2014 - Lutherans Engage the World - January-February

8/13/2019 2014 - Lutherans Engage the World - January-February

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January February 2014, Vol. 2, Issue 3

LutheransENGAGE the WORLD


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6

2 10 Questions

6Mercy Moment

12 Serving the Church as a21st-Century Missionary

15 The Horn Family Update

21 To the Four Corners of the Earth

1-888-THE LCMS (843-5267)

www.lcms.org

January February 2014 vol. 2 no. 3

12

inspire

LutheransENGAGE the WORLD

Engaging the Church in the work of witness and mercy across the globe in our life together.

LUTHERANS ENGAGE THE WORLDis published bi-monthly by The Lutheran ChurchMissouri Synod.

2014 The Lutheran ChurchMissouri Synod. Reproduction for parish use does not require permission.Such reproductions,

however, should credit LUTHERANS ENGAGE THE WORLDas a source. Print editions are sent to LCMS donors, rostered workers and

missionaries. An online version is available (lcms.org/lutheransengage). To receive the print edition, we invite you to make a financial

gift for LCMS global witness and mercy work. Unless otherwise noted, all photos are property of the LCMS.

Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version (ESV), copyright 2001

by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

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involve

engageinform

S T A F F

Mark D. Hofman executive director, mission advancement

David L. Strand executive director, communications

Pamela J. Nielsen executive editor

Erica Schwan manager of design services

Melanie Ave staff writer

Megan K. Mertz staff writer

Erik M. Lunsford staff photojournalist/editor

Carolyn A. Niehoff designer

Chrissy A. Thomas designer

3 The Changing Face of Mission Work

10The Road to Missionary Service

16 Region by Region

18 Stewards Corner

8 Giving fromthe Heart

E D I T O R I A L O F F I C E

314-996-1215

1333 S. Kirkwood Road

St. Louis, MO 63122-7295

[email protected]

www.lcms.org/lutheransengage

3

8

Whos Your Missionary?

MY CHILDHOOD MEMORIESare dotted with

images of missionaries visiting our church with their

artifacts a nd colorful clothi ng from the faraway

places where they had been sent to serve. I recal l

special offerings and sending letters and gifts to

missionary families. Missionary support was part

of the fabric of our congregational life together.

Fast-forward 40 years and its much the same

today at my congregation, Hope Lutheran Church

in South St. Louis. We have adopted two missionary

families. Each week we pray for them in our services.

We receive their newsletters, and the congregat ion

has committed to supporting them financially with

a set amount annually.

Recently, missionary support has been woven

into the fabric of my own family as we havecommitted to personally supporting these same

two missionary fami lies with our personal prayers

and financial gifts. Our missionaries regularly

send us emails and notes about their lives on the

mission field.

On their own, the gifts from our congregation

and my family wouldnt be enough to send or

keep a missionary on the field. But joined together

with gif ts large and small from congregations and

individuals across the LCMS, these missionaries are

able to serve in places like Sri Lanka a nd Ethiopia. In

the pages of this issue of Lutherans Engage the World,youll read about the changing face of mission work

and the skill sets and number of people needed on

the mission field, and youll learn about the road

to missionary service. (Do you know someone who

would make a great missionary?)

It is the moment for mission. Whos your

missionary?

In Christ,

Pamela J. Nielsen

Associate Executive Director,

Communication Services

Cover image:PHOTO: LCMSCOMMUNICATIONS/ERIK M. LUNSFORD
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lcms.org/LUTHERANSengage JanuaryFebruary 20142 lcms.org/givenow/globalmissionlcms.org/givenow/globalmission

www.lcms.org/missionarysupport

1.What prepared you for

missionary work?Many things have influenced and prepared

me for today. When I look back, I see the web

the Lord has woven in my life. Too often we

don't know the purpose for which the Lord

plans our lives, but I truly believe I am now

where the Lord wants me.

2.Who influenced you to

become a missionary?

Many people have influenced and plantedseeds in my life. Pastor Ted Krey [LCMS

regional director for Latin America] and my

father were especially influential.

3.Why Lima, Peru?I'm here because of the work we are doing,

not because of the place itself. The LCMS

mission has a mercy house where we are

working with children [who are] living and

working in the streets. We help children have

a better life and a better future.

4.Can you describe your

work in more detail?We serve children and their families

in La Victoria [a part of Lima] with

a three-fold purpose of education,

health and life. We have after-school

tutoring, a reading club and an

event called "Saturday Explosions."

That time is for us to interact and build

relationships. We had health fairs and

clinics, and we spend time educating the

people on healthy living practices. Lastly, we

also have [vacation Bible school] classes,

which give us a chance to teach Bible

stories and the love of Christ.

5.What reward does that

give you?Working with the children is a joy. However, the

greatest blessing is these children are coming

to know Christ. They are feeling His love and

presence in their lives through us.

6.What educational goals are

you working toward?I am working on two certifications. I am serving

T grate blesn

the chldr arcomn t know Chri.

by Erik M. Lunsford

my internship while I am here in Peru for my

deaconess program at Concordia Theological

Seminary. In addition, I am working on my

full license for my bachelors of social work.

I currently have my limited license and am

working toward a fully certified license.

7.What is life like in Peru?When I first arrived, every aspect here was

sensory overload. Everything was new and

different and I felt like I spent my whole day

just trying to make sense of things. Because

I live in a large city, there are many days it

feels like a different city away from home in

the United States. There are many other times

when cultural differences and the language

make it very clear that I am nowhere near

anything familiar. A typical day here involves

kisses from strangers, haggling over prices,

great amounts of walking and riding in

broken-down buses, among other things.

8.What do you miss

from home?I miss my family. I miss a

world that speaks English.I am learning Spanish and

every interaction here is

learning for me. I miss doing

things with more

simplicity. I also miss

driving. The streets of

Lima are crazy and

you couldn't pay me to drive here.

9.What advice do you have for

new missionaries?Be patient with all things, with yourself and

with God. When you are humbled by Him

you will seek your fulfillment in Him.

10.What one word describesyour missionary work?

10 Questionswith Missionary Caitlin Worden

nspire
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3JanuaryFebruary 2014 lcms.org/LUTHERANSengagelcms.org/givenow/globalmission 3JanuaryFebruary 2014 lcms.org/LUTHERANSengagelcms.org/givenow/globalmission

nform

The Changing Face

of

mission

work

by Rev. Dr. Albert B. Collver III

modern-day

mission work look like?

