Hear from Rev. Justin Steinke, who graduated from Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary in May and received his first ministry assignment to the Philippines. He discusses the importance of reaching those thirsty for the gospel around the world and the U.S.
Today marked the beginning of the triennial meeting of the Confessional Evangelical Lutheran Conference (CELC) in Seoul, South Korea. The CELC is an international fellowship of 34 confessional Lutheran church bodies. Member churches are located on six continents; most of them were able to send representatives to attend this meeting.
The CELC was founded in 1993 in Oberwesel, Germany, with an initial 13 church bodies and has continued to grow since then.
The convention has multiple purposes. Theological papers are presented and discussed, enabling member churches to strengthen their unity of teaching and understanding of the Scriptures. Ministry challenges faced by the various church bodies are described, enabling sister church bodies to offer advice, insight, and mutual encouragement. Since many of the church bodies of the CELC are relatively small and isolated, such a meeting also provides the opportunity for them to be reminded that they are a part of a worldwide fellowship of Lutheran Christians who share their beliefs and who are united with them in their mission.
The CELC also actively reaches out to Lutheran church bodies that have been a part of theologically liberal Lutheran groups but are now seeking fellowship with other confessional Lutheran churches that stand on the Scriptures in what they teach and practice. A significant part of the CELC’s growth—from 13 to 34 churches—has taken place as a result of this effort.
The meeting concludes on Thursday. We are confident that God will bless the convention by affirming the fellowship among the churches and by strengthening their commitment to the Scriptures and to their God-given mission.
Learn more about the CELC at celc.info.
Serving with you in Christ,
WELS President Mark Schroeder
Read more about the CELC in Forward in Christ magazine.
Rev. Dan Sims, director of WELS Christian Aid and Relief, provides an update on the humanitarian aid granted in the U.S. and around the world. He discusses not only the profound effect this help can have on people in need around the world, but also how it shows Christian love and opens doors to share the most important message of all, the good news of our Savior. Find out more about WELS Christian Aid and Relief at wels.net/relief.
Last week, the synod’s Assignment Committee met at Martin Luther College, New Ulm, Minn., to assign this year’s teacher and staff ministry candidates. The Conference of Presidents makes up the Assignment Committee. The committee is advised by representatives of Martin Luther College, the WELS Commission on Lutheran Schools, and the presidents of the two synodical prep schools.
This year there were 61 teacher candidates who could go anywhere. All of them were assigned. Forty candidates who were limited geographically as to where they could serve (mostly due to marriage) were assigned. Additional assignments of those limited geographically will be made in the coming weeks and months when it is determined where they will be living. Thirty-seven teacher candidates were assigned to return to their current place of service either for another year or permanently. The total number of candidates assigned was 138.
After the assignments were made, there are still 158 vacancies for teacher-trained workers. Of those, 114 had requested candidates through the assignment process.
Four staff minister candidates were available for assignment; all four were assigned.
In addition, 34 men graduated from the preseminary program, and three men graduated with seminary certification. Most, if not all, of those 37 men will enroll at Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary, Mequon, Wis., to continue their training for the pastoral ministry.
View the list of assignments online.
As you view the list, you will see many one-year assignments. Assignments are made for one year for a number of reasons, including marriage plans, candidates assigned to duties outside of their specific training, candidates assigned as tutors or dorm supervisors, service in a foreign mission field, or local circumstances in schools. Many candidates assigned for one year will have their assignment made permanent either during the coming year or at next year’s assignments.
We thank God for providing these workers who will go out into God’s harvest field. We pray for God’s blessing on their ministry.
The Assignment Committee will meet May 23 at Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary to assign pastor and vicar candidates. Vicar assignments will be announced Wed., May 24; pastor assignments will be announced Thurs., May 25. The commencement events and call services will be streamed live.
Serving with you in Christ,
WELS President Mark Schroeder
At its May 1, 2023, meeting, WELS Christian Aid and Relief approved humanitarian aid grants totaling $702,390 for FY 23/24. WELS home missions will receive $43,498 in assistance; $658,892 will go to support world mission efforts. These are projects developed by WELS home and world missionaries to reflect Christ’s compassion to the people of their communities and build relationships that lead to opportunities to share the gospel.
