Message from Pastora Bañales

2026 ELCA Evangelism Network online monthly meetings!

NTNL Synod: Director for Evangelical Mission Rev Irma Banales

Building a Culture of Evangelism in Your Congregation

Who is Jesus? There was a time that this would have been an unheard-of question, but today it is normative for many.
What would your life be like today if no one had introduced you to Jesus? What would be missing? Comfort? Fulfillment? Wholeness? Blessings? Assurance? Peace? Hope? Love? 

When we choose not to share our faith, we deprive others of experiencing those things that have become so critical in our lives. Evangelism is not an optional enterprise for the church. It is not a holy recruitment effort to get more people in the pews. It is the core calling of the church – “Go, and tell what you have seen and heard.”

YOU ARE INVITED to meet with us online once a month to pray, renew, plan the Evangelism Network Large Gatherings, and share evangelism resources across the country. We are currently putting together an evangelism blog and enjoy creating, connecting, and encouraging evangelism-related projects and movements. Generally, we meet on the fourth Monday of each month at 2:00 pm Central Time for one hour. Click here for the Zoom link.

February 23, 2026 – “Good News in a World of Partisan News.” Engaging “Red State Christians” by author Angela Danker, led by Rev. Erika Uthe.

March 23, 2026 – “Weaving Stories: Your Story and God’s Story.” Rev. Derek Hoven, Director for Evangelical Mission, Florida Bahamas Synod.

April 27 –  Rev. Dr. Troy Troftgruben, author of “Bearing Witness in Acts and Today”

May 25 – “Young Adults and Sharing Jesus’ Good News” To be confirmed.

June 22 – “Sharing Jesus’ Good News in Mult-Ethnic Contexts with Mult-Ethnic Leadership”  Coordinated by Rev. Dr. Moses Barrios, Program Manager for Multiethnic and Intersectional Ministries and Senior Pastor of Calvary by the Sea Lutheran Church Honolulu, Hawai’I and Rev. Dr. Surekha Nelavala, Pastor, Multicultural Mission and Ministries, DE-MD Synod, ELCA. Adjunct Faculty, PLTS.

July 26 – “Co-Creating Outside the Box Church Spaces-Building New Ministry with People Adjacent to the Church.” God is doing new things through us all. Let’s have fun following where Spirit is leading! Fresh Expressions testimony givers and people who’ve become powerful advocates. People are surprised to be treated as new partners in ministry! Rev Matt Short and partner in ministry Laurali co-founder of Yoga Church.

August 24 – Communication Tools for Evangelizing – Rev. Dr. Dave Daubert, Rev. Carla Christopher, Rev. Joe and Deacon Jess Liles will share MANY practical tools and resources including Web, Social media, “Gloo” as a way to send out 600 invitational cards per year, putting together lists, flyers, use of social media, moving beyond websites, next level communications, mail advertising, text threads, church apps, several free or low cost programs to connect communications to people!

September 28 – Lutheran Traditions and Charismatic Experience: An Integrated Theology for Diasporic Communities. Mission. Koinonia. Integrating Lutheran and Charismatic for the sake of Evangelism for Our Contexts. How to evangelize the diaspora communities. Evangelizing with second generation immigrants. When the current congregations do not respond to second generation immigrants, how we can evangelize together. Target groups also include young adults from different cities of North America. Rev. Dr. Wondimu Sonessa, Minneapolis Area Synod.

October 26 – Panel for Evangelism Projects across the USA.

November 30 – Panel for Evangelism Inspirational Stories Across the USA.

ELCA Evangelism Network Leadership Team

Rev. Anna-Kari Johnson:  ELCA Evangelism Initiatives Program Manager

Rev. Erika Uthe

Rev. Jake Jacobson

Rev. Dr. Dave Daubert                                    Rev. Matt Short

Rev. Carla Christopher-Wilson                      Rev. Dave Sprang

Rev. Matt Short                                                Rev. Miguel Gomez Acosta

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NT-NL synod staff are excited to engage in-person on Sundays for worship. As good stewards of time and travel dollars, we will be utilizing online meeting formats in our new hybrid reality when possible. If you would like to schedule a meeting with the bishop or Synod staff please contact them directly.

Bishop Gronberg:

January 31: Texas Lutheran University Corporation Board Meeting, Seguin

Pastora Bañales:

January 29: Brite Divinity School: “The Foreigner Among Us” Bass Conference Center, Fort Worth

Pastor Fitting-Snyder:

February 1: Trinity, Clifton
February 5: Region 4 A2B and Regional Assignment, Zoom
February 7: Synod Council, Zoom
February 8: Faith, Flower Mound
February 15: King of Glory, Dallas
February 20-21: Calvary Lutheran Women’s Retreat, Calvary, Richland Hills