It’s all about Christ

The 175 years since our synod’s founding have demonstrated that in all things—in times of challenge and times of outward blessings—Christ has continued to work through us to build his kingdom. He has preserved our synod through times of doctrinal controversies and kept us faithful to his Word. He has enabled our synod to weather depressions, wars, civil unrest, a radically changing culture, pandemics, and political turmoil. He has enabled us to grow from a small midwestern synod into a synod that spans the country and works to spread the gospel in dozens of countries around the world. He has given us faithful and well-trained called workers and sanctified laypeople.

Photo Mark Schroeder wearing green vest with cross — WELS President Mark Schroeder

Christ has done all of this. And by his grace he has permitted us to be a part of what he does, as he works through us. “Christ through us,” the theme of our convention this year, is also the theme of our recently approved long-range strategic plan.

As we look at our synod today, important issues lie before us. We will neither hide from the challenges nor ignore the opportunities.

Christ has been working through us as we have committed ourselves to opening 100 new home missions in 10 years. We are now in the third year of that effort. Even though the increasing cost of planting new missions, as well as the pastoral shortage, are combining to make an ambitious undertaking even more challenging, we remain committed to planting as many new missions as resources allow.

Christ has been working through us beyond our borders and across the seas. Missionaries have been sent to new mission fields like the United Kingdom and Australia. The relationship with the Hmong Evangelical Lutheran Church in Vietnam is being strengthened through the theological education we are providing for their pastors. Mission churches are maturing into independent Lutheran synods. Lutheran church bodies seeking faithful and confessional partners are joining in fellowship with WELS.

Our ministerial education schools are strong and healthy, with enrollments either stable or increasing. Our system for training called workers is unlike any other. We’ve been encouraged by outside observers never to let it go. Christ is continuing to prepare faithful and well-trained workers for his harvest field, through us.

Christ continues to strengthen our congregations through his gospel. It is not the role of the synod to tell congregations how to carry out their ministries. Certainly, the role of the synod is not to encourage the use of flashy programs or gimmicks to “grow the church.” But one thing the synod does through WELS Congregational Services is provide gospel-based tools and resources to help congregations carry out those ministries with faithfulness and excellence.

Christ is at work in our congregations and schools, speaking to his people through Word and sacrament, creating and strengthening their faith through the means of grace, blessing them with his presence in worship, equipping young and old to serve, and moving members to go into their communities with the invitation that Philip gave to Nathanael: “Come and see” (John 1:46).

It’s all about Christ and what he does, and we thank him that he has chosen to work through us. We are privileged that he has made undeserving sinners like us a part of that mission.

Read about the first priority in the synod’s new long-range strategic plan.

Schroeder signature