LCMS Rural & Small Town Mission — July 2016 newsletter

The July 2016 issue of Reaching Rural America for Christ highlights what congregations need to effectively follow through with strategic planning. Endurance, patience and community are essential to help a congregation achieve its desired results. Above all, remember that what we do, we do it in the name of Jesus with Him walking beside us and giving all we need to share His Gospel with others.

I’m Too Old To Be a Volunteer

When you see the news stories of people removing debris, sawing tree limbs, and mucking out houses it is easy to think that you don't have a role to play…

Young Adults Serve in their Own Backyard

The opportunities for servant events specifically designed for young adults age 18-30 are growing. Recently a group of young adults in St. Louis gathered to serve in their own backyard and helped congregations and RSOs prepare for sharing the Gospel.

Chainsaws Aren’t For Children

One of the most frequent questions I get is "Can we take our youth group to LERT training?" And my response is always "Certainly, but we can't certify minors." Then I tell them ways to get their youth involved in Disaster Response in their congregation but I always get the same response.

Sola Gratia: Grace Alone

The heart of the Lutheran Church’s beliefs is the doctrine of justification, the teaching of how we are declared righteous in God’s sight.

Luther and the Iconoclasts

Have you ever been to a Christian store and noticed that they had something which listed the commandments, but it didn’t have the same numbering that you learned when you memorized the Catechism?

A Fundraiser’s Code of Ethical Principles and Practices

Those of us serving the Synod’s corporate headquarters, especially those within Mission Advancement, are bound by God’s Word — in passages like Phil. 4:8 — and by this code as we work alongside anyone who has or is considering making a charitable investment in our Synod’s work.