“Seven hundred thousand dollars is a lot of money, but I believe it is money well spent. These dollars assist our missionaries at home and abroad to reach out in compassion to hurting people and help them. That’s reason enough for such an investment!” says Rev. Dan Sims, director of WELS Christian Aid and Relief. “But these acts of kindness help to build trusting relationships and lead to many opportunities to share the good news of our Savior.”
Major items include support for health clinics (including the Central Africa Medical Mission), borehole drilling to provide clean water, food for the hungry, warm clothes for widows and orphans, aid for legal immigrants, school supplies for underprivileged kids, education for refugees, scholarships for poor students, smokeless stoves, mosquito nets, vocational training, and many other forms of assistance.
Home missions receiving grants include:
World Mission fields receiving grants include:
Learn more about WELS Christian Aid and Relief at wels.net/relief.
The 2023 Book of Reports and Memorials is now available online. This book summarizes the activities of each area of ministry over the last year and contains the proposed ministry financial plan for the next biennium. The information in the Book of Reports and Memorials will help guide the 400 delegates at WELS’ 67th biennial convention, which is being held at Michigan Lutheran Seminary, Saginaw, Mich., July 31–Aug. 3, under the theme “Embrace the Cross—Anticipate the Crown.”
“This theme reflects the biblical truth that Christians in this world live under the cross,” says WELS President Rev. Mark Schroeder. “We live under the cross in the sense that our relationship with God as his people was brought about by the sacrificial death of our Savior on the cross. Living under the cross also means that we recognize, as Jesus himself told us, that in this world God’s church will endure difficulties and trials but that all of those difficulties and trials are intended by God for our eternal good. And when we embrace the cross we can look forward with joyful anticipation to when we and all believers will receive the crown of life.”
A highlight of this year’s synod convention is the anticipated declaration and affirmation of fellowship with two Lutheran church bodies, one in Uganda and the other in Latin America.
Three memorials are also included in the Book of Reports and Memorials. A memorial is a formal request to the synod convention for specific action.
One printed copy of the Book of Reports and Memorials is being mailed to each delegate, congregation, and male called worker. These printed copies should arrive by the end of May.
To view the online version of the Book of Reports and Memorials, visit https://welsconvention.net/boram.
In April, Grow in Grace, the institute for continuing education at Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary (WLS), Mequon, Wis., hosted about 200 people in San Antonio, Texas, for Celebration of Ministry retreats for pastors celebrating 3, 10, 25, and 35 years since graduating from the seminary.
These retreats build relationships with ministry peers and offer encouragement through worship, Bible studies, workshops, and presentations. Bible study topics covered Psalms, Philippians, Nehemiah, and Colossians. Separate and joint workshops were offered for pastors and wives and covered topics such as time management, caring for others and yourself, focusing on your own gifts, and financial challenges and opportunities.
Though these workshops and Bible studies are a key part of the retreats, fellowship with classmates, worship services, and a beautiful location also play a part in the experience.
When Grow in Grace initially began the Celebration of Ministry retreats in 2013, only pastors and wives celebrating 10 years from graduation attended. In more recent years, the event has extended invitations to pastors and wives celebrating 3 years, 25 years, and 35 years since graduation. This year was the first year where Grow in Grace hosted repeat attendees from the class of 2013. This WLS class was the first class to attend when they were celebrating three years from graduation and were now invited back to celebrate at year 10. As one pastor shares, “San Antonio is a great location, and my wife and I were happy to return there a second time. The hotel is great, and its location is fantastic.”
The next Celebration of Ministry retreats are scheduled for April 3–5, 2024.
Learn more about Grow in Grace.
WELS Board for Ministerial Education Administrator Rev. Paul Prange discusses upcoming graduation and call services at Martin Luther College, New Ulm, Minn., and Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary, Mequon, Wis. Find out how to watch all the commencement events at wels.net/events.
The Synodical Council (SC) met last week for its spring meeting.
The SC reviewed financial results for the synod and its subsidiaries. The results are very positive due to increased gifts and lower-than-planned spending, which has led to increased levels of special fund reserves. We thank God for moving his people and WELS congregations to give generously in support of the work we do together as a synod.