Would you describe an image

of men clad in khaki and pith hats,

slashing through thick vegetation, living

in mud huts and teaching and preaching

the Gospel to indigenous peoples?

W

Rev. Dr. Otto Hintze teaches Jesus

es Me to the indigenous people in Papua

w Guinea (circa 1950). Hintze was one of

first LCMS missionaries to the country.

Rev. Ted Krey, LCMS regional director

Latin America and the Caribbean, lays

ds on Willy Gaspar during his ordination

011. Gaspar was the first man from the

minican Republic to become a Lutheran

tor because of LCMS mission work.

The Rev. Theodore Naether and

family, the first LCMS missionary

to India (circa 1890)
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If so, youve given an 1895 kind

of answer. Tat was the year that the

Rev. Teodore Naether, the first LCMS

missionary, was sent to India. Pastor

Naether was only 27 years old when he and

his family made the long journey overseas

by steamship. After 10 years of sharing

Christs forgiveness and peace with sinners,he died of the plague while surrounded by

his beloved congregation. His work laid

the foundation for our first LCMS partner

church, the India Evangelical Lutheran

Church, which today has hundreds of

thousands of members and a vast system of

schools and mercy institutions.

Or maybe you would describe a time

before the mid-19th century the early

modern period (the past 500 years) which

often evokes the black-robed priest living

in a Native American village, teaching therudiments of the Christian faith to natives

while trying to survive in harsh conditions.

Perhaps the first thought you have

is boarding an airplane to fly to a Latin

American country, speaking the Gospel

while passing out eyeglasses or building

shelters for homeless people, a more recent

reality. Each of these images helps illustrate

the changing face of mission work in the

Church today.

Our concept of mission work developed

during the past 300 years or so. Te Church

followed where Christian, European coun-

tries explored and settled. Te late 18th and

particularly the 19th centuries also saw the

rise of international mission societies. Tese

lay groups organized to send pastors and

others with various skills, helping to spreadthe Church to the four corners of the earth.

oday, the face of mission work, although

connected to these past efforts, looks very

different. Inexpensive airfare, cell phones

and the Internet connect people from

different cultures, lands and languages who

interact in a way inconceivable to earlier

generations.

Church groups can easily board an

airplane, traveling to the farthest reaches of

the globe to teach vacation Bible school to

children in Mongolia. In places where nochurch existed 100 years ago, some of the

largest Lutheran churches on earth now reside.

Te mission field also can now be found

in parts of America that have become the

home of entire African communities, who

only a generation ago would have only been

found in the heart of Africa.

Yet, the goal of mission work is always

the same: to bring the Gospel of Jesus Christ

to sinners.

oday, Te Lutheran ChurchMissour

Synod accomplishes this work in several

ways. Church planting establishing a

Lutheran altar and pulpit continues to

lead our activity in places where no church

exists. Where we have an existing partner

church, LCMS mission efforts are focused

on providing specific resources that willhelp sustain, revitalize and strengthen the

partner church as it proclaims the Gospel.

ogether, the local, indigenous church, our

missionaries on the ground and the LCMS

Office of International Mission staff work

to determine the best way to approach the

work on the field.

Help Us Train Our PastorsTe number one request coming from

our LCMS partner churches worldwide is:

Help us train our pastors. Our reputationfor robust theological education that

fully equips a man to shepherd a flock is

recognized around the globe.

How we enhance and strengthen

theological education depends upon

the location and setting. It might involve

providing scholarships for men to study at

a local or regional seminary like we do in

Argentina, where nine Latin countries send

their students. In Africa, it might involve

the goal of mission

work is always

the same: to bring

the gospel of jesuschrist to sinners

4 lcms.org/LUTHERANSengage JanuaryFebruary 2014 lcms.org/givenow/globalmission

Left:LCMS missionary Rev.

Mark Eisold (far right) stands

with congregation members

at an LCMS church plant in

Lima, Peru.Right:Seminary

students listen to a lecture at

the seminary of the Evangelical

Lutheran Church of Ghana, an

LCMS partner church.

LCMS missionary Michelle

Cagnin leads a microcredit loan

workshop in the Philippines.
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providing assistance at a missionary training

center as we do in ogo or sending a recent

seminary graduate to a local Bible school. Or

perhaps it involves sending a pastor with a

Ph.D. to teach for a few months to strengthen

seminary faculty, as we are doing now in

Ethiopia. Parish pastors who can provide

administrative and teaching support to a

partner church seminary are also requested.

Providing long-term theological educators isanother way the LCMS is instrumental on the

mission field. Although intensive short-term

courses are appreciated, the most frequent

request we get is for people who can teach

for several years.

In Siberia, Russia, for example, the

Rev. Alan Ludwig, serves as a theological

educator. He has taught seminarians,

preached at local Lutheran congregations

and assisted in building up Lutheran

pastors in the region since 1998. Dr. Ludwig

writes: Missions means planting churches.For many reasons including political,

economic and cultural ones this can

better be done by trained Russians. It is

better to equip 10 Russian pastors than to

send 10 American pastors. Tis will help

insure the continuation of the Lutheran

church in Russia and other territories. Long

after foreigners have left, the church will

have strong, confessional leaders.

Te Lutheran churches in Africa are

requesting our theological educators to help

train more pastors to serve the hundreds ofnew congregations being formed. Te Rev.

Dr. Carl and Deaconess Deborah Rockrohr,

missionaries in Ethiopia, currently assist

with theological training. Dr. Rockrohr

instructs seminarians desiring to be pastors

at the Mekane Yesus Seminary in Addis

Ababa, while Deaconess Rockrohr helps

to teach theological courses for women

considering vocations within the Church.

Tey write: Te EECMY has set big goals for

itself. Concerning the seminary, the church

wants to expand the new graduate programso that in five years there will be 200 M.A.

students and up to 30 doctoral students. Te

challenges to reach these goals are immense.

Despite the challenges, the students are

very eager to learn!

In Madagascar, there are not enough

pastors to serve the more than one new

congregation that opens each week. Can

you imagine it? A new congregation serving

between 1,000 and 3,000 people opening

every week! In many cases, congregations or

preaching stations are served by evangelists,men who still require theological and

practical training.

