial straits and needed help. A dozen men banded together to initially meet the need. But it was something larger than any 12 men. It took a greater group of individuals to remedy the problem—in league, walking together in purpose and direction to set lasting momentum for the future.

In a nutshell, that was how the Lutheran Layman’s League (LLL) began in 1917, starting suddenly from scratch to meet a pressing need. In effect, the action helped the reach of the Missouri Synod and extended the sharing of Good News in Christ. God was moving and guiding individuals who were ready for action!

Much the same may be said of the year 1929 when a vision of unbound radio broadcasting for the Gospel of Christ fixed firmly in the hearts and minds of thousands more. That band of 12 had been multiplied by the grace of God to become more than a small “league.” In 1929 it became an army equipped with new technology and a keen purpose to bring Christ to others.

Was all this the mere effort of men and women?

Hardly. It was the work of God in the lives of real people, just like you.

The whole idea of this “sending” started even before any of the 12 LLL founders had an inkling. Those dozen men were, as others in 1917, SENT to a synodical convention in Milwaukee with the task of participating in the future of their church body. August G. Brauer was one of those men. It is said that he “prayed daily for his synod,” since “never in the past three-quarters of a century, had the national church owed banks over $100,000” equal to $2 million in 2018. (1)

12 | The Lutheran Layman September - October 2018

A.G. Brauer went on to influence the formation of the LLL, the furtherance of Concordia Seminary to its new location in the Clayton suburb near St. Louis, and other very worthy church endeavors as the Holy Spirit nurtured and honed his abilities. Albert Henry Ahlbrand was another of the twelve. He left behind his intention to become a Lutheran minister as he studied at what was then Concordia College in Fort Wayne, Indiana, and instead became a businessman.

SENT forward in life with the clear Gospel in his heart, he advanced the cause of Christ, even rising to a key position on synod’s Board of Directors. (2) When young John William Boehne was considered incompetent to become a cobbler’s apprentice, he proved his abilities in other ways that led to being mayor of Evansville, Indiana, and a representative to the U.S. Congress. You can take it as fact that every step of life was, for him, a moment to which he had been SENT by the Lord! Benjamin Bosse was no less a follower of the Lord. Though born on a farm and one of eight sons and three daughters, he determined to make his mark first as a grocery clerk attending business college at night, then at age 19 began to manage a grocery business. From there he diversified to furniture manufacturing, banking, a newspaper, and was a director on 24 corporate boards. He still had time for three four-year terms as a mayor. All that time, he was

It is all FOR Him. It is all ABOUT Him. It is firmly and always grounded IN Him.

active in his community and especially his church. His ability to lead, influence, and contribute resonated for years after he entered heaven’s bliss in 1922. (3) These and the other eight LLL founders exemplified being SENT by the Lord into their futures, not knowing what would be, but realizing WHO was leading. For them, life was filled with mission, with the real feel of being SENT with a true and lasting PURPOSE. By the late 1920s, the vision of the LLL turned toward technology as radio became a phenomenal influence on society and cultures around the globe. The founders knew, little by little, that they were to fade into a dimming past. But their achievements gave impetus for others to pick up the baton and continue the race of being SENT. This time, the sending was not in retiring a debt, in brick and mortar expansion, or in multiplying church structures, but in the invisible Church, souls being added by the Spirit’s work of which they were a humble and dedicated part.

The multiplicity of means co-joined with the impetus of being SENT to later include overseas mission expansion through radio. This ground-breaking effort for Gospel expansion on unseen broadcast bands could not even be halted by the mighty Iron Curtain of Eastern Europe. Nor could the stupefying and numbing spread of Chinese Communism block it. Broadcasting the Good News could not be conquered through fear spread by petty dictators in weak lands where few people stood strong for the Gospel but in which all could hear it. Radio was the marvel of the 20th century and still continues unabated in its advances today.

Television and the surge of video usage and social

Look Who Was There!

by Gerald Perschbacher

… life was filled with mission, with the real feel of being SENT with a true and lasting PURPOSE. media options have extended the Gospel reach in varied directions, to lands far and near, large and small, and in languages and cultures well known or little known. In so doing, the Gospel gains audience as the Spirit nestles it in the minds and hopes of people.

Whatever the means, generations of visionaries saw the potential to send the Good News decades ago with as much fervor as present visionaries see countless opportunities for social media means of Gospel proclamation and new forms of expression that may barely appear on the horizon.

Being SENT to this end comes many ways but is instilled by the Lord. It always has been. It always will be. Action and results come through men, women, youth, and children while they prayerfully support the means through which the clarion call of Christ-filled proclamation flies to the heights and digs to the depths of possibilities. (4) It is all FOR Him. It is all ABOUT Him. It is firmly and always grounded IN Him. SENT is the simple one-word mission of believers, just like YOU! n Endnotes: (1) The Brauer information appears on page 17 of 75 Years of blessings and THE BEST IS YET TO COME! by Fred and Edith Pankow, copyright 1992, Int’l LLL. (2) Ibid, pages 209-211, where the stories of these men have been preserved.

(3) Ibid.

(4) Vivid examples of the means of proclamation through the LLL and its Lutheran Hour Ministries over the decades were shared in the July-August 1999 edition of The Lutheran Layman. The special section on the 70th anniversary of that publication carried an eightpage section tracing the Gospel advance from 1929 to 1999.

