Lutherans ENGAGE the WORLD May – June 2016, Vol. 4, Issue 5
Lutherans
ENGAGE the WORLD May – June 2016
vol. 4, no. 5
inspire
2 4 8 12 19
Sending and Supporting Those Who Proclaim God’s Word
Grounded in the Word of God
Through Thick and Thin: Caring for Church Workers in Crisis
Pastoral Care from the Pulpit
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Loving and Serving the Homeless in New Orleans
4 Engaging the Church in the work of witness and mercy across the globe in our life together. LUTHERANS ENGAGE THE WORLD is published bi-monthly by The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod. © 2016 The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod. Reproduction for parish use does not require permission. Such reproductions, however, should credit LUTHERANS ENGAGE THE WORLD as a source. Print editions are sent to LCMS donors, rostered workers and missionaries. An online version is available (lcms.org/lutheransengage). To receive the print edition, we invite you to make a financial gift for LCMS global witness and mercy work. Unless otherwise noted, all photos are property of the LCMS. 888-THE LCMS (843-5267) lcms.org
Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
engage How Will They Hear?
G 16 inform 3 9 10 16
10 Questions
Making an Impact in Ethiopia
Theological Education Around the World
Synod Chaplain Wears Several Hats
involve
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As a Steward, You Have Rights
od has given His Church a beautiful gift for the salvation of men. The gift is His own Son — Jesus Christ preached into our ears, poured over us in Baptism, placed upon our lips in the Lord’s Supper. Just as surely as our heavenly Father has located Himself and His gifts in tangible elements like water, bread and wine, so He locates His saving Word in the preaching and spiritual care of called and ordained servants of the Word in the Office of the Holy Ministry. For Rom. 10:14 says, “How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching?” In a world where the culture of the day assaults every value we hold as children of God, it is imperative to our witness and mercy work that we have well-equipped pastors. These men of God bear His living, forgiving Word to us from pulpits, podiums and on our porches. Well-prepared pastors, deeply rooted in God’s Word and our Lutheran Confessions, preach and teach in ways that bring Christ fully into the midst of our broken lives. Being fortified with Word and Sacrament, we are then equipped to go into the world and speak the Word of God that has been spoken to us. We bear the mercy of Christ that has been shown to us. And in all of it, the Holy Spirit creates repentance and faith where and when He chooses. This is how it works in the Lord’s Church. This why we invest so deeply in training pastors and caring for them. It’s also why our global partners’ chief request is for the LCMS to provide theological education and seminary training for their pastors and other church workers. This issue of Lutherans Engage the World focuses largely on theological education and the service of pastors and missionaries as they bring God’s Word to the world. In Christ, Pamela J. Nielsen Associate Executive Director, LCMS Communications
S TA F F David L. Strand Pamela J. Nielsen Erica Schwan Megan K. Mertz Erik M. Lunsford Lisa Moeller Annie Monette Chrissy Thomas
executive director, communications executive editor director, design services managing editor/staff writer manager, photojournalism designer designer designer
EDITORIAL OFFICE 314-996-1215 1333 S. Kirkwood Road St. Louis, MO 63122-7295 lutheransengage@lcms.org lcms.org/lutheransengage
Cover image: The Rev. Daniel Conrad, an LCMS missionary to Mexico, witnesses to a fellow passenger as he travels via public transportation in congested Mexico City. PHOTO: LCMS COMMUNICATIONS/ERIK M. LUNSFORD
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Sending & Supporting
Those Who Proclaim God’s Word heological education makes an enormous difference in the lives of God’s people, and that’s why the LCMS is so heavily invested in this work around the world. The goal of our work is the sending and ongoing support of those who proclaim God’s Word, rightly distinguished in Law and Gospel. Article V of the Augsburg Confession confirms that the ministry of Word and Sacrament was instituted for this very purpose, so that the Holy Spirit is given to work saving faith — the faith that God counts for Christ’s perfect righteousness — in the hearers of the Word. So, “how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? And how are they to preach unless they are sent?” (Rom.
10:14b–15a).
You and I participate in God’s “sending” in a mutual response of love toward our fellow Christians and the Synod’s global church partners, who repeatedly plead: “Help us!” How often we hear that they are genuinely suffering from a shortage of welleducated servants of the Word — Lutheran ministers apt to teach, marked by pastoral hearts grounded in faithful proclamation of the Gospel and fervent desire to care for the souls of God’s people — who are truly prepared to carry out often-difficult duties in the abundant fields of 21st-century global mission. We answer these urgent requests with sustainable, accountable actions. Through our Synod’s Global Seminary Initiative, we are steadfastly
forming new pastors at our St. Louis and Fort Wayne seminaries for future church service and leadership in their countries of origin. Moreover, we continue to prepare and send LCMS missionary theological educators from the U.S. to teach and train future church workers in their own seminaries and contexts. The outcome of this powerful work is an increase in the number of former unbelievers who are daily brought into the gracious presence and worship of our holy God. In the sending of His Son, the Savior of the world, God has provided life and freedom in the face of death and slavery. Thus, we are about the work of bringing others to encounter a crucified and risen Jesus, prior to His return in glory and judgment on the Last Day. Indeed, there is an urgency to this, since, as God reminds us, “Yet once more I will shake not only the earth but also the heavens” (Heb. 12:26b). We have an unchangeable promise for that final seismic moment. It is to be preceded by the sending of God’s heralds who faithfully carry out the ministry of His living, active Word. The result is a
gathering of every tribe, nation, people and language on a holy mountain, full of grace and mercy and glory — the fulfillment of a great intervention that took place once upon another mountain marked by fire and judgment. The Son of God was there, for all of us, in the crucial and crucified role. He has made the difference that counts into eternity. In Christ,
Rev. Kevin D. Robson Chief Mission Officer, The Lutheran Church— Missouri Synod
PHOTO: LCMS COMMUNICATIONS/ERIK M. LUNSFORD
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“And how are they to hear without someone preaching? And how are they to preach unless they are sent?” (Rom. 10:14b–15a)
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1.
hat is your greatest joy in serving W as district president? The privilege of working with and serving faithful people of God: the congregations and ministries, rostered church workers and district staff. It’s a joy to follow in the train of those who have gone before us in this part of God’s kingdom, people whom He used to bring us to where we are today.
