THE LUTHERAN September 2015 by Lutheran Church of Australia

Print Post Approved PP100003514 VOL 49 NO8

SEPTEMBER 2015

NATIONAL MAGAZINE OF THE LUTHERAN CHURCH OF AUSTRALIA

BOOMERANG!

God’s love comes from Germany to Australia–and back again Read this and more stories of love coming to life in this SPECIAL SYNOD EDITION

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EDITOR/ADVERTISING

Our cover photo: In May 21-year-old Heather Douglas travelled to Germany with the Central Australian Women’s Choir ‘Boomerang’ tour (p22,23). The choir took the gospel back to the country from which Lutheran missionaries came to central Australia in the 1800s.

phone 0427 827 441 email rosie.schefe@lca.org.au

SUBSCRIPTIONS phone 08 8360 7270 email lutheran.subs@lca.org.au

www.thelutheran.com.au We Love The Lutheran! As the magazine of the Lutheran Church of Australia (incorporating the Lutheran Church of New Zealand), The Lutheran informs the members of the LCA about the church’s teaching, life, mission and people, helping them to grow in faith and commitment to Jesus Christ. The Lutheran also provides a forum for a range of opinions, which do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the editor or the policies of the Lutheran Church of Australia. The Lutheran is a member of the Australasian Religious Press Association and as such subscribes to its journalistic and editorial codes of conduct.

Photo: Barbara Stuart

People like you bring God’s love to life

[1 John 4:12]

‘Students present the message to students. It’s incredible how students listen to their peers in a respectful way’ Rob Hoff Page 14

CONTACTS Editor Rosie Schefe 197 Archer St, North Adelaide SA 5006 phone 0427 827 441 email rosie.schefe@lca.org.au Executive Editor Linda Macqueen 3 Orvieto St, Bridgewater SA 5155 phone 08 8339 5178 email linda.macqueen@lca.org.au Design and layout Comissa Fischer Printer Openbook Howden

‘I am deeply honoured to serve God’s kingdom … simply as Sean, slipping under the radar with my payload of Jesus’ grace and peace and love’ Sean Conry Page 16

ADVERTISEMENTS and MANUSCRIPTS Should be directed to the editor. Manuscripts are published at the discretion of the editor. Those that are published may be cut or edited. Advertisements are accepted for publication on a date-received basis. Acceptance of advertisements does not imply endorsement by The Lutheran or the Lutheran Church of Australia of advertiser, product or service. Copy deadline: 1st of preceding month Rates: general notices and small advertisements, $18.00 per cm; for display, contract and inserted advertisements, contact the editor.

‘Sok and her children have come to know Jesus and have been baptised into the Lutheran family’

SUBSCRIPTIONS and CHANGES of ADDRESS

‘But now my longing for God in my everyday life is as vital to me as breathing’

LCA Subscriptions PO Box 731, North Adelaide SA 5006 phone 08 8360 7270 email lutheran.subs@lca.org.au www.thelutheran.com.au 11 issues per year— Australia $42, New Zealand $44, Asia/Pacific $53, Rest of the World $62

Glenice Hartwich Page 18

Danielle Robinson Page 30

Issued every month except in January

The Lutheran September 2015

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This September issue—ambitiously timed to arrive in your letterboxes shortly before delegates gather for General Convention—has been a ‘challenge’ to produce. That’s probably the understatement of the year. We’ve gently nursed good ideas out into the real world and onto pages. We’ve handled documents that have been all the way to General Church Council and back. We’ve had people who don’t normally write for us receive crash-courses in how The Lutheran works. We’ve had people who are already multi-tasking willingly take on additional workloads. And family life doesn’t stop while we are in production; there have been crises, joys and new challenges all round, children who’ve needed nurturing and partners who’ve needed support.

THIS EDITION 04 Heartland 05 Ordination: two journeys 08 Pastoral letter on the Unity of Synod

REPORTS TO CONVENTION 10 Board for Local Mission 12 Board for Child, Youth and Family Ministry 14 Lutheran Education Australia 16 Board for Lay Ministry

But now that I’m this far in, as I see the whole magazine rather than just its pages, a different picture emerges. It’s the picture of a church, battered and bruised perhaps, that still seeks God’s guidance from his word and through the work of the Holy Spirit. It’s the picture of a church, bleeding, that still comes together as Christ’s body, to worship him and to receive his healing body and blood. It’s the picture of a church that reaches out to those who are near, and also far beyond Australia and New Zealand, to help others in need and to practise as well as preach the gospel. It’s the picture of a church that nurtures its young, so that they in turn may bless the old.

