A major theme of this leadership conference is this: confessional Lutheranism is uniquely well-positioned to address the challenges that have arisen—both to congregations and to individual souls—as America has drifted closer to becoming to a post-Christian nation. The Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod (LCMS) is the largest confessional Lutheran church body in America and has long been a close point of comparison with WELS. Like WELS, the LCMS faces demographic decline and shifting cultural pressures. Where is the LCMS heading in the coming decades, and how might its path shape the broader witness of confessional Lutheranism in America?

In this session, an LCMS district president will provide his firsthand perspective of that synod, the issues most pressing on the ground for the LCMS, and the vision that leaders are trying to cast for the future. WELS leaders will gain a clearer picture of how the LCMS’ challenges and opportunities intersect with our own and what lessons we might draw for faithful ministry planning today.