A Church Planting Network from the Confessional Lutheran Perspective
Here is Part 1 to the 50 hour survival challenge to support Stepping Stone Mission in Atlanta, Georgia.
In the first 25 hours, Isaac, Luke, Tim, and Jay have to make a crude shelter in the rain with no fire before night fall. Part 2 is coming soon…
Isaac Baroi presently works as a vicar at Living Faith Lutheran Church and Grace Lutheran in Midtown as he prepares for the pastoral ministry through Concordia Seminary St. Louis. He is studying through Concordia’s Ethnic Immigrant Institute of Theology. Under the Lord’s direction and provision, he will eventually start a Lutheran Church that will reach out primarily to refugee families in the Clarkston, Georgia area. Vicar Baroi is very grateful to all the dear saints of God who generously provided him with a wonderful, dependable vehicle for his work and ministry. Glory and thanks to God!
To give you an idea of the future of the ministry, these are the articles of belief for the new LCMS congregation. We thank Rev. Bruce Lieske for serving as the architect for the document.
BY-LAWS
IN GOD WE TRUST LUTHERAN CHURCH
ARTICLE I. PURPOSE
The single purpose of In God We Trust (hereafter, “IGWT”) is to win Muslims, Hindus, Sikhs, and other unbelievers as disciples of Jesus, as he said: “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations” (Matthew 28:19) and as exemplified in Revelation 7:9: “After this I looked and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and in front of the Lamb.”
This purpose will be accomplished by proclaiming the Gospel to the aforementioned people groups through printed, broadcast and personal word in the following ways:
ARTICLE II. DOCTRINAL STANDARDS
IGWT affirms that “all Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness” (2 Tim. 3:16). As a result of affirming these truths, IGWT also holds the following convictions:
ARTICLE III. MANNER OF OPERATION
We are committed to live the Scripture which exhorts us “always be prepared to make a defense to anyone who calls you to account for the hope that is in you, yet do it with gentleness and reverence” (1 Peter 3:15). therefore we affirm:
As a mission society of The Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod, we welcome and encourage all believers in Jesus to stand with us to proclaim the Gospel to these people groups.
These kids are not survival experts. Neither is their father. Or Uncle. But the Droege Boys are getting dropped! The Droege Boys consist of North Georgia and central Texas Droegemueller boys (shortened to Droege Boys) along with their Mississipi brother from another mother. And . . . they are getting dropped into the wilderness for a great cause with practically nothing.
The players in this survival challenge are:
The Droege Boys are getting dropped into a remote location in North Georgia where there will be zero access to food. Survival participants do not get to leave the allotted territory for rescue at any time. Even if they were to run across another human being, they cannot ask for help or receive any. If there is no water, tough! If there is no food, tough! There is no shelter of any kind that the Droege Boys will start with. If they want one, they will have to make one with the raw materials they find around them. They are completely and totally on their own in our good Lord’s rugged creation.
The camera crew will consist of 15 year old Jacob. This lucky fellow will have access to all the creature comforts of home. He will have a stocked cooler of ice cold Gatorade, delicious snacks, and a luxurious tent. He will be recording the DROEGE BOYS DROPPED! experience with a GO PRO camera. The conversations between him and his destitute relatives should prove interesting.
Our purpose is to raise support for Stepping Stone Mission which reaches out to the homeless in Atlanta with the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. Stepping Stone is a Recognized Service Organization in the Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod that gives care, support, and love to our brothers in need in the name of Christ. Imagine, these men know what it’s like to go without food, drink, a change of clothing or shelter as a course of regular life. We seek to draw attention this critical need and encourage God’s Church to meet the challenge with Jesus’ mercy and His life-giving gifts. The men in this ministry have the opportunity to participate in periodic retreats during the year where they grow in God’s Word, their understanding of God’s grace in Christ, and are trained in the foundational teachings of the Bible. Many men go on to be baptized and confirm their faith in our Triune God. As you can imagine, this ministry needs ongoing support because the men eventually find a job, housing, and move to a new location and church home. This is the reason for the DROEGE BOYS DROPPED! challenge! Below, Rev. Victor Belton baptizes two of our brothers in Christ at one of the Stepping Stone retreats.
This challenge intends to raise support for Stepping Stone and works this way. If you want to participate, there are 3 different pledges that we are suggesting. If you want to do something other than these suggestions, you are free in Christ to do so!
To do this, simply write a check out to Living Faith Lutheran Church with Stepping Stone Mission in the memo line and send it to:
Attn: Jay Wendland
Living Faith Lutheran Church
1171 Atlanta Hwy
Cumming, GA 30040
If you would like to make a pledge by credit card, email Jay Wendland at droegeboycreations@gmail.com. Arrangements are already set up and can be finalized within 24 hours. All donations are tax deductible and you can receive a statement by simply providing your email to Jay. We completely understand if you are not able to support the mission right now, but you can each help them by getting out this message far and wide by sharing or reposting!
