Lutheran Vocational Evangelism and Witness Workshops

Ron Bogs began his interest in evangelism while on his internship as a Director of Christian Education and learning Dr. Kennedy’s program, Evangelism Explosion. Returning to Concordia University Chicago, he developed a personal class studying evangelism. Serving as a Lutheran School teacher for two years before his four years as a Director of Christian Education and Evangelism, he attended witness workshops, learned the "LCMS version" of Evangelism Explosion, Dialog Evangelism by Leroy Biesenthal. As a DCE/E, Bogs continued studying various evangelism programs and serving in the Texas District. He was immersed in the Win and Chuck Arn church growth process, always adapting and adopting their material in a Lutheran way. After graduating from Seminary he continued reading and developing his own evangelism understanding. His main focus in his doctoral work was evangelism and his Major Applied Project was titled Developing and Implementing and Evangelism Lifestyle. Taking from his MAP he has continued to develop his understanding of witness and evangelism especially from a Lutheran perspective.

In order to better understand the concept of evangelism that Pastor Bogs presents, it is best to start with knowing something about the presenter. He was raised as a Missouri Synod Lutheran from birth. He was baptized at the age of 13 days. He attended Sunday School and Lutheran School. He attended Concordia University Chicago, as well as, Concordia Seminary, St. Louis. The only time he did not attend a Lutheran School was for his high school education but was actively involved in his church.

As he was immersed in a Lutheran Education over the years, he began to understand the relationship of doctrine and practice, that is the way we do things as Lutherans flows out of what we believe, teach and confess. To say it another way, there are specific ways we do things as Lutherans. As Lutherans, because of what we believe, teach and confess, we have a particular way of doing evangelism, as well as Divine Service, education, how we build a church building and what a sanctuary looks like. It is our Lutheran teachings which guide how we act out and live our faith.

Pastor Bogs begins with the understanding that the Bible is God’s Word which means that God’s Word is always the final word. While human reason and word is fallible, God’s Word is always true and right. Thus, when man’s word and human reason go against God’s Word, Pastor Bogs sticks with God’s Word. Also, as he looks at the Old and New Testament, as well as all time from B.C. to A.D. he speaks the truth that all of Holy Scripture, as well as all of time points to Jesus. Or as Bogs always says, "We get it right when we point to Jesus!" We get it wrong when we point to self.

Over the years following his MAP on what he called "Lifestyle Evangelism," Dr. Bogs has continued to develop his understanding of what it means to be Lutheran and to do evangelism as a Lutheran, that is, practicing Lutheran witnessing and evangelism which flows out of what we as Lutherans believe, teach and confess and what he now calls “Lutheran Vocational Evangelism."

Having retired, he now offers his services to teach what he has learned. He thus offers seminars in different formats depending on the interest and needs of the congregation.

If your church would be interested in hosting a workshop, email Pastor Bogs at ronbogs58@gmail.com.