Information Sheet

Purpose:

Ministry Health is an Internet-based ministry for to support and provide resources for Christian pastors in their day to day ministries. A "Human Resources site for clergy," Ministry Health contains a variety of articles and resources designed to address the many aspects of parish ministry.

Content:

Started in August, 1997, Ministry Health has four main elements:

* Email Newsletter: Sent free to all subscribers, articles are usually sent bi-weekly.

* Article Archives: Includes largely original articles by the author plus a select few of other articles by other authors.

* Resources: Original resources by the author include seminar materials, Bible Study outlines, congregational inventories, and other helpful materials designed to lead to healthy parish life.

* Consultation: For individuals, leaders, congregations or groups of congregations to assist individuals toward a more passionate realization of the Great Commission in their ministries for Jesus Christ. 

* It is not a cure-all for ministry health. It’s simply a networking tool to give pastors a broader perspective of the challenges, joys, and experiences of the ministry.

* It is not a substitute for denominational support. Ministry Health strongly urges pastors with special issues to contact their respective denominational executives.

* It is not a unbalanced advocate of the many "quick-fix" growth and leadership programs or an advocate of the latest ministry "fad."

* It is a growing, full-service ministry support center. Licensed as a "Limited Liability Corporation" (LLC), Ministry Health is committed to offering quality resources, consultation and support to Christian ministries throughout the world.

 What Ministry Health Is:

* A practical, hands-on tool to encourage pastors in their day-to-day ministries.

* A conservative, Scripturally-based ministry resource edited by an conservative, Confessional Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod parish pastor.

* A way to help uphold, defend, and encourage the balanced, scriptural understanding and practice of Church and Ministry.

* A pastor’s personal resource to give encouragement before, during, and after various ministry experiences.

* A resource designed to encourage greater ministry health and wholeness from a Biblical perspective.

* For Circuit Meetings;

* For District training and usage;

* For pastors experiencing congregational conflict, or difficulties relating to other issues (personal, professional, or congregational);

* For seminary students and who have just entered the ministry;

* For use or distribution in Circuit or District meetings, conferences, or newsletters;

* For continuing pastoral education;

* For Ministry Health discussion clusters;

* For personal edification, growth and reflection; and

* Any way possible for the edification of pastors and church leaders.

 Copyright Permission:

Ministry Health articles may be reprinted for non-profit Christian ministry use as long as the author’s name, copyright information, and Ministry Health URL is included with each article copied. Please make specific requests for reprint permission at [email protected] 

Rev. Thomas F. Fischer is Director and Editor-in-Chief of Ministry Health. A third-generation LCMS pastor, Tom is a 1983 graduate of Concordia Seminary, St. Louis, Missouri.

Tom entered the parish ministry in 1984 after a year of graduate studies at St. Louis in the areas of New Testament Exegesis and Systematic Theology. He completed his Masters of Science In Administration (M.S.A) degree (Administration and Human Resources) at Central Michigan University, Mt. Pleasant, Michigan, in 1997.

Tom has served in a variety of ministry settings as pastor, associate pastor, campus pastor, church planter, and music director. He has served in both large and small churches with and without parochial day schools. He has ministered in his present church since July, 1986.

Tom has also served the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod as a major instructor in the Michigan District’s Lay Training Program (MLMI) and Concordia Theological Seminary’s Extension Program in Midland and Saginaw, Michigan. Presently he is a part-time instructor for Concordia College, Ann Arbor, Michigan..

Ministry Health is on the Internet at  http://ministryhealth.net.  Those wishing to subscribe to the weekly email newsletter may do so at this site or they may send their request via email to Thomas Fischer, Director, at [email protected].  Subscriptions are normally processed the same day and subscribers are notified that their subscription has been received and activated.

Thomas F. Fischer, Director
Ministry Health, L.LC.

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