Goals of Ablaze!  By the power of the Holy Spirit, the LCMS and its worldwide partners intend to share the Gospel with 100 million unreached or uncommitted people, including 50 million in the United States, by the year 2017.  Another Ablaze! goal is to plant 5,000 congregations worldwide, 2,000 of them in the United States.   An additional LCMS World Mission goal is to help revitalize 2,000 congregations in the United States.

The goals of Ablaze! and $100 million Ablaze fundraising effort received formal approval at the 2004 LCMS Convention.  Ablaze! is not a program or a campaign. It began as a mission vision with the hope of starting a mission movement. Each participating congregation, group, mission society, partner church, individual, etc. is challenged to pray about its own particular situation and the part of the mission endeavor it can impact and to design its own strategy to contribute to reaching 100 million people. LCMS World Mission is asking the church to develop mission models that work and can be shared with others. Ablaze! is not an answer…it’s an invitation!

Brushfires Ablaze!  were initiated in the Southern District by Rev. Gary Faith in the spring in the spring and early summer of 2005. Brushfire gatherings were conducted throughout the District.  The primary goals for these Brushfire gatherings was to identify and equip Ablaze! reps with information about the Ablaze! vision.

This was a start for congregations to be aware and involved in the Ablaze! movement.

2005 also included a District-wide intergenerational gathering under the name of Ablazing Grace.  This event was held in Panama City Beach, FL.  The theme was based on 2 Timothy 1:5-7:  I have been reminded of your sincere faith, which first lived in your grandmother Lois and in your mother Eunice and, I am persuaded, now lives in you also.  For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands.  For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline.  The logo gave emphasis to the goal of God's grace to be Ablaze! in our:

* personal life

* family/home

* church

* world

 

The people of the Southern District are more ready than they realize to be part of the Ablaze! movement.  This an observation of Rev. Gary Faith!  Do you believe this?

 
Southern District Kindle Gatherings serve as orientation workshops to help pastors and lay leaders grow in the dimensions of the Fan into Flame effort. Fan into Flame is the invitation for congregations and individuals to help fund Ablaze! projects that spread the Gospel message of Jesus Christ in their communities, in Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, and Florida, in North America, and around the world.

The Southern District Steering Committee has scheduled Kindle Gatherings throughout the District to:
           celebrate and discuss our mission outreach,
           provide an overview of Ablaze! and Fan into Flame,
           give options for how your congregation can participate, and
           answer your questions.

You are invited to join in one of the Kindle Gatherings to hear President Schultz and Chairman Ted Richter talk about the opportunities presented by taking part in Fan into Flame. The informational 90-minute workshops do not commit you or your congregation to take part in any way. You will simply gain information and tools to use if your congregation chooses to participate. Of course, we cannot think why a congregation would not choose to participate in a mission endeavor.

Please let your circuit coordinator know where your congregation will attend and the number of participants. We look forward to your participation in the Kindle Gathering experiences!

Links to Fan into Flame Resources

Fan into Flame Video

Fan into Flame Frequently Asked Questions

Fan into Flame Newsletter Updates

Ablaze! Resources

We welcome some good news stories about Fan into Flame through Southern District congregations.  Share them with us by sending an e-mail to .   Here are some stories from other districts and how congregations have responded through Fan into Flame.

Fan into Flame Congregation Stories

We know the Spirit is kindling in and through Southern District congregations!  Our District goal is to raise a minimum of $1,100,000 over the next three - five years as part of Fan into Flame.  Southern District congregations are asked to set a minimum goal of 10% of their annual giving (tithes/offerings) as a goal to be raised through the congregational Fan into Flame effort.

Choosing a Plan for your Congregation

The congregation has the flexibility to choose the gift gathering plan option that will best work in their setting.  Take time to explore the different plans outlined in this document:  Quick Reference to Gathering Plan Options.