Communications

Since the days when Martin Luther took advantage of Gutenberg’s printing press to fling the message of the Reformation to the four corners of the world, Lutherans have climbed to the forefront of mass communications. KFUO Radio is one of the oldest continuously operating Christian radio stations in the U.S. The Lutheran Witness is one of the oldest denominational magazines, older even than National Geographic. In the early 1990s, the Communications department was involved in a landmark U.S. Federal Court of Appeals case that protected Christian radio stations all over the country. Mass communications and related topics have been frequently discussed and promoted in Synod conventions since the beginning of the 20th century. At the same time, the church must also ensure that such technologies do not harm God’s people. Recent studies have demonstrated the tragic harm caused by algorithmic ally curated content platforms such as Facebook. So-called artificial intelligence platforms have wreaked psychological and spiritual harm on many and seem poised to upend some vocational opportunities. These technologies are not neutral. Each new type of media bears inherent biases that will inevitably shape the content and conversation that occur on those platforms, and the church must use them cautiously. LCMS Communications works within the Synod to ensure that the message of the Gospel is clearly communicated across various channels in such a way that it strengthens the faith of God’s people, encourages them in service to the neighbor, and gives all glory to Christ.

As one of the oldest denominational magazines, The Lutheran Witness (LW) continues into its 144th year of publishing theological content for laity that helps them interpret the world from a Lutheran perspective. Despite challenges (see the end of this report) and declining subscriptions, the overall subscription rate sits around 57,000 copies. LW has expanded online offerings this triennium (witness.lcms.org), which has resulted in an overall increase in the online audience: • Over 500,000 active LW website users;

• Over one million page views; and
• Notable increases in search engine optimization value.

Top online articles over the last triennium include: • “Come, Lord Jesus” by Gene Edward Veith

• “Reclaiming the Marriage Bed” by David Petersen
• “A Lutheran Perspective on the ELCA” by LW staff
• “Cohabitation Hurts More Than a Couple” by Joshua Hayes

LW also re-released several issues that were particularly appreciated by readers as standalone pamphlets (witness.lcms.org/ resources). One pamphlet, “The Divine Service: A Guide,” a reprint of the January 2024 issue of LW, has been downloaded over 13,000 times and sold over 3,800 copies.

A.2. Reporter Last year, Reporter celebrated 50 years of sharing the news of the church with church workers and congregations. Currently, Reporter sends out just under 30,000 copies of each issue. There are 12 issues per year. Last year, Reporter surveyed readers and found broad appreciation for the content of the magazine, with particular interest in breaking news that impacts the church (disasters, etc.) and matters related to church and state. Earlier this year, Reporter began the process of moving to an online-first format. This reduces the lag time between events and reporting. While the readership of the print edition remains robust, there are also many readers who only encounter Reporter content online. Currently, Reporter has: • An email list of 13,500 subscribers;

• Over 600,000 active online users in the last triennium; and
• 1.4 million page views from those users.

To address some of the desires expressed by survey respondents, Reporter has published articles on recent legislation that might affect LCMS congregations and schools. Additionally, in-depth studies on topics such as the Concordia University System are in the works for future editions.

A.3. Lutherans Engage the World Started in 2012, Lutherans Engage the World (Engage) is a quarterly magazine that serves the LCMS with the stories of the church’s work both in the U.S. and abroad. In addition to high-qual-ity storytelling and photography, Engage stories often include video and audio components (engage.lcms.org). Currently, the LCMS mails just under 72,000 copies of each issue to subscribers. Since the last convention, Engage has told over 35 stories of work in more than 30 countries, requiring over 20 international trips for Communications staff. Within the U.S., Engage has shared well over 40 stories showing how LCMS ministries have partnered with LCMS districts, congregations, church workers, RSOs, and others in the work of God’s Mission Here. Staff collected stories, photos, and videos from disasters such as hurricanes Helene and Milton and fire-ravaged Los Angeles County. Multiple stories were told of church-planting efforts in Texas, Kansas, and Wisconsin. Work with youth, whether in relation to the LCMS Youth Gathering, Youth Lead, or Servant Events, also received significant attention, among many more stories.

A.4. Journal of Lutheran Mission The last triennium also saw the relaunch of the Journal of Lutheran Mission (JLM) with the Office of International Mission (OIM). The updated digital journal now includes a peer-review process handled by the theological educators of the OIM. It stands at the forefront of a Book of Concord Lutheran perspective on mission. It includes articles submitted by OIM educators, LCMS scholars, and global partner church leaders. This year, JLM plans to publish four issues with topics ranging from justification to the practice of church planting nationally and internationally. See more at lcms.org/journal-of-lutheran-mission.