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What is your greatest challenge? It is a significant challenge to assist congregations and called workers to deal with conflict biblically and confessionally. There is a great need to help our people see what it means to be the Body of Christ. Another challenge is assisting rural/smalltown congregations as they deal with the reduction of family farms and a declining population base. Outreach and stewardship need attention. There is a tendency to make survival No. 1 and forget the real mission of the Church. That’s why it’s so important to be in the Word and see how God keeps His promises.
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What is the main role of a district president in regard to the pastors in his district? I see my role as trying to be Aaron-like in holding up the prophet’s hands [the rostered church workers]; like Barnabas in encouraging the workers, congregations and other ministries; or like Moses in conducting oversight according to the Word of God and the Synod Handbook and civil law [ecclesiastical supervision].
PHOTOS: LCMS COMMUNICATIONS/ERIK M. LUNSFORD, LIGHTSTOCK
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What misperceptions do people have about the role? Some think that once a pastor is elected to become a district president, he stops being a shepherd and becomes a bureaucrat who is no longer in touch with life in the parish. Also, a district president is neither a savior nor an enemy.
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How do you handle the demands and stresses of the job? The Word of God and the Sacraments sustain me. I am thankful for the love of my wife and family; the blessing of friends; the tremendous support of our district vicepresidents, board of directors, circuit visitors, members of the [Council of Presidents]; and the kindness of fellow church workers and congregational members.
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What are you most excited about in your district? I am excited about the ministry that has begun among the Anyuak [African immigrants] at Trinity in Sauk Rapids, Minn. The Lutheran schools in our district are truly mission outposts, as over half of the children enrolled are not members of an LCMS congregation. Our district camp recently dedicated a Creation Science Environmental Learning Center. Our members and rostered workers have a heart for mission and support projects in Kenya and Liberia.
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WITH
What’s the vocation of district president like? We talked to the Rev. Dr. Donald J. Fondow, president of the LCMS Minnesota North District, to get the answer firsthand.
Questions
“My greatest concern is that confession and forgiveness predominate and the grace of God is received and given.” — District President Rev. Dr. Donald J. Fondow
DISTRICT PRESIDENT REV. DR.
DONALD J. FONDOW by Pamela J. Nielsen
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What one thing do you want people to know about district presidents? District presidents are men of God who are here to serve Christ and His Church, and our desire is to be of help.
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When you hear that a pastor or parish is facing a struggle, how do you approach the situation? When I was first elected, I sat down one night and composed a list of conflict situations in the district. My list totaled 35. Shortly thereafter, I was asked at a circuit pastors’ meeting what my vision was for the district. My first response was: “It’s difficult to see if you’re buried in mud.” I proposed to our district BOD that we establish a congregational care counselor position. The goal is to direct the focus upon the power of the Word of God and seek reconciliation through a process of Bible study and mediation. My greatest concern is that confession and forgiveness predominate and the grace of God is received and given.
• Raised in Wisconsin • Attended Lutheran schools from first grade through seminary • Married to Connie, and they have two married sons and two grandsons • Drives 35,000-40,000 miles a year carrying out his duties
MINNESOTA NORTH DISTRICT
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If someone visited your part of Minnesota, what one place would you tell them to see? Since we are the land of 10,000 lakes, I would recommend that you start with the great lake of Superior. But don’t stop there.
MOST RURAL DISTRICT IN THE SYNOD
143
ACTIVE PASTORS
198 PARISHES
42 ACTIVE COMMISSIONED
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What do you like to do when you get a day off? Whatever my wife would like to do! I enjoy sporting events, traveling, reading, and sometimes it’s just good to rest.
WORKERS
Deaconess Pamela J. Nielsen is associate executive director for LCMS Communications. May–June 2016
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Grounded in the Word of God by Roy S. Askins
This is a story of two churches in two cities in two very different parts of the world prevailing against discord and strife wrought by Satan.
In Sri Lanka
PHOTOS: LCMS COMMUNICATIONS/ERIK M. LUNSFORD
In the island country of Sri Lanka off the tip of India, lush green tea plantations blanket the upcountry hilltops, soothing the senses like a cup of tea steeped from leaves plucked by barefoot workers. Among the gentle curves of mountains are the calm, gentle and strong people of the Lanka Lutheran Church. The LCMS began work in Sri Lanka in 1927 as a natural outgrowth of its work in India. The Lanka Lutheran Church became a partner church in 2001. In this sleepy locale, Satan sowed discord. He stirred wicked men to steal property, slander the church and assault family members of church leaders. He sifted the Lanka Lutherans, and yet they remain faithful. In the face of evil, the Lanka Lutherans remain grounded in the Word of God. “Martin Luther stood for the Word alone because the Word alone is strong,” said the Rev. S. Devanesan, treasurer of the
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Lanka Lutheran Church. “Through the Word, Martin Luther brought reform to the church.” To heal and protect the church, the Lanka Lutherans seek deeper theological study for pastors. This training prepares them to proclaim the Word for the souls placed in their care. The Rev. Roger James, LCMS missionary to Sri Lanka and South Asia area director, provides ongoing theological education for the eight vicars and three pastors of the Lanka Lutheran Church. In a recent class on the Augsburg Confession, James said, “Every heresy begins with ‘We believe the Bible.’ Thus, the church makes, studies and holds to confessions that keep her true to scriptural teaching.” He explained that to combat false teachings, the church returned to Scripture and then set forth the proper interpretation of the Bible in creeds and confessions for all Christians.
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 Children listen as Vicar M. Anton Raj reads Psalm 121 during worship at a preaching station in Kandapola, a village of Nuwara Eliya in the Central Province of Sri Lanka.
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The Rev. Roger James hikes a hilly jungle trail on his way to a Palm Sunday service at Immanuel Lutheran Church on the Eila Rubber Plantation in Sri Lanka.
In addition to regular teaching, James also visits congregations and homes as opportunities arise. The vicars, who serve local preaching stations, join him and learn to pray the psalms in the homes of the people they serve. After sharing a psalm and prayer, James blesses one or more members of the household. Theological education for the Lanka Lutherans has been difficult. Vicar P. Gnanakumar studied over 12 years in different programs while he served as a vicar and evangelist. He began in the Lanka Lutheran Church seminary, but it later closed. He then landed in a different program at Lanka Bible College, from which he expects to graduate this summer. Gnanakumar knows the need for Lutheran theological education. This became clear when he simultaneously studied the topic of Christian worship from Lanka Bible College and from the Rev. Dr. Wilfred Karsten, pastor of Holy Cross Lutheran Church, Moline, Ill., who has traveled to Sri Lanka 16 times to provide short-term theological education. He saw a clear difference between the two teachings on worship. At Lanka Bible College, worship centered on the expression and emotion of worshipers. “But Lutherans understand the worship service differently,” said Gnanakumar. For Lutherans, “the congregation participates, but God is coming, and we focus primarily on Christ and God, not ourselves.”