RECENTLY, the family of Bill Arndt donated a large picture to the LLL/LHM Research Center Archives during the final days of the recent centennial celebration. It shows the Fellowship Banquet at the LLL’s 32nd Annual Convention, held in the Los Angeles area. Shown in the enlargement of the head table are, from left, Rev. Dr. & Mrs. Walter A. Maier (then Speaker of The Lutheran Hour), Rev. Dr. Lawrence Acker (then LLL pastoral advisor), and President John Behnken of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod. The LLL was a mere 32 years old in 1949. Sadly, this was Dr. Maier’s final convention banquet, since he suddenly passed to glory in January of the next year and was succeeded by Acker. Indeed, the work of Lutheran Hour Ministries continues to reach key places around the world, all by God’s grace! Ongoing fervent prayers and support help to spread the Gospel. n RECENT INSTALLATION— Rev. Dr. R. Lee Hagan, left, was installed for another term as president of the Missouri District LCMS in a special service at the Lutheran Hour Ministries building’s Christ of the Nations Chapel in St. Louis, Missouri, July 26. Conducting the installation was Rev. Dr. Matthew C. Harrison, LCMS president. The District office is headquartered in the same building. The District invited LHM employees to attend. The event allowed for good sharing between workers of LHM and the District. n Photo by Elizabeth Miller The Lutheran Layman September - October 2018 | 13

Celebrating Ministry Milestones Around the World!

by Chad Fix

GHANA

In partnership with the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Ghana, LHM—Ghana celebrated its 25th anniversary with fun games for members from five Lutheran churches in the Accra region. Attendees participated in soccer, a 100-meter race for youth, a 50-meter walk for the elderly, thread and needle for female youth, musical chairs for children, and many other activities. Several dignitaries were in attendance. The ministry also held a fundraising dinner to build community relations and help support the work of the ministry locally.

JAMAICA LHM—Jamaica celebrated 10 years since re-opening by hosting a Domino Wiz Jamboree under a theme of “Real Men Make it Happen.” The goal of the event was to help men see their role as fathers, husbands, and integral members of their church and community. Names from the Bible were given to each team and prizes were awarded to the winners. The ministry then held its anniversary service the following day and invited tournament participants to attend. A special baptism took place during the service.

14 | The Lutheran Layman September - October 2018

GUATEMALA

LHM—Guatemala held a thanksgiving service in honor of its 25 years of ministry that was attended by more than 250 pastors and members of local Lutheran congregations.

Rev. Dr. Douglas Rutt and Rev. Nilo Figur from LHM’s headquarters honored Guatemala director Rebeca de Franco for leading the ministry all 25 years. After the service, attendees enjoyed lunch and music of the marimba from children of the Trilingual Lutheran School “The Redeemer of the World.” There was also a small program where Mrs. Yesenia de Ceijas, her son Cristian, and Pastor Hugo Valle gave words of testimony and gratitude to God for LHM’s ministry in Guatemala.

LIBERIA

LHM—Liberia’s fifth anniversary celebration began with a symposium organized under the theme: “The Growth of Christianity in Africa.”

Around 100 guests from local organizations, schools, churches, and the media attended. The next day, soccer and kick ball matches were played between LHM—Liberia and the Christ Evangelical Lutheran School to promote awareness, evangelism, and community outreach. The weekend wrapped up with a thanksgiving service under the theme of “Here I Am … Send Me.”

MADAGASCAR LHM—Madagascar celebrated its 25th anniversary by participating in a concert in front of 15,000 people at the national soccer stadium that also paid tribute to LHM’s 100th anniversary, the 150th anniversary of the Malagasy Lutheran Church, and the 500th anniversary of the Reformation. This event was attended and co-hosted by the President of the Malagasy Lutheran Church, Rev. David Rakotonirina, and the German Ambassador, Harald Gehrig. Many mission partner organizations also attended. n

OMT Becomes Gospel Adventures in 2019

A Congregation Transformed

in Sri Lanka by Chad Fix

God has been using LHM’s Equipping the Saints training in Sri Lanka to equip His people there to share the Good News of Jesus Christ in their homes and communities.

LHM–Sri Lanka recently organized an Equipping the Saints program for a congregation in which many members had been badly affected by a civil war that lasted nearly three decades. Most of the members have at least one friend or family member who lost their lives during this

conflict. While the war ended several years ago, many of the physical, emotional, and psychological wounds from the war remain. The congregation members have suffered much pain, but their wounded hearts have been healed by God through His Holy Spirit.

The pastor of this congregation informed LHM staff that the ETS program has been a blessing to their congregation and helped members recruited through the program form an ongoing prayer group called “Lanka Hope Media Prayer Group.”

Now this group gathers regularly and reaches out to lost and hurting individuals in their community. They are also promoting LHM–Sri Lanka’s Bible Correspondence Courses and its weekly 15-minute radio program that includes dramas, songs, short messages, and a Bible quiz.

“The pastor thanked us for organizing a program like this in his congregation that he believes has brought many changes to the lives of his members,” says LHM’s director in Sri Lanka. “He appreciates us being willing to partner with them to fulfill the Great Commission of the Lord.” n

W e!

O bl N ila a Av

G

od has been using LHM’s Equipping the Saints training in Sri Lanka to equip His people there to share the Good News of Jesus Christ in their homes and communities. Each year, hundreds of believers are blessed through LHM– Sri Lanka’s training to become more comfortable with reaching out with the love of Jesus in their everyday lives. Not only is this program offering encouragement to individuals, but it is transforming congregations.

Travel the globe and explore the Gospel at work in other countries! Those familiar with the Online Mission Trips (OMT) previously offered through Lutheran Hour Ministries will notice some exciting changes to the program in 2019. Launching in January, OMT will become Gospel Adventures. This program will focus on providing students with an inside look at LHM and the Gospel outreach happening in each country with fun glimpses into the culture of that region. The program will kick off its new format with Gospel Adventures: Passport to Peru!

Created in partnership with Group Publishing, a trusted leader in innovative children’s ministry resources, the updated curriculum will engage students with educational objectives and interactive resources geared towards expanding their perception of global ministry.

“Our objective for this new curriculum is to help students understand the value of differing cultures and how the Gospel is at work around the globe,” says Ashley Bayless, manager of LHM’s curriculum development.

LHM will make Gospel Adventures available for free to Christian schools across the United States including home school families. Educators and parents who experienced previous online mission trips will discover expanded materials for classroom use, plus an online multi-media experience.

Visit lhm.org for updates about the program or to learn how to register for Gospel Adventures: Passport to Peru. n

LHM LEARN: THEN & NOW The newest course from LHM Learn explores how spiritual conversations have changed over the years and will equip you to talk more freely about your faith.

Sign up for this FREE course at lhm.org/learn today!

The Lutheran Layman September - October 2018 | 15

Donor Advised Funds Are an Easy Way to Give by Chad Fix Are you looking for a new way to benefit Lutheran Hour Ministries both now and in the future? With a Donor Advised Fund (DAF) you can make gifts to charities such as Lutheran Hour Ministries during your lifetime and, when you pass away, your children can carry on your legacy of giving.

