PALS (Post-Seminary Applied Learning and Support) is a collaborative effort of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod and our districts.
PALS regularly brings together groups of recent graduates of our seminaries throughout the first three years of their ministries. In these meetings, the new pastors worship, study and discuss new ministry experiences in the company of an experienced pastor.
The PALS program has developed a series of video/workbook courses organized around four main categories of modules:
- Faith to Follow: Transition from the Call to the Church — by Kate Meadows
- Getting to Know Your New Congregation — by Rev. John Hirsch (Revised by Carrie O’Donnell)
- Transition from Seminary to Parish (for Pastors) — by William Knippa
- Transition from Seminary to Parish (for Pastors’ Wives) — by William Knippa
- Transition: Seminary to Urban & Inner City or Rural & Small Town — by Rev. Dr. Steven Schave and Rev. Todd Kollbaum
- Pastor: Apt to Teach — Dr. Mark Blanke
- Biblical Foundations for Lutheran Catechesis — Rev. John T. Pless
- Built on the Rock: The Healthy Congregation — Ted Kober, CPH. Book Study
- Pastor as Preacher/Teacher: “Law and Gospel” — Rev. George F. Wollenburg
- Pastor as Preacher/Teacher: “Doing Law and Gospel Preaching” — Dr. Carl Fickenscher
- Preaching as Pilgrimage — Rev. Dr. David Schmitt
- Preaching: The Heart and the Art — Rev. Dr. David Schmitt
- Conflict Resolution vs. Reconciliation — Ambassadors of Reconciliation
- Crisis Counseling and Referral (Part I) — Dr. Bev Yahnke
- Crisis Counseling and Referral (Part II) — Dr. Bev Yahnke
- Every One His Witness — Rev. Mark Wood (discussion guide by Rev. Dr. James Baneck)
- Family Trees & Olive Branches: Creating a Culture of Grace in Your Family — Christina
- Hergenrader, CPH, Book Study
- Finding Balance and Setting Boundaries between Work and Home — Rev. David C. Fleming
- and Mrs. Jo Marie Fleming
- He Restores My Soul, Writings on Cross and Comfort edited — Katie Schuermann, Emmanuel
- Press, Book Study
- Holding up the Prophet’s Hand (Discussion Guide) — Rev. Rob Foote
- Joy: A Study of Philippians — Deb Burma, CPH. Book Study
- Marriage by God’s Design (DVD Kit) — Tim and LeeAnn Radkey
- Myth of the Millennial: Connecting Generations in the Church — Ted and Chelsey Doering,
- Book Study
- Parenting in the Pew (Discussion Guide) — Carrie O’Donnell
- Pastoral Care and Ethics at Life’s End — Prof. John T. Pless
- Pastoring the Dying and Funeral Preparation — Rev. Daniel T. Torkelson
- Premarital Pastoral Care — Rev. Dr. Rick Marrs and Rev. Dr. Kevin Bergmann
- Responding to Sexual Temptation in a High-Tech Society — Ambassadors of Reconciliation
- Sexual Morality in a Christless World — Matthew Rueger, Book Study
- The Care of Souls: Cultivating A Pastor’s Heart — Harold Senkbeil, Lexham Press, Book Study
- The Pastor’s Life of Prayer — Rev. Dr. Jim and Myrna Baneck
- Visitation: Getting to Know Your Flock/Calling on Inactive Members — Rev. Michael Walther
- Weary Joy: The Caregiver’s Journey — Kim Marxhausen, CPH. Book Study
- Life Together as Synod — Video Series
- Building a Long-Term Ministry — Rev. Dr. Gary Zieroth
- Introduction to Pastoral Leadership and Parish Administration — Rev. Dr. Jamison J. Hardy
- Leading Positive Change in Congregations — Rev. Dr. David Peter
- Pastors and Elders by Rev. Timothy Mech and published — CPH
- Pastor as Chief Steward — Rev. Wayne J. Knolhoff
- Pastor as Shepherd — Rev. Roy K. Holm
- Stewardship of Time for Pastors — Rev. Ralph Blomenberg
- Thinking About Stewardship — Rev. Dr. Joel D. Biermann
Post-Seminary Applied Learning & Support
Helping pastors and their wives transition from seminary to congregation.