Spent this afternoon with a group of Lutheran Laymen's League members.  They are people who really care about the Gospel.  It was so exciting hearing their stories and seeing the fellowship between them.  Tomorrow, I am presenting to them the ideas behind the Catalyst concept.  If anyone can get excited about what LHM is doing it is these people.  The question is, how are they supposed to inspire other peopel and who is their audience?

Pray that my words tomorrow, would excite and inspire the LLL members of Arkansas and turn them into catalysts for creating a future for Lutheran Hour Ministries.  We know God has a plan for the Church and that LHM can help God make that plan come true.  Pray to seek God's will in how to share the crucified Christ with those who need to hear it.

LHM helps Chilean Lutheran Church Plant New Mission in Santiago

LHM helps Chilean Lutheran Church Plant New Mission in Santiago
Release No: 09-15
By Noel Hwande

Feb. 20— SANTIAGO, Chile: For years, the Evangelical Lutheran Church of the Republic of Chile (IELCHI) has dreamt about starting a mission in the mega-city of Santiago as the base for expansion of the church in that area. The IELCHI's congregations are currently concentrated in the northern cities of Valparaiso and Viña del Mar, about two hours from Santiago.

That dream has finally come true thanks to an effective partnership between the IELCHI and LHM (known as Cristo Para Todas Las Naciones -CPTLN - in Latin America). Two years ago, Latin American Area Counselor Ken Peterson was contacted by IELCHI President Rev. Carlos Schumann to see if he could participate in a planning meeting to start the new mission. "I was very happy to hear from President Schumann, and he told me that the church was now truly ready to launch this mission project in that huge city that has over seven million people," commented Peterson. "I was really excited to meet with them and start the planning together from the beginning."

After an initial planning meeting with the IELCHI leaders, the group drew up a strategic plan to seek funding and start the mission as soon as possible. The plan called for setting up a mission office in a strategic area of Santiago that would also serve as a CPTLN center, with the missionary and CPTLN coordinator working in a joint effort to establish the mission. CPTLN would serve as the outreach arm, and the missionary and volunteers from the IELCHI would do the follow-up on contacts and their natural "networks" (family, friends, co-workers).

Thanks to the support of an anonymous donor that wanted to see this new effort succeed in Santiago, the mission and CPTLN were able to start work in June 2007. Rev. Cristian Rautenberg of the IELCHI was commissioned and installed as the Santiago missionary, and Marianela Bravo was named as the CPTLN coordinator and mission administrator. They implemented the strategy, adjusting as they found out what worked best in the environment of Santiago.

Soon, Pastor Cristian was swamped with contacts and referrals of people to the mission, which began adding new Christians month by month. In November 2008, the congregation - that is called simply "Mission Santiago" - dedicated its first "church" in the renovated patio of the building rented by the mission in the La Florida district of Santiago. Peterson was on hand for the dedication service and had the honor to cut the ribbon, officially opening the facility that can seat some 50 people.

The group now has nearly 50 people involved regularly, and is developing all the activities of an established congregation, including five men in theological education classes. Pastor Cristian has emphasized leadership development and is training the people to take ownership of their church. They have also opened a new mission in an even more populous area of the city called Puente Alto, some 10 miles from La Florida.

"I feel proud and honored to have been part of this wonderful project to begin the mission and plant the seeds for an expanded IELCHI presence in Santiago," commented Peterson. "By planning together from the start, and with the great support of the IELCHI leaders and the churches members, we have been able to see how effective such joint efforts can be under the guidance of the Holy Spirit and blessing of the Lord."

Your continued prayers and support for LHM allow outreach programs to have an impact all around the world. We ask that you prayerfully consider a gift to our International Ministries today.

To support this ministry click here or call us at 1-877-333-1963.

Young Adults

I had an opportunity to interact with many young people as a representative of LHM this past weekend.  I am really trying to ponder what LHM can do for young Christians.  Their needs are the same as any other Christian, needing sustenance in God's Word, but what about the way they carry out their faith.  How can LHM help young adults grow in God's Word as well as carry out their faith in a world which opposes it quite vigorously.