The SC approved the support forecast (an estimate of the financial support that will be available to support the synod’s mission and ministry) for Fiscal Year 2024 and Fiscal Year 2025. On the basis of the support forecast, the SC approved the ministry financial plan that will be recommended to the synod convention this summer. Expenditure levels are anticipated to be $88.7 million for Fiscal Year 2024 and $90.9 million for Fiscal Year 2025.
The SC is recommending a 2.5 percent increase in salary for called and hired workers for each year of the coming biennium. The SC will continue to review the potential need for adjustments to the salary matrix throughout the biennium.
The SC encouraged the synod leadership to explore alternate funding models for capital projects to enable projects currently under consideration to move forward more quickly. Luther Preparatory School, Watertown, Wis., and Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary, Mequon, Wis., were encouraged to determine the scope of planned projects and to begin efforts to seek financial support for those projects once the scope is determined. The SC authorized the establishment of a Capital Projects Fund to support current and future capital projects of the synod.
The SC made the following appointments or reappointments:
Serving with you in Christ,
WELS President Mark Schroeder
WELS President Rev. Mark Schroeder and Administrator of WELS Ministerial Education Rev. Paul Prange share the blessings and opportunities of MLC Day, Wed., May 3, 2023. All WELS members are encouraged to share the importance of ministerial education, encourage future called workers, and thank MLC’s faithful supporters. Learn more at mlcday.com.
In 2011, leadership from the Hmong Fellowship Church (HFC), a church body in Vietnam numbering more than 140,000 members, invited Rev. Bounkeo Lor, a WELS pastor in Kansas City, to train their church leaders in the truth of the Scriptures. They desired not only to be trained in the Scriptures but also to know thoroughly Lutheran doctrine and practice. Regular theological training of dozens of HFC pastors began. In 2018, WELS was invited by the Vietnamese government and the HFC to build a theological education center near the capital city of Hanoi, an unexpected and unprecedented mission opportunity for our synod. While the COVID pandemic and other hurdles delayed initial plans, we’re thankful that God has now made it possible for us to move forward. Just as God wisely and graciously guided the apostle Paul to carry out his mission efforts when and where God chose, so he has changed our plans—all for the good of his church.
The new Theological Education Center was completed and passed inspection at the end of January 2023. WELS took full ownership of the building at that time. The new center includes a chapel, classrooms, and dormitory/cafeteria space for up to 60 visiting students at a time. A formal building dedication and graduation ceremony for the first class of 57 pastors who have completed their seminary training is scheduled for July 2023.
The theological education of Hmong pastors in Vietnam, led by full-time professors Rev. Bounkeo Lor and Rev. Joel Nitz, trains those pastors to train other spiritual leaders. When COVID began, instruction shifted to online Zoom training, and a new three-year rural training program was started in order to reach more leaders and members in the rural congregations of the HFC. Until now efforts have focused on the first group of 57 students, who have completed their instruction in biblical and Lutheran doctrine. Now a second group of 60 students have begun their training. These men are taking what they learn and sharing it with nearly 1,500 local spiritual leaders of the HFC. The new education center will be a great blessing to the hundreds of rural HFC congregations as Lor and Nitz continue to equip their leaders to bring them the truth of God’s Word.
Future plans are for Lor and Nitz, who so far have been making intermittent trips to Vietnam or using Zoom for training, to relocate to Hanoi to oversee the theological education program. Residency visas for Lor and Nitz and HFC government registration are still pending, but it is our prayer that paperwork will be finalized by the July trip.
Stay up to date on progress and learn more at wels.net/vietnamhmongoutreach.
Serving with you in Christ,
WELS President Mark Schroeder
MLC Day 2023 is Wed., May 3. This day is set aside for Martin Luther College (MLC) students, faculty, and staff to connect with congregations, elementary schools, high schools, friends, families, and donors. This annual celebration is an opportunity for MLC and its supporters to do three things:
Want to join in celebrating the blessings God has granted to MLC and its ministry? MLC has provided the following suggestions for prayerful consideration:
WELS is celebrating its 175th anniversary in 2025. Prof. Joel Otto, chairman of the anniversary planning committee, details what projects are in the works and how you can be involved. Do you have an interesting or important historical photo from WELS history? Submit it at wels.net/175-photos.
