"Equipping to Share" November 7th in Napa

Are you ready for "mission moments," those moments God gives you to share the truth and love of Jesus Christ with unbelieving family and friends? "Equipping to Share" workshops from Lutheran Hour Ministries are designed to strengthen and encourage believers for outreach. The mission is God's, the message is God's, and the power is God's. Equipping to Share concentrates on our privilege to speak the Gospel, express the impact of Christ in life, seek understanding of the lost, and connect new people into the church family. Equipping to Share will be held at St. John's Lutheran Church in Napa on November 7th from 9:00 am until 2:00 pm, and is free. Lunch is included. Please register by October 23rd to help us prepare by calling 707-255-0119 or e-mail us. To find out more about Equipping to Share watch this short video.

CNH District Supports LHM in India

Second only to China in number, India is home to nearly a quarter of the world’s population. Covering 3.3 million square miles, India is roughly one-third the size of the United States. Religion in India is very diverse and practiced freely in public. Hinduism is the predominant religion in India, practiced by 80 percent of the populace. Muslims comprise about 10 percent, Christians about 3 percent, with Sikhs and others the remainder. At least 90 percent of the Christian population emerges from the lower castes, very few are from the hard to reach upper castes. India has now surpassed China as the nation with the fastest growing Christian population.  Since 1951, Lutheran Hour Ministries has taken on the challenge of spreading the Good News to thousands of Indian people who have never had the opportunity to learn about Jesus Christ, and CNH District Lutheran Hour Ministries has adopted the office in India for special support. Their director frequently sends us reports of activities and photos which are available by clicking here.  For more information about our special relationship with Lutheran Hour Ministries in India, click here.

In 2008, the CNH District sent a team of volunteers to Chennai, India, to work for two weeks on repairs and upgrades to the Lutheran Hour Ministries office there.  We went back to continue the work in August of 2009.  Click here to see the great reports and photos from our  trips, and to find out more about how you can support these efforts.

Lutheran Hour Ministries is continuing to develop an exciting new group ministry designed to educate and activate men for Christ!

The absence of active, involved and committed Christian men in our churches is impeding our witness to the world and is a key factor in the decline in church membership. Recent research by George Barna reveals:

       When a child leads the way in commitment to a church, 3 1/2 % of families follow.
       When a woman leads the way in commitment to a church, 17% of families follow.
       But, when a man leads the way in commitment to a church, 93% of families follow!  

Also, 42% of American men attended church regularly in 1992. But by 1997, only 28% of American men were attending church regularly.  Clearly, without male spiritual involvement families, churches, and our witness all suffer.

LHM's Men's Network is designed to engage men in Bible classes, discussion groups, fellowship, community service, and retreats, all specifically designed for their needs and interests, so that participants can become confident in their role in God's kingdom. It will improve their Bible knowledge and understanding of Lutheran teachings and provide them with opportunities, connections, and training to serve others in Christ's name.

Participants will become part of a nationwide force of highly mobilized Christian men known for hands-on ministry, who use their vocations and skills to express their faith and calling as Jesus' disciples. They will become equipped to mentor other men, sharing the Savior and encouraging them to serve in their churches and community.

Central to the LHM Men's NetWork is its video Bible studies. The following programs are now available:

Home Run King by Pastor Tim Radkey is an engaging Bible study that highlights the central and critical player positions men occupy in their homes, their churches, and their communities. As servant-leaders, men are to both provide for their families and show them the way - to the cross and the King who gave His life for us all.

Who Am I? Why Am I Doing Here?, written by Pastor Joel Biermann, is a detailed study bringing to the forefront God's will as it operates in a physical and moral world. Biermann shows how man's fullest role within creation is as a Christian engaged in service and actively speaking the story of Christ - which fulfills the very point of our life here on earth.

He Who Dies With The Most Toys Still Dies is Pastor Radkey's look at the materialist philosophy that can capture and hold an individual hostage. Whether it's a vintage 1945 Harley-Davidson "Knucklehead," the "house with the white picket fence," or a drawer full of memories and medals from yesteryear, Radkey reminds us that it's all just stuff, and a U-Haul trailing our hearse won't let us keep it beyond the grave.

When it comes to creation, Pastor Steve Misch's Bible study Out of Nothing:  The Word, Creation, and Faith explores this complex and multifaceted topic with depth and finesse. In six sessions, he examines everything from scientific and theological debates over Genesis to astronomical distances and how creation and redemption are linked. In the end - as it was in the beginning - the center of it all is Jesus Christ.

Challenge of Islam:  Part One - What is Islam?     To the Western mind, the faith and practice of Islam are often a profound mystery. In recent years, this religion has emerged as a prominent -- yet misunderstood -- belief system. Listen as Sam Shamoun, an Arab-Christian, unveils some of the mystique surrounding this religion first preached by Muhammad and today practiced by more than one billion people worldwide.

Challenge of Islam:  Part Two - Defending the Christian Faith    In Part Two of this Men's NetWork Bible study, Sam Shamoun, an Arab-Christian, examines key texts from the Qur'an and the Bible. Among the items he sheds light on are Islamic presuppositions concerning the priority of the Qur'an, Bible texts considered corrupt by Muslims, the sonship of believers, and Islam's position on the Trinity.

How We Got The Bible     Learn about the production, collection, transmission, and preservation of these marvelous works in How We Got The Bible, featuring Dr. Paul L. Maier, the latest Men's NetWork five-part Bible study. Listen as Dr. Maier shares his expertise and enthusiasm on the preservation and transmission of God's Word through the centuries.

Also available online from The Men's Network:

The Baloney Shop

Christ, His people and the Christian faith are under attack. Most of the time those attacks are just baloney. On these videos Pastor Klaus, speaker of The Lutheran Hour goes on the attack pointing out, in a simple way, the foolishness and fallacies of the criticisms the Savior's soldiers have to face. Please, feel free to use them and share them. And...when the world sends you some baloney, let us know. It may show up in Klaus' Baloney Shop.

Stuff They Didn't Teach Me In Sunday School

Ever wondered if there was just a bit more to some of those lessons you learned in Sunday school? Well, we thought so too. Join Bruce Wurdeman as he takes you behind the scenes and uncovers "Stuff They Didn't Teach Me In Sunday School."

Our blogspot invites readers to comment on topics ranging from the importance of male leadership to differences between being a nice guy and a good guy. Along the way, we'll even tackle the perpetual riddle of what do women really want. Check it out; post a comment; tell us what you think - it's all about having a conversation.
 

That is why Lutheran Hour Ministries is moving boldly forward with this new outreach to men.   Visit the LHM Men's Network now for more information and to see the variety of free or low cost materials available to enhance your congregations or your own personal ministry.

CNH District LLL Student Financial Aid Available

The Lutheran Laymen's League of the California-Nevada-Hawaii District provides additional financial resources for persons who fully intend to enter the ministry of the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod.

The purpose of the Herbert Rourke Scholarship Endowment Fund is to provide financial assistance grants to ministerial or teacher candidates preparing to enter the full time ministerial or teaching professions in approved Lutheran programs. To be eligible for a grant, the candidate must be admitted to and diligently pursue an approved course of study at a seminary or college of the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod.

To request a grant from the California-Nevada-Hawaii District Student Aid fund please click here for the application forms. Be sure to have all sections completed, including that by the college or seminary, and then send all completed forms before July 1st to: C/N/H District LLL, 3259 Langhorn Drive, Fremont CA 94555-1422.