Res. 1-07 — To Increase Church Planting at the Parish Level

WHEREAS, Our Lord Jesus Christ wants all people to be saved (1 Tim. 2:4) and has commanded His Church to make disciples of all nations by baptizing and teaching (Matt. 28:19); and

WHEREAS, Acts 2:42 shows that the Church of baptized believers gathered around the ministry of the Word and the Sacraments, which are foundational to the life and mission of the Church both in function and in goal; and

WHEREAS, The early Christians, having been gathered around Word and Sacrament, were sent into the world and established new churches as they went; and

WHEREAS, This historic pattern of Word and Sacrament expansion allows the local congregation (uniquely suited as the front-line mission outpost) to be the driving force in church planting; and

WHEREAS, Through the generous support of private foundations (such as the Bolick Foundation) the Office of National Mission ( ONM) is able to support church planting across the Synod through training, networking, and church planting grants of up to $100,000; and

WHEREAS, The ONM is currently working with 33 active church plants from all regions of the Synod, and has distributed $590,000 in grants and anticipates distributing an additional $2,080,000 as those church plants work through the LCMS Church Planting process (Rev. Dr. Quintin Cundiff, verbal update to floor committee, May 29, 2026) ; and

WHEREAS, The ONM, in partnership with districts , has identified 64 additional church planting sites for which additional grant funding will be necessary (Rev. Dr. Quintin Cundiff, verbal update to floor committee, May 29, 2026) ; and

WHEREAS, The LCMS Church Planting process includes six phases: concept, feasibility, planning, start-up, formation, and expansion (“What does LCMS Church Planting have to offer?” lcms.org/how-we-serve/national/church-planting, accessed May 31, 2026) and is intended to support the difficult, yet God -pleasing work of church planting with guidance and ongoing support; and

WHEREAS, Planting new congregations is an important strategy for addressing the long -term membership decline in the Synod because new church plants intentionally reach the unchurched and dechurched, especially in regions without a local confessional Lutheran presence, including many urban contexts; and

WHEREAS, The planting of new, sustainable Word and Sacrament ministries is a priority of the Synod for both the Office of International Mission and the ONM; therefore be it

Resolved, That the Synod encourage districts, circuits, and congregations to plant churches through preaching stations supported by existing congregations and their pastors; and be it further

Resolved, That the Synod direct the ONM to continue to partner with districts to identify locations at the parish level and support the planting of Synod congregations; and be it further

Resolved, That the ONM continue to work with districts to establish a numerical goal for planting new congregations over the coming triennium; and be it further

Resolved, That the Synod encourage districts to continue to fund the planting of new congregations in a way that multiplies the impact of the grant from the ONM; and be it further

Resolved, That special attention be given to planting congregations in regions where people do not have access to the pure teaching of the Gospel and right administration of the Sacraments (AC VII); and be it finally

Resolved, That the Synod commend the LCMS Church Planting process as a faithful approach to fulfilling Christ’s command to make disciples of all nations, while respecting the role of districts to use models that are beneficial to their local contexts.