At its spring meeting last week, the Conference of Presidents (COP) discussed the following issues:
Serving with you in Christ,
WELS President Mark Schroeder
On March 24, WELS Board for Home Missions approved the first new missions and enhancements for the synodwide “100 missions in 10 years” initiative.
“Our God is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine,” says Rev. Mark Gabb, chairman of WELS Board for Home Missions. “So how does it look to live like we believe this? That’s the question that the Board for Home Missions considered as we reviewed the many new start requests. We knew that there were questions about money and pastors, yet with sanctified common sense we made our decisions based on our trust that God can do immeasurably more.”
The nine new mission starts approved include:
The Board for Home Missions is also financially supporting ministry enhancements for Beautiful Savior, West Des Moines, Iowa; Fairview, Milwaukee, Wis.; Christ the King, Port Charlotte, Fla.; and Divine Savior, Sienna, Texas. It is providing unsubsidized support to Our Redeemer, Ladysmith, Wis., and Good Shepherd, Midland, Texas.
To learn more about these new missions and ministry enhancements, visit wels100in10.net.
WELS Mission for the Visually Impaired (MVI) has ordered ten copies of the 2021 edition of the Christian Worship hymnal in braille. The ten-volume braille hymnal contains lyrics of more than 650 hymns along with the standard liturgy. MVI will provide the new braille hymnal free to WELS/ELS churches and visually impaired members who need them.
MVI is also continually adding new resources to its online Listen Library, which provides audio recordings of many WELS resources, such as select books from Northwestern Publishing House, Forward in Christ magazine, and Meditations. For visually impaired members who use a handheld electronic braille reader, MVI is currently uploading the lyrics of all Christian Worship hymns to our Listen Library for braille access by the blind. Users can already search for hymn lyrics at Listen.WELS.net under the “Worship” tab.
Anyone who cannot read print materials because of vision impairment or reading disability can access all of MVI’s Christian audio resources for free by completing the MVI Service Application on the Listen Library website.
If you or someone in your congregation would benefit from the printed braille hymnal, contact MVI at [email protected]. MVI is prepared to print additional braille copies of Christian Worship if needed.
MVI is always looking for volunteers to help record and edit audio resources to continue growing their library. Learn more at Listen.WELS.net.
WELS Board for Home Missions met on March 23 and 24 and approved funding for nine new home mission starts and six ministry enhancements. Learn more about these decisions and the exciting ministry that is being supported as part of WELS’ 100 in 10 initiative from Rev. Mark Gabb, chairman of WELS Board for Home Missions.
In Malawi, where the Lutheran Church of Central Africa–Malawi has many churches and members, floods caused by Tropical Cyclone Freddy swept away entire villages earlier this month. Many homes have collapsed. Police officers and soldiers have been digging for victims buried under the mud and rocks as the death toll rose sharply. In the three countries affected (Malawi, Mozambique, and Madagascar), more than 500 people have been killed and hundreds are still missing. Those numbers will likely rise as information comes in from places that have been cut off from communication.
More than 300,000 people have been displaced. More than 280,000 children have been affected by the storm.
In addition to the destruction of homes and roads, the storm has inundated farmlands and destroyed crops, just as farmers were about to harvest the only crop of the year. This only increases the food crisis in Malawi, where 3.8 million people were already in need of food assistance before the storm.
Many governmental and private relief efforts are already underway to address the immediate needs. No doubt, there will be need for longer term assistance once the immediate crisis has passed.
As of today, we are waiting to hear how the storm has affected the congregations and members of the Lutheran Church of Central Africa–Malawi. There is no doubt that our sister church body has been impacted. As we wait for word, WELS Christian Aid and Relief is ready to provide assistance in whatever way it can. If you would like to help in this effort with a financial gift, you can do so by making a gift online.
Please keep our brothers and sisters in Malawi in your prayers.
Serving with you in Christ,
WELS President Mark Schroeder
In February, representatives from WELS and partners throughout Latin America gathered in Cochabamba, Bolivia, to welcome a new church plant into fellowship. The new church in Cochabamba is the first one planted through Academia Cristo outreach efforts, a milestone for mission work in Latin America.
“The goal of Academia Cristo has always been the planting of new churches, not just offering free online Bible studies,” says Rev. Matthew Behmer, Latin America missionary. “It was a blessing to celebrate the gospel changing hearts of those in Cochabamba, and we’re excited to see who else might learn about grace and what Jesus has done for them through other future church plants in Latin America.”