Many SkillsLCMS missionaries are often focused on

supporting, revitalizing and strengthening

Lutheran churches around the world. Tey

frequently serve as Aarons, holding up

Moses hands. Tey assist our partners

through a variety of ways ways specifically

requested by the partner, such as bringing in

doctors and nurses, people to teach English

as a Second Language or by finding skilled

workmen to complete various construction

projects. Tese lay missionaries, serving

alongside pastors and deaconesses, have

been sent with almost every imaginable

skill and profession accountants, doctors,

nurses, schoolteachers, farmers and otherlaborers.

What is the face of missions in 2013? Your

answer depends on where in the world our

LCMS missionaries are serving and what

they have been given to do for the church

in that place. But no matter where they are

or what their vocation may be, our LCMS

missionaries work is always done at the

foot of Christs cross and focused on witness

(proclaiming the Gospel), mercy (showing

love and compassion to people in need) and

life together (having a community of peoplegathered around Jesus).

The Rev. Dr. Albert B. Collver III is director of

LCMS Church Relations and assistant to LCMS

President Rev. Dr. Matthew C. Harrison. Learn

more: www.lcms.org/international

JanuaryFebruary 2014 lcms.org/LUTHERANSengage 5lcms.org/givenow/globalmissionlcms.org/givenow/globalmission

A volunteer treats a child during

a 2009 Mercy Medical Team trip

to Madagascar.
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ean Harlow, LCMS missionary

to aiwan and the Philippines,

descends from his seat atop gas cans in

the vans trunk, dons a floppy military-

style hat and lands with a pair of flip-flops

on the debris-strewn ground of acloban

City, Leyte province, Philippines. He

carries a bag of rice, bound for hungry

families of Christ Lutheran Church.

Across the street, body bags lay in a

sloppy row. I have never seen the degree

of destruction that I found in acloban,

Harlow said after delivering rice as part

of the initial LCMS disaster-relief effort

following yphoon Haiyan in November

2013. Even though it was very hot,

I felt a chill come over me, which

coincided with the sense of death and

destruction that surrounded me from all

angles and directions.

As part of his role as a career

missionary, Harlow serves as the assistant

to the president of the Lutheran Church inthe Philippines (LCP).

An average student in a family of four

brothers, Harlow grew up in a home rich

in Christian discipline, participating in

nightly prayer and devotionals while

his father studied to become a pastor

in St. Louis.

I loved reading and memorizing

the Bible, singing Christian songs and

learning the difference between being a

lover of Jesus and a lover of the world,

he said.

Harlow easily grasped biblical

concepts, and he knew he wanted to share

them with others.

Following graduation from Lutheran

High School North in St. Louis and

Concordia University, Ann Arbor, Mich.,

Harlow enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps.

He fought in the Persian Gulf twice during

his five years of military service.

Harlow said his military career helped

him prepare emotionally and mentally for

disaster-relief work.

Being able to show compassion

and mercy to those in need is incredibly

important, he said, but it is also

important to not let the situation become

overwhelming or overbearing.

On Nov. 8, yphoon Haiyan killedmore than 5,000 people on the island

of Leyte and the surrounding islands

that make up the Philippines. Te storm

displaced millions and wiped out entire

communities.

Although he was attending a fall

retreat at the time of the storm, Harl

quickly researched the affected area

and found friends and LCMS partne

who were suffering from the disaste

coordinated with LCP Disaster Resp

Leader Rev. Antonio Reyes and help

prepare for the arrival of the LCMS

Disaster Response team from the

United States.

When the St. Louis-based respon

team arrived in the Philippines, Har

traveled with the group from Manila

plane to Cebu City then onto Ormoc

the island of Leyte. raveling by boa

night, Harlow marveled when the bo

pulled into port.

We could all sense the destructi

that surrounded us in the dark, he s

We could see the bare skeletons of

coconut, banana and palm trees tha

destroyed by the storm.

One night during the trip, spider

walked across Harlow as he slept ou

in the rain. During the day, he work

behind the scenes for the LCMS Dis

Response team, scouring nearby cit

Missionary Sean Harlow

On Nov. 8, 2013, the Philippines was hit by Typhoon Haiyan,

leaving thousands dead and millions displaced. Missionary

Sean Harlow joined responders from the Lutheran Church in

the Philippines and the LCMS, bringing food and supplies to

hard-hit communities along with a witness of the hope that is

found in Christ.

MERCY|MOMENT

Sby Erik M. Lunsford

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upplies and coordinating transportation.

I love that my job is always an

dventure of responsibilities that lead to

rving Jesus and others through being

witness, showing mercy and building

lationships with both those who know

dont know the Lord.

Missionaries around the world are

ot only engaged in witness but are often

alled upon to lead and bear mercy in

eir regions.

Harlow said he is saddened at the

orrendous devastation from Haiyan,

ut he cherishes the opportunity to help

hers who have lost everything.

I feel that this is what the Lord has

lled me to [do], he said.

nspire

k M. Lunsford is staff photojournalist and

itor for LCMS Communications.

deo update: www.lcms.org/video/

ilippinesUpdate oto gallery: www.lcms.org/photo/

ilippinesUpdate

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nvolv

FROM THE HEARTT O S U P P O R T M I S S I O N S A N D M I S S I O N A R I E S

But the way the two couples

support the churchs work is

quite different.

Te Harmans directly

support three LCMS careermissionaries who are based in

different parts of the world.

Te Keithlys regularly give

to the LCMS Global Mission

Fund, which supports the

Synods Gospel proclamation,

disaster response and human-

care activities. Global Mission

funds are distributed where

they are needed most,

by Melanie Ave

Ron and Evelyn Harman and

Kelly and Cheryl Keithly are vital to the national

and international witness and mercy work of Te

Lutheran ChurchMissouri Synod (LCMS).

Dnationally and internationally.

Every donor brings a

unique, distinctive blessing to

our work, said Mark Hofman,

executive director of LCMSMission Advancement. Both

those who desire a deep

personal connection to the

missionaries doing the work

and those who are willing to

let the LCMS determine where

their gift is most needed out in

the field are equally treasured.

What our donors all share

is a deep love of Jesus and a

passion for sharing the Gospel

with the world, combined with

the immense trust of a heavenly

Father who provides for their

every need. ogether they take

action as the body of Christ to

bring hope and healing to those

who are lost, weak or new in

the faith.

