Spiritually Vibrant Home Book Becomes Foundation for Church Programs

Based on research done in partnership with Barna Group, Lutheran Hour Ministries has created convenient resources to meet people right where they are, connect with Jesus, and spread hope and faith throughout their community. Our Households of Faith research has encouraged congregations to implement outreach activities that align with their Gospel-proclamation mission.

Mackenzie Christmas, director of Christian education at Immanuel Lutheran Church in Valparaiso, Indiana, created a three-week program for families focused on the three habits found in LHM’s The Spiritually Vibrant Home book.

“We called it ‘Family Faith Missions,’ and each week I released a new mission with a video on Facebook and a packet of materials for families to pick up after worship services to complete their mission,” says Christmas. “This was all spy-themed, with ‘Special Agent M’ (myself dressed in a trench coat) as the mascot.”

With the week one theme of “Pray Together,” families received seven prayer-prompt cards with the mission of praying out loud together each day. Week two focused on spiritual conversations, with families receiving a Vibrant Conversations Deck. Their mission was to have four spiritual conversations that week. The third week highlighted hospitality, where families received a door hanger, recipe, and a gift with the mission of inviting someone into their home to share a meal.

“This is not my first time ordering the Vibrant Conversation Decks,” says Christmas. “I also put them in our ‘Baptism Boxes,’ which are gifts for a newly baptized child and their parents. I also use them regularly in middle and high school youth group and at our high school girls’ coffee group that meets weekly at a Starbucks.”

Immanuel Lutheran Church in Oceanside, California, created a four-part sermon series this year based on Households of Faith. Pastor Michael Hansen came across the Households of Faith research through his interest in Barna Group. “I am always checking in on the latest research to make sure that our work reaches the most people in the most effective ways,” says Hansen. “I was delighted that LHM partnered with them to make a resource like Households of Faith.

“Our message of evangelism is a hyper-local model,” says Hansen. “We instruct and encourage our members to share the Gospel through their normal lives with the people already near them, like friends, family, neighbors, and co-workers.”

Hansen wrote the sermons from scratch, using The Spiritually Vibrant Home book and Households of Faith research findings. About 20 members bought The Spiritually Vibrant Home book to read along during the series.

“It was a joy to have this thorough, eye-opening, and practical knowledge to share with our members,” says Hansen. “I am looking forward to re-hashing this information on a regular basis, using this series as a foundation.”