{"id":423,"date":"2021-02-04T22:08:51","date_gmt":"2021-02-04T22:08:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.luthersem.edu\/giving\/?page_id=423"},"modified":"2023-06-07T15:47:33","modified_gmt":"2023-06-07T15:47:33","slug":"why-should-i-give","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.luthersem.edu\/giving\/why-should-i-give\/","title":{"rendered":"Why Should I Give?"},"content":{"rendered":"<h2>Why Should I Give to Luther Seminary?<\/h2>\n<p>When you make a gift of any size to Luther Seminary, know that your gift helps:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong><a href=\"#innovate\">Innovate<\/a>:\u00a0<\/strong>To make bold, innovative changes to form Christian communities.<\/li>\n<li><strong><a href=\"#educate\">Educate<\/a>:<\/strong>\u00a0Your next pastor, your congregation\u2019s next youth minister, the next Christian leader, the chaplain at your hospital or senior healthcare center, the counselor at your children\u2019s summer Bible camp.<\/li>\n<li><strong><a href=\"#sustaining\">The Sustaining Fund<\/a>:<\/strong> Unrestricted Sustaining Fund gifts ensure that the seminary can continue to equip faith leaders and spearhead faithful innovation for the sake of the gospel in a rapidly changing world.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>Celebrating exemplary donors and their reasons for giving<\/h2>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-437 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/www.luthersem.edu\/giving\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2021\/02\/Luther-Seminary-Relations-Website-Banners-7198_Innovate.png\" alt=\"Innovate\" width=\"900\" height=\"180\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.luthersem.edu\/giving\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2021\/02\/Luther-Seminary-Relations-Website-Banners-7198_Innovate.png 900w, https:\/\/www.luthersem.edu\/giving\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2021\/02\/Luther-Seminary-Relations-Website-Banners-7198_Innovate-300x60.png 300w, https:\/\/www.luthersem.edu\/giving\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2021\/02\/Luther-Seminary-Relations-Website-Banners-7198_Innovate-768x154.png 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 900px) 100vw, 900px\" \/><br \/>\n<a id=\"innovate\"><\/a>Luther Seminary is in the leadership business, and that is exactly what attracted Dr. Joyce Thompsen.\u00a0 Joyce\u2019s professional vocation has been all about developing leaders so they can manage organizations and make decisions well. <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-450 alignleft\" src=\"https:\/\/www.luthersem.edu\/giving\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2021\/02\/Thompson-Photo.jpg\" alt=\"Photo of Joyce and John Thompsen\" width=\"218\" height=\"300\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Active in her church, she had been investing in Luther\u2019s mission for some years when she met John. She says, \u201cI was actively asking the Holy Spirit for a personal companion who shared my faith\u2026and also my strong passion for wanting to do something meaningful to help spread the Gospel. I was looking for the most efficient and effective way to do that\u2026and it became very clear that Luther Seminary was in the best position to be able to provide that point of leverage.\u201d John agreed!<\/p>\n<p>In their support of Luther Seminary, Joyce and John combine their professional and personal passions.\u00a0 Because of Joyce\u2019s years on Luther\u2019s Board, including a term as Chair, they have seen the mission from the inside, \u201cunder the hood,\u201d as Joyce says. That has only inspired them more.<\/p>\n<p>Joyce and John have been listening and they have heard God\u2019s call. They intend to extend their commitment to Luther\u2019s mission well into the future.<\/p>\n<p>Their gift is a personal stretch, a stretch that matches their commitment to a healthy church, both near- and long-term. They say, \u201cWe\u2019re looking for a Return on Holy Investment (ROHI) and we continue to be very convinced that Luther is the right place to invest for the future of the church.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-439 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/www.luthersem.edu\/giving\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2021\/02\/Luther-Seminary-Relations-Website-Banners-7198_Educate.png\" alt=\"Educate\" width=\"900\" height=\"180\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.luthersem.edu\/giving\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2021\/02\/Luther-Seminary-Relations-Website-Banners-7198_Educate.png 900w, https:\/\/www.luthersem.edu\/giving\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2021\/02\/Luther-Seminary-Relations-Website-Banners-7198_Educate-300x60.png 300w, https:\/\/www.luthersem.edu\/giving\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2021\/02\/Luther-Seminary-Relations-Website-Banners-7198_Educate-768x154.png 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 900px) 100vw, 900px\" \/><br \/>\n<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignleft wp-image-426 size-medium\" src=\"https:\/\/www.luthersem.edu\/giving\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2021\/02\/Paul-and-Ruth-Hauge-218x300.png\" alt=\"Photo of Paul and Ruth Hauge\" width=\"218\" height=\"300\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.luthersem.edu\/giving\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2021\/02\/Paul-and-Ruth-Hauge-218x300.png 218w, https:\/\/www.luthersem.edu\/giving\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2021\/02\/Paul-and-Ruth-Hauge-745x1024.png 745w, https:\/\/www.luthersem.edu\/giving\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2021\/02\/Paul-and-Ruth-Hauge-768x1055.png 768w, https:\/\/www.luthersem.edu\/giving\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2021\/02\/Paul-and-Ruth-Hauge.png 1092w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 218px) 100vw, 218px\" \/><a id=\"educate\"><\/a>Paul and Ruth Hauge care deeply about good pastoring. They have long been blessed by skilled and compassionate pastors in their home congregation. They watched their urban congregation double in size over the years, clearly thriving. \u201c[Our visionary pastor] had a great deal of help with the other pastors, and I think the congregation really stepped up too,\u201d said Paul.<\/p>\n<p>They watch for young congregational members who might have the gifts and instincts for pastoral ministry and they encourage them, for the sake of the church\u2019s future. Ruth said, \u201cThere\u2019s a young adult at church that I\u2019ve been talking with. I\u2019ve been telling him he needs to become a pastor, and I think he is thinking about it.