Who We Are
We’re Lutheran Congregations in Mission for Christ, and our name pretty much says it all. We’re not a denomination, we’re a movement. We view the local church as the place where people in the community come to get connected with God and one another. We celebrate the fact that everyone is wired a little differently; it allows each and every one of us to serve according to our own unique strengths, skills and talents.
WE’RE FREE IN CHRIST
In Romans 6, Paul explains that those who follow Jesus receive God’s grace and are freed from being burdened by their sin. In LCMC, we celebrate this freedom. We also place a great emphasis on understanding what it means to follow Jesus, then doing it.
We understand that one size doesn’t fit all when it comes to ministry because different communities often have different needs, backgrounds, and cultures. Rather than micromanaging what they do, we give our members the freedom to be creative in how they do ministry, working together to transform the lives of others and fulfill the Great Commission that Jesus set forth in Matthew 28.
While we think it’s important to make promises to God rather than to an institution, we also think it’s important to have standards and practices in place for holding one another accountable when it comes to ministry.
WE’RE ACCOUNTABLE TO ONE ANOTHER
In LCMC, “accountability" happens in three distinct ways:
- First of all, when concerns are raised, the Board of Trustees always operates directly with the congregation to discern what has happened and what might be the best course of action. Unfortunately, there have been times when the name of a congregation has been brought to the convention to consider removing them from our list. Our association has given the Board of Trustees authority to remove congregations when they are no longer practicing our faith according to the Lutheran Confessions and Scripture. Over the years we have removed congregations but have done so with heavy hearts.
- Secondly, our Ministry Board has been given the charge to recommend to the Board of Trustees the removal of pastors when necessary. Again, this happens in a direct conversation, by the members of the Ministry Board, and our staff, hoping to restore a pastor while at the same time upholding the integrity of our core values and of our association as a whole. Over the years, we have had to remove pastors but always hoping for restoration and reconciliation.
- Finally, we hope and expect that as pastors and congregations interact, there unfolds a “mutual accountability” that happens on a much more personal level. This is the highest form of accountability—where it is carried out among those who know, love and respect one another.
WE’RE ROOTED IN THE SCRIPTURES AND THE LUTHERAN CONFESSIONS
We strive to be a light to the world, not a reflection of it. We view God’s word as the #1 authority when it comes to our faith and how we practice it. While we understand that science, personal experience, tradition and other factors contribute to the conversations that we have, we do not believe that they have equal influence to what’s written in the Scriptures. We believe the Lutheran Confessions to be a faithful witness to the truth of Scripture and that they give us reliable principles by which to guide the continued development of this association.
WE’RE ALL WORKING TOGETHER TO FULFILL CHRIST'S GREAT COMMISSION TO GO AND MAKE DISCIPLES OF ALL NATIONS
Our #1 mission as an association is to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ, both locally and abroad. We’re focused on strengthening the congregations that we have and planting the ones we don’t. Here are just a few ways that we’re working to accomplish that:
- Workshops: Throughout the year, the staff of LCMC offers congregational workshops, training opportunities for new and aspiring church planters, and leadership training workshops. These events are hosted by LCMC congregations and available at no cost to the congregation. All it takes is an invitation!
- Events: Get inspired, learn, and meet other LCMC-ers by attending one or more of the events that we host throughout the year. If you’re new to LCMC, the Annual Gathering is a great place to find out who we are and what we’re all about and to get connected with other people from within the association.
- Churches Connect: This online tool allows pastors and congregations to connect with one another in order to ask questions, share advice and collaborate on projects.
- Online Resources: Whether you’re looking for a recommended mission agency to connect with, advice on calling a new pastor to your congregation, or information on how to start a new ministry in your area, we’ve got you covered.
