Our mission Marked with the cross of Christ forever, we are claimed, gathered and sent for the sake of the world. This is
the mission statement of the ELCA. As members of the ELCA, we believe that we are freed in Christ to serve and love our
neighbor. With our hands, we do God’s work of restoring and reconciling communities in Jesus’ name throughout the world.
Biblical and theological foundation
Members of the ELCA are called and privileged to participate in God's work in the world. God calls and empowers us for
mission through baptism. As a community of believers justified by grace through faith (Ephesians 2:8), we do not describe
mission in terms of our own work but with reference to the healing, salvation and restoration that God accomplishes
through Christ. We seek the guidance of the Spirit in our planning, while expecting surprising developments and
unanticipated opportunities. Grounded in God’s love and forgiveness, we are equipped to live and serve here and now, in
the world, with all its complexities, tensions and ambiguities. We have the courage to explore the world as saints and
sinners are certain of God's promises and of the confident hope that all God's loving purposes will be fulfilled when
our risen Lord Jesus Christ returns (1 John 3:2).
Strategic directions for the ELCA churchwide organization
The ELCA churchwide organization, working collaboratively with congregations, synods, agencies and institutions and
other partners will give priority to: Accompanying congregations as growing centers for evangelical mission; and
Building capacity for evangelical witness and service in the world to alleviate poverty and to work for justice and
peace. To this end, the churchwide organization continues to play a significant and pivotal role in the life of this
church by working with its local and global mission partners to build, support and extend the mission of this church.