\u201d They understand how important good leadership is, and that it doesn\u2019t just happen!<\/p>\n<p>The Hauges not only encourage future leaders, they have long supported Luther Seminary, where many of the church\u2019s future leaders are formed. They grew up in families that talked about the importance of seminaries for the health of the church and took that to heart and to their finances.<\/p>\n<p>They are impressed with Luther Seminary\u2019s leadership, even more so after witnessing Luther\u2019s nimble response to the pandemic. They celebrate that students continue to make their way through the degree process and move on to serve faith communities for years to come. They are grateful to have the opportunity to give to this mission. It\u2019s God\u2019s call to them, and they are following!<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-438 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/www.luthersem.edu\/giving\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2021\/02\/Luther-Seminary-Relations-Website-Banners-7198_Fund.png\" alt=\"Sustaining Fund\" width=\"900\" height=\"180\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.luthersem.edu\/giving\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2021\/02\/Luther-Seminary-Relations-Website-Banners-7198_Fund.png 900w, https:\/\/www.luthersem.edu\/giving\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2021\/02\/Luther-Seminary-Relations-Website-Banners-7198_Fund-300x60.png 300w, https:\/\/www.luthersem.edu\/giving\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2021\/02\/Luther-Seminary-Relations-Website-Banners-7198_Fund-768x154.png 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 900px) 100vw, 900px\" \/><br \/>\n<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignleft wp-image-425 size-medium\" src=\"https:\/\/www.luthersem.edu\/giving\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2021\/02\/Ladd-Bjorneby-300x222.png\" alt=\"Photo of Ladd Bjorneby\" width=\"300\" height=\"222\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.luthersem.edu\/giving\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2021\/02\/Ladd-Bjorneby-300x222.png 300w, https:\/\/www.luthersem.edu\/giving\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2021\/02\/Ladd-Bjorneby-1024x759.png 1024w, https:\/\/www.luthersem.edu\/giving\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2021\/02\/Ladd-Bjorneby-768x569.png 768w, https:\/\/www.luthersem.edu\/giving\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2021\/02\/Ladd-Bjorneby-1536x1139.png 1536w, https:\/\/www.luthersem.edu\/giving\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2021\/02\/Ladd-Bjorneby.png 1888w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><a id=\"sustaining\"><\/a>In 30 years of parish ministry, Ladd Bjorneby watched change happen right before his eyes, in the world and in the church. Where once the church\u2019s focus was rightly on those in the pews, he sees a changed calling now. \u201cI think we all realize now we can&#8217;t take any of [the church\u2019s] existing structure for granted, and if we&#8217;re going to have a future, we have to broaden our understanding of who we&#8217;re bringing the gospel to\u2026we need to ask, \u2018Do we have good news for everyone around us?\u2019&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>Rev. Bjorneby is a Luther Seminary alumnus (class of \u201985), and has served on Luther Seminary\u2019s board now for a number of years. He is seeing Luther Seminary from another perspective, different from his student days. This lens has a long view focused on the vitality of faith communities called to speak the gospel into a world that needs it. From here, he sees how all the layers of Luther\u2019s community\u2014students, staff, faculty, administration, and board\u2014are pulling together to innovate into that future, so the gospel can be heard in a world that has changed.<\/p>\n<p>How? By preparing and educating leaders who can nurture and inspire others to bring good news into their own contexts. Rev. Bjorneby supports Luther Seminary\u2019s mission because he believes that Luther Seminary is willing to ask hard questions, experiment, and learn.<\/p>\n<p>He is inspired by the teaching and the learning that happens at Luther. This was true when he was a student, and it\u2019s true today. Because of this, he trusts seminary leadership to steward his financial support toward that end. \u201cI want my giving to support the mission,\u201d he said. \u201cI trust the leadership to say, \u2018This is what we need to be doing,\u2019 and I want to fund that. My personal preferences are less important. I give to the Sustaining Fund.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Ladd reflects, \u201cLuther Seminary has always been about the gospel, all about getting the gospel to the ears of people who need to hear it. Throughout all the years and all the changes, that&#8217;s remained. So, through my giving, I&#8217;m participating in that. I am a part of that mission.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Why Should I Give to Luther Seminary? When you make a gift of any size to Luther Seminary, know that your gift helps: Innovate:\u00a0To make bold, innovative changes to form Christian communities. Educate:\u00a0Your next pastor, your congregation\u2019s next youth minister, the next Christian leader, the chaplain at your hospital or senior healthcare center, the counselor [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":10,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":4,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"content-type":"","_genesis_hide_title":false,"_genesis_hide_breadcrumbs":false,"_genesis_hide_singular_image":false,"_genesis_hide_footer_widgets":false,"_genesis_custom_body_class":"","_genesis_custom_post_class":"","_genesis_layout":"","footnotes":""},"class_list":{"0":"post-423","1":"page","2":"type-page","3":"status-publish","5":"entry"},"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v26.4 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>Why Should I Give? - Luther Seminary<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.luthersem.edu\/giving\/why-should-i-give\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Why Should I Give? - Luther Seminary\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Why Should I Give to Luther Seminary? 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