Matthew 28:18-20

Matthew 28:18-20

All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.

Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,

and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.

“To the Jew first”…What does this mean?

I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone

who believes: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile.

Romans 1:16

Where have we been…and where are we going?

• The History of Jewish Missions in the Lutheran Church--Missouri Synod

• Presented by the Rev. Kevin Parviz

On April 26, 1847, 12 pastors from 15 congregations formed The German Evangelical Lutheran Synod of Missouri, Ohio and Other States.

This Synod became the Lutheran Church--Missouri Synod in 1947.

When was the Lutheran Church--Missouri Synod founded?

How long was it after our founding that we called our first missionary to the Jewish people?

Only 34 years! From early on we had a zeal to share the gospel with Jewish people.

Jewish missions begins in the LCMS

• 1881 Convention• 1882 Daniel Landsmann in Springfield• 1883 Sent to Lower East Side of

Manhattan• 1896 37 Jewish people brought to faith

by his ministry.• One of them was Rabbi Nathaniel

Friedmann

Jewish missions continues in the LCMS

• 1896-1941 Nathaniel Friedmann (Minneapolis/St. Paul)

• 1930-1934 Isadore Schwartz (Chicago)• 1930-1934 Kenneth Frankenstein (St.

Louis)• World War II changes everything!

Our voice is stilled for a time• Holocaust• Two covenant theory--Franz Rosenzweig• Luther’s 1543 booklet “On the Jews and their lies

”• Luther’s 1523 treatise “That Jesus Christ was

born a Jew”• Luther’s final sermon, February 15, 1546--three

days before his death.

“We want to act in a Christian way toward them [the Jews] and offer them first of all the Christian faith, that they might accept the Messiah, who, after all, is their kinsman and born of their flesh and blood and is of the real seed of Abraham of which they boast… We still want to treat them with Christian love and to pray for them, so that they might become converted and would receive the Lord.”--Luther, 1546

Modern Jewish missions in the LCMS

• 1973 Convention--St. Luke’s Philadelphia, Rev. Bruce Lieske

• Referred to Dr. Erv Kolb, Evangelism• 1974 First meeting of ad hoc committee

on Jewish evangelism• 1975 First edition of “Witnessing to

Jewish People” by Rev. Bruce Lieske

Modern Jewish missions in the LCMS

• 1976 The American Jewish Committee led by Rabbi James Rudin

• Moishe Rosen--Jews for Jesus• 1976 Steve Cohen--lay missionary for

Jews for Jesus and member of ALC Church

Modern Jewish missions in the LCMS

• The Committee on Witnessing to the Jewish People is moved from the Board of Parish Services to the North American Missions Board

• 1981 Lutheran Institute for Jewish Evangelism, Rev. Bruce Lieske

• 1988 Rev. John Perling, Beverly Hills• 1988 Milt Kohut--first full-time missionary as a

result of 1973 resolution!

Modern Jewish missions in the LCMS

• 1981-1993 Rev. Bruce Lieske (Philadelphia)• 1993-2005 Lutherans in Jewish Evangelism-

Orlando, FL• 1988-1990 Milt Kohut (Los Angeles)• 1988-2008 Marc Danzis (NYC- Beth El

Messianic Lutheran Church).• 1990-1991 Dave Tengbom (LA)• 1992-1996 Darla Schmidt (Chicago)

Modern Jewish missions in the LCMS

The Apple of His Eye Mission Society

1996--Steve Cohen, Jennifer Krupp and Kevin Parviz, Missionary Training Center

Inaugural Service, September 22, 1996

Board for Mission Services no longer includes Jewish Missions.

Modern Jewish missions in the LCMS

• 1996-Present Rev. Kevin Parviz (St. Louis)• 1998-Congregation Chai v’Shalom• 1999-Lutherans in Jewish Evangelism

Branch in Detroit.

Modern Jewish missions in the LCMS

• Summer 1999 Outreach Event--4 new missionary candidates.

• 1999-2003 Rev. Don Peymann (Houston)• 1999-2005 Ted Martin (LA)• 1999-2006 Gary Timm (NYC)• 1999 Alan Butterworth (volunteer)

Modern Jewish missions in the LCMS

• 2001-2007 Alan Butterworth (Missionary trainee)• 2007-2010 Alan Butterworth (S. FL)• 2001-2008 Rev. Marc Danzis (NYC)• 2003-2007 Rev. Jay Klein (Houston)• 2004-2005 Rev. Ted Martin (LA)• 1999-2006 Rev. Gary Timm (NYC)

• 2005-Bruce Lieske retires, Rev. Kevin Parviz becomes the new Executive Director for Lutherans in Jewish Evangelism.

Modern Jewish missions in the LCMS

• 2005-New branch of LIJE opens in St. Louis.• 2008-South Florida Branch opens in Miami.• 2008-First non-geographic branch of LIJE opens

(CrossPollination Ministries, Rev. Brad Aldrich)• 2008-Rev. Randall Wilken and Rev. David Corson called by

LIJE to begin a new ministry in St. Louis (Acts 1:8 Mission Society, and The Rock)

• 2009-Acts 1:8 receives RSO and Wilken and Corson are released from LIJE

• 2010-New branch of LIJE opens in Atlanta.• 2010-New worker called to Orlando, Rev. Kermit Rickenberg--

“Books for Missions”

Modern Jewish missions in the LCMS

The Apple of His Eye Mission Society identifies, recruits, trains and deploys full-time professional missionaries.

Lutherans in Jewish Evangelism is an umbrella ministry for new missions that share our ministry goals, and works with congregations to develop branches that intentionally participate in the Great Commission, especially to Jewish people, through our church body.

Modern Jewish missions in the LCMS

Status as of Dec. 2010…Lutherans in Jewish Evangelism--Rev. Kevin Parviz, Executive

Director, Branches in Orlando (Rev. Bruce Lieske), Detroit (Mary Lou Temple & Suzanne Hall), St. Louis (Rev. Kevin Parviz), S. Florida (Alan Butterworth) and Atlanta (Tom & Sharon Boeck).

Two non-geographic branches: CrossPollination Ministries (Rev. Brad Aldrich) and Books for Mission (Rev. Kermit Rickenberg).

Future-Branch of LIJE in every city with significant Jewish population.

Modern Jewish missions in the LCMS

Status as of Dec. 2010…

Apple of His Eye Mission Society--Steve Cohen, Founder

Modern Jewish missions in the LCMS

Status as of Dec. 2010…

Beth El Messianic Lutheran Church--Forest Hills, NY (vacant)

Congregation Chai v’Shalom--St. Louis, MO

Lutherans in Jewish EvangelismPrayerfully consider whether God may be calling you into short-time volunteer

or full-time ministry among Jewish people.

There is (or will be) a branch of Lutherans in Jewish Evangelism near

you. Will you help?

Call Rev. Kevin Parviz at(314) 645-4456Or e-mail him at

Rev Kevye@aol.com