About 100 Missions in 10 Years
Aggressively Reaching
Lost Souls
Start 100 new home mission churches in 10 years. That’s 10 missions each year, 10 new dots on the map throughout North America. During the same time, we want to support 75 enhancement grants to help existing congregations reach more souls, often in other cultures. It’s an aggressive plan. To some, it might seem unachievable. Can our synod do this? Do we have the manpower, money, and ministry resources?
We trust that God will bless our efforts. This initiative isn’t as much about planting more churches but about sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ. It’s about aggressively reaching lost souls. It’s about Christ’s mission to his church. You know that mission: “Go and make disciples of all nations.” But consider the words that Jesus spoke right before that: “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.” Look at the one who commissioned us. He is the one who said to the wind and waves, “Quiet, be still,” and to the paralyzed man, “Get up, take up your mat and walk,” and to Lazarus, “Come out.” He is the one who died, rose from the dead, and descended into hell proving and proclaiming his victory. Death was put to death. The devil defeated. The powers of sin destroyed.
This is the Jesus who has commissioned us. This is the Jesus who rules over his church on earth. This is the Jesus who has equipped us! This initiative is about aggressively and confidently doing the work that he has called all of us to do.
There are still many out there waiting to be found and reached. They just don’t know it yet. So let’s support this. Let’s do our part to get after it, trusting that God is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine.
Pastor Mark Gabb
Home Missions chairman
This is a big goal.
Why start 100 home missions in 10 years?
… to reach more people like Lauren.
The Life of a
Home Mission Church
No community is the same. No core group is the same. No soul is the same. But we know that all people have the same need for a Savior from sin. Those differences mean that no home mission church starts the same way or follows the same path to maturity. However, we pray that all WELS home mission churches contribute in their own unique way to the ultimate outcome: winning souls for Jesus through the proclamation of the gospel.
Complete joy over guilt: Marta and Wojtek’s story
When Marta and Wojtek immigrated to the United States, they weren’t looking for a church. But they were looking for a school for their children. When their son sang in church one Sunday, something they saw as the worst part of their day turned out to be the best things in their lives.
Grace for the unforgivable: Roy’s story
WELS home mission churches across North America are opening their doors to people with all different kinds of life stories, but who all have the same need for God’s love. . . people like Roy Mendoza. Even through he committed crimes the world might view as unforgivable, God’s great grace changed Roy’s life.
The right place at the perfect time: Clark’s story
Clark Woods was in the right place at the perfect time to hear the message of free grace, forgiveness, and peace in Jesus when he most desperately needed it.
Clark is just one example of how God brings people to his Word in his perfect timing.
Taking light to the Darkness in Windsor, Colo.
A core group of WELS members in Windsor, Colo., are committed to “making disciples of all nations” right in their own backyard. Hear how they’ve been partnering with WELS Home Missions to plant a new church in their community, all in an effort to take the light to the darkness in Windsor, Colo.
Stay Connected!
Subscribe to receive weekly Missions Blogs or quarterly Missions Update Newsletters that will include updates on the 100 missions in 10 years initiative. Read previous blogs
Home mission congregations
and exploratory sites
Red = Current home mission churches: Current home mission churches have applied for and received full home mission status from the Board for Home Missions. Funded home missions receive direct financial support from Home Missions. Unsubsidized, or self-funded, home missions do not receive direct financial support but still have access to the many other benefits offered to all home mission congregations: assistance through their district mission board, mission counselors, and synodical support staff plus full access to loans and grants from WELS Church Extension Fund and the Board for Home Missions.
Blue = Exploratory missions: District mission boards and mission counselors work with exploratory missions to develop a core group of members and begin Bible study and initial outreach before coming to the Board for Home Missions for official home mission status. These missions are not currently approved, but are preparing the groundwork needed for their formal ministry request to the Board for Home Missions. Each request is thoroughly vetted and either prioritized, deferred, or denied. Prioritized requests are authorized as funding is available. Please note that there might be some exploratory missions on this list that will not end up receiving home mission status after the review process.
Questions? Comments?
Questions? Comments?