Lutheran Witness: May 2026

The May issue of The Lutheran Witness gives a preview of this summer’s LCMS convention and of the five candidates for LCMS president.

From the President: Christ Is Risen Indeed: Gearing Up for Another Convention

Life in the Church Year: Art & the Christian Life

Print Features

‘If Christ Has Not Been Raised’: Exploring the 2026 LCMS convention theme — Timothy Pauls

Convention Fun Facts: Learn about this summer’s convention

Overture Overview: What’s up for discussion?

Meet the Candidates: Information and an exclusive Q&A with the LCMS presidential candidates

‘Christ Is Risen! Tell the Next Generation’: The 2026–2029 National Offering is focused on youth

Departments

Snippets: News from around the LCMS and the world

The Road to Convention: The LCMS President and Vice-Presidents

Searching Scripture: Following the Formula Article V: Law and Gospel

From the editor

In two months’ time, over 1,300 delegates — as well as many exhibitors, presenters and other attendees — will travel to sunny Phoenix for the 69th Regular Convention of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod.

Wait, didn’t we just do this? Why do we gather every three years as a Synod? What exactly happens at convention, and why does it matter?

This issue of The Lutheran Witness seeks to answer these questions — to give you a sneak preview of the business that will be conducted and the major discussions that will take place at the convention in July.

Why talk about this in May? Before the convention rolls around in July, our Synod’s biggest election — the election of the LCMS president for the coming triennium — will be held virtually. Each LCMS congregation has had the opportunity to register a pastoral and lay voter, who will cast their votes in June. To equip our Synod as they ponder the slate of candidates before them, The Lutheran Witness has asked each candidate six questions — about their views on various current topics, about what it means to be Lutheran, about their thoughts on the future of the LCMS, and more. Read their answers on p. 18–22 of this issue.

At the convention, delegates will discuss and vote on major issues — such as how and where our Synod should educate its pastors; how we should define “Lutheran identity” as we seek unity in it; how we should respond to issues such as AI, racism, in vitro fertilization, cohabitation and more; how we should forge together as a church body in a time of declining membership; how we should best exercise ecclesiastical supervision over our clergy and handle disputes; and much more.

Our team will be on the ground in Phoenix, working hard to share live updates with you through our sister publication, Reporter. We encourage you to read the “Overture Overview” on p. 12–14 of this issue, especially the overview of “The Big Topics” on p. 14, and then to follow along with these discussions from home in July, keeping up with the conversations and resolutions of your Synod in convention. You can follow along with live updates each day at reporter.lcms.org. Daily updates will also be shared on the LCMS Facebook page.

It can be easy to break off into silos or echo chambers when it comes to matters of tension or debate in our Synod. We encourage you to follow along with the conversations at the convention this summer, where representatives from across the Synod will convene together to discuss these matters — and we encourage you to pursue charity and an eagerness to understand as you listen.

Where charity and love prevail

There God is ever found;

Brought here together by Christ’s love

By love are we thus bound. …

Let us recall that in our midst

Dwells Christ, His only Son;

As members of His body joined

We are in Him made one. (LSB 845:1, 5)

In Christ,

Stacey Eising

Managing Editor, The Lutheran Witness