Missionary at Large Update: 2019 in Review (Part 2)

This is the second of a two part update.

So much has occurred during the last nine months that I thought our “Missionary at Large Update: 2019 Year in Review” would be best served with two separate posts.

This first post focused on the mission work done in, at and through East Bethlehem Lutheran Church in Detroit. To read about the Lord’s work in the city of Detroit you can click on the blue button below.

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The remainder of this post will focus on the Lord’s work done in the Tri-County Metro Detroit Area.

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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

(“ekklesia” is the Greek word used in the New Testament to describe
the early church that commonly met in homes)

• 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)

Eight (8) Mission Outposts in the Tri-County Area

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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

The best way to describe my deployment as a Missionary at Large is to think of the places I serve as “Mission Outposts”.

In the early church, the apostles and evangelists sent by the Lord Jesus would go from village to village and house to house. As itinerant preachers, they would pray, then look for open doors and invitations. When given the opportunity, they would proclaim the Gospel, baptize and teach the Word of God to those gathered, usually in homes.

(again, the Greek word for those “gathered” or “assembled”
around the Word of God was “ekklesia”)

Another way to explain the work of a Missionary at Large is that of the American frontier “circuit rider”. Not every community had the resources to support their own pastor and so the churches in the area would be served by a shepherd who would literally “get on his horse” and ride from parish to parish.

“Get on Your Horse”

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 “ekklesias” in Macomb County
• Three (3) study “ekklesias” in Macomb County
• Personal and pastoral conversations in all three counties

Below is a brief description of each of the “ekklesias”. You are welcome to attend any of the gatherings listed below. For more information about location, days, times and the emphasis of each study you can click on the blue button below.

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This Word and Sacrament ekklesia is a weekly gathering that meets every Wednesday at 1 pm and also at 7 pm.

It gathers for a structured time of worship, prayer, confession and absolution, the reading and study of God’s Word and the celebration of the Sacrament of the Altar. It meets in Troy and about 25-40 individuals regularly attend. This gathering is probably best described as a “house church”.

The times of fellowship are a blessing and the food is abundant and wonderful.

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They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. Everyone was filled with awe, and many wonders and miraculous signs were done by the apostles. All the believers were together and had everything in common. Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need.

Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.

Acts 2:42-47

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A Study of the Lutheran Confessions
(alternating Mondays at 6:30 pm)

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This gathering meets to discuss the Confessions of our Lutheran faith (The Book of Concord). We meet at the Lutheran Heritage Foundation in Macomb Township and currently 4-8 individuals attend.

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This ekklesia is also open to all and is full of wonderful conversation about the truths of the Scripture as confessed by our Lutheran Church. We are currently studying the Formula of Concord. If you would like to access the study notes for this ekklesia, click on the blue button below.

Teen ekklesia “tekklesia” = teen + ekklesia
(alternating Fridays)

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This group of junior high and high school students meets to study the Scriptures and the chief parts of Luther’s Small Catechism. This ekklesia meets in Sterling Heights and 10-12 teens attend.

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Finding Christ in the Psalms Study
(alternating Thursdays at 6:30 pm)

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This gathering meets to study and pray through the Psalms (and the rest of the Scriptures).  We search the Scriptures looking for Jesus and His promise of the forgiveness of sins.

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This gathering is also a place for individuals to ask questions about the Christian faith. It meets in Sterling Heights and currently 3-6 individuals attend. This group is open to all and it has much potential for growth in numbers and in the knowledge of Jesus Christ.

Two (2) Service of the Word Sites

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In 2019, the Triune God directed and enabled Pastor Tom Fischer, and the saints of Gethsemane Lutheran Church (also known as “Good Life Church”), to establish an outreach ministry to seniors living in residential and assisted living facilities.

Sadly, this cherished group of people are often physically separated from the local church. Most desire to attend the services of God’s Word but cannot because of health reasons or physical limitations. Some have faithful pastors who visit and bring them the gifts of Jesus. God be praised for their care of the sheep. Others, however, have been “forgotten” and have no spiritual care.

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Pastor Fischer and the GoodLife ministry offers chaplaincy, music, worship, life enrichment and other services to seniors in Oakland and now, Macomb County. Here’s a link to their ministry website.

In 2019 the ministry of GoodLife grew from three (3) Service of the Word sites to eleven (11). These mission outposts now worship over 200 people. And more sites are yet to come in 2020!

Because of the sheer number of sites and services, Pastor Fischer has reached his scheduled limit. But since the opportunities for the Gospel to be proclaimed were still expanding, Pastor Fischer contacted me to see if I could help serve some of the new GoodLife sites that would be starting in 2020 in Macomb and Oakland Counties.

His “ask” was simple …

“I need someone to preach Jesus to those who are ready, longing and waiting to hear the Gospel. Can you help?”

The answer was an easy “yes”!

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In 2020, I will take the lead in bringing the Service of God’s Word to two (2) different senior residential sites, with the possibility of a third site some time this Winter/Spring. As time allows, I’ll also continue to serve some of the other eleven sites that are already established.

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Personal Conversations and Meetings

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In addition to the weekly ekklesias, I have had personal meetings and conversations about the Scriptures and the Christian faith and will continue to be available for these. If you have friends or family members who would like to talk individually about Jesus Christ and the Scriptures, please feel free to contact me to schedule a personal meeting.

What Does a Missionary Do?

The best answer and example I currently have is found in Acts 8 when the Holy Spirit instructs Philip to go up to a chariot and eavesdrop while an Ethiopian reads aloud from the scroll of the prophet Isaiah, chapter 53. 

“Do you understand what you are reading?” Philip asked.

“How can I,” he said, “unless someone explains it to me?”

Philip began with that very passage of Scripture and told him the good news about Jesus.

Acts 8:31-32, 35 (NIV)

Philip knew that all of the Scriptures speak of the person and work of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of sins. Jesus Himself had repeatedly taught the disciples this in his post resurrection appearances (Luke 24). Philip also believed that the Holy Spirit was the Real Teacher. He trusted and relied on the fact that as he opened up the Scriptures, the Spirit would open the Ethiopian’s eyes to see the person and work of Jesus.

In a short phrase, a missionary teaches the Word of God and tells people the good news about Jesus. By the Holy Spirit’s power and gifts …

… he “eXPlains it”!

Here’s a little video blog (“vlog”) that gives you some more information about the “eXPlain it” teaching model.

Prayers and Plans for 2020

My prayer is that as the Lord wills, empowers and provides, I might be able to accomplish two ministry objectives in 2020:

• Develop and populate the “eXPlain it” portal
• Establish multiple “eXPlain it” ekklesias

“eXPlain it” portal

The “eXPlain it” portal would be an on online discipleship resource created to help individuals understand the person and work of Jesus Christ as He is revealed in all of the Scriptures.

A 2020 challenge will be my time, location and physical limitations. I can only serve a limited number of ekklesias in the Tri-County area. But an online discipleship resource would allow the teaching to “scale” and expand to limitless sites.

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If you would like to access the “eXPlain it” portal you can click on the blue button below. It’s a work in progress but you’ll get a glimpse of what I’m trying to accomplish. A friend of mine kindly described this phase of the site as being in the “agile development” stage.

“eXPlain it” ekklesias

The “eXPlain it” ekklesias would be a gathering set aside for open questions, conversations and dialogue about the Scriptures. All would be welcome, especially those who have questions about the Scriptures and the Christian faith.

These gatherings could be held in …

• homes
• coffee shops or other “third spaces”
• designated rooms at local restaurants

If you would like to host and organize one of these events you can click on the blue button 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. 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 give a charitable donation either 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.

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