When are we the Church?
If we see ourselves as the church only when we are “in the building,” we fail to heed our Shepherd’s call to be salt and light in the world through the various vocations in which He has placed us.
Coronavirus: Nothing new about disease … or the need for the Gospel
Through your faithful witness during a public health crisis, it is possible that people in your life will repent and receive the healing that only Jesus can provide.
‘Making Disciples for Life’ – Get excited!
"Making Disciples for Life" not only provides better access to existing resources, it also brings people together for identifying and developing new resources.
We have all the volunteers we need
How are we equipping, encouraging, and enabling the people God has given us to serve and volunteer in His mission?
Effective Outreach, Part 4: Effective outreach provides appropriate and appealing entry points into Word and Sacrament ministry
It is up to us to provide ways into the Word and Sacrament ministry of our congregation that ease nonchurched people's fears and keep them from being intimidated.
Effective Outreach, Part 3: Effective outreach fosters relationship-building
If we can learn to intentionally build relationships with nonchurched people, we will be meeting a tremendous need. And we’ll be opening doors to the Gospel for them.
Effective Outreach, Part 2: Effective outreach creates connections with nonchurched people
Effective outreach is the “planting and watering” (cf. 1 Corinthians 3:5-9) through which a congregation intentionally engages nonchurched people in ways that … provide the congregation with means of continuing contact with the nonchurched people.
What Is Effective Outreach? (Effective Outreach, Part 1)
Effective outreach is a critical element of a congregation's well-being. What is "effective outreach"?
Six things your congregation can do to get more people involved
We are celebrating the service of volunteers in The Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod. Wouldn't it be great to have more volunteers to celebrate? Here are some ideas to get more people involved ... and people more involved.
Evangelism and the Mirror of the Law: What’s Your Pose?
Speaking the Gospel in love seems good and right to us. But speaking the Law in love seems like a contradiction.
Lent: A Time for Giving Up or Taking Up?
Are we ready for a serious go at journeying through Lent? If so, perhaps we should stop giving up things for Lent and use this sacred time to take up things instead.
Uniform of the Day
It's interesting that when we want our pastors to make themselves publically recognizable we ask them to “put on their collars.” Isn’t that what we need every day in our communities? Doesn’t the declining spiritual condition of America today call for pastors to stand up by, among other ways, standing out?
Missional Before Missional Was Cool
Jesus never stopped at forming a “missional community.” His mission to “seek and to save the lost” required Him to speak God’s Word to the people with whom He connected. When He did, some remained in fellowship with Him. But many did not.
A Time to Reap or a Time to Sow?
Are the fields of America white with harvest or do we live and labor in a different season?