Lutheran Men in Mission
In the 1990s, the ELCA helped establish Lutheran Men in Mission, a ministry dedicated to supporting and equipping men in their faith. Now an independent organization, Lutheran Men in Mission welcomes all who identify as men, regardless of denomination or previous faith background.
Read below for an interview with Lutheran Church of the Good Shepherd in Reno Member & Board President Vic Williams.
What is LMM?
LMM is Lutheran Men in Mission, one of the last remaining national ministries to men whose primary focus and mission is discipleship and evangelism. Our goal is to intentionally disciple men to become bold, daring followers of Jesus Christ. Find us online at https://www.lutheranmeninmission.org/
How does LMM support Lutheran men?
Our main ministries include Bold Gatherings (www.boldgathering.com), held two or three times a year and featuring speakers who share their faith messages in person and online; One Year to Live, a powerful lay-led weekend retreat that deepens mens’ relationships with God, their families, and each other; and Project XII (www.projecttwelve.net), an ongoing, multi-disclipline and multidenominational journey into the Gospel and emerging ministries such as our popular Lifelines Bible study sessions, all of which are available online for no charge.
We also offer weekly online book and Bible studies, are introducing new “2x4” mini-retreats for congregational men’s groups, hosting in-depth online Discipleship Training Programs in conjunction with Faith + Lead beginning this summer, and reach directly into congregations and synods by identifying and equipping men to take part in our growing Ambassador and Netcaster opportunities. Finally, we maintain constant and clear avenues of communication with men via our quarterly Foundations newsletter and Ambassador-Gram, weekly e-mail newsletters, and letters and notes to donors at every level.
How has LMM made a difference in your faith?
In the nearly 20 years that I have been involved in LMM, I have taken my faith journey in directions and to personal heights I could not conjure on my own, certainly not in the years my faith wavered before I became a practicing Lutheran by joining Lutheran Church of the Good Shepherd in Reno, Nevada. While the theology of grace carried an unexpected and powerful resonance for me in my own church setting, LMM helped me truly put my faith into action outside my church’s walls and for men in my immediate orbit and across the country, which in turn ignites in them a more active faith for their families, in friendship, and throughout the travails of life. I have made countless friends who I now count as brothers.
Being a fellow seeker and believer in the LMM universe of identifying, equipping, and mentoring has helped me to become a more fearlessly faithful father, husband, grandfather, and friend. I’ve embraced my creative spirit and talents as a loved child of God. And I’m constantly challenged in the best possible way, just as the original twelve disciples were challenged. There’s simply nothing more powerful than a supportive foundation of fellow guys who share a passion for Christ and want to bring more light into their own lives, and the lives of those they love.
LMM is a true life-saver – and life-giver.
I invite all men to join us in our journey, wherever they are in theirs.