Concordia Theological Seminary in Fort Wayne was established in 1846 to meet the urgent need for pastors in Lutheran congregations. Our work remains the same today, and we go about it with a strong sense of purpose and faith in the promise that “Christ is risen indeed!” In the past triennium, after the election in 2024 of Rev. Dr. Jon S. Bruss as CTSFW’s 17th president, the seminary revised its mission statement to more clearly convey who we are and why we exist: “Concordia Theological Seminary, Fort Wayne (CTSFW), is an institution of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod committed to the Holy Scriptures, the Lutheran Confessions, and the liturgical life of the Church, forming servants in Jesus Christ who teach the faithful, reach the lost, and care for all.” We give thanks to our Lord and Savior, who continues to bless CTSFW through the faithful support of alumni, friends, and donors who have enabled the seminary to carry out this mission for the sake of the church and the world. In what follows, we share highlights from the past triennium and discuss our strategic goals for the future.
Forming LCMS Pastors for LCMS Congregations As one of the two seminaries entrusted by the LCMS with the duty to form faithful pastors for its congregations, CTSFW’s activities are guided by the Constitution and Bylaws of the Synod as well as directives from the Synod in convention. The foremost purpose of the seminary is to recruit and form pastors, which addresses Objective 3 of Constitutional Article III. CTSFW offers five pastoral formation programs, with the most comprehensive and in-depth being the residential Master of Divinity program. We encourage men preparing for ministry to enroll in the residential M.Div. program if possible (consistent with 2023 Res. 6-02A and 6-03A) but offer additional paths to ministry, including the Alternate Route certificate program and the Specific Ministry Pastor program, to accommodate students with considerable experience in church work or an interest in serving a particular congregation that might otherwise have difficulty securing a pastor. Much has been said in the past triennium about the pastor shortage in the LCMS, which can largely be attributed to demographic shifts, retirements, and insufficient numbers of seminary graduates to fill calls. We recognize that challenge and have been working hard on the recruiting front, collaborating with the Synod on its Set Apart to Serve initiative as well as with Concordia Seminary, St. Louis, on recruitment activities supported by a grant from the Lilly Foundation. Additionally, we received a multi million-dollar gift from the Munderloh Foundation in 2025, which has been used
to establish endowments for scholarships and recruiting activities. We’re starting to see the results of these efforts, with an incoming 2026–27 class that is expected to be significantly larger than in recent years. Thanks be to God! Producing enough pastors is critically important. Even more important is producing faithful confessional Lutheran pastors who will conserve and promote the unity of the true faith (Const. Art. III 1), strengthen congregations with their bold witness (Art. III 2), and support all other objectives of the Synod through their work in our congregations. That’s part of our charge too, and we’re committed to keeping these aims at the forefront in all our strategic activities.
Highlights from the 2023–26 Triennium: Building on the Past and Planning for the Future The first year of the past triennium was the last year in office for Dr. Lawrence R. Rast Jr., who faithfully served the seminary as president for 13 years. Under Rast’s leadership, the seminary introduced full tuition coverage for residential formation students, completed the Wayne and Barbara Kroemer Library, completed a successful capital campaign, increased the endowment, and instituted a disciplined strategic planning process.
Highlights from 2023–24: • Added two new faculty chairs, the Reverend Victor H. and Lydia Dissen Chair in the Lutheran Confessions and the Roemer-Baese Chair in Pastoral Ministry and Missions
- Significantly upgraded the fiber and data infrastructure on campus
- Celebrated the 25th anniversary of Christ Academy
- Completed a comprehensive Facilities Condition Assessment, which provided the groundwork for the campus master plan
Notable Activities from 2024–26: With the election of a new president in 2024, the seminary ramped up its planning efforts and has made top-notch residential formation a foremost goal. Notable activities include: • Developed a comprehensive campus master plan
- Developed an aggressive strategic plan for 2024–29
- Installed three faculty members and a new director of deaconess formation
- Revised the mission statement as part of the strategic planning and curriculum revision processes
- Established Munderloh Endowments in support of recruiting
- Launched a new website
- Executed several campus improvement projects, guided by the campus master plan
In addition, the seminary continues to play a pivotal role in strengthening confessional Lutheranism domestically and internationally, supporting 2023 Res. 1-01A, concerning training for witness, and Res. 2-02A, which encourages collaboration with the LCMS Office of International Mission. Activities in this area include: • Responding to the steady demand from international partners for theological education in their locations
- Annual student mission trips to sites including the Dominican Republic and Romania
- Advanced graduate programs that support the development of Lutheran leaders
- The Chemnitz Library Initiative, which provides support for seminary libraries throughout the world
- Leadership in established international programs including the STM-Gothenburg program, Lutheran Leadership Development program, and Concordia Pastoral and Diaconal Training Program
- A robust Continuing Education program, with over 40 theological short courses offered throughout the U.S. annually
CTSFW is deeply thankful for the generous and steadfast support of the church that makes our work possible. Our pastors, deaconesses, and missionaries must be determined to know in church and the world nothing but Christ in all His fullness (1 Cor. 2:2; John 1:15) so that in all His fullness, He may be grasped by you in faith (John 20:31). For more information, visit our website: ctsfw.edu. Jon S. Bruss, President
In 2023 and 2024, CTSFW conducted campus-wide scenario planning exercises about the future of pastoral and dia con al formation, gathered feedback from constituents, and engaged in institutional assessments. Identified strengths include clarity of mission, unity around our confession, top-notch faculty, demand from international partners for our theological education, and significant support from the church. The 2024–29 strategic plan was developed to maximize our strengths and take advantage of key opportunities to minimize our weaknesses and mitigate threats to successfully fulfill our mission.
Looking Ahead: Strategic Plan 2024–29 The Board of Regents of CTSFW has adopted an ambitious strategic plan to build on past strengths and to provide for future generations by forming exemplary pastors and deaconesses for faithful service in the LCMS and its mission fields. The plan has five main objectives: 1.
Recruit capable students for robust education and formation—men of faith in Christ, of character and integrity, of intelligence and commitment to the people of God (1 Tim. 3:1–7; Titus 1:6–9). Our students will graduate with utter confidence in God’s Word and our Lutheran Confessions as they apply all they have learned in sacrificial service for Christ and His church.
2. Cultivate a talented faculty. We will strengthen the teaching and mentoring provided to our students through ongoing faculty development focused on teaching the primary texts and critical thinking. Our faculty will ignite a passion for God’s Word and our Lutheran Confessions so CTSFW graduates may be courageous in mission and ministry. 3. Shape a rigorous curriculum that forms Lutheran pastors and deaconesses prepared for service in today’s church. We will in still in our students an even deeper grounding in God’s Word and our Confessions so they leave prepared to lead their congregations in evangelistic outreach and to plant churches where they are needed. 4. Create an inspiring campus and vibrant community. We will enhance our facilities to meet the needs of the 21st century, build new spaces, including new housing for students and a new food and clothing co-op, and update classroom buildings. 5.
Support this work with an efficient, well-funded operation. CTSFW faithfully stewards the resources entrusted to us to maximize their impact both here and abroad. Thank you for your continued trust in us and the value you place on the faithful formation of your future pastors!