Inner City Mission Retreat


My apologies for not keeping my schedule the past two weeks. My computer was in the shop and is back now. I hope to be able to resume posting articles on a weekly basis again this week. In the meantime, let me tell you about a retreat I went to sponsored by the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod (or maybe paid by one of the fraternal insurance agencies). This retreat reminded each of us of the "universal priesthood of all believers" as well as God's Word going out "to the ends of the earth."

On Friday, February 11, 2000, the Inner City Mission Board of the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod (WELS) hosted a retreat that lasted until noon on Saturday. Congregations from the inner cities of Milwaukee, WI, and Benton Harbor and Detroit, MI, were represented.

The purpose of this retreat is to let those ministering in the inner city know that they are not alone, that others are working in the Lord's vineyard with them. It also highlights to the rest of the Synod the mission work conducted among non-Germanic and non-Anglo-Saxon peoples of our nation.

That the WELS would have such a mission might be surprising to some. This is a synod that began work among the Apaches as its first foreign mission--and foreign missions at that time were defined as "any mission conducted among non-German speaking people!"

Not that we've "arrived." I would like to see future retreats called "Cross Cultural Ministry Retreats" and include those who conduct outreach among the Hmong, Hispanic peoples, and others.

And, ultimately, that cross-cultural ministry is the rule rather than the exception. Lutheranism and Christianity offer an amazing message of a God that did not forsake us, but "dwelt for awhile among us" and died on the cross to pay for our sins. The sad part of anyone being in hell is that they are there needlessly--their sins were paid for by Christ on the cross! It's like having your property seized because you didn't pay your bills, even though a "rich uncle" put a million dollars into your checking account.

While at the retreat, we sang from the news WELS songbook, Let All The People Praise You. Imagine spending a weekend with other Lutherans and having no Germanic or Scandinavian influences! To this I applaud the other Lutheran synods who have also introduced songbooks with a multi-cultural flavor!

To every nation, race, and tribe!

The copyright of the article Inner City Mission Retreat in Lutheranism is owned by John L. Hoh, Jr.. Permission to republish Inner City Mission Retreat in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.

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