Heres what the Harmans

and the Keithlys have to sayabout why they give the way

they do.

Ron, 81, and Evelyn, 79,

Harman live in Phoenix and

have been supporting LCMS

missionaries for about a

decade.

Each month they write

checks to the LCMS that

directly support Shara

Cunningham, who serves in

Kenya; the Rev. Stephen and

Maggie Oliver, who serve in the

Asia Pacific region; and another

missionary family.

For Ron Harman, a retired

Lutheran school teacher, the

motivation behind his support

of missionaries is simple.

Teyre doing what the

Church ought to be doing, hesaid. According to the Great

Commission, that is No. 1.

Te LCMS trains, sends

and supports called and

appointed career, long-term

and short-term missionaries

worldwide where there are

mission stations, partner

churches, schools or mission

relationships.


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9JanuaryFebruary 2014 lcms.org/LUTHERANSengagelcms.org/givenow/globalmission

Every donor brings a unique, distinctive blessing

to our work. Both those who desire a deep

personal connection to the missionaries doing the

work and those who are willing to let the LCMS

determine where their gift is most needed out in

the field are equally treasured.

Mark Hofman, director of LCMS Mission Advancement

Because missionaries

must raise 100 percent of the

funds necessary to support

their overseas work, they

need individual andcongregational supporters

like the Harmans, who have

been married 56 years and

have four children and 15

grandchildren.

Nothing is more important

than sending missionaries out

into the world, said the Rev.

Edward Grimenstein, director

of Missionary Services for the

LCMS. Tis is one reason why

the LCMS exists to speak of

Christ to all nations.

Grimenstein said people

who support missionaries

get regular updates from

them while the missionaries

serve overseas. Tey also are

encouraged to pray for the

missionaries they support.

Tis allows any LCMS

member to be a part of

Christs Great Commission,

Grimenstein said, actively

ensuring the Word of God is

spoken throughout all nations.Te Harmans feel a special

connection to missionary Shara

Cunningham, who is a member

of their congregation.

Supporting her and the two

other families is an honor, Ron

Harman said.

Te Lord has blessed me

with enough money since I

retired that I can do all this,

said Harman, a member of

Christ Church Lutheran in

Phoenix. I have the resources

now. Its a joy to do.

Kelly, 68, and Cheryl,

70, Keithly are part of the

Ascending Roots sustaining

giving group that supports the

LCMS Global Mission Fund.

Members of the group send

gifts monthly, quarterly, semi-

annually or annually, becoming

partners with the LCMS in

ministry. Te minimum annual

commitment is $300.Te Keithlys have strong

beliefs about the importance of

Christian stewardship.

For Cheryl Keithly, giving to

the church has been part of her

entire life.

I was raised tithing, she

said. Te first dollar I earned I

put a dime in the Sunday school

plate. It comes naturally. Its

always the first check I write.

Always has been.Like Ron

Harman, Keithly

said giving is a joy.

We believe

everything we

have comes from

God, not just

our money, but

our health, our

material goods,

jobs, everything,

said Keithly, whowith her

husband

are

members

of Christ Lutheran

Church in Yuma, Ariz.

Tey are a gift and we

are the stewards.

Its all from Him.

Giving also is an act

of faith for the Keithlys.

Keithly said sheremembers writing

checks early in the couples

marriage that they really

couldnt afford, but they always

trusted God would work it out.

Weve learned through the

years that faith is intimately tied

into stewardship and our ability

to give faithfully, she said.

You cant out-give God. Weve

always tithed, even when, as

my husband says, we were too

poor to pay attention.

Te Keithlys are delightedto be a part of the larger global

mission and ministry of

the LCMS.

Te Keithlys, who own a

vegetable seed sales business,

have been married 48 years

and have four children and 13

grandchildren.

Cheryl Keithly said by giving

to Lutheran causes she and

her husband feel a sense of

ownership and belonging to

a larger ministry that extends

beyond their immediate

church family.

Its a joy knowing we can be

a small part of it, she said. Its

the least the rest of us can dofrom the comfort of our homes,

share the gifts God gives us.

Melanie Ave is a staff wri ter

for LCMS Communications.

Support a missionary: www.

lcms.org/missionarysupport

Support the LCMS Global Mission

Fund: www.lcms.org/givenow/

globalmiss ion

Photo provided by Ron and Evelyn Harman

Photo provided by Kelly and Cheryl Keithly

Opposite page, left:LCMS missionary Shara Cunningham hugs a girl who has

just received her first pair of eyeglasses at a church-sponsored eyeglass clinic

in Kenya in 2012. Right:A Mercy Medical Team volunteer takes a womans

blood pressure during a 2010 trip to Kenya.
http://lcms.org/lutheransengagehttp://www.lcms.org/givenow/globalmissionhttp://www.lcms.org/missionarysupporthttp://www.lcms.org/missionarysupporthttp://www.lcms.org/givenow/globalmissionhttp://www.lcms.org/givenow/globalmissionhttp://www.lcms.org/givenow/globalmissionhttp://www.lcms.org/givenow/globalmissionhttp://www.lcms.org/missionarysupporthttp://www.lcms.org/missionarysupporthttp://www.lcms.org/givenow/globalmissionhttp://lcms.org/lutheransengage


12/24

REFERENCESare reviewed

FILL OUTAPPLICATION

from recruiter

STARTcontact recruiterRev. Dan McMiller

414-882-1530

[email protected]

TheologicalInterviewwith LCMS Office ofInternational Mission leadershipPOSITION MATCH

Candidates are matched

with the needs of the field.

FORMAL ASSESSMENTwith a counselor helps place

candidates in fitting locations.

THE ROAD TOM

The Mission Fiel

ChurchP

lanter/EvangelistCommunic

ationSpecialistProjectManager

Theol

ogicalEducatorTeacher

V

lcms.org/LUTHERANSengage JanuaryFebruary 201410 lcms.org/givenow/globalmission


13/24

d Interviewgional director who helps matchof the field with a candidates skills

ExecutiveInterviewwith executive directorof the LCMS Office ofInternational Mission

ORIENTATION/TRAININGprovided by:

LCMS Missionary Services

LCMS Communications

LCMS Mission Advancement

PLACED IN THE MISSION FIELDA missionary is deployed to the feld when roughly

75% of his/her donor network is built.

S IONARY S

ERVICE

ds You!

