Called Forward
A Network Built for This Moment.
For generations, Lutheran social ministries have been called forward to meet the needs of their communities.
This moment is no different. Across the country, Lutheran social ministries are stepping forward to answer their faith’s call—and Lutheran Services in America is ensuring they can do so: growing their capacity to serve, amplifying their collective voice in national conversations that directly affect the people they support, and building and catalyzing their partnerships that strengthen communities.
This is what a network built for this moment looks like. It strengthens individual and collective leadership, drives innovation and impact across our network, sharpens our unified, faith-based voice to elevate solutions and leverages our society’s trust in faith-based service providers.
In a recent national survey conducted for Lutheran Services in America, more than half of US adults (53%) said they are confident faith-based organizations provide quality care while maximizing resources.
Committed to Fostering Leadership and Growth
Supporting essential partners in a changing landscape
Today’s environment asks a great deal of Lutheran social ministry leaders. And Lutheran Services in America is committed to ensuring they don’t face things alone—creating the spaces, the peer networks and the learning communities where leaders find not only resources, information and skills, but each other.
With the launch of our Leadership & Growth Platform, Lutheran Services in America is not only supporting leaders as they navigate the moment we’re in, but equipping them to lead through it—with greater confidence, timely and essential information, sharper strategies and the knowledge that they are connected to 300 peer organizations that are navigating the same terrain.
The 2026 Summit—themed “Bold Leadership and the Art of Resilience”—brought together senior leaders from across the social ministry network for honest conversation, shared learning and renewed conviction. The Summit achieved a Net Promoter Score of 9.44—a measure not just of satisfaction but of value.
“The biggest value is I can look to other sectors and get bright spots or ideas of what’s working that isn’t usually in my sector—and this greatly helps my own reflection.”
— Chris Singer, President & CEO, Lutheran Church Charities
The Impact
4+
peer networks focused on timely issues including technology, AI,
and finance.
20+
webinars and learning sessions
350+
C-suite leaders engaged annually
The Catalysts Driving Change
- Lutheran social ministry leaders in our network were equipped with timely information in order to understand the implications of private equity in healthcare, via Lutheran Services in America’s substantive brief, Private Equity in Healthcare: Balancing Capital and Care.
- Opportunities to use new technology are significant and evolving rapidly. To help leaders respond, Lutheran Services in America provided practical tools through its AI and innovation portfolio, including governance frameworks, ethics guidance and co-design principles. Convenings in Seattle and San Diego extended that learning into the field, helping social ministry leaders adopt new technology responsibly and in alignment with mission.
Amplifying One Network with One Voice
Impacting the systems that impact lives
Across a rapidly shifting federal landscape, Lutheran Services in America’s Public Policy and Advocacy work exists to help the 300 social ministries in our network speak with a single, credible, faith-based voice on the issues that most directly affect their communities and the people they serve.
Right now, that means addressing challenges and opportunities with the only constant being change:
- ensuring access to care by defending and strengthening Medicaid;
- advocating for a strong workforce;
- expanding the supply of affordable and healthy housing;
- leveraging a cross-cutting focus on data and technology, including AI.
Regardless of the issue, we focus on two goals. First, we equip leaders with the skills and confidence to advocate effectively, regardless of prior experience. Second, we turn strategy into action by creating direct opportunities to engage with policymakers in Washington, DC. The result is a nationwide network of Lutheran social ministries that is stronger, more visible and more influential each year.
“LSA is front and center on issues and is a trusted go-to resource for information and keeping us abreast.”
— Ray Ratke, CEO, enCircle
Here We Stand: For People. For Care. For Medicaid.
In the face of significant national policy uncertainty, Lutheran Services in America launched the Here We Stand initiative, boldly reasserting our commitment to work that is rooted in the inherent dignity of every person. The campaign unites providers, community leaders, advocates and partners to protect access to Medicaid, elevate trusted local voices and advance practical solutions that strengthen communities.
In 1521, Martin Luther stood before power and declared, “Here I stand. I can do no other.” Today, that same moral clarity calls us not toward division, but toward defending the dignity, health and wellbeing of people and communities. We are grounded, present and unwilling to be silent.
Here We Stand provides timely resources and practical guidance that help Lutheran social ministries and their partners navigate change with confidence while keeping the people and communities they serve at the center of every conversation.
“LSA’s Policy and Advocacy Committee has been a great addition to the work of LSA, which Good Samaritan has been a part of since its founding. Engagement from our members in advocacy highlights the significant impact and broad scope of services that our members provide to our communities. That speaks volumes and carries clout in the halls of Congress.”
—Tom Syverson, Director of Government Relations, Sanford Health/Good Samaritan
The Impact
44
spokespeople trained
9M
earned media impressions
381K
digital ad impressions
327
influencer impressions
Lutheran social ministries' knowledge of priority— and their ability to advocate for them— was strengthened considerably this fiscal year, with the number of engaged ministries increasing by 6%, those with high levels of engagement increasing by 4%.
The Catalysts Driving Change
- Action begins with education. Our ongoing monthly forum on policy and advocacy, Capitol Conversations, drew 331 unique registrants across the year’s webinars. Going forward, Capitol Conversations will expand its reach to partner organizations and broaden its topics to include housing and workforce. Capitol Communications, our biweekly advocacy update, reached roughly 2,000 people every week.
- Lutheran social ministries are essential partners in navigating changing federal and state Medicaid landscapes. Lutheran Services in America launched Partnering for Impact, an effort aimed at improving partnerships between health and social services to improve health outcomes for people and communities. It includes the Partnering for Impact Guide: How Social Service and Community-based Organizations Can Navigate Change in the New Medicaid Landscape, the first of its kind, designed to help social service organizations and community-based organizations demonstrate they are essential partners and critical infrastructure in achieving better health, with stronger efficiency while containing costs.
- Social ministries in our network were supported in measuring what matters most to improve outcomes for the people they serve with the release of Making Sense of Behavioral Health Measurement.