Interested in sharpening your Gospel witness? Lutheran Hour Ministries' MISSION U features instructor-led, onsite workshops that will help make sharing your faith more comfortable and relaxed. Participants can choose from five workshop options; each is designed to add confidence and fresh perspective to make conversations about Jesus, faith and the Christian life more natural and in sync with the social milieu and spiritual needs of today's culture.
"MISSION U workshops present specific situations that might arise and then demonstrates how to recognize a witnessing opportunity. We then give attendees opportunities to practice turning a conversation toward Jesus in a natural way," said Susan Spitz-Morrison, outreach manager for evangelism training at LHM.
Here are the five MISSION U courses briefly described. You can go to www.lhm.org/missionu and find a course syllabus, as well as materials for promoting a future MISSION U workshop in your area.
MU-101 - Equipping to Share: Everyday Evangelism
Here attendees learn how to overcome fear and to effectively share their faith within three relationship models: brief encounters, close relationships, and in times of crisis.
MU-102 - Equipping to Share: Stories and Styles
Here attendees clarify and practice telling their faith story in ways that point to the Savior. They will also recognize multiple styles and contexts for sharing their faith and learn to apply them to everyday life.
MU-201 - Equipping to Share: Tough Questions
Here attendees learn how to identify, classify and get to the root of tough questions and objections to Christianity. They will practice giving sensitive and relevant answers that point to the Savior, using messages of "Law" and "Gospel," as appropriate.
MU-202/301 - Equipping to Share: A Culture of Outreach
Here attendees learn to assess their congregational environment and identify specific outreach opportunities that will connect it with its community. They will learn how to compassionately share Jesus Christ in today's pluralistic, anything-goes culture.
MU-203 - Equipping to Share: Social Media
Here attendees examine the role technology has played throughout history in providing avenues to proclaim Christ around the world. Ideally, they will be familiar with Facebook, as the workshop will collaboratively work on a Facebook page as a tool for outreach.
For details on MISSION U's onsite workshops and how you can schedule one in your area, send an e-mail to missionu@lhm.org or call C.C. Brown at 1-800-944-3450, ext. 4217. The current workshop price is $600, which is valid until April 30, 2016. Thereafter, the price will be $750 ($850 in Canada). You can go to www.lhm.org/missionu/enrollment.asp for easy enrollment. You can also find answers to your questions, read presenter bios, and check out MISSION U's monthly webinars by going to www.lhm.org/missionu/speakerseries.asp.