18 LCA International Mission

Of course it isn’t perfect. This church is full of sinners, each of us carrying our prejudices, hurts and fears that we might not even be aware of. When we forget that we are ourselves broken and bleeding, we run the risk of becoming proud of all the ‘good’ we are doing. Pride can turn us in on ourselves and away from the very gospel we want to give to the world.

32 Commission on Worship

In just a week or so, the LCA will meet together as synod, at Rochedale, in Queensland. Delegates will hear some of the stories you will read here in The Lutheran. (You can find the full agency reports at www.lcasynod.org. au/reports) They will also engage in some very challenging conversations, including about the ordination of women. Some parts of the General Convention will be exhilarating, uplifting and energising. Some parts will be a struggle. Just like life in the church, really—good days, bad days, ups and downs, hopes and fears all wrapped up together. The good news is that God is with us and for us, no matter what’s going on around us or inside us. His love comes to life, not because of anything we do, feel or think (or resolve at Convention), but because God himself is Love, God himself is Life. He can, and does, make love come to life in all circumstances, amid every challenge. Let’s pray, and prepare ourselves for how we’ll see his love come to life in the weeks and months ahead. Let’s get ready for his love to surprise us.

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20 Australian Lutheran World Service 22 Finke River Mission 24 LLL 26 Lutheran Media Ministries 28 Lutheran Archives 30 Australian Lutheran College

When I was about six years old my parents took the family for a walk in the You Yang ranges, near Geelong. On the way back to the car, I became separated from them. I had no idea what to do next.

Many years later, our four-year-old son wandered off in a crowded quayside shopping centre. I remember the panic of thinking he had fallen into the water. Thankfully, we soon found him. He was staring happily around a brightly coloured kite shop which had attracted his attention. He didn’t realise he was

lost and wasn’t too concerned by his parents’ antics. Being lost—it’s not a sensation we enjoy, whether it’s we ourselves or someone we love. You probably know the feeling. We try to avoid it at all costs. It destroys our confidence. It scares us. We can only swallow our pride and ask for help.

I need to give up my false securities and admit that I am lost. Otherwise how can I know that the Son of Man has found me and carries me safely in his loving arms? Sometimes we can feel that life itself, our society and even the church have lost their way. These days nothing seems to stay put. The more we try to protest or fix things, the more awry they become. We can struggle to keep our bearings. Are we going forwards or backwards? Did we take a wrong turning somewhere along the way? So many things which we once took for granted feel less certain than they once did. Are we lost?

Years ago, a man told me that, although he wasn’t interested in attending church, it should never change. He needed it—albeit at arm’s length—because it told him exactly where he was. He would feel quite lost if it were to change. It was his moral compass. Yet lost is exactly how Jesus described the people of Israel (Matthew 10:6, 15:24). In Luke 15 a shepherd leaves 99 sheep and searches for the one that is lost; a woman sweeps and cleans until she finds a lost coin; and a father waits and waits for his lost son to come home. These parables are powerful and enduring images of what our God is like. Jesus summarised his own mission: ‘the Son of Man came to seek and save the lost’ (Luke 19:10). I need to give up my false securities and admit that I am lost. Otherwise, how can I know that the Son of Man has found me and carries me safely in his loving arms? When I know that, I also know there is no need to lose heart or to panic. God is in charge. Maybe the stranger who found me that day and walked me back to my family was an angel sent to rescue me. Whoever he was, his action still reminds me that when I am lost, and I know it, I also know that I am found. My God always knows exactly where I am and what it will take to bring me safely home.

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Disoriented and wandering around, searching for the way back, I came across a complete stranger. He asked me what was wrong and took me to the car park. My family was waiting there, seemingly unperturbed by my near-death experience. It might have lasted all of ten or 15 minutes, but to a child it seemed an age.

The church is God’s and it will continue whatever General Synod decides. But that doesn’t mean we carry the burden lightly.

ORDINATION

two journeys

by Tom Pietsch and John Strelan

At the recent General Pastors Conference, Pastor John Strelan and Pastor Thomas Pietsch (members of the Ordination Dialogue group) were asked to share their personal journeys on the ordination of women. This was done to foster a context of honesty and openness for all pastors to share their own journeys with each other. John and Tom’s edited stories are printed here in the hope that a similar spirit may be fostered in the church leading up to the General Convention, and that delegates might be prepared to answer similar questions in small groups. They are published in The Lutheran to help you to reflect on your own journey. JOHN: I first encountered a woman in the pulpit when I worshipped in a village church in Germany as a teenager. My recollection of that first experience is that she was a pretty boring preacher! But then, I was a 14-year-old boy who didn’t understand a word of German, so perhaps my judgement was a little skewed. I was raised within a traditional family structure and my parents had fairly defined roles. Mum was a housewife who looked after the children, while Dad was the bread-winner. I don’t think I’ve been scarred by that experience.