This new church is led by Dr. Eduardo Milanesi, a surgeon and Academia Cristo student who began studying in the program in April 2020. In less than a year he finished the first part of the program, confessed doctrinal agreement, and started gathering a group in his medical office to study God’s Word using study and worship resources provided by Academia Cristo. This “grupos sembrador,” or church plant group, was also guided by a Latin America missionary. You can read more about the path of Academia Cristo in this article from the January 2022 edition of Forward in Christ magazine.
The church in Cochabamba declared fellowship with Iglesia Cristo WELS Internacional, a new synod that was formed in 2021 through the partnership of WELS sister churches across five countries throughout Latin America. This new synod allows these churches to do mission work together, train pastors together, and support each other with prayers and fellowship. It also provides a place to go for new churches formed out of Academia Cristo training efforts, just like the one in Cochabamba. WELS will be affirming fellowship with Iglesia Cristo WELS Internacional at the synod convention this summer.
Currently 51 other church planters and 21 church planter groups are on the same path Eduardo and his church took to fellowship. “This seed-sowing path took years to bear its first fruit, and today we see it happen!” says Rev. Larry Schlomer, WELS World Missions administrator. “God has answered our prayers: More member churches are on the way. Church planting groups gathering in hotels, garages, living rooms, and patios are all following this same path. Each of these sites is a lightning rod for the power of Jesus’ gospel as it is preached to many more. God’s Spirit is at work.”
Learn more about Academia Cristo at wels.net/latinamerica.
Since its inception, WELS Christian Aid and Relief has been delivering hands-on disaster relief and humanitarian aid to communities around the world. During these times of disaster and trauma, WELS missionaries and volunteers aim to provide not only physical relief and assistance, but spiritual nourishment as well. The aim is to help people in their time of need and connect them with a church community for ongoing support.
To help get the gospel in the hands of disaster survivors, WELS Christian Aid and Relief developed a short devotional booklet in 2021 entitled An Ever-Present Help in Trouble. Rev. Daniel Sims, director of WELS Christian Aid and Relief, explains, “I recognized that we really didn’t have a printed resource that pastors and church members in areas that have been hit by a disaster could use as a tool for ministering to those who have been through the trauma of a disaster.”
So Sims and nine of his colleagues wrote a total of 40 devotions and prayers based on gospel promises that are comforting to people who have lived through a crisis or trauma. “When we have a major disaster situation, one of the first things we do is ship boxes of these devotions down to our churches so that the pastor and the people can begin using and distributing them,” says Sims.
The books were thoughtfully designed with designated space in the front where a church body can place an informational sticker. Above that space it reads, “This little book of devotions is a gift to you from God’s people at . . .” Readers are encouraged to contact the listed congregation for anything they might need.
The devotions and prayers within An Ever-Present Help in Trouble are brief with simple, straight-forward language. Sims explains that he and the other authors wrote these devotions with two audiences in mind. “One [is an audience] of people who have been through a huge disaster . . . and the other is for people who don’t know much about Jesus.”
These devotion books have already been put to good use in communities facing disasters. For example, after Hurricane Ida hit the Gulf Coast in 2021, a WELS congregation in Louisiana distributed copies of the book along with free meal packets to community members.
WELS Christian Aid and Relief now has partnered with Northwestern Publishing House to make copies available for everyone. Purchase An Ever-Present Help in Trouble at Northwestern Publishing House for personal use or evangelism efforts.
Every two years, our synod holds its synod convention. This year the convention will meet at Michigan Lutheran Seminary in Saginaw, Mich., July 31–Aug. 3. The theme of the convention is “Embrace the Cross—Anticipate the Crown.” Planning for the convention has already begun.
Rev. Phil Hirsch, president of the Nebraska District, will deliver the essay that expands on and articulates the convention theme. Rev. James Huebner, first vice president of the synod, will preach for opening worship.
One high point of the convention will be the declaration of fellowship with the Obadiah Lutheran Synod in Uganda. This declaration of fellowship is possible because in-depth doctrinal discussions over the past several years have shown that our two synods are united in biblical doctrine and in our adherence to the Lutheran Confessions. Rev. Musa Makisimu, president of the Obadiah Lutheran Synod, will give a presentation to familiarize delegates with his synod’s history and ministry.
