Official Workbook PDF page source text

LCMS 2026 Convention Workbook: Reports and Overtures, PDF page 133

2026 Convention Workbook
98 
OFFICER, BOARD, AND COMMISSION REPORTS
ricula, music, church resources, church administration software, 
and other resources that we offer. Also, in order to help get prod-
ucts into the hands of “LCMS pew-sitters,” CPH has started a new 
Resource Program, which provides discounts and free shipping on 
orders sent to congregations. We already have 600 congregations 
signed up. We invite your congregation to sign up as well.
Christ Is Risen Indeed! This unchanging truth reminds us in this 
changing world that our faith is not in vain, nor is our work to 
support the faithful proclamation of the Gospel. On your behalf, 
and with the Lord’s guidance, CPH will continue to strive to be the 
premier publisher and provider of choice for products and services 
faithful to the Scriptures and the Lutheran Confessions. We pray 
our products help the LCMS continue to boldly proclaim the risen 
Christ to the world around us.
Jonathan D. Schultz, President and CEO
R17
Lutheran Church Extension Fund
“Christ Is Risen Indeed”
Organization Mission Statement
To start, sustain and strengthen LCMS ministries through finan-
cial and strategic partnerships.
Our vision of growing ministry opportunities lives through our 
core values: be faithful, pursue excellence and innovation, inspire 
belief through partnerships, endure balancing resources and risk, 
and learn continually.
The Lutheran Church Extension Fund (LCEF) remains in a 
strong financial position and has joyfully fulfilled its commitment 
to provide the financial resources necessary to support the church 
in her work. Below is an overview, and more details can be found 
in the Offering Circular and Ministry and Business Plan, published 
annually. 
Investments
The laddered fixed income portfolio as of June 30, 2025, totaled 
$253.1 million with an interest yield of 2.89 percent compared to 
a yield of 2.71 percent a year ago. The long-term reserve portfolio 
(consisting of fixed income, equities and other non-correlated in-
vestments) totaled $91.7 million.
Net market value gains for the period ending June 30, 2025, to-
taled $20.6 million with laddered fixed income gains of $11.3 mil-
lion and long-term portfolio gains of $9.3 million. Inclusive of the 
investment income as of June 30, 2025, the total return for the lad-
dered portfolio was 6.75 percent. Within the long-term portfolio, the 
equity, semiliquid and illiquid portfolios earned a total return gain 
of 15.7 percent, 8.33 percent, and 6.85 percent, respectively. The 
total return on the long-term portfolio was a gain of 13.76 percent.
releases on missions, the two kingdoms, and transgenderism offer a 
picture of what we hope that series will become.
CPH is unequivocally committed to publishing doctrinally 
pure resources. The main pillar of this commitment is evaluation 
of scriptural and confessional fidelity through the Synod’s estab-
lished Doctrinal Review (DR) process. In isolated cases, historical-
ly significant works of Lutheran theology have been translated into 
English and published by CPH without going through DR. These 
include Luther’ s Works, Walther’ s Works, Chemnitz’ s Works, and 
Johann Gerhard’s Theological Commonplaces. While we do not 
suggest that these authors are incapable of error, we share with the 
respective seminary professors and Synod entities with whom we 
partner on these projects the view that the faithful contribution of 
these works justifies their publication. In the very rare case of mod-
ern works of this sort (like Albrecht Peters’s Commentary on Lu-
ther’ s Catechisms and Hellmut Lieberg’s Office and Ordination in 
Luther and Melanchthon), we have included a special notice in the 
books, designating them as study resources and making clear that 
they have not been submitted to DR. No modern books of this sort 
have been in any stage of development in the last triennium, nor 
are any at present, although projects like Luther’ s Works continue.
During the past triennium, CPH invested heavily in a mobile 
app version of The Lutheran Study Bible, now available on both 
iOS and Android devices. This past January, we launched a Book of 
Concord website featuring Concordia: The Lutheran Confessions 
at bookofconcord.cph.org. This is the most widely used edition of 
the Book of Concord in the LCMS today, and we encourage all con-
gregations to link to it on their websites as an essential component 
of their faith statements.
CPH is thankful for the rostered church workers throughout the 
LCMS and prays for them weekly in our chapel services. For many 
years, we have provided rostered church workers with a 20 percent 
discount on most products purchased for individual use. During this 
past triennium, we have begun providing free shipping for these 
purchases as well.
In response to 2023 Res. 11-03A, CPH has been working in col-
laboration with the Office of National Mission to prepare a resource 
on the Synod’s ministry and outreach to communities of color. As 
a result of 223 Res. 12-01A, CPH staff worked closely with LCMS 
School Ministry to produce and publish Lutheran Academic Stan-
dards. Likewise, CPH was represented in the last triennium on the 
Created Male and Female  Task Force, as mandated in 2023 Res. 
1-04A, and continues to provide new resources that faithfully ad-
dress human sexuality.
We also continue to increase our partnership efforts with cor -
porate Synod and her agencies and partners not only in response to 
convention resolutions but also in the course of our normal service 
to the Synod. While space constraints prevent a complete listing, 
here is a representative sampling: We have worked closely with 
the Office of the President, Office of International Mission, and the 
International Lutheran Council to get our confessional Lutheran re-
sources into the hands of pastors in our partner churches around the 
world. CPH created a mini curriculum in support of the Set Apart 
to Serve initiative. And our partnership with Concordia Historical 
Institute to produce books vital to preserve and communicate the 
history of our work as a Synod continues with several new volumes 
completed and planned.
We invite all church workers and lay members of LCMS con-
gregations to visit us at cph.org to view the 8,000-plus books, cur-