The Institute for Worship and Outreach is a group of WELS pastors who have brought together their experience and training in public worship and mission outreach to assist and encourage pastors as they work to reach out to the lost with the gospel of Jesus.
The build up to Easter is a busy time for outreach planning, but the work is worth the effort. Here is a summary of what one congregation is doing to proclaim the gospel at Easter.
An essay on our mission and ministry by Chuck Westra, chair of the WELS Board for Home Missions, presented to a Missionary Conference.
The liturgical year is a set pattern that also promotes useful flexibility in worship planning.
We may plan careful workflows for membership prospects, but God often moves things along faster than we expected. We do well to be ready for God’s movement when it comes.
An invitation to dialogue about the process of cultivating new worship visitors in a congregation.
This paper was presented by Rev. Caleb Bassett, recently appointed as chairman of the Technology Committee of the WELS Hymnal Project. The paper presents vision and principles for the tasteful and functional use of technology to enhance the new WELS hymnal.
This paper was presented by Rev. Michael Schultz, recently called to the the Project Director of the WELS Hymnal Project, to communicate his vision and plans for the next WELS hymnal.
Christmas and Easter are natural opportunities for outreach, but don’t overlook the opportunity to schedule an opportunity for worship and outreach in the autumn.
Thoughtful details about how you go about your outreach ministry can make a big difference in how visitors perceive the ministry of your congregation. Diligent care reflects the love of Christ to the unchurched.
This paper was presented by Prof. John Brenner to the 2012 meeting of the Institute for Worship and Outreach.
This paper was presented by Rev. Earle Treptow to the 2012 meeting of the Institute for Worship and Outreach.
This paper was presented by Prof. James Tiefel to the 2012 meeting of the Institute for Worship and Outreach.
It’s tempting to take it easy after the busy time of Lent and Easter, but the days following the Festival of the Resurrection of Our Lord are vital days of evangelism effort.
Training members of the congregation to be leaders in the church’s work of evangelism is an effective way to multiply God’s blessings in the body of Christ.
Solid planning and preparation in the week before Holy Week will likely make your worship and outreach efforts at Easter go more smoothly.
Worship will be most relevant to the congregation when the congregation is continually trained to understand and therefore appreciate the rich Scripture content that permeates the liturgy.
The Easter Vigil is a unique opportunity to emphasize the life-changing power of the gospel.
A pastor’s personal guilt is perhaps the most common enemy to his best efforts at worship and outreach. Resolving guilt in the grace of Jesus is vital for all whom the same Jesus has called to ministry.
A few simple changes to your midweek worship plans for Lent could open numerous doors to family-friendly worship and outreach.
Persistence and perseverance lead to the good fruit God wants to give through faithful ministry.
