The Lutheran Suicide Prevention Ministry is a non-profit corporation organized in the State of Georgia. It is not a program of, nor does it receive funding from, the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA).

The LSPM is a 501 C 3 organization. This makes contributions to the LSPM tax deductible.

The goals and objectives of the LSPM are:

1. increase suicide prevention awareness within the ELCA
2. educate the components of the ELCA on appropriate actions to take to prevent suicide
3. make suicide prevention an important effort of the ELCA educational and advocacy programs, and local congregations as well
4. give voice to survivors of suicide, as well as those who have acted on suicidal ideation
5. create a ELCA suicide prevention endowment fund to support future ELCA suicide prevention work
6. build suicide prevention collaboration among faith communities
7. promote collaboration by the ELCA with private/public suicide prevention agencies and the media

The LSPM is based on Galatians 6:2: “Bear one another’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ”, and the ELCA Message on Suicide Prevention approved 14 November 1999 by the Church Council. In paragraph 4 on page 10 of The Message, the Church Council: “[…] urges synods to support members, congregations, and affiliated institutions in their efforts to prevent suicide. It directs the governing bodies of churchwide units to evaluate their programs in light of this message, calling upon any Lutheran church’s educational and advocacy programs to make suicide prevention an important concern in their ministry.”