This is the first of a two part update.
So much has occurred during the last nine months that I thought the “2019 Year in Review” would be best served with two separate posts.
This first post will focus on the mission work done in, at and through East Bethlehem Lutheran Church. The second post will follow shortly and will focus on the Lord’s work in the Tri-County area.
2019 Year in Review (Part 1)
The Lord’s Work in, at and through East Bethlehem Lutheran Church in Detroit
In her 145th anniversary year, East Bethlehem Church continues to walk by faith and believes that the Lord Jesus desires to grow His Kingdom and make disciples not only at the physical building located on Outer Drive in Detroit but also in the surrounding Tri-County area. In order to accomplish this mission, East Bethlehem called me to be a deployed “Missionary at Large”. On Sunday, March 31st, I was installed and joined the pastoral team at East Bethlehem.
- Pastor Asaph James serves as the lead pastor at East Bethlehem Lutheran Church in Detroit.
- Pastor Warren Arndt (Emeritus) serves both East Bethlehem Lutheran Church in Detroit and the “ekklesias” started in the Tri-County area. (“ekklesia” is the Greek word used in the New Testament to refer to the early Church that often gathered in homes)
- I serve as a Missionary at Large. I worship and serve at East Bethlehem Lutheran Church but I am also deployed to the Tri-County Detroit area.
My primary responsibility as a Missionary at Large is to share the Gospel with the un-churched/de-churched in the Tri-County area, to disciple them and then connect them to a Lutheran Word and Sacrament ministry that would give to them all of the gifts of the Triune God.
East Bethlehem has asked me to accomplish this through …
- personal conversations
- the establishment of discipleship communities (called “ekklesias”) in homes and gathering places throughout the Tri-County Metro Detroit area
- the teaching of Bible studies, classes and seminars at East Bethlehem Lutheran Church, as well as in the Tri-County “ekklesias”
- the administration of a Word and Sacrament ministry in well established and pastorally instructed “ekklesias”
- the training of pastors in the global mission field (as opportunities, time and resources allow)
For a description of the work the Lord has started since April 1st, 2019 you can click on the blue buttons below.
Mission Outposts
The best way to describe my deployment as a Missionary at Large is to think of the places I serve as “Mission Outposts”. I currently serve eight (8) mission outposts in the Tri-County Area.
- East Bethlehem Lutheran Church in Detroit (Word and Sacrament)
- Two (2) Word and Sacrament “ekklesias” in Oakland County
- Two (2) Service of the Word “ekklesia” in Macomb and Oakland County
- Three (3) study “ekklesias” in Macomb County
- Personal and pastoral conversations in all three counties
The remainder of this post will focus on the Lord’s work done in, at and through East Bethlehem Lutheran Church in Detroit, Michigan. In a follow up post I’ll update you on the Lord’s work in the Tri-County area ekklesias.
Mission Outpost: East Bethlehem Lutheran Church, in Detroit
Twenty-Eight (28) Baptized in 2019
In 2019, the Triune God willed, appointed and worked twenty-eight (28) baptisms at East Bethlehem Lutheran Church. Twenty-five (25) of those baptisms were children and three (3) were adults.
Flee you evil spirit! Make room for the Holy Spirit!
Do you renounce the devil and all of his works and all of his ways?
If so answer, ‘I do!’
Luther’s Baptismal Rite
As Peter said in his Pentecost sermon ,
“Repent. Be baptized everyone of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. This promise (Baptism) is for you and your family.”
Acts 2
Here’s a wonderful video that captures the marvelous work of the Triune God among us at East Bethlehem and the accompanying joy of the Lord’s salvation.
Thank you to the Michigan District LCMS for capturing the work of God on this day and producing and sharing this video.
Please pray for these children. We commend them into the Lord’s hands. May the Holy Angel be with them that the evil foe may have no power over them. Amen!
East Bethlehem Lutheran Church
145th Anniversary Year Celebration
On Sunday, December 8th, East Bethlehem Lutheran Church celebrated its 145th anniversary year. Only Jesus knows how many lives and generations of families have been changed through the proclamation of the Gospel in worship, from the pulpit, through the school, the CKC, the outreach programs and by the volunteers and the saints at East Bethlehem. And only the Lord knows how many more are “appointed to believe” (Acts 13:48) through the CO-mission that awaits and includes all of us connected to East Bethlehem.