The DROEGE BOYS DROPPED! event will take place July 22-24, but the results will not be made known until August 6, 2018. If the Droege Boys are unsuccessful, no one will be held to their pledge commitment. People will be free to do whatever they choose. Once the DROEGE BOYS DROPPED! video is put together, you will know the results! The results of the challenge will be on the Kairos Network website. To get updates and results directly, sign up to FOLLOW the Kairos Network at http://www.thekairosnetwork.org.
With great joy, we announce the installation of Vicar Jay Dass at Living Faith Lutheran Church in Cumming, Georgia (1171 Atlanta Hwy). Vicar Dass, along with his wife Julie, are missionaries to all people, but mostly to adherents of the religion of Islam. They both grew up as Christians in Pakistan, but now serve as dedicated servants of Christ in the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod. Along with Vicar Isaac Baroi, Vicar Dass is studying to be a Lutheran pastor through the Ethnic Immigrant Institute of Theology at Concordia Seminary, St. Louis. Pray for each of them, along with their marvelous wives and families, as each will eventually be called to serve Christ’s Flock as undershepherds of our Lord Jesus.
The installation will be this Sunday, July 1, at 10:15 AM at Living Faith. The Rev. Bruce Lieske will be preaching. In Preparation for this day, consider this writing of the Rev. Burnell Eckardt Jr. for Tuesday of Trinity IV:
Acts 28:5 “He (the Apostle Paul), however, shook off the creature into the fire and suffered him no harm.”
“Here on the island of Malta the barbarous people are kinder to Paul than his own people the Jews. Receiving him they receive Christ’s ambassador, and so they kindled a fire because of the cold and rainy conditions on the island, token of the heavenly fire of Pentecost kindled now in their midst against the cold of unbelief. So Paul lays wood on the fire, a token of the wooden cross which he preaches; and from the fire comes forth a serpent to attack him, a token of the devil who ceaselessly attacks this preacher. The witnesses were expecting him to succumb to the venom of this serpent, even as those who behold the suffering of the church and her preachers expect that they shall succumb to the evil one; but Paul shook off the beast into the fire, and suffered no harm. See, the viper, here called a beast, another name of the Foe, is shaken off into the fire, even as the Foe himself shall be consumed in the Judgment. For the faithful this means release from sin and the condemnation of death and hell…”
Every Day I will Bless Thee: Meditations for the Daily Office by Rev. Burnell Eckardt Jr.
A SPECIAL INVITATION FROM REV. GERHARD MICHAELDear saints of God,
Nearly ten years have elapsed since mission planting efforts in Dahlonega began. Under God’s blessing, the planting, watering, and cultivating have borne fruit, resulting in a church ready to be chartered as a congregation of the Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod. We invite you to join us for our Charter Service, Sunday, March 18 at 4 P.M. at 109 Tipton Drive, Dahlonega. The Rev. Tim Droegemueller, pastor at Living Faith Lutheran Church in Cumming, our mother church, will deliver the message; President Walton will lead the Rite of Chartering. Light refreshments will follow the service.Please extend this invitation to members of your congregation and also include in your intercessions that morning a petition that our efforts would continue to enjoy the Spirit’s guidance and blessing and continued growth. Thank you for your prayers and support. I hope to see a number of you March 18 at 4 P.M.Your fellow missionary in Christ,Gerhard C. Michael, Jr.Pastor, St. Peter Lutheran Church“Where the Word of life gathers, nurtures, and sends us forth to serve”P. O. Box 308, 109 Tipton Drive(my cell): 407-353-8420
This guy can’t wait to get to our next Kairos Network Mission Meeting! It will be May 5, 2018 at St. Mark Lutheran Church on Brockett Road in Tucker, Georgia. Pastor Hiruy Gebremichael will be hosting with the marvelous saints of St. Mark. The meeting will start at 9 AM and will run for two hours. There will be prayer, Bible Study, a sharpening in our confession of Christ, an explanation of present mission starts, and planning for future ones.
The Lord be with you and see you there!
Beloved saints of God,
We gather on October 29th, 2017 at 4 PM in Marietta, Georgia to rejoice that we are saved by grace through faith in Christ alone! The Service will be at Faith Lutheran in Marietta with food and beverages to follow. See the youtube video from Rev. Carl Schneider the and sign-up link below for more details.
To sign up: https://faithlc.360unite.com/reformation-500-celebration
We rejoice with our gracious and Triune God Who wants all people to be saved and come to a knowledge of the truth (1 Timothy 2:3-4)! Timothy Mark Faile has completed all requirements as a graduate of Concordia Theological Seminary in Fort Wayne and will be ordained at Living Faith Lutheran Church (1171 Atlanta Hwy) in Cumming, Georgia. Tim will be ordained and installed to be pastor and missionary to the Canterfield Villas in Forsyth County. Keep his faithful wife Amber and their six children in your prayers! Join us for this historic occassion as we gather around Christ’s Word and Gifts for joyful reception and acclamation of His great deeds! The Divine Service begins at 4 PM with a catered dinner to follow. Glory to God and salvation to man!
The VDMA Network 