What’s the point, anyway?
We have spent almost two months offering various perspectives on mission and service, but at the end of the day…What’s the point? I love Chicago, an... Read more.
Rethinking “Welcome”
“A radically welcoming community seeks to welcome the voices, presence and power of all people — especially those who have been defined as The Other... Read more.
Preparation, Action, Reflection and Celebration = Transformation!
Trinity Lutheran College is continuing its study on what makes service projects and mission trips transformational. It’s all part of the SALLT (Service... Read more.
Open your eyes to the community around you
By Eric Elton, Mission Outreach Director at Prince of Peace Church in Burnsville, MN Ah yes … the mission trip. As many of us know, on these trips, God ... Read more.
Reflections on a Mission Trip
By Pastor Nancy Lee Gauche It has been a rich dialogue on mission over the past month. As I reflect on this trip, I will bracket some key practices that shape m... Read more.
Love God, Help Others, Jesus Loves You, repeat
By Julie Hagen I am 29 weeks into my Church School calendar (only 4 more weeks but who is counting) and have a rotation of the above themes over and over ... Read more.
Resources on Reclaiming the Servant’s Heart for Mission
Want to dig deeper in the First Third conversation on mission? Webinar: Inculturating the Gospel; Dr. Colleen Windham Hughes A webinar from the Practice ... Read more.
As We Rethink Evangelism…
“Many church members today recognize that evangelism is vitally necessary for the church to have a future amidst widespread decline. At the same time, few... Read more.
Turn off your cell phones and commit to this space
by Colleen Windham-Hughes, Assistant Professor Assistant Professor in Religion; Director, Theology and Christian Leadership Program; Associate Director, Ce... Read more.
Mr. Rogers and Mission
By Derek Tronsgard Earlier this week the city of Boston was rocked by bombs and tragedy. And ever since Monday, the 24-hour news cycle, the internet, TV, ... Read more.
Pain is Pain
by Andy Sahl There’s an often-repeated (and actually true) story at the church I serve about a meeting our mission and outreach team once had with local leade... Read more.
People possibilities
By Dr. Nancy Going, Director of the CYF Distributed Learning Program at Luther Seminary What happens on Mission Trips? Yes, kids get exposed to parts of ... Read more.
The Day that Showed Us Not to Doubt
by Brook Hickle I love my small town. Tucked against the foothills of the Cascade Mountain range in western Washington, Enumclaw is a great place to live – le... Read more.
Do we have eyes to see?
By Dr. Terri Martinson Elton, Director of the Center for First Third Ministry at Luther Seminary Yes, I’ll serve…but where am I needed? And what is needed? ... Read more.
I am on a Mission
By Paul Bertelson I am on a mission. My mission is to change the world. Kind of grandiose, I know. I tend to like to think big. So, how exciting it is to have b... Read more.
Space for the Spirit
By Dr. Nancy Going, Director of the CYF Distributed Learning Program at Luther Seminary I had this amazing ministry experience that I still miss. For ten ... Read more.
Planting the seeds
By Julie Hagen I recently taught the Parable of the Fig Tree to my Sunday school children. I always struggle with this lesson. I don’t like that w... Read more.
The Allure of Normal
by Erik C. Leafblad What’s Normal? The group from a rural, farming community in Midwestern America descended the steps of their pristine church bus with palpa... Read more.
Why serve?
By Dr. Terri Martinson Elton, Director of the Center for First Third Ministry at Luther Seminary Today we leave the celebratory experience of Palm Sunday and he... Read more.
What a Psychologist would say happens to young people on a mission trip
By Andy Sahl “It’s like my first world problems really are first world problems.” I could hardly believe the words came out of her mouth as we sat i... Read more.
Resources on Reclaiming the Servant’s Heart for Mission
Want to dig deeper in the First Third conversation on mission? Here are three articles on mission experiences for different audiences: Terence D. Linhart, “Pl... Read more.