Another high point will be the public affirmation of fellowship between WELS and Iglesia Cristo WELS Internacional. This is a newly formed synod in Latin America, comprised of a merger of national churches that have already been in fellowship in WELS. (That’s why fellowship is being “affirmed” rather than “declared.”) In the future, new house churches forming out of Academia Cristo efforts also will be joining this synod. Rev. Tonny Quintero, secretary of the governing board of his synod, will address the delegates and give a presentation describing Iglesia Cristo WELS Internacional.
This convention will feature elections for the offices of synod president and second vice president. Other elections will be held to determine membership on various synod boards and commissions.
About 400 voting delegates from around the country will attend the convention. Roughly half of the delegates are lay members while the other half are pastors, teachers, and staff ministers. The convention will also be attended by advisory delegates from the Synodical Council, the Conference of Presidents, and various areas of ministry. All voting delegates will be assigned to a floor committee. Each floor committee deals with a specific part of the synod’s mission and ministry and brings reports and resolutions to the convention for action. Memorials, which are calls for action on specific topics, will be assigned to the appropriate floor committee for discussion and recommendations.
All business to be considered by the convention will be published in the Book of Reports and Memorials (BORAM). The BORAM will be available on the convention website, welsconvention.net, by May 5, and all delegates and WELS congregations will receive hard copies by the end of May.
Serving with you in Christ,
WELS President Mark Schroeder
“I would use the illustration of a switchboard operator from the early days of telephone communication to explain the work of a diaspora ministry facilitator,” says Rev. Neil Birkholz, WELS’ Asian ministry consultant and diaspora ministry facilitator for East Asia. “When an inquiry from my designated people group comes to me directly or to someone else in WELS, I become the middleman/operator and connect them to the right person.”
Birkholz further explains, “If someone from Korea is looking to connect their son with a WELS church in the United States, I help connect them with the local WELS church where their son will be living. If a member of my WELS church in California is returning to their home country of Thailand, I help connect them with our WELS World Mission One Team in Thailand so this member can continue to worship with other confessional Lutherans while living in Thailand.”
The role of diaspora ministry facilitator is a new one. As globalization has increased, so have global migration rates, which has opened up new mission opportunities for WELS churches. Diaspora ministry—or people group ministry— is coordinated by Joint Missions because it involves both World Missions and Home Missions. Each World Missions One Team (Africa, Asia, Europe, Latin America, and Native American) has at least one diaspora ministry facilitator, which is a role that a pastor takes on in addition to his full-time call. These facilitators have experience serving the people group with which they are working and stay in touch with the World Missions One Team for their area.
“Diaspora ministry certainly makes the world feel a lot smaller,” says Rev. Aaron Bublitz, pastor at Heritage, Gilbert, Ariz., and the diaspora ministry facilitator for Africa. “Our WELS congregations have opportunities to connect to and share the gospel with people who have come here from all over the world. We then have the opportunity to connect to and share the gospel through them in many places in the world. We are helping facilitate the Great Commission we have been given to take the gospel to all nations.”
Learn more at wels.net/jointmissions, including how to contact diaspora ministry facilitators to connect people groups.
WELS Special Ministries is introducing a new Bible study for congregational or small group use. “Helping the Hurting with Hope” was written to help participants appreciate the role of compassion in a Christian’s personal and congregational life, providing gospel motivation for participants to go beyond their comfort zones and act in compassionate ways through the Spirit’s power.
“We hope that the five-lesson study will give congregations an opportunity to discuss the best way to respond to broken people,” says Rev. Jim Behringer, director of WELS Special Ministries. “We hope members will rejoice when the Lord brings them into contact with people who need the Lord and work patiently and persistently to help them and connect them with Jesus.”
Behringer explains that where the Bible class succeeds in cultivating compassion, congregations will be better spiritual refuges for people with broken lives and welcome people looking for a church family where they can walk a new path after release from prison, or in recovery from addiction, or after a public fall into sin.