Grants from a DAF—which allow account holders to receive a tax deduction immediately, but delay making donations until a later time—are on the rise since the Tax Cut and Jobs Act was signed into law in December 2017 because they are one of the easiest and most tax-advantageous ways to give to charity. With the tax-law changes, one of the things that is still allowed is charitable giving, and with Donor Advised Funds you can get the immediate tax deduction without having to give money out every year.

Changes in tax law raised standard deductions to $12,000 for individuals and $24,000 for married couples. Granted, taking advantage of that perk means no deductions for charitable contributions. But with DAFs, taxpayers can take one large deduction in the year they set it up, even if the money doesn’t get distributed right away.

A Donor Advised Fund is like having your own foundation. Donate cash, stocks or non-publicly traded assets such as real estate, private business interests, or private company stock and get your tax receipt. The fund is then invested for growth, which permits you to make annual gifts of income and principal while you are alive. When you pass away, your children may make recommendations for distributions from the fund for several years.

When you establish a DAF, you can name LHM as a beneficiary. At the end of the term, the remaining fund balance will become an asset of our organization, helping us further our work of sharing the Gospel around the world.

It’s easy to open a DAF account and recommend gifts to LHM; simply contact your financial planner for more details or to get started. To learn more about DAF benefits and planning, contact LHM’s gift planning staff at 1-877-333-1963 or lhm-gift@lhm.org. n

… your children can carry on your legacy of giving.

Don’t miss this opportunity to pledge a donation to LHM!

LHM Participates in Combined Federal Campaign by Chad Fix

F

or the eleventh year in a row, Lutheran Hour Ministries is participating in this fall’s Combined Federal Campaign (CFC), a workplace giving opportunity available now through mid-December to United States military and federal employees worldwide. If you or someone in your congregation is a federal employee or a member of the military, don’t miss this opportunity to pledge a donation to LHM! This is also a wonderful chance to talk with co-workers about what Lutheran Hour Ministries is all about, and why you believe that sharing the love of Christ is so important in today’s world where so many people are looking for hope.

Established in 1961, the CFC is the only campaign authorized, on behalf of charitable organizations, to solicit and collect contributions from federal employees in the workplace. As the world’s largest and most successful annual workplace giving campaign, each year more than 320 CFC campaigns throughout the United States and internationally help to raise millions of dollars (more than $7 billion to date). Nearly four million federal employees and military personnel can contribute toward an estimated 20,000 eligible non-profit organizations that provide health and human service benefits throughout the world.

Charities that apply to receive funds through the CFC are required to submit to extensive review of their financial and governance practices prior to acceptance.

To qualify as a national or international group, charities must demonstrate that they provide or conduct real services, benefits, assistance, or program activities in at least 15 states (counted over a three-year period) or a foreign country.

Look for LHM’s information online at https://cfcgiving.opm.gov/welcome or in your area campaign’s CFC brochure. Lutheran Hour Ministries’ campaign number is 30494. If you are not a federal employee or member of the military, you may still be able to donate to LHM through your corporate campaign. Many corporations include the charities provided by the Independent Charities of America into their corporate giving opportunities. Ask your employer for details. n

Endowing Our Future: It’s Easier than You Might Think!

The purpose of our endowment is to financially sustain the mission and work of Lutheran Hour Ministries for perpetuity after you leave this earth. You can make a significant contribution to endow our future … and it’s easier than you might think.

Here are several giving strategies that can benefit you while building our endowment: Direct gifts • Charitable Bequests • Beneficiary Designations Charitable Life Estate • Charitable Life Income Plans

You can also create a named endowment when you make a gift of $10,000 or more.

16 | The Lutheran Layman September - October 2018

To learn more about how you can help sustain our ministry for the future, contact LHM’s gift planning staff at 1-877-333-1963 or lhm-gift@lhm.org.

ON THE MOVE

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

Choose. Call. Bless.

G

enesis records the call of Abraham by God. No less than six times God declares His purpose and promise for the world by choosing, calling, blessing, and sending Abraham so that he and his descendants might be a blessing to others.

Like Abraham, we have been chosen by God and received a new identity and purpose. We have been called into a new relationship with our Father and He declared us to be “a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God” (1 Peter 2:9). This is who we are, not by our choice but by the promise of the One who has made us and also redeemed us in our Baptism. This changes everything.

Also like Abraham, we have been sent out with a declaration of God’s purpose: “That you may declare the praises of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light” (1 Peter 2:10). That sounds scary. He calls me and then sends me out to accomplish this task all by myself? Just exactly how am I supposed to declare His praises to the world?

After all, I’m just one person!

Michael Goheen wrote “The great commission is not a task assigned to isolated individuals; it is an identity given to a community.” (1) Peter’s words reflect

“That you may declare the praises of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light.”

SEND!

this. Every time the word “you” is used in 1 Peter 2 it is plural. Peter is reminding us that we, all of us together, have been called, declared to be God’s chosen possession, and joined together “like living stones” to be God’s dwelling. Now we know our true identity (1 Peter 2:9) and are assured that we are never alone in this journey. We have the church around us and Christ in us.

But it is still a journey. We have been sent as pilgrim travelers in this world, not permanent residents. In our travels we don’t wander aimlessly or without purpose.

We have a goal: the place that our Lord Jesus has prepared for us. Along the way we have a purpose: to extend God’s gracious call “out of darkness and into His marvelous light” to people we encounter along the way.

This journey assumes connection with those around us. We do not live and serve Him in anonymity with our light hidden under a bushel basket (Matthew 5:14-16) but, as God’s chosen people, we proclaim with reckless confidence what He has entrusted to us (Matthew 25:14). We are His ambassadors (2 Corinthians 5:20), planting and watering Gospel seeds

All of us are chosen, called, declared, and sent …

(1 Peter 2:9)

(1 Corinthians 3:6-7), living in a restored relationship with God through Jesus Christ (2 Corinthians 5:18-19), always prepared to give a gentle and respectful reason for the Hope that only is found in Christ Jesus (1 Peter 3:15).