In Mexico In sprawling Mexico City, which is steeped in hot light and Latin hues, an urban cacophony surrounds the mission work of the Rev. Daniel Conrad and Tyler McMiller. Here, Satan attacks the church in similar ways to Sri Lanka. Conrad, an LCMS missionary to Mexico, provides pre-seminary training and mentoring to men interested in becoming pastors in the Lutheran Synod of Mexico (SLM). The LCMS has been working in Mexico since 1940, and the SLM became a partner church in 1968. Trained Lutheran pastors are scarce in Mexico because no new pastors have been ordained in the last 15 years. Until about a year and a half ago, the SLM lacked its own route to ordination, so pastors who retired or died were not replaced easily. To prevent churches from closing, laymen stood up to provide for the church. These faithful men do not consecrate or baptize, but they lead services and read sermons written by Conrad or other pastors. However, church leaders who do not understand the Word of God are not properly equipped to teach others. “In order to feed the people spiritually, you have to be trained adequately. It’s hard to feed a people spiritually when you’re not trained yourself,” Conrad said. That’s why the SLM sent four men to begin their studies at Seminario Concordia in Buenos Aires, Argentina, last August.
The LCMS is assisting with this by providing a yearly stipend of $7,500 to each of the men to help them pay for the five-year program. But since not all of the laymen are able to leave their homes to study at a seminary, 12 others have started a new distance-education program, which is operated jointly by Seminario Concordia and Concordia Theological Seminary, Fort Wayne, Ind. Conrad provides mentoring to these 12 men as they progress through their online studies. Conrad uses the analogy of a skyscraper to explain the need for orthodox teaching in the Word of God and the catechism. “Everyone loves the beautiful windows and architecture,” he said, “but how often do people go down to the basement and praise the basement? And yet, without the basement, the entire building cannot stand.” One of the men that Conrad is working with is Alejandro Arevalo. He led his congregation, El Buen Pastor, through a particularly difficult struggle. He made a bold confession that ran contrary to the predominant culture. Conrad has started building a foundation of catechetical and scriptural knowledge with Arevalo, on which his seminary education will build. On a Friday night, Conrad sat with Arevalo at the kitchen table following a dinner of homemade tacos and sliced avocados. In the adjacent room, McMiller plucked at his guitar, teaching Arevalo’s two teenage sons a few notes after catechism class.
“In order to feed the people spiritually, you have to be trained adequately." 6
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A young adult listens as Tyler McMiller leads catechesis at the Lutheran Church of the Good Shepherd in Mexico City, Mexico.
Both Conrad and McMiller traveled hours by bus and train to reach the family’s home. It’s just the way of life in congested Mexico City. “Pastor Conrad’s work is about helping these guys be the Lutherans they really want to be,” McMiller said. Whether in Sri Lanka, Mexico, the United States or elsewhere, Satan will attack the Body of Christ. But Jesus promises that “the gates of hell shall not prevail against” His Church (Matt. 16:18). Thanks to assistance with theological education, these two church bodies are not alone. The Rev. Roy S. Askins is director of Communications for the Synod’s Asia Pacific and Southern Asia and Oceania regions. Erik M. Lunsford, manager of Photojournalism for LCMS Communications, also contributed to this article. Learn more: About Sri Lanka: lcms.org/srilanka About Mexico: lcms.org/mexico View the photo galleries:
lcms.org/photo/missionariesin-mexico and lcms.org/photo/ sri-lanka-missions
The Rev. Daniel Conrad chats with a guest following worship at the Lutheran Church of San Pedro in Mexico City, Mexico.
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Through Thick and Thin:
Caring for Church Workers in Crisis by Megan K. Mertz
|
MERCY MOMENT
This was the situation facing an LCMS missionary and his wife. The couple made the difficult decision to leave their work in Ghana and return to the United States when the missionary’s Parkinson’s disease symptoms became more severe. After returning to the U.S., his mobility continued to decrease as the family’s medical bills increased. That’s when the Rev. Dr. Carlos Hernandez, director of LCMS Church and Community Engagement, heard about the couple. In partnership with the LCMS Minnesota South District, Hernandez was able to provide a grant to help cover the family’s high insurance deductible and also to purchase an electric wheelchair. The grant came through Soldiers of the Cross, an LCMS mercy program made possible by gifts from Lutherans who care about church workers. Soldiers of the Cross provides transitional or emergency financial assistance as well as pastoral care to current church workers affected by health problems, employment interruptions and other emergencies. “My family and I are very grateful to you and Soldiers of the Cross,” the missionary later wrote to Hernandez. “Without your assistance, it would have been very difficult for us to pay our bills or to have the electric wheelchair.” In 2015, Hernandez gave out 79 Soldiers of the Cross grants, which are matched by the recipient’s district. Since 2012, the program 8
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has given out more than $1 million in financial assistance to church workers in crisis. Hernandez also works with a similar program called Veterans of the Cross, which assists retired church workers — or their widowed spouses or dependent children — by supplementing low or inadequate pensions to help these faithful servants afford the cost of necessities such as medication, food and utilities. Veterans of the Cross is funded by generous donations to the LCMS Office of National Mission and administered by Concordia Plan Services. As of March, Veterans of the Cross was providing monthly stipends to 25 retired church-worker families. Assistance is provided as long as need is demonstrated. “The Soldiers and Veterans of the Cross programs are ready at any time to respond to the needs of our church workers,” Hernandez said. “We want both our domestic and international workers to know that we’re not going anywhere. We so value the Gospel proclamation ministries they have carried out or continue to conduct, and we want to support them in their work.” Megan K. Mertz is managing editor of Lutherans Engage the World and a staff writer for LCMS Communications. Learn more: lcms.org/soldiersofthecross lcms.org/veteransofthecross lcms.org/givenow/globalmission
PHOTO: GETTY IMAGES
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A debilitating injury or illness can put enormous strain on a family. In the blink of an eye, anticipated wages may be lost, and a family member may need to assume a new role as a caregiver — all while medical expenses pile up.
