Founded in the 1940s as a 501c3 organization under the original name of the Greater Milwaukee Federation of Lutheran Churches—Missouri Synod, the purpose of this organization was in serving the churches and people of Milwaukee in a variety of ways including chaplaincy, evangelism, education, and social outreach and action.

The Post-modern generation of today requires an active and participatory role in the ministries that they are willing to support. This involvement is focused on both accountability and helping those ministries become more self-directed, more effective, more efficient, and less redundant. Involvement in the development and cultivation of relationships with people and organizations is vital to long-term ministry and mission success. The Metro Milwaukee Lutheran Mission Society realizes this and sees that their primary focus must be in the building up and working within the ministries, missions, and churches that can affect the great needs of the inner city of Milwaukee.