Lutheran Men In Mission Runs 'The Race That Counts'

NORTH CHARLESTON, S.C. (ELCA) -- About 600 men came here
from across the United States and Caribbean to build
relationships among themselves and with Jesus Christ. Lutheran
Men in Mission (LMM), the men's ministry of the Evangelical
Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), hosted an inspirational
gathering July 22-24.
"Run the Race: Keep the Faith" was the theme for the
gathering's speakers, workshops, worship and fellowship. "Give
the 'rat race' a rest and run the race that counts," a
promotional LMM poster announced. "We are calling men, young and
old, to come together and to discover a fresh relationship with
God and with other men who are on the same journey."
The gathering program was built around the six marks of
discipleship that the Rev. Michael W. Foss, Prince of Peace
Lutheran Church, Burnsville, Minn., outlined in his book, "Power
Surge" -- daily prayer, weekly worship, Bible reading, service,
spiritual friendships and generous giving. Foss shared methods
of Bible study to answer the question: "How do you want to live?"
He prayed, "God, help us build lives worth living."
The Rev. Harvard W. Stephens Jr., dean of Siebert Chapel,
Carthage College, Kenosha, Wis., described several types of
prayer -- short, long, written, from the heart, praise and
lament. He said, "Prayer restores . renews . reminds . reveals,"
and good prayers can be recycled. Stephens said the power of
prayer is in the name of Jesus Christ, who intercedes for the
Christian praying.
Tommy Bowden, head football coach, Clemson University,
Clemson, S.C., encouraged the men to talk about their faith with
their families and friends. "My children need to know I'm
blessed by God. I need to tell them," he said. The life of
Jesus Christ was one of responsibility, accountability,
commitment, sacrifice and discipline -- all traits that Bowden
said he professes and expects of his football players.
Ned Jarrett, radio and television sports commentator and
retired NASCAR champion race car driver, told stories of his
faith life with the gathering. A lifelong Lutheran, "Gentleman
Ned" said his father "worked hard to build respect in the
community." So, he said, he's worked hard to make racing cars a
respectable career. Jarrett said God pulled him out of several
tough situations on and off the track.
The Rev. Roland D. Martinson, Carrie Olson Baalson Professor
of Children Youth and Family Ministry, Luther Seminary, St. Paul,
Minn., described research he is leading for LMM among young men,
in which interviews were conducted with 88 men between the ages
of 18 and 34. The key to engaging young men is through
relationships, he said, and LMM is doing many of the things the
interviews revealed about building those relationships.
The Rev. Mark S. Hanson, presiding bishop of the ELCA, met
with LMM's Young Men's Ministry Council. Later, when he
addressed the gathering, Hanson said the young men want to learn
from "the mature elders" about sustaining long marriages and
healthy careers. "The young men have much to teach us, too," he
said.
"You are helping this church to tell the story and to act
out the faith," the Rev. Leonard H. Bolick, bishop of the ELCA
North Carolina Synod, Salisbury, told the Lutheran men. "You are
literally reshaping the church, so that God's love may be known,"
he said.
The Rev. David A. Donges, bishop of the ELCA South Carolina
Synod, Columbia, preached during the gathering's closing worship
service. "As we run this 'human race,' we are conditioned to win
at all costs," he said. "This idea that we have to win at all
costs won't get it." Rather than getting caught up in pursuing
"rat race" goals, Donges said, "we are spiritual beings on a
human journey."
More than 200 Lutheran men helped members of the U.S. Navy
and five local Habitat for Humanity groups in a "blitz build" of
four sheds and the frame of a house July 23 outside the
convention center. Habitat for Humanity transported the house
frame and one of the sheds to Union Heights in North Charleston
where a mother, her sister and three children will be housed by
the end of the year.
Other workshops covered a variety of topics, including "The
Nuts and Bolts of Men's Ministry," "Discipling Young Men" and
"Better than the Brady Bunch: Creating and Sustaining Faith, Hope
and Love in a Blended Family."
The Rev. Charles E. Atkins Jr., Peter Mayer, Paul Todd, and
"The Forgiven" provided the gathering music. Atkins is a Baptist
minister, teacher, hip-hop recording artist and field director
for Jericho Prison Ministries, Mount Holly, N.J. Mayer, solo
artist and lead guitarist for Jimmy Buffett, is a member of
Trinity Lutheran Church, Nashville, Tenn. Todd, a musician from
Cape Coral, Fla., composed theme songs for the Make a Wish
Foundation, the Marine Corps Toys for Tots program and LMM. Ryan
Price said his group, The Forgiven, grew out from the praise band
at Mount Hermon Lutheran Church, West Columbia, S.C.
Thrivent Financial for Lutherans, a not-for-profit financial
services organization based in Minneapolis, provided funding for
the event, including $25,000 for the Habitat for Humanity
projects.
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The home page for Lutheran Men in Mission is at
http://www.ELCA.org/lmm/ on the ELCA Web site.

For information contact:
John Brooks, Director (773) 380-2958 or news@elca.org
http://www.elca.org/news