Medical

MissionaryStra

tegic

MissionDeveloperDeaconess

Busines

sManagernator

CALL OR SOLEMNAPPOINTMENTis issued by the LCMS Board

for International Mission and

accepted by the missionary.

2013 LCMS

DONOR

-NETWORK

BU

ILDIN

G

BE

GINS

JanuaryFebruary 2014 lcms.org/LUTHERANSengage 11lcms.org/givenow/globalmission

nform


14/24

This is not a temporary thingor a stage in our life. Its nottwo years of the Peace Corpsas a resume booster.

James Neuendorf,LCMS missionary to Latin America

Serving the Church as a

21st-CenturyMissionaryby Melanie Ave

nspire

12 lcms.org/givenow/globalmissionlcms.org/LUTHERANSengage JanuaryFebruary 2014
http://lcms.org/givenow/globalmissionhttp://lcms.org/lutheransengagehttp://lcms.org/lutheransengagehttp://lcms.org/givenow/globalmission


15/24


16/24

Te Rev. Dr. Carl Rockrohr and his wife,

Deaconess Deborah Rockrohr, began new

positions in Ethiopia in 2013 after

the fast-growing church in Africa requested

help with theological education. Te

couple had been serving as missionaries to

South Africa.

Carl Rockrohr is now serving as dean of

the school of theology at the Mekane Yesus

Seminary of the Ethiopian EvangelicalChurch Mekane Yesus, the second-largest

Lutheran church in the world. Te church

has 8,000 congregations but only 3,000

ordained pastors.

Rockrohr is overseeing the training of

3,000-plus pastoral students. In August, he

led the graduation procession and was

the leader of the graduation program, the

couple wrote in a newsletter. How happy

were the graduates and their families!

In Latin America, James Neuendorf

develops resources for laity and generatesand promotes the creative expression of

the Lutheran confessional faith using local

resources. He also produces multimedia

resources such as books, films, websites

and Web video series for missionaries and

national churches to use in evangelism.

Being flexible, he said, is an important skill

for a missionary.

We have committed to lifelong, eternal

service to the Gospel and the Lord of that

Gospel, with all of our gifts and abilities that

He has given us and every moment of ourexistence, he said. Tis is not a temporary

thing or a stage in our life. Its not two years

of the Peace Corps as a resume booster.

Steps to Missionary LifeTe process of becoming a missionary

typically takes about two months. It often

begins with an application, which is

followed by a series of phone and in-person interviews and an assessment by a

counselor to make sure the missionary-to-

be would fare well overseas and work well

in team environments.

Te candidate must pass an interview

with one of five LCMS regional directors,

a face-to-face interview with the Office of

International Mission in St. Louis and a

review by the LCMS presidents office.

It is then up to the LCMS Board for

International Mission to formally issue a call

to church workers or a solemn appointmentto non-church workers. Once accepted,

missionaries attend an orientation, offered

twice a year.

Tey can then begin fundraising. Once

missionaries raise 75 percent of the funds

necessary to support their first year of

service, they are deployed to the field.

Phil Jaseph, 23, a graduate of LehighUniversity, will soon head to Nairobi, Kenya,

where he will serve as a communication

specialist for Africa. He has been reading

about the African culture, finishing

vaccinations and fundraising.

Te prospect of raising money was

stressful at first, he said, but God has

provided.

Tere have been great days and difficult

days, but I have experienced a big shift in

perspective during preparations for service,

Jaseph said. I had two or three othermissionaries remind me that Gods work,

done in Gods time in Gods way, will never

lack Gods supply.

Grimenstein said the importance of

missionaries, even in this technology-

saturated world where many people are a

cell phone or Internet video message away,

cannot be understated.

It comes back to St. Paul, he said. Faith

comes by hearing. We cannot and must

never downplay that relationship between

people and the speaking of the Gospel.It takes time and it takes warm bodies of

people who are willing to sacrifice for that

Gospel to be spread.

Caitlin Worden serves

as a GEO missionary in

Peru. She works with

the children who cometo Casa de Misericordia

Castillo Fuerte, a

community center where

LCMS missionaries and

Peruvian Lutherans care

for the physical and

spiritual needs of the

community.

Philip Jaseph, a GEO

missionary in Kenya, serves

as the communication

specialist for the Africa

region. In this role, he

helps to share the story of

what God is doing in Africa

through missionaries, partner

church bodies and all

believers.

Lima, Peru

Nairobi, Kenya



17/24

There is so much work to do here,wrote the Rev.

Jeffrey Horn, an LCMS career missionary to Papua New Guinea, ina recent newsletter. Preaching Christ crucified. eaching good

doctrine. Preparing solid new Lutheran pastors. Edifying pastors and

evangelists in the field. Confronting false doctrine. Protecting the

little sheep. Building relationships.

Horn and his family arrived in Papua

New Guinea in August, where they have

continued the work first started by LCMS

missionaries to the country in 1948.

Horn serves as a theological educator,

teaching new pastors at imothy Seminary,the seminary of the Gutnius (Good News)

Lutheran Church, an LCMS partner church.

He also travels around the country and

offers continuing education to pastors and

evangelists in the field, many of whom

have been working for years with very few

educational resources to help them through

challenging times.

After their arrival, the Horn family spent

the first few months learning Pidgin, a

common language used by the countrys

different tribes. Now Horn is preaching inthat language and he will begin using it in

the seminary classroom in February. He

also plans to study Enga, the language of

the Enga people, with whom he works.

His wife, Lora, and their two children,

Chris, 17, and Maggie, 11, are adapting

to their new life in the Highlands. Lora

homeschools Chris and Maggie, tends a

garden, leads a womens Bible study at the

seminary and plans to begin teaching an

English class next year. Chris has started

learning how to play the guitar, while

Maggie makes friends everywhere she

goes. Te family also has adopted two

cats and a dog.Almost everything is new, Horn wrote.

You have to learn how to go to the market,

how to cook new foods, how to deal with

having electricity for only a few hours a day,

how to drive, how to do banking, how to

deal with bugs and other critters, and many

more things.

Despite the challenges, Horn says the

family has pulled together and the work

among these brothers and sisters in Christ

is worth it.

Tere are many faithful Christians hereand they are excited to work together, he

reports. Tey are grateful for the ongoing

commitment the LCMS has made to work

with them to strengthen the church in

Papua New Guinea and spread the Gospel.

