Set Apart to Serve (SAS) is a Synodwide effort to build an intentional culture of church work formation and recruitment in every LCMS congregation, family, school, district and entity. Together, we pray that the Lord of the harvest will supply His church with pastors who preach and teach the Gospel of Jesus Christ and commissioned church workers who will teach and share God’s Word in their full-time church work vocations.
The resources from The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod (LCMS) are intended for you, the influential adult, to use as you encourage our youth — and adults — to consider becoming a pastor, deaconess, Lutheran school teacher, director of Christian education, director of parish music, director of family life ministries, director of church ministries or director of outreach.
The resources, which include conversation guides, Bible studies, and journey maps, will help you talk about church work and guide young people on their journey to a church work vocation.
God works through influential adults like pastors, parents, church workers and other laity (people like you!) to call people to church work vocations — all it takes is a few moments to begin the conversation.
- Called to Serve God’s Church: Stories of Pastors and Teachers Who Came to Church Work as a Second Career
- Second Career FAQs
- Encouraging Men to Consider a Second Career as a Pastor
- Routes to the Office of the Holy Ministry
- A Pastor’s Guide to Mentoring Future Second-Career Pastors
- Next Chapter, New Calling: A Guide for the Wife of a Potential Second-Career Pastor
- Forming a Congregation Set Apart to Serve Focus Team
- Engaging Laity in Your Congregation
- Talking to young people about vocation
- Encouraging future church workers
- Messaging templates for influential adults
- Bulletin insert — General
- Bulletin Insert — Second Career in Church Work
- The 8 LCMS Church Work Vocations One-Sheet
- The 8 LCMS Church Work Vocations *
- Talking points for encouraging second-career church work
- Kids in the Divine Service
Presentations
Use when teaching congregations and teachers about the importance of church work vocations.
- For congregations: Download presentation | Download talking points
- For teachers: Download presentation | Download talking points
For Families
Resources to share with and encourage families
Birth to 12 Years Old
12-14 Years Old
- Conversation Guide for Ages 12-14
- Essential Experiences Workbook & Individual Tracker Presentation
- Your Guide to Mentoring Future Church Workers
- Your Guide to Job Shadowing for Future Church Workers
- Journey Map
- Bible Study — Prayerfully Considering Full-Time Church Work: Set Apart to Serve at Camp
- Bible Study — Leading Lives That Matter
- Bible Study — Seeing Yourself in a Church Work Vocation
- Bible Study — I AM the Alpha and the Omega
14-18+ Years Old
- Conversation Guide for Ages 14-18+
- Essential Experiences Workbook & Individual Tracker Presentation
- Your Guide to Mentoring Future Church Workers
- Your Guide to Job Shadowing for Future Church Workers
- Journey Map
- Bible Study — Prayerfully Considering Full-Time Church Work: Set Apart to Serve at Camp
- Bible Study — Leading Lives That Matter
- Bible Study — Seeing Yourself in a Church Work Vocation
- Bible Study — I AM the Alpha and the Omega