Dear Friends in Christ,
This month’s TLO Disciple is focused on Missions. Romans 1:16 says, “
For I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first, and also to the Greek
” (KJV). There are many ways to reach out by the power of the Holy Spirit with the love and mercy of God through the Lord Jesus Christ.
God has promised His Word will not return empty, but accomplish the purpose for which it was sent. When you read the stories and articles included in this month’s TLO Disciple, support our missionaries with your prayers, and maybe even consider serving as a missionary yourself to go, serve and tell of the works the Lord has done for you with all who will hear.
Pastor Kroonblawd
|
|
Missionary Churches: Navigating in a Post-Church World
by Dr. Robert D. Newton
As God’s missionary people, we need to change maps in order to navigate in this present day. Changes in our society and culture, especially regarding the Church, have come fast and furiously. It’s as if we went to bed one night only to wake up the next morning in a vastly different world.
Once vibrant and growing churches question whether they will remain open for another year. Many pastors and people feel guilty for not reaching their communities with the Gospel, while well-intentioned mission sermons often leave them discouraged, even defensive. And in their defensiveness, they begin to reason that faithfulness has only to do with preserving the true faith, whether or not that faith is proclaimed to the nations.
|
|
Do you know someone heading to College this year? The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod’s Campus Ministry works through LCMS U, an initiative to connect and support Lutheran students as they head off to college and face countless challenges to their biblical worldview, doctrine, ethics and practices.
Learn more.
|
|
What Do Missionaries Do?
The main priority of a missionary is to bring the saving Gospel of Jesus Christ to people who have never heard the Good News. LCMS missionaries usually share that Good News in the language of the people they serve.
When the Holy Spirit begins to gather people into Christian fellowship, missionaries assist these new Christians in forming their own indigenous church leaders.
Today, the LCMS trains, sends and supports called and appointed career, long-term and short-term missionaries in various countries around the world and in the United States where there are mission stations, partner churches, schools or mission relationships.
LCMS missionary teams are made up of people who focus on planting churches, leadership formation or some type of locally initiated holistic services in areas of health, agriculture, community development, English-as-a-Foreign-Language classes or partner support activities.
|
|
Our Minnesota South District Missionaries
Please pray for these missions and missionaries in your personal and corporate prayers, that their efforts to reach new people with the Gospel would prove fruitful.
Rev. Tom Gundermann and DCE Shelly Schwalm
Rev. Jeff Niederstadt
Rev. Darren Scruggs and Sarah Bohrer, evangelist
Rev. Ben Griffin and Rev. Demelash Yoseph
Nader and Georgette Alaraj, Bloomington
John and Maryam Gayed, Rochester
Rev. Chad Kirchoff
Rev. Andy Audette
DCO Sue Hewitt
Rev. Jon Kuehne
*also an LCMS missionary
LCMS Career And GEO Missionaries From The MNS District
|
|
Where in the world are our National LCMS missionaries serving?
The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod is working, has working partnerships, or has historical work in approximately 90 countries, including the United States. We have more than 200 missionaries working around the globe. Read about the regions below to learn more about what is happening around the globe.
|
|
Copyright © 2018 The Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod
|
|
Patients listen to a devotion before the start of the third day of the LCMS Mercy Medical Team on Wednesday, May 9, 2018, in the Yardu village outside Koidu, Sierra Leone, West Africa. LCMS Communications/Erik M. Lunsford
|
|
Copyright © 2018 The Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod
|
|
Worshippers sing during service on the Eila rubber plantation in the Sabaragamuwa Province of Sri Lanka on Sunday, Jan. 21, 2018. LCMS Communications/Erik M. Lunsford
|
|
Copyright © 2018 The Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod
|
|
The Christian Counseling Center provides pregnancy advocacy and support services for young mothers as an alternative to the high abortion rates in Russia.
|
|
Copyright © 2018 The Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod
|
|
Soon after beginning service in Jamaica Rev. Obot Ite, a pastor of the Lutheran Church of Nigeria and funded by the LCMS, put his faith in God when he set out to plant the island’s second Lutheran church in downtown Kingston. From this has grown a thriving ministry centered around Christ and His saving Word.
