2026: September - Lutheran Fellowship Gatherings weekly resource

 AUGUST weekly resources

Click on the weekly links below  to access the weekly resources

September week 1:  Matthew 18:15-20 Proper 19 

weeks 2-4 will be available shortly

DONATE HERE

 

The Lutheran Fellowship Gathering weekly resource is for small groups or small worshipping communities to help them connect with God and each other focussing on the Gospel reading of the Revised Common Lectionary  

I have made this resource available is to support people who wish to gather around God’s Word, focus on Jesus and to grow as part of God’s church.  

You may want to use it to help you start a small group in your church community, or to gather people in a community where a Lutheran church currently is not present.  

This resource is offered free of charge to non-commercial situations, on the understanding that you will not charge for copies or its use.   

This resource has been developed by Pastor Richard Schwedes, richardschwedes@gmail.com 

If you have feedback, suggestions or improvements feel free to email me

Lutheran bible studies and other resources for women

The following Lutheran bible studies and resources are available for women

Lutheran Women of Australia - Bible Studies   

Lutheran Women of Australia - Devotions 

Women of North American Lutheran Church - Online Bible Study 

Gather magazine Bible Studies

Boldcafe

Lutheran Women in Mission - Bible Studies 

Book:  Preaching from Home: The Stories of Seven Lutheran Women Hymn Writers 

Book:  Pew Sisters- A Women's group bible study

Book:  Strong in the Lord: A Women's Bible Study on Faith and Mental Health

Lutheran Women who write studies for Lutheran Women

Donna Snow

Deb Burma 

Sharla Fritz

Heidi Goehmann

Gretchen Ronnevik

 

Book: Evangelism in a Skeptical World: How to Make the Unbelievable News about Jesus More Believable

Evangelism in a Skeptical World: How to Make the Unbelievable News about Jesus More Believable is a book written by Sam Chan, an experienced evangelist who has experienced evangelising in modern and post modern scenarios, varying cultural contexts and over many years.   

He recognises that many of the old methods of evangelism no longer work effectively today. We need new methods to communicate the timeless message of the gospel in culturally relevant ways.

In a post-Christian, post-churched, post-reached world, most Christians have been poorly equipped to tell their friends about Jesus. Dr. Chan combines the theological and biblical insights of classic evangelistic training with his own and hard-won insights from missiology on contextualization, cultural hermeneutics, and storytelling.

Every chapter is illustrated with real-world examples drawn from over fifteen years of evangelistic ministry across the globe. These are methods that really work—with university students, urban workers, and professionals—getting past the defensive posture that people have toward Christianity so they can seriously consider the claims of Jesus Christ.

Field-tested and filled with unique, fresh, and creative insights, this book will equip you to share the gospel in today's world and help as many people as possible hear the good news about Jesus.

Chapters include

1. A Theology of Evangelism
2. Everyday Evangelism
3. How to Craft a Gospel Presentation
4. Evangelism to Postmoderns
5. Contextualization for Evangelism
6. Gospel-Cultural Hermeneutics
7. Storytelling the Gospel
8. How to Give Evangelistic Topical Talks
9. How to Give Evangelistic Expository Talks
10. Religious Epistemology, Apologetics, and Defeater Beliefs

Evangelism in a Skeptical World available here

Book: Contending for Christ Through the Creed: Apologetics for Loving Answers on the Christian Faith

Holy Scripture directs all Christians to contend for the faith that was once delivered to the saints (Jude 3). 

Unfortunately, all too often the Christian resorts to defensiveness that amounts to becoming contentious, which is contrary to the way of Jesus Christ. Engaging for Christ requires both gentleness and respect (1 Pet 3:15). 

But where to begin? In this unique approach to cultural apologetics, Alfonso Espinosa employs the outline of the ancient Apostles’ Creed. Creedal organization not only demonstrates the timeless and enduring relevance of the Christian faith, but it also puts forth a logical and systematic approach to Christian apologetics. Such a method is first immensely personal since the Creed begins with “I believe.”

At the same time, however, it does not perpetuate the hyper self-centeredness of our age but presents the outward orientation to consider the importance of creation, Christ-centered salvation, and the churchly context of the work of the Holy Spirit. 

In all this apologetic clarification, important answers to the faith once delivered are offered so that comfort is had not in religious ambiguity and subjectivism, but rather in the objective foundation of truth that endures, truth that we can contend for. 

Chapters:

Introduction: Contending While Loving

Part I: Contending for the Faith According to the First Article of the Creed

     1. Contending for Identity: “I”
     2. Culture and the Old “I"
     3. Contending for the Father
     4. Contending for the Creator

Part II: Contending for the Faith According to the Second Article of the Creed

     5. Contending for Jesus Christ of Real History

     6. Contending for Jesus, God Who Die

     7. Contending for Jesus, the Death of Death

     8. Contending for Jesus, the Keeper of Promises Coming Again

Part III: Contending for the Faith According to the Third Article of the Creed
     9. Contending for the Holy Christian Church
   10. Contending for Our Same Bodies Raised
   11. Contending for the Life Everlasting

Available from Amazon 

Podcast: Preaching to Uncle Bob: Evangelistic Preaching in a Post-Christian World with John Dickson

In this episode, Ridley College Faculty member, Tim Johnson, sits down with the John Dickson — historian, author, podcaster, and public Christian — ahead of the annual Ridley Preachers Conference. 

Their conversation centres on one of the most important and underestimated skills in ministry: evangelistic preaching. Not the Billy Graham crusade kind — but the kind that happens every Sunday in local churches around the country, where real doubters are sitting in real pews. 

John makes a compelling case that the local church is still the most powerful evangelistic tool we have, and that any preacher — not just the gifted evangelist — can learn to preach in a way that has something for the doubter in the room. 

They explore the difference between evangelistic preaching and evangelism, the common missteps that lose sceptical listeners, how to handle questions about Christianity's goodness and reputation, what Aristotle's three elements of persuasion have to do with the pulpit, and John's one piece of advice for anyone preparing an evangelistic sermon this Sunday. 

Whether you're a seasoned preacher or just starting out, this is a conversation that will change the way you think about your next sermon.

You can listen to this podcast here