Missions
How is God inviting you into His mission?
Learn More About Missions
New Church Incubator
The New Church Incubator is the District's preferred method of planting new churches. Research shows that new churches win new believers faster than existing churches do. The New Church Incubator combines crowdsourcing, collaboration, and support networks to help church planters.
The New Church Incubator works in two major steps: development and execution.
The ongoing development stage consists of the following:
1) Consortium crowdsourcing: A coalition of individuals and churches support an ongoing stream of church planters through the initial development and launch stages
2) Collaborate conference: MN South District leaders engage potential church planters in dialogue and mentorship while they are at Concordia Seminary.
3) Church plant incubators: An on-the-ground support network for church planters, including a six-month on-site internship with an existing church plant and ongoing mentorship.
The execution timeline is a 4-5-year plan for church planters:
Year 1: Move to Minnesota. Go through 6-month internship. Lock into planting location and begin assimilating into culture.
Year 2: Build launch team (including potential staff) and prep work for launch.
Year 3: Launch, establishing momentum and the new church’s direction and ethos.
Years 4-5: Go, go, go! Consortium funding will taper out during these years as the church plant becomes self-sustaining. The church planter will, however, continue to walk with and mentor other church planters.
Grant opportunities
The Minnesota South District welcomes grant applications for campus ministry and deaf ministry programs and activities. Applications are considered quarterly by the District's Missions Committee.
Examples of previously-funded grants:
- Hosanna, Mankato: closed-captioning software and an American Sign Language interpreter
- University Lutheran Chapel, Minneapolis: campus evangelist
- River of Life, St. Peter: expanded worship space
Reading recommendations
The District mission’s latest reading recommendation is God’s Not Done with Your Church by Mark Hallock.
Your District Mission Gifts at Work
Each month, a focus is given to one of our district missions. For the month of April, the spotlight is on Woodbury Lutheran - Wakota Ridge Campus.
The Wakota Ridge Campus of Woodbury Lutheran Church is the product of a merger between Concordia Lutheran Church of South St. Paul and Woodbury Lutheran Church. The desire was to find a way the Gospel would still be taught in that location. The two churches began exploring the possibility in 2020 with the official merger taking place in June of 2021.
Almost three years into the merger, and with the support of MN South district mission monies, Wakota Ridge is vibrant and thriving by serving the neighborhood and celebrating the work God is doing in and through those who worship there.
We invite you to pray for Woodbury Lutheran - Wakota Ridge Campus in your personal and corporate prayers, that those who lead & serve would be strengthened in their efforts to reach people with the good news of Jesus.
Feel free to use the following media in your congregations as a means for them to see how the Gospel is being shared in our district.
We invite you to pray for Woodbury Lutheran - Wakota Ridge Campus in your personal and corporate prayers, that those who lead & serve would be strengthened in their efforts to reach people with the good news of Jesus.
To support this and other district missions, please click here.
Local Ministry Partners
These partners in ministry can be a resource for you or your church in expanding existing or starting new ministries.
CarePortal
Introducing one of our newest partners in ministry – CarePortal. This is a technology platform connecting you and others in your congregation to children and families who may be in crisis.
When you join CarePortal, as an individual or as part of your congregation’s CarePortal Team, you will be equipped for opportunities to serve local children and families through prayer, giving and serving. You will be provided quick training videos that will guide you to prepare your response and to make meaningful connections in your community.
LINC Twin Cities
LINC Twin Cities, an office of LINC international, empowers local leaders to start new ministries that engage unreached people groups.
Their goals are threefold:
1) New leader development through customized training and mentoring
2) New ministry starts targeting unreached and marginalized people
3) Uniting the Twin Cities in prayer, bringing together diverse leaders
People of the Book Lutheran Outreach (POBLO)
POBLO trains missionaries that lead international friendship centers (IFCs) in partnership with congregations. These IFCs provide ESL and life-skills classes for new immigrants and provide opportunities to connect into church life. There are currently IFCs in Rochester, Bloomington, Burnsville, and Prior Lake.
District-supported Missionaries & Ministries
Please pray for these missions and missionaries in your personal and corporate prayers, that their efforts to reach new people with the Gospel would be fruitful.
Local missions & missionaries
Black Clergy Caucus
Camp Omega | Waterville, MN
Bob LaCroix, Executive DirectorCornerstone Light of Life | St. Paul, MN
Vicar Dan ThaoDistrict Correctional Ministry & The New Freedom Store (feel free to use this promotional brochure)
DCE Dr. Jim SeemannGenConnect (St. Michael’s | Bloomington)
Rev. Ryan Alvey, Rev. Pat Simmons, & Rev. Hunde TakeleHoly Cross | Austin & Our Savior | Brownsdale Lutheran Churches & East African Immigrant Outreach
Rev. Gemechu OlanaLINC Twin Cities
Chris Bellanger, Interim DirectorMekane Yesus National Conference
Oromo Evangelical Lutheran Mission Society Conference
Peniel | Eagan (Glory of Christ | Plymouth, MN)
Rev. Demeke Ture & Rev. Jeremiah JohnsonPOBLO (People of the Book Lutheran Outreach)
Rev. Issa & Dina Safadi | Bloomington, Burnsville,
Prior Lake, & St. Paul
John and Maryan Gayed | RochesterRoyal Family (Christ Victorious | Chaska)
Rev. Matthew CephusSeminary Support for Local Missionaries in a Church Plant
St. Paul Outreach Center | St. Paul
St. Paul Metro CircuitSudanese Evangelical Lutheran Mission of Southern MN | Faribault
Rev. Gatluk ReatUniversity Lutheran Chapel | Minneapolis
Rev. David KindWoodbury Lutheran Church Wakota Ridge | South St. Paul
Rev. Tom Pfotenhauer & Joel Symmank, Campus Leader
Global missionaries (LCMS career and GEO missionaries from the MN South District)
Rev. Vance & Linda Becker
Rev. Dr. Daniel &
Dr. Joan Jastram
Asia theological education manager
Serving the Lord in Asia, based in Tokyo, Japan
