Schulz Accepts Call To Lutheran Heritage Foundation

By: Rev. Jack Cascione
Reclaim News believes the following information will have more impact on the LCMS than at any time since 1974.  This major realignment in Lutheran mission outreach will shape direction of Lutheranism in this country and the world.  We applaud the Lutheran Heritage Foundation for issuing this Call to Dr. Wallace Schulz and pray that God will bless his work.

FRIDAY __ 06 December 2002

Dr. Wallace Schulz Accepts Call to Lutheran Heritage Foundation

The following post was from Rev. Dr. Robert Rahn, the Executive Director of the Lutheran Heritage Foundation.  You can learn more about this exceptional organization at http://www.lhfmissions.org.  This information was sent out
by Rev. Marcus Zill at
www.standrewslcms.org/tracts/crisisinlcms/lcmscrisis.htm

Here is the post by Dr. Rahn, followed by his official letter:

"The letter below was sent to our Regional Reps to inform them of the news about Rev. Schulz. We tried to guard the release of this information until the members of our Board received notice of his decision.

Having been assured that our Board and staff are now informed, we are expanding the release through other avenues. A Christmas mailing goes out on Monday that announces this to our donors.

This is a day of great excitement for the LHF and its mission to bring the Word to the world. With Rev. Schulz in the position of Evangelist you can expect our efforts to expand. We have already had conversations about China and Cuba.

We have also had discussions in regards to speaking engagements for Dr. Schulz. Obviously these will be limited as long as he functions in his capacity as Second V.P.  The LHF Board has made it clear that time will be allowed for him to function in this important position. It is also the reason why he will continue to live in St. Louis.

When Dr. Schulz is invited to speak at a Sunday service; the first question will be whether or not this might be an occasion when a Circuit Rally or Area Rally might be considered with a Schulz/Rahn, Schulz/Fehrmann or Schulz/Benjamin weekend. Our idea is to have an LHF Rally in the Circuit or area with an event on Sat or Sun in addition to preaching at two area churches. We envision that Schulz might be available for one such event a month.

Schulz will be assigned the continued editorship of the GOOD NEWS magazine. He will preach and speak as indicated above. He will also begin work on a project we have often discussed, a book featuring line drawings and art on parts of the Book of Concord. Some how we have to get people into the reading of these documents even if in abbreviated form.

In brief, Schulz will be a spokesman for the LHF as he serves in his role as Evangelist.

Having gotten a start on organizing the new World Mission Center, we have plans to do more in the line of communicating with the synod churches. Those of you who have us in the budget, send periodic gifts or have groups within your churches do this, you are aware of our mission. Many other congregations do not know we exist. We definitely have a plan to address this.  We started by placing our ad in the Annual. We thought we could supplant Valpo but that may happen next year.

Today we received a request from CRISP to pick up the cost of a student in the St. Louis graduate program from Riga. He has six months to finish his doctorate and there is no money in CRISP. Since the man happens to be a member of the LHF Latvia Board and will become Pres. of the Luther Academy in Riga (Seminary) we feel we should step out in faith and accept the obligation.

We are also hearing these days of mission personnel cutbacks and the
elimination of programs. WE want to make it clear that the Lord is calling us to move forward, to expand our efforts in the conviction that when you are faithful to His Word He will provide. For us this is not a time of retrenchment or status quo. We have a larger mortgage on our building than we anticipated but are confident that it will be eliminated in the next year. At any rate, we have some commitments we hope will be honored and that no gifts will be applied to the building unless specifically indicated.

Our program is first and foremost.

On my recent trip to Russia we made some changes that will reduce our expenses in Moscow and Ekaterinburg. We also received a challenge in Nairobi to establish an Academy and a proposition for a complex and 25 acres (required by Kenya government in order to be recognized educationally) will be presented to our Board. Can we afford it. Financially no. But when you look at all the Muslim countries surrounding Kenya and Tanzania, we have to see the challenge as this may be where the gauntlet is put down to stem the tide.

These are all big projects and there is no clear picture where the funds will come from but should this be our first concern? The Board will be asked to give us permission to investigate funding possibilities.

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December 3, 2002

Dear LHF Regional Rep,

"You can depend on God, who called you to the fellowship of His Son Jesus Christ our Lord."  1 Cor. 1:9

The night before I left on my trip to Russia and Africa a conference call was conducted with the LHF Board of Directors. The discussion centered on authorizing a Call to the Rev. Dr. Wallace Schulz. The discussion resulted in unanimous approval for the Call and a Call Committee worked out the details.

We are now pleased to announce that the Rev. Dr. Wallace Schulz has accepted
the Call to serve on the staff of the LHF effective 12/1/02. This will be
another historic development in the short history of our organization.

For 27 years Dr. Schulz and I have been engaged in a variety of evangelistic endeavors and now he will be part of the LHF team that will expand our horizons and deepen our Biblical and confessional commitments at home and abroad.

The enclosed release is going out to various news media. We are also enclosing a fact sheet you can use in order to answer questions that might be addressed to you. You are encouraged to direct the more specific questions to me. Keep in mind that there may be some who will possibly attempt to misquote things you say in regards to this matter.

We will immediately begin to plan for the installation of Dr. Schulz in his position as LHF Evangelist. When those plans are formalized, you will be informed.

During these days Dr. Schulz is heavily involved in duties that fall to his position as Synod 2nd Vice President.  Please keep him, Kathy and Paul in your prayers as the transition is made.

A blessed Advent to you and yours.

In the Name of our Advent King,

Dr. Robert L. Rahn
LHF Executive Director

December 6, 2002