Health Ministry
Encouraging Christ-centered wellness for individuals, families and communities
LCMS Health Ministry promotes a Christ-centered approach to health and healing by equipping individuals, families and communities with tools and support that aid in wellness of body and soul, mind and spirit.
What is “health?”
While the world may define health in limited terms, LCMS Health Ministry defines health from the vantage point of our Lord, who sees the whole person: body and soul, mind and spirit. We confess that God creates, redeems and sanctifies our whole person: body and soul, mind and spirit (Gal. 2:20).
A proper definition of health, therefore, includes a person’s physical and spiritual wellness, while also considering one’s relational, emotional, intellectual, financial and vocational well-being. A family, and in fact a whole community, strives toward health when each individual expands their understanding of wellness to include the wellness of others around them.
The church cares for health because God cares about every body (1 Cor. 6:19–20). As a body of believers, we should make every effort to bring health and healing to individual members and to the broader community.
Health Ministry supports the church in this effort by:
- Developing resources, suggestions and policies around health and healing issues in the church and society. Such issues include mental health, suicide prevention, disabilities, sexuality, domestic violence, sexual abuse and human trafficking.
- Supporting Lutheran health care professionals in their Christian vocation by providing resources and offering formal and informal networks of support.
- Working closely with LCMS Life Ministry and LCMS Family Ministry to provide an integrated approach to addressing health and wellness.
- Assisting congregations and parish nurses in promoting health and wellness education (including spiritual, physical, relationship and environmental concerns).
New mental health video series
These videos, designed for LCMS teachers and youth workers, discuss how to care for young people’s mental health.
Watch Now
The LCMS Wellness Wheel
Download Here