International Convention of the Int'l LLL Glorifies the Lord
At the recent international convention of the International Lutheran Laymen's League in Billings, Montana, IDE's Keith Schmidt, of Long Grove, was among the nearly 1,200 people in attendance. The 89th annual convention, entitled “Glorify the Lord” (Psalm 34:3), empowered attendees to use their time and talents to fulfill the Great Commission.
“This theme is appropriate since we are here in the midst of some of the most glorious country that God has created,” said Jack Kidwell, President of the Int'l LLL. “We are here to proclaim that Glory by lifting our praise to Him for all that He has done.”
Outreach Expo Inspired the Laity
In addition to the time provided for worship, fellowship, and Bible study, one of this year's highlights was an outreach expo offering laypeople the chance to learn about the volunteer activities available to them through the Int'l LLL/Lutheran Hour Ministries.
“I used to shy away from getting actively involved in anything labeled ‘outreach’ because I always considered that to be the pastor or church worker's job,” said LHM Executive Director Greg Lewis. “But the Lord has opened my eyes... sharing God's love and grace with someone who doesn't know Him is too big a job for just professional church workers. The laity must help in this battle to reach the lost.”
The outreach expo allowed attendees to attend sessions to learn about things such as Equipping to Share workshops for everyday evangelism, Global Work & Witness short-term volunteer mission trips, congregational outreach training, and much more.
“Lutheran Hour Ministries is People of Christ With A Message Of Hope and it is important that we are all involved in spreading that message of hope to as many people as possible,” said Kidwell. “We have placed a major emphasis on increasing our quantity and quality of volunteers in the coming years as part of our new strategic plan to partner with churches in outreach.”
Dr. Dale A. Meyer Addressed Convention Attendees
Dr. Dale A. Meyer, former long-time Speaker of The Lutheran Hour and host of On Main Street, served as the speaker during the fellowship luncheon. Meyer shared his love and admiration for the Int'l LLL and its supporters and pledged support to the Int'l LLL in his current role as president of Concordia Seminary in St. Louis.
“It is good to be with friends, good to see people who have a heart for the growth of the Church, and good to see the clergy and laypeople working together,” said Meyer. “But above all, it is good to see us fixing our eyes on our Lord Jesus Christ.”
Convention Celebrated 75 Years of Broadcast Excellence for The Lutheran Hour
Attendees had several chances to hear inspiring messages from the Rev. Dr. Ken Klaus, Speaker of The Lutheran Hour, the world’s longest-running Christian outreach radio program currently airing on more than 800 stations. Klaus spoke during one of the general sessions and delivered a motivating message during The Lutheran Hour Rally.
“As The Lutheran Hour begins the last quarter in 100 years of proclamation, what will tomorrow bring?” Klaus asked. “God has not given me the gift of prophecy, but you need not be a prophet to know that we will preach the Word because Christ has commanded it and because sinful souls need it.”
The Rally message will be presented again on a broadcast of The Lutheran Hour during September. Visit www.lutheranhour.org for more information about the date and time for this broadcast.
The convention wrapped up with a banquet celebrating the rich history of The Lutheran Hour. In addition to Klaus, attendees heard from Dr. Walter A. Maier II and Dr. Paul Maier, sons of the program's original Speaker, and several other people who shared their memories of the program and the reasons for its longstanding success.
The 2007 international convention will be held July 26-29 in Duluth, Minnesota. For more information about the Int'l LLL/Lutheran Hour Ministries, visit www.lhm.org or call 1-800-876-9880.