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I am the son, grandson and great-grandson of Lutheran pastors, but it was only after I entered seminary training in my mid-twenties that I began to think seriously about the issue of women’s ordination. I can’t recall having any definite feelings on the topic before then, one way or the other. I guess I trusted the church would know best. That is a position I still hold. TOM: My dad was the first person to bring up the issue of women’s ordination with me. I was 16 or 17 at the time and not particularly interested in the debate, which seemed more of my parents’ issue than mine. But I took up the position natural to me, which was to support the ordination of women. The idea that women were somehow not equal to men was, and is, abhorrent to me. It seemed to be a no-brainer.

In my last years of school and first years of university, I spent some time thinking about sex, funnily enough. There was a lot of wonder, but also a lot of confusion. I began to come to grips with how sexualised our culture has become, and how demeaning and degrading this can be. But I also began to see the joy of the Christian vision of sexuality, which shone a beautiful light into the gloominess of what was around me at university and on TV. It was at this time that I began to grow cautious of claims that our generation had reached clarity on issues of sexuality that the previous 2000 years had been blind to. It seemed to me much more plausible that our culture’s vision on sex and gender had been distorted rather than clarified. These thoughts coincided with my reading authors like G K Chesterton and C S Lewis. They helped me to think historically, and to see that our moment in time was not as grand or pivotal as I sometimes supposed it to be, but was simply one stage in a greater narrative. We are not necessarily more or less enlightened than other ages but, like them all, subject to the word of God, the truth that sets us free. This truth is not something determined by cultural movements or by majority votes, but comes from God alone, revealed through his Son, Jesus Christ. The Lutheran September 2015

In 2000, I was present as an observer at General Pastors Conference when a vote was taken on the issue, and I remember being disappointed, not so much at the outcome of the vote, but that the presidents abstained from voting. I really thought this showed a lack of leadership. I have a fairly functional view of the office of the ministry. While I believe the office is instituted by God, for me the purpose of the ministry is of most import, that is, to ensure that the gospel is proclaimed. Thus, my first thoughts when it comes to the office of the ministry are always: ‘How is it functioning?’, rather than, ‘Who should function in it?’. So I ask myself, ‘Does gender impact on the function of the office?’ I believe God speaks to us through law and gospel. Both show God’s will 6

The Lutheran September 2015

for us, but the law is spoken always in service of the gospel. So, a question in my mind when it comes to evaluating God’s commands is always: ‘How does this serve the gospel?’ I also presuppose that God’s word is alive and active. I believe God continues to do new things in his church and his world. If our unchangeable God changes, we shouldn’t be surprised that our understanding of God’s word, and God’s will, can change as well. Culturally and emotionally, I resonate with the sense of injustice some women express when they feel called into the ministry, but are restricted from entering purely because of their gender. I am uneasy about the disjunction of the church’s teaching and women’s roles in the rest of society, particularly as I reflect on the gradual change in teaching about women’s role in the church over the years. What makes us think we’ve reached the definitive teaching on the office now? With these presuppositions, I am always conscious that when I come to the text, particularly to the two passages in question [1 Corinthians 14:34,35; 1 Timothy 2:11–14], I come to them wanting them to say what I want to hear. I have spent much time in prayer and reflection asking for the Holy Spirit to open my heart and mind so that I would be guided by God’s will and not my own. The process of dialogue

has been helpful in challenging my thinking and in making me aware of the baggage I carry. It has also thrown me again and again back to the Scriptures to revisit my position. TOM: In preparing to go to the seminary, I began to think about women’s ordination more intentionally. As I read the Scriptures, I found that God upholds the full equality of men and women, while also freely talking of difference. In the highpoint of creation, humanity is not distinguished as fairskinned and dark-skinned, or as tall and short, but as male and female, man and woman. And this distinction is not given for punishment or division, but for joy and wonder. It means that men cannot be mothers, and women cannot conceive a child together, but a man and a woman can. This is the pattern, the order that is given by God. I also saw that the Scriptures never distinguish between men and women when giving God’s law, or when proclaiming the grace we have in Christ Jesus. Men and women are distinguished, however, when the Scriptures talk about marriage, and also about the church. St Paul even says these two subjects are mysteriously and profoundly related. I saw this order then extended to Christ’s choosing of male apostles and in St Paul’s subsequent teaching on this matter. I have never seen Christ’s