B. Production Each year, the production team coordinates the work of several hundreds of projects and pieces of content created, edited, and published by LCMS Communications on behalf of LCMS ministries, districts, and congregations. This means coordinating the work of all these various groups in the common goal of directing all material published by the LCMS to the glory of Christ and for the salvation of souls. Some key projects over the last triennium include: • The International Church Relations Conference: An extended conference booklet that included materials for theological presentations, worship, and more, as well as a book of the previous years’ conference papers and video coverage of presentations and interviews.

C. Web Our small, dedicated web team maintains the LCMS’ online presence. The current website has been visited by over 4 million users, garnering over 25 million views in the last triennium. The website consists of many thousands of pages of content offering resources to districts, congregations, and church workers to help LCMS churches and schools remain faithful in proclaiming Christ crucified. The team also manages and updates ministry pages, giving pages, missionary information, and more. Over the last two years, the web team has begun evaluating the LCMS’ current web technology stack to determine the best way forward to provide a revitalized online presence for the LCMS. In the near future, the web team plans a full overhaul of the current website to better serve the mission of the Synod.

D. Design The department’s design team provides “branding from the inside out.” This team works closely with production and all LCMS ministries to provide resources that adhere to LCMS brand guidelines while also serving the proclamation of Christ in an engaging manner. The team also designs the publications of the Synod, including The Lutheran Witness and Reporter on a monthly basis and Lutherans Engage the World and the Journal of Lutheran Mission on a quarterly basis. In all they do, they seek to point to Christ and Him crucified for the sins of the world.

E. Video Video remains a key channel for raising awareness of the church’s work and teaching God’s people His Word. Over the last triennium, the team has faithfully recorded the mission work of the Synod, showing the extent of the LCMS’ care for those in need and its proclamation of the Gospel. Over the next three years, the video team seeks to increase both the quality and quantity of doctrinally sound video content for LCMS Lutherans and those beyond the Synod. New, engaging, and easily digestible videos will educate and strengthen the faith of current and potential members of the Synod’s congregations. Offering various types of content will support God’s people as they grow in and learn more about God’s Word.

F. Social Media

• 2024 Institute on Liturgy, Preaching and Church Music: This project included coordinating with LCMS Worship to produce and design a conference booklet, a devotional sheet for every psalm, videos of keynote presentations, and more.
• Digging Deeper resources: A refreshed and updated edition of the Living Planted resources that provide Bible studies, studies on vocation and Christian living, and more.
• Office of International Mission (OIM) resources: Worked with the OIM to create missionary training and recruitment materials.

In addition to maintaining the LCMS social media presence, LCMS Communications has spent time over the last triennium evaluating and prioritizing social media activity. Over the last five years, research has demonstrated the deleterious effects of social media on users of all ages, but especially the long-term, harmful effects of social media on children and teenagers. It is incumbent upon the church to use social media in a way that mitigates potential harm, even if that means a temporary reduction in overall reach. Additionally, changes in social media algorithms have increasingly made these platforms less than ideal for marketing and raising awareness.

• Conference booth at the 2025 Youth Gathering and 2025 LWML Convention: Coordinated and staffed the official LCMS booths at these two major conferences, which required significant preparation months in advance as well as organizing multiple staff from multiple departments at the booths.

The LCMS social media strategy is adjusting to focus less on quantity and more on higher quality content tailored to individual platforms. This reduced cadence has already demonstrated higher engagement on posts. The strategy also focuses more on providing content that teaches rather than as a marketing tool, thus building up and encouraging God’s people.

G. Challenges In its work to serve LCMS ministries, districts, and congregations, LCMS Communications faces significant challenges: • •

The cost of printing and distributing print publications continues to increase dramatically. These costs affect all print publications, with a special burden on those subsidized directly by the Synod, namely Lutherans Engage the World and Reporter. Decreasing subscriptions for The Lutheran Witness, along with the aforementioned increase in the costs of printing and distribution, will require the LCMS and Concordia Publishing House to work together over the next triennium to review the subscription process and develop creative ways to continue publishing this nearly 150-year-old magazine.

• The psychological and spiritual harm that comes with social media usage has led the Communications department to approach its use with caution. This will require continued and regular evaluation of these platforms over the next triennium.
• Talk of artificial intelligence (AI) has taken the world by storm, for good or ill. AI platforms have dramatically exacerbated many of the issues inflamed by social media. The department remains aware of these problems and concerned about the effects of AI on polite discourse within the church and the public square.
• The cost to expand video production is significant. You Tube is one of the most used platforms and provides a channel for long-form, educational content without as many of the potential harms seen in platforms such as Facebook and X. Expanding content on You Tube is expensive but also beneficial for the witness and work of the church.

H. Looking Forward LCMS Communications is prepared to face these challenges in ways that will help the church proclaim Christ and Him crucified for the sins of the world. Whether this means creating content for new platforms, evaluating current and new channels to determine their fitness for the church’s message and work, or sharing the message of the Gospel in various formats, service to the Church—and God’s mission through her—remains the top priority of the department. We stand ready to serve with and for you. Roy S. Askins, Interim Executive Director