|
|
TLO Mission Opportunities
Are you interested in serving in local, regional or international medical missions, disaster work, mercy work or mission service? Whether you would be willing to serve an hour-a-month, a day, a week, or more, talk with Pastor Kroonblawd to explore opportunities.
|
|
U.S. National Missions
Since its founding in 1847, The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod has sought to plant distinctly Lutheran churches where members can be involved in Word and Sacrament ministry. Today, the LCMS continues to do this here at home through Mission Field: USA, an initiative that uses Witness, Mercy, Life Together as a flexible framework that assists districts in starting new missions to new peoples in new places. This initiative of the LCMS Office of National Mission also seeks to help develop formal partnerships between struggling congregations in the inner city and healthy congregations that desire to help these ministries restart.
|
|
Copyright © 2018 The Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod
|
|
The Rev. David Kind, pastor of University Lutheran Chapel, leads Vespers at Luther House on Wednesday, Feb. 21, 2018, next to the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities, in Minneapolis. LCMS Communications/Erik M. Lunsford
|
|
Copyright © 2018 The Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod
|
|
Volunteers Ken and Rhonda Kruse from Redeemer Lutheran Church, Peoria, Ill., help rebuild the hurricane-damaged home of Trinidad and Linda Hernandez on Thursday, Feb. 8, 2018, in Houston. Recovery work is still underway almost six months after Hurricane Harvey devastated parts of Texas. LCMS Communications/Erik M. Lunsford
|
|
Mercy Opens City Doors
By Pamela J. Neilson
“I was so cold,” recalled James, “I went down the steps and found a place to sleep right there. One day I came down the steps and there was blankets and a pillow and I didn’t know who or where . . . I met Pastor Gale . . . and I’m just grateful.” Philadelphia Lutheran Ministries (PLM) is renovating the empty church building and the adjoining two houses to serve as the physical location for their citywide operation as well as a church plant and transitional housing for the homeless.
|
|
Copyright © 2018 The Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod
|
|
Exterior photograph of Family of God on Wednesday, March 28, 2018, in Detroit. LCMS Communications/Erik M. Lunsford
|
|
Any City, USA
Replace Philadelphia with any large city in America and the story is the same: the church has largely moved out, poverty is endemic and people from every country in the world are flocking to these gutted urban centers.
Engler is passionate: “One thing I want to get across, I want the Synod to know, is that we have these large populations with very little presence, and its going to take a Synod effort to get back into the cities. Yes, we are doing it locally, as the church we are the body here and if we concentrate our efforts we can reclaim the city and reintroduce ourselves to it.”
|
|
When you see a panhandler…
By Rev. Dr. Steven D. Schave
Director of LCMS Urban & Inner-City Mission
When you see a panhandler on the street corner, what do you see? Someone worthy of a helping hand? Or someone hustling to make a buck? What you see determines how you act, so think carefully: What do you see? A neighbor? A scam artist? Or do you see, perhaps, a fellow beggar? Do you remember that you, too, are helpless, destitute and completely dependent upon God’s mercy, a lowly steward of the gifts God has given in abundance? Do you recognize a fellow sinner and realize that you are no more worthy of God’s grace than they are?
Create and distribute homeless care kits
Portland Rescue Mission* offers suggestions for creating and distributing homeless care kits. When visiting
PortlandRescueMission.org
, scroll to the bottom to view lists of “Items to include” and tips for “When you give care kits away.” Be safe and have fun!
|
|
EDITOR'S NOTE
TLO Disciple, with a topical study in each issue, is distributed primarily via email on the first of every month. Print copies are available by contacting the TLO Church office at 651-454-7235 or the Church Office via email.
Calendars, volunteer information, serving groups and the like will accompany the TLO Together, on the last Wednesday of the month.
Click here to subscribe to TLO Together
. This publication is also mailed upon request.
Soli Deo gloria
|
|
Trinity Lone Oak Lutheran
651-454-7235
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
