A stark reality exists in the world today: nearly two-thirds of the seven billion people on this planet are not followers of Christ. The Lord has placed Lutheran Hour Ministries in a unique position to respond. As a trusted expert in mass media proclamation with a global network of partners, Lutheran Hour Ministries carries out its mission of Bringing Christ to the Nations—and the Nations to the Church by developing culturally relevant programs and projects that proclaim the Gospel to the unchurched.
As a ministry that shares the Gospel with 51 million people each week, Lutheran Hour Ministries' leadership in mission was recognized with the J2e3 Outreach Award during the first-ever J2e3 Missions Summit at Concordia Lutheran Church in San Antonio, Texas, May 4-6. Kurt Buchholz, president & CEO of Lutheran Hour Ministries, accepted the award on behalf of LHM staff.
"It is an honor for us to be chosen by our peers as the inaugural recipient of this award for our leadership in mission that exemplifies the summit's passion of sharing 'Jesus to Everyone, Everywhere, Every Day,'" says Buchholz. "In a society that is moving steadily away from Christianity, it is more important than ever for Lutheran Hour Ministries to be present with a clear Gospel proclamation as a first step in reaching nonbelievers with the love of Christ."
Concordia Lutheran Church hosted this event as a way to share best practices of missional efforts that effectively reach the lost. The J2e3 Missions Summit was meant to celebrate the best work done in missions by followers of Jesus locally and globally; network with like-minded people for the sake of encouraging and sharpening current work and initiating new strategic work; resource attendees by sharing best practices for the purpose of multiplying missional efforts that effectively reach the lost; and inspire all participants to be Jesus to everyone, everywhere, every day.
Future summits are scheduled at partner congregations Hales Corner Lutheran Church in Hales Corner, Wisconsin (June 13-15, 2016) and Redeemer Lutheran Church in Ft. Collins, Colorado (2017) before returning to Concordia San Antonio (2018).