To Encourage and Support Campus Ministry in The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod

Preamble Southern Illinois District President the Rev. Heath Curtis has shared (while serving as LCMS Stewardship Coordinator), “In a sea of unbelief, LCMS campus ministry gives our kids an island of community, support, and living faith. [I]n my work…I tell people: the best bang for your mission buck today is campus ministry. Hands down!” (“Ministry Readiness Study Report,” cidlcms.org/resources/mission education toolkit/CIDExecutive Sum mary.pdf, accessed Jan. 1, 2026). Campus ministry presents a tremendous mission opportunity for The Lutheran Church— Missouri Synod (LCMS). Every year, hundreds of thousands of young adults—many of them not knowing the teachings of Scripture at all, let alone the Gospel—enter college. While attending, those who are Christian have their faith tested, questioned, or neglected. Many are formed by a culture that is hedonistic, materialistic, legalistic, and in some ways demonic. Nevertheless, research shows that young people today are deeply interested in spirituality, purpose, and truth. Many are open to a serious Christianity rooted in conviction and authenticity. For over a century, the Synod has provided faithful pastoral care, spiritual nurture, and Gospel proclamation to students through its campus ministries. These bring the Word and Sacraments of Christ to students in critical years of faith formation, extend Christ’s mission to the nations on campus, and serve as training grounds for future faithful church members and leaders.

WHEREAS, Young men and women continue attending colleges and universities throughout the nation in significant numbers, and these campuses are to be regarded as mission fields for the proclamation of the Gospel of Jesus Christ; and

WHEREAS, Longitudinal research indicates that behavioral aspects of religiosity (such as worship attendance and devotional practices) tend to decline in the first semesters of university attendance, even though the personal importance of faith often remains stable (Carolyn Barry and Larry Nelson, “The Role of Religion in the Transition to Adulthood for Young Emerging Adults,” Journal of Youth and Adolescence 34, no. 3 [2005], 245– 255); and

WHEREAS, Anational survey of U.S. college freshmen found that the percentage reporting “no religious preference” increased from about 10 percent in 1986 to about 31 percent in recent years, while those identifying with a Christian denomination declined from approximately 81 percent to 60 percent (Helen Gibson, “College Freshmen Increasingly Drop Religion,” July 13, 2017, research.life way.com/2017/07/13/college-freshmen-increasingly- drop-religion/), and a 2025 Pew Research report indicates that only 46 percent of adults aged 18–24 (the prime college age) identify as Christian (Gregory Smith et al., “Decline of Christianity in the U.S. Has Slowed, May Have Leveled Off,” Feb. 26, 2025, pew research.org/religion/2025/02/26/decline-of-christianity-in- the-us-has-slowed-may-have-leveled-off/); and

WHEREAS, Despite this trend toward disaffiliation, surveys also reveal a growing openness among young adults to spiritual questions, faith discussions, and “serious Christianity,” with over 70 percent of Generation Z responding they are “at least somewhat motivated to keep learning about Jesus throughout their lives” (Barna Group, The Open Generation, barna.com/research/barna- trends-2025-pt-1); and

WHEREAS, Even among students who identify as nonreligious, a majority report interest in conversations about purpose, morality, and transcendence—fertile ground for the seed of God’s Word on college campuses (Spring tide Research Institute, The State of Religion and Young People 2023 [Minneapolis, 2023]); and

WHEREAS, Pew Research Center has reported that Christians with higher education are as likely as—or even more likely than— those with less education to demonstrate high levels of religious commitment, such as regular worship, prayer, and the importance of faith (Pew Research Center, “In America, Does More Education Equal Less Religion?,” April 26, 2017, pew research.org/religion/2017/04/26/in-america-does-more- education-equal-less-religion/); and

WHEREAS, The Synod has a long and faithful tradition of campus ministry through congregations, Lutheran Student Fellowship, and LCMS U chapters, which connect college students and scholars with Word and Sacrament ministry; and

WHEREAS, The Synod has long recognized the importance of deliberately supporting, expanding, and funding campus ministries that are directly connected to full-time Word and Sacrament ministry; therefore be it

Resolved, That we give thanks to the one true God—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit—for past and current Synod campus ministries and for the pastors, workers, lay leaders, and congregations engaged in this vital mission; and be it further

Resolved, That the Synod encourage its districts, circuits, and congregations to actively and creatively seek ways to establish, develop, and fund new campus ministries, especially in areas with significant college or university student populations; and be it further

Resolved, That all campus ministries be encouraged to maintain a direct connection to full-time Word and Sacrament ministry, either through a nearby LCMS congregation or by forming a preaching station or mission congregation in their own right; and be it further

Resolved, That districts, circuits, and congregations be encouraged to maintain, support, and revitalize as necessary, but certainly not abandon, existing strategically valuable campus ministries and campus ministry locations; and be it further

Resolved, That all districts, circuits, congregations, and campus ministries embrace dual ministry goals of:

• Evangelizing the un church ed and seeking students interested in serious Christianity;

• Sustaining and nurturing LCMS and other Christian students through the Means of Grace;

and be it further

Resolved, That the LCMS Office of National Mission (ONM) establish a Campus Ministry Coordinator (or similar title, or equivalent duties as assigned), who will serve the Synod by assisting and advising districts, circuits, congregations, and campus ministries in strengthening existing campus ministry work and establishing new campus ministry preaching stations and congregations throughout the Synod; and be it further

Resolved, That ONM continue conducting a LCMS Campus Ministry Worker conference, to help encourage collegiality, support, and cooperation among the various campus ministries of the Synod; and be it further

Resolved, That ONM sponsor or conduct regional and national LCMS U conferences, for students, college-aged young adults, and campus ministry workers to attend and be built up in the faith, strengthened in the knowledge and fear of the Lord, encouraged in the Gospel and in the fellowship they share in Christ, and to interact with teachers and presenters who will help them thoughtfully to engage both classic and contemporary issues faced by college students; and be it further

Resolved, That ONM investigate various funding models for domestic mission work on the nation’s college campuses, and issue a report to the Council of Presidents and the Board for National Mission no later than July 2028; and be it further

Resolved, That the Synod not waver in upholding campus ministry as a significant mission priority from the national to the congregational level, constantly listening to the voice of our Lord Jesus Christ: “Look, I tell you, lift up your eyes, and see that the fields are white for harvest” (John 4:35); and be it finally

Resolved, That the Synod and its districts, circuits, and congregations integrate campus ministry into their strategic mission and stewardship planning, recognizing that campus ministry is an investment in the church’s present and future.