Congregational Services

WELS Congregational Services, which encompasses the work of the Commissions on Congregational Counseling, Adult Discipleship, Youth and Family Ministry, Worship, Evangelism, Special Ministries, and Lutheran Schools, has put together a five-year plan to direct its work. The plan addresses current demographic challenges facing many WELS congregations. Plans include:  

Creating a present-day mission emphasis—The Commission on Evangelism is developing a comprehensive evangelism curriculum that congregations can use to offer annual evangelism training and encouragement. 

Better capitalizing on WELS’ historic strengths—WELS’ school system, its compassion ministries, and gospel-centered worship are known strengths of our church body, so Congregational Services is working to strengthen these areas and promote them in our communities and to our congregations. 

Focusing on closing the “back door”—The Commissions on Adult Discipleship and Youth and Family Ministry in particular want to help churches address delinquency quickly, revitalize youth ministry, produce resources for Millennial outreach and retention, and create stronger inter-congregation connectivity.

Striving to strengthen the family—Congregational Services is working to produce resources that help train families how to grow together spiritually. 

Each area of WELS Congregational Services is working on different aspects of the five-year plan, but many times the groups are working together to develop resources to face these challenges. One major component of Congregational Services’ five-year plan is to develop a clearinghouse for all these resources so that congregational leaders can easily find the materials that they need. 

For more information, visit wels.net/congregational-services.