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Photo: Rosie Schefe JOHN: In 1997, as a first-year seminary student, I sat in on the Women’s Ordination symposium held at Luther Seminary. It was certainly an eye-opener, hearing my seminary lecturers and others speak clearly and passionately from both sides of the debate. Particularly troubling was hearing the exegetical arguments from both sides, which seemed to make rational and logical sense, but came to contradictory conclusions. I came away with the thought that if the experts couldn’t agree, what hope did I have? That experience sparked in me the conviction that the issue could not—and would not—be solved purely exegetically.

I believe God speaks to us through law and gospel. Both show God’s will for us, but the law is spoken always in service of the gospel. So, a question in my mind when it comes to evaluating God’s commands is always: ‘How does this serve the gospel?’

Photo: Marlene Pietsch calling of male apostles as a matter of power or prestige. Indeed as the Passion narratives illustrate, our Lord chooses male apostles, but they all fall away, barring John. They are not of a higher standing. If anything they are less faithful. It’s the women who remain faithful at the cross and the tomb. Nevertheless, Jesus went on to restore and commission the fallen men to resume their ministry, and to do so with a new humility. It intrigued me that Jesus, who was counter-cultural even to death, and who calls all men and women into his gracious presence, nevertheless appointed men only to be apostles— a pattern continued by the disciples in Acts 1:21 and affirmed by St Paul.

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JOHN: What fears do I have? I fear that I am allowing my own biases to cloud my thinking; that, as a person who does not like to cause unnecessary suffering in others, my viewpoint is selfishly influenced by a fear of rejection. However, my biggest fear in all this is that in the way we choose to read Scripture we place law above the gospel, so that the law no longer functions in its proper place of service of the gospel. In much the same vein, I fear that the church becomes obsessed with ‘right doctrine’ at all costs which then stifles what might be ‘best practice’. Finally, I can’t help shake the feeling that God is either laughing or crying as

… this debate could tempt our church to embrace something of a different gospel, the language of which is victimisation and fairness, or power and oppression, rather than repentance and forgiveness, humility, faithfulness and holiness. he watches us build our intellectual edifices in support of our various positions, both sides claiming to know the truth! I can only give thanks that he is a God who is gracious and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love. I trust that even in our divisions and disagreements he continues to work. TOM: One of my greatest fears is that in writing about what I see as Christ’s teaching, I’ll alienate people whom I love who think differently from me. I do share with many of these people a fear of a ‘men know best’ culture. I agree that a blokey church is an impoverished church. But I’m also apprehensive about how churches that ordain women have journeyed. I can imagine such a church determining I could no longer hold to my conscience under her wing. My primary fear, however, is that ordaining women would simply be against God’s pattern and will, as given in his word and through the church. I fear that this debate could tempt our church to embrace something of a different gospel, the language of which is victimisation and fairness, or power and oppression, rather than repentance and forgiveness, humility, faithfulness and holiness. We would then miss our chance to hold fast to the word of God when it is unpopular and countercultural. St Paul teaches

us that ‘God gave us a spirit not of timidity but of power and love and of a sound mind. Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony about our Lord, nor of me his prisoner, but share in suffering for the gospel by the power of God’ (2 Timothy 1:7,8).

WHERE DO WE GO FROM HERE? Convention is only weeks away now. Have you had the Ordination conversation yet? Your Convention delegate/s will take part in dialogue, but your congregation and study groups are encouraged to host your own dialogue before the convention begins on 29 September. The dialogue booklet can be downloaded from the Ordination. We’re Listening (OWL) website: owl.lca.org.au Congregation representatives may obtain the DVD from the LCA National Office: admin@lca.org.au or 08 8267 8300. But check with your pastor first; if he attended General Pastors Conference he will already have these resources.

