Do you think you could do that?” From kindergarten on we are asked some flavor of that question. “Do you think you could be a doctor? An astronaut? How about President?” As students preparing for the noble task of serving as under-shepherds for the Chief Shepherd, often we face the question, “Do you think you could do that? Do you think you could do mission work?”
That’s where Mission and Ministry comes in. Every year in early February, Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary pauses its typical class schedule for three days. During those days we hear and learn about the incredible ways that God has blessed the mission work happening at home and abroad and the different ways our synod supports those missionaries. An energizing buzz bounces off students as we break out into workshops, listen to keynotes, and tune in to the varied opportunities for gospel ministry throughout the WELS. In 2024, twenty-four presenters and twenty-seven organizations descended onto campus to share their experiences with men eager to get into parish life. Mission and Ministry serves an important role in forming future pastors and missionaries by exposing them to firsthand ministry experiences and valuable resources.
Over these three days, students connect with brothers and sisters around the world. It is one thing to know that we are united by our faith in Christ, but it is a completely other thing to sit at the feet and learn from the experience of others who are currently serving in congregations and mission fields. The men and women who come to this event connect us to people and ministries we may never have a chance to be a part of. Presenters, who were in our shoes only a few years ago, share their experiences as missionaries or first-year church planters. World missionaries come and tell students what they wish they had known before they were sent out to their new homes. How to serve in a mental health epidemic, how to make membership meaningful, how to best serve and proclaim the gospel to the people in our area—all these are examples of questions we consider at Mission and Ministry.
But our connections don’t stop there. Throughout Mission and Ministry, we also connect with other pastoral students. Martin Luther College juniors studying in the pastor track are invited to take in a day of classes, attend the first day of the event, and bond with brothers on a similar path. Our ELS brothers from Bethany Lutheran Theological Seminary (BLTS) take in two days of the event to learn and sharpen the tools in their toolkit, too. This past year, BLTS students even stayed an extra day after Mission and Ministry concluded. They sat in on our classes and deepened our discussions.
Who sets all this up? Students do. Men from each class are elected to serve on the Mission and Ministry Committee to plan and coordinate the event. They consult students about the things they want to know before they are out on their own. The committee then meets with synod liaisons to find the best person to speak to those needs. Workshops are created, presenters are contacted, plans are finalized, and months of planning pay off. For the men blessed to serve in these roles, they gain valuable experience in administration, clear communication skills, and managing the other ins and outs that invariably pop up while planning a three-day event for 200 people. As the man blessed to serve as chairman for the 2024 event, I learned to lead a team of eight mission-conscious men and utilize their God-given abilities.
It’s only natural after an event like this to wonder to yourself that same question we are asked from kindergarten on: “Can I do something like this?” Maybe that’s the wrong question. Instead, we should ask, “Can God do something like this through me?” If we are to do it, God will have to be the one to get it done. We are not competent on our own to do this work. The first-year church planter still confesses that he’s learning as he goes.
The world missionary with decades of experience can tell us what it takes to serve around the globe but joyfully confesses that God is the one who makes it grow.
For three days every February, we get to see our future: service in the Lord’s name, wherever that takes us. What a humbling and invigorating thing. I’m completely biased when I say that it is my favorite three days of the year. But I’m sure I’m not alone. It’s motivating to know that there are brothers and sisters in the faith emboldened by the promise that God will be with them wherever they go. We hear their stories, their encouragements and echo their resilient cry: with God’s word and his promises at our side, we will go, wherever God would want us.
Ben Bitter is a 2024 graduate of the seminary.
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