General Mission Resources

What is mission and ministry? Why do we do it? How can we work effectively in this area?

Why and how we serve

We love because God first loved us. We share God's love with others to help bring them into God's kingdom and as an expression of God's love and mercy to us.

Two hands – two kingdoms

We are God's hands in the world. You might like to imagine that God has two hands, just like us:

Saving – God wants all people to be saved. He works through us to bring the kingdom of heaven to people everywhere. Bringing the good news of Jesus is the saving hand of God in action.
Caring – God loves all people and wants us to love each other with the same love. When we help others in need, they feel the caring hand of God at work.

Mission and ministry

Reaching out to others with both these hands is our mission and the reason for our ministries. Sometimes, these ministries focus on building up and caring for the people in our congregation or the wider church. Sometimes, they focus on sharing the good news with and caring for others in our communities, countries or the world.

Evangelism courses

Below is a list of some of the evangelism courses that Lutheran congregations around Australia have been using. Each course will have a different emphasis or focus and will engage with people differently.

Alpha
An internationally renowned course that introduces the basics of the Christian faith in a relaxed, open environment. Alpha is structured around food, video talks and small group discussions, making it ideal for those exploring life’s big questions in a community setting.

Introducing God
This Australian-developed course presents the Christian message through a conversational format using video content and discussions. It is designed to help people explore who God is and what life is about, making it suitable for those new to faith or seeking clarity on spiritual matters.

Starting Point
Created by North Point Ministries, Starting Point is a small group experience tailored for seekers, returners and new believers. It offers a safe space to explore faith, ask honest questions and engage with the foundational truths of Christianity through storytelling and discussion.

Christianity Explored
This course takes participants through the Gospel of Mark to investigate who Jesus is, why he came and what it means to follow him. With a mix of video, discussion and personal reflection, it is well-suited to those curious about Jesus’ identity and mission.

Practicing the Way
A discipleship-oriented course inspired by John Mark Comer, focused on helping both new and mature believers follow Jesus through ancient spiritual practices like prayer, Sabbath, and Scripture reading. The course blends teaching with practical action to foster deep spiritual formation.

XP Film Series
Targeted at younger Australians, XP offers short, creative YouTube-style videos that explore life’s big questions – faith, identity, purpose and God – through storytelling and visual engagement. It’s an ideal tool for youth-focused evangelism and discussion starters.

Questioning Christianity
Founded by Dan Paterson, this site offers thoughtful responses to common objections and questions about Christianity. Through articles, videos, and podcasts, it equips individuals to engage with the intellectual, emotional, and cultural challenges of faith.

Olive Tree Media
Led by Karl Faase, this Australian media organisation produces high-quality video series like Jesus the Game Changer that explore the relevance of Christianity in today’s world. The content is especially useful for group studies and public evangelism within a cultural context.

Simply Christianity
Created by Matthias Media, this course presents the life and message of Jesus through the Gospel of Luke. It is designed for people with little or no prior knowledge of Christianity and provides a simple, clear introduction to who Jesus is and why he matters.