The Nebraska Synod, ELCA Strategic Planning Process completed in September 2006 resulted in a series of findings, the primary one being the conclusion that the root of Christ’s mission anywhere at anytime is spiritual leadership. Feeding the leadership of the Nebraska Synod became the key goal of the new Nebraska Synod Campaign for Leadership and Youth. The campaign will raise new leaders and grow our current leadership, both rostered and lay, to deeper spiritual levels. The end result will be ministry settings that are welcome places reflecting Christ’s love.

The Institute for Spiritual Direction Formation is a direct result of findings of the strategic planning process. Rostered leaders of the Nebraska Synod were polled regarding their self-perceived most important personal and professional need as leaders. Well more than half of the rostered leaders responding raised the need for spiritual retreat and spiritual direction as their primary need. Initially, the campaign sought to provide opportunities for spiritual retreat and to identify, certify and make available six to eight spiritual directors who would be available across the Nebraska Synod. A task group was assembled to explore this, and in this process, came to the conclusion that the Nebraska Synod should develop its own institute for the certification of spiritual directors.