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LCMS Convention Workbook St. Louis, Missouri — 2026, Page 103

Scan: The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod
Transcription machine transcription, uncorrected

OFFICER, BOARD, AND COMMISSION REPORTS
The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod’s (LCMS) two-kingdom,
First Amendment organization in Washington, D.C., is to ignite and
advance a distinctly Lutheran response to increasing government
intrusions into the life of the Church, while educating, encouraging,
and equipping LCMS members and organizations to take informed
action in defense of religious freedom for the sake of the Gospel
ministries of our churches, schools, and universities.

Purpose and Services
The Synod, through the LCRL, monitors and protects the
church’s First Amendment rights—guaranteed by the U.S. Constitution—in the public square so that our churches, schools, and
universities can continue to boldly preach Christ crucified as the
power of God for salvation without government coercion or interference. The LCRL will equip Lutherans and Lutheran organizations to
1. engage federal and state officials through advocacy and defensive legal strategies;
2. educate future generations about serving God through vocations in government, law, and public policy; and
3. connect with Lutherans involved in government affairs.
Where the government, the culture, and faith conflict, Lutherans can and must speak up and out in support of religious
liberty.

Why This Matters
We are living in a time when Christian values and morals are
under attack culturally, legally, and politically, with cultural and
political forces throughout society committed to
•

aggressively chipping away at Americans’ most basic religious liberties, despite the protections guaranteed by the
First Amendment;

•

rapidly deconstructing and redefining, through law and litigation, the biblical understanding of marriage and the family,
the foundational building block of our culture;

•

discarding as inconsequential, despite the defeat of Roe v.
Wade, the lives of more than 67 million preborn Americans;

•

politically and legally targeting Christian schools and preschools, in defiance of constitutional protections, because of
their biblical teachings on marriage and sexuality; and

•

politicizing and demonizing the public expression of the
Christian faith, including its central proclamation of “Christ
alone crucified,” in an effort to silence any faithful public
witness to the whole counsel of God—the very heartbeat of
our Lutheran identity and calling.

An evaluation of current faith-based entities and think tanks in
Washington, D.C., indicates a plethora of groups and institutions
that support the protection of religious liberty. However, none offer the distinctly confessional Lutheran understanding of Luther’s
two-kingdom theology:
One is the kingdom of this world. Into it we are born; in it we
sustain our bodies and do our work. The other is the Christian
Church, in which we have become members by faith. In it we
do our spiritual tasks; in it we pray, serve the Church, and do
mission-work. This is the purpose for which we have been
placed on earth. (Dr. Theodore Graebner, “Christian Citizenship,” essay for the 1937 English District convention)

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This void is now filled by the growing and expanding voice of
the LCRL for the betterment of the country and in opposition to
any movements, views, or legislation that would harm the right of
religious freedom in the public square.
The LCRL office offers advantages.
•

It maintains a direct presence of the LCMS and like-minded
Lutherans in the nation’s capital.

•

It enables the LCMS to monitor and communicate impending legislation, infringement on religious liberty, and other
matters of concern to LCMS members, congregations, recognized service organizations, and other LCMS institutions.

•

It provides a venue and a process through the Champions for
Liberty Religious Network to engage, encourage, and equip Lutherans of all ages to exercise their vocations as part of God’s
preserving work through government or political engagement.

•

It offers proximity to a growing list of partner organizations
and offices to help build coalitions, thus strengthening our
First Amendment voice in Washington, D.C.

Four Primary Tasks
1. Advocacy and Encouragement on Capitol Hill: Through
our active presence on Capitol Hill—including advocacy
meetings (Values Action Team meetings with Senate and
House), direct engagement with members of Congress and
the Executive Branch (personal as well as via radio), and
our expanding broadcast outreach through The Liberty Action Alert—we work to ensure that the concerns of LCMS
churches, schools, and universities are faithfully represented
before civil authorities. We also encourage and support those
who labor in public office to uphold religious liberty and the
God-given rights of the Church.
2. Education and Assistance
a. Through its expanding body of resources, the LCRL
equips Synod laity with a faithful understanding of major
cultural and legal challenges, the Lutheran doctrine of vocation (especially Christian citizenship), and the theology
of the two kingdoms. In this way, believers are prepared to
serve their neighbors in the civil realm while supporting
and preserving the Church’s Gospel mission.
b. Through trusted partnerships (with Alliance Defending
Freedom [ADF], First Liberty Institute, Liberty Counsel,
and the Becket Fund), the LCRL assists Christians and
congregations in securing legal support and critical resources when they face opposition, litigation, or government action for confessing and living according to Holy
Scripture and the Lutheran Confessions.
3. Advocacy, Training, and Support: Through our Champions for Liberty Network, the LCRL provides advocacy
training, strategic coaching, and ongoing support for Synod
congregations, schools, and universities. This work equips
laity to live out their Christian vocation in God’s left-hand
kingdom with clarity, courage, and confessional faithfulness.
4. Publication and Communication: In partnership with
like-minded organizations and public leaders, the LCRL
communicates an orthodox Lutheran, two-kingdom perspective on cultural, legal, and public policy matters to governing authorities, ensuring that a clear and faithful Lutheran
witness is maintained in the public square. Resources in this
2026 Convention Workbook