Megan K. Mertz is a staff writer for LCMS

Communications.

Update

The Rev. Jeffrey

and Lora Horn,

above, were

featured in

Lutherans Engage

the Worldlast year

as they prepared to

begin missionary

service in Papua

New Guinea.

DID YOU KNOW?The LCMS began work in Papua

New Guinea in 1948, at the invitation

of a Wauni tribal leader.

In 1971, the Gutnius Lutheran

Church became an LCMS partner

church. The church has grown to

a baptized membership of more

than 54,500 in approximately 550congregations.

Te Horn Family

PAPUA

NEW

GUINEA

NEW ZEALAND

INDONESIA

AU ST RA LI A

MALAYSIA

EAST TIMOR

INGAPORE

13NovemberDecember2012 lcms.org/LUTHERANSengage

GoingDistance

the

fromIndiana

toPapuaNewGuinea

byKimPlummer Krull

.

Horn acceptedthecalltoserveasan LCMScareermissionaryinPapuaNewGuinea,heconsideredthe

challenges:zleavingtheparishministryandabeloved

flockafter15years.zensuringthathisw ife,Lora,alsowantedto make

thedramaticleapfromtheirGarrett,Ind.,parishZionLutherant oaremotemissionfield

withanew cultureandmorethan900spokenlanguages.

zaskingthecoupleschildrentosaygoodbyetofriends,grandparents,petsandsnow.

Butevenas Horn,42,weighedthehurdles,hesaysapressingneed

weighedonhisheart. TeneedinPapuaNewGuineaisst rong,

hesaid.Teirsystemfortrainingpastorshasbrokendowninmanyways,andif. ..theydont

fi nd away to getthatgoingagain,theywonthavepastorstohelp the

churches;thechurchesthenwillstruggle,and lotsofthepeoplewho cameto fai thi nthelast20to 40

yearsmightnothave thatfaithpreachedtothem.

longtimedesire

SincehischildhoodinLosAngeles,Hornhaslongedtoserveas a

pastoranda missionary.Heremembershearingaser mo nwhenhewas

aroundage6about theneedtoreachall peoplewiththeGospel. Hefelt

thepastorwas speakingdirectlytohim.

Growingupwithaninternationalmixof

friendsfueledhisdesiretobea missionary,Hornsays,makinghima person

whoenjoysotherculturesandpeoplefromallovertheworld. Butwhenhegraduated

fromConcordiaTeologicalSeminary

ISTOCK;LCMS

TheLCMS began work in Papua New Guinea in 1948, at the invitation of a Wauni tribal leaderin Yaramanda, Enga Province

nspire

by Megan K. Mertz



18/24


THE GAMBIA

GUINEA

SIERRA LEONE

LIBERIA

BURKIN

A

FASO

IVORY

COAST GHANA

TOGO

M A L I

VENEZUELA

M E X I C O

JAMAICA

REPUBLICHAITI

PUERTORICO

GUATEMALA

PANAMA

B R A Z I L

PARAGUAY

A R G E N T I N A

URUGUAY

CHILE

B O L I V I A

CAYMANISLANDS

PERU

DOMINICAN

BELIZE

DEUNITEDKINGDOM

FRA

S P A I NPORTUGAL

BELGIUM

The Lutheran ChurchMissouri Synod

has a long tradition of internationalmission work that dates back to the

1880s. This work has encompassed many

different witness and mercy projects over the

years in some 80 countries around the world.

Today, LCMS efforts focus on training pastors,

planting churches and starting schools, all while

working in collaboration with partner churches

in the five mission regions. God has enabled

and blessed the far reach of LCMS mission

work through you, the LCMS members who

support this work with your prayers and gifts

to the Global Mission Fund and through direct

missionary support.

by Megan K. Mertz

Region

RegionbyAn Overview of LCMS Mission Work Around the World

Latin America andthe CaribbeanTe LCMS began work in Latin

America and the Caribbean in 1900

at the request of German immigrants

who were living in Brazil. Since that

time, the LCMS has expanded its

witness and mercy work to many

other countries in the region.

Current LCMS projects in the region

include providing scholarships

for seminarians from six countries

to study at Concordia Seminary,

Buenos Aires, Argentina, and

church planting in eight countries

with mercy houses alongside.

First mission field: Brazil, 1900

Missionaries: 18

Missionaries needed: Pastors, Deaconesses,

EFL Teachers (English as a Foreign

Language)

Partner church bodies: 8

Partner seminaries: 2

Partner congregations: 2,600

Mercy projects: 10

AfricaFrom the earliest days of the LCMSmission work in Africa, church plan

and evangelism has been a top prio

As the Lutheran church in Africa

has grown, the churches establishe

by missionaries have planted new

congregations. Tese African-initia

Lutheran churches are emerging all

over the region and provide a great

opportunity for theological educati

and partnership with the LCMS.

First mission field: Nigeria, 1936

Missionaries: 24

Missionaries needed:Area Facilitators, Missi

Facilitators


Partner seminaries: 5 Non-partner seminaries


Mercy projects: 16


19/24

17JanuaryFebruary 2014 lcms.org/LUTHERANSengagelcms.org/givenow/globalmission 17

I N D I A

PAKIS

TAN

SRI LANKA

VIETNAM

P H I L I P P I N E S

TAIWAN

I N D O N E S I A

SOUTHKOREA

JAPAN

C H I N A

M O N G O L I A

HONG KONG

MACAU

THAILAND

CAMBODIA

PAPUANEW

GUINEA

MALAYSIA

SINGAPORE

KENYAUGANDA

MADAGASCAR

TANZANIA

BOTSWANA

BURUNDI

S U D A N

DEM. REP.

OF CONGO

O U T H

F R I C A

E T H I O P I A

(DRC)

MOZAMB

IQUE

LA

SOUTHSUDAN

ESTONIA

LATVIALITHUANIA

D

SLOVAKIAY

GEORGIA

KYRGYZSTAN

K A Z A K H S T A N

R U S S I AFINLAND

AFGH

ANISTA

N

UKRAINE

BELARUS

T U R K E Y

nfo

EurasiaTe Synods work in Eurasia is focusedon connecting the people of the region

to the resources of the LCMS so they

might hear the saving Word of God.