“I have noticed that the most effective witness for Christ is offered by people who have a heart for other people, something like the [compassion] of Christ Himself … Most of my witnessing has been in the ordinary course of everyday life. I didn’t have to go out of my way to reach anybody. I just did what I have to do every day, and Christ always put people in my path to whom I could witness. The key for our world is every Christian everywhere sharing the Good News of Jesus Christ in the most natural way possible” (2) All of us are chosen, called, declared, and sent on a journey to our homes, our jobs, our communities, and our congregations so that we, all together, by the Holy Spirit, might be Bringing Christ to the Nations—and the Nations to the Church! n (1) Michael Goheen, A Light to the Nations (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker, 2011), page 115.

(2) Quote from Dr. Oswald Hoffmann in Called. Equipped. Sent: Inspirations from 100 years of sharing the Gospel. (St. Louis, Missouri: Lutheran Hour Ministries, 2017), page 108.

New Book Serves Multiple Purposes Dr. Walter A. Maier, first broadcast voice of The Lutheran Hour, appears on the cover of a new 40-page, softbound book, FIRST 20 CENTURIES, A.D., of The New Testament Church (and Christ’s Champions of Faith), written and illustrated by Rev. Scott R. Blazek. In recent months, Blazek issued a similar formatted book on Luther and the Reformation (reported earlier this year in The Lutheran Layman). The publication comes in two versions: as a coloring book ($5 each) or in full color ($10 each). Both have a full-color cover.

The author-artist traces the life of Christ and succeeding decades of church growth as Christianity expanded. He brings out salient points on the One True Faith from a Lutheran perspective as a retired pastor in The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod. Of this new book, Blazek says, “This is a sophisticated coloring book format with many possible applications including Sunday school, a supplement for confirmation class, a parochial religion curriculum, home schooling, or a pastor’s class. It can serve as a 15-to-16-week adult Bible course and as a give-away to visiting families or at a county fair booth.” He adds that senior citizens can enjoy it, especially in an era where color markers are gaining the interest of adults as a relaxing coloring exercise.

Persecutions and heresies in the faith also are covered in the book: early church fathers, tumultuous eras of history, the rise of the papacy, the successes of Charlemagne, the Crusades, the Reformation, the Augsburg Declaration, mission efforts, the Age of Enlightenment, the rough-and tumble era of the 1800s, and the 20th century with a look to the present. Maier’s riveting voice on The Lutheran Hour came “in the midst of these dark times,” said Blazek. The program “began proclaiming ‘a changeless Christ for a changing world’ and is still on the air,” the longest, continuous Christ-centered radio program of its type in the world.

Each section in the book is coupled with Bible passages indexed on a back page, along with an explanation of the importance of Scripture as the sacred Word of God. For more details, go to www.scottrblazek.com or call (575) 769-0693. n

The Lutheran Layman September - October 2018 | 17

“Even where large groups of records are destroyed, researchers often can locate and assemble small scraps of evidence.”

New Books Stretch Our Appreciation

by Gerald Perschbacher

M

ost people respect the past. But when it comes to their families, are they ready to start a museum about relatives and ancestors? Let that thought linger as you read.

Even though a good number of people respect their family’s past, they may know very little about it until a son or daughter takes on a school project or simply wonders aloud. Who has answers? Who can tell the family’s stories? Enter: author Elizabeth Goesel, who proves she has experience in being a Family Museum curator. Her book, Create a Family Museum and Save Your History, is a recent offering from Heritage Books, Inc., 5810 Ruatan Street, Berwyn Heights, Maryland 20740

(www.HeritageBooks.com). The $27.99 book, softbound, carries 196 pages with tips and ideas on finding space, creating displays, organizing memorabilia, and preserving items from heirlooms to treasures and—the easiest to lose—memories.

Elizabeth took all the stuff of life that was packed in boxes for storage and opened them for her family (and others) to enjoy. A rush of nostalgia is the first feeling folks experience. If properly displayed, items convey a very

A rush of nostalgia is the first feeling folks experience.

18 | The Lutheran Layman September - October 2018

human side of life and can intrigue or otherwise interest visitors—that is, if the stuff can be displayed and exhibited purposefully.

The author took the challenge to heart and provides a rush of ideas that are personally adaptable for readers.

The book includes family pets, which were short-term members of families over the decades. Whether people or pets, she writes about pictures, baby clothes, maps, books, and more, all with family connections. It raises questions and leads to answers. What societies did your relatives enjoy? What about their ethnicities? Special items of ownership? Awards and trophies?

Toys? Old catalogs? Memory boxes?

Jewelry? Antiques? Collectibles? Are there letters?

This summer and beyond, the project can be a learning experience for children and grandchildren, too, and bond generations closer. If your house seems larger after children strike off on their own, what about setting up a special area or corner in a room they called “theirs”? Consider it a homey, friendly place for family to enjoy as a breeze from the past and an appreciation for the present. A family museum can be a teaching tool for the next generation and “an account, a description, an interpretation of past and present lifetimes.”

Check with the publisher for details on availability.

Taking the subject in a different direction leads folks to think about genealogy, a VERY popular subject in recent years, and growing. William M. Litchman (Ph.D.) tackles the topics with selections on finding missing ancestors, births, passings, passenger lists of emigrants, and a parcel more.

“Even where large groups of records are destroyed, researchers often can locate and assemble small scraps of evidence,” occasionally leading to an extension of a particular family seeking the unknown.

Titled A Cooperative Method of Learning Logic and Analysis in Genealogy—The Power of Truth, Evidence, and Analytical Thinking, the

softbound, 129-page book “presents a series of researched problems … the process of gaining understanding and skill in the application of logic and analysis is to read the real-life cases which others have solved using these techniques” (page 13). Footnotes open many prospects for future and ongoing research. If some resources don’t fit your needs or desires, there are plenty more offered—including organizations, agencies, professional assistance, books, online options, and more that will sharpen your problem-solving abilities.

The “case” studies presented as examples are interesting in their own rights, for the sheer joy of discovery.

Don’t be scared by the long title. The book conveys simple and great ideas in ways readers can understand. It’s possible that ideas in this book may transfer to other problems people may be facing. If so, then it is more of a “think book” with additional benefits.

