CrossTies

 
Volume 3, No. 2      

February 4, 2003
IS ANYONE OUT THERE? We've been asking ourselves who is using our website and how often is it accessed. We have some interesting statistics to share from www.web-stat.com. This group monitors our site 24/7. I thought you might be interested, because you are probably a part of those statistics. In December and January we had an average of 500 new, first time visitors each month. Our total traffic in December was 617 and in January 548. In December 93 visitors came back and in January 54 returned. Visitors drop in at all times of the day, every day. Close to 80% of our visitors come from the United States, including the U.S. Military. Another 5.5% drop in from Canada. But then it gets real interesting. We've had visitors from the Philippines, Singapore, Italy, Finland, Russia, Germany, The Netherlands, Malaysia, New Zealand, Japan, Croatia, Niue, Mexico, Norway, Greece, Indonesia, Taiwan, Austria, Ireland, Belgium, Hong Kong and Switzerland. Suddenly it hit me. I already knew this, but I sometimes overlook it. We're in touch with people around the world! Amazing.
 
SO WHAT ARE THEY LOOKING FOR? We  wondered what our viewers are looking for. In January, viewers opened 1,230 of our pages .Here's what people are opening: 25 % opened The Beatitudes pages. An equal percentage checked into the Leadership articles. Others were interested in the sermon studies, the theological articles, worship resources and the newsletters. All in all, it looks like somebody every month is checking into everything we have up . We are quite interested in the fact that The Beatitudes and the Leadership articles are of greatest interest, about half of what is accessed. We will give more focus to these areas in months to come. Thanks for dropping by. Let us know how we can serve you better and pass this newsletter along. Invite your friends and family around the world to subscribe and to visit CrossTies.
 
RENEWAL OF URBAN MINISTRY - As promised last month, we have posted Dr. Mike Snow's(ccsnow@pdq.net) article on Renewal Strategy for the Urban Missionary. Dr. Snow is the pastor of Beautiful Savior Lutheran Church of Houston (http://www.beautifulsaviorchurch.org/home.htm), a congregation that began in the 70's when Houston was moving north. Now, thirty years later, this is an inner city congregation in a multi-ethnic neighborhood. Under Dr. Snow's leadership the congregation continues to flourish. From his personal experience, he offers a model for transition of ministry in declining congregations. Transitions can and must be made when neighborhoods change. Dr. Snow writes that the components for such transition are prayer, vision, Biblically-based stewardship, trained leadership, a laity-led care ministry, carefully selected staff members, a focus on ministry to the neighborhood, a clear identification of needs, congregation visibility, learning to network, a comfortable worship atmosphere and an emphasis upon the Great Commission to make disciples of all nations. In reality, those are the components of every viable and thriving congregation, whether in the inner city or in the suburbs. Check out Dr. Snow's article:http://www.crosstiesministries.org/leadership.asp
Wherever you worship and serve the Lord, you'll find his insights and guidance useful to you and to your congregation.
 
STEWARDSHIP BULLETIN INSERTS - Each week throughout this year we will post a new insert to be shared with your congregation. These inserts are not directly related to any particular time of the year and may be used in any season. They were written by Rev. Ron Bogs (rabogs@ev1.net. ), the pastor of St. Matthew Lutheran Church of Westfield, Texas (http://www.stmatthewlcms.com/). They are Biblically based and doctrinally sound teachings on the wonderful topic of stewardship. In the first one, Pastor Bogs writes that "stewardship is an attitude of living a life that is pleasing to the Lord. This is not something we do on our own. This attitude is one which is done in response to Christ's gift of life, is motivated by the Holy Spirit, and is done to the glory of God." Check them out and use them. Find them at http://www.crosstiesministries.org/leadership.asp.
 
BIBLE STUDY ON OUR CHURCH AND OTHERS- In our Bible Studies section Larry D. Harvey continues to share outlines of the studies he is conducting at Zion Lutheran Church in Tomball, Texas. You may find his two studies at: http://www.crosstiesministries.org/Originalbible.asp. The first is OUR CHURCH AND OTHERS In his first outline, Harvey, a lawyer practicing law in Houston, looks at Biblical meanings of the words 'church' and 'communion of saints' and draws a distinction between the visible and the invisible church. He then briefly traces the history of the church from the days of the New Testament to the sixteenth century Reformation era. The second lesson reviews the doctrinal standards of the Lutheran Church. The third lesson briefly outlines the fundamental doctrines of Lutherans about God, Scripture, Man and Sin, Redemption, Justification by faith, Conversion, Means of Grace, Sanctification and Good Works, the Church, Public Ministry, Church and State, Predestination, Resurrection of the Dead and Eternal life, Lutheran Worship and various Practices and Customs.  By this list, you can see that it will be a very detailed study. For further information on these outlines you may contact Larry at ldharvey@selec.net.
 
THE NATURE AND CHARACTER OF THEOLOGY - Also by Larry D. Harvey, this outline is based, in part, upon the work of Dr. Francis Pieper's writings in Christian Dogmatics, first published between 1917 and 1924. Dr. Pieper was the theological leader of the Lutheran Church--Missouri Synod for nearly four decades. He taught at Concordia Theological Seminary, St. Louis and succeeded Dr. C.F.W. Walther as President of that seminary in 1887. Dr. Pieper was elected President of the Synod from 1899-1911. Dr. Pieper's work is still available from Concordia Publishing House (December 1957) in a translation by Theodore Engelder. 577 pages, ISBN: 057006712X.
 
BIBLE STUDY ON FELLOWSHIP - We will soon have a series of three studies on Fellowship, Brotherhood and Membership by Jim Duhon (jimduh@charter.net), an elder/teacher at Living Word Lutheran Church, The Woodlands, Texas (http://www.lwlc.org/). In his first study, REFLECTIONS ON FELLOWSHIP,  Duhon reminds us that "Christian fellowship is two dimensional. It has to be vertical before it can be horizontal.  We must have fellowship with the Father and His Son, Jesus Christ (vertical), before we can fully understand and enjoy fellowship with one other (horizontal).  Our common relationship to God as children makes us brothers and sisters to one another." The next two studies will follow shortly. Look for them on the Original Bible Studies page.
 
Dr. Alvin H. Franzmeier
CrossTies Theological Director. Write to me at   alandsyl@airmail.net
 
 
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