Missions

Photo timeline – Anchor, Marquette, Mich.

2025/02/28/in Home Missions, Missions, News, Together

The new mission in Marquette, Mich., was approved as a new mission start in 2023, the first year of the 100 Missions in 10 Years initiative. Marquette serves as the hub of the Upper Peninsula (U.P.) of Michigan, and 52% of the people in and around Marquette do not have a home church or attend a church. It is also home to 7,000 students at Northern Michigan University. Click through the photos to see a timeline of Anchor’s ministry to date and learn more about planting new churches at wels100in10.net.

From the classroom to Christ

2025/02/27/in Missions, Native American Missions, WELS Blogs, World Missions

Christian schools have been part of WELS Native American mission work for over a century. Over the decades our schools have strived to train and build up children in God’s Word while also teaching them how to flourish in God’s world. Our churches have also benefited greatly from the schools, with many of our current church members and church leaders having received schooling at a “mission school.”

However, the church and school connection does not happen automatically, nor can it be assumed. In previous generations, most of the students in our reservation schools came from Lutheran families. This is not necessarily the case today. State vouchers have allowed the schools to expand their student bodies, but this means that many of our students do not come from Lutheran backgrounds. Our teachers continue to boldly proclaim the Word on a daily basis, but the important question arises: “How can we connect more families to our churches?” Answering this question takes much prayer, persistence, and patient endurance on the part of church members and called workers, but sometimes things come together in an amazing way.

Debbie Dietrich is the kindergarten teacher at Peridot-Our Savior’s Lutheran School. She is very direct and encouraging with parents and students alike when it comes to spiritual matters. Earlier in the school year, Debbie taught a unit on the blessings of Baptism. Through this unit and follow-up discussions with students and parents, she found out that three of her students desired Baptism. Debbie reached out to the church staff, who met with the parents. These parents then brought even more children to be baptized. On Feb. 9, six young people were welcomed into God’s family at Grace Lutheran in San Carlos, Ariz. The kindergarten students sang the baptism anthem, “God’s Own Child, I Gladly Say It.” The church was packed, and God was certainly glorified that day.

This recent “Baptism Sunday” is just one example of how churches and schools can work together to “make disciples of all nations.” We know that the work is not done and that we will need to continue to be prayerful, persistent, and patient. However, it was a blessing to be able to celebrate with our church and school (not to mention the angels) as six more children were welcomed into God’s family!

Written by Missionary Erik Landwehr, world missionary on the Native American Mission team.

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Becoming a One Africa Team missionary

2025/02/20/in Africa, Missions, WELS Blogs, World Missions

Coming out of Martin Luther College (MLC), I was initially planning on becoming a high school history teacher. In history teacher fashion, here’s a crash course of the last eight months of my life: I was informed that I was being considered for an international call; I accepted that international call; I graduated from Martin Luther College; I announced my call to my family, who were shocked (understatement of the year); I got married to Maddie Hockenbery on June 1, 2024; and we shipped off to Zambia in August. Ten days after arriving in Zambia, my wife and I left for France to begin our French-speaking journey. We stayed in a town called Strasbourg and went to French school every day, starting from scratch. Quickly came Thanksgiving when we left France to meet with another missionary family in Douala, Cameroon, for more French and learning about West African culture. We are now soon to return to Zambia and settle down in our own place.

The work that I have been able to do as a missionary with the One Africa Team is awesome, to say the least. I have been able to work with and teach multiple outreach groups that may be potential partners in the future. Four seminary teachers from West Africa came to Douala, Cameroon, and I was able to teach and help with educational strategies for the future. I have also gotten to teach online TELL classes with people all over Africa who may be studying the Bible in-depth for the first time.

There have been some challenges with being away from family, learning a new language, and learning a new culture. However, it has led me to grow in my faith as well as work in a team. Although we are far away from our families in the States, we were instantly met with new families coming into World Missions. There has not been a lack of support from anyone, and for that I am truly grateful.