Priced at $27, the book is available from Heritage Books, Inc., 5810 Ruatan Street, Berwyn Heights, Maryland 20740 (www.HeritageBooks.com). n

UPDATE: A review of the book Word Alive! 52 Selected Sermons by Dale A. Meyer appeared on page 22 of the MarchApril 2018 issue of The Lutheran Layman. Now its publisher, Tri-Pillar Publishing (www.tripillarpublishing. com; 714-602-7192) reports that readers have been ordering the book for good cause: it’s meeting their need spiritually. One woman quickly ordered more than a couple dozen books once her copy came.

She considers it a fine witness to her loved ones. The response to the article’s positive take on the book has become an example of God at work through the written word.

Board Nominations are Open Helping Kids Gauge Screen Time with a New Illustrated Booklet

by Paul Schreiber

W

hat mom or dad today has not had to come to terms with the internet in their kid’s life? The presence of electronic devices in the hands of children begins now at year one—as soon as someone hands the lil’ squirt a cell phone or tablet with some image flitting across its screen.

While it’s an easy way to occupy a child’s (in this case, an infant’s) mind for a while, this can easily become the go-to activity for kids.

In Screen-Wise Kids, the bond between kids and the internet is considered. Coming in as booklet number eight in Lutheran Hour Ministries’ pocket-sized kids’ series, this one hits a challenge that’s close to each of us: helping kids understand the internet is not all there is. In this booklet, Jersey and Easton are the stars, and they’re most definitely in love with their computers. We pick up as Jersey arrives home after school.

School is finally over.

Jersey’s finished for the day.

She runs right home and grabs her game.

It’s finally time to play.

She’s counted every minute, Until time finally came.

Her computer has been waiting; It’s time to play her game.

And from this point on, the kid’s all in, and therein lies the struggle.

While the internet is a tremendous resource, the takeaway in Screen-Wise Kids is that it requires discipline and management from both kids and

Scr een -W ise parents to use the Kid s internet wisely.

The lesson here: there’s more to childhood and growing up than sitting behind a computer. To help youngsters expand their horizons, grownups can set screen time schedules, review what they watch, and remind kids there’s a big, beautiful world out there—just waiting for them to explore.

PROJECT CONNECT

PROJECT CONNECT

PROJECT CONNECT

Do you know a mission-minded individual who is looking for a unique leadership opportunity? Nominations for candidates to serve on the Board of Directors of the International Lutheran Laymen’s League/Lutheran Hour Ministries beginning in 2019 are being requested now for next spring’s election.

The board is seeking dynamic, visionary candidates who are committed to helping LHM share the Gospel around the world to fill open director positions. You are urged to prayerfully consider the God-given talents, skill sets, passion for outreach ministry, and service to the Lord of potential nominees from your personal and professional networks. In addition to being an LHM/Int’l LLL member, all nominees must be members of a congregation of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod or Lutheran Church—Canada and cannot be ordained clergy.

Four open positions will be voted on in 2019, including three spots for current board members who will be terming out and cannot run for re-election.

To download a nominations form, or learn about additional eligibility requirements for nominees, visit lhm.org/nominations. Nominations must be received by Nov. 1, 2018, to be considered. n

The lesson here: there’s more to childhood and growing up than sitting behind a computer.

This is an excellent booklet for parents grappling with the touchy idea of setting time limits on internet use for their kids. To bring this message home, Suzie Sallee and others from LHM have created the rhyming verses, while illustrator Masaru Horie’s wonderful artwork brings the words to life.

You can get a pack of 25 ScreenWise Kids booklets for only $7 plus shipping. You can preview these booklets by going to the LHM website at lhm.org/kids and clicking on a specific title.

To order these kids’ booklets, go to the LHM store at shoplhm.org and place your order, or you can call us at 1-800-876-9880. n

Who Is Jesus?

Our new Project Connect booklet tackles that question on a deeper level. To learn more about this booklet and others in the series, visit lhm.org/projectconnect.

PROJECT CONNECT The Lutheran Layman September - October 2018 | 19

PROJECT CONNECT

SENDing—YOU?

by Gerald Perschbacher

From individual witnessing to support of media efforts and social media proclamation, the Lord’s Word continues unabated in its advance.

Jesus Christ, the Savior, started the church with volunteers.

T

here probably were more than a few times in recent months when someone “volunteered” you to help with a situation. You may have been asked to share your wisdom, your insights, your ideas.

If you have an expertise in a special field, you may have been asked to help with a project in that endeavor.

Sometimes a person in need made the request. Other times, someone contacted you or suggested your name because you were capable of offering input and help.

However it came, you felt volunteered or, more specifically, “drafted.” It’s hard to dodge such a draft. If the circumstances melt your heart, it’s equally hard to say NO to volunteering your expertise.

In the main and by God’s blessing, Lutheran Hour Ministries is a lay-driven effort of sharing God’s Word to a world in need, beyond barriers and borders, around obstacles, and to the hearts of people in need of the saving Word of Christ. Behind the varied aspects, programs, and projects of LHM has been an active and motivated laity in step with that Word, and subject to it. Pastors and other professional church workers are involved, too, in the global effort.

Consider a salient fact: Jesus Christ, the Savior, started the Church with volunteers. A moment before His ascension, the Lord said this: “You will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth” (Acts 1:8).

20 | The Lutheran Layman September - October 2018

The 12 apostles who heard that encouragement may have felt drafted into a righteous army with a special cause, the cause of Christ and His grace bought by His shed blood and sealed by His resurrection as He did what no one else ever could or would. He took the weight of sin upon Himself to win salvation for you and all who come to faith.

Christ promised the power of the Holy Spirit to fill the lives and witness of those who were SENT. The energy, drive, and wisdom to further His Word was not up to human efforts alone but was begun and nurtured by the Spirit for success.

We can wonder how the initial 12 took all this!

Yet, clearly, results speak for themselves. The Word continued to be shared, lives were changed for eternity, and the world was never the same thereafter.

Scripture and traditions tell us that the 12 who were volunteered took up the task with vigor and endurance. The Church—the body of believers—grew by leaps and bounds. God would have it no other way!

