Helping our Church Workers...
Now and in the Future

Imagine, fully active youth in our church community, participating, leading, and experiencing how to share Christ Crucified with joy and zeal. Imagine, second, third, fourth, fifth generation called church workers in our schools, churches, and RSO organizations serving and proclaiming Christ throughout our communities. What a blessing! What a difference that sight would make.

Currently, we are amid a church worker shortage. According to the most recent projected Concordia placement graduate statistics there are 115 potential church worker candidates for 534 requests made over the 2023-2024 academic year. (CUS stats and state of education). A staggering trend that cannot continue.

But how do we reverse this trend? First and foremost, praise God in His infinite wisdom that He has placed you where you are for such a time as this. One of the most impactful influences for young people is the recommendation of church work from a mentor. You can help encourage a young person to pray about and consider a church worker vocation. Through such efforts as modeling, mentoring, and investing in our youth when they are young, we can identify, encourage, and inspire the next generation of church workers. Second, consider helping support our District Scholarship Aid Endowment Fund, Tomorrow’s Teachers & Preachers. It is through this fund that we actively support our youth going into church work through our Seminaries and Concordia’s by providing a scholarship.

Meanwhile, our best prevention method in the short term is the retention of our church workers currently serving. No work on this side of heaven is easy, and church workers often fight emotionally draining, spiritual battles. While the Missouri District has made it one of its critical priorities to provide mentor support, coaching, and on-going training to assist in retention efforts, you can have an incredible impact by lifting church workers up in prayer and making little deposits of salt. As Christ calls us to be the salt of the Earth, consider what types of salt deposits you can make such as saying thank you to a church worker for appreciation of their hard work, dropping a letter of encouragement, saying things like “Thinking of you today.”, or “What can I pray for you?”. Making those little deposits indicates to a worker, they are valued, noticed, and their work matters.

Together, as faithful servants we can pray for, identify, and inspire new generations of church workers for the harvest field. Together, as a body of believers we can encourage those who are currently serving so faithfully. Not because of their merit, but because of what Christ has done for us. May the Lord bless such efforts as you seek to raise up and inspire new generations of church workers and faithfully provide lift to those who serve.