The past five months away from home have been a whirlwind. Never in a million years did I ever think I would be a missionary. I was so certain, in fact, that I would joke with Maddie for years before Call Day about going abroad to annoy her. It was so far off my radar because I had never heard of a World Missions call from Martin Luther College. People always say that God hears plans and laughs. Well, that was absolutely true in my case. Within a year God has allowed me to graduate from MLC, receive and accept a World Missions call, get married, learn a new language, and live on three different continents.

God truly blesses ministry, and I pray that he blesses my and the One Africa Team’s work here in Africa.

Written by Missionary Jake Vilhauer, world missionary on the One Africa Team.

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CAMM February 2025 Newsletter

2025/02/17/in Africa, Missions, WELS Blogs, World Missions

HYPERTENSION AT LUTHERAN MISSION RURAL HEALTH CENTER (MWEMBEZHI)
The hypertension program started when the clinic saw the need. Patients were traveling to hospitals in Lusaka (the capital of Zambia) for drugs refills. This is about 50 miles from the Mwembezhi area. Due to lack of funds, most of the patients were unable to travel to Lusaka. In 2004, we had seven patients who suffered strokes in our catchment area; of those, three of them died the same month because of hypertension. Seeing the need, we began the program for those who were not able to go to Lusaka for treatment and medications.

The program began with only ten patients. The number has kept on increasing so much that now we have 561 hypertensive patients. To make sure we attend to patients in line with the Ministry of Health policy, members of staff sat and started a special blood pressure clinic one Saturday per month. Since Saturday is not a working day, it helped members of staff to decongest patients on treatment days. On Blood Pressure day, all members of staff report for work at 8:00 a.m. Blood pressure check-ups are done. We have essential hypertension (the diastolic blood pressure between 90 to 99mmHg) and crisis hypertension (the diastolic blood pressure above 100mmHg). All patients with essential hypertension are given their monthly drugs refill. Patients with crisis hypertension are admitted for observations. They can only be discharged when their blood pressure stabilizes. If it fails to stabilize, we refer to the hospital for investigations and further management.

However, hypertension has no signs and is not painful. As a result, it is very difficult to convince patients to take drugs for life. Some older people still believe in witchcraft. In 2019, we lost one Village Headman who came to clinic because of an abscess. He was also found to have hypertension. He was given drugs for the abscess and hypertension, but when the abscess healed, he refused to take the hypertension drugs. He said he cannot continue taking drugs. After four months, he was brought to the clinic with a stroke. We referred him to the hospital, but the hospital could not help. After his death and burial, Mr. Kalekwa called for a meeting with the Village headmen to explain his death. Headmen who believed in witchcraft saw the need for taking hypertensive drugs. The senior headman told other headmen to stop believing in old beliefs. He said they should always work hand in hand with health personnel to avoid disease complications. All the headmen promised to educate their citizens.

Drugs for hypertension are purchased by our clinic administrator, Mr. Banda, through the help we get from CAMM. The clinic staff work hard to provide good quality health services to all hypertensive patients. We start every morning with devotion and a prayer, followed by health education. All hypertensive patients are happy with and appreciate the services we provide.

May the almighty God bless you all in helping the poor in Zambia.

Written by Jackson Kalekwa, clinical officer in charge

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The first Bible you ever meet

2025/02/13/in Home Missions, Missions, WELS Blogs

Do you remember your first Bible? Do you know where your first Bible is? Mine is an old study Bible that some relatives gifted to me at my confirmation. Throughout the years, the margins have accumulated helpful notes and comments, different dates of when I visited that same text, and other scribbles that have made this Bible mine. It’s practically tethered to me and has logged thousands of miles crisscrossing different cities, states, and continents.

Have you ever thought that you might be the first Bible that someone meets? Not that you are the Way, Truth, or Life of Scripture, but that you might be the first look at what a justified, grace-filled Christian life looks like in the world? Why would that matter at all?

