LCMS Church Planting Manual

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LCMS Church Planting Manual - Witness, Mercy, Life Together - Mission fIeld: USA A Resource for Church Planting By Rev. Steven D. Schave Mission USA field - Witness, Mercy, Life Together - Mission FIeld: USA A Resource for Church Planting By Rev. Steven D. Schave Copyright © 2016 The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod 1333 S. Kirkwood Road St. Louis, MO 63122 888-THE LCMS • lcms.org Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the prior written permission of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod. Table of Contents from the author ......................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 7 Introduction ................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................. 8 Foreword .................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................. 9 A Theology of Witness, Mercy and Life Together in Missions ...................................................................................10 But What is Church?.................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................12 1. Witness: Possession of the Holy Word of God .................................................................................................................................................................13 Excursus: The Apostle Paul as Missionary Preacher ................................................................................................................................................14 Life Together: A "Hands-On" God in the Sacraments ............................................................................................................................................ 17 2. Life Together: The Holy Sacrament of Baptism ...........................................................................................................................................................18 3. Life Together: The Holy Sacrament of the Altar ..........................................................................................................................................................19 4. Life Together: The Ofce of the Keys Exercised Publicly ................................................................................................................................. 20 5. Life Together: Consecration or Calling Ministries .....................................................................................................................................................21 6. Witness and Life Together: Prayer, Public Praise and Thanksgiving to God ...............................................................................24 7. Witness and Life Together: The Holy Possession of the Sacred Cross .................................................................................................25 8. Mercy: The Christian Life of Loving Our Neighbor ................................................................................................................................................26 Conclusion........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 27 Church Planting ................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 28 Getting Started ...............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................29 Pre-planning for Churches Planting Churches ...........................................................................................................................................................................29 Life Together ..................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................30 Planning and Support ......................................................................................................................................................................................................................................31 Administration ........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................46 Worship ...........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................56 Fellowship ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................58 Mercy .........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................60 Community Development and Caring for the Marginalized ................................................................................................................................65 Understanding Your Community .......................................................................................................................................................................................................68 Serving Your Community .............................................................................................................................................................................................................................71 Pastoral Care in Times of Tragedy: An Introduction .................................................................................................................................................... 79 The Church as a Place of Care .................................................................................................................................................................................................................91 Witness ...............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................92 Outreach ........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................96 Training ........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................105 Vocation .......................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................105
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