by Roland Lovstad What does it take to be an LCMS pastor? And what makes the seminaries that form those pastors so unique? What comprises a seminary curriculum? Pastoral ministry students at the LCMS seminaries—Concordia Theological Seminary (CTS), Fort Wayne, and Concordia Seminary (CSL), St. Louis—can be divided into two categories: residential and contextual (distance
by Dr. Lawrence R. Rast Jr. Economic collapse, rapid social change, troubling finances . . . is this the LCMS of 1911 or 2011? Climate change, economic collapse, familial displacement, rapid social change, changing morals—so chaotic were the circumstances of life that some began to predict the imminent end of the world. These were the
by Jerald C. Wulf Why do we give to the church? Is it because it makes us feel good or because everything we have is the Lord’s? It is suppertime, and the telephone rings. With a certain amount of apprehension, you pick up the receiver. Caller ID does not show a familiar name, so you
by William D. Cochran Q. How have LCMS schools grown over the last 40 years? A. There has been a steady growth in the total number of Lutheran schools, which peaked at 2,525 schools in 2006. That includes a significant growth in the number of free-standing early childhood centers, which reached a high of 1,406
by Adriane Dorr Q. What is the Concordia University System (CUS)? The CUS consists of: Ten colleges and universities 27,000 students Over 2,000 full- and part-time faculty Over 200 programs of study One solid foundation, God’s Word, for a Christ-centered educational environment Q. What is the current number of students enrolled in a church vocation,
by Dr. Albert B. Collver III Among the blessings, gifts and challenges that our Synod faces is the task of restructuring. With the passing of Res. 8–08A at the Synod’s convention in July 2010, the Synod decided to create a more flexible organization by aligning its work around two mission boards. The President’s Office was
by Barbara A. Below On a beautiful spring evening in Palmar Arriba, Dominican Republic, as pictures were displayed on a makeshift screen set up in the street outside the three-bedroom home, little Ramona stood in the spotlight and danced. Along with over 200 other people who gathered from the community, Ramona enjoyed the dedication of
by John Edson The mission and ministry of The Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod are dependent on gifts from congregations and individuals. These gifts to the Synod come in two forms. The first is referred to as restricted gifts where the funds can be used only for the purpose designated by the donor. The second type is
At my request, The Lutheran Witness staff has put together this issue to inform the good folks of Synod about the financial realities that we face. The funding of this multi-billion-dollar institution called The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod is complex, to say the least. Learn more about the Synod’s blessings, gifts and challenges.
by Kevin Vogts It is unfortunate that when we hear the word stewardship the first thing that comes to mind for most modern Christians is money. Biblically speaking, money is only one part of a life of Christian stewardship. According to Rom. 6:23, what do we all deserve from God on account of our sins?
by Rev. Dr. Greg Wismar This is the time of year when people begin to do all sorts of holiday and summer traveling. We go to see historical sights, enjoy theme parks and other attractions and often include visits with relatives along the way. Appropriately enough, the one special festival on the calendar of the
by Albert B. Collver III and Kim Plummer Krull Throughout its history, LCMS World Relief and Human Care (WR-HC) has cared for people in body and soul in response to disasters, hunger, poverty and other needs. Apart from disasters, some of the best-supported programs involve the care and help of children, such as the 1001