You may have seen some of the latest articles that tell us that more Americans aren’t going to church like they did even five years ago. Church shopping rates are down, but there are more people who are turning away because of what their churches in the past had done. They also feel happy and content to do what they are doing now. What’s more surprising is that more people are completely unexposed to what the gospel message actually is.

It’s a real concern in my community. Trinity, Fla., is a place that was conceived under the idea that you could be “born, work, and die” all in one place. As I’ve learned, chatted, and had coffee with some of the people that live in our community, there is a growing resentment that “the people inside the church don’t act like Jesus would.” To put a number on it: Trinity currently sees 71.6 percent of its community inactive in any faith community, up 10 percent in just five years. Or to put it another way: About three out of the ten people you see in your grocery aisle this coming weekend are connected to religion in some way. The other seven are unattached to the means of grace and the sacraments.

Something will fill that void. The spiritual needs today aren’t different than at any point in human history. There will always be a real need for relationships, forgiveness, justice, comfort, purpose, and salvation. Humanity needs to hear it. God’s given us the message to speak to it.

As a home missionary in the United States, this excites me. We have a real opportunity to show Christian love to people who have no idea what it looks like. We are Christ’s ambassadors, as though he is making an appeal through us!

With more people unexposed to what the gospel message is, we may have to be more proactive about going and showing what a redeemed life looks like rather than asking someone to come and see. One helpful pastor I know said, “Where is the most unlikely place you will find an unchurched person? Inside of a church.”

We often lament that this is a darkening and dimming world. That just means we need some lights to guide our way. That can happen through prayers for our worker training programs and for your pastors, but also for your brothers and sisters who are sitting in the seats of church along with you, that they may be bold in their witness of the gospel and unashamed of its message. Include yourself in that prayer too.

Because to someone you’ve never met or someone you know extremely well, you might be the first look of what living out the Scriptures actually is. So what are they reading?

Written by Rev. Ben Bitter, home missionary at Peace Lutheran Church in Trinity, Fla.

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Little wins

2025/02/06/in Home Missions, Missions, WELS Blogs

“Time!” I called out. I glanced at my phone. It was 8:11 a.m. on a dark and grey January morning in Parrish, Fla. I smiled because we had just shattered our mission’s record for how quickly we wheeled all the tables out of the cafeteria and into the hallways at Parrish Charter Academy. They say, “many hands make light work,” and that was proven true by eleven energetic Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary students who traveled all the way to Florida to help our mission achieve small but significant wins on the way to even bigger ones.

From there, the seminarians set up for Sunday worship—placing chairs in neat rows, arranging the altar, setting up the speakers, rolling out the coffee cart, and preparing for our Mornings with Mommy program. Once the church setup was complete, they went outside to pick up trash around the campus. Just as they were finishing up, a familiar maintenance truck pulled in with a trailer attached.

A few weeks earlier, I had asked the school’s maintenance man, Kelvin, if there were any projects our church could help with around campus. He thought for a moment, glancing at the basketball courts, soccer fields, and playground. Then his eyes landed on a sad pile of rolled-up turf. Hurricane Milton’s winds had ruined the turf around one of the playgrounds, and new turf had been installed in its place. The old turf still sat there, waiting to be removed.

“We can help with that,” I had told him confidently—unaware of the muddy mess the recent rain would create or that Florida’s infamous fire ants lay hidden beneath the turf.

That Saturday morning, the seminarians wrestled with the turf, mud clinging to their shoes and fire ants testing their patience. Meanwhile, inside, we welcomed families to our Mornings with Mommy session. By the time the seminarians finished, they were covered in mud and dotted with ant bites, yet still somehow eager to help with more.

After lunch, they helped us run a small sports camp for the community, where kids played football and basketball, leaving with Risen Savior water bottles and happy exhaustion. By the end of the day, we had connected with 17 families— families who, earlier, had likely never heard of our church.

One of the students asked me later how I thought the day went. I told him I was thrilled! As a brand-new church, it’s hard to measure success in the typical ways. For us, a win can mean simply meeting more people and letting them know we’re here. It can mean building relationships with families or showing Parrish Charter Academy that we’re not just tenants but partners, ready to serve and make a positive impact.