GLOBAL SEMINARY INITIATIVE UPDATE nform
in
Making an Impact
Ethiopia
by Robert V. Roethemeyer
The partnership between The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod and the Ethiopian Evangelical Church Mekane Yesus (EECMY) is a great illustration of the impact of the Global Seminary Initiative (GSI).
Scholarships to Study Here
Scholarships to Study There
GSI scholarships awarded through LCMS seminaries support those who are studying in the U.S. to serve as leaders and professors in their home countries. Some examples include:
GSI scholarships awarded through MYS make it possible for 6o students to study in the M.A. in Theology program. These are not ordinary students. A few are the very top graduates from the Bachelor of Theology program, while most are pastors with 15 to 20 years of service. Of these, some are teaching or leading regional seminaries; some are serving in leadership roles in one of the 24 synods (comparable to the LCMS’ districts); and others are pastors of congregations in Ethiopia’s largest cities, such as Addis Ababa, Hawassa, Hosanna and Nekemte.
Deaconess Tadelech Shumblo received her Master of Arts from Concordia Theological Seminary (CTSFW), Fort Wayne, Ind., last summer. She returned to Ethiopia with a two-year plan to build awareness and offer training in diakonia (mercy). This past year, she also helped coordinate mercy work with those affected by the drought in Ethiopia.
PHOTO: LCMS COMMUNICATIONS/ERIK M. LUNSFORD
Abdi Tadesse leads the ChristianMuslim Relations track of the Bachelor of Theology program at Mekane Yesus Seminary (MYS) in Addis Ababa. He began his study in the Ph.D. program last summer. One track of CTSFW’s Ph.D. in Missiology focuses on missions to Muslims — a perfect match for the teaching he does at MYS. Lalissa Gemechis is working on the proposal for his doctoral dissertation. He worked for 12 years at the EECMY central headquarters as the university students’ ministry coordinator and in the Children and Youth Ministry Department before being selected to study in the U.S. When he returns as a professor at MYS, he will have been greatly strengthened in his biblical and confessional identity.
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Faculty from Here to Teach There During the past two academic years, LCMS professors and pastors with advanced degrees have taught courses in the M.A. in Theology program, providing needed faculty at MYS while Ethiopian faculty like Tadesse and Gemechis are studying in the U.S. This year, the GSI supported the travel of two professors from CTSFW; three from Concordia Seminary, St. Louis; one from the LCMS Office of International Mission; two from our partner seminary in Novosibirsk, Russia; and a pastor from Canada with a doctorate in theology.
Pastors’ Conferences In February, the GSI helped host a pastors’ conference in Shinyanga, Tanzania, for pastors and
deaconesses of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Tanzania. In April, the initiative also funded a conference for LCMS and Ethiopian pastors.
Books from Here to There The Synod’s professors did not travel to Ethiopia empty handed. Through the coordination of the Chemnitz Library Initiative, enough copies of The Lutheran Study Bible and the Book of Concord were sent so that all the M.A. students could add these essential texts to their pastoral libraries before graduating. Additionally, more than 100 newer academic titles from Concordia Publishing House were added to the seminary’s library collection. “Every person trained through GSI has an impact on 30 to 50 other people each time they teach,” said the Rev. Dr. Albert B. Collver III, director of Church Relations for the LCMS and GSI administrator. “In terms of investment, GSI provides some of the best returns on the investment, getting the Gospel out to more people than is first apparent. The people trained because of GSI train additional professors, teachers and future pastors who, in turn, do likewise. GSI is Gospel multiplication!” The Rev. Robert V. Roethemeyer is a GSI professor and director of Library and Information Services and vice-president of Strategic Planning and Mission Execution for Concordia Theological Seminary, Fort Wayne, Ind. Learn more: lcms.org/makeagift/gsi
May–June 2016
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THEOLOGICAL EDUCATION AROU
ND THE WOR
LD
The Gospel is at the heart of all Lutheran education, and teaching the faith is a hallmark by which the LCMS is known throughout the world. Our international church partners are imploring us to teach God’s saving Word to their pastors and church leaders. They know that well-trained church workers will teach the faith to laypeople, who will tell their families and neighbors about salvation in Christ Jesus. The LCMS is making the investment of people and resources to walk alongside our international partners in this way. Every context is different, requiring creativity and ongoing commitment as we assist in a variety of ways aimed at strengthening global seminaries and forming well-trained pastors who will carry God’s Word to their flocks.
Vocational deaconess formation DOMIN ICAN REPUBLIC In 2012, LCMS deaconesses serving as missionaries in Latin America began mentoring Dominican women who wanted to become deaconesses as well. So far, 15 Dominican women have participated. This work led to the development of a formal deaconess-training program, which launched in early May. The program will include 10 Spanish-language courses — developed during the next five years — and will be used to train deaconesses from Mexico, Venezuela, Panama and Guatemala, in addition to the Dominican Republic. The program intentionally teaches future deaconesses how to witness, as well as challenges them to identify the principal area in which they will work. In the Dominican Republic, deaconess students identified ministry to people with disabilities as a primary area, although they also distribute food to the poor, teach Bible lessons in local schools and visit community members.
have participated in the mentoring program and are already making a difference in their community by: MINISTRY TO THOSE WITH DISABILITES DISTRIBUTING FOOD TEACHING BIBLE LESSONS IN SCHOOLS
Matongo Lutheran Theological College is a seminary of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Kenya. The seminary draws pastoral candidates and deaconess students from across Eastern Africa. Matongo offers a Bachelor of Theology degree and can accept international theology students, two things that set it apart from other conservative and confessional Lutheran seminaries in Africa. There are currently four LCMS missionaries serving at the seminary, and the LCMS continues to provide scholarship assistance for a number of students. CURRENT STUDENTS
The educational standard in this continent is coming up higher and higher and many of our congregations need well-trained pastors with better education with better certificates. But the most important thing is that they are grounded in the proper theology of the church.”
