Brad Hewitt, CEO, Thrivent Financial announces matching funds for gifts to LCMS Disaster Response efforts in Texas following Hurricane Harvey.

Rev. Dr. Matthew C. Harrison, President, Lutheran Church Missouri Synod, reflects on the increased capacity of the LCMS to respond to needs in the wake of a disaster.

Rev. Jon Salminen, Senior Pastor, Epiphany Lutheran Church, Pearland, TX describes the impact of Hurricane Harvey on their congregation and the quick response of members ready to serve.

Erik Lunsford, Managing Photojournalist for the Lutheran Church Missouri Synod describes how bringing mercy can be chief in any vocation.

Donna Pyle, member of Salem Lutheran Church, Tomball, TX speaks about the flooding in her community of Spring, TX and the acts of mercy from the youth at sister church, Trinity Lutheran, Klein, TX.

Rev. Dr. Ross Johnson, Director, Disaster Response, Lutheran Church Missouri Synod offers a message of hope for those in the darkness of disaster.

Rev. Ken Hennings, President, Texas District of the Lutheran Church Missouri Synod and Rev. Steven Misch, Mission & Ministry Facilitator, Texas District of the Lutheran Church Missouri Synod describe conditions as Hurricane Harvey leaves the Houston area.

Alliance Defending Freedom is a servant ministry building an alliance to keep the door open for the spread of the Gospel by transforming the legal system and advocating for religious liberty, the sanctity of life, and marriage and family.

Recognizing the need for a strong, coordinated legal defense against growing attacks on religious freedom, more than 30 prominent Christian leaders launched Alliance Defending Freedom in 1994. Over the past 18 years, this unique legal ministry has brought together thousands of Christian attorneys and like-minded organizations that work tirelessly to advocate for the right of people to freely live out their faith in America and around the world.

Alan Sears has served as president, CEO, and general counsel of Alliance Defending Freedom since its founding in 1993.

Erik Stanley is an attorney out of the Kansas City office and specializes in Freedom for Churches.

The Rev. Bart Day, Executive Director of the LCMS Office of National Mission; Terry Schmidt, Director of LCMS School Ministry; and Gregory S. Baylor, Senior Counsel and Director of the Center for Religious Schools at the Alliance Defending Freedom discuss issues that our Lutheran schools face.

As the legal landscape continues to change for faith-based institutions, LCMS school officials are wondering how they’ll faithfully navigate the future. Recent legal issues with LCMS and other Christian schools have focused on accepting state and federal dollars and the implications of doing so. Listen as Rev. Day, Terry, and Greg discuss Title IX implications, Title VII employment discrimination issues, and how Lutheran schools can move forward with confidence.

The LCMS/ADF document “Protecting Your Ministry” is a great resource for schools and churches and will be sent to all Lutheran schools and churches to help those institutions protect themselves against potential complaints.

About Gregory S. Baylor: Since joining ADF in 2009, Baylor has worked diligently to protect the First Amendment freedoms of students, faculty and staff at public colleges and universities. As director of ADF’s Center for Religious Schools, Baylor litigates cases to protect the rights of Christian educational institutions across the nation. He also serves as religious liberty consultant to the Council for Christian Colleges and Universities.

The Service of Installation for President Rev. Dr. Matthew C. Harrison and the vice-presidents, other officers, and board and commission members of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod (LCMS) was on Saturday, September 10, 2016, at historic Holy Cross Lutheran Church in St. Louis, MO.

Harrison was elected to a third term (2016-2019) as LCMS president earlier this year. Learn more about the Office of the President and the Praesidium here.

Learn more about the Board of Directors, the Board for National Mission, and the Board for International Mission on lcms.org.