Dear Friends,
On behalf of Luther House of Study (LHOS), we thank you for your generous support of our mission and ministry to strengthen Lutheran leadership around the world for the proclamation of the Gospel. Your gifts, prayers, and words of encouragement give us the strength we need to continue to improve and expand resources for future and current ministry professionals, as well as lay members of congregations around the globe.
We are pleased to report that the mission and ministry of LHOS has continued to grow and strengthen this year, with new and continued partnerships in ministry, educational offerings, and opportunities for outreach.
Here’s a snapshot of what we’ve been up to in 2024:
- Strong student population: Our numbers remain strong, with over 90 students currently participating in our M. Div. program from around the nation and globe. In addition to our U.S. students, we have welcomed students from Tajikistan, Guatemala, Venezuela, Uruguay, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Canada. Students come to us from multiple Lutheran denominations, including the LCMC, NALC, LCMS, and the ELCA.
- Podcast milestones: 2024 marked five years and over 250 episodes of our podcast on the Lutheran lectionary, Scripture First! An average of 500 people tune into the podcast on a weekly basis, and we are truly grateful to witness the impact it has had. We continue to hear regularly from pastors and lay members worldwide who use the podcast for sermon preparation, Bible study, and personal devotions.
- Expanding digital resources: We continue to optimize our website and social media platforms (Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, and LinkedIn) to assist in the recruitment of students and make our expanding collection of educational resources more accessible.
Explore our Confirmation Curriculum
This spring, we launched the first full year of our interactive confirmation curriculum — a free online resource for congregations.
New Advent Resource
Just this month, we shared a comprehensive Advent planning guide, developed by Pastor Mark Anderson. Stay tuned for updates on new offerings!
- Commitment to affordability: We continue to offer a focused and innovative approach to acquiring an ATS-accredited M.Div. for just $300 per month – with no additional cost for classes! Because of this approach, LHOS students do not have to take out loans to pay for their seminary education. (For reference, it costs less than $3,600 per year to educate one LHOS student, whereas, on average, it costs other Lutheran seminaries over $60,000 per year.)
Get to know a recent graduate
Read about Rev. Elias Johnson-Youngquist in one of our blog Q&As. Among other things, he shares his perspective on LHOS’ affordability:
“I had looked at seminaries right away after graduating from college, but lots of them would have required me to move, and I didn’t want to do that, and most programs required you to have less than $35k of student debt, which is about the average most people have after undergraduate.”
With all that and more, our ministry at LHOS is ever expanding. To support that growth, we humbly ask for your support. Please consider the following ways you can help us in our ministry:
- Tell others about our ministry and programs. Share our podcasts and videos on social media and encourage prospective pastors to consider our M.Div. program.
- Sponsor a podcast episode for $300 or help us cover an entire month for $1,200. Simply mail a check to the address below and write “podcast sponsor” on the memo line.
- Make a financial contribution to Luther House, either as a legacy gift to the Luther House of Study Foundation, housed at the Sioux Falls Area Community Foundation (200 N. Cherapa Pl. Sioux Falls, SD 57103) or as a gift to our annual fund (details below). All contributions are tax deductible and directly support LHOS as we continue to provide the services and ministry highlighted in this letter.
- Keep us in your prayers.
Individuals, families, congregations, and organizations are essential to helping us grow and impact more people on a daily basis.
To support LHOS with an annual fund financial gift, please write a check to “Luther House of Study” and mail it to: 2100 S. Summit Avenue Sioux Falls, SD 57105. You can also donate online at LutherHouseofStudy.org (or simply lhos.org). Please contact Sarah (sarah@lhos.org) with any questions.
God bless you as you prayerfully consider this letter and our request for support.
Sarah Stenson, CEO
Chris Croghan, Chief Academic Officer