Rev. Dr. Joseph Ochola Omolo,
BISHOP OF THE EVANGELICAL LUTHERAN CHURCH IN KENYA LAKE DIOCESE AND RECTOR OF MATONGO LUTHERAN THEOLOGICAL COLLEGE
VISITING COMMUNITY MEMBERS
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K E N YA
for student scholarships (2015-2016 school year)
DOMINICAN WOMEN
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Scholarships for seminarians and deaconess students
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Regional conferences
C Z EC H R E PUBLI C
The LCMS Eurasia region helped host the Network of Young Lutheran Theologians conference in February. About 60 pastors, seminarians and laypeople gathered to discuss topics of importance for their Lutheran church bodies throughout Europe. The annual event was founded by European pastors for the sake of sharing together in the struggles of standing firm in the faith in this region. Being a confessional Lutheran in our region is a lonely way. We need each other to shore each other up in our faith. Opportunities to actually sit down and talk to like-minded Christians and Lutherans are valuable to our own resolve in strengthening our witness of Christ, comforting in getting to know others who suffer for the Gospel with us, and edifying in sharing our common confession together.”
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Rev. James Krikava, LCMS REGIONAL DIRECTOR FOR EURASIA
Seminary education
TOG O
The Lutheran Center for Theological Studies (CLET) in Dapaong, Togo, serves as a regional seminary for church bodies in eight countries in French-speaking West and Central Africa. The CLET program prepares men for ordination into the Holy Ministry and includes two years of on-campus education, followed by a vicarage. Since many of the men who desire to serve in the pastoral office have only a limited level of education, a one-year novice (pre-seminary) year also is offered on-campus to prepare them for the pastoral program.
Lord willing, the CLET will be forming the next waves of ordained pastors in relatively young Lutheran church bodies in some of the poorest regions of francophone Africa. The support from the LCMS and her congregations for operational costs, library materials, student tuition and health-care grants is essential to the running of this institution. It is a great blessing to serve our African partners in this capacity.”
Rev. Jacob Gaugert, LCMS MISSIONARY AND THEOLOGICAL EDUCATOR AT THE
CLET
IN MARCH 2015, THE YOUNG EVANGELICAL LUTHERAN CHURCH OF BURKINA FASO ORDAINED ITS FIRST FIVE PASTORS, ALL OF WHOM SPENT THREE YEARS STUDYING AT THE CLET. CURRENT STUDENTS
TOTAL GRADUATES
GRANTS IN 2015
Plus $25,000 to begin construction on dorms
Translating Luther’s Works into Chinese In the late 1990s, a group consisting of several LCMS missionaries; representatives from Concordia Seminary, St. Louis; and scholars in Hong Kong began the enormous project of translating Luther’s Works into Chinese. The goal of the project is to translate 15 volumes of Luther’s Works into both traditional and simplified Chinese.
VOLUMES 1-4 HAVE ALREADY BEEN PUBLISHED VOLUME 5 IS EXPECTED IN 2017
As this work involves multiple levels of translation and editorial work…the process can be incredibly complicated. Yet all this time and effort pales in comparison to the opportunity for Luther to speak the Gospel in Chinese and for the key Reformation writings to be shared with over 1.3 billion people in their own language.”
PHOTOS: LCMS/DANIEL FICKENSCHER, CRAIG DONOFRIO, CARL HANSON
H ONG KONG
Rev. Carl Hanson, LCMS MISSIONARY AND DIRECTOR OF
OPERATIONS FOR THE ASIA PACIFIC REGION
The Rev. Sam Yeung, director of the Literature Department of The Lutheran Church—Hong Kong Synod
GET INVOLVED | To learn how you can support projects like these, visit lcms.org/projectcatalog.
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PHOTOS: LCMS COMMUNICATIONS/ERIK M. LUNSFORD
by Jeni Miller
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PHOTOS: LCMS COMMUNICATIONS/ERIK M. LUNSFORD
“There’s an intensity to it. You struggle every time you do it. A mentor and friend on vicarage used to say, ‘The Sunday you don’t have butterflies and aren’t nervous about getting in the pulpit is the Sunday you shouldn’t do it.’”
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reaching. It’s just one of those things that pastors do, right? The preachers preach, and the hearers hear. No big deal. God said to “preach the Word,” and so we do. On this side of heaven, that preaching may look like a normal guy, standing behind an oddly shaped podium, rattling on about a Bible-related topic. But have you ever stopped to wonder why? What is this phenomenon, and why in the world would God come up with this, anyway? The Rev. Wally Arp, quoted above, has been a pastor for nearly 30 years, and he currently serves at St. Luke’s Lutheran Church in Oviedo, Fla. As a seasoned pastor, he’s had many years to hone his skills, especially in preaching, and has pondered the “why” question. “We are creatures under God — He created us body and soul, physical and emotional — not disembodied spirits,” Arp explained. “God wants to speak to us in the nature that He created us. And it’s that incarnational aspect of God’s love for us that drives the preaching task. It’s an extension of His incarnational presence among us. That flesh-and-bones pastor among the people he’s preaching to, it’s a bit like when there’s a little child afraid of the storm at night, and the parent calms them by saying, ‘Jesus is with you.’ The pastor in the preaching office brings Christ to the people.” Of course, there are a multitude of definitions of “preaching” out there. But
according to Arp, in the LCMS we can speak of preaching as “[God’s] truth communicated through personality — unchanging truth that is proclaimed, announced.” Unlike simple public speaking, preaching has the power to kill with the Law and raise the hearer back to life again with the Gospel. It’s not just “a guy in a box regurgitating God’s Word in the Bible back to us,” Arp said. “But through the person of the preacher, who is by no means insignificant and who has love and passion and integrity and commitment to Christ, the Holy Spirit delivers God’s Word to the listener. That preacher is a bridge between the world of the Bible and the world we live in.” Newer pastors, too, understand the power of preaching and the great significance behind this all-important activity that God instituted for the good of His people. “Preaching is not merely a speech about the Bible,” explained the Rev. Mark Nierman, pastor at Mount Olive Lutheran Church in Loveland, Colo. Nierman was ordained in 2003 and served one other parish before coming to Mount Olive. “Sure, a good sermon will give information about a text of Scripture for our learning, but the goal of preaching is much more than just conveying information about the Bible. … Simply put, preaching is proclaiming Christ and Him crucified to the hearer. Faith comes from
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The Rev. Wally Arp, senior pastor of St. Luke’s Lutheran Church in Oviedo, Fla., makes the sign of the cross during Communion.