Today, we stand at a threshold for LHM as the future is considered and as brisk means of sharing God’s Word are examined, contemplated, and projected. The planning is on a human and technical level whereby inventions and nuances of future communications now in formative stage hold great promise for the future conveyance of God’s Word. The Holy Spirit is still very much alive and active in the

sharing as seeds of faith are planted and take root, then are nurtured.

In one sobering respect, WE are among the “volunteered” for the present and into the future. Our words of witness, our support of the Good News, our involvement to further the cause of Christ is just as important now as it was immediately after Christ’s ascension.

Frail as humans are, it seems a high command to fulfill. But with God in us, and working through us, can anyone honestly think the work can fail?

LHM has its roots in the Lutheran Laymen’s League which, for more than a century, proved its worth in successfully sharing God’s Word with innumerable crowds and countless individuals around the world and across towns. From individual witnessing to support of media efforts and social media proclamation, the Lord’s Word continues unabated in the advance. Just as the 12 apostles took up the challenge, so we, too, continue in that vein.

To join in this grand effort, absorb the opportunities He has laid before you by absorbing the information and news in this and future issues of The Lutheran Layman.

Go online at www.lhm.org and invest your time, energy, and interest in the advance. As the Lord graces you, remember LHM in your prayers and contributions.

If you feel you have been “volunteered,” good! It is a worthy achievement to embrace, by God’s grace! n

ON THE MOVE

by Kurt Buchholz, President & CEO, Lutheran Hour Ministries

CHRISTIANS Like to Build … each of us, you and me, who have been SENT …

W

hen I look back, I am greatly appreciative of the fact—but still can’t believe—that my father allowed his children to use his tools. Of course, he taught us the proper usage and safety related to each tool. Some of the more dangerous power tools we knew we could not touch until we were a bit older, but as long as we took care of the tools, we were allowed—even expected—to make use of them. Now, later in life, I have my own set of tools, but on occasion I still find a screwdriver or wrench that used to belong to my father and somehow found its way into my toolbox. (Sorry, Dad, you can’t have them back.) Those tools serve as a reminder of what he taught me, and trusted me with, all those years ago.

One of the things my brothers and I

would often do when summers away from school began to drag on was to “build something.” We would sit in our family’s garage with the tools he provided, hammering, sawing, gluing, and finishing our “creations.” I can’t say that any of those projects stood the test of time, but I can assure you the memories, skills, and lessons learned did.

We know that Christians like to build, too. Together we build church buildings, schools, playgrounds, homeless shelters, food pantries, hospitals, retirement homes, and university and seminary campuses. Some of these things we build to last, and some serve a purpose for a time and then go away. We tend to focus on these projects because we can see in brick and mortar what has been accomplished and gain satisfaction from a job well done.

Rendering of the 2019 LHM float in the Tournament of Roses Parade.

Together, through the Int’l LLL/ LHM, we also are building something, something really big and beautiful.

Millions of people are served each and every week because it is there for them.

It is well-made of the finest materials, and we are promised by God Himself that it will stand the test of time across generations and beyond. What we are constructing is not a building, and the tools required cannot be found in my father’s garage—but our Father in heaven has given us all the tools, skills, designs, and resources needed to build it. We are calling that something “SENT” because everything needs a name, and this particular name reminds us that it is each of us, you and me, who have been SENT to build something that God has prepared and ordained.

“As the Father has sent Me, I am sending you.” JOHN 20:21 SENT is a gathering of God’s people—called, equipped, and SENT— working together to assure that: • Every person across the globe has the opportunity to hear the Gospel in an understandable way; • New believers are connected to faithful Christian communities where they grow in their faith and witness; and • All Christians live as disciples reaching out in love to those who do not yet know their Savior.

My prayer for you is that you are truly blessed as you gather with us as we “build something,” and that you find your perfect place in the mission on which together we have been SENT. n

Outreach Booth will Welcome Visitors in Pasadena Volunteer Petal Pushers® will operate an “Outreach Booth” as part of the new year’s festivities in the Pasadena, California, area, to distribute Christ-centered material to visitors, January 1, 2019.

The Southern California District LLL spearheads the activities centering around the Lutheran Hour Ministries annual float, one of the district’s primary endeavors. The 2019 float is titled Joy to the World, the Lord is Come!, emphasizing how the coming of Christ marks the great step of fulfillment leading to His sacrificial death and victorious resurrection for our salvation.

Individuals may follow the preparations at https://share.petalpushers.org and, if possible, schedule a time to volunteer as workers. n

Annual Coloring Contest Promotes LHM’s Rose Parade Float Does your child or grandchild enjoy coloring? They are invited to participate in the eighth annual coloring contest hosted by the Petal Pushers, a group of 5,000 volunteers supporting the LHM Float in the annual Tournament of Roses Parade in Pasadena, California. To enter: • Go to http://petalpushers.donorshops.com/color.php to download a coloring page.

• Complete the page by coloring the picture and entering the requested information in the appropriate spaces.

• Submit your entry to: Lutheran Hour Ministries Float Committee, P.O. Box 20044, Riverside, CA 92516-0044.

Four winners will be selected. One winner from preschoolkindergarten, one winner from 1st-2nd grades, one winner from 3rd-5th grades, and one winner from 6th-8th grades.

Each winner will receive a $50 coupon to use on Petal Pushers merchandise from their online store, a Petal Pushers t-shirt, and a LHM Float magnet. The teacher of the winning student from each category also receives the same prizes. Second and third place winners (students) will receive a Petal Pushers t-shirt and a float magnet.

Entries must be postmarked by Nov. 1, 2018. Be sure to provide all information requested on the coloring page; incomplete entries will not be judged. Submissions will become the property of the Petal Pushers and will not be returned.

Visit www.petalpushers.org for more details or to download materials, or visit the site to learn more about the volunteer opportunities available through the Petal Pushers. n The Lutheran Layman September - October 2018 | 21

Luther’s Ups and Downs 500 Years Ago Their impact, by the power of the Holy Spirit, changed an empire and redirected countless hearts to the Lord— and continue to make a difference for the future.

by Gerald Perschbacher

L

uther was riding a wave of hope and admiration following his Heidelberg Disputation, 500 years ago this past April. He had done well at that scheduled conclave of his Augustinian Order.

