a Life Giving Journey

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a Life Giving Journey!

• Northwest District
• of the Lutheran Church Missouri Synod

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Tracking Process

• Mission\Purpose
• Gifts
• Vision
• Ministry

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Mission

• The unique, overall purpose of God and his
  people

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Gods Mission

• Eph 19 God did what he had purposed, and made
  known to us the secret plan he had already
  decided to complete by means of Christ.
• Eph 110 This plan, which God will complete when
  the time is right, is to bring all creation
  together, everything in heaven and on earth, with
  Christ as head.
• Eph 111 All things are done according to God's
  plan and decision and God chose us to be his own
  people in union with Christ because of his own
  purpose, based on what he had decided from the
  very beginning.

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Christs Mission

• The Son of Man came to seek and to save the
  lost."
• Luke 1910

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Holy Spirits Mission

• But when the Holy Spirit comes upon you, you
  will be filled with power, and you will be
  witnesses for me in Jerusalem, in all of Judea
  and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth."
• Act 18

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• We witness by planting
• In soil that has been prepared by
• the Holy Spirit
• What is the Soil?
• Hearts and minds of people
• How are we planting?
• We are empowered by the Holy Spirit to be
  witnesses to reach others with the truth of the
  Gospel

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Seeds Lives Touched with

• the love of Christ
• the Gospel of Salvation

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Seeds are supported by

• Prayer for the unknowing
• Desire to seize opportunities prepared
  by the Holy Spirit
• Willingness to be a conduit for the Holy
  Spirits working

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Planters every Disciple

• empowered by the Holy Spirit to be witnesses to
  reach others with the
• truth of the Gospel

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What is a Disciple?

• A learner, sometimes applied to the followers
  of John the Baptist (Mat_914), and of the
  Pharisees (Mat_2216), but principally to the
  followers of Christ.
• A Disciple of Christ is one who
• Believes His doctrine
• understands His sacrifice
• lives in His Spirit, and
• imitates His examples.

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A Disciple also

• Models Jesus as they disciple others
• Models Paul and Banarbus and the examples in the
  book of Acts as an effective outreach process

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by doing what Jesus told us to do

• Mat 2819 Go, then, to all peoples everywhere
  and make them my disciples baptize them in the
  name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit,
  
• Mat 2820 and teach them to obey everything I
  have commanded you. And I will be with you
  always, to the end of the age."

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A disciple plants by employing

• Spiritual Gifts
• Rom 125 In the same way, though we are many, we
  are one body in union with Christ, and we are all
  joined to each other as different parts of one
  body.

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by preparing the soil

• Building Relationships
• Joh 1334 And now I give you a new commandment
  love one another. As I have loved you, so you
  must love one another.
• Joh 1335 If you have love for one another, then
  everyone will know that you are my disciples."

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by plowing new ground

• Individually
• In groups
• Large
• Small

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by helping

• Unite one disciple with another
• Form a church (where 2 or 3 gather)
• Take care of the church
• Form a congregation of churches
• New disciples make new disciples
• Who share the Gospel to all and help make new
  disciples who share.

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How can we measurethe work of the Holy Spirit?
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We can measure through

• Number of times people have been reached with the
  Gospel
• How many lost people have been baptized
• How many have joined churches (2 or 3)
• How many churches have formed congregations
• How many new disciples are being taught by other
  disciples

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The nursery in the Northwest District
sharing the Gospel in natural, relational ways.
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Tracking the Spirit is following and joining Him
as He leads people to a saving relationship with
Jesus Christ.

• And it is our privilege to follow what the Holy
  Spirit is doing through you, His disciples.
• So, in celebration and encouragement we share the
  following storiesSOME of many.

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Generations in WorshipWilsonville, Oregon
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• Sponsoring congregations
• Our Redeemer, Tigard
• St. Paul, Sherwood
• Good Shepherd, Portland
• Living Savior, Tualatin
• Trinity, Oregon City
• Began 2003
• First outreach event VBS
• Worship attendance 15-20
• Seed Planter Lynn Woodley
• Lead nursery worker Cooperative of Pastors

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New Spanish ChurchDual ministry at Hope,
Woodburn, Oregon
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• Sponsoring congregations
• Hope, Woodburn
• Began March 2003
• attendance of 5
• Second Anniversary celebration
• March 24, 2005
• Worship attendance now 45-50

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• Seed Planters and Nursery Workers
• Pastor Bruce Zagel (now in other District)
• Hope Lutheran congregation
• Lay workers Miguel Luna and wife, Marta
• Note Miguel was the Northwest District
  Representative at the Synods First Annual Latino
  Convention in 2003.
• He is also a LAP student with hopes of
  certification Spring of 2005.
• NEWEST JOY Soon to be announced Bilingual
  worker to join this ministry volunteer with
  history with this group. (as of July/August 2005)

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Holy CrossPortland, Oregon
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• LOTS of Tracking going on!
• Dual Congregation
• Vietnamese congregation continues to grow
• New Youth Began 2005 combined from both
  congregations
• Good Shepherd Home
• Just recently several Holy Cross members are
  bringing residents of Good Shepherd Homes to
  services.

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• Tracking the Spirit Outreach Groups
• Pastors and Facilitators
• Pastor Erhart and Anita Bauer
• Pastor Butch Olsen
• Pastor Van Con Phan
• First Group Holy Cross Trackers
• 14 Anglo and Vietnamese participants
• Plan is to begin other Tracking outreach groups
  from these participants
• 24 Trackers commissioned March 2005

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Two commissioning services held this photo is
of the morning service
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• Other Holy Cross Tracking Groups
• Community of Christ the Servant
• Meets at Cherrywood Village Retirement Center
• About 30-40 attendees regularly
• Members formed a choir that sings and shares
  with those in the assisted care unit as
  intentional outreach.
• Encore Village TTS fellowship
• 40 to 60 regular attendees at least half with no
  church affiliation includes spouses, children,
  caregivers.

