God gives His church pastors and church workers for the sake of the Gospel. Pastors proclaim Christ and administer the Sacraments, means through which people receive Christ’s saving work. Church workers assist the pastoral office in service to the Word, witnessing to Christ daily in various roles. Christ’s church will continue until He returns, and that church will continue to need workers.
Parents and grandparents, pastors, professional church workers, Sunday school teachers and others in your congregation help influence children to consider serving the church in these sacred and joyful vocations.
Set Apart to Serve is building a culture of church work formation and recruitment by helping everyone throughout the Synod — LCMS church workers and families, congregations and schools, circuits and districts, universities and seminaries, and all other entities — raise up future pastors and church workers.
Professional church work vocations within the LCMS
Click below to learn about the LCMS church work vocations and access information directly from the Concordia University System programs that prepare these workers:
Free curriculum for schools
The Set Apart to Serve church work recruitment curriculum is available at no cost to LCMS schools.
Annual Report 2025
Learn more about Set Apart to Serve and the growing collaboration across the Synod to encourage young people to consider church work vocations.
Set Apart to Serve Resources
Resources to use to encourage church work vocations, can be found on our resource hub. These resources include conversation guides, Bible studies, promotional items and more.
Find out more about church work vocations
Lutherans Engage Stories
Collection of stories on church work vocations and recruitment.
Discerning God’s Call to Serve
Teachers and pastors have left secular careers to serve in Lutheran settings, where they can share God’s Word and care for His people.
‘Your Service Matters’
A congregation in Washington and a summer camp in Michigan are working to raise up youth for faithful service in God’s kingdom.
Church Work as a Second Career
The Rev. Jonathan Manor reflects on his decision to enter the pastoral ministry as a second career.
Reporter Articles
Collection of articles on church work vocations and recruitment.
Set Apart to Serve: Listening to our young men
Hear what some young LCMS men are saying about the church, vocation, sacrifice and service.
Youth ‘represent’ at convention
Each district is allowed to send up to two youth representatives to the convention, according to Bylaw 3.1.4.6.
2026 LCMS convention video – Encouraging the next generation of church workers
“Set Apart to Serve” is bearing fruit. Every member of the church carries the responsibility for helping form and shape the future servants of the church.
KFUO Radio Interviews
Listen to this series of interviews on church work vocations and recruitment on KFUO's The Coffee Hour.
Articles & White Papers
- Matthew 9:35–38 and the Office of the Holy Ministry — Rev. Dr. James A. Baneck, Executive Director LCMS Pastoral Education
- White Paper: CTSFW Deaconess Formation: Knowledge, Skills & Virtues— James G. Bushur, Concordia Theological Seminary, Fort Wayne, Ind.
- A Timely Word from Luther on Recruiting Young Men for Pastoral Ministry — David Peter, Concordia Seminary, St. Louis
- Renewing Our Commitment to Lutheran Education — Dave Bruns, LCMS Kansas District Board of Directors
- White Paper: Pastoral Formation Prior to Seminary — Rev. Dr. James Baneck
- White Paper: Current Context of Pastoral Formation — Rev. Dr. James Baneck
- White Paper: Building a Culture of Church Work Formation and Recruitment — Rev. Dr. James Baneck
- Passing on the Mantle — Rev. Dr. Lee Hagan, LCMS Missouri District President
Ready to learn more?
- Explore the educational programs available through:
Concordia University Ann Arbor;
Concordia University Chicago;
Concordia University Irvine;
Concordia University Nebraska;
Concordia University St. Paul;
Concordia University Wisconsin.