When asked to defend his views, he postured as would any learned doctor. Luther did his research, formulated his method of explanation, practiced his responses to critics which was expected for any scholarly dispute, and set forth his perspectives with ample scriptural references.

His subject: the theology of the cross of Christ.

Responses to that debate were varied. Of the handful of Heidelberg professors so selected, none were credited with winning the debate. Of course, some of those debaters may have convinced themselves otherwise. Six months earlier, Luther nailed the 95 Theses in Wittenberg. Then came the Heidelberg Disputation. Debater Dr. Peter Scheibenhart was a university rector at Heidelberg and a shining light among debaters. Former dean of the faculty, his words carried weight. Yet, history does not record that anyone was certain if even he had “won.”

A good number of students who were in the audience of about 300 or so were fascinated by Luther more than by their debating professors. To the students, an apparent wind of change was blowing in their lives. (1) To attend the debate, Luther walked many miles across the main breadth of the Holy Roman Empire of the German Nation, as it was named. But for his return 22 | The Lutheran Layman September - October 2018

to Wittenberg, he rode in a humble conveyance and logically conversed with others in his wagon. As they rode, seeds of reformation were being sown.

Those seeds of sharpened faith and a clearer grasp of God’s grace in Christ were yet little more than sprouts, befitting the words of the hymn, “Come, Ye Thankful People, Come,” stanza three:

“All the world is God’s own field, fruit unto His praise to yield; Wheat and tares together sown, unto joy or sorrow grown; First the blade and then the ear, then the full corn shall appear.

Lord of harvest, grant that we wholesome grain and pure may be.” (2) Not all five voices of the debating professors remained vocal for long. Within a few years at least two of the debaters passed away at or before their prime, while Luther persevered. First was theology professor and debater Laurencius Wolff on August 31, 1519, his voice stilled while Luther’s wasn’t. Apparently, second to go was Scheibenhart.

Students and visitors who heard the debate were swept to their homes and assigned tasks with an ardor of faith seldom witnessed prior to that era. By the mid1520s, attendees who were won over by Luther and his application of Sacred Scripture made reformational

impact in population centers such as Marburg to the north; Landstuhl, Weissenburg, and Strasburg to the west; Ulm and Isny to the south; and Nördlingen, Altdorf, and Amberg to the east. Thus, the witness of Luther spread through most of the empire within a short period.

Luther received the acclaim of many students, according to early reports. But the reaction of superiors was far different. By the summer of 1518, Luther was being investigated as legal proceedings in church courts were brought against him for criticizing the sale of indulgences sanctioned by papal authority. Tasked with taking the process to the next step was Dominican Cardinal Tomas de Vio of Gaeta, known as Cajetan. He was a respected theologian and, due to his published works on the long-established Summa Theologica by Thomas Aquinas, used widely as an instructional guide for theology students since the late 1200s. (3) From 1508 and up to the time of his encounter with Luther, Cajetan was a high official of the Dominicans.

Upon papal urging, that order was now asked to intervene where the Augustinians failed to remedy their “problem” called Luther. As a spokesman for papal authority, he set out to meet with Luther at Augsburg.

Luther was provided safe conduct by Frederick the Wise of Saxony, one of the seven electors of the realm.

Interestingly, the hearing with Luther, intended to be a time for him to repent and recant his ideas, was held in

the home of the Fugger family, extraordinary bankers at that time who initially financed the indulgences. (4) As one source put it, “A Dominican Friar, Johann Tetzel, was sent across the German lands under Fugger guard, selling a vision of Hell designed to have folks digging in their coin purses in haste to avoid it.” (5) Frederick was able to switch the meeting from Rome to Augsburg and thus kept it on German land which was a safety measure for his Wittenberg professor. Word speedily reached Cajetan that Luther would be heard in Germany rather than in Rome. Luther initiated the meeting by prostrating himself before Cajetan in obedience and respect. But as the two met three times over as many days, October 12-14, 1518, Luther did not recant. Rather, he pressed the matter of his so-called errors. (6) Cajetan was concerned for the authority of the papacy which, as he saw it, was not being fully appreciated by Luther.

Luther recognized it otherwise. He began his venture of faith in the name of Jesus Christ. He was committed to that end alone. He, and others who rallied to the same cause of Christ, would continue to hold high the Cross.

That expanding band of believers increased for 500 years to the present. Their impact, by the power of the Holy Spirit, changed an empire and redirected countless hearts to the Lord—and continues to make a difference for the future.

Looking back 500 years in the past, Luther’s Heidelberg trip was the first of three long journeys he encountered under stress and in the face of danger, even potential loss of life. Yet, he endured. From 1518 to 1521, “Germany’s rulers were gradually awakened to the potential momentous consequences of the causa Lutheri, the Luther affair. Luther, meanwhile, met every twist and turn of the gathering controversy with new theological revelation. For two years he wrote and wrote. German readers devoured every work. Each new tract was instantly reprinted and sold in huge numbers. Wittenberg’s fledgling printing industry struggled to keep pace,” noted author Andrew Pettegree. (7) As for Cajetan, “So while Cajetan came to Augsburg as the pope’s agent, he was far from being an uncritical advocate of the status quo. He would also have been made aware of the mutinous temper of the German Estates” of the Holy Roman Empire “faced with new financial demands to combat the ever-present Turkish threat.”

In effect, the Reformation was developing through a series of events, encounters, publications, communications, debates, and conferences. For the rest of Luther’s life, the successes and challenges of the Reformation were part and parcel of his very existence. n

ABS now into its Third Century The American Bible Society (ABS) has played a significant part in furthering the spread of God’s Word from coast to coast and beyond since its inception more than two centuries ago in 1816. Yet, its achievements often have been placed on a back burner in order to keep God’s Word in the forefront.

The interesting story of the ABS is nicely conveyed in the book by John Fea, The Bible Cause—a History of the American Bible Society (New York, New York: Oxford University Press, 2016; 356 pages).

