Faith & Ministry

A grounded, lived experience of God’s grace.

Our university’s mission compels and equips us to be a distinctly different, Christ-centered university as we continue to serve more and more learners. It drives us to deliver excellent academics and career-preparation while also remaining faithful to the deep and enlivening Christian faith and ethos that guides this university. Not all Christian colleges and universities can operate in this middle-space — in the tension between secular learning and Christian faith — but the Lutheran ethos at Concordia St. Paul enables us to not just achieve this balance – but to excel at it.

A distinctly Lutheran ethos is not some lofty, intellectual goal, but it is a grounded, lived experience of God’s grace reaching and renewing all people. This is what Concordia’s Mission of doing all things in the context of the Christian gospel mean.

Read our Mission Statement.

Read our Lutheran Convictions that Inform Intellectual Inquiry.

Christ is honored; all are welcome.

Our promise statement of being a university where “Christ is honored, and all are welcome” gives us a framework for creating a welcoming, relational, and purpose-driven context for learning so that all students discover and engage their purpose for life, career, and service.

With prayer and humility, it guides us as we walk together in community, listen to, and learn from one another, and see one another as God’s image-bearers. Living our promise means intentional efforts framed around the Concordia Promise that leads us to:

Foster a culture of vocation that develops each person’s God-given potential for making a positive impact, now and in the future.

“… empower you to discover and engage your purpose for life, career, and service …”

Foster a culture of respect that seeks to value differences, reconcile conflicts, and affirm each member of the CSP community as a beloved child of God.

“… in a dynamic, multicultural, urban environment …”

Foster a culture of community, showing unconditional love and serving others as Christ served us.

“… where Christ is honored, all are welcome …”

Foster a culture of Christian thought and inquiry, linking principal beliefs of Lutheran theology to everyday life and equipping for vocational service, wherever God calls. 

“… and Lutheran convictions inform intellectual inquiry and academic pursuits.”

Read our Promise Statement.

Read our All Are Welcome University Pledge

Read our Lutheran Convictions that Inform Intellectual Inquiry.

Living Our Faith.

Equipping, caring, welcoming, and worshiping.

Integral to our thriving community is CSP Ministry, a Christ-centered ministry serving Concordia St. Paul in three main ministry areas: equipping, caring, and welcoming. Formal opportunities such as daily chapel, evening chapel, 908, devotions, and Bible study are blended with a ministry of compassion and presence, preparing the entire CSP community to be sent into the world as a blessing to others.

The team of staff and student leaders may be the public faces of CSP Ministry, but CSP Ministry is made up of any faculty, staff, or student who is a believer in Jesus, called to the light of Christ.

Learn more about CSP Ministry and opportunities to serve.

Explore the Solus Christus Fellowship Program.

Morning Chapel

Monday/Friday – 10:30a
Wednesday – 7:30a communion
Tuesday /Thursday – 11:30a

A Typical Week in Chapel
Chapel times include a variety of forms, orders, and leaders. It is our goal that the beautiful diversity of our campus community and its gifts can be represented in the chapel. To reach that goal of variety and involvement, our weekly order will not always be the same, but generally, some common themes can be expected. No matter the form or the leader, though, we will always gather around the Gospel of Christ as found in the Holy Scriptures.

• Monday – Service of the Word and song
• Tuesday – Service of the Word and song
• Wednesday – Convocations, Communion, and other orders
• Thursday – A rotation of traditional orders of Matins, Morning Prayer, and Celtic Daily Prayer often accompanied by the Jubilate Choir
• Friday – Service of the Word and song

Evening Chapel

• Compline – Monday at 10 p.m. It is a traditional, peaceful worship liturgy to celebrate the closing of the day.
• Taize / Contemplative – Tuesday at 10 p.m. It is a contemplative, reflective time of worship where Scripture is read and sung. This service often includes a time of reflective silence for prayer.
• 908 – Wednesday at 9:08 p.m. 908 is a time of contemporary worship including a worship band, student or guest speaker, and prayer time.
• Holden Evening Prayer – Thursday at 10 p.m. It is a beautiful piano-led service of singing and prayer.

Most of our opportunities and hang time happen in 3 main places:

• Graebner Memorial Chapel / Cross of Christ Fellowship Center (CCFC)/ the Underground
  Where you’ll find daily chapel, the CSP Ministry staff office, and coffee, snacks, & hang out space! 
• The Living Room
  A comfy space on the tunnel for homework, hanging out, meetings, Bible studies, and making others feel welcome on campus.
• Prayer Chapel
  A small, quiet space for individual or small group prayer and conversation at the bottom level of the Behm Crossroads, below the Buenger Education Center.

• 908 – Wednesday nights at 9:08 p.m. in the Chapel | 908@csp.edu
• Propel Women’s Ministry – Monday nights at 9 p.m. in the Living Room (in the tunnel by the game rooms) | propel@csp.edu
• Cornerstone Men’s Ministry – Monday nights at 9 p.m. in the Underground | cornerstone@csp.edu

CSP Ministry sees Bible Study as an incredibly important piece of Christian life and discipleship. CSP Ministry offers seasonal study opportunities and resources during Lent and other times. We also equip students and staff to lead and facilitate Bible Studies in their areas of campus as well.

We love having as many different people involved in chapel as possible. Do you like to read aloud? Are you interested in running sound or visuals? Do you play an instrument or sing? Do you do skits or dance? We would love to have you use your gifts in chapel!

Connecting faith, learning, and life together.

Solus Christus Fellows is a program where student cohorts meet weekly and engage in thoughtful discussions of readings that deepen their faith, build community, and help them to live well in their various God-given callings in life. In addition to weekly cohort meetings, students are invited to attend multiple social events throughout the school year.

Click here to learn more.

The Friday CSP Ministry & Theology Club Luncheons offer ministry insight and professional development for students looking to live out their vocations through Christian leadership and service. Fridays after morning chapel, students, together with various Theology & Ministry faculty, gather in the Chapel Underground to hear various guests share their experience in ministry (in-person or virtually).

Guest speakers have included pastors, DCEs, camp directors, and representatives from Lutheran-affiliated organizations such as Lutheran Hour Ministries, Mission of Christ Network, and LCEF to name a few.

The Beautiful Feet Conference is held annually on a Concordia University campus, rotating from campus to campus throughout the Concordia University System. Taking its name from Isaiah 52:7, it is a conference planned by students for students with a focus on outreach and missions.

For the past several years, a group of 20-30 CSP students travel to the conference, along with Faith & Ministry faculty and staff. It has become a highlight of each academic year as the students grow in their understanding of servant-hearted vocation.

Throughout the academic year, various departments and colleges host convocations and lectures. Of particular note for Faith & Ministry are the Poehler Lecture, the Vern Gundermann Reformation Heritage Lecture, and the Hoffmann Institute Lecture.

Take a moment to visit the page and be enlightened through these inspiring presentations.

2023-2024 CSP Convocations & Lectures

The Office of Church Relations is led by Jane Wilke, Director. In this role, Jane works to build and encourage relationships between Concordia St. Paul and congregations throughout the Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod. Church Relations works closely with many departments on campus in providing opportunities and actively communicating the numerous ways CSP lives its mission as a Christ-centered, Lutheran university.

If you are interested in scheduling a Concordia Sunday in your congregation, arranging a confirmation class or youth group visit, or having your pastor circuit meeting on campus, please reach out to Jane at jwilke@csp.edu