Oswald Hoffmann Institute for Christian Outreach

Cindi Jo Trahms wrote an academic paper based on the book “Hidden Worldviews: Eight Cultural Stories that Shape our Lives” by Steve Wilkens and Mark Sanford; this work gives an in-depth look into worldviews that shape how people look at the world. In this academic work, she discusses eight interesting looks at these worldviews, and how they apply to our lives. To read this exciting look at the world, click on the link below (PDF reader software required).

Hidden Worldviews

Troubles viewing? Click here to download the free Adobe Reader software for your computer: 

Adobe PDF Reader

Review of How God Became King by N.T. Wright
2011 publication of HarperCollins Publishers: New York, NY

When I read N.T. Wright’s book, I was reminded of a book by Christopher Wright (The Mission of God). In the latter, C. Wright had suggested that in interpreting Scripture we must emphasize the question, “What is it all about?” as a clue. In How God Became King, N.T. Wright does a similar thing with the New Testament gospels. His Preface already raises that issue, indicating that we need to ask of any writing, “What story was the author telling, and how did he or she go about it?”

[Read more...]

The following essay is from Missional Transformation: God’s Spirit at Work: Essays Celebrating the Outreach Ministry of Dr. Eugene Bunkowske, edited by Mark G. Press and Eugene W. Bunkowske. See below the essay for more information about this book. NOTE: Some minor editorial changes have been made from the published article in Missional Transformation.

By Rev. Dr. Robert Holst
Retired President, Concordia University St. Paul, MN

Robert Holst graduated from Concordia, St. Paul and Concordia Seminary, St. Louis before serving as a missionary in Papua New Guinea. Returning to the USA, he served the Lord at Concordia Senior College, Fort Wayne, Indiana; Concordia University Irvine and for twenty years as president of Concordia University, St. Paul, Minnesota. His lifelong mission partner is Lynne Holst and they have three children and six grandchildren.

John 4:1-42: A Paradigm for Mission?

Witness at a well? Testify while tired? Converse across a cultural divide? The purpose of this essay is to examine Jesus’ conversation with a Samaritan woman at a well (John 4:1-42) to lift up possible methodological insights for evangelism including cross-cultural witness. Searching the Scripture for truths of God’s gift of salvation in Jesus Christ remains a treasured practice, but how to identify and apply Biblical methodology in our time and for our culture requires prayer and care. Decades ago, missionary Roland Allen studied the methodology of the Apostle Paul and challenged contemporary missionaries with his book, Missionary Methods: St. Paul’s or Ours? Can Jesus’ actions at a well offer similar insights?

[Read more...]

By Phillip Johnson, M.A.

As a Lutheran growing up in the Midwest, I learned how religious pluralism focused on understanding other Christian denominations.  I was challenged to witness among neighbors by knowing and responding to the teachings of various church bodies.  To do this, I developed a solid understanding of God’s Word.  Even in the midst of disagreements with friends or neighbors, I was confident that the Bible formed a shared, authoritative foundation that guided our discussions.  Even those who were outside the Christian church were familiar with the basic teachings found in God’s Word and respected them, even if they did not believe.
[Read more...]

Hoffmann Institute’s annual Partners’ Appreciation Dinner will be held on Saturday, April 20, 2013. Doors will open at 5:30, and dinner will be served at 6. Theme will be “Changes are Ahead,” and Rev. Dr. Dean Nadasdy, president of the Minnesota South District of the Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod and avid supporter of mission and outreach, will be the keynote speaker.

Director of the Hoffmann Institute, Rev. Mark Press, will give a brief report on recent events and upcoming transformation in the Hoffmann Institute’s service and mission. In addition, participants will be able to hear which Concordia University students will receive outreach-related scholarships for the 2013-14 school year.

As has been our common practice, there will be no charge for the dinner, though participants will have the opportunity to support the Institute through a free-will offering. We also ask that you make advance reservations, so that we can plan appropriately for food and other arrangements. This can be done either [by clicking here] or by phoning 651-641-8701 and leaving a voicemail message (including any dietary special needs).

The spring 2013 Hoffmann Institute Newsletter (Volume 28, Number 1 [numbered incorrectly within the newsletter]) is now available here.

Inside this Issue

• “Changes at the Hoffmann Institute: Www.hoffmann-institute.org”
• “Let’s Talk Urban”

• “CMS—Tutoring Tibetan High School Students”

• “Changing Times at the Hoffmann Institute”
• “Partner’s Appreciation Dinner”
• “Giving Possibilities” by Dr. Mark Press
• “Changing Times in the Local Community”
• “Changing Times for Immigrants”
• “Evangelism As Story” by Rev. Dr. Eugene Bunkowske
• “Urban Plunge—Mayer Lutheran High School”

The Oswald Hoffmann Institute for Outreach is now registered as a participating organization in the Thrivent Choice Program.  This means that you can designate your Thrivent Choice Dollars to our organization.

Click on the image to the left to discover how to designate your choice dollars.  This designation will not effect any of your investments, for more information see the Thrivent Website on the left.

Our key outreach thought today is not exactly what is found in Genesis 5, but what is NOT found there. Read through this “graveyard chapter,” and you will find the refrain “so-and-so lived so-many years, AND THEN HE DIED.” Over and over the refrain is sounded, generation after generation, the death knell for sinners. Until you get to Enoch. For Enoch there is no “and then he died.” Instead, there are those powerful words, “Enoch walked with God; then he was no more, because God took him away.” Enoch went, at God’s call, to be with the Lord – without seeing death. Here is a powerful reminder that our Lord holds the keys of death in His hands. And it comes early enough in the biblical record to be a living reminder for hundreds of generations thereafter. (In fact, if Gen. 5 has a full record of the generations from Adam to Methuselah and Lamech, then Adam was still alive when Enoch’s grandson was alive. What a powerful proclamation of the power and presence of a God who promises life to His people!) We continue to hold out this promise to a generation that is awed by death. For God lives – and so do His people, whenever (and however) they depart this earth.