Of course, our ultimate goal is to see eternal wins—baptisms, confessions of faith, and a growing, thriving church. But those blessings often begin with smaller steps: a friendly conversation, a helpful hand, or an invitation to join us. Each of these little wins matters because they reflect God’s love in action, planting seeds that he can grow in his perfect time.

Written by Rev. Benjamin Balge, home missionary at Risen Savior in Parrish, Fla.

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CAMM January 2025 Newsletter

2025/02/04/in Africa, Missions, WELS Blogs, World Missions

Greetings in the Name of Christ!

As we enter the beautiful season of Christmas, we reflect on the joy and hope that it brings to our hearts and communities. We are reminded of the words from Isaiah 9:6: “For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” This verse serves as a reminder that we can find solace and direction in Christ. As we continue to celebrate His birth, let us reflect on the profound impact He has on our lives and strive to share His peace and love with others.

Climate Changes Impacting Farmers

December has traditionally been a rainy month, crucial for our local farmers in Malawi. However, this year, we are facing an unexpected heat wave that poses a serious threat to their livelihoods. Many farmers who have already planted their crops are now watching them wilt under the relentless sun, this has caused huge devastation with the current cost of agricultural supplies which has skyrocketed, making it even more challenging. Just two years ago, the price of fertilizer was around 20,000 Malawi Kwacha ($20), but now it has risen to an alarming 120,000 Malawi Kwacha ($70). This steep increase strains our farmers’ budgets and limits their ability to sustain their crops.

The implications are dire, if this heat wave continues, we may face a significant drop in yields, leading to potential food shortages and increased hunger in our communities. The combination of wilting crops and high input costs paints a troubling picture for the coming months for many Malawians.

Gratitude for Support

Despite these challenges, we find strength in our community. We want to express our heartfelt gratitude to CAMM and our generous donors who through your donations, made this year impactful in the communities Lutheran Mobile Clinic serves. As a token of thanks to

our dedicated staff we organized a wonderful early Christmas dinner for our general staff and a festive lunch for our professional staff just to appreciate them for their tireless work during 2024. The team’s commitment and efforts on behalf of the Lutheran Mobile Clinic and CAMM are truly appreciated.

We also extend our thanks to our generous donors who have contributed various donations, including monetary gifts, baby clothes pill bottles etc. Your support plays a vital role in helping us serve those in need, bringing comfort and joy during this season of giving. Thank You to Our Donors.

Closing thoughts
As we celebrate this season of giving and joy, let us remember the true spirit of Christmas. May your days be filled with peace, hope, and love.

Thank you for being a part of our community. Wishing you all a blessed and joyous Christmas and a prosperous New Year!

Written by Lusungu Mwambeye, Clinic Administrator

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2025 Taste of Missions school challenge and poster contest

2025/02/03/in Missions

The 2025 Taste of Missions School Challenge is now open! This year brings two different opportunities for students of all ages to learn about WELS mission work:

School challenge for grades K-8

All Lutheran grade schools are invited to participate in our annual Taste of Missions School Challenge! Visit tasteofmissions.com/schools to view Missions-themed activities that grade school teachers can use to help students in their classroom explore the world of WELS Home and World Missions while participating in our annual event, Taste of Missions. Participation is easy and flexible— classrooms can use as many activities as they’d like from the 10 provided “challenges”, including learning about different mission fields, watching videos, praying for mission work, and playing fun, mission-themed games.

Two classrooms (one K-4 and one 5-8) will be randomly selected to win a Taste of Missions partyfor their classroom, tickets to the event, and additional surprises. Be sure to fill out the submission form by April 16, 2025, to be entered to win. Inspire your students with the joy of spreading the gospel through this exciting challenge!

