WELS Numbers
As a Christian church body, our calling is to nurture the faith of our members and to spread the gospel of Jesus Christ throughout the world. Everything about the way we’re organized is designed to serve that dual purpose. We are the third largest Lutheran church body in America with 1,241 churches; 330,687 baptized members; and 264,498 communicant members. We have 12 districts to allow for more area-specific ministry, personal contacts, and member involvement.
Churches
Baptized members
Communicant members
Twelve districts
Our schools
Early childhood education ministries
Lutheran elementary schools
Area Lutheran high schools
We maintain Martin Luther College in New Ulm, Minn., Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary in Mequon, Wis., and two preparatory high schools: Luther Preparatory School in Watertown, Wis., and Michigan Lutheran Seminary in Saginaw, Mich., for the education of our pastors, teachers, and staff ministers.
Our congregationsāeither individually or as federationsāoperate one of the largest Lutheran school systems in the country with 362 early childhood ministries; 284 Lutheran elementary schools ; 29 area Lutheran high schools; 2 Prep high schools; and Wisconsin Lutheran College, Milwaukee, Wis.
We run one of the largest Christian prison ministries in the nation, distributing hundreds of thousands of Bibles and Bible correspondence courses to inmates across the United States over the last 20 years.
We are a member of the Confessional Evangelical Lutheran Conference, an organization of 34 confessional church bodies throughout the world.
CALL REPORTS
The Call Reports detail when pastors, teachers, and staff ministers change positions within WELS.
NOMINATION ALERTS
Alerts are sent to gather names for positions at the synod building, ministerial education schools, or on boards or commissions.