Christian Ed Resources

If you have developed a Bible study or other Christian educational resources, we need you! We are working towards an “open source” concept of Christian Education materials to provide to churches free of charge.

What is open sourcing?

“Open Source: denoting software (in this case Christian educational materials) for which the original source code (in this case Christian materials and content) is made freely available and may be redistributed and modified.”

What you need to know:

  • The materials submitted MUST be owned 100% by you. They cannot contain graphics that have been copyrighted or created by someone else (or you must own FULL licensing to use the graphics for redistribution).
  • We will never sell these materials. Ever. 
  • The materials will be openly available for EVERYONE to access.

If you have developed Christian Educational Materials and would like to open source them here, please do so by submitting all components in a ZIPPED (compressed) file via the form on this page. Your submission will then be reviewed, and if accepted, we will happily publish it here to open source for all to freely use.

How to Zip Files

  1. Select all the files you want to zip together by holding the CTRL key and clicking on each one.
  2. Click the right hand button on your mouse, and select “Send to” from the menu that appears.
  3. Select “Compressed or Zipped Folder” from the secondary menu.
  4. This will create a new Zipped Folder, which will show up as a new icon.
  5. Now you can use the “Browse” function on the application to find that icon and select it for upload.

**Alternate Method

  1. Open the folder that contains the files you would like to Zip together.
  2. Click the right hand button on your mouse and select “New” from the menu that appears.
  3. Select “Zipped File” from the secondary menu.
  4. A new icon will appear in the folder, which is ready to be renamed. You may use any name as long as it ends in “.zip”
  5. Drag and drop any files you wish into the Zip file.
  6. Now you can use the “Browse” function on the application to find that icon and select it for upload.

Zipping a file on an Apple Computer can vary greatly. The best advice we can give would be to search Google for “how to zip/compress a file” for your specific system.

Click to access the login or register cheese
luthers-seal

Share Your Resources

Sunday School

At Home Sunday School Plan

The Word of God is moving and active, even today as we are gathering in our own separate homes. This step by step guide is meant to draw the entire family together around God’s Word. Use as much or as little of these resources as you’d like. Make this time your own, but be intentional about it. Whether it is morning, afternoon or night, set aside this time to make sure everyone is in the same  place at the same time. You might consider watching the recording of worship Pastor Aaron has emailed out. The Bible story you are getting ready to talk about as a family is the same Bible story Pastor Aaron is preaching on.

Download the PDF

communion at home

Communion Practices

luthers-seal

Lutheran Evangelism Initiative

The Rev. Dr. Fred Baltz (president of ILT and pastor of St. Matthew Lutheran Church in Galena, Illinois) has presented a new congregationally-based program called “Lutheran Evangelism Initiative.” Dr. Baltz graciously consulted with the Board of Domestic Mission in preparation of this program and sought its input. “LEI” is a re-working of an old ELC / ALC highly effective evangelism program that was called “Preaching, Teaching, and Reaching” (PTR). It was widely used among all sorts of Lutherans in the 1950’s and 60’s. LEI is a more stream-line program than its predecessor.

Augustana District’s Board of Domestic Mission commends this program to you for use in your congregation. Please note it invites neighboring churches to participate and provides all sorts of flexibility to fit local situations. The Board of Domestic Mission is available to you and your church for introducing, planning, supporting, and staffing this program. If you are interested in this kind of assistance, please contact one of the members of the board.

Download the Document

Theology

Theology

By Nick Hopman, Board of Theology and Ministry

The Augustana District takes its name from the Latin name of the Augsburg Confession (hereafter A. C.). It has this to say about the freedom and limits of the human will, or as people often say, “free will.

” Augsburg Confession, Article 18 “Free Will” … 

Download the PDF

Congregational Visioning Process

The Congregational Visioning Process is a tool congregation’s may use to process congregational discernment. Where is God leading your congregation? How do we discern? This process uses prayer, scripture, and mutual conversation as the components that work toward a collective consensus of where God is leading. Feel free to adapt it to fit your own needs.

Download Document

augsburg-confession

Augsburg Confession Article 5: on the Ministry

Augsburg Confession Article 5: on the Ministry

By Nick Hopman, Board of Theology and Ministry

That we may obtain this faith (the justifying faith in Christ described in Article 4), the Ministry of Teaching the Gospel and administering the Sacraments was instituted. For through the Word and Sacraments, as through instruments, the Holy Spirit is given, who works faith; where and when it pleases God, in those who hear the Gospel, namely, that God, not for our own merits, but for Christ’s sake, justifies those who believe and that they are received into grace for Christ’s sake. They [our Evangelical-Lutheran churches of the Augsburg Confession] condemn the Anabaptists and others who think that the Holy Spirit comes to men without the external Word, through their own preparations and works.

Download Document

martin-luther

A 3 Pronged Approach to a 21st Century Reformation/Re-Formation

FORDE’S RADICAL LUTHERANISM AND
THE 500TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE REFORMATION —
A THREE-PRONGED APPROACH TO A
21ST CENTURY LUTHERAN REFORMATION/RE-FORMATION

The Lutheran Church in North America is becoming irrelevant. It is dis-integrating, splintering, shrinking, drifting from its radical origins, its roots. As a result, the Lutheran enterprise has lost the respect of many Christians and non-Christians alike. It is seen as passé, as a kind of “gated community”, self-absorbed, without much to offer. That is the way many of its own members think of it, and so they also leave. They leave not only their church and join another (that happens), but some simply leave “the faith” (as they perceive it to be) altogether….

Download Document

Peace in Turmoil

Peace During Turmoil Bible Study

A 3 part Women’s bible study series produced by Pastor Becky Hand presented on October 17, 2020.

Contact The Augustana District Office

Or call us at 320.234.8403 or email us at [email protected]