Learn more

High school poster contest

Calling all WELS and ELS high school artists! Express your creativity and learn about WELS mission work in the annual Taste of Missions Poster Contest. Craft an 11” x 17” masterpiece capturing the heart of either WELS Home or World Missions. Submit by April 25, 2025, and your art could be showcased at the Taste of Missions event on June 14, 2025, at Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary in Mequon, Wis. Two overall winners (one from Home Missions and one from World Missions) will receive a $250 Amazon gift card, Taste of Missions swag bag, and their artwork will be prominently featured at the event and in the event program. All other submissions will be eligible to be voted “fan favorite” by attendees at Taste of Missions for another chance to win.

Digital or mailed/dropped off submissions are accepted. Find official rules and specifications as well as submission information at tasteofmissions.com/postercontest. Join a meaningful cause through your art!

Learn more

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Life after losing everything

2025/01/30/in Home Missions, Missions, WELS Blogs

They lost everything. After years of effort and offerings to buy land and build and maintain a worship facility, they lost it all when their pastor began teaching false doctrine, leading a majority of members to side with him. The 27 remaining members were left without a church building. But in the midst of hurt and loss, they faithfully gathered in a home for worship just days later and were reminded that they still had everything. God was still with them. In Christ, they still had God’s grace and peace and a heavenly home—and no one could take that away from them. Even as wanderers, they still had the same mission of growing in God’s Word and working together to share God’s saving love.

Twelve years, a vacant house, and two leased facilities later, many of those who attended that first service can still be found worshiping and working together at Cross of Christ. And God has added even more. By God’s grace, and the generosity of his people, the congregation now owns a piece of property along a major road in the fastest-growing part of Las Cruces, N.M., and is working toward building a permanent facility. But that hasn’t come without its challenges either, including a prolonged property trade and months of waiting for a flood zoning redesignation.

As we now begin working with an architect, many questions we’ve been asking for months don’t have clear answers yet: Exactly what kind of a facility will we build? In what ways will we use our new facility to expand our gospel ministry and outreach? How will we fund our project with current increasing costs? When will we even be able to break ground?

Nevertheless, the reason for our project is clear: We’ve been so blessed, and we want to use God’s gifts to us to create more opportunities to share the saving message of Christ with more people, both now and in the future. We want to bring the good news of Jesus to those wandering through life without the certain hope and peace that we have. We want to reach more people who are at a loss as to who Jesus really is or are growing weary in their faith without a church family to build them up in Christ—like Cat, our newest member, pictured above on her Confirmation day.

She lost everything. Her husband’s stroke left him as a quadriplegic for six years before taking his life. Medical bills left her bankrupt. Lupus later damaged her strength and mobility. Then this summer, a wildfire destroyed her home and belongings. But through these losses, God led her to meet our member Hilda, who showed her the kindness of Christ, invited her to join us for worship, and even gave her a ride.

“I was scared and alone and felt very far from God,” Cat says. “Now I see that God has used all these storms to bring me to the next step in his plan for me, bringing me closer to him than ever before and connecting me to my new church family. I have a deeper understanding of Scripture and of how God has used the challenges and tragedies in my life to bring me to a place to glorify him. His light can shine brightly through all my broken pieces.”

Despite the continuing questions and new hurdles that are sure to come for our congregation and in our building project, we remain both confident and excited. No matter what happens, God will be with us, and he’ll keep doing what he always does—turning challenges into opportunities, tragedies into blessings, and loss into gain.

And in him, we have everything.

Written by Rev. Nathanael Jensen, home missionary at Cross of Christ Lutheran Church in Las Cruces, N.M.

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Faces of Faith – Albert Szeto

2025/01/23/in Asia, Missions, WELS Blogs, World Missions

Albert Szeto spent the first years of his life living in a wooden shack atop a seven-story building in Hong Kong. Times were tough. Albert was the third of seven children. His two older siblings couldn’t go to high school, because the tuition of HK was $14 a month and was too much for the family to afford. When Albert was 12 years old, they moved to another part of Hong Kong where Albert would end up attending a WELS school in Hong Kong called Immanuel Lutheran English Middle School (ILEMS). He doesn’t recall why his parents chose for him to attend that school, but looking back it was clearly the guiding hand of a loving God. “That changed my life forever. It’s where I came to know Jesus Christ and was baptized,” Albert said.

