Connection points: Forming youth in the faith

YouthLead participant Lucas Lorenz from Zion Lutheran Church, Bethalto, Ill., gives a high five to adult leader Megan Pfeiffer on July 21, 2024, at NATIONAL24 in New Orleans. The event was an opportunity for youth, young adults and adult leaders to connect and prepare for the 2025 LCMS Youth Gathering, coming up in July 2025. (Logan Sheffer)

By James Baneck

Set Apart to Serve (SAS) is working to build a culture of church work formation and recruitment in every congregation, family, school, district and entity. It is a culture that requires the involvement of every pastor, commissioned worker, parent, layperson and Synod employee.

There are several wonderful organizations that walk beside our congregations, families and schools in The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod (LCMS), creating connection points that help form our youth in the Christian faith according to the Holy Scriptures and the Lutheran Confessions. These connection points also supplement and reinforce the formation and recruitment of our youth to consider full-time church work.

The LCMS Youth Gathering, held every three years, provides nearly 20,000 youth and adults the opportunity to come together as God’s people to be encouraged in their walk with Jesus Christ and to learn about the Christian faith. At this summer’s Gathering, to be held in New Orleans July 19–23 under the theme “Endure,” SAS will be featured in the LCMS booth in the exhibit hall, creating an opportunity for LCMS church workers, missionaries and others to connect with thousands of youth about church work careers.

SAS is also leading three sessions for youth and adult leaders that will feature panels of church workers discussing their journey to full-time church work and highlighting the eight LCMS full-time church work vocations. Find out more at lcmsgathering.com.

Higher Things (HT), an LCMS Recognized Service Organization, focuses on making the gifts of Christ Jesus (Word and Sacrament) known to youth and young adults. This summer, HT is holding its annual summer gatherings at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst (June 24–27); Concordia University, Nebraska, Seward, Neb. (July 8–11); and Calvin University, Grand Rapids, Mich. (July 29–Aug. 1), under the theme “All Things New.”

SAS is partnering with HT by sponsoring church work students from the Synod’s Concordia universities so they can attend. The students will talk to HT participants about why they decided to pursue church work and will share their experience of being a church work student at a Concordia. They also will present at HT breakout sessions and visit with the participants throughout the conference. Learn more at higherthings.org.

Christ Academy (CA) is hosted each summer by Concordia Theological Seminary, Fort Wayne, to provide two weeks of catechesis, worship and fun to high school students. In previous years, SAS has partnered with CA by teaching about the Office of the Holy Ministry and the Augsburg Confession to the young men. This year, the women have asked that they, too, be able to study the Augsburg Confession. In conjunction with this study of the Lutheran Confessions, SAS will also talk to students about considering full-time church work within such a rich confession. Learn more at ctsfw.edu/christ-academy.

Vocatio High School is hosted by Concordia Seminary, St. Louis (CSL), to encourage high schoolers to explore God’s calling for their lives by experiencing many aspects of the seminary, including worship and devotions, sessions with professors, and fun and recreation. SAS will once again partner with CSL this summer by visiting with participants at the SAS booth to talk about full-time church work. SAS will also talk to the participants about considering full-time church work over the Monday evening meal. Learn more at csl.edu/vocatio-high-school.

Shepherd’s Hill at the Crossroads Camp (SHC) is a beautiful LCMS camp in north-central North Dakota. SHC is hosting its annual Encounter Camp for high schoolers July 27–Aug. 1. SAS is partnering with SHC as a pilot site to learn how best to encourage youth to consider full-time church work in a camp setting. SAS will then develop resources so this encouragement can be multiplied at Lutheran camps for years to come.

Posted April 30, 2025