Before we know it, Winterim will be here. Registration begins this week. If you live within driving distance, imagine driving there five days in a row, Jan 6-10, 2025. You are driving there to take one of the five continuing education courses offered just for pastors like you. If you live farther way, imagine staying ..read more

Time is running out to take advantage of this very generous offer! One of our donors stepped forward to help make our work possible. Our donor challenges you to a matching grant: $25,000 before November 30, 2024. Can you donate and help us reach our matching grant goal? Consider a gift of $10, $100, $1000 or ..read more

The members of the church can support and encourage their pastor in many ways—through active participation in the life of the church, by praying for them, with words and deeds of kindness, by providing appropriate salary and benefits, etc. One other way is by providing time and resources for their pastor to pursue continuing education ..read more

Apply today for a $1,000 gift intended to encourage WELS pastors to partner with their lay leaders as they study and grow together. A retired pastor and his wife have offered this grant in hopes that it will lead pastors and lay leaders to think creatively about meeting a local ministry challenge or taking advantage of a ..read more

The Grace Notes devotions in 2024 are based on verses from 1 Timothy. Each devotion includes Greek, pastoral ministry notes, and prayer. While only three verses, 1 Tim 3:14–16 is glorious. The heightened language in v. 16 is likely a hymn verse or a concise confession of faith. These lyrics are the basis for Paul’s ..read more

Overview Few topics carry as much passion, confusion, and contention in the modern Western Christian church as the roles of men and women. WELS has been actively producing updated studies and statements that grapple with how best to clearly present the teaching in our day. Each pastor, in both teaching and practice, regularly faces the good yet challenging work of demonstrating what it means to be men and women in God’s church.  In Jesus & Gender, Elyse Fitzpatrick and Eric Schumacher courageously take up the task of speaking into the confusion from a surprising yet refreshing persp ..read more

Jump to: Exegetical theology: A Case Study in Why You Should Retain Your Hebrew: Psalm 110, Part 2 The NIV translation of Psalm 110:3 is smoother than the dulcet tones of Barry White selling you a Bacon Beef ‘n Cheddar in one of those vintage Arby’s commercials from yesteryear. Reading the Hebrew, however, is a ..read more

Overview Why are many churches becoming emptier and emptier? You hear people saying, “I’m spiritual, not religious.” People aren’t necessarily leaving religion. They are just putting their religion in something else—seculosity. Seculosity is a portmanteau of “secular” and “religiosity.” David Zahl defines seculosity as “a catchall for religiosity that’s directed horizontally rather than vertically, at earthly rather than heavenly objections” (xxi). As the subtitle suggests, Zahl covers “religions” such as career, parenting, technology, food, politics, and romance, but also fandom, leisure, a ..read more

Want to take a Fall online course? There are four great ones to choose from! Summer is evaporating, and pastors are gearing up for the post-summer season with all that it brings. Let continuing education be a scheduled part of your week. When we talk to seniors at the seminary, we recommend that they reserve ..read more

We are thankful, again this year for a $1,000 gift provided by a retired pastor and his wife. This gift is intended to encourage WELS pastors to partner with their lay leaders as they study and grow together; this may be to meet a ministry challenge or opportunity facing their congregation pertaining to youth ministry or one of ..read more