Stories of How Faith Takes Root
At the Corner House, the Lutheran Campus Ministry at the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee, some students say the environment calls to mind the early church.
They are mainly referring to the fact that they gather in a home — this one made of brick, just off campus — rather than a church building. But several other things about this ministry resemble the roots of Christian discipleship. Members break bread together, share possessions, tell of their faith, pray regularly and live in intimate fellowship.
The Corner House is just one of many communities in the ELCA that helps people encounter God’s grace and love and become more like Christ. This kind of faith formation calls laity beyond shallow forms of Christianity that are all too common, while also offering meaning and purpose to nonchurchgoers — who, in surveys the Barna Group conducted for this project, select “seeking a deeper sense of spirituality” as one of the top reasons they might consider going to church.
Here's how some churches and ministries in the ELCA are leaning into faith formation on Sundays and throughout the week.
Voicing Beliefs
A consistent need, for both rostered ministers and laity, is to articulate faith authentically in today’s cultural context.
The Rev. Kate Reuer Welton, campus pastor at the University of Minnesota Twin Cities, allows for dialogue during the liturgy, encouraging people to look closely at Scripture and how it applies to them. “What do they believe?” she nudges. “Why is that important to them?”
At some churches, phrases within the liturgy itself are refreshed to be more inclusive (e.g., “rise in body or spirit” to acknowledge those who may not be able to physically rise) or contemporary (e.g., “siblings” instead of “brother and sister”).
Storytelling has become an emphasis of faith articulation at Redeemer Lutheran Church in Minneapolis. By engaging with Scripture and personal stories in an imaginative and curious manner, the Rev. Jen Collins says they see members grow in empathy and deepen their spiritual and communal bonds.
Engaging Spirit, Soul and Body
Christians represent an incarnational faith. The spiritual life is often knit together with the physical through practices and sacraments. Innovative ministries acknowledge this, embracing the senses and the embodied experiences of God’s presence.
Sometimes this means reimagining sacred spaces by gathering in a different environment, whether a park or a pub. At Redeemer, a beloved garden ministry has become such a space, where the congregation and community are integrated and faith is lived out alongside conversations about the climate and food access.
Other times, this looks like engaging spiritual practices in a way that connects to the body, perhaps through breath work or artistic expression. As part of her ministry, the Rev. Rachel Young Binter, pastor the Corner House, leads both yoga sessions and Bible studies. In the latter, participants are given the chance to journal or draw in response to passages. Tactile practices like these provide space for quiet and meditation and also allow those who are neurodivergent to engage in ways that may feel more natural.
Centering Joyful Faith
Processing on the page isn’t just a physical exercise but an opportunity for testimony — another theme of conversations about fostering vibrant, enduring faith in the ELCA.
“I aspire to see a church that makes space for joy,” says Claire Embil, a founding member of the young adult ministry Abide. “I always heard ‘God will make you well,’ but what about when God has made you well? … Tell the ‘and’ story.”
She hopes that, just as churches make space for people to discuss their low moments or lessons they’ve learned, they also create room to share how the Lord rejoices in all people.
The Rev. Nicolette “Nic” Peñaranda, program director for African Descent Ministries, notes that Black and Brown spaces in the ELCA are already leading the way there. “Black spirituality requires us to tell the good news of what God is doing,” she says. “It pulls us together and shows up in the way we persevere.”
