Category: Reaching Out

First Lutheran Church invites you to join us for a FREE “Dinner and a Movie” Night on Friday, January 31, 2025, in the church’s Fellowship Hall. A meal of hot dogs and the fixins’, salad, chips, and sodas will be served beginning at 6 p.m., with the movie, “Secondhand Lions” to start at 6:30 p.m.

“Secondhand Lions” was filmed in 2003, and stars Michael Caine, Robert Duvall, Kyra Sedgwick, and Haley Joel Osment. Movie critic Gene Shalit of the ”Today Show” called the film, “One of the year’s Happiest Movies,” and CNN touted the film as “A movie the whole family can enjoy.” A shy adolescent boy, Walter, is abandoned by his greedy mother to spend the summer with his two crazy uncles who live on a farm and are rumored to possess a great fortune. The farm is the last place Walter wants to be, and, at first, the two old men, set in their ways, find Walter’s presence a nuisance. Walter is shocked by the men’s unconventional behavior, including ordering an African lion through the mail, and then Walter soon gets caught up in the uncles’ mysterious past. The rumors that his uncles were bank robbers or maybe even worse are hard to believe, but the men do seem to have an endless supply of cash!! The uncles eventually warm up to Walter and regale him with tales of their past. In return, Walter helps reawaken their youthful spirit. Little by little, an amazing story comes to life, filled with adventures in exotic lands involving kidnapped princesses, Arabian sheiks and lost treasure. These tales not only bring Walter closer to his uncles but also teach him what it means to believe in something.

Of course, there will be popcorn for all and there will be a brief time for discussion at the conclusion of the movie! If questions, please call the church office at 501-372-1023. We hope you and your family will join us on 1/31/25 for this inspiring, fun, and FREE evening!!

You are about to receive a call that will change your life. A good patriotic American, you support our country, you excel at what you do, and you have always liked adventure.

One day your phone rings, and it is the President of the United States.  He tells you that he has heard a lot about you, and is calling to offer a position to you. You feel deeply honored, and can’t wait to hear what he has to say. He explains that the position is to be an ambassador in a country in on another continent, far from America.

The president continues:

• I want you to go in and establish a presence in this nation; develop relationships, and be a witness to these people about our nation, our way of life, and what we value most about life.
• They have a different culture and worship many gods. So I want you to be on guard against it, and do not embrace it as your own (don’t go native).
• We have a window of time before their government turns against us totally, so I am sending you in to do important work.  
• This is a dangerous mission and your life may be in danger, but I will support you all the way.

This might be the most important call of your life. So what do you think? Would you take this call and accept this assignment?

Not a Call, But a Calling

Ring ring. You are now receiving another call, but it is not on your phone or from the President of the United States. It is a call from the sovereign, living God of the universe, calling you to serve as an Ambassador of Christ from the Kingdom of God to the U.S. and to the world.

The position description is similar to the one above, except you will be representing the King of Kings and Lord of Lords, not merely the President of the United States. And you will not merely be seeking to establish good will; you will be  sharing a life-saving message – the love and truth of Christ – with lost souls who do not know the Lord.

The Holy Spirit explains that although there is danger in this position, He has your back and will be with you all the way, guiding you, protecting you, and opening doors for you to do His work.

So what do you think – WILL YOU TAKE THE CALL and accept this assignment? If you do, it will be the most important thing you will ever do in your life, and you will never be the same.

“We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making His appeal through us.  We implore you on Christ’s behalf: be reconciled to God.”               
II Corinthians 5:20    

To God be the glory,
Board of Evangelism

Why are you trying to impress and curry favor with people of the world, with non-believers? Why do you care what they think of you? Of course you will receive flak. They attacked Christ and His disciples, so why should they not attack us as well? But don’t worry – He has our backs, and He will never leave us nor forsake us. They are defeated and we are victorious. We are on the winning side.

We are not here by chance, but for such a time as this (Esther 4:13-14). We are called, equipped, and sent forth into battle – spiritual battle, to reach the lost with His Truth, Love, and Compassion. We need to start the day on our knees before God, praying and feasting on His Word. Then we are to put on our spiritual armor (Ephesians 6), and go forth to reach those He brings across our path. When we surrender to Christ and seek His guidance, we will see the Holy Spirit work through us, bearing much spiritual fruit and even miracles.