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Valley of PeaceHailey, Idaho
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• Less than
• 4 years ago
• 12 regular
• worshippers
• As of
• May 2005
• 60-70 regular worshippers
• Summer attendance 80-90 (includes Camp Perkins)
• Church seats 80 over 100 attend at Easter

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• Other Tracking the Spirit Outreach
• Drug and Alcohol Abuse Recovery Program begun
• Seekers service planned for late summer 2004
• 9 small groups reached 90 people 20-30 of
• the participants were from outside the church
• Seed Planters and Nursery Workers
• Pastor Manfred and Jutta Berndt
• Licensed Deacon George Brandon and VOP members

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Hispanic/Latino Ministries Southern Idaho
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• Sponsors
• Hope, Jackpot Nevada (part of NOW District)
• NOW District, area churches and others
• Seed Planters Nursery Workers
• Tamara Tapia, bi-lingual worker

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• Outreach includes this and more
• Spanglish classes to assist with communication
• (combination of Spanish and English languages)
• Held at local churches and in community
• Over 70 attended first classes
• Outreach in planning stages
• ESL Classes
• Spanish Services

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Seeds planted in S. Idaho (lives touched)

• Estimated more than 1,000 since 2003 many
  through the Cross Country Ministry VBS events
• NOT including 1,000s of seeds planted through an
  Internet seekers group that meets daily now
  guided by other disciples begun by Tamara
• and what about the opportunities through the
  Internet? Well

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Nearly two-thirds of American adult Internet
users approximately 82 million have used the
internet for faith-related matters including

• 38 of the 128 million Internet users have sent
  and received e-mail with spiritual content
• 35 sent or received online religious holiday
  cards
• 32 have read on-line news of religious events
• 21 have sought information about how to
  celebrate religious holidays
• 17 have sought information about where they
  could attend religious services
• Statistics from a new survey by Pew Internet in
  the American Life

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The SCLSSharing Christ with Lost Souls
Corporationformed February 2004 Hope, Idaho
Falls Saint John, Idaho Falls Crown of Life,
Rigby Zion, Ashton

• Nearly 50 participants
• in first training
• Four church Coalition
• 82 commissioned Trackers
• Shares (lives touched)
• as of June 2005
• 490 one on one relationships

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Vietnamese Plants

• Fellowships and congregations now at
• Redeemer, Salem OR
• Holy Cross, Portland OR
• Tri-Cities, WA
• Spokane, WA
• Tacoma, WA (small plot of seeds)
• Boise, ID (encouragement and support)

Growth in the past four years has more than
TRIPLED!
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Tracking the Spirit on Wheels

• As demonstrated in other areas of the District,
  we believed that extended on site involvement via
  a motor home would address a number of issues
  including but not limited to
• Response time to needs and requests
• Flexibility in ministry and missions
• Good Stewardship reduce expenses
• Ability to spend dedicated time in areas

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• God confirmed this through
• 15,000 from Synod through Ablaze
• As support and encouragement for
• this innovative way to double or triple
  congregational field involvement.
• 60,000 from Mercer Island Congregation and
  continuing support.
• Unexpected contribution for
• maintenance, fuel, etc.
• (These contributors were not attending
• church but now are)

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Sharing Jesus Without Fear Workshops Pastor
Denny Lorenz

• More than 50 workshops held to date.
• Many scheduled in 2005
• 5000 participants
• Additional sessions held at churches through
  their own leaders and small groups
• I pray that you will be active in sharing your
  faith
• so that you will have a good understanding of
• every good thing we have in Christ Jesus
• Philemon 6

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Districts Original Goal

• Plant 33 churches and mentors
• Form 396 interest groups (fellowship
  communities) and,
• Count 4,750 new believers in Christ by end of
  2004.

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It is not about numbers but about hearts, yet
numbers help to track and celebrate how God is
working.To date we are privileged to count

• over 500 interest groups (leading to sharing)
• 50 NEW fellowship communities (Discipleship)

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As of April 28, 2005

• 53,657 people have been reached with the Gospel
  message that have/will build opportunities for
  them to respond to Christs
• love for them. (up 33,442 since May 2004)
• What does this mean?
• People are sharing the love of Christ with those
  who need to know him -
• Included in these numbers whole families being
  baptized increase in adult baptisms
• Increase in home based, outreach Bible Studies
  and discussion groups

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And what about schools?

• Northwest District Schools have 11,500 students
• Early Childhood
• Elementary
• High School
• University
• 3,500 have no church home
• Average 7 extended family members 28,000
  opportunities to share!
• Keep the stories about schools coming!

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Share your stories

• So that we may join you in praying for you and
  the seeds you are sowing
• So that others will be encouraged
• So that the body will be built up in love
• Become a Tracking the Spirit Partner / Prayer
  Partner
• www.nowlcms.org
• or contact Susan Olson, Expanding Ministries
• 1-888-693-5267 or in Portland Metro area
  503-288-8383
• ext 120 or susano_at_nowlcms.org
• Currently over NOW District 500 Prayer Partners
• goal 20,000 by 2017

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God is building His church

• Similar to Paul's experiences, the numbers are
  increasing faster than we know.
• People throughout the district are Tracking the
  Spirit into relationships that, through the
  Spirit's power, are changing lives for eternity.
  Remember these are only a few of the stories
• Stay tunedthe numbers are going up!
• To Him be ALL the glory!