Session 1 — Christian Care Training

1. NALC Life-to-Life
Christian Care Training
and Disaster Response
Compiled by:
The Rev. Dr. David Wendel
Assistant to the Bishop, NALC

2. What Is Life-to-Life
Christian Care?

3. The North American Lutheran Church has
recognized and embraced an understanding of the
life of the Christian — the life of a disciple as being
“Life-to-Life.” It shapes and guides all that we do.
Nowhere is that more important than when we are
called upon to respond to human need in times of
disaster, upheaval, crisis, loss, grief and trial.
LIFE-TO-LIFE
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4. Life-to-Life discipleship is “incarnational.” God
became human, took on flesh and blood, in His
only begotten Son, Jesus Christ, to dwell among us
full of grace and truth (John 1:14).
LIFE-TO-LIFE
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5. Jesus promised to be with us where two or three
are gathered in His name (Matthew 18:20). As our
Lord is extending the Great Commission, He
promises, “And lo, I am with you always” (Matthew
28:20b).
LIFE-TO-LIFE
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6. Jesus comes to us, today, through the means of
grace, Word and Sacrament, to be truly present. He
comes to us, also, through His disciples, as He is the
vine and His followers are the branches, abiding in
each other, bearing fruit for the kingdom (John
15:5).
LIFE-TO-LIFE
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7. As Christ is with us, we seek to be with others. The
community of the disciples of Jesus are sent into
the world to bring His presence, love, mercy and
care, person to person, life-to-life.
LIFE-TO-LIFE
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8. At the Lord’s Supper on the night of His betrayal,
Jesus gives His disciples a new commandment,
saying, “…love one another as I have loved you”
(John 15:12). At the end of each worship service, we
are sent to “Go in peace, serve the Lord.”
LIFE-TO-LIFE
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9. When we love and serve those in need, we are
loving and serving the Lord who comes to us in the
faces of those who are hungry, thirsty, naked or
estranged.
LIFE-TO-LIFE
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10. “The King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as
you did it to one of the least of these,
you did it to me’” (Matthew 25:31-40).
LIFE-TO-LIFE
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11. Ministry that is “Life-to-Life,” then, is investing in
the life of any neighbor in need, as to Christ,
Himself.
LIFE-TO-LIFE
T H E N A L C . O R G

12. Martin Luther emphasized this when he wrote,
“God is satisfied with my faith... Therefore he wants
me to do my works to benefit my neighbor…(God)
doesn’t need my works at all…
LIFE-TO-LIFE
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13. God is rich enough himself without me and without
my works. He lets me live on earth, however, so
that I may show the same kind of friendship to my
neighbor that God has graciously shown to me …
LIFE-TO-LIFE
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14. Thus God fuses the two commandments into each
other so that there is only one work and only one
love. Whatever we do for our neighbor…clothing
him, feeding him is all done to Christ himself.”
Luther’s Works, Lectures on the Minor Prophets: Zechariah, volume 20 (p. 513)
LIFE-TO-LIFE
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15. And who is our neighbor? Any person in need,
whether Lutheran or Roman Catholic, whether
Christian, Muslim or Jew, whether believer or non-
believer.
LIFE-TO-LIFE
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16. St. Paul writes, “Have this mind among yourselves,
which was in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in
the form of God, did not count equality with God a
thing to be grasped but emptied himself, taking the
form of a servant, being born in the likeness of
men. And being found in human form he humbled
himself and became obedient unto death, even
death on a cross” (Philippians 2:5-8 RSV).
LIFE-TO-LIFE
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17. As our Lord gave Himself for our sake, we give
ourselves for others. As Jesus is with us always,
emptying Himself to walk alongside us through life,
we respond, walking alongside others.
LIFE-TO-LIFE
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18. This is life-to-life discipleship.
LIFE-TO-LIFE
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19. It’s about loving others as Christ loves us, caring for
others so that we do not see people as “potential
church members” able to help us pay for the roof,
cover the bills, maintain the organization.
LIFE-TO-LIFE
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20. Rather, we see every person we meet as a child of
God, redeemed by Christ, worthy of our time,
energy and effort.
LIFE-TO-LIFE
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21. Jesus made disciples by calling people to follow
and then walking alongside them.
LIFE-TO-LIFE
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22. We are His disciples when we walk with our
neighbors in good times and bad, in joys and
sorrows, in disaster and triumph.
LIFE-TO-LIFE
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23. This is what it means for us to participate in the
North American Lutheran Church
Disaster Response program, life-to-life!
LIFE-TO-LIFE
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24. Every Disciple and follower of Jesus is called to offer
Christian Care:
+ No seminary education required
+ No ordination necessary
+ No need to be “hyper-spiritual”
+ Not for biblical scholars only
What is needed is the faith to “love one another as I have
loved you” (John 15:12). Therefore, we seek to grow in the
wisdom and spirit of our Lord, Jesus. We seek to become
good disciples.
LIFE-TO-LIFE
T H E N A L C . O R G