Albert graduated from high school at Immanuel. Albert remembers toward the end of his time at Immanuel, “My father took me aside and said, ‘That’s it.’” Albert’s family didn’t have the money to fund his college education. Hong Kong schools had college entrance exams that every student took. Albert was so certain he would never go to college that he didn’t even bother returning to Immanuel to pick up the test results.

So, he went to work at a factory, in an office, and even teaching a little bit at ILEMS.

Until a WELS missionary asked him if he wanted to go to school in America. “Of course I do! I can’t afford it though!” Rev. Gary Kirschke and Rev. Gary Schroeder said they could help. “I don’t know why [the missionaries] chose me.” “So DMLC (Dr. Martin Luther College) in New Ulm… here I come!” The plan was for Albert to go to DMLC and then return to Hong Kong to teach at ILEMS. He would be the first person in his family to go to high school and college.

Just before graduation, he remembers being taken out to a Chinese restaurant in Appleton, Wis., where missionary Rev. Gary Kirschke helped him plan what his ministry would look like in Hong Kong after graduation. Albert would be a teacher at ILEMS, but the missionary said that his job would include starting a church in the school as well.

“We started with just five or six people in the beginning. We just sat in a circle in one of the music rooms at the school.” After a few years, the church grew to 60 people. Now Immanuel Lutheran Church is a congregation of hundreds.

A few years after his return from America, Albert got the itch to study law in the United Kingdom. So he went, got his degree, and returned to Hong Kong to work as an employee at a law firm. He recalls many times when there was something going on at church that he wanted to attend but couldn’t because he was constantly working. So in 2000, he quit and started his own law firm. This afforded him the time to serve, and God blessed it.

Albert had his 70th birthday party this month, and there were more than 150 people there celebrating a life that God had blessed, but also celebrating the lives that had been blessed by God through Albert.

He’s served on the board at ILEMS, now called Immanuel Lutheran College (ILC), for almost three decades, on the board for SALEM, our sister synod in Hong Kong, and on the board for Asia Lutheran Seminary. He makes regular ministry trips to “East Asia” to teach and to New Zealand to support the planting of a church SALEM has started there. He also has contacts with the WELS missionaries in London.

“This is just my response to God’s love and salvation to me,” he said. And it’s true. The light of God has shown in and through his heart to save Albert and countless others.

Written by Missionary Tony Barthel, world missionary on the Asia Oceania Team.

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Moments with Missionaries – Caleb King

2025/01/23/in Home Missions, Missions, World Missions

Rev. Caleb King shares an update of the work being done at Divine Savior Church in Celina, Tex.. The church launch public worship in September 2024. Along with continuing weekly worship, they have a kid’s ministry, confirmation, and membership classes. Learn more about the work of Divine Savior Church at divinesaviorchurch.com/dscncc and about WELS Home Missions at wels.net/homemissions. Save the date for our Taste of Missions event on June 14, 2025, in Mequon, Wis.

P.S. – Follow us on Facebook and Instagram to watch even more videos from our missionaries in the upcoming weeks!

Tanzanian Treasures

2025/01/21/in Africa, Missions, World Missions

Leia Foxen is six years old and lives in Africa. Listen to her firsthand account of moving to Tanzania with her parents, who serve as WELS World Missionaries. You can also read her dad’s blog at wels.net/communicate-the-gospel.

Learn more about WELS mission work in Africa at wels.net/africa.

Mission Marana: before the firsts

2025/01/16/in Home Missions, Missions, WELS Blogs

The installation of a home missionary. The first Bible information class. A church name. The first event. The first volunteer opportunity. The first worship service. A land purchase. Ground breaking. The first baptism. The first Sunday School class. These are all amazing firsts for our home mission congregations. Each one is an exciting step as God gathers people together around the Word. But what happens before the “firsts?” Have you ever wondered that? What takes place before the first pastor is called, or before this group of Christians even has name? How do our WELS home mission congregations get their start?

