Harvesting the Nations

Transcription

1 Harvesting the Nations After this I looked, and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and before the Lamb. (Revelation 7:9) On Earth As It Is In Heaven Fung By: Fungchatou (Fung) Lo This past summer, LINC Twin Cities staff and I had the opportunity to visit the Minnesota State Fair with our families. My favorite part of the fair was the International Food Bazaar where one could experience a variety of tastes and diverse cultures. When I sat there on a bench and watched the crowd walk by, I observed people of all ages, genders, ethnicities, languages and lifestyles. In regard to diversity, the fair almost felt like heaven on earth I liked it! This past year I also had the opportunity to visit approximately fifty different churches across Minnesota. The churches varied in size, location and ethnic membership. I learned a lot about their struggles and joys in the ministry. One of the things that disturbed me greatly was the fact that the majority of our churches are very homogenous. The congregations didn t look anything like the Minnesota State Fair, especially on Sundays. This sadly testified to the statement that Sunday is still the most segregated hour in the America, especially in Christian churches. Our society is becoming more diverse everyday, and yet most of our local congregations remain as mono-ethnic as ever. We have not learned to praise, serve and worship the Lord together as one Continue on page 2 Time to Pray! Please set your alarm to 5:00 pm every Sunday and join us to pray for the launching of a new multiethnic congregation in the Twin Cities. Contact us at info@linctwincities.org if you are interested of becoming part of this new and exciting ministry.

2 On Earth As It Is In Heaven Continue from page 1 multiethnic congregation even when opportunities are available. There are congregations that have two or three different ethnic ministries in the same building, but they are not worshiping or doing much ministry together. Therefore, with a growing awareness of the need for God s kingdom to reflect the ethnic diversity of our communities, LINC Twin Cities shifted its vision, mission and goal to focus on assisting the local churches to experience heaven on earth. This means we want to see Revelation Chapter 7 happen on earth as it is in heaven; where every nation, tribe, people and language stands in front of the throne and the lamb crying out in a loud voice, Salvation belongs to the our God, who sits on the throne and to the lamb! (Revelation 7:9-10) LINC Twin Cities is ready and eager to assist your congregation to become ethnically diverse. Becoming an ethnically diverse congregation is not about seeking racial reconciliation; it is about seeking to become a biblically based congregation for the sake of the gospel and God s mission. Our goal is to have local congregations reflect the diversity of their communities. Along with that goal, our vision is to see younger and more diverse disciples in local churches. Therefore, our mission is to assist the local churches to engage in God s mission in diverse communities. If your church has the desire or is ready to become part of this challenging ministry please contact us at info@linctwincities.org or (651) We look forward to partnering with you and/or your church to experience what it would be like to have people from every nation, tribe, and language standing in front of God s throne here on earth as it is in heaven. All nations shall be seen in church, not just at the Minnesota State Fair! Board Meeting us at info@linctwincities.org 2 Dr. Cheryl Chatman We give thanks to the Lord for our newest board member, Dr. Cheryl Chatman. She is the Executive Vice President and Dean of Diversity at Concordia University, St. Paul. It is a blessing to have her on our board. LINC Twin Cities board members meet once every three months. Our executive board members meet once a month. We are looking for individuals who are passionate about multiethnic outreach and ministry to join our board. If you are interested, please contact

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4 Ethnic Pastors and Vicars Ethnic pastors and vicars met with Dr. Utech at the Lutheran Church Missouri Synod s Minnesota South District office to discuss about Ministry after Subsidy. Ethnic pastors and vicars met with LINC Twin Cities staff for prayer and discussions on how ethnic ministries can grow together in the future. 4

5 Harvest Incubator for Mission (HIM) It s about HIM By Kurtis Smith marked the inaugural year of the Harvest Incubator for Mission (HIM) It s about HIM! The bold idea, the vision of HIM, is to train disciplemakers the way Jesus did: through discipleship. The problem is, in today s world, discipleship isn t natural like it was in Jesus time. Today, Christians often tend toward building institutions and hiring professional Christians rather than discipling Christian professionals. God answered prayers for a willing and diverse cohort. We began in March with 13 disciples: a Somali church leader, a Latino Deaconess, a Caucasian man learning to reach out with truth and love to the GLBT community, a Hmong mother of two and teaching at a Hmong charter school, a Caucasian man who leads his congregation s outreach board, a mixed-race couple including a Caucasian pastor and African- American Deaconess, a Caucasian couple starting a Bed and Breakfast ministry in the Summit neighborhood, a young male director for an Kurtis organization reaching Muslims called USA Homestays, an Ethiopian engineer for the City of St. Paul reaching out to the Oromo people group here and in Africa, a Caucasian grandmother interested in public policy issues, and a single college student desiring to be in professional church work. Each person had his or her own gifts and unique mission field. The group made for some fascinating discussion. Over nine months later, I must proclaim that it has been an absolute pleasure to lead the cohort along with Dr. Lo and Rev. David Seabaugh! Our diverse group journeyed together throughout the year from church membership to discipleship to disciplemaking in their individual mission contexts. We We want to thank Mr. Art Erickson of Urban Venture for allowing us to use Studio 180 to host our cohort gatherings every two weeks. We appreciated his leadership and partnership in the gospel. Thank You Art! 5