The Lutheran September 2015

Pastoral letter on the Unity of Synod

from Pastor John Henderson LCA Bishop

Dear fellow members of the LCA,

The question of Women and the Call to the Office of the Public Ministry will not be the only issue on the agenda, but it promises to be the most controversial one. It might not be the single most important issue in the kingdom of God, but right now it offers us a practical opportunity to get to the heart of some stuff that really matters: how we hear God speaking in the Bible, who we are as Lutheran Christians and what we hold most dear. If you wonder why we are still having this conversation, it’s because, after many years of study of Scripture and the Lutheran Confessions, and two Synod votes, the question has not been satisfactorily resolved. Nearly 50 years after the union that brought the LCA together, God continues to test our faithfulness. Are we ready to listen? 8

The Lutheran September 2015

As the convention gathers in worship, hears God’s promises and celebrates the gospel, God is preparing our church for the even bigger questions to come. The world is rapidly changing. Current global events threaten to make the pace of change increase even more. Now is the time to learn once more what it is to entrust our future to God, believe in his gospel, use his good gifts wisely and well, and follow the guidance of the Spirit who motivates us. Understandably, there are those who feel anxious about what General Synod will decide. Others just want to move on. To face the future together, we need to confess our fears, identify our hopes and accept the challenges that we are called to face. If we can handle this difficult discussion with integrity, honesty and peaceful hearts, submitting to the inspired word of God as the ‘only true source, norm and rule, and standard of all teaching and practice in the Christian Church’, we will learn some important things that will help us with the issues that lie ahead of us. With God’s help we will continue to proclaim the gospel to a world so much in need of it. Yes, there is a risk to the church. After Convention, feelings could run high. Some people are saying that

whichever way Synod votes on the ordination question, some people—or even entire congregations or groups within congregations—will leave on the grounds of conscience. However, as we work through this issue, shouldn’t we be confident of God’s blessing as we allow the love of Christ to guide our actions? If you are anxious about all this, please don’t rush into anything that is aimed to harm others or their reputations. Let’s stay away from deeds that we might regret or that might bring the gospel of Christ into disrepute. Division is a sadness that brings no joy or satisfaction. Every other possibility must be explored first, and we must give time for that. In these weeks leading up to Convention, I encourage you to prayerfully reflect on Paul’s encouragement to the Ephesians (4:2,3): ‘Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.’ Therefore, before we do anything after this convention, as a whole church we will need to stop, reflect and breathe deeply. If we have prayed and been receptive to the Holy Spirit in the lead-up to Synod’s meeting, then we

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Soon our church will gather in a General Convention of Synod. No matter who you are or where you worship, the decisions made at the convention will affect you. They’ll affect all of us—and our children and our grandchildren. Even if you won’t be attending as a delegate or visitor, you have been asked to pray for the delegates, for the convention and for the church herself.

will surely continue that practice once it is over. If there is no change in our teaching, there will still be substantial pastoral and theological work to be done. If there is change, it will not happen immediately. The preparatory work will take time. The August 2015 issue of The Lutheran (p22,23) contains a delightful story about Pastor Bill Stolz, about to turn 100, and his wife Melva. Bill says, ‘Whatever happens, I pray that we will not split if

the vote is to ordain women. It would weaken our church, not strengthen it, if people leave. I don’t agree with [the ordination of women] but I wouldn’t leave the church over it.’ As someone who, for 26 years of his ministry knew the division of Lutherans in Australia, he goes on, ‘It was a very unfortunate thing when our church was divided. Many of us fought so hard, for decades, for union. We might have our differences, but that shouldn’t break our communion.’

Bill’s positive spirit is a witness to all of us as we face this challenge before us. We are to treasure, and not easily discard, the fruits of the labour of the generations through whom God blessed us with the united church we have today. Through the same Spirit who led and informed those who have gone before us, we can approach this Convention of Synod confident in God’s grace and firmly trusting that the church is his handiwork and his alone.

Call to prayer

No matter who you are, or where you worship, the decisions made by the Eighteenth General Convention of Synod will affect you. They’ll affect all of us—and our children and our grandchildren. Therefore, even if you won’t be attending as a delegate or visitor, I warmly invite you to participate in the pre-Convention discussions. It’s also important that you pray.

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Now is the time for us to learn once more what it is to trust God with our future, believe in his gospel, use his good gifts wisely and well, and follow the guidance of the Holy Spirit and the word of God. In these last weeks leading up to Convention I am calling the church to prayer and providing resources for our worship times and individual devotions. Your pastor or ministry leader has received these resources, and they are also on the Convention website www.lcasynod.org.au In addition, Lutherans in other churches around the world, as well as our Australian ecumenical partners, are being invited to pray for us.