Marana is a town of more than 50,000 just northwest of Tucson, Ariz., and it continues to grow rapidly. The prime example of Marana’s growth is a community called Gladden Farms in the area the locals call North Marana. Twenty-five years ago it was all cotton fields but not anymore. What started with just a few small subdivisions is now home to 15,000 people. In the last six months, McDonald’s, Fry’s Marketplace (Kroger), and Starbucks popped up Gladden Farms. But perhaps the most noticeable difference has been the traffic lights. In the last few months three Gladden Farms’ intersections now have traffic lights. Let’s just say that this has taken some getting used to. The commute to Tucson is longer. The traffic is thicker. And, yes, frustration comes more quickly. But what are these traffic lights a sign of? Well, more people of course! More traffic lights means more souls.

And WELS members who live in Marana have noticed. They each attend one of the four WELS congregations in Tucson, but the traffic lights (along with all the signs of growth) have caused them to wonder: might North Marana be ripe for a new mission opportunity?

Currently, a group of about 20 WELS members from area congregations meet one Sunday evening every month in our home for Bible Study. As of December, we have met four times. We gather together and enjoy some snacks and refreshments, study the book of Acts for about an hour, and then have a 20 to 30-minute planning session concerning what might be next. One of our WELS Mission Counselors joined us for one of our gatherings to help us think through what a new mission in North Marana might look like.

At our December gathering we decided that the Founder’s Day parade and picnic in March would be a good events for our first service opportunities. Our group discussed whether we should walk in the parade or simply have a booth later on at the picnic. Finally someone said: “What if we just volunteered to serve in whatever way was needed?” What a great idea! Our first step in reaching this community that is growing by three traffic lights at a time is going to be to simply serve. From there someone in our group volunteered to call the event coordinator to let them know they have 20 eager volunteers. Another started working on a logo so that we might have something to put on a t-shirt as we’re serving together. If you’re curious, for now we’re calling our group “Mission Marana.” The name, too, of course, came out of one of our Bible study and planning gatherings. After all, Marana is the mission.

Please pray for our efforts. Pray that gathering, studying, and serving leads to sharing—sharing the good news of Jesus with souls who need to hear it. And my prayer is that you will never look at another traffic light the same way.

Written by Rev. Nathan Moldenhauer, pastor at Shepherd of the Hills in Tucson, Ariz.

District mission boards, mission counselors, and other area congregations work with local WELS members to build a core group, initiate Bible study, and conduct initial outreach before submitting a formal request to the Board for Home Missions for new mission status and subsidy. These exploratory missions, like Mission Marana, are laying the groundwork for their formal request. View more exploratory mission efforts on the interactive Google map found at wels100in10.net, and stay tuned after the Board for Home Missions meets on April 3-4 to learn which home mission churches will be approved next!

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Faces of Faith – Jerry and Denice

2025/01/15/in Faces of Faith, Home Missions, Missions

“It was like the light bulb came on, and you felt so much more peace when you went to church,” says Denice.

Hear more from Jerry Laster, a trauma surgeon, who draws a powerful parallel between his work of healing physical wounds and the church’s role as a hospital for sick souls. Discover how he and his wife, Denice, found peace and healing through God’s free grace at Christ Alone Lutheran Church, a WELS home mission congregation in Keller, Texas.

Learn more about the WELS 100 Missions in 10 Years initiative at wels100in10.net.

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Early stages of fellowship work in Liberia

2025/01/14/in Africa, Missions, WELS Blogs, World Missions

At the end of October, Pastor Paul Hirsch (St. Paul’s Congregation in Norfolk, Neb.) met me, One Africa Team missionary, Dan Kroll, at Roberts Airport near Monrovia, Liberia. We traveled about an hour to Buchanan with Pastor Toye Barnard who leads a small congregation—Lamb of God Lutheran Church—of about 50 people.

Small study groups review material

After a