Pastors love to talk about preaching, and the laity love to hear their pastors preach the Gospel.” “
— T h e R e v. R a n d a l l G o l t e r , special assistant to the LCMS president
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The Rev. Mark Nierman, pastor of Mount Olive Lutheran Church in Loveland, Colo., preaches during a Lenten service.
hearing. The Holy Spirit works through the preached Word to create and sustain faith in God’s people.”
Good Sermon, Pastor Just as preaching may have varying definitions depending on whom you ask, so does the description of a “good” preacher. In the LCMS, Arp explained, “A good preacher loves the Word, loves Jesus and loves the people. And he cannot get enough of any of them. “A good preacher has an absolute commitment, love, passion and excitement for the Word of God,” Arp said. “Good preaching is always rooted in the Word. Also, when you’re listening to a preacher who actually believes what he’s saying, it’s obvious that he’s had interaction with the living Word of God and that it’s actually penetrated his own heart. My vicarage supervisor, when someone would compliment him on a sermon, he’d say, ‘Just remember, I preach to myself first!’ … Like his hearers, he’s a real person with a real life and real struggles, and the Gospel is the only solution he’s found in his own life.” Nierman agrees: That commitment to the Word is what makes for good preaching. “A person may be an eloquent speaker, but it is not eloquence that makes a good preacher,” Nierman noted. “A good preacher is always sticking to the text of Scripture and conveying to the hearer
what God is speaking to us through that text. A good preacher simply speaks God’s Word. But God’s Word can be difficult at times to understand. Good preaching is the clear preaching of God’s Word that the people can easily understand.”
Nothing Worthwhile Is Ever Easy But if you ask most pastors how they preach so that people can easily understand, they’ll probably tell you that although it’s incredibly worthwhile, it isn’t, well, easy. “Even when you have enough time to really develop a sermon — which pastors rarely have — it’s still hard,” Arp said. “I’ve heard it said that standing in the pulpit and preaching for 15 minutes is as exhausting as working eight hours.” If preaching is a challenge for the veteran pastor, then surely it’s no simple task for a younger pastor, either. “It is a joy to proclaim the Good News to God’s people from the pulpit,” Nierman acknowledged. “But regular preaching is a rigorous task. Some weeks preaching comes easily — ideas for illustrating come quickly, and the writing process goes smoothly. Other weeks it is extremely hard, and you struggle to get the words out on the page. I can think of many times when, during the Divine Service, I sing the words of a hymn that so beautifully communicate God’s Word, and I think to myself, ‘Wow, that one stanza of this lcms.org/givenow/globalmission
hymn communicates the Gospel more wonderfully than my entire sermon!’” So, why do they do it, week after week? God commands pastors to preach the Word. Plus, most pastors love the Word so much that they can’t help but preach it. But there’s even more to it than that. Preaching is pastoral care. The Word of God proclaimed from the pulpit creates and sustains faith in a person, and in so doing it offers the kind of spiritual care that you can only get through the pastoral office. “As we gather in God’s house for worship, we bring with us the cares and burden of life in this sinful, fallen world,” Nierman said. “We battle temptation. We carry with us the guilt and shame of our sin. We struggle with fears. The devil, the world and our own sinful nature have been hard at work directing us to think in worldly ways and to not put our trust in God. Through preaching, we are able to rest in God’s Word. We hear that our sins are forgiven. We are directed to Christ and are reminded that His perfect love casts out all our fears. We are assured that, even though we face many troubles in this world, Christ has overcome the world. We need this time together in God’s Word so that together as God’s people, we can live in it and encourage one another by it.” Just as he mentioned that preaching connects God’s Word to the world in a very incarnational way, Arp reiterated that preaching brings the care of Christ to bear on the lives of the hearers, right through the words delivered by the pastor in the pulpit. “Preaching is pastoral care because it meets people in their circumstances of life, the joys and the tragedies,” Arp explained. “From the pulpit, on an ongoing basis, the pastor connects everyday life and vocation to who [his people] are in Christ, bringing God’s Word to bear on what people are experiencing day after day after day.” It may seem like a radical thought, that preaching can protect, comfort and nourish God’s people. But since God has set up His pastors to be His undershepherds, it makes perfect sense. “A shepherd will protect the sheep from danger,” Nierman added. “This is a part of pastoral care in preaching. Through preaching, the pastor will warn of dangerous teachings and ways of thinking and living that are contrary to God’s Word. lcms.org/givenow/globalmission
about preaching: The LCMS recently conducted surveys and focus groups that discovered these thoughts about preaching. l ay p e o p l e … Believe sermons should be biblical, Christ-focused and proclaim Law and Gospel. Think poorly of sermons that try to entertain or water down the Gospel so as not to offend. Want the sermon to convict them of their sin, point them to Christ and equip them to face the world. Aren’t typically aware of all that goes into preparing and delivering a sermon, but they do know that it takes a lot of work. Often remember one main point, illustration or key observation from a sermon. Believe that sermons need to have application, relevancy for everyday life.
pa s t o r s … Think preaching is very important. (99 percent said it is “important” or “very important.”) Find time management a challenge. Worry about getting into a rut. Struggle to find something new to say.
When Law and Gospel are clearly present in a sermon, it will benefit the hearer and they will be nourished by God’s Word, bringing them the comfort of the Gospel.” Maybe preaching is kind of a big deal after all. Thanks be to God. Deaconess Jeni Miller is a freelance writer and member of Lutheran Church of the Ascension in Atlanta.
P ‘ reach the Word ’ I N I T I AT I V E
With the upcoming 500th anniversary of the Reformation in 2017, now is the best time to honor that occasion with a renewed focus on preaching. The Synod’s “Preach the Word” (PTW) initiative is meant to offer pastors an opportunity to improve on their craft of preaching and laity on their vocation of hearing. Here’s what you need to know.
what Twelve teaching modules are being developed based on the results of recently completed surveys and focus groups on preaching conducted by the LCMS.
who Pastors will gather in groups of three to study a module on a certain aspect of preaching, such as delivery, the Sacraments or preaching to a persecuted people.
how The modules will be available via the Internet, so pastors can join together from separate geographic locations.
why According to the Rev. Randall Golter, who leads PTW, “The devil hates good Law and Gospel preaching, but it is what Christ does by His prophetic office: to call pastors to preach the Gospel and for His people to hear the Gospel. And the Church is built, sustained and expanded to the world, as He promised” (Matt. 16:16–19). Luther was known as a preacher of the Gospel and an expounder of the Holy Scriptures. What better way to honor Luther — and Jesus — than to improve our preaching and the hearing of it.
