church planting

Saving souls: Christ’s work, not ours

If a year from now we discovered that all our supposed best practices were completely wrong, it would not change the number of God’s elect by a single one.

COP, BOD meet in St. Louis

Among other items, the COP discussed the Concordia University System, and the BOD reviewed the Synod’s financial position.

Mission boards look to convention

The LCMS Boards for International and National Mission met in January and February in St. Louis.

‘Mission Field: USA’ partners with the LCMS Southeastern District to bring Christ’s Gospel to Baltimore

As part of ‘Mission Field: Baltimore,’ the Rev. Martin and Kathy Schultheis will serve the community of Sandtown-Winchester.

LCMS convention passes four National Witness resolutions by wide margins

The resolutions addressed church planting, shared congregational ministry, campus ministry and the legacy of Rosa J. Young.

Webinars, podcasts support urban mission, church planting

The online resources from LCMS Urban & Inner-City Mission and LCMS Church Planting are available at no cost.

January’s ‘Witness’: Magazine on a ‘Mission’

The Epiphany issue, “Light for All Nations,” examines a range of topics relating to missions and evangelism.

Boards and Business – International, National Mission hold regular meetings

The LCMS Board for International Mission met May 30–31, and the LCMS Board for National Mission met June 14–15 in St. Louis.

Reaching out with the Gospel in Albuquerque: Mission Field: USA church calls first pastor

On April 8, the Rev. Adam DeGroot was installed as the first pastor of St. Andrew Lutheran Church, Albuquerque, N.M. St. Andrew is a church plant of the LCMS Rocky Mountain District in partnership with Mission Field: USA.

‘Reporter’ Supplement: It’s Time to Plant

A March 2018 Supplement to the Reporter highlights the Mission Field:USA, an LCMS Office of National Mission initiative to develop partnerships between struggling inner-city and rural congregations and healthy congregations that desire to help these ministries restart.

‘Mission Field: USA’ new online tool ‘first of its kind’ in LCMS

The self-paced online tool is a companion to the Mission Field: USA guidebook.

Empowerment Center, including Lutheran Hope Center, opens at Ferguson’s ‘ground zero’

LCMS missionary Rev. Micah Glenn and the Lutheran Hope Center are based there, along with community partners.

Reversing the LCMS membership decline: not just by having more children

LCMS President Rev. Dr. Matthew Harrison comments on two major demographic studies about the Synod.

Free: resource to guide church-planting efforts

The new “Mission Field: USA — A Resource for Church Planting” addresses cultural changes and integrates the “Witness, Mercy, Life Together” emphasis into a framework for doing missions.

Synod church planters look to ‘where we aren’t’ in America

A dozen national mission leaders gather for an April 4 roundtable to look at the future of LCMS church planting.

KFUO Audio: Interview about ‘Mission Field: USA’ with Rev. Schave, Rev. Burfeind

KFUO Radio host Andy Bates talks with Rev. Steve Schave, director, LCMS Church Planting, and Rev. Peter Burfeind about national mission work. Rev. Burfeind is a domestic missionary serving in campus ministry at the University of Toledo and in the struggling inner city of Toledo, Ohio, at Holy Cross Lutheran Church and Student Ministry.