Valentines Dreams

Last night, I attended the 49th annual LLL Valentine's Sweetheart dance, sponsored by St. Peter Lutheran Church in Arlington Heights, Illinois near Chicago.  They were a great group of people and those who attended seemed committed to the mission of LHM.  They are a very supportive church of LHM.  However, it was apparent at the event that the average age of the group was not 24.  The older generations of our churches and communities have done a lot to advance the Gospel.  These are the people that allowed LLL and LHM to be successful over the years in brining Christ to the nations.  However, as I have heard many LLL members say, we need to get younger people more involved in the church.  We can celebrate past successes of the Gospel all we want, but it is also time to ask "God, what's next?"  What is next?  How can we share the Gospel with current and future generations.  There is an easy answer and a difficult answer to the question.  Of course we need to preach Christ Crucified to them (easy answer), but we must also do it in a mode and language to which the hearer will listen (the difficult answer). 

My prayer is that congregations like St. Peter in Arlington Heights as well as churches coming together in mission, like LHM can advance God's Kingdom into new places and the peoples.  Whether young or old, believers must overcome the challenge of genuinely speaking and living God's Word so that those who need to know Christ's message of hope can know and be saved.  Sharing Christ's message of hope isn't just a program or activity, it is a matter of life and death.  Blessed be the man or woman who remembers that when living their lives.  

Happy Valentine's Day.  Romance is a gift from the Lord Almighty.  It is a reminder of the relationship between Christ and the Church.  As the Father committed Himself to us by sending His Son to die for us, its honors God to commit ourselves to our spouses, as well as our commitment to his plan for our lives.  Dance, Love, live God's plan.

Sri-Lanka Anti-Conversion Law Appears Imminent

Release No: 09-11
By Noel Hwande

Feb. 6— SRI LANKA: The staff at Lutheran Hour Ministries (LHM)-Sri Lanka are asking for prayers as a Buddhist political party is very close to getting a bill voted into law that would effectively outlaw religious conversions. The Prohibition of Forcible Conversion of Religion bill is up for a vote this month.

"If this bill comes to action there will be more problems for churches and Christian organizations," said LHM-Sri Lanka's director. 

The anti-conversion bill was first submitted five years ago by the Jathika Hela Urumaya political party - a party led by Buddhist monks. The bill proposes heavy fines and lengthy prison times (up to seven years) for anybody that tries to convert a Sri Lankan citizen from one religion to another using "force, fraud or allurement." The harshest penalties will be given to those who are convicted of converting women or children. 

While LHM-Sri Lanka and many other Christian organizations do not forcibly convert people, the anti-conversion bill is viewed by many as a means to suppress the growth of Christianity in Sri Lanka. The biggest concern is that such a law would put many Christian organizations and missionaries at risk of imprisonment or even persecution, almost overnight.

Sri Lanka is a predominantly Buddhist country with approximately 70% of the population said to practice Buddhism. Hindus, Christians, and Muslims make up a majority of the remaining populace. Over the years, figures have shown a decline in the number of people practicing Buddhism, and activists have increasingly pointed at Christianity as the reason for that decline.

"We don't know for sure what will happen, but we trust God. He is the one who called us to serve Him, and He will continue to help us share His News with the people in Sri Lanka," the director concluded.

Your continued prayers and support for LHM allow outreach programs to have an impact all around the world. We ask that you prayerfully consider a gift to our International Ministries today.

To support this ministry click here or call us at 1-800-944-3450 x 4275.

LHM aren't the only Lutherans trying Catalysts

This blog post is a reprint of an article from February 5, 2009 in the LCMSNews -- No. 12

'Catalyst' to advance rural, small-town LCMS ministry

By Roland Lovstad

LCMS ministry in rural areas and small towns can be summarized with a couple of 50 percent statistics:  Slightly more than half of the 6,000-plus LCMS congregations are in communities with fewer than 15,000 population, and about half of the residents in those areas have no ongoing relationship with Jesus Christ.