Understandably, some of us are anxious about what General Synod will decide about the ordination of women. Others just want to move on. To face the future together we need to confess our fears, celebrate our hopes and accept the challenges we are called to face. Our task is to share the gospel in a world that is so much in need of the assurance of God’s love. If we handle this difficult discussion with faithfulness, integrity, and honest and peaceful hearts, it will inspire and enrich us for the challenges of mission that will be ours in the years to come. Pastor John Henderson LCA Bishop The Lutheran September 2015

Photo: Clinton Plowman

REPORT Local Mission

lcasynod.org.au/reports

By the time Pastor Nathan and Yvette Hedt (pictured above) and their family arrived in Packenham in eastern Melbourne a year ago, there was already a small group of Christians keen to plant a vibrant, growing church on the campus of Lakeside Lutheran College. In partnership with the college and the LCA Board for Local Mission (BLMiss), the Victorian District had called Pastor Nathan to be a church planter. Pastor Nathan writes, ‘Our new church is not about multiple programs or flashy worship services. Rather, we will be looking to build authentic community. We are doing that through implementing ‘missional communities’—local neighbourhood gatherings of Christians who meet for a meal each week, share Scripture and prayer, and intentionally engage in God’s mission to the people around them. We hope and pray that as new people come to know Jesus, these 10

The Lutheran September 2015

by Steen Olsen

missional communities will multiply so that eventually there’s one in each of the housing estates in Pakenham.’

training is open to all. So far, over 600 people have taken up this opportunity.

The interim Board for Local Mission was established by the 2103 General Synod to promote, resource and coordinate the growth of mission culture in all the diverse ministries of our church in Australia and New Zealand. In adopting the tagline, ‘new and renewing churches’, BLMiss is saying that its focus is on both new mission initiatives and revitalising existing congregations and other ministries.

Early in 2016, BLMiss will be launching its support for the revitalising of our congregations and other communities. We are not just asking ourselves what we should believe—as important as that question is—but also how we should live. In doing so we are not seeking to identify a set of rules that must be obeyed. Rather we are asking what practices we need to embed in the fabric of our lives together, so that the things we believe may truly shape who we are.

NEW CHURCHES Dean Eaton is the BLMiss church planting mentor and mission facilitator. He works with our ten sending churches preparing them to appoint and support church-planting teams, assisting with leadership formation and evangelism training. Dean has provided training in each of the six districts of our church. Some training is specific to the sending churches but the six-part evangelism

RENEWING CHURCHES

We want to support all LCA communities in their journey toward better health. Therefore, the approaches and resources being used in our ten sending churches will now be made available to all congregations, schools and other communities in the LCA, to assist them on their journey to

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New. Renewing. You.

We are not seeking to identify a set of rules that must be obeyed. Rather we are asking what practices we need to embed in the fabric of our lives together, so that the things we believe may truly shape who we are.

love comes to life when ... individuals, families and communities are inspired, passionate and active in sharing the gospel in word and action. renew or revitalise their life together. We are doing this under the ‘renew’ banner and repackaging our materials to suit this context. The Board for Local Mission plans to provide three series of Bible studies: 1. Renew Mission Life is a series of five Bible studies that complements our evangelism training and is designed to renew local mission in a congregation, school or other community setting.

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2. Renew Mission Leadership is a series of ten Bible studies designed to train congregational leaders to facilitate local mission and healthy church life, by creating healthy expectations and structures. 3. Renew Love Life Communities is a small group Bible study designed to form two small teams—one that focuses on witnessing and another that provides pathways for new believers to grow and become full participants in the life of the people of God. Revitalising the church and renewing individuals go hand in hand. They are

two sides of the same coin. The church is people, called together in the body of Christ. A renewed congregation is a congregation of renewed people. Changing structures and programs is a waste of time if the life of each of us, individually, is not also being revitalised by the Spirit’s work. BLMiss is assisting our congregations and other communities to grow their missional culture. We want to develop a much deeper sense of being part of God’s mission to his world. God sent Jesus into our world to redeem the world and bring good news to all people. Father and Son sent the Holy Spirit to bring Jesus to future generations and to lead and guide us along missional paths. Now Father, Son and Spirit are sending us into the world to join them in their work, and so be people who in word and deed show the people of our world that God loves them and wants to bring them into his kingdom.

The Board for Local Mission works to grow the missional culture of the church by encouraging congregations, schools and other agencies to understand themselves as being sent into the world by Jesus Christ. The board allows key practitioners from across the church to share their insights and then bring back to their districts what they have learned from others. The Board for Local Mission also supports African and Asian ministry in Australia and New Zealand.

Rev Dr Steen Olsen serves as the SA/NT Director for Mission and as a member of the LCA Board for Local Mission. The Lutheran September 2015