“WELS Prison Ministry has been successful in reaching the incarcerated with the Word of God, but when people who were in prison are released and look for a church family, some churches are very reluctant to work with returning citizens. Pregnancy counseling centers have experienced that their clients have a hard time finding a church family in a local church because they feel the stigma of disapproval of their past sins,” Behringer says, “When you recognize that someone is a sinner, rejoice to see them at church and encourage them to keep coming. Help them take the baby steps needed to start building a life in Christ.”
The Bible study is available for free online at welscongregationalservices.net/helping-the-hurting-with-hope. Learn more about WELS Special Ministries at wels.net/special-ministries.
Last month more than 1,300 men and women attended the second WELS National Conference on Lutheran Leadership in Chicago. Fifty-two percent of those who attended were laypeople. More than 100 attendees were high school and college students.
The conference featured a worship service with communion, as well as devotions. Five keynote presentations addressed a variety of timely issues facing the church today. Keynote topics were “Our Lutheran Moment: Why Now Is a Good Time for Us to Be Doing What We Do Best,” “Lutheran Leadership—What It Is and Why It’s Important,” “Shaping a God-Pleasing Congregational Culture,” “A Courageous Conversation on Modeling Gospel-Centered Unity,” and “Thinking Differently: On How the Next Generation Thinks, and On How to Help Them Think.”
Attendees could also choose to attend five breakout sessions (from 47 that were offered). The breakout sessions dealt with a wide range of issues, including congregational planning, dealing with current cultural issues, outreach and evangelism strategies, Lutheran worship, carrying out our Christian vocation in a secular workplace, and much more. A number of these were geared specifically for the young people in attendance.
It was very encouraging to see so many called workers and laypeople take time away from busy schedules to become better equipped to carry out the work that they do in their congregations. The information presented was practical, timely, encouraging, and spiritually edifying. I know that I benefited greatly from the presentations, and I can’t tell you how many people commented on how much they enjoyed the conference and were blessed to be a part of it. Called workers, laymen and women, and young people left the conference spiritually uplifted and full of ideas on how they and their congregations can better serve their Savior.
If you did not have the opportunity to attend, you can view video recordings of some of the presentations by visiting lutheranleadership.com. Select presentation videos will be released throughout the year.
We can pray that God will use this conference as a way to strengthen WELS members, called workers, and congregations as they carry out the mission God has given to us. The next National Conference on Lutheran Leadership is tentatively scheduled for January 2026.
Serving with you in Christ,
WELS President Mark Schroeder
Students at Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary, Mequon, Wis., participated in Mission and Ministry, an annual three-day event organized by a student committee, Feb. 7-9. Under the theme “Go!” based on Matthew 28:19, this event highlighted the worldwide work of WELS.
Each day featured a worship service, an overview of ministry highlights by WELS leaders, an encouraging keynote address by a worker in the field, and the opportunity to attend three breakout sessions of interest. Presenters encouraged students with the Lord’s promise to be with his people always, no matter where they serve, whom they serve, or in what role they serve, giving them the strength to carry out his Great Commission.
The student committee arranged for 24 breakout sessions on different topics. These sessions included presentations on world missions building bridges across cultures, leveraging the internet to reach people around the world through TELL, starting a new home mission, urban ministry in the United States, renewing expectations of church membership since the pandemic, and how our churches support people with disabilities and their families. All presenters shared how their work carries out the Savior’s commission with the help of the Savior’s promise. WELS organizations also set up displays to share information about their work in God’s kingdom.
The seminary family was blessed to have visitors each day: the pastor-track juniors from Martin Luther College, New Ulm, Minn., participated on the first day, and students from Bethany Lutheran Theological Seminary, Mankato, Minn., participated on days two and three. Another special guest was Rev. Holger Weiss, president of the seminary for our sister synod in Germany, the Evangelical Lutheran Free Church. Weiss served as preacher in the opening service and shared blessings and challenges of mission work in Germany during a breakout session.
For photos of the event, visit Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary’s Facebook page.
The situation in Ukraine remains very challenging and difficult for our brothers and sisters of the Ukrainian Lutheran Church (ULC). Rev. Roger Neumann serves as the WELS liaison to the ULC and is in almost daily contact with Bishop Vyacheslav Horpynchuk, the head of the ULC. Neumann provides regular updates with information provided by Horpynchuk.
