Recent posts

Organ Playing 101

This six-part organ instructional video series will help organists with accompanying of hymnody and liturgy.

LCMS Specialized Pastoral Ministry – April 2015 newsletter

In this issue from LCMS’ Specialized Pastoral Ministry (SPM), information is provided about the “Soldiers of the Cross” ministry fund and the “Veterans of the Cross” retired worker fund.

LCMS Stewardship Ministry – April 2015 newsletter

In this issue from LCMS’ Stewardship Ministry, the importance of seeing stewardship within congregations as not only a financial matter, but also as pastoral care for the souls of members is discussed. When stewardship is viewed in this holistic manner, great things can happen with the Church.

Wounds, Scars and Bloody Death in the City: A Good Friday Reflection

- Her first day as our deaconess fieldworker, she rushed to the HUD facility on our campus to come to the aid of an elderly woman who slipped in the…

A Revitalization Moment

Early in any stage of revitalization, reorganization, reinvigoration or whatever you want to call it, it is easy to have that sense of excitement. There is urgency in your work and little victories seem like great triumphs. And then, time wears on.

Missing Easter

It is easy to unintentionally miss celebrating Easter in the midst of our busyness. Fortunately for us, God’s grace and mercy never miss us.

The Passion of Our Lord According to St. Mark

The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod suggests the following reading of The Passion of Our Lord, according to St. Mark in chapters 14 and 15.

Audio: SPM Pastoral Care in Plurastic Contexts presentations

The LCMS' Specialized Pastoral Ministry hosted a “Pastoral Care in Pluralistic Contexts” conference Oct. 28-30, 2014, in St. Louis.

7 Leadership Lessons Learned as Gathering Media Director

Organizational and team leadership lessons learned during the 2013 Gathering planning cycle

Audio: Listen to 2015 LCMS Life Conference presentations

The LCMS Life Ministry offers audio presentations from our 2015 LCMS Life Conference.

LCMS Stewardship Ministry – March 2015 newsletter

In this issue from LCMS’ Stewardship Ministry, the role of storytelling in the area of stewardship is discussed. Using this very powerful communication tool must be done with caution because the story itself can be idolized. This does not mean, however, that story should be avoided. It can actually be a rich blessing in a congregation’s stewardship life. To achieve this, the pastor must seek out and strategically use stories of faithful stewardship to help alter the congregation’s stewardship culture.

Being the Remnant Church: Take Your Stand in the Land

Membership, financial resources, and influence are in decline, even steep decline, in many congregations. Now fewer people with fewer resources and less influence remain to do what the larger, more prosperous, and more favored church failed to do ...

The Persecuted Church: Suggested Propers for the Divine Service

Given the recent and growing number of Christians killed for the sake of Christ, a congregation might wish to receive the comfort of a Divine Service that specifically meditates upon and intercedes for those persecuted brothers and sisters. LCMS Worship offers the following propers as an aid toward that end.

The Blessing of Interns Part II: 7 tips for using a vicar or intern in youth ministry

7 tips for using a vicar or intern to work in your youth ministry setting.

The Leadership Disconnect

What would happen if we intentionally planned out our congregation’s work and set about raising up those leaders which God has placed in our midst? Imagine the possibilities!