Who We Are
We’re Lutheran Congregations in Mission for Christ, and our name pretty much says it all.
We’re not a denomination, we’re a movement. We view the local church as the place where people in the community come to get connected with God and one another. We celebrate the fact that that everyone is wired a little differently; it allows each and every one of us to serve according to our own unique strengths, skills and talents.
WE’RE FREE IN CHRIST
In Romans 6, Paul explains that those who follow Jesus receive God’s grace and are freed from being burdened by their sin. In LCMC, we celebrate this freedom. We also place a great emphasis on understanding what it means to follow Jesus, then doing it.
We understand that one size doesn’t fit all when it comes to ministry because different communities often have different needs, backgrounds and cultures. Rather than micromanaging what they do, we give our members the freedom to be creative in how they do ministry, working together to transform the lives of others others and fulfill the Great Commission that Jesus set forth in Matthew 28.
While we think it’s important to make promises to God rather than to an institution, we also think it’s important to have standards and practices in place for holding one another accountable when it comes to ministry.
WE’RE ROOTED IN THE SCRIPTURES AND THE LUTHERAN CONFESSIONS
We strive to be a light to the world, not a reflection of it. We view God’s word as the #1 authority when it comes to our faith and how we practice it. While we understand that science, personal experience, tradition and other factors contribute to the conversations that we have, we do not believe that they have equal influence to what’s written in the Scriptures. We believe the Lutheran Confessions to be a faithful witness to the truth of Scripture and that they give us reliable principles by which to guide the continued development of this association.
WE’RE ACCOUNTABLE TO ONE ANOTHER
In LCMC, “ accountability” happens in three distinct ways:
First of all, when concerns are raised, the Board of Trustees always operates directly with the congregation to discern what has happened and what might be the best course of action. Unfortunately, there have been times when the name of a congregation has been brought to the convention to consider removing them from our list. Our association has given the Board of Trustees authority to remove congregations when they are no longer practicing our faith according to the Lutheran Confessions and Scripture. Over the years we have removed congregations, but have done so with heavy hearts.
Secondly, our Ministry Board has been given the charge to recommend to the Board of Trustees the removal of pastors when necessary. Again, this happens in a direct conversation, by the members of the Ministry Board, and our staff, hoping to restore a pastor while at the same time upholding the integrity of our core values and of our association as a whole. Over the years, we have had to remove pastors but always hoping for restoration and reconciliation.
Finally, we hope and expect that as pastors and congregations interact, there unfolds a “mutual accountability” that happens on a much more personal level. This is the highest form of accountability-where it is carried out among those who know, love and respect one another.
WE’RE ALL WORKING TOGETHER TO FULFILL CHRIST’S GREAT COMMISSION TO GO AND MAKE DISCIPLES OF ALL NATIONS
Our #1 mission as an association is to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ, both locally and abroad. We’re focused on strengthening the congregations that we have, and planting the ones we don’t.
Iowa District Council Members
Pr. Derek Crawford, Pr. Andrew Potratz, Pr. Jon Rollefson, Laurel Swanson, Doug Pooch, Pr. Stephen Anenson, Kirk Williams, Steve Nalean
F.A.Q.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do we join LCMC?
Congregations join Lutheran Congregations in Mission for Christ by taking a vote to do so by any means appropriate to the congregation. For further information and steps, visit LCMC’s National Website.
Where can we find pulpit supply pastors?
The Iowa District has a list of readily available pastors and seminarians who are more than qualified to meet your congregation’s need. Visit the list here.
Where can we find more information about church planting with LCMC?
Church planting is an exciting adventure. Learn more about churching planting with LCMC here.
How can we find LCMC congregations near us?
To locate the LCMC congregation nearest you, try our congregation finder tool. Simply enter your location (city and state or zip code), and the distance in miles you are interested in searching within, and click the “Find Congregations” button.
How do we join The Iowa District of LCMC?
We’re glad to hear you would like to be involved in this community. Learn more here.
Is there a listing of Iowa District events?
Keep in the loop with district events here.