As its first official act, Lutherans For Life sent letters of announcement to the presidents of the American Lutheran Church, the Association of Evangelical Lutheran Churches, the Lutheran Church in America, The Lutheran Church- Missouri Synod, and the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Church. A request was made of the presidents to urge their members to observe October 1, 1978, as Respect Life Sunday and "with prayer and meditation express thanks for their own lives and also sadness for the lives of pre-born children that have been terminated because they were unwanted."

Lutherans For Life (LFL) was officially incorporated on April 17, 1979, with its national office located on the campus of Concordia College, St. Paul, Minnesota. At the time of incorporation, the first board consisted of Dr. George Muedeking and the officers. Soon the board included twelve members; and over the years, numerous Lutheran pastors and laypeople faithfully served on the National Board of Directors.

Rev. Edward Fehskens joined the ministry as Executive Director in August of 1985. In May of 1991, the headquarters of LFL relocated to Benton, Arkansas, southwest of Little Rock. A structure that housed the "Congo Mercantile" for 63 years was converted into an office as well as living quarters for the director’s family.

The philosophy of LFL was revised in 1992. It states:

In 1995, Rev. Fehskens resigned his position as Executive Director to return to full-time parish ministry. During his ten years of service, he helped build a strong network of chapters and state affiliates. At the 1995 convention, Dr. Jean Garton was honored for 17 years of service. Linda Bartlett was elected President of the board of directors of LFL.

Rev. Dr. James I. Lamb became the new Executive Director in April of 1996. In May of that year, LFL’s headquarters relocated to Nevada, Iowa, north of Des Moines.

Lutherans For Life, Inc. has assisted in the development of Lutherans For Life of Australia and Lutherans For Life of Canada in addition to working with interested pro-life Lutherans in other countries. At the request of a member of the USSR Academy of Sciences in Moscow, LFL provided them with resources on abortion, chastity, and post-abortion healing. In 1996, LFL was invited to Romania (at that time the country with the world’s highest abortion rate) to assist in the development of Pro-Vita, a Romanian Christian pro-life group. Since that trip, LFL has supported Pro-Vita financially; many brochures have been translated into the Romanian language; and two caring pregnancy centers have been developed. Opportunities exist for continued involvement with Pro-Vita.

National LFL officially went "on-line" in 1997, providing Christian pro-life resources and timely information by way of a website: www.lutheransforlife.org

In 1998, Lowell Highby came on staff as the first Director of Media and Development (now Director of Communications). The intent of this position is to enhance and expand the avenues of LFL’s outreach and its "For Life" message.

In 2003, Edward Szeto joined the staff as the first Director of Outreach. Duties of the new position include assisting in the development of new state federations and new chapters; promotion of a For Life emphasis within the existing structures of Lutheran congregations; and helping to identify and train LFL leaders.

In 2004, Diane Schroeder, who had been Treasurer, was elected President of Lutherans For Life. Diane took over from Linda Bartlett who stepped down after serving as President since 1995.

In 2004, Karen Frohwein joined the staff as Director of Development. Her duties include seeking new funding options for Lutherans For Life, developing strategies for increasing LFL’s donor base, and offering expanded giving opportunities for LFL donors.

Resources for pastors, congregations, and lay people are provided at the national headquarters and in the field through LFL Leadership/Speaker Training Seminars, and other educational events. Word of Hope, LFL’s post-abortion ministry, brings hurting women together with Christian caregivers so that hope, healing, and reconciliation with the Lord might be experienced. LFL affiliates have established caring pregnancy centers, post-abortion ministries, and congregational programs that provide supportive services for those confronted with unplanned pregnancies. LFL holds an annual national conference.

LFL co-sponsored two amicus curia ("friend-of-the-court") briefs to the U.S. Supreme Court and continues to motivate Lutheran citizens to be "salt and light" in a culture that increasingly embraces death as a solution to human problems. LFL is represented on the National Pro-Life Religious Council.