Thinking about, planning, or implementing a congregational partnership? On this page, you’ll find a variety of resources, including Bible studies, checklists, models, assessment tools, and sample documents, designed to help you work through the process. If you have ideas for future additions, please let us know!
A good place to start: “The Partnership Planning Process”
The Partnership Project was initiated in 2019 in the Kansas District with the help of a multi-district Partnership Advisory Group (including Kansas, Nebraska, and Iowa). The resources on this page were created with insights and contributions from the advisory group as well as “partnership pastors,” several district presidents, and the LCMS Council of Presidents. The materials have been developed with an interest in serving not only Kansas congregations but all LCMS congregations interested in exploring partnerships. If you serve another district and you’d like to modify the materials for your own specific context, contact Communication Specialist Kris Bruss at kbruss@kslcms.org.
Rev. Dr. Steve Turner
District President
Phone: (515) 576-7666
email
Rev. Dr. Steve Turner served as Senior Pastor of Trinity Lutheran Church in Algona, Iowa from 1991 until 2015 when he was elected President of Iowa District West. He has also served as 1st and 2nd Vice President of Iowa District West (2012-2015). He is a 1985 graduate of Concordia Theological Seminary in Fort Wayne, Indiana and a 2010 graduate (doctorate) of Concordia, St. Louis. President Turner and his wife, Darlene have two sons and two daughters.
The following books, some of which speak more directly to the church context than others, provide helpful insights for the congregational partnership process.
Better Together, Jim Tomberlin and Warren Bird (2012)
Mergers, Matt Rogers (2016)
The Power of Asset Mapping, Luther K, Snow (2004)
Managing Transitions, William Bridges, with Susan Bridges (2016)
Necessary Endings, Henry Cloud (2010)
The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod provides many helpful resources, including webinars, events, articles, expertise, and guidance on governance
MissionInsite reports are FREE demographic studies sponsored by LCEF and available through the District. These reports provide an overview of a community based on population trends, economic factors, attitudes of residents, and more. Congregations can request reports by zip code or within a certain distance of their location. To request a report (Kansas congregations), contact Janet Powell in the District Office at janet@kslcms.org. If you’re in an LCMS congregation outside of Kansas, you’ll need to contact your own district office to request a report.
For more information on demographic support offered by LCEF, visit the demographics page of LCEF.org.
