Hmong Ministry

Bethlehem Lutheran Church together with its Hmong members is celebrating nearly 10 years as partners.  While Hmong members are being served fulltime in English by Rev. Robert H. Krueger and Rev. Nathan Raddatz, Rev. Cheng Tao from Hmong Lutheran Church in St. Paul, conducts services twice a month in Hmong.

While no one can foresee the future, discussion is underway as to how Bethlehem can partner with other Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod entities to provide Hmong members with a fulltime Hmong pastor.  In the meantime, Rev. Nathan Raddatz has begun to learn the Hmong language through classes at the University of Minnesota.  He will not be the fulltime Hmong pastor, but will take the learning out into the neighborhoods to address critical spiritual questions and concerns.

In June (2008), an exciting change took place that has added an element from the English service to the Hmong service.  Formally, the Hmong hymns were once sung to the piano.  However, now the organ leads the beautiful singing.  The Hmong have their own hymnal produced by Concordia Publishing House (CPH). 

As of July 1st, 2008, Bethlehem’s church president became Daniel Thao, a member, who is active in the Hmong service.  Daniel is the first Hmong member to serve as church president.  This young man, a graduate of the University of St. Thomas, brings a wealth of knowledge and experience from Northwest Airlines and United Health to the leadership position.  He also gives the Hmong members greater visibility and voice in the direction and future of the church. 

As more of the Hmong members take vital leadership positions within the Hmong service and church wide, key relationships and friendships develop.  Meanwhile, education and fellowship opportunities like Bethlehem’s Sunday School, Bible Classes, softball teams and website committee provide great means for love and support! 

In keeping with Jesus' great commission, the Hmong Ministry center has been established by the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod to facilitate mission work to the Hmong people in St. Paul, Minnesota, other communities in the United States, and in Southeast Asia.

Mission Goals
In order to most effectively reach the Hmong people, the Hmong Ministry Center is dedicated to:

• Training Hmong men in the holy and inspired Word of God so that they may serve as full-time pastors, teachers, and evangelists.

• Training Hmong people to provide leadership in their congregations as evangelists teachers, elders, and administrators.
  

• Developing written materials in the Hmong language that may be used for Bible study, evangelism, and worship

• Producing radio programs in the Hmong language that may reach the largest Hmong community with sermons, Bible studies, and evangelism presentations.

• Consulting with congregations and mission boards of the Wisconsin Synod to begin or to expand their outreach to Hmong people.

• Publicize the overall Hmong mission efforts with our Synod.

• To help Districts develop Hmong ministries
• To help Hmong ministries to plant ministries
• To help recruit and train Hmong spiritual leaders
• To help young men and women to obtain Christian education that leads to life of Christian services to the Lord
• To help produce and develop Christian materials
• To promote the sharing of the Gospel to the Hmong people
• The share information within the LCMS about Hmong people and the Hmong ministries
• To gather and disperse funds to support Hmong ministries
• To be available as resources, counselor and coordinator to Districts, circuits and congregations that engage in Hmong ministries