The need to resource ministry and witness across the District continues to grow, and Lutheran Ministry Foundation (LMF) is entering a new season of ministry to support these efforts, resuming its impactful role as a supporter of ministry in congregations, schools, and human care ministries throughout the District. LMF will resource this work on behalf of God’s faithful stewards—the people of the District—through your generous support and partnership.
Lutheran Ministry Foundation is a 501(c)(3) charity of the District, and supporters can rest assured that the grants and programs they enable through their gifts will proclaim and practice the love of Christ in accordance with the Lutheran Confessions. Your faithful stewardship will support opportunities you may not have known about to advance the Gospel here in Nebraska.
You can make your gift by mailing your check, made payable to Lutheran Ministry Foundation, to Lutheran Ministry Foundation, PO Box 407, Seward, Nebraska 68434, or online via our secure giving portal and then selecting Lutheran Ministry Foundation. If you would like to make a gift in other ways, including gifts of stock or grain, or for more information about this matching grant opportunity, please contact Elijah Luebbe, Treasurer, at elijahl@ndlcms.org or 402-643-2961 x1005.
How does LMF resource ministry?
An LMF grant enabled Hope Lutheran Church in Omaha to extend its Gospel outreach to its neighbors in the summer of 2024 in multiple ways, including Vacation Bible School, community picnics, providing food assistance to those in need, and establishing a “blessing box” where common pantry items are always available for those in need.
This grant was notable for another reason: it was one of LMF’s first grant awards since 2012. LMF was established in the 1980s with initial one-time funding of $1,000,000 to partner with ministries in the Nebraska District LCMS. Over the next 20 years, the Lord multiplied this initial funding to provide more than $2,300,000 in grants to congregations, schools, and human care ministries across the District, from Omaha to North Platte, Tilden to Hastings. These grants provided essential monies in times of economic stress, support for needed capital projects, and visionary funding for new ministry initiatives. By the mid-2010s, LMF had fully deployed its available funds for ministry. While doing so, however, LMF did not seek support from the faithful and generous followers of Christ to replenish the initial funding. Many associated with LMF thought its time had passed.
The need to resource ministry and witness across the District continues to grow, and LMF is entering a new season of ministry to support these efforts. Under the leadership of President Richard Snow and the Board of Directors of the District, LMF is resuming its impactful role as a supporter of ministry in congregations, schools, and human care ministries throughout the District. In this next chapter, LMF will resource this work on behalf of God’s faithful stewards—the people of the District—through their generous support and partnership.
Mission Ignition 2025 Grants $22,500 for Ministry in the Nebraska District LCMS
In partnership with the Lutheran Ministry Foundation, the Nebraska District held the first Mission Ignition event on September 27, 2025. During this Saturday morning event, five ministries shared innovative mission opportunities in their community. Each of these grant requests received funds in varying amounts. Car Care Day presented by Peace, Grand Island, received $500; HarvestFields Campus Ministry at St. John’s, Curtis, received $2,500; Omaha Youth, shared by several Omaha congregations, received $6,000; Raising Up Workers for the Harvest, presented by Mt. Calvary, Holdredge, received $6,000; and Run of Many Colors presented by the Syracuse, NE church planting team received $7,500. We are thankful to Lutheran Ministry Foundation for the $22,500 grant that was shared with these five finalists for mission in their communities.
Each of these groups shared their mission plans and received feedback and encouragement from one another. This was both practical and enjoyable as those gathered celebrated and shared new ideas. I was also struck by the reality of our mission being lived as I witnessed their interaction. The mission of the Nebraska District is summarized in this way: “God’s family together—joined in His mission.” These forgiven saints of God were living it with each other and encouraging each other to continue to live in mission in their own unique way.
Together we pray “Your kingdom come” in the Lord’s Prayer. We sometimes speak the words without reflecting on their meaning. Today, I would like you to take an extra moment to read this explanation (from the Large Catechism) two or three times: “We ask here at the outset that all this may be realized in us and that His name be praised through God’s holy Word and Christian living. This we ask, both in order that we who have accepted it may remain faithful and grow daily in it and also in order that it may find approval and gain followers among other people and advance with power throughout the world.”
Christ our Lord has indeed come into our world to redeem and deliver us from the power of the devil, to bring us to Himself, and to rule us as a King of righteousness, life, and salvation against sin, death, and an evil conscience. This group that gathered at Mission Ignition was indeed living it, here in time, through Word and faith as they gathered together as His Kingdom people and as they interact with others in their community proclaiming and living in the redemption of Jesus Christ.
You are a member of His forgiven family. By God’s grace may you remain faithful and grow daily in it. Live in the joy of your salvation in order that it may find approval and gain followers among other people and that His Kingdom would advance with power throughout the world.
A financial grant may provide some value to your mission efforts, and you may seek to apply for a future Mission Ignition opportunity. A greater value lies in the Kingdom people that surround you as fellow members of your forgiven family. Talk with them, walk with them, share ideas with one another, and live it in your community in your own unique way. The greatest value is yours, as God Himself invites you to pray “Your Kingdom come.” And indeed He comes—He lives and He comes among us bringing eternal priceless treasure. Today and each day may we live in it.
Peace—His Kind,
Rev. Lonnie Jacobsen
Apply for a Lutheran Ministry Foundation Grant
Thank you for your interest in applying for a grant from Lutheran Ministry Foundation (LMF). We have two grant applications available: grants of up to $5,000 and major grants for more than $5,000. Please complete the appropriate application form linked below and submit it with all required documents to request funding for your project or program. If you have any questions or need assistance, please contact us at LMF@ndlcms.org.
Please submit your completed application by March 15 for April consideration or August 15 for September consideration.
Please note: If you are unable to complete this online application in one sitting, please click on the “save and continue later” button at the bottom of the form. Jotform will send you an email with a link that you can use to come back later and complete your application. Just be sure you fill in your email address in the required field first.
Prepare for your grant application by reviewing what the applications require:
- Download the requirements for grants up to $5,000 here.
- Download the requirements for major grants of more than $5,000 here.