Skip to content
Sign up for FIC e-news
Forward in Christ logo

Sign up to receive our free e-newsletter that includes articles, photos, special sneak-peeks, and more straight to your e-mail inbox each week.

Sign up for e-news

DATA PRIVACY & PERMISSION *
The WELS Privacy Policy states that I can unsubscribe at any time by clicking the "unsubscribe" link in e-mails received from WELS websites or via the Contact Us form.

NOTE TO EU CITIZENS, RESIDENTS, TOURISTS, AND OTHER PERSONS TEMPORARILY IN THE EU:
By submitting this form you consent to any and all information you provide and submit via the site being sent to the United States of America. The United States has not sought nor received a finding of “adequacy” from the European Union under Article 45 of the GDPR. WELS relies on derogations for specific situations as set forth in Article 49 of the GDPR. You are also informed that the United States presently does not have an adequate level of personal data protection as determined by the European Commission’s adequacy decision on October 6, 2015 (case c-362/14) and articulated in the European Union’s General Data Protection Regulation and has not received a similar designation of adequacy by any other foreign data protection authority. You agree to the transfer of your data and personal data to the United States, however, to be used in accordance with WELS Privacy Policy.

NEXT STEP: Check your inbox or spam folder to confirm your subscription.

To exit click outside of this form or use the "X" on the top right corner.

  • JULY ISSUE
  • NEWS
  • COMMUNITY
  • PODCASTS
  • VIDEOS
  • ARCHIVE

Search

ficWebLogo
Read more about the article Statistical analysis digs into current called worker shortage

Statistical analysis digs into current called worker shortage

  • Post author:Jonathan R. Hein
  • Post published:2024/08/01
  • Post category:Forward in Christ/FIC News

Each year, WELS collects data from all congregations and schools. WELS Congregational Services compiles this data into a comprehensive statistical report and publishes a statistical summary and analysis. The 2023…

Continue ReadingStatistical analysis digs into current called worker shortage
Read more about the article Delegates play an important role in synod’s ministry

Delegates play an important role in synod’s ministry

  • Post author:FIC
  • Post published:2023/08/10
  • Post category:Forward in Christ/FIC News

WELS’ 67th Biennial Synod Convention was held July 31–Aug. 3, at Michigan Lutheran Seminary, Saginaw, Mich., under the theme “Embrace the Cross—Anticipate the Crown.” Three hundred forty-eight convention delegates met…

Continue ReadingDelegates play an important role in synod’s ministry

Challenged churches

  • Post author:Jonathan R. Hein
  • Post published:2023/07/28
  • Post category:FIC Features/Forward in Christ/FIC Series

All churches face challenges. Defining the biggest challenge can help congregations determine what can be done to meet it. “Are we a challenged church?” One congregation closes every 90 minutes,…

Continue ReadingChallenged churches
Read more about the article Statistical report shows “post-COVID sorting” in WELS

Statistical report shows “post-COVID sorting” in WELS

  • Post author:Jonathan R. Hein
  • Post published:2023/07/27
  • Post category:Forward in Christ/FIC News

Each year, WELS collects data from all congregations and schools. That data is compiled in a statistical report—hundreds of pages containing information for every church, circuit, conference, and district. WELS…

Continue ReadingStatistical report shows “post-COVID sorting” in WELS
Read more about the article Leadership conference equips members to serve

Leadership conference equips members to serve

  • Post author:FIC
  • Post published:2023/02/28
  • Post category:Forward in Christ/FIC News

More than 1,300 WELS members gathered in Chicago in January for the WELS National Conference on Lutheran Leadership. For three days they dedicated themselves to learning about leading in the…

Continue ReadingLeadership conference equips members to serve
Read more about the article Training the next generation of leaders

Training the next generation of leaders

  • Post author:FIC
  • Post published:2023/02/28
  • Post category:Forward in Christ/FIC News

This year, for the first time, WELS high school students were specially invited to attend the WELS National Conference on Lutheran Leadership in Chicago. Sixty-one teenagers from ten area Lutheran…

Continue ReadingTraining the next generation of leaders
Read more about the article Lutheran leadership: Not just authority

Lutheran leadership: Not just authority

  • Post author:Jonathan R. Hein
  • Post published:2022/09/30
  • Post category:FIC Features/Forward in Christ/FIC Series

What comes to mind when you think of church leadership? Many of us think about our pastor or council member or school principal. Generally, when the Bible speaks of “leaders,”…

Continue ReadingLutheran leadership: Not just authority
Read more about the article WELS statistical report: Part of wise stewardship

WELS statistical report: Part of wise stewardship

  • Post author:Jonathan R. Hein
  • Post published:2022/07/28
  • Post category:Forward in Christ/FIC News

Perhaps you have someone who manages your life savings—a financial planner or retirement consultant. You have given the manager authority to decide how your money is invested with the hope…

Continue ReadingWELS statistical report: Part of wise stewardship
Read more about the article Delegates thankful to gather for district conventions

Delegates thankful to gather for district conventions

  • Post author:FIC
  • Post published:2022/06/28
  • Post category:Forward in Christ/FIC News

Each of WELS’ 12 districts met in convention this June, discussing local ministry topics and hearing from synod leaders on broader topics that affect the synod as a whole. Many…

Continue ReadingDelegates thankful to gather for district conventions
Older Posts →

WEEKLY E-NEWS

Receive our free weekly e-news that includes special sneak-peeks, photos, and videos.
Sign up

Your stories

Every Christian has a story of faith to share. What’s your story? Send us an article or an idea to consider for future publication.

Submit articles

July web ad

As WELS' official magazine, Forward in Christ is a ministry of WELS. Please consider a gift so that Forward in Christ can continue to share your stories of faith, WELS news, and a deeper look at what it means to be a Lutheran.

Donate
  • Home
  • About FIC
  • Contact
  • Copyright
  • Media kit
  • Buy FIC magazine

wels logo linked to wels.net© 2025 Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy | Privacy Tools

Manage Consent

By accepting this message, you consent to our cookies on this device in accordance with our cookie policy found in the WELS Privacy Policy, unless you have disabled them.

Essential Always active
The technical storage or access is strictly necessary for the legitimate purpose of enabling the use of a specific service explicitly requested by the subscriber or user, or for the sole purpose of carrying out the transmission of a communication over an electronic communications network.
Preferences
The technical storage or access is necessary for the legitimate purpose of storing preferences that are not requested by the subscriber or user.
Analytics
The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for statistical purposes. The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for anonymous statistical purposes. Without a subpoena, voluntary compliance on the part of your Internet Service Provider, or additional records from a third party, information stored or retrieved for this purpose alone cannot usually be used to identify you.
Promotional
The technical storage or access is required to create user profiles to send advertising, or to track the user on a website or across several websites for similar marketing purposes.
Manage options Manage services Manage {vendor_count} vendors Read more about these purposes
Customize
{title} {title} {title}

Close Panel