Publications and Resources
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Overview of Our Publications
The Lutheran Church Missouri Synod (LCMS) provides a wide range of publications and newsletters that address all elements of our ministries. These include our official magazine, "The Lutheran Witness", our official newspaper, "The Reporter", and missionary outreach program, "Lutheran Hour Ministries." Our content also includes district and local resources much closer to home. We will discuss seven of the most common (and popular) resources that benefit you as a reader.
1. The LCMS Reporterย
The Reporter is the official press release of the LCMS. Both the print edition and website provide rostered employees and congregation members with a plethora of information. That includes ministry news, commentaries, movie reviews, etc. The Reporter updates the website regularly, every week.
2. The Lutheran Witness
This is the official magazine of the LCMS, which publishes articles and commentary that analyze events in our modern world as observed from a Christian perspective. The articles help one think and communicate appropriately as a believer regarding faith, culture, and family.
3. Lutherans for Life
Lutherans for Life exists to empower us to be gospel-motivated voices promoting life. They accomplish this through the quarterly publication, "LifeDate," and many tools created for local churches. Examples include Life Sunday materials, Chats 4Life, life teams, and national conference calls.
4. Lutheran Hour Ministries
Lutheran Hour Ministries employs missionaries in over 30 locales to establish culturally relevant ministries in 50+ nations across six continents to reach the unchurched. Everyone deserves the opportunity to hear the gospel in such a way that they can grasp a saving knowledge of Christ Jesus.ย
A primary goal is to welcome new believers into a loving Christian community where they can grow in their faith and witness. All Christians go out in love to people who do not yet know our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
5. Thrivent Financial
Thrivent Financial is a not-for-profit, comprehensive financial services business. Thrivent offers financial counseling, investments, insurance, banking, and generosity programs to assist individuals in making the most of what they have. Thrivent shares external press releases, media contacts, and information with investors and those interested in the organization.
6. Montana Reflections Newsletter
The Montana Reflection is the official newsletter of the Montana District. It is comparable to the LCMS Reporter in many aspects. However, the Reflection is a regional publication that offers news, updates, and resources primarily relevant to local congregations in the district.
7. Trinity Lutheran Church | Miles City, MT
We at Trinity Lutheran Church in Miles City, MT, publish a monthly newsletter and weekly sermons. Our newsletter begins with an opening letter from Pastor Schreibeis. Then we provide information about local members and happenings. We keep you informed with updates about Trinity Lutheran Classical School. Of course, you will find stories of hope and inspiration in our newsletter. Finally, there is a calendar with times and dates of various functions. Sermons from Sunday services are posted every week on this site, typically on Saturdays or Sundays. ย
Link to Our Monthly Newsletter
Link to Our Weekly Sermons
8. More LCMS Resources
The LCMS offers a treasure trove of resources about bible studies, prayer recommendations, devotions, movies, images, directories, papers, and media files, among a vast selection of topics. There are too many to list and discuss here. If you do not find what you are looking for elsewhere, you may find it on the Resources page.
Why Read Our Publications?
The younger generation may not be enthusiastic about reading publications, especially in print. However, reading religious printed publications may be vital for keeping up with Christian perspectives about current events happening in our world.
The writer, C. S. Lewis, stated the following in a letter to someone seeking writing assistance in the year 1959:
"Read as many good books as you can and avoid almost all magazines." His aversion for magazines most likely stemmed from lesser writing standards and the lack of continuous intellectual attention they necessitate, as opposed to the focus required for reading a book.
However, in our modern world, his opinion may be updated to say, "Read all the fine publications you can, and avoid virtually all blogs." If books are the pinnacle of serious writing (and even that is arguable in an age of self-publishing), print magazines may be a step or two down. Yet, printed publications are still of a higher quality than most blogs and readily available online content.
It is tempting to suggest that one should read more printed magazines. However, I will never advise you to avoid virtually all blogs. The primary reason is that I do not want you to leave our church blog!
If you have the option between reading a blog and reading a magazine or a book, I recommend that you choose printed magazines over information on Reddit or Quora. Not because blogs are insufficient, but because an educated person must be in the habit of cognitively exercising the mind regularly. Reading essays, book reviews, and articles increase the likelihood of exercising one's mind.
While it is true that many Christian publications are available online, the finest publications are usually available in printed format. Furthermore, as research reveals, reading print is a much different experience than reading online.
What We Can Do to Help Save the Magazines?
So there is still hope that publications will continue to be available in print. The following will help ensure that they do:
Should I Subscribe?
A subscription to most Christian publications costs 20 dollars or less. That, my friends, is cheaper than going out to eat with the family nowadays. The value these publications provide is incredible.
Why should I pay to subscribe to The Lutheran Witness in print when I can read it for free online? Good writing needs support from readers. If you benefit from an online publication, please consider subscribing to support their work and improve your reading habits. If you find beneficial advice from writers, please do support their work when it becomes available. The basic idea is to encourage the good work that you want to see more of today.
Allow Yourself Time to Read
Will we make time for more meaningful reading than what appears in our Facebook feeds, social media posts, or even an article sent to us by a friend? An essay in the Lutheran Witness necessitates a degree of concentration that you are unlikely to give to an item on your blog or something in your social media timeline. That is not to suggest that other types of online writing are terrible or ineffective. However, if you want to train your brain and intellect on your own, you must schedule time for exercise.
Connect Christian Publications to the Rest of Your Reading
Someone may prefer to read books over magazines! That is an individual prerogative. However, if you want to obtain the essence and reasoning of many helpful books without having to read them all cover to cover, look for a few publications that interview well-respected writers and re-review notable works. Magazines can assist you in expanding your understanding of books and help determine where to focus other reading.
Renew the Most Useful Subscriptions
Many printed publications may indeed be on their way out for good, but other intellectual Christian publications should not have to go. So, there is hope that printed publications will continue to live a long time and that readers will continue to benefit from them!