About Us
We’re glad you want to know more about The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod. Learn about our mission, beliefs, ministries, history and structure.
Our Mission Statement
In grateful response to God’s grace and empowered by the Holy Spirit through Word and Sacraments, the mission of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod is vigorously to make known the love of Christ by word and deed within our churches, communities and the world.
Seven Mission Priorities
- Plant, sustain, and revitalize Lutheran churches
- Support and expand theological education
- Perform human care in close proximity to Word and Sacrament ministries
- Collaborate with the Synod’s members and partners to enhance mission effectiveness
- Promote and nurture the spiritual, emotional, and physical well-being of pastors and professional church workers
- Enhance early childhood, elementary and secondary education, and youth ministry
- Strengthen and support the Lutheran family in living out God’s design
Learn more about our Seven Mission Priorities
The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod (LCMS) is a denomination that confesses the historic, orthodox Christian faith, a faith built on “the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone” (Eph. 2:20).
The LCMS, headquartered in St. Louis, Mo., is mission-oriented and Bible-based. LCMS doctrine reflects the teachings of Dr. Martin Luther, as summarized in The Book of Concord: The Confessions of the Evangelical Lutheran Church.
The LCMS Today
Today, the LCMS has nearly 2 million baptized members in more than 6,000 congregations and some 9,000 pastors. Two seminaries and six colleges and universities operate under the auspices of the LCMS, and its congregations operate the largest Protestant parochial school system in America.
The church broadcasts the saving message of Jesus Christ over KFUO Radio, and it has relationships and active mission work in nearly 90 countries around the world.
In the last five years, the LCMS has awarded more than $35 million through more than 900 domestic and international grants for emergency response and disaster response.
Today, the LCMS is in full doctrinal fellowship with more than 35 other confessional Lutheran church bodies worldwide.
The Church’s Reach
The LCMS is known for mass-media outreach through “The Lutheran Hour,” broadcast around the world by Lutheran Hour Ministries (LHM); syndicated and streaming programming on KFUO Radio; “This Is The Life” dramas on television; and the products of Concordia Publishing House, the third-largest Protestant, church-owned publisher, whose Arch Books children’s series alone has sold more than 60 million copies.
The LCMS works with approximately 300 Recognized Service Organizations (RSOs) to extend its social ministry. The LCMS is also a founding partner of Lutheran Services in America, a social service organization that serves one in every 50 Americans.
In addition to national and international ministries based at the LCMS International Center in St. Louis, and those emanating from the Synod’s district offices and congregations, the church’s work also is fostered through its auxiliaries, the Lutheran Laymen’s League/LHM and Lutheran Women’s Missionary League.
Leadership and Structure
The members’ responsibility for congregational leadership is a distinctive characteristic of the LCMS. Power is vested in voters’ assemblies, generally comprised of adults of voting age. The Synod is organized into 35 districts across the United States.
Synod decision-making is given to the delegates at triennial national and district conventions, where the franchise is equally divided between lay and pastoral representatives.