6 Continue from page 5 It s About HIM laid hands upon each other in prayer. Every two weeks we met for three hours as a cohort. In between gatherings, Fung and I met with cohort members and coached them to become disciplemakers in glocal mission for the multiplication of God s kingdom here on earth. Is it working? As Minnesotans say, You betcha! It s a transformissional process. When followers of Jesus make disciples of all nations and teach each other to obey the things he commanded us, the world is transformed. God is currently multiplying his kingdom by identifying people not yet in love with Jesus as well as young Christians for HIM cohort members to disciple. Each week we add new people to pray for as disciples of HIM disciplemakers. We re even expanding into Oromo Ethiopian ministries around the nation via our LINC Board and HIM cohort member Girma Daka. It is each HIM disciplemaker s goal that, by the end of the year, he or she will have identified and by the power of the Holy Spirit be making twelve of his or her own disciples. We expect at least two of those personal disciples to be at deep spiritual and relational trust levels by the end of the year (i.e. ready to launch into a next HIM cohort). In 2016, we plan to run two cohorts of at least twelve disciples. Each cohort shall again be diverse in ethnicity, gender and socioeconomic status. And thereby, God willing, this year s cohort shall double into two more cohorts. Our prayer for the third year is to run four active cohorts totaling 48 disciples. Thank you for praying with us it s about HIM! In July, we introduced the Harvest Incubator for Mission to members of the Oromo Evangelical Lutheran Mission Society at their conference in South Dakota. 6 Katherine Mennicke A HIM Cohort Member Harvest Incubator for Mission (HIM) is a response to Matthew 28: 19 20, an effort to make disciples who will then disciple others. It has connected me to people of diverse backgrounds, but similar passion: Though we have varied roles and life experiences, we all want to make a difference in the world by helping others to know Jesus. Through bi-weekly Bible study and prayer, H.I.M. has brought me back to foundational teachings of Scripture and is helping me to examine, think, and communicate the meaning and purpose of the grace of God in Christ Jesus. Individual coaching sessions guide my personal journey. H.I.M. has pointed me again to abundant life in Christ, the life of Romans 6:4. This is the answer to share with my children, our culture, country, and world.

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8 ANY4Christ Train up a child in the way he should go; and when he is old, he will not depart from it (Proverbs 22:6, KJV) The first All Nations Youth for Christ (ANY4Christ) Ministry Picnic Social at the Long Lake Regional Park in New Brighten, Minnesota on May 16, was a success. Twenty-seven individuals, including youth and adults attended the gathering. The event included social games, Bible study, discussions and BBQ. The youth really enjoyed the event and requested that there should be a monthly gathering. One of the youth said, This is awesome! We get to meet youth from different ethnic backgrounds, learn about Jesus and play games together. Peter Lutheran Church in St. Paul, Minnesota. Together they have a son named Nazareth. Please keep Sylvia and the ANY4Christ ministry in your prayers and welcome her to your church as she come to visit you in the near future. The Helping Hands All Nations Youth for Christ ministry is poised to walk alongside your church to address crosscultural and life challenge issues with your youth through the lens of the word of God. As stated in Proverbs 22:6 above, we desire for them to be young Christians who live their lives engaging in mercy, witness and life together within their diverse communities and peers. If this is a keen issue for you or your congregation, then let's partner with LINC Twin Cities. Together we can help Christian youth of all cultural background to impact people s lives for eternity. We recently added a new staff members to our ministry team to implement the ANY4Christ ministry. Her name is Sylvia Witt. She received her deaconess training from Concordia Seminary, St. Louis and a Master s degree in music from the University of North Texas. She has worked with youth for several organizations. She is the wife of Rev. Lucas Witt who is serving as Pastor at St. LINC Twin Cities board, staff and ANY4Christ members presented ten laptop computers to the Director of the Aspire Institute in October The Helping Hands Project is runing by Gaozong Lo, a member of the All Nations Youth for Christ ministry, was blessed to have the opportunity to raise the necessary funds needed to purchase ten laptops to help Somali kids in the Twin Cities learn computer skills. The computers were donated to the Aspire Institute so they could use them to train the Somali kids. Thank you for all your prayers and generous financial support to make this project a success. 8

