Offering both a Lutheran response and critique of the popular Left Behind series, a Bible study from the LCMS Commission on Theology and Church Relations is now available online. Adopted by the CTCR in May, the study can be obtained…

After Hurricane Katrina, trucker Craig Hansen delivered everything from diapers to generators to families on the Gulf Coast as part of 15 relief shipments sponsored by LCMS World Relief/Human Care and Orphan Grain Train. Now the 30-year trucking veteran hopes…

More than 23,000 laypeople, pastors, and other church leaders participated in some 280 workshops this fall to introduce Lutheran Service Book (LSB), the Synod’s new hymnal. “The total number of registrants exceeded our wildest expectations,” said Dr. Paul Grime, executive director…

LCMS Youth Ministry announced in November that more than 60 events next summer will comprise the Synod’s 2007 line-up of Servant Events, under the theme “CHOSEN to the World.” “CHOSEN” is the theme of the 2007 National LCMS Youth and…

Concordia Plan Services (CPS) says it will introduce several new health and wellness programs as part of the Concordia Health Plan (CHP), starting March 1. Free to all CHP members, those programs will consist of Health Risk Assessment (HRA), Health Advisors…

By Paula Schlueter Ross Thank God for graduate programs, which are continuing to draw ever-increasing numbers of students to the Synod’s universities with each passing year. This fall’s total undergraduate and graduate enrollment of 20,091 for the 10 Concordia University…

By Paula Schlueter Ross “Fan Into Flame” — the Synodwide campaign to raise $100 million by 2010 to support the worldwide evangelism effort known as Ablaze! — is officially off and running. Rolled out early this year as a pilot…

As the son of a pastor and a church worker himself, Dr. Kurt Krueger says serving God as a pastor, teacher, or other professional church worker can be extremely fulfilling. “It’s a great life for those of us who’ve been…

Lutherans For Life (LFL) and LCMS Life Ministries are offering an array of resources to help congregations and other groups observe “Sanctity of Human Life Sunday” on Jan. 21.  The materials also are suitable to use any time of the…

By Karen Boettcher This commentary is in response to the “Statement Regarding Immigration Concerns” issued June 2 by Dr. Gerald Kieschnick, LCMS president, and Rev. Matthew Harrison, executive director of LCMS World Relief/Human Care.  The commentary — written from the…

Growing stewardship is a growing interest, judging from the response to the November Reporter story about the new Consecrated Stewards emphasis developed by the Lutheran Church Extension Fund’s (LCEF) Capital Funding Services. Pastors seeking more Consecrated Stewards information can directly…

LCMS World Relief/Human Care wants to make 2007 the year of mercy. The ministry will host the first LCMS Conference on Mercy April 30-May 2 in St. Louis as a national platform to equip and energize caring Christians for what…

By Kim Krull Hurricane Katrina changed many lives in many heartbreaking ways.  But for Rev. Larry Beane, one surprisingly positive change is his return to a boyhood hobby. “Hurricane Katrina convinced me to become active in ham radio once again,”…

By Joe Isenhower Jr.  ORLANDO, Fla. —   “This is a wonderful event,” said Carol Oetting of Seward, Neb., as she sat in the meeting hall between sessions of the Lutheran Church Extension Fund’s (LCEF) Fall Leadership Conference here. Attending the annual…

ORLANDO, Fla. — The Synod’s Board of Directors has approved a resolution that, starting no sooner than next July 1, will transfer “Level 1” fundraising activities for the Synod’s Board for Mission Services (BFMS) from the LCMS Foundation to the…

ORLANDO, Fla. — The LCMS Council of Presidents (COP) focused on “restoring harmony and trust in the … Synod for the sake of Christ’s mission” at its Nov. 12-14 meeting here.  The council also “approved in principle” a proposed alternate-route program…