| Church of the Lutheran Brethren

Three Keys to Ministry to Service Members

Posted by: Tim Mathiesen

While serving as a Navy chaplain for seven years, I learned three things that I could apply in counseling with any person in any situation. These are also things you can do to help military service members and veterans in your community.

1. Listen. If you're privileged to gain an opportunity to listen to a soldier (Army), airman (Air Force), marine (Marines), sailor (Navy) or Coast Guardsman, take the time to do it. You may not understand everything he or she talks about. You probably won't be able to relate to their experiences, unless you've "been there" yourself. That's okay. A listening ear will go a long way. Probably over half the counseling sessions I had as a Navy chaplain were with someone who simply wanted to vent. To get something off their chest. To share a burden or struggle or pain. To have someone hear them out. Listen.

2. Pray. At the conclusion of nearly every counseling session I would ask if I might offer a prayer on their behalf. No one ever refused, although one sailor onboard the aircraft carrier USS Constellation said sarcastically, "Okay, if it will make you feel better." I smiled and said, "It always does." And I prayed for him.

I would often "pray the gospel" over someone. After lifting up their concerns to God, I would thank God for sending his Son, Jesus, to die on the cross for our sins. I thanked God for his forgiveness and the hope of eternal life found through faith in Jesus Christ.

If you're not comfortable praying aloud with someone, you can still invite them to join you in silent prayer. It's powerful stuff. I wonder how many of the men and women I prayed with had never been personally prayed for before.

3. Recognize the person. If you're in the military, rank can be a distraction (or even an intimidation). If you're a civilian, seeing a uniform might distract you from the person wearing it. Remember that you're listening to a person, not just a soldier or veteran. Military life and experiences can be dehumanizing at times. Connecting in a real, personal way (through listening and prayer) is very important because it helps the person to feel grounded.

Finally, I would often share a scripture verse or two. Here are three of my favorites.

"Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you" (1 Peter 5:7).

"Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus" (Philippians 4:6-7).

[Jesus says,] "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest" (Matthew 11:28).

Randy Mortenson serves as pastor of Ebenezer LBC, Mayville, ND.

Article from Faith & Fellowship Magazine's Re:Think column

Thank You. We're Almost There.

Posted by: Tim Mathiesen

With only a couple days left in our fiscal year (ending April 30th), we are over 82% to our goal. As of last Friday, we had received a total of $1,886,306 in contributions. We know that there is more coming in this week and we are extremely grateful for those who have responded financially over the last 12 months. Thank you for prayerfully considering how God has called you to give to the ministry of the Church of the Lutheran Brethren. It is wonderful to see a family of churches supporting each other in a common mission!

as of April 23, 2010
contribution report April 23 2010

Building a Vision. Together.

Posted by: Tim Mathiesen

With only a week left in our fiscal year (ending April 30th), we are 80% to our goal. Please prayerfully consider how God is calling you to give to the ministry of the Church of the Lutheran Brethren (CLB).

cont-April-half

The incredible thing about our vision as a Church is that we get to build it together! The mission of the Church of the Lutheran Brethren lies in your congregation. The question for the Synododical ministries is, how can we assist you in your mission? What can we do to support your ministry in reaching your neighbors? How can we help your church educate your lay leaders theologically? How can we supply you with the tools that you need to teach your children and engage your teens? We want to know and we desire to be part of your ministry. The wonderful fact is that God is in control. And this is ultimately God's Mission! We are his family, a family of churches, and we desire to be faithful to his calling. We have been called. How is he calling you?

Thank you for the contributions that have come in so far. We appreciate your support and invite you to build our vision with us. We are on the "Same Mission. Together."

All I have is Yours

Posted by: Tim Mathiesen

With less than a month left in our fiscal year (ending April 30th), we are only 73% to our goal. Last year at this time we had received 86% of our goal. Please prayerfully consider how God is calling you to give to the ministry of the Church of the Lutheran Brethren (CLB).

contribution report 73%

Imagine this: Some strangers walk up to your car, open the doors and get in. When you run over and ask what they’re doing, one of them says, “The Lord needs it.” What do you feel? Think? Say?

I was recently struck by the story of the donkey that Jesus rode into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday. Jesus said to some of His followers, “Go to the village ahead of you, and at once you will find a donkey tied there, with her colt by her. Untie them and bring them to me. If anyone says anything to you, tell him that the Lord needs them, and he will send them right away” (Matt 21:2-3 NIV).

Actually, the Scriptures don’t focus on the donkey, they focus on her owners. Matthew, Mark and Luke record the owners as asking what Jesus’ disciples are doing when they start untying the donkey. When they hear that the Lord needs it, they let them take it.

The question I ask myself, or should I say the Holy Spirit asks me, is what would I do if someone started backing my car out of the driveway saying “The Lord needs it”?

I might wonder; If the Lord can take away my car without me offering it to Him, does He have a right to my salary check, house or life? Shouldn’t He at least tell me what He is going to do? Am I supposed to simply trust Him, no questions asked?

I am moved by the actions of the owners who released their donkey. They didn’t know if they would see it again. But they experienced the truth of Jesus’ statement that anyone who gives something to the Lord receives much more in return.

Think of what the owners felt when they joined the celebration, welcoming Jesus into Jerusalem, and noticed that He was riding in on their donkey!

They gave him their donkey because the Lord needed it. Now He was entering Jerusalem to give them what they needed. A gift that was, and is, infinitely greater; His holy and precious blood.

I pray, Lord Jesus, I need You to create in me a deep understanding that all I have is Yours.

Forgive me for clinging to things when congregations must cut staff salaries, missionary candidates are told ‘We don’t have funds, maybe you can go next year,’ and the Seminary is forced to raise student tuitions.

Give me a willing heart that reflects Your giving of Yourself because we sinners needed You to atone for our sins and make us children of God.

Thank you for going all the way to the cross, our Savior King.

- President Joel Egge

Same Mission. Together.

Posted by: Tim Mathiesen

We would like to thank those who have given their time, talents and money to their congregations and the CLB this past year. God is working in amazing ways through our congregations and missionaries. It is a wonderful privilege and incredibly exciting for each of us to be part of something so much bigger than ourselves. God welcomes us into His Mission with open arms, and we are called to be faithful in our own lives proportionate to our responsibility within the larger body of Christ. We, as a family of churches, are on the same mission, together.

as of March 31, 2010
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"We see God stirring in our church a fresh passion to reach beyond our own comfort to all people among whom God places us. We embrace God's mission to bring the life changing Gospel to unreached people in Asia and Africa, and we sense God convicting us to more intentionally reach out to people who live in our midst in North America as well."
CLB Vision Statement