Horpynchuk often reports of the situation on the ground in Ukraine. Heavy shelling of populated areas continues. Even though there are widespread power outages and a lack of heat and sometimes even water, the congregations of the ULC continue to meet for worship (dressed in winter clothing) whenever possible. Pastors continue to be faithful to their callings by preaching, teaching, calling on members, and distributing food and medicine to their members, refugees, and communities. Many members have had to flee from their hometowns, but those people are often served by pastors in congregations where the danger is less intense.
Even when it seems safe, often it is not. Last Sunday one worship service was interrupted by a shell that fell 800 meters from the church, shaking the building and breaking some windows. Members in Kiev try to go about their normal life, using public transportation to travel. But when an air raid siren sounds, all public transportation stops. Subways can be stopped for two or more hours. Sometimes people need to remain in bomb shelters for up to seven hours. At night, when missile strikes shake their apartments, they wake up in fear and anxiety, wondering when the next missile will hit. Whenever families are separated by work, school, or buying groceries, they are in constant fear for one another’s safety. Yet they are quick to confess that they believe that the Lord will watch over them and that they await an enduring kingdom that is secured by our Lord Jesus, a kingdom where they will be safe eternally.
Plans for new church buildings have been put on hold, but there is every intention to continue those projects when the war is over. In the meantime, even small temporary places of worship become places of refuge and comfort as God’s Word is preached and his promises proclaimed.
Because of your generous gifts, WELS continues to provide financial support to the ULC. The pastors and people are using those funds carefully and wisely, providing food, clothing, medicine, and transportation to those who need it. Thank you for your generous gifts!
Please continue to keep our brothers and sisters in your prayers. Thank God that they continue to worship and hear his Word. Thank God that he has kept them safe. Pray that God would continue to bless them with his loving protection and that peace will soon be restored throughout Ukraine.
Serving with you in Christ,
WELS President Mark Schroeder
For the first time, WELS high school students were specially invited to attend the WELS National Conference on Lutheran Leadership in Chicago this past January. Sixty-one teenagers from ten area Lutheran high schools attended keynotes and breakout sessions, participated in mixers, and went to Navy Pier for an evening of teen-only fun and fellowship. One of the breakout sessions even featured a panel of high school students discussing their experiences and views.
“[Our church body] is hemorrhaging young adults, and you often hear people my age (or even older) speculating on why that is the case. So we wanted to have some presentations where we actually listened to young people,” says Rev. Jonathan Hein, convention coordinator and coordinator of WELS Congregational Services. “What are their views on why their generation is quitting church? What do they think we can do better to attempt to retain and reach young people today?”
He continues, “It was one of the most highly attended breakouts. In my work, I hear a lot of young people who say that they don’t really have much of a voice. They certainly had one at the conference.”
Natalie Hatzung, a student at Wisconsin Lutheran High School, Milwaukee, Wis., was one of the teen panelists. “After we spoke, I heard so many compliments and so much appreciation,” she says. “People were coming up to me who had no idea who I am—they just noticed I’m a teen, and they said, ‘Thank you for being here.’ Parents and teachers came up [to me] and said, ‘This is really eye-opening. I appreciate your input.’ ”
The fact that so many adults cared deeply about their input and experience left a huge impression on this next generation of Lutheran leaders. WELS teens desire to be respected and valued by the adults in their lives. Hein adds, “They want to have a role to play. . . . They want to be more than consumers of gospel ministry. They want to be doers of gospel ministry.” The conference exposed them to some of the very real conversations happening in the synod surrounding leadership, ministry, and outreach.
On the final day of the conference, Rev. Phil Huebner, campus pastor at Wisconsin Lutheran High School, gathered the high school attendees together for a closing discussion about the conference. Favorite moments included the trip to Navy Pier, worshiping and communing with more than one thousand other WELS members, meeting teens from other schools, and engaging in conversation with the adults in attendance.
What was abundantly clear from that discussion is that these young people are compassionate and enthusiastic, with hearts for sharing the gospel. Moreover, many were open and vulnerable enough to reveal that they’re also nervous about the impact college might have on their faith.
But as Huebner explains, by inviting teens to this conference, we are showing them that they matter. We are making an effort “not just to talk about teens but rather include them and train up the next generation of leaders,” he says.
Read more about the WELS National Conference Lutheran Leadership in the previous edition of Together.
