Health Ministry

Encouraging Christ-centered wellness for individuals, families and communities


LCMS Health Ministry promotes a Christ-centered approach to health and healing by equipping individuals, families and communities with tools and support that aid in wellness of body and soul, mind and spirit.


What is “health?”

While the world may define health in limited terms, LCMS Health Ministry defines health from the vantage point of our Lord, who sees the whole person: body and soul, mind and spirit. We confess that God creates, redeems and sanctifies our whole person: body and soul, mind and spirit (Gal. 2:20).

A proper definition of health, therefore, includes a person’s physical and spiritual wellness, while also considering one’s relational, emotional, intellectual, financial and vocational well-being. A family, and in fact a whole community, strives toward health when each individual expands their understanding of wellness to include the wellness of others around them.

The church cares for health because God cares about every body (1 Cor. 6:19–20). As a body of believers, we should make every effort to bring health and healing to individual members and to the broader community.

Health Ministry supports the church in this effort by:

  • Developing resources, suggestions and policies around health and healing issues in the church and society. Such issues include mental health, suicide prevention, disabilities, sexuality, domestic violence, sexual abuse and human trafficking.
  • Supporting Lutheran health care professionals in their Christian vocation by providing resources and offering formal and informal networks of support.
  • Working closely with LCMS Life Ministry and LCMS Family Ministry to provide an integrated approach to addressing health and wellness.
  • Assisting congregations and parish nurses in promoting health and wellness education (including spiritual, physical, relationship and environmental concerns).

Recent News

This part is no longer supported and has been retired.

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Introduction to Parish Nursing Video Curriculum

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The Church Is For Everyone

Jesus wants the church to have open doors, welcoming all people inside. Many times, people with disabilities don’t participate simply because they haven’t been asked.

This new resource from LCMS Health Ministry provides straightforward and inexpensive ideas to help volunteers — Sunday school teachers, VBS leaders, youth workers and others — include people of all abilities in their next church event.

 Read suggestions

For general information, please email Health Ministry.

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The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod Inc., including Mission Central (in Mapleton, Iowa), is an IRS registered 501(c)(3) tax-exempt charity.

A contribution designated (restricted) for a specific purpose, when accepted, will be used only to fund expenses related to that purpose. Occasionally, we may receive more in contributions for a particular purpose than can be wisely applied to it in the foreseeable future or the purpose may cease to be feasible. In these situations, the LCMS will make reasonable attempts to contact contributors to apply their contribution toward another aspect of ministry that aligns closely the contributor’s goals and values. If a contributor cannot be contacted, the LCMS will use the gift to meet a similar pressing need that most closely matches the contributor's original intent.

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