Te missionaries work is focused on

those who have never heard of Christ

and those who have heard but do not

yet believe in Christ as their Savior.

Missionaries are involved with church

planting, theological education, music

instruction, agriculture, human-care

needs and prison ministry.

First mission field: Denmark, 1898

Missionaries: 25

Missionaries needed:Area Facilitators,

EFL Teachers (English as a Foreign Language)



Partner congregations: 250

Mercy projects: 4

Southern Asia andOceaniaTe Southern Asia and Oceania region

is home to 1.5 billion people. It also is

the site of the earliest LCMS mission

field and some areas where Lutheran

groups are just starting to emerge.

Trough this renewed commitment in

this region, the LCMS plans to provide

the guidance and support necessary to

help fellow Lutherans in Southern Asia

and Oceania overcome obstacles and

become strong witnesses for the Gospel.

A critical priority for future work in this

region is the recruitment and sending

of missionaries to work alongside

indigenous pastors and church leaders.

First mission field: India, 1895

Missionaries: 11

Missionaries needed:Theological Educators,

Deaconesses, EFL Teachers (English as a Foreign

Language)




Mercy projects:2

Asia PacificTe Synods mission work in the Asia

Pacific region began in the early 20th

century and escalated following World War

II. During the last 60 years, the LCMS has

been involved in many acts of witness and

mercy in diverse areas of the region, from

remote villages in Tailand to the modern

metropolis of Hong Kong. Te LCMS,

whose rich heritage includes a strong

emphasis on education, also has helped

start Lutheran schools in many countries

of this region.

First mission field: China, 1913

Missionaries: 50

Missionaries needed: EFL Teachers (English as a

Foreign Language), High School Teachers, Outreach

Coordinators



Partner congregations: 312

Mercy projects: 34


20/24

lcms.org/LUTHERANSengage JanuaryFebruary 201418 lcms.org/givenow/globalmissionlcms.org/givenow/globalmission

Troughout his career as

a fundraiser, the executive

director of LCMS Mission

Advancement has seen the

joy drained from the hearts of

generous donors because of

complicated giving options.

His advice for keeping

the joy in your giving? Be

intentional, Hofman said,

and spend time thinking

about what you want your

gifts to achieve.

Hofman said he tailors

his approach to donors to

maximize his relationship

with them. Tey are trustingus to accomplish some very

important work on their

behalf, he said.

He advises donors to

focus their gifts on issues

by Erik M. Lunsford

ark Hofman wants to simplifythe lives of people who giveto the LCMS.M

that really matter to them.

But when donors make a

major contribution, they

should consider granting

the LCMS some flexibility in

how to spend the gift since

the organization best knows

how to use the funds most

effectively.

We accomplish more

working together than any

of us could if we went at it

alone, Hofman said. He

urges donors to commit

to a routine contribution

schedule throughout the year

as a way to increase theirgiving and decrease end-of-

year cramming.

Hofman said charitably

minded people, especially

Christians, are willing to give

because they know the Lord

will sustain them and they

see themselves as stewards of

Gods gifts.

Tey love the Gospel,

he said, and they love their

Lord.

Hofman said gifts tothe LCMS have immediate

and long-term impact. Te

ultimate goal is to bring

people into the body of Christ,

allowing them to receive the

Word and Sacraments on a

regular basis.

Donors are an important

piece of the churchs mission.

You cant do anything

without good people so

when we send missionariesoverseas, thats immediate

impact, he said. Te gifts are

what provide the resources

and materials to do the

Witness, Mercy, Life ogether.For donors on the fence,

Hofman is passionate about

earning their trust and

their gifts.

We want people to give,

but what we want most is

not the money but for each

donor to experience the joy

of something wonderful,

he said. Were the Synods

advocate to ask for support

but at the same time were thedonors advocate. Were here

to help them get to the feeling

of joy.

STEWARDS|CORNER

Giving

Simplified

nform

You cant do anythingwithout good people

Mark Hofman, executive director

of LCMS Mission Advancement

Mark Hofman, executive director

of LCMS Mission Advancement,

plays with his 4-year-old son,

Matthew, at his office at the

LCMS International Center.
http://lcms.org/lutheransengagehttp://www.lcms.org/givenow/globalmissionhttp://www.lcms.org/givenow/globalmissionhttp://www.lcms.org/givenow/globalmissionhttp://lcms.org/lutheransengage


21/24

Contact our recruiter: [email protected]| 414-882-1530

Cross Edges

A COLLECTION OF FIVE PROGRAMS FEATURING FRESH TALK ABOUT

LUTHERAN CHRISTIANITY IN THE 21ST CENTURY.

S www.kfuo.org. L www.facebook.com/KFUORadio.

M

Cross Defense

Host: Rev. Rod

Zwonitzer. Dig intoChristian apologetics to

get answers to the hard

questions skeptics ask

about the faith.

W

Culture and

Christianity

Host: Lori Lewis.Featuring a look into

the vocations and

lives of todays top

musicians, artists,

scholars and more,

the program addresses

the place of Christians

in modern culture as

they serve God and

neighbor.

T

Concord Matters

Hosts:Rev. Rod

Zwonitzer, Rev.Craig Donofrio, Rev.

Charlie Henrickson

& Rev. Joshua

Scheer. Join in a

lively, roundtable

discussion for

the layperson

on the Lutheran

Confessions.

T

The God

Whisperers

Hosts:Rev. CraigDonofrio & Rev. Bill

Cwirla. Tis offbeat

program features

observations

of the everyday

life of Christians

with humor and

intelligence.

F

Book Talk

Host:Rev. Rod

Zwonitzer. A looat literature and

how the writing

of todays best

authors intersec

with the faith.

2-3P.M. CSTMONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY.checkit

out

Medical ProfessionalsNeeded for Short-Term Service

M M T

March 13-23, 2014: Madagascar, Africa

(Clinical eam)

May 5-12, 2014: Dominican Republic, Caribbea

(Educational eam)

June 6-16, 2014: Kenya, Africa (Clinical eam)

July: MM Alumni and Leadership Reunion an

Retreat, Dallas, X (Date to be determined

Sept. 13-23, 2014: Kyrgyzstan, Eurasia

(Educational eam)

Oct. 16-26, 2014: Madagascar, Africa

(Clinical eam)

Additional Mercy Medical eam dates are

currently being scheduled.