when January 2017 LEARN MORE: blogs.lcms.org/tag/preach-the-word May–June 2016
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The Rev. William Weedon leads a missionary sending service at the LCMS International Center in St. Louis. lcms.org/givenow/globalmission
SYNOD CHAPLAIN
Wears
Several Hats
PHOTOS: LCMS COMMUNICATIONS/ERIK M. LUNSFORD
“Good morning, people loved by God” — those who work at the
by Roger Drinnon
distinctions of Lutheran theology, the history of the LCMS and a Lutheran approach to various issues of the day. In his director of Worship role, Weedon is responsible for proposing and creating Synod’s International Center (IC) in St. programs that carry out the purposes and Louis hear these comforting words over the aims of the Synod in matters of worship. intercom around 9:45 a.m. each weekday, He also oversees the IC’s Community just as they are reminded chapel service is Chest — a collection of donations from about to start. among Synod employees for helping out The voice behind those encouraging other Synod employees in times of crisis, words is the Rev. William Weedon, director including those working at deployed of LCMS Worship and IC chaplain. In locations. addition to ensuring the roughly 300 “We’ve helped people [in the IC] after people working in the IC have the privilege the recent flooding, people with legal of daily worship and also pastoral care difficulties, people coping with catastrophic when needed, his myriad other duties medical bills, and all kinds of situations like extend well beyond the walls of the Synod’s that,” Weedon said. headquarters. Although not an employee of the Synod’s radio station Worldwide KFUO, Multitasking Worship, Chaplain Weedon makes time to host the station’s Duties program “Thy Strong Word,” which airs In his chaplain role, Weedon works with weekdays around 11 a.m. Central time. The the Synod president’s office in planning program also is and supervising all chapel available services at the IC and “The way the service via podcast at Lutheran Church Extension is conducted, the way kfuo.org. Fund, as well as rendering informal chaplaincy and the readings are read, “It’s unusual for someone counseling services to the way the music is outside of KFUO employees as requested. to host a program He also visits hospitalized played — all of this like this, but IC employees. can be and should it’s an example Weedon said he currently of the [LCMS] be animated with is organizing and teaching Office of National the first unit of “Lutheran the deep joy of the Mission’s U,” an educational offering Gospel, of the sinner’s commitment to that seeks to inform Synod providing biblical employees regarding the
free justification.”
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nform
catechesis nationwide,” Weedon said.
Preaching, Speaking Across the Synod In his role with LCMS Worship, he also has a full plate of preaching and speaking commitments at LCMS conferences across the nation. One conference Weedon is particularly involved with is LCMS Worship’s 2017 Institute on Liturgy, Preaching and Church Music, scheduled for July 24-28, 2017, at Concordia University Chicago, River Forest, Ill. Weedon said the theme of the conference — which will take place in the year of the 500th anniversary of the Reformation — is “The Just Live by Faith: Make This Plain,” based on Hab. 2:4. Keynote sessions during the conference will focus on how to allow this core biblical theme, which is “so important and beloved in the Lutheran heritage, to bring its sparkling clarity and joy to sermon, service and song.” Weedon also said the goal is to ensure that worship delivers the promises of God’s Word in every aspect of the service, as each element helps God’s people proclaim and take to heart the message of the Scriptures read on that particular day. “The way the service is conducted, the way the readings are read, the way the music is played — all of this can be and should be animated with the deep joy of the Gospel, of the sinner’s free justification,” Weedon said. “That’s after all the very heart of the biblical revelation itself — God in Christ reconciling the world to Himself and not imputing to us our sins.”
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p The Rev. William Weedon hosts the program “Thy Strong Word” on Worldwide KFUO.
He said the conference is “designed to be a blessing for pastors, musicians and any lay persons who care deeply about worship and serving up the Word of God richly
and excellently in the assembly of saints, maximally using the vast resources of our Lutheran heritage and celebrating and exploring the new gifts that the Holy Spirit delights to pour out on the Church. “We’re excited to hold the 2017 Worship Institute at [CUC,] River Forest this time,” Weedon said, “given that school’s significant contribution to music and worship in our church body for so many years.” For more information about the conference, call 888-THE LCMS (843-5267) or email infocenter@lcms.org. Roger Drinnon is director of Editorial Services and Media Relations for LCMS Communications. Learn more: u Read: lcms.org/resources/worship u L isten: kfuo.org/category/thy-strong-word/
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Free Resources from LCMS Worship LCMS Worship aims to nurture an understanding and love for the Lutheran heritage in Christian worship. Helpful resources available for free include: • Let Us Pray weekly prayers; • Lectionary summaries for Sunday readings; • Bible studies; • Children and youth resources; • Liturgy audio files; • Organ instructional videos; • Radio interviews on worship topics, including a series on the historic liturgy and numerous hymn studies; and • Unwrapping the Gifts, an electronic publication devoted to topics of worship.
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Loving Serving |
WITNESS MOMENT
nspire
AND
the Homeless in New Orleans
by Megan K. Mertz
Every Sunday morning, Donna Lee
PHOTOS: LCMS COMMUNICATIONS/ERIK M. LUNSFORD
Johnson went to the park to read. As she sat there, she observed the people coming and going across the street at Gloria Dei Lutheran Church in New Orleans as she heard strains of music drifting in the air. Finally one week, she went in and sat in a pew — bringing her trash bags full of clothing with her. When the Rev. Gregory Manning, pastor of Gloria Dei, came over to greet her, she recalls saying, “Hi, I’m Donna Lee, and I’m homeless.” That was more than three years ago, and Johnson is still attending Gloria Dei, where she has found “a big family” that “cares and worries” about her. In addition to attending worship regularly, she also volunteers in Gloria Dei’s food pantry, cleans the building and helps prepare snacks for the church’s summer and tutoring programs. “I guess it was the Holy Spirit,” Johnson says of the day she first entered Gloria Dei. “He said, ‘Get up, and go in. It’s time.’”
to stop here, and it was for a reason. So, I never pass up that opportunity.” One way his congregation cares for the community is through its food pantry. What started as a small closet for emergency needs now serves more than 770 people.
