The spirit of the age is alive and active. From within and without it attacks the Word (in Scripture and incarnate, in Jesus).
Its language is theological deceit. The work of its hands is social disorder and cultural decay. And its end goal is the physical destruction and spiritual death of all of the Triune God’s good creation.
Beloved, while I was very eager to write to you about our common salvation, I was constrained to write to you exhorting you to contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints. (WEB)
Jude 3-4
“Mission Outposts” and Serving Peace Lutheran in Detroit on Sundays
Pastor Asaph James of East Bethlehem Lutheran Church has been appointed the circuit visitor for the LCMS Michigan Detroit East Circuit (#20). The circuit visitor supports and encourages the other pastors in his circuit. He is also involved in the call process for churches seeking to call a pastor.
For example, Peace Lutheran Church on Warren Avenue is currently without a called pastor. Pastor James asked if I could fill the vacant pulpit by preaching on Sundays. I have been serving the congregation since Lent and am helping the leadership of the congregation work through their next steps of ministry.
Like most churches in the city of Detroit, Peace Lutheran is under resourced (membership, volunteers, teaching materials, staff, finances, etc). But, with a spirit of Christian partnership and exploration, our circuit pastors and churches have been meeting and are looking for some new ways and opportunities to reach the community, proclaim the Gospel, and “teach the devil to death”.
We see ourselves as “mission/teaching outposts”. In recent meetings, we have been talking about some creative ways to move forward as a circuit and invite other churches in the Tri-County area to join the city churches as mission partners … think “mission field” 30 minutes down the road and not solely overseas or in a far away and foreign land.
My Role as a Missionary at Large
… is to develop, encourage, support and resource Christian communities (“ekklesias”) that gather to study the Scriptures and administer the Sacraments so that they might receive all of the gifts that come from the person and work of Jesus.
Here’s what it looks like …
- “ekklesias”: communities gathered around the Scriptures and Sacraments
- “5 in 15”: honest questions met with Scriptural answers
- “eXPlain it”: Christ centered content that “eXPlains” the Scriptures
- “The Receptive Life”: the daily exercise of the Christian faith that receives and responds to the gifts of Jesus
- “We BTC”: a clear, bold and confident confession of the Christian faith
One possible option for me is to offer the digital content of the ekklesia ministry to the local Detroit churches and then host in-person teaching workshops or seminars. We could also invite the Tri-County area churches to attend to encourage a mission partnership between the city and suburban congregations.
I also will continue to reach out to the following ministries …
- LCMS pastors and churches
- Lutheran high school associations and grade schools
- Classical schools and home-schooling parents
- LCMS districts and synodical entities
If you have any influence with the leaders in these organizations, perhaps you could speak well of the ekklesia resources and help arrange an introduction with the leaders and decision makers.
Ekklesia Digital Resources and Classes for Summer and Fall
I recently logged into the analytic database of my email service provider and noted the following statistics:
- I currently have 721 individuals who have subscribed to my email list
- They are scattered across the following countries: the United States, Canada, Papua New Guinea, Australia, Taiwan, Korea, Kenya, Nigeria, Burundi, South Africa, Finland, Great Britain, Germany, Jamaica, Netherlands, and other countries listed as “the European Union”
In other words, we have a healthy list of individuals who are interested in the ekklesia ministry digital resources beyond the Metro Detroit area. We’ll try and expand this list and outreach in 2023.
This Summer and Fall I will be offering new material for two digital resources …
Chapter and Verse Study of the Book of Revelation (video and in-person)
The video series will resume and we will continue to work our way through the Book of Revelation (new material begins with chapter 4).
During the Summer and Fall we’ll also continue our in-person study. Pastor Monson and the saints at SALT Church in Troy, MI have graciously welcomed us to gather on the 2nd and 4th Thursdays of the month.
You can sign up for Book of Revelation course by going to …
With Intrepid Hearts (A digital/video study of the Formula of Concord)
With Intrepid Hearts is a study rooted in the articles of the Formula of Concord and will help Lutheran Christians …
- firmly believe
- clearly teach
- and boldly confess
… the Truth of the Word of God (in the Scriptures and incarnate in Jesus) in an anti-Christian world.
As the Lutheran Confessors declare:
… we wish to testify to those now living and those who shall come after us that this declaration … is our faith, doctrine, and confession, in which we are also willing, by God’s grace, to appear with intrepid hearts before the judgment-seat of Jesus Christ, and give an account of it.
Conclusion to the Formula of Concord
You can sign up for the With Intrepid Hearts community course by going to …
When the course begins, you’ll receive the videos sent directly to your inbox and directions on how to access the private Lutheran Spirituality community.
All Links and Resources
You can access all of the Book of Revelation and With Intrepid Hearts videos, as well as other Ekklesia resources in the button below.
When you click on the “resource” link, a full menu of options will appear.
You’ll be able to click on all missionary at large updates, the eXPlain it portal, ekklesia resources, The Receptive Life, a new “publishing” service for pastors and churches called the Gutenberg Digital Press, and other recommended links.
Thank you again for your generous support, encouragement, prayers and many kindnesses.
If you would like to continue to support the Missionary at Large position through East Bethlehem you can either give a charitable donation by check or through electronic giving. Here’s a link that will give you more information … Support Missionary at Large (here).