I’d like to highlight another resource today: the Lutheran Heritage Foundation. Have you heard about them? They do tremendous things for ministry work around the world and have been a big influence on my life.
When I had just graduated from college (at a public state school, mind you), I picked a city and moved there. Well, technically my sister and I picked a city to which we both moved so we could be roommates and face the world together for a while.
Now I had solid experiences as a temp, so I was confident I could find some office work. Thankfully I found work even more quickly than I expected! At the first church we attended, I met a lovely woman named Kathy who knew that Good News was hiring. Yep, Kathy, as in the wife of the founder/editor/mastermind, etc. 🙂
Actually, I suppose this could be a post touting how amazing Good News is, as well as it being a fabulous Lutheran resource for missionaries and ministry around the world! Surely you’ve seen it at your congregations. If not, scan the list of languages it is translated into and call 1-800-778-1132 for a sample or subscription! Beautiful artwork paired with topical biblical themes!
Anyway, I may have worked for Good News, but my boss expanded his time into working with the Lutheran Heritage Foundation, too. I got to meet several staff members and first learned about their tremendous work, bringing Luther’s Small Catechism and other Lutheran books into countries without such instruction in native languages.
Ladies and gentlemen, I worked for Good News six kids and a master’s degree ago. ha ha, but Good News and the Lutheran Heritage Foundation have remained busy! Here is a list of their current publications. Amazing! Look at all those languages!
To summarize for you, staff members approach Christians in a country to see what publications would help them to spread the Gospel and God’s Word. Commonly, those staff members are able to go through Luther’s Small Catechism with them, as well as A Child’s Garden of Bible Stories. Many churches—Lutheran or not—praise God for the clarity and teachings of the Small Catechism! They often want the Book of Concord next!
Other organizations focus on translating Scripture, but I can’t help but think LHF is brilliant to develop these supplements so that God’s Word is read and understood and brought into the daily lives of so many people!
LHF books are free of charge. FREE OF CHARGE! Know any local immigrants? Get to know them and offer them Christian literature in their own languages! Here are some of their most recent publications.
Of course, also support LHF in their international work: a lot of work it must be! Cultivating relationships, navigating all the different national laws, finding appropriate translators, etc, and then teaching how these books can be used so that they don’t sit on a shelf gathering dust!
A fantastic organization on a tremendously beautiful mission. 🙂 Perfect for Sunday school or VBS offerings or any sort of mission offering.
They also have mission projects you can support, mission speakers, a DVD spotlighting work in Cambodia and East Africa, a VBS program called “River of Life,” a free resource for LWML, project lists and tips and advice for getting involved in mission work. 🙂 All nicely listed on their Resource page.
Here is Jesus Never Fails: An Autobiography and History of the Lutheran Heritage Foundation by Rev. Robert Rahn, available free online. Fascinating stuff!
Now I need to make sure I have all this stuff listed on my resource pages! 🙂