Rising to the Occasion
Manning dreams of expanding this ministry even further. Earlier this year, Gloria Dei received a $25,000 grant to open a center where homeless people can come during the day. Gloria Dei was one of 55 applicants selected to receive a “Stand With Your Community” grant. Funding for this prop Donna Lee Johnson, who is homeless, gram — which celebrates Martin Luther’s attends Gloria Dei Lutheran Church in New passion for all to know the true Gospel as Orleans and volunteers at the food pantry. the 500th anniversary of the Reformation approaches — was provided through a partnership between the LCMS, Thrivent Financial and Lutheran Church Extension Fund. Homeless people will be able to come to the day center to wash their clothes, use a computer and have mail delivered. The center also will pro‘Love Them Where You See Them’ vide daily breakfast and lunch You have to “love them where and the opportunity to attend you see them,” says Manning, chapel each week. In addition, who has a passion for a case manager will be on-site homeless ministry. to help address medical and As he walks to church each housing needs. p The Rev. Gregory Manning (left), pastor of Gloria Dei, greets a day, he greets many of the “Right now, we’re right on volunteer at the food pantry. homeless people who sleep the cusp of some amazing at the local Salvation Army things happening with Gloria shelter. They are required to leave the shelter early in the morning, Dei,” Manning says. “We have so many different types of people and they can’t return until the late afternoon. who come here … because it fills a void in their life, a void of love.” “I truly believe that God gives us the opportunity to meet Learn more: blogs.lcms.org/2016/stand-grants-enable-mercy people all the time,” he says — a belief that he likes to reiterate View the photo gallery: lcms.org/photo/helping-homelesswhenever he drives past a homeless person standing on a street new-orleans corner. “The light could have been green. God allowed your car lcms.org/givenow/globalmission
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Metro D.C. University of Maryland Jan. 4-6, 2017 We're taking a 360° look at life!
Join LCMS Life Ministry as we proclaim God’s truth that all life is sacred — from the very beginning until the natural end.
Register now!
Jan. 27-29, 2017 Washington, D.C. lcms.org/lifeconference
Get in on the discussion about issues related to religious liberty. lcms.org/lcmsu
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WE ARE FREE TO BE FAITHFUL “The free exercise of religion extends beyond the practice of our faith in houses of worship. We must be free to put our faith into action in the public square and, in response to Christ’s call, demonstrate His mercy through our love and compassion for all people without government penalty.” REV. DR. MATTHEW C. HARRISON, PRESIDENT THE LUTHERAN CHURCH—MISSOURI SYNOD
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|
STEWARD’S CORNER
As a Steward, You Have Rights
by Mark Hofman
When a person’s Gospel-motivated heart and our work line up, we often see it embodied as a charitable gift. We use the word “donor” to describe a person who makes a gift like this. I assume that you, reader, are a donor who is joyfully supporting corporate Synod’s work in one or more of its various facets: international missionaries or projects; national programs or missionaries; mercy/ human-care and disaster-response ministry; Ministry to the Armed Forces; through our Global Mission Fund, arguably one of the most potent ways to give; or even through the
unrestricted gift, the most vital of all donations. But donors really are — you are — “stewards” of God’s material blessings and a vital partner in the ministry responsibilities handed to us by the Synod at-large.
I’d like to share a few things the LCMS is morally and ethically obligated to do for you.
, STEWARDS ’S D O G D N RS A OUR DONO T TO: AS ONE OF YOU HAVE THE RIGH use intend to
way we nations sion, the is m r u o to use do f y o it d c e a p a rm and our c Be info es; g resources d purpos governin donated ir intende e th r g on our fo in t rv ly n e e e s v e ti m s c g effe of tho dent jud e identity rcise pru th e f x o e d to e rm ard Be info d to expect the bo ilities; ib s n o p board, an y audited ship res rd a w te ependentl s d in t, in its n e rec our most access to for which ; ts Have n purposes tateme e s l th ia r c fo n a d fin use ts will be d your gif re u s s a e B ognition; given; t and rec n e m g d they were owle ur riate ackn e approp ou and yo with iv e c e R n about y o spect and ti a re h rm it fo w in d t le a d han ured th ure and is y law; Be ass ons is sec rovided b ti p u t ib n tr te n x e co e iduals th tiality to with indiv e v a h u o confiden y tionships nature; at all rela ssional in th t fe c e ro p p x e E b ill ations are ting us w eking don ed solicitors; e s e s represen o th ir whether ation or h rmed as to es of the organiz from e y Be info e deleted rs, emplo ame to b n voluntee r u o y r d an rtunity fo to share; the oppo ay intend m e Have w t nation, a sts th king a do a m g n mailing li ri rthright conside ful and fo ns when th o u ti s tr e t, u p q prom Ask to receive stions. as well as e u q e to thos rs e w s n a
I have this list of your rights stapled to a bulletin board next to my desk so I can see it every day. Each member of my team does too, as we go about our work and our service to you. Since space in this magazine is limited, I invite you to visit the Synod’s Leader Blog at blogs.lcms.org/2016/as-a-steward-youhave-rights to read an extended version of this article to learn more about the steps we are taking to honor your rights. I’m curious to know how you think we are doing at honoring and respecting your rights as a donor. If you’d like to share your thoughts — the good and even the not-so-good — and suggestions so we can improve our service to you, please send an email to mission.advancement@lcms.org and write “For Mark — My Rights” in the subject line. In a future Steward’s Corner, I plan to go one step further and share with you the code of ethical principles and practices we adhere to when it comes to our work with you. You deserve to know that as well. Mark Hofman, CFRE, MBA, is the executive director of LCMS Mission Advancement.
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NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION U.S. POSTAGE PAID Burlington, WI Permit No. 12
This magazine was developed for you, as one who has supported the Witness, Mercy, Life Together work of the LCMS with your time and/or financial gifts. Whether your efforts and gifts were for disaster relief, a specific ministry or an individual missionary, you are a vital part of the Synod’s work around the world. The stories found in these pages are about how YOU are making a difference and changing lives with the Gospel and Christ’s mercy. Lutherans Engage the World is our effort to keep you informed about the difference you are making in the world and to say THANK YOU for all you do.
Visit lcms.org/projectcatalog to learn more.
Come explore the NEW LCMS mission project catalog!
Are you interested in caring for children, building churches or furthering theological education around the world? These are just a few of the special national and international mission projects YOU can champion.
Have questions? Contact LCMS Mission Advancement at 888-930-4438 or mission.advancement@lcms.org.