ELCA Board Accepts New Plan for Evangelism, Christian Education

CHICAGO (ELCA) -- Reaching unchurched people and deepening the faith lives of Christians is part of the mission for the Christian education and evangelism ministry team of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA). The board of the ELCA Division for Congregational Ministries (DCM) heard more about the team's mission and multi-year plan, "Developing a Vision for the Turn of the Millennium," at its meeting here Oct. 15-17.
The plan describes the work of the Christian education and evangelism ministry staff in DCM. The board affirmed and commended the plan for implementation in 1999-2001, and encouraged flexibility to "meet emerging needs."
"The spirit is moving in the church, lifting up important practices of evangelism," said the Rev. M. Wyvetta Bullock, executive director, Division for Congregational Ministries. "We're working in the church to help bring this plan alive."
A goal of the plan is to develop resources for the ELCA's 65 synods and 11,000 congregations in the areas of Christian education and evangelism. The plan also seeks to "equip and strengthen" education and evangelism in congregations through leadership training and network support.
"The plan highlights faith practices from a Lutheran perspective to help members of the church live out their faith," said the Rev. David Poling-Goldenne, ELCA director for discipleship ministries, DCM.
The work of the team is based on the idea that within each congregation are two distinct but intersecting spheres of activity: evangelism and education.
The evangelism or "outreach" sphere includes all the ministries of the congregation related to hospitality and invitational evangelism, discipleship ministries -- inviting "believers, seekers, inquirers and skeptics into a deeper relationship with Christ" -- intentional neighborhood outreach and communication evangelism, said the Rev. Marta Poling-Goldenne, ELCA director for witness, evangelism and Christian education, DCM.
The second sphere, Christian education or discipleship ministry, features the way in which congregations intentionally invite people to establish and affirm baptismal identity -- teaching the content of language of faith through Sunday school, Bible study and other learning opportunities, said David Poling-Goldenne. Other features include nurturing faith in community and "discipling ministries" -- living out faith within the context of home, business, neighborhood, recreational and volunteer activities, he said.
Leadership training events for 1999 include the ELCA Domestic Mission Conference, "At the Name of Jesus: Congregations for the 21st Century," Nov. 19-21. The conference will focus on innovative ways for evangelism, outreach, Christian education and discipleship among ELCA congregations. The ELCA Divisions for Congregational Ministries, and Outreach are sponsors of the 1999 conference.
"Bridging the Gap: Reaching Post-Modern Generations," at the Milwaukee Hilton, and "Sembrando la Semilla del Evangelio en Nuestra Juventud y Ninez," at Hotel Hyatt Regency, Milwaukee, will follow "At the Name of Jesus," Nov. 21-23.
The "1999-2000 Evangelism Packet: Sharing Faith 2" was mailed to ELCA congregations earlier this year. The packet includes "Real Hope for Real Life," a campaign to invite unchurched "friends and neighbors" to an ELCA congregation during the Lent and Easter church seasons, and an ecumenical evangelism tool kit, a catalogue of evangelism resources from the ELCA and six other Protestant denominations.
Along with the evangelism packet, the "1999-2000 Christian Education Packet" was mailed to congregations. The Christian Education Packet features, "A Child Shall Lead Them," a guide for congregations planning a "Rally Day," and "101 Faith Place: Entry Points for Nurturing Faith in the Home," a quick reference guide for parents looking for ways to nurture faith in their home and family life.
In 2000 and 2001, the team will invite members of the ELCA to embark on a period of "discipleship and faith development." The invitation -- "Call to Discipleship" -- is part of a major emphasis to "Teach the Faith," one of seven ELCA "Initiatives to Prepare for a New Century." The Initiatives represent significant areas of ministry for the church in next century.
In a separate action, the DCM board asked staff of the division to work with other ELCA units and divisions to prepare "a comprehensive report on activities of the past decade in response to the 'Evangelism Strategy: A Telling Witness of God's Good News,'" which was established by the ELCA's 1991 Churchwide Assembly. The board asked to see an interim report next spring and a final report next fall.