This Is What It’s All About!

Sunday, January 8, 2006, the excitement ran high on the morning of the first service of the newest ELS mission, Redeeming Grace Lutheran, Rogers, Minnesota. An hour before people started arriving the phone rang with word that my mother had been called home to heaven. 

First thoughts: “What a blessing, mom’s suffering from three years with Alzheimer’s and from a severe stroke on Christmas Day was over, and for her now with her Savior, there were no tears past the heavenly gate! But what sorrow—yet not without sure hope—for us still here in this vale of tears! This hurts!”

Next thoughts: “Today, of all days...but what a day, at such a time as this, to share the comfort and certainty in Jesus in the Gospel that I need, that we God’s people need, that all people need, even those we are trying to reach in this community...This is what it’s all about!” And the Lord gave strength, and joy, and peace, and zeal, in rich measure and the 73 souls gathered were blessed.

Our confession states that, “Thus Christ comprises the sum of the Gospel when He says, in the last chapter of Luke, vs. 47, “...and repentance and remission of sins will be preached in his name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem” (Apology of the Augsburg Confession, XII). That not only explains what happened that first morning through Redeeming Grace Lutheran, that explains why we plan and do whatever we do through our mission. It may be a project that trains for “friendship evangelism,” so that our core members can extend the Lord’s invitation to their FRAN network (Friends-Relatives-Associates-Neighbors), or it may be an effort in “stranger evangelism,” through which we seek to build bridges with the un-churched of the community with whom we do not already have a tie, both in order that we can herald Christ crucified and risen from the dead and that repentance and remission of sins is preached. That’s what it’s all about.

Prior to such equipping the saints for such works of service much time was spent in preparation. I was commissioned as missionary to Rogers as part of a regular Sunday morning service—albeit with a “mission” emphasis—at King of Grace Lutheran Church in Golden Valley, Minnesota. No special meal was served. No waiting congregation existed. No welcome from smiling members—just a sending.

Then, on day one, what do you do? Prepare with Word and prayer, that’s the best place to start. Check out the community. Gather names of ELS/WELS people in the area, and, with their pastors’ knowledge, tell them about the new effort. Find a place for worship and study—we call it a Ministry Center. We found a great location with about 1900 square feet in a professional building, in a highly trafficked strip mall, about a mile from a land site the Mission Board was interested in purchasing. With the rented unit secured we needed the local government officials to issue a “conditional use permit.” This required our attendance at a number of township meetings and hearings.

With that permit finally in hand, we proceeded to remodel the former mortgage brokerage office into a worship, education, and fellowship facility. Members of King of Grace helped tear down three walls, patch with drywall, re-conform the lighting and suspended ceiling, paint, and re-carpet the unit. When finished we had a very functional and worshipful home, with an entrance for a “narthex,” a “great room” for worship and fellowship, and three other rooms that serve as office, teaching and work space—all used in some way to proclaim repentance and remission of sins. That’s what it’s all about.

We chose our name “Redeeming Grace,” based on the passage, “In Him, we have redemption through [Jesus’] blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace” (Ephesians 1:7). After that we developed brochures. We also started advertising in the two local newspapers that serve the outreach area. Then the projects started:

October: A table was set out by the Ministry Center, with candy for the children, sign up forms for a “Christmas Kids,” and registration for a drawing for a drawing for free children’s Bibles as part of the strip mall’s “Family Fall Festival.” And the Lord granted us our first list of contacts.

December: “Christmas for Kids,” a one day VBS all about Christmas brought a dozen children for lessons on the Baby Jesus and for crafts, snacks, and singing. Some names from the first list came, more were added.

January: Regular Services and Sunday School/Bible Study began. Outfitted with worship items and furniture, teaching supplies, and even a copy machine from Risen Savior Lutheran Church of the WELS in Woodbury, Minnesota, we finally had a well appointed and equipped chapel and Ministry Center! One dear lady even donated the chairs and tables that were needed!

February: A “Couples’ Night Out” (another VBS type gathering), and a “Pre-Marital Counseling Seminar” for couples intending to marry added more people to our Gospel outreach lists, brought a one couple through the whole pre-marital counseling course and to Adult Information Class, and brought an infant to the baptismal font!

April: “Easter for Kids” (another VBS type gathering). Outreach lists grow into nurture lists. Items received from Light of Life Lutheran Church, ELS, further supplied us and enhanced our gospel-capabilities.

June: “Rockin’ Rogers Days” parade float. A flatbed was decorated like a waterfall that led to a Baptismal font. Water bottles with special labels inviting to July and August events, candy for the kids, and brochures about our mission and message were distributed during the parade.

July: An open-air concert with the Divers present from Bethany to be held in the strip mall parking lot turned into “Family Fun” as the professionals and merchants of the strip mall joined in by providing treats, games, and door prizes for kids and families. With special gifts from Cross Stitch, and special Mission Board funds, Redeeming Grace took the lead on the an this afternoon and evening of activities, fun and concert. We also took in registrations for VBS and gathered food items for a local food shelf. An estimated 500-600 people came for the activities.

August: Evening children’s VBS and spiritual growth lectures for adults are conducted at a rented middle school.

The Future: Lord willing, build on the church site, start a school!

All these efforts, evangelism or pre-evangelism in nature, are conducted to be able to finally declare “repentance and remission of sins.” And that’s what it’s all about!

Numbers aren’t what all this is about; people are, when they are connected with the Gospel by the Spirit through the Means of Grace is. The Lord has told us to “go!” As we go into all the world at His bidding, growth as He sees it and provides will follow. We thank our gracious God for granting us the privilege of carrying on this proclamation of “repentance and remission of sins.” We also thank our brothers and sisters in the synod for the physical and prayerful support so important to our mission.

David Russow serves as an ELS home missionary through Redeeming Grace Lutheran, Rogers, Minnesota.