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10 Harvest Intercessory Prayer (HIP) We train local congregations and individuals to connect with their communities through prayer. Prayer walking training session Do you or your church know what Prayer Walking is all about? Are you or your church engaging on Prayer Walking weekly or monthly in your local neighborhoods? If the answer is No, please contact LINC Twin Cities. Our staff members are well equipped to train you or your congregation on how to effectively do Prayer Walking in your neighborhoods. Prayer Walking can change the way you see and understand your neighborhood. It can transform your congregation and ministry. Prayer walking in the neighborhood Pastor Demelesh At the Taste of Ethnic Ministries event Prayer Answered The Taste of Ethnic Ministries event was a success. There were approximately 145 people who came to experience ethnic ministries, foods and cultures. Prayers were offered throughout the event. We recently learned that the Lord answered a man s prayer that was offered there. During the event a man wrote on his prayer card to pray for his major medical operation the next day. Pastor Demelesh Oumer offered the prayer to the Lord. The next day the man went to have his operation and it was a success beyond his expectation. He was discharged from the hospital after only a night of stay. We give thanks to the Lord for answering this brother s prayer for a successful operation and quick recovery.

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12 From the Executive Director Rev. Fungchatou Lo, Ph.D. I thank my God every time I remember you. In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now. (Philippians 1:3-5) Fung Greetings brothers and sisters in Christ, In the same thankfulness that the Apostle Paul expressed to the Christians in Philippi, we also thank God for your partnership in the gospel. We thank you for your services, prayers and/or financial giving throughout the year of. We know that the Lord can accomplish His work of seeking and saving the lost without anyone of us, but He is so gracious that He chose to use all of us to expand His Kingdom. Therefore, we want to thank the Lord for sending you to be our strategic partners to engage God s people in His mission within diverse communities. Many of you volunteered your time to serve with LINC Twin Cities by teaching English, proofreading our documents, mailing our newsletters and thank you cards, designed our website, etc You are our strategic partners that worked behind the scene and we are greatly appreciated for what you did for/with LINC Twin Cities. We also appreciated your financial giving. Many of you gave to LINC Twin Cities above and beyond your means. For example, there was a little boy sent in $28 from his birthday gift money to LINC Twin Cities. Another example was a teenage boy who stopped by LINC Twin Cities display booth at his local church to ask if he could give to LINC Twin Cities. After receiving an offering envelope, he gave $20. We give thanks to God for working through parents to teach their children to sacrificially give to the Lord s work at an early age. Not only have young people given to support the Lord s work, but as our staff visited, presented and preached at different churches throughout the year, members and congregations also gave to LINC Twin Cities. Whether your gift was small or large, we want to let you know that we appreciated your financial contribution. Once again, on behalf of LINC Twin Cities, I want to thank the Lord for your partnerships in the Gospel for your volunteer services, prayers and financial giving. We look forward for your continue partnership with LINC Twin Cities in May the Lord continue to richly bless you, and may His name be praised forever. Your partner in His mission, Rev. Fugnchatou Lo, Ph.D. Executive Director Words of thanks from the MNSD Lutheran Women Missionary League s President Margaret Hesemann Thank you so much for taking the time to show me around the city and it s mission opportunities. It truly is the complete apposite of my totally rural home. Thanks for the food too. It was good Kalia Lo Margaret Hesemann info@linctwincities.org or (651) Brenda William

13 Annual Fiscal Financial Report Annual Ministry Report LINC Income Sources July 1, 2014 June 30, LINC Expenses July 1, 2014 June 30, 13% $33,883 Total Income Amount: $268,758 1% 14% $1,849 $34,944 Total Expenses Amount: $254,520 32% $85,045 56% 149,830 Grants Individuals Congregations 86% $217,727 Projects/Comm. Personnel Training & Admin We thank the Lord for your partnership in the gospel! Appeal We thank you for responding to the Lord s invitation to partner with LINC Twin Cities through your prayers, services, wisdom and financial support. As we look forward to serve the Lord in 2016, we continue to need your partnership to carry out our mission: To engage God s people in His mission within diverse communities. Please prayerfully consider supporting the Lord s mission work through LINC Twin Cities with your financial gift above and beyond your current giving commitment to your local church. Please send your financial gift to: LINC Twin Cities 670 West Wheelock Pkwy, St. Paul, MN Thank you. God s blessings, info@linctwincities.org or (651) Dan Haupt, Treasurer

14 LINC Twin Cities Ministry Team Staff Members: Rev. Fungchatou Lo, Ph.D Executive Director Lynne Rustad Bookkeeper Sylvia Witt, Deaconess Youth Coordinator Kurtis Smith, DCO Director of Community Outreach Board Members Dr. Phillip Johnson President Girma Daka Vice-President Lisa Kunz Secretary Dan Haupt Treasurer Rev. Isaac William Chaplain Sue Hewitt Rev. Tom Park Dr. Cheryl Chatmann