# LCMS Convention Workbook_St. Louis Missouri_2013_S44 # Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration) 44 SYNOD REPORTS God’s Blessings upon Lutheran Hour Ministries’ Outreach in the Past Triennium The Int’l LLL/Lutheran Hour Ministries’ significant activities accomplished since our 2010 convention report include the following: • • • • • • • • • • Naming Rev. Gregory Seltz as the eighth Speaker of The Lutheran Hour in January 2011 to succeed the retiring Rev. Ken Klaus. Broadcasting The Lutheran Hour on an additional 350 stations through a partnership with the Christian Satellite Network, bringing the number of radio stations airing the program across North America to 1,400. Producing several new Men’s NetWork Bible studies on a variety of topics (the entire collection now totals 23) to ignite and challenge the faith lives of men, including Telly Award–winning studies such as Joseph: Carpenter of Steel; Bible on Trial: Beyond a Reasonable Doubt; How We Got the Bible; and We the People. Redesigning our successful Equipping to Share program into MISSION U, a multifaceted, multilevel witnessing-training curriculum. MISSION U has developed partnerships (or is in the process of developing partnerships) with the Eastern, Ohio, Michigan, Kansas, New England, and New Jersey LCMS districts and Rural and Small Town Missions (LCMS). Launching Regional Outreach Conferences to share ministries with people on the local level, equip and train participants, and motivate individuals for action. More than 2,000 individuals attended our inaugural series of conferences throughout 2011, and another set of eight conferences is being held across North America in 2013. Partnering our Men’s NetWork program with the LCMS Ministry to the Armed Forces to provide Operation Barnabas, a network designed to offer encouragement, support, and resources to the men and women who put their lives on the line for our nation—and to their families as well. Returning to television with two full-length documentaries: The Bible on Trial: Beyond a Reasonable Doubt aired in 2011 with national broadcasts on the Inspiration Network and the Religious Broadcasters Network (as well as 600 local airings), and The Intersection of Church & State, aired nationally in 2012 on the Fox Business Channel as well as being shown locally in several U.S. markets. Airing the Gospel across much of the Arab world—in Arabic—through broadcasts produced by the staff of our Lebanon ministry center. Unveiling our Online Mission Trips concept to allow Lutheran school students to meet one of our international ministry center directors and learn about the ministry their staff does, all via live and recorded streaming video. The program rolled out during National Lutheran Schools Week in March 2012 with a trip to Paraguay and then to Thailand in January 2013. Implementing governance changes that are designed to streamline our operations with an increased focus on outreach. As part of these changes, we conducted our first-ever mail-in balloting of all members of the organization to approve bylaws changes and elect a new Board of Directors based on core competencies rather than regional representation. Previously, just LCMS and LCC members who were in attendance at our international convention were allowed to vote. More than 16,000 people voted in this election, likely the largest member participation ever in an election of our officers. The Results of God’s Blessings • • • • • • • Goals for the Future God’s mission of rescuing people who have become separated from Him, restoring relationship with them, and renewing them for holy living and service to others is vitally important in today’s world. It is the reason why we believe God is opening so many doors for our ministry as He calls believers like us to the work of reaching out to those who don’t know Him. Now is the time for rescue—for restoration—for renewal. This is His mission for the Church; His mission for us; our message to the world. Together, by the power of God’s Holy Spirit, we can live that message and spread it to our communities and beyond. Below are some of our ministry goals for the next three years as we walk alongside congregations as Your Partner in HIS Mission! Specific Goals for the Next Triennium • • • • • By God’s grace, Lutheran Hour Ministries’ various programs result in more than one million Gospel message touches each week in the United States: • The Lutheran Hour radio program reaches 800,000 listeners per week. Outreach through our international programs in just the last year has, by the power of the Holy Spirit, netted nearly 400,000 responses and 58,700 referrals to congregations. • • • 2013 Convention Workbook At any one time, around 165,000 people are engaged in Bible Correspondence Courses offered through our international ministry centers to introduce people to Jesus and biblical principles of our faith. Lutheran Hour Ministries has trained more than 25,000 people throughout North America in witnessing through MISSION U and its predecessor program, Equipping to Share. Internationally, 5,500 people were trained in witnessing just last year through our Equipping the Saints program. More than 15,000 individuals are registered to use the free online resources offered through our Men’s NetWork; more than 4,000 LCMS and LCC churches are represented among these registered users. Rev. Ken Klaus, Speaker Emeritus of The Lutheran Hour, writes daily devotions that are received via e-mail by 45,000 people. Our JCPlayZone children’s Web site recorded more than 290,000 visits this past year. Lutheran Hour Ministries ranked number six on the list of top small companies in St. Louis (under 149 employees) as published in summer 2012 by the St. Louis Post Dispatch. The ranking is based on employee opinions gathered in surveys conducted as part of the Top Workplaces program through WorkplaceDynamics, LLC, a program that recognizes the very best organizations nationwide by partnering with 30 leading publications around the country to produce a special section profiling national and regional winners. • Increase our impact in radio and television through updates and expansion of The Lutheran Hour radio program as well as a Spanishlanguage program. Develop initiatives that reach out with the saving message of the Gospel to those who otherwise have little opportunity to hear it (the unreached), urban areas, and among the burgeoning worldwide population of younger people. Launch a major evangelism effort that will result in fulfilling the mission of Lutheran Hour Ministries to “bring the nations to the church” and have a positive impact on LCMS membership trends. Train a total of 20,000 additional lay members through evangelismtraining programs such as MISSION U and five14 in partnership with LCMS districts. Strengthen our collaborative and cooperative partnership efforts with the Office of International Mission of the LCMS. Strengthen existing international ministry partnerships and identify and develop new partnerships for prayer support, advocacy, and volunteer and financial support. Strengthen collaboration with partner churches overseas to increase the percentage of responses that become new congregational members. Increase the use of existing and emerging digital media, develop digital outreach strategies that effectively engage people with the salvation story of Jesus Christ, and connect these people to local congregations.