We will only experience His Joy – the joy of the Lord, when we discern His will for our lives and carry it out with gladness in our hearts. So we need to stand strong, be bold, and be courageous. We are to be the man or woman He has called us to be, and speak His Word and His Truth with love and compassion.

He brings people into our lives for a reason and a season. We are to discern the reason (from the Holy Spirit), but typically we will not know the length of the season, for things are happening fast in the world, and we are not guaranteed tomorrow.

Time is short, and He is leading us on a great spiritual adventure. It is truly exciting, it is the most important thing we have ever done in our lives, and we will never be the same.

It is time for us to buckle up, go forth, and enjoy the ride. And then He will bring us home. God loves us more than we can imagine, and He can’t wait to welcome us home through the gates of heaven.

So let us go out with GODFIDENCE, walking and speaking as if God sent us, because He has!

To God be the glory

Do you know your life purpose and calling? The apostle Paul speaks about this in his letter to the church at Ephesus:

“I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you to walk
worthy of the calling with which you were called, with all
lowliness and gentleness, with longsuffering, bearing with one another in love, endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.”

Ephesians 4:1-3

One of the most important things we can do is to help people identify our Lord’s calling upon their life. We can do this by asking them great questions.

This is continuing the series on how great questions can spark deeper conversations, because they are windows into the soul. The key is to know that any question should be followed by listening – really listening, and responding accordingly. We may only use a few of these questions in one setting, but they should be helpful as we seek to converse and witness to others. And always remember – we may just be planting spiritual seeds, but everyone has a story and
needs the Lord.

Great Questions
Do you know the Lord’s calling on your life – the unique and special purpose for which you were created? (We are not here by chance, but for such a time as this.)

Are you fulfilling His calling upon your life? If not, what is holding you back? SO WHAT?

Is it burdens you are carrying that you haven’t given over to the Lord? Is it unconfessed sin or an unwillingness to forgive another?

What are you holding on to from your past that you need to let go of so you can be spiritually clean and free to live life in the Spirit?

What is the most important message you would give to young people today?

How do you perceive other people? As possible friends? Lost souls? Potential brothers or sisters in the Lord?

What else would you like to say?

How can I help you? How can I pray for you?

The New Testament describes many instances in which the Holy Spirit directly intervened in the lives of the apostles, and promises that the Holy Spirit will teach, convict, comfort, and direct His people. Has anyone ever asked you “How is the Lord working in your life?” Have you ever asked this of anyone else? If they did, how do you think they would respond?

This is continuing the series on how great questions can spark deeper conversations, because they are windows into the soul. The key is to know that any question should be followed by listening – really listening – and responding accordingly. We may only use a few of these questions in one setting, but they should be helpful as we seek to converse and witness to others. And always remember – we may just be planting spiritual seeds, but everyone has a story and
needs the Lord.

Great Questions
Have you ever seen the hand of the Lord in your life or sensed His presence? When was it, and what was it like?

How is the Lord working in your life? What is He teaching you?

Do you realize that, as a Christian, the Holy Spirit dwells within you, and seeks a personal relationship with you?

How does that make you feel?

Do you believe we can discern the still, small voice of the Holy Spirit and be nurtured, convicted, taught, and guided by Him each day?

Do you look for the divine appointments God has for you each day?

Do you understand why God, who is a God of love, allows pain and suffering?

Which do you think is most likely to draw people to the Lord: worldly success or great trials and tribulation?

Has anyone ever asked you “What do you think about God?” Have you ever asked this of anyone else? If they did, how do you think they would respond? This is continuing the series on how great questions can spark deeper conversations, because they are windows into the soul. “How Are You?” is a non-threatening way to start a conversation. “Who Are You?” goes deeper into one’s identity, and “What were the defining moments in your life?” asks about profound, watershed moments in your life. This question asks directly: “What do you think about God?”

The key is to know that any question should be followed by listening – really listening –  and responding accordingly. We may only use a few of these questions in one setting, but they should be helpful as we seek to converse and witness to others.   And always remember – we may just be planting spiritual seeds, but everyone has a story and needs the Lord.