Seeing the numbers as opportunities, a collaboration of LCMS entities is seeking a staff "catalyst" to identify and coordinate resources for existing congregations and for starting new ministries in rural areas and small towns. The national missionary catalyst for Rural and Small-Town Mission will serve under the LCMS World Mission--National Mission Team and also coordinate with a recently formed National Rural and Small-Town Task Force.

"This is an effort to focus resources on the heartland of the Missouri Synod," said Dr. Robert Scudieri, associate executive director of LCMS World Mission. "It will help existing congregations revitalize their ministries, and we believe it will open doors to start new missions where other doors have closed."

The staff position will be developed in conjunction with the task force.  Organized in November and chaired by Rev. Russell Sommerfeld, president of the LCMS Nebraska District, the task force includes professional church workers, lay leaders, and national and district staff.  The task force is identifying common mission challenges and unique attributes of rural areas and small towns, as well as exploring ways for congregations to build partnerships and serve as mission outposts. 

A gift from Ken Schroeder of Higginsville, Mo., will enable the hiring of a "catalyst." As the work continues, Scudieri said the staff person will be a "network-supported missionary" whose ongoing work will be underwritten by donations from individuals and congregations. He added, "It's what Paul and Barnabas did as they depended on the support of the churches in Antioch, and other churches became supportive as they were started."

Scudieri said the organizers are looking for "a teacher, organizer, go-getter, entrepreneur, and ordained -- someone with a history of starting new things."

The task force states that its primary mission is "to encourage and equip professional workers and lay leaders of rural small-town congregations to experience anew the joy and delight of missional vision." By working through LCMS districts, the task force said it will "strive to guide and direct God's people in rural and small-town communities with a 'can do' passion for people to discover fresh ways to engage their changing culture for Christ."

Also collaborating in the work will be the Saint Paul Institute for Education (SPIFE), located on the campus of Saint Paul Lutheran High School and Ministries in Concordia, Mo.  The center will serve as a training base, offering leadership training modules in Concordia as well as providing workshops in other districts.

"In the rural small-town culture, people can get discouraged in their outreach and ministry," remarked Dr. Ralph Geisler, who serves as the SPIFE interim director and leads rural and small-town ministry workshops.  "They need someone to come alongside them to help them see the potential."

While there may be declining population in rural areas, Geisler added, "I can show you congregations that are actively reaching into the community.  Often, 50 percent of the people in the rural small-town communities don't have an ongoing relationship with Christ."

Of the 6,000 congregations in the Synod, Geisler's research found 3,200 are located in communities with fewer than 15,000 people.

Scudieri added, "There is eagerness on the part of districts to embrace and work collegially with congregations and SPIFE.  This will expand a role of initiating new missions and churches in rural and small towns."  Also collaborating will be the Center for U.S. Missions on the campus of Concordia University, Irvine, Calif., and the Synod's new Transforming Churches Network that focuses on revitalizing congregations.

The initial focus of the task force will be Midwest agri-business communities, and future efforts will address communities with mining, forestry, fishing, and leisure industries.

Part of the effort is to identify local "indigenous" leaders to become involved in ministry, according to Scudieri.  Citing the new Specific Ministry Pastor program at both LCMS seminaries, he added, "We hope to discover leaders within the rural small-town contexts who will be raised up using distance education strategies."

Roland Lovstad is a freelance writer and a member of Immanuel Lutheran Church, Perryville, Mo.

Original Story: http://www.lcms.org/ca/www/enews/messagetext.asp?MsgId=7237

Broomfield, Colorado

Risen Savior in Brookfield, Colorado is a young church as far as Lutheran churches go.  It's only about 20 years old and has seen huge growth in it's short lifespan.  It has diverse collection of lifelong Lutherans as well as individuals who are new to the Christian faith.  The fact that Risen Savior is a congregation that doesn't have a history of supporting Lutheran Hour Ministry makes it a great setting to observe how people react to the ministries of LHM.  Overall, people were very excited and supportive of what LHM is doing.  Time will tell if my interactions with Risen Savior will become a partner in ministry with Lutheran Hour Ministries, but I can be sure that Risen Savior will boldly be sharing Christ's message of hope with Northern Denver Suburbs for many more years.