The global Ablaze!® movement

The global Ablaze!® movement was conceived with the simple idea that each individual Christian is called by God to be a missionary in His service. Lutheran church bodies and organizations around the world have latched on to this idea and have united around the Ablaze! goal of sharing the Good News of Jesus with 100 million people by 2017—the 500th anniversary of the Reformation.

It began as a vision of LCMS World Mission and has been adopted and affirmed by the 2004 Synod convention. In order for this vision to be realized, though, it is up to each of us to share the Good News with people in our lives.

Ablaze! is not a program or a campaign. Each participant is challenged to pray about its own particular part of the mission endeavor. LCMS World Mission is asking the church to develop mission models that work and can be shared with others. Ablaze! is not an answer…it’s an invitation!

Evangelizing unreached and uncommitted peoples worldwide

Unevangelized people and people who have been baptized but have fallen away from faith, are called and gathered into new or existing congregations to be discipled and equipped to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ with others. Outreach in the United States is targeted among ethnic minorities, new immigrants, international students, military personnel, blind, deaf and other groups with special needs.

• LCMS World Mission will plant 5,000 new communities of faith—2,000 in North America, and 3,000 with international partners in Africa, Asia, Eurasia and Latin America.

Developing leaders

New Christians in North American ethnic and special needs groups as well as in foreign lands are nurtured and involved in evangelistic outreach through the service of trained and called local leaders who have been selected by the people they serve.

• LCMS World Mission will train 4,000 new ethnic and indigenous leaders.

Working through strategic alliances and partnerships

Relationships with national churches and other mission partners around the world are expanded and strengthened for the purpose of Gospel outreach. Currently we have official partner church relationships with 29 Lutheran church bodies throughout the world. We also work with mission societies and LCMS recognized service organizations.

• LCMS World Mission will send additional missionaries to build the capacity of LCMS partner churches and emerging national churches.

Providing guidance for mission strategy

Mission planning at all levels and in all activities is guided by a comprehensive strategy, which is shared with the entire Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod, including its congregations, districts, mission societies and service organizations, so that mission efforts are collaborative and focused and work is enhanced rather than duplicated.

• LCMS World Mission will seize opportunities to begin new work among people who have no access to the Gospel.

Developing resources, recruiting personnel, training and equipping to involve the whole church in mission

Adequate material resources are gathered and allocated to support God's global mission. Mission communication, education and involvement materials and strategies are offered for LCMS congregational, district, group and individual use to inform and involve all LCMS members in God's mission. Talented, dedicated people are recruited and called or appointed to serve in God's global mission. Those serving or preparing to serve in God's global mission, both volunteer and career missionaries, are equipped and trained for effective, ongoing cross-cultural mission and ministry.

• LCMS World Mission will work in collaborative partnerships with LCMS members, congregations, districts, auxiliaries and mission societies to involve the whole church in mission through the Seven Mission Responses—Go, Pray, Learn, Give, Tell, Send and Celebrate—gathering and deploying the resources God has given to His people to use in His service.
  

Other Resources & Documnets

Mission Multiplication Article by Joshua Lange - LCMS World Mission and partners around the world are striving toward the goal of a global Lutheran mission movement. Download

Theological Preface - The Theological Preface briefly explains the theological positions from which the Board for Mission Services makes its decisions about LCMS mission work worldwide. This official statement was adopted by the Board for Mission Services at its October 2000 meeting. Download

LCMS World Mission Convention and Annual Reports. Download

"A Theological Statement of Mission" - prepared by Synod's CTCR in 1991. Download