The work of WELS Home Missions has always involved balancing aggressive efforts to plant new churches and reach the lost with wise and diligent stewardship of the resources God provides.
Over the past several years, Home Missions has been blessed with opportunities to expand its work and support new mission starts. During that same time, however, the costs of supporting more than 100 mission congregations have increased significantly. Inflation has had a direct impact on many Home Missions expenses, including healthcare costs, interest and rental rates, construction costs, insurance premiums, and many other expenses. All of this has placed increased pressure on the Home Missions budget.
“We’re thankful for the opportunities God has given us to plant new churches and support existing home mission congregations across the country, and WELS members have responded generously with their gifts to support that work,” says Mark Gabb, Home Missions administrator. “At the same time, the costs of supporting home mission churches have continued to rise far more rapidly than expected.”
As Home Missions plans for fiscal year 2027-2028, those rising expenses have made it necessary to reduce spending by approximately $2 million. This is not the result of a $2 million reduction in synodical budget support or a decrease in special gifts. Rather, expenses have grown faster than available income. Acting now will position Home Missions to continue its ministry into the future.
The Board for Home Missions and district mission boards are working together to determine how those reductions can be made thoughtfully and responsibly. As an initial step, the Board for Home Missions has paused calling home missionaries for new mission starts that are currently vacant while this work continues. The hope is that calling can resume in April.
“There are some difficult, but necessary, decisions ahead. It’s not lost on us that some decisions will impact people’s lives. But diligent stewardship sometimes requires taking necessary steps today so that ministry can continue tomorrow,” says Gabb. “Our mission hasn’t changed. We’re still committed to planting churches, reaching more people with the gospel, and faithfully using the resources God provides to carry out that work.”
