That was a comment following our 2006 National Conference in regard to our first "Conference Challenge" fundraising effort. This year, conference attendees and other supporters were given an opportunity to support LifeDate through special gifts given or pledged during that weekend. The goal of the Conference Challenge was to bring awareness to the importance of LifeDate, our quarterly journal that reaches over 30,000 homes, schools, and churches with each mailing. LifeDate is one of the main ways Lutherans For Life educates and equips people to witness to the sanctity of human life based on God’s Word. Understanding that life issues are spiritual issues is what makes Lutherans For Life different from other pro-life organizations.

There was another reason to highlight LifeDate in our conference challenge. As you read this issue of LifeDate, you may not be aware of the expense involved. Although gladly provided free-of-charge, each edition requires over $15,000 to produce and distribute. LifeDate is one of the major expenses in Lutherans For Life’s budget, an annual budget in 2006 of over $700,000.

So, back to that question: Is Lutherans For Life different than other organizations? If being different means we don’t ask for your support, then the answer is "no." Appeal letters, conference challenges, membership mailings, planned gift information, and even the return envelope in this issue of LifeDate, give you opportunities to support Lutherans For Life.

Now, let’s put that question into a different context. Is Lutherans For Life different than other organizations? YES! The difference is in the Word of God! Just as our mission is different than other pro-life organizations, our asking for gifts is different because it is based on the Gospel.

Luke 12:34 is one of my favorite stewardship verses: "For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." I truly believe that connecting your money to an organization that focuses on God’s Word will grow your faith as you increase in your ability to apply the scriptures to every day living. But Luke 12 has more to say about how we react to our needs.

Let’s start with verse 22: "Then Jesus said to His disciples: ‘Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat; or about your body, what you will wear.’" Some people might say asking shows a lack of trust in the ability for God to provide. However, Jesus’ words tell us not to worry about the future. That confidence makes Lutherans For Life different! When we ask you for gifts, we know that God will guide your decision on how, when, or even if you wish to support us. There is no panic in our asking, and no obligation on your part to contribute. As a Christ-centered organization, we can do the work set out for us with the assurance that God will continue to provide for our needs according to His plans. We pray that God will lead you to join with us in this ministry, but if you are called to another organization, our prayer is that you will consider the message of LFL and how it applies to your daily life.

There is a great need for people to understand what God has to say on abortion, stem-cell research and cloning, end-of-life decisions, chastity, and other life issues. While we do not worry about the future, God calls us to be prepared to serve Him. It’s interesting that soon after Jesus said, "don’t worry about what you will wear" He says: "Be dressed ready for service and keep your lamps burning" (v. 35).

We also read in verse 40: "You also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect Him." For Lutherans For Life, being ready for service means producing materials and providing speakers to address issues as they arise. Satan continues to attack life and offend our Creator. The initiative in Missouri on stem-cell research and cloning, the upcoming Supreme Court hearing on the partial-birth abortion ban, and the vote on the abortion ban in South Dakota are examples of challenges for LFL to meet the needs of God’s people with clear, concise, biblically-based information.

As we continue to answer God’s call, we continue to ask for your support. The monetary costs of doing business are no different from one organization to the next. But, the focus and use of those funds makes all the difference.

Luke 12:48b: "From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked."