Modules & Training
Starting an Early Childhood Ministry or Lutheran Elementary School
This module helps congregations think through the reasons and logistics of starting, expanding, or revitalizing a preschool, childcare, other form of early childhood ministry, or Lutheran elementary school.
Ministering to People Who Are Deaf or Hard of Hearing
This module helps congregations make their worship, Bible study and other activities more accessible to people who have hearing loss, whether they are deaf or hard of hearing.
Welcome Home – Elder Training
You have discovered Welcome Home—a video-based program designed to help equip lay leaders of your congregation identify and reach out to missing members from your church family.
Ministering to Millennials
This module helps congregations better understand the unique way millennials think about church/religion and evaluate how they are doing in retaining members and reach potential members in that generation.
Bible Study on Compassion Ministry and Outreach
This module lays the foundation of Christian love in congregational ministry: both compassion for the burdens of members and caring for those in the community whose needs can be a bridge for love and the gospel.
Ministerial Growth and Evaluation Process
This module lays out a program for producing an education climate with a commitment to livelong learning, continuous growth, and ongoing ministry development.
School Accreditation & Quality Assurance
The module stresses the importance of a continuous school improvement plan for schools at all levels.
Addressing Delinquency
This module lays out an orderly system of following up on members who have been absent from worship for a certain period of time.
Planning Lutheran Worship
This module lays out a process for comprehensive worship planning. It demonstrates how a congregation can plan worship series without abandoning the pericope.
The Liturgical Framework
This module demonstrates how within the framework of the Western Rite, an infinite amount of options are available. It lays down some guidelines for adding liturgical variety in an appropriate manner.
Explaining Worship Customs and Traditions
This module demonstrates why it is important to explain what we do in worship. It offers suggestions for how this can be done well.
The Role of the Choir
This module allows worship leaders to discuss various ways to use the choir, beyond the choral anthem. It demonstrates how the choir can be used to introduce new music or assist with the liturgy.
Producing a Mission Statement
This module walks a congregation through the production of a mission statement that can then be used as a baseline in planning and assessing ministry.
Standing Up for Children: A Christian Response to Child Abuse and Neglect
This module explains the need for training members to identify abuse when it occurs and how to respond. It includes a link to register for the free online training available on WELS.net University.
Children Making Music
This module encourages the next generation of musicians.