LEARN MORE HERE: www.lcms.org/mercyteam800-248-1930, ext. 1711 [email protected]

http://www.kfuo.org/http://www.facebook.com/KFUORadiohttp://www.lcms.org/mercyteamshttp://lcms.org/lutheransengagehttp://www.lcms.org/givenow/globalmissionhttp://www.lcms.org/givenow/globalmissionhttp://lcms.org/lutheransengagehttp://www.lcms.org/mercyteamshttp://www.facebook.com/KFUORadiohttp://www.kfuo.org/


22/24

Find your missionary atwww.lcms.org/missionaries

}GLOBAL MISSION FUND

www.lcms.org/globalmissionfund

Learn more about how making an

annual cost-effective gift in any

amount can vigorously make known

Christs love in word and deed

throughout the world.

Contact: [email protected]

800-248-1930, ext. 1648

}ASCENDING ROOTS

www.lcms.org/ascendingroots

A giving society for those committed

to the Global Mission of the LCMS,

through the Global Mission Fund.


800-248-1930, ext. 1648

}SPECIFIC PROJECTS

www.lcms.org/givenow/projects

Learn more about specific witness or

mercy projects intended to grow and

strengthen the body of Christ.


800-248-1930, ext. 1655

}MISSION SENDERS

www.lcms.org/missionsenders

Do you or your family want to directly

support a specificoverseas LCMS

missionary?


800-248-1930, ext. 1047

} TOGETHER IN MISSION

www.lcms.org/togetherinmission

ogether In Mission (IM) is a way for

your congregation to directly sponsor

one or more specificoverseas LCMS

missionaries.

Contact:

[email protected]

800-248-1930, ext. 1651

} Mission Central(Iowa)

www.missioncentral.us

Individuals, families

and congregations in

Nebraska, Iowa, Minnesota and other

Great Plains states may also contact:

[email protected]

712-882-1029

If sharing Jesus Christ with the world is your passion, the LCMS stands ready to be your partner.


Whos Your

LCMS Witness andMercy Work WorldwideMissionary?

Supportnvolve

LCMS Mission Advancement Donor Care Line: 888-930-4438
http://www.lcms.org/missionarieshttp://www.lcms.org/globalmissionfundmailto:%20Kathy.Wakeman%40lcms.org%20%20%20?subject=mailto:%20Kathy.Wakeman%40lcms.org%20%20%20?subject=http://www.lcms.org/ascendingroots%20mailto:Kathy.Wakeman%40lcms.org%20%20%20?subject=mailto:Kathy.Wakeman%40lcms.org%20%20%20?subject=http://www.lcms.org/givenow/projectsmailto:Leah.Sieveking%40lcms.org%20?subject=http://lcms.org/givenow/missionariesmailto:Tani.Berner%40lcms.org?subject=http://www.lcms.org/givenow/missionariesmailto:Debbie.Feenstra%40lcms.org%20%20%20?subject=http://www.missioncentral.us%20/mailto:Gary.Thies%40lcms.org%20%20?subject=mailto:Gary.Thies%40lcms.org%20%20?subject=http://lcms.org/lutheransengagehttp://www.lcms.org/givenow/globalmissionhttp://www.lcms.org/givenow/globalmissionhttp://lcms.org/lutheransengagemailto:Gary.Thies%40lcms.org%20%20?subject=http://www.missioncentral.us%20/mailto:Debbie.Feenstra%40lcms.org%20%20%20?subject=http://www.lcms.org/givenow/missionariesmailto:Tani.Berner%40lcms.org?subject=http://lcms.org/givenow/missionariesmailto:Leah.Sieveking%40lcms.org%20?subject=http://www.lcms.org/givenow/projectsmailto:Kathy.Wakeman%40lcms.org%20%20%20?subject=http://www.lcms.org/ascendingroots%20mailto:%20Kathy.Wakeman%40lcms.org%20%20%20?subject=http://www.lcms.org/globalmissionfundhttp://www.lcms.org/missionaries


23/24

to the four corners of the earth

F

erdinand Sievers and Teodore Naether. wo

men you have likely never heard about. Yet they

loom large in the long, faithful story of LCMS

mission efforts around the world. Sievers wassent to Michigan in the 1840s by the German pastor

Wilhelm Lehe. He became a missionary to Ojibwa

Indians who were native to the Northern Great Lakes

region. And because of Sievers, many, many Lutheran

congregations were planted in places like Frankentrost

and Frankenmuth, Mich.

Youve already read about the Rev. Teodore Naether,

who more than 100 years ago was sent with his family

to be a missionary in India. Who would have thought

that the result would be our first international partner

church? Our first mission plant is now a church body

with hundreds of thousands of believers in Christ.

Naether gave everything he had, including his life for

this work.

What an amazing, amazing effort. And as youve read

in this issue, efforts like his are still going on all over

the world. We have missionaries in the four corners

of the earth laypeople and pastors, teachers and

deaconesses who with their families are sharing the

Gospel of Christ and teaching about His salvation. Tey

are doing all kinds of activities in service to the Gospel

and having mercy on people in the name of Jesus. And

that is just what Jesus wanted. Te Bible tells us thatJesus had compassion on the multitudes and then He

said, Pray that the Lord of the harvest send workers.

Te moment is right for us.Because of theMissouri Synods strong biblical position, the Lutheran

world is coming to us. Huge church bodies are looking

to us for help in theological leadership, in training

their own missionaries, in training their own pastors

and deaconesses. And thats just one big part of whats

happening worldwide in mission. Tese churches want

help with mercy work, teaching English, medical clinics

and so much more. We need people right now serving

all over the world. And we need people like you to pray

and support this work with your financial gifts.

One day when his wife, Katie, was complaining about

him giving money away, Luther said, Look Katie, the

hand has been made with holes in between the fingers

so money can fall out easily. What an observation.

Its our time and its your chanceto support theglobal witness and mercy work of the LCMS. Its a time

to personally support one or more of our wonderful

missionaries who carry out this work overseas.

Te gift is acceptable according to what a person

has, Paul says. But be generous. Be generous and the

Gospel message shall fly out all across the world for the

salvation of many souls.

God grant it,

Pastor Matthew Harrison, President

Te Lutheran ChurchMissouri Synod

Rev. Theodore Naether



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2014 - Lutherans Engage the World - January-February

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Transcript of 2014 - Lutherans Engage the World - January-February