Great Questions

When you die and pass through the veil of death into eternity, what do you think you will see and experience?  Does that make you afraid? Intrigued?  Excited?

If you visited heaven, what do you think you would find?

If you visited hell, what do you think you would find?

What do you think about God? Is He your friend?

What do you think He wants from you?

What do you want from Him?

How do you see Jesus?  What do you think it would have been like to be around Him when He walked on the earth?

Why do you think Jesus died on the cross?

Would you die on the cross for a family member? A friend? A stranger?

Do you spend time with the Lord in His Word and prayer every day?

Do you realize that reading the Bible is a divine encounter with the sovereign, living God of the universe?

Do you realize that worship in the body of Christ is also a divine encounter with God?

Do you pray daily? Constantly? What do you think that means to pray constantly?

Why do you think the Word of God says it is a narrow gate and difficult path which leads to eternal life in heaven and there are few that find it?

How can we stay on the narrow path?

Has anyone ever asked you “What were the defining moments of your life?” If they did, how would you respond? This is continuing the series on how great questions can spark deeper conversations, because they are windows into the soul. The first article dealt with “How Are You?”, which is a non-threatening way to start a conversation. The next article asked “Who Are You?”, which goes deeper into one’s identity. And this one asks for more specifics regarding profound, watershed moments in your life: “What were the defining moments in your life?”

The key is to know that any question should be followed by listening – really listening –  and responding accordingly. We may only use a few of these questions in one setting, but they should be helpful as we seek to converse and witness to others.   And always remember – we may just be planting spiritual seeds, but everyone has a story and needs the Lord.

Great Questions

Have there been DEFINING MOMENTS – turning points in your life when you gained some new insight or experienced a radical change that changed the direction of your life? What were they?

Who has had the greatest positive impact on your life?

Do you realize that you can have or are having that kind of impact on other people? Who in particular? Who COULD you have that kind of impact on?

Do you have close friends you can call when your life is falling apart?

Do you have a small group of friends that you meet with on a regular basis to talk about life and death and God?

Has anyone ever asked you “Who are you?” Have you ever asked someone “Who are you?” This is continuing the series on how great questions can spark deeper conversations, because they are windows into the soul. The first article dealt with “How Are You?”, which is a very friendly, non-threatening way to start a conversation. This article asks “Who Are You?”

The key is to know that any question should be followed by listening – really listening –  and responding accordingly. We may only use a few of these questions in one setting, but they should be helpful as we seek to converse and witness to others.   And always remember – we may just be planting spiritual seeds, but everyone has a story and needs the Lord.

Great Questions

Who are you and how did you end up here?

Everyone has a story. What is YOUR story? You can then tell them your story, and HIS (Jesus’s) story.

Is there a song, book, movie, or work of art that describes your life?

What would you wear to a costume party?

What story about yourself or your life experience DO YOU TELL THE MOST TO OTHERS?

What story about yourself or your life experience WOULD YOU LIKE TO TELL TO OTHERS?

Do you wear a mask in daily life? If so, what is it?

What happens when you take off the mask? How does it affect your relationship with others?

What social pressures or expectations from others make you uncomfortable?

What really makes you come alive?

One of the greatest challenges for Christians is how to converse with other people about God. How can we take “nice” conversations to a deeper level that touches the other person’s soul, as well as our own, and provide an opportunity to share the love and truth of Christ with them? Realizing that a true conversation is an interchange between two or more people, this series will explore how go deeper by posing  questions. But any question should be followed by listening – really listening –  and responding accordingly. We may only use a few of these questions in one setting, but they should helpful as we seek to converse and witness to others.   And always remember – everyone has a story and needs the Lord.

How Are You?

How are you? Are you happy? Sad? Frustrated?

What is happening in your life?

What brings joy into your life?

Who or what has broken your heart? Is your heart still broken, or is it on the mend?

What is the cry in your soul at this time?

What are your aspirations – your dreams for the future?

What are you excited about?

Are you afraid of anything? If so, what?

What are you doing that nurtures your soul?

What are you most thankful for?

Would you mind if I prayed for you? How can I pray for you?