Evangelism Day – “United in Mission”
Based on Matthew 18:18-20
Wednesday, November 6, 2024
MLC Evangelism Day is dedicated to equipping MLC students to share the gospel of Jesus Christ, both in their personal lives and when they serve in the public ministry.
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8:30–9:20 |
Opening Worship Guest preacher: Rev Julius Buelow, Mt Olive Lutheran Church, Lincoln, NE |
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9:30–10:20 |
Electives: All |
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10:30-11:20 |
Electives: All |
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11:30-12:20 |
Lunch: Juniors and Seniors OR Electives: Freshmen and Sophomores |
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12:30–1:20 |
Lunch: Freshmen and Sophomores OR Electives: Juniors and Seniors |
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1:30–2:20 |
Keynote: All – Developing a Harvest Strategy – Rev. Jon Schroeder Pastor at Faith Lutheran Church, Sharpsburg, GA and Board for World Missions, Chairman |
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2:30–3:30 |
Keynote Deep Dive or Social Hour for Students and Presenters in the Cafeteria |
2024 Evangelism Day Electives
1. 30 Days, 30 Ways to Just Start Sharing Jesus – Julius Buelow
Sometimes the hardest part of evangelism is the very start. “How do I meet someone new? How do I start that conversation without it being awkward?” Pastor Buelow got tired of his fear and excuses getting in the way of reaching out with the gospel. So he set up a simple challenge for himself: Give one new person his business card every day for a month. In other words–just start! So he started that, and God started teaching him *a lot.* Attend this presentation to see how one person, and maybe you someday, can just start–but watch out: the funny thing about starting something is that once you start, sometimes it’s hard to stop.
2. Home Means _________ – Joel Heckendorf
If you had to choose where you would get called someday, where would you pick? Why did you pick that location? What if you get called to a place that is nowhere near what you thought? No matter where you are called, the Lord has some amazing blessings in store for you. Join us in the discussion as we consider the blessings of adapting to our new homes, no matter where that home is.
3. Starting from zero. Literally nothing. No pastors. No teachers. No schools. No congregations. No core groups. No synod… What would you do? – Andrew and Cindy Johnston
How does starting from zero look? Someone without Seminary training planting and leading? Women serving in key leadership roles? Leading while training? Whose in charge of this thing? What does fellowship look like? Who guarantees pure doctrine? Discussions of these questions and more in this presentation (plus a little bit about Academia Cristo). Sign up before it’s too late. Space is limited.
4. Using Early Childhood Ministries to Reach the Whole Family – Shawna Mehlberg
Early Childhood Ministries are incredible programs through which we can share the Gospel not only with young children but with their entire family as well. Our early childhood ministries are wonderfully positioned to connect us with children’s parents and families and give us countless opportunities for outreach.
5. Being Offensively Lutheran (without giving offense) – Joel Seifert
God doesn’t just tell us to witness to those who want to hear about him. He also sends us to those who hate him and hate everything they know about Christianity. In this session, we’ll consider a few important encouragements for sharing our faith with those who are opposed to it and discuss some helping approaches.
6. Repackage. Revitalize. Reach. | Retooling existing ministries for outreach – Paul Spaude
Existing ministries have untapped outreach potential. Repackaged as outreach tools, they revitalize members and reach the unchurched. Hear how one church repackaged Sunday School, VBS, Catechism, and Sunday morning Bible study with an evangelism focus.
7. TRANSFORMED: Equipping Youth Leaders – Jon Enter
More than two-thirds of young adults who attended church regularly in high school will completely stop attending church after high school graduation. How sad! How spiritually dangerous! One of the greatest mission fields we have for the Church is in the church, in our pews…for now. The strategies we have used over the years to keep youth connected to the Sacraments and their Savior have not been fruitful for nearly 70% of young adults. Let”s give God something new to bless by examining how we can refocus our ministries to be less lecture or program-based and to, Lord willing, transform youth in their relationship with Christ by the power of the gospel.
8. Average people, amazing God – Aaron Wakeman
Stories from the mission field can sometimes feel out of reach. “Too amazing, too far away.” Would it surprise you to learn that these stories come from really average people like you and me?
Join Aaron Wakeman (Executive Director of Friends Network) to hear evangelism and outreach stories from around the world and from our own backyard. We’ll spend time discussing each story and applying them to our own lives. Most of all, we’ll praise the God who works through it all.
9. Not Just Creation versus Evolution: The broader context of scientific apologetics – Kerry Kuehn
Both Christians and non-Christians can get animated when the topic of creation and evolution arises. This makes sense, for how we think about our origin has a significant impact on how we orient ourselves in our world. Nonetheless, the issue of creation versus evolution is not the only important topic at the intersection of science and faith. In this class, we will discuss a few historical and contemporary issues in faith and science with the goal of achieving a broader and more refined approach to scientific apologetics.
10. Secret Lives of Lutheran Guys – Tyler Peil & Mike Paulsen
These guys live in a city of about 1.5 million people, and almost half of those people are Mormon. The Lutheran Church and School they serve is about 100 feet away from a Mormon church, and there are 13 more Mormon churches within 3 miles. This presentation is a behind-the-scenes look at how principals and pastors work closely together in a thriving ministry in the mission field of Salt Lake City, Utah.
11. Outside Looking In: Witnessing to Unbelievers – Jill McKinley
Jill will share her journey of becoming a Christian and discuss her experiences with evangelism, both before and after her conversion. She will also talk about her approach to evangelism, offering additional insights into sharing the message of Christ’s love in a meaningful way. She will provide a unique perspective on how to reach people with a personalized message of salvation. Jill also invites listeners to explore her podcast for more insights! Links to both programs are provided here.
https://thebibleinsmallsteps.com/
https://smallstepswithgod.com/
12. Church Planting – Where do you begin? – Craig Wilke
When you plant a church, there are a lot of things to organize and accomplish, so where do you begin? One of the first places to begin is finding ways to connect. In this presentation, we will explore together the various ways to connect with a community and we will assess the potential benefits and potential downsides of each method.
13. Wonderfully Made and Fully Known: The Intersection of Faith and LGBTQ Matters – Greg Lyon
This presentation will look at various doctrines related to LGBTQ conversations as well as offer an introduction to the work of the WELS Committee on Identity, Gender, and Sexuality.
14. Walking Alongside at a Distance – Guy Marquardt
Nowhere is the practice of Christian fellowship more vital than in places that are hostile to the gospel. But how do you walk alongside fellow believers when you can’t physically be with them? Missionary Guy Marquardt discusses how the WELS Asia One Team seeks to overcome obstacles in order to walk together with our partners throughout the region.
15. Unapologetic: Equipping the Next Generation to Defend the Faith – Valerie Locklair Thur
Is apologetics too complex a topic for middle schoolers, or is it a vital concept to this critical stage in development? The big questions about life (what is truth? Who am I? What am I doing here?) don’t wait until high school or college, giving us a unique opportunity to encourage and equip students to contend for the Christian faith. Is apologetics just one more subject we need to squeeze into an already overfilled schedule, or is it a mindset of approaching all areas of life in light of the Gospel? In this presentation, we will investigate the what, why, and how of teaching apologetics to the next generation using the CPR framework. In Christ, even the youngest are called to defend the faith in light of the cross, and it is part of our vocation to educate, encourage, and equip them for the very real questions they face today… and will face tomorrow.