From inception, the ABS was not in the business of interpreting the Bible but in producing and distributing it. The ABS established a distribution system through select sites via various auxiliary Bible societies engaging in distribution. By 1829 it was projected that 800,000 Bibles would be distributed in the “Bible Cause.”

In the 1830s, ABS distributed over 14,300 Bibles and 57,700 New Testaments in the United States.

Fea’s book is replete with examples and facts of great distribution efforts in peace and in war as the nation struggled through divisive years leading up to, through, and following the Civil War. There was even a Confederate Bible Society for a time (page 99).

Soldiers, slaves, freed men, and folks of various walks needed the Bible, and the ABS sought to fill that need.

In subsequent years the target became immigrants who were streaming to America.

Notes: 1. Details about the Heidelberg Disputation is given (in German) in Urkundenbuch der Universitaet Heidelberg, compiled and written

by Eduard Winkelmann, Zweiter Band, Regesten, Carl Winter’s Universitaetsbuchhandlung, 1886, page 72ff.

2. The Lutheran Hymnal, Concordia Publishing House, 1941, hymn 574, stanza three.

3. A good explanation of Summa Theologica, its use, its importance, and its impact is found on Wikipedia at https://en.wikipedia.org/ wiki/Summa_Theologica (August 7, 2018). Information about Cajetan for this article also was taken from https://en.wikipedia. org/wiki/Thomas_Cajetan (August 7, 2018).

4. See https://reformation500.csl.edu/timeline/luther-meetswith-cajetan-at-augsburg/ (referenced on August 7, 2018).

5. https://www.thelocal.de/20140425/medieval-germanbusiness-empire-the-fuggers-expat-dispatches (accessed August 7, 2018).

6. Ibid.; also, for some interesting insights on Cajetan’s views, see On Exchange and Usury, Thomas Cajetan, translated by Patrick T. Brannan, Action Institute, 2014; Christian’s Library Press, 98 E. Fulton, Grand Rapids, Michigan 49503 (www.clpress.com).

7. Author Pettegree does a memorable job of pursuing his book’s title, Brand Luther, on “how an unheralded monk turned his small town into a center of publishing, made himself the most famous man in Europe—and started the Protestant Reformation.” (Penguin Books, 375 Hudson Street, New York, New York, 10014; www.penguin.com; 2015). Pettegree indicates (page 92) that a 1518 letter from Emperor Maximilian denounced Luther as “an obstinate teacher of heresy” and that the decision was reached by August 23, 1518, communicated to Cajetan in advance of his meeting with Luther. There was to be no debate between Luther and Cajetan whose “hands were tied by the nature of the process already concluded in Rome.”

by Gerald Perschbacher

“In no other book is there such a collection of inspired wisdom, reality and hope.”

In China, during the mid-1800s and its Opium War (page 131), a good degree of openness toward printed Bibles accentuated Christian influence.

Through world wars and upheavals, the Bible continued to be distributed.

Some years after World War Two, Oswald Hoffmann, long the booming voice of The Lutheran Hour, was deeply involved in the United Bible Societies (UBS) and offered suggestions (page 266).

By the way, the ABS sourced scriptural portions as mementos offered on The Lutheran Hour in past years. Fea notes the ABS “did not dabble in politics, but if it had one thing in common with the Christian Right it was its belief that the moral health of the United States was directly proportional to the number of people reading the Bible and applying its principles to their lives and the life of the nation” (page 293). An interesting salute was offered in Good News for Modern Man: Dwight D. Eisenhower Memorial Edition which included this quote from the then former president, “… the Bible is endorsed by all ages. Our civilization is built upon its words. In no other book is there such a collection of inspired wisdom, reality and hope.”

Fea’s book, available through bookstores and online, is a fine blend of facts, ideals, dreams, realizations, and personalities joined in the advance of Christianity through the Bible Cause. n The Lutheran Layman September - October 2018 | 23

The Coming King: LHM’s Advent Devotions for You to Share

O

f all the stories from the ancient world, there’s probably none more accessible to 21st-century minds than Jesus’ birth. This year’s Advent devotions, The Coming King by Dr. Kari Vo, illuminates how God worked through a diverse cast of characters when He brought His Son into the world. From average Joes tending sheep to the local king’s court, each played a part. We see Mary and Joseph, legions of angels, Zechariah and Elizabeth, Simeon, the shepherds, wise men from the east, and even King Herod all appearing in the Gospel narrative.

It’s an everyman story!

Such a varied ensemble makes it perfect for our modern fondness for diversity—and a great resource for sharing with others. For instance, when the Gospels were first written, they were passed among groups and individuals interested in what they had to say. They encouraged those who already believed. They attracted others with their profound message of God’s love and redemption.

With LHM’s seasonal devotions, it’s like the first century all over again where you can experience the same thing. Leading up to the holidays, why

not round up the email addresses of some people you know who could use a bit of good cheer this Christmas? Then, send a brief note to your neighbor, buddy on the softball team, cubemate at work, or insurance agent, inviting them to LHM’s English or Spanish Advent websites, with a tagline like “I have something for you this Christmas!” or “Here’s a story you don’t want to miss!”

It’s such a simple thing to do—and like God’s love, it’s free!

You can get The Coming King as text or listen to it via our podcast. You can receive these devotions daily during the Advent season as an email subscription, beginning December 2. You can access the downloadable version, which includes a large-font text and bulletin inserts on October 2.

Audio availability begins on December 2 with Mark Eischer, senior producer for The Lutheran Hour, reading the devotions. Visit lhm.org/advent for all the details.

El Rey que viene, the Spanish-language version, will be available to read online or can be received as an email subscription through the Advent

Mobile, audio, and Spanish also available!

by Paul Schreiber season beginning December 2; the print version will be available for download on October 2.

Please go to paraelcamino.com/adviento.

The regular Daily Devotions are suspended during the Advent season; they will resume on Sunday, January 7, 2019. n

It’s such a simple thing to do— and like God’s love, it’s free!

What God has done for the world is most intimately expressed in the life of His Son Jesus. In The Coming King, explore God’s marvelous work through the lives of those who were on the scene at the time of the Savior’s birth.

Sign up for Advent Devotions!

lhm.org/advent 24 | The Lutheran Layman September - October 2018