“They asked each other, ‘Were not our hearts burning within us while He talked with us on the road and opened the Scriptures to us?’” Luke 24:32
By now you’ve probably heard or seen the theme of the Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod’s vision. It’s called Ablaze.
Last year, approximately 25 of our members attended a local conference that coincided with this new vision. The “Our Hearts Ablaze” conference consisted of the sharing of ideas – many of which were brought back to Beautiful Savior for discussion and action. Some of the ideas were more than fitting for our congregation, while others were at least discussed. But while all of what we heard and received at the conference was not necessarily for every congregation, one objective was achieved. Numerous LCMS congregations had come together to share ideas with a common goal and vision. That vision? Sharing the saving Gospel of Jesus Christ with those around us and throughout the world before it is too late.
Though we come to realize that it’s not necessarily about numbers when it comes to true worship on Sunday mornings, our Lord has made it very clear that it is very much about numbers when it comes to the salvation of His created children. God “wants all men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth.” (1 Tim. 2:4) This is the very reason that a major part of the Ablaze vision is to reach 100 million people with the saving Gospel of Jesus by the year 2017.
What does this mean for us here at Beautiful Savior? Nothing new at all. In 1949, our congregation began with a small group of men and women who were nothing less than “mission-minded.” Essentially, this congregation became a mission outpost to a new and growing community. In fact, I once asked one of our members what we did to reach out to our neighbors in the earlier years of this congregation. “Whatever we needed to do.”
This is the attitude that encompasses Ablaze. Local congregations coming together to work for a common goal – the same goal of the Christian Church since being founded by Christ Himself. Our goal is to reach as many of the lost or uncommitted with the Gospel of Jesus Christ so that we will one day rejoice in eternity together. Our goal is to once again become a mission outpost to the community and the world.
Therefore, with this vision in mind, a seven week sermon series will take place here at Beautiful Savior. The first sermon will be given over the August 6 weekend, and the final and culminating sermon will take place on September 17th – the date of our Brat Fest. These sermons will focus on each of the Seven Mission
Reponses found in the LCMS World Mission’s goal “to ignite a movement that will change the culture of our Lutheran Church bodies to be one in which every member is fully engaged in personal mission involvement through the Seven Mission Responses: Learn, Pray, Give, Tell, Send, Go, and Celebrate.”
Clearly, the Lord has placed Beautiful Savior Lutheran Church in our neighborhood for a reason – the same reason He has placed us in this city, country, and world. As we focus on these mission responses and now seek to each become an active missionary to those around us (family, friends, neighbors, etc.), please plan on attending regularly during those seven weeks beginning the weekend of August 6. And pray! Pray that the Lord would set our hearts Ablaze. Pray also that He would lead us to understand the unique situation where He has placed us in this time and place so that we can actively and effectively be utilized by the Spirit to do the sowing of the Gospel and the harvesting of those whose hearts have been made ripe.
Ablaze! It’s not just an answer…it’s an invitation!
Saved to serve together,
Pastor Kurt
For more information about Ablaze, check out www.lcms.org/ablaze.