It was a sacred and glorious day!
Past and present members, along with Pastor Asaph James, Pastor Warren Arndt (Emeritus) and myself gathered to thank and praise the Triune God for His faithfulness and work among us.
A family of three were baptized. The Scriptures were read. Rev. Roosevelt Gray, Director of Black Ministry at The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod was our honored guest and preacher for the day.
In a special and privileged moment, we gathered around Rev. James Ackerman (Pastor Emeritus), prayed and thanked God for his thirty years (30) of faithful ministry at East Bethlehem from 1965-1995.
We prayed for the Lord’s guidance and provision for the ministry in our 145th year, received the Lord’s blessing, and then, in typical East Bethlehem fashion, we celebrated the day with a luncheon. The building was filled with conversations about the Lord’s faithfulness, wonders and work.
Here’s a wonderful video that captures the celebration of the day.
Gifts for All God’s Children and Christmas at East Bethlehem
On Sunday, December 15th, we had our annual Gifts for All God’s Children Christmas service, celebration and luncheon.
The mission of Gifts for All God’s Children is …
“to meet needs and share the love of Christ with at-risk children in Southeast Michigan. We accomplish this by connecting children with churches and community organizations, giving gifts, and planning events.”
Ten years ago GFAGC partnered with East Bethlehem Lutheran church. The Co-Mission started with a Christmas outreach program that gave sponsored gifts to children. Over the years the outreach has expanded and now includes …
- Valentine’s Day and Easter events
- Summer Bible Camps
- Prayer Partners for the Children
- Field Trips and Transportation to Sports Camps
- Backpacks and School Supplies
- Click on the button below to view photo albums of the most recent Gifts For All God’s Children and East Bethlehem events.
This Christmas, through Gifts for All God’s Children and the gracious and abundant generosity of the members of Faith Lutheran Church in Troy, MI, one hundred and ninety-three (193) gifts were given to sixty-six (66) different families.
A special thank you to Carla Hurd, the Boos family and all of the volunteers who served the families of East Bethlehem at the Christmas celebration. Your deep and abiding faith, your joy in Jesus and your service to the children are an indescribable gift.
The blessed event of the day was the Lord’s gift of baptism to five (5) children during the 10 am worship service.
The overwhelming majority of the pictures in this post are credited to Wayne Cannava. Thanks to Wayne for capturing the work of the Lord Jesus in picture form for East Bethlehem and Gifts for All God’s Children.
Prayers and Plans for East Bethlehem Lutheran Church in 2020
Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful. And pray for us, too, that God may open a door for our message, so that we may proclaim the mystery of Christ, for which I am in chains. Pray that I may proclaim it clearly, as I should. Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity. Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.
Colossians 4:2-6
My prayer for 2020 is that as the Lord wills, empowers and provides, I might be able to support and encourage East Bethlehem as they continue to serve the Detroit area in the following ways:
- A Mission Outpost for the proclamation of the Gospel and the administration of the Lord’s gift of baptism in the city of Detroit.
- A Discipleship Center to feed the flock of Jesus with His Word and Supper on each Lord’s Day. We’ll also endeavor to teach the ABC’s of the Christian faith (the contents of Luther’s Small and Large Catechisms) to both young and old.
- A Sending and Serving Community, loving God and serving the neighbor through our God graced and given vocations.
We thank God for the Connecting Kids to Christ (CKC) Tutoring Center as well as all of the partnered events scheduled with Gifts for All God’s Children. These ministries were crucial connection points to the community and they provided East Bethlehem with opportunities to present the Gospel and administer the gift of Baptism to the twenty-eight (28) children and adults who were baptized in 2019.
“I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God made it grow. So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow. The man who plants and the man who waters have one purpose, and each will be rewarded according to his own labor. For we are God’s fellow workers; you are God’s field, God’s building. ”
1 Corinthians 3:6-9 (NIV)
Some of the events scheduled for 2020
- Prayer Partners for the Children that attend the CKC Tutoring program
- Valentine’s Day party for the children
- Easter Celebration for the families of the community
- Summer Bible Camps
- Field Trips and Transportation to Sports Camps
- Backpacks and School Supplies
My responsibility in all of this will be to help East Bethlehem pray, be attentive and boldly take advantage of the Triune God’s orchestrated opportunities to …
- Proclaim the Gospel
- Baptize
- Teach the Devil to Death
Teaching the Devil to Death!
In 2019, as part of my Missionary at Large deployment through East Bethlehem Lutheran Church and with the help of Pastor Asaph James (and the saints gathered at East Bethlehem), I had the opportunity to meet with families and children who wanted to learn more about the Lord’s gifts given in Baptism.
Every time we gathered to learn about God’s gifts, we had an “energetic” time together. The children were excited and eager to learn the “ABC’s of the Christian Faith”!
The ABC’s of the Christian Faith
A Simple Explanation of Christianity (the Small Catechism)
- The Ten Commandments (the Triune God’s will)
- The Creed (the Triune God’s work)
- Lord’s Prayer (the Triune God’s instruction and invitation to pray)
- Sacrament of Baptism (drown the devil)
- Confession (silence the devil)
- Sacrament of the Lord’s Supper (starve the devil)
- Table of Duties (how to live the Christian life)
I taught them how to …
- make the sign of the cross
- declare the Trinitarian invocation
- pray Luther’s evening and morning prayer
- “drown the Old Man” in repentance
- “rise with Jesus and live in His righteousness”
- put the devil in his place by confessing the Creed
- fight the evil one by using the Lord’s Prayer
2020 Challenges for East Bethlehem Lutheran Church in Detroit
No surprise!
The challenges of a Mission Outpost in the city of Detroit revolve around resources, namely finances and volunteers. We, at East Bethlehem, are spiritually willing but we are not always physically able to carry out the mission.
But when faced with being “under” resourced we remind ourselves that in the incarnation, death, resurrection, the ascension and the rule and reign of Jesus, that He is …
- the God who understands
- the God who is under the Law and under the wrath of God
- the God who crushes sin, death and the Devil under his foot
- the God who has all things under His control
- the God who comes in, with and under the Word and Sacraments
We thank the Triune God for all of the volunteers who have served in 2019 and trust that the Lord will bring many more laborers to His harvest field in Detroit in 2020.
If you would like to volunteer, support or learn more about the proclamation of the Gospel at East Bethlehem Lutheran Church, here is a link to our website. Just click on the blue buttons below.
Charitable Giving and Support for the “Missionary at Large” Position
Since East Bethlehem Lutheran Church is an under resourced ministry in the city of Detroit, I, as a Missionary at Large, am responsible for raising 100% of my own funding (salary, health care, benefits, ministry costs).
This financial support is an ongoing need and is a formidable challenge. We go “by faith” and continually thank God for His provision supplied by faithful and generous individuals.
If you would like to support the “Missionary at Large” position through East Bethlehem you can either give a charitable donation by check or through electronic giving.
Below are some of the specifics for each option:
Giving Online
You can financially support my deployment as a “Missionary at Large” to the Tri-County, Metro Detroit Area through East Bethlehem Lutheran Church by giving online. Just click the blue button below and complete the secure online form.
All electronic giving will be transacted through the Kindrid/MinistryOne giving platform. For all credit or debit card donations the transaction fee charged by Kindred is: 2.5% of transaction + 30 cents per gift.
Ministry One Apps for i-Phone and Android are also available.
Giving by Check
You can also make a donation towards the “Missionary at Large” deployment by check.
Make your check payable to:
- “East Bethlehem Lutheran Church”
- In the memo line designate: “Missionary at Large”
Mail to:
East Bethlehem Lutheran Church
3510 E. Outer Dr.
Detroit, MI 48234
(313) 892-2670
All gifts received to this designated fund are deposited into an account restricted for the support and deployment of the “Missionary at Large” position through East Bethlehem Lutheran Church. Any gifts received in excess of the deployment’s needs for a given year are held and carried over for use during the next fiscal year.
We commend all into the Lord’s hands. One day He will reappear, perhaps yet this day, and He will make all things new. But if He delays, He only tarries so that many more may hear, receive and believe the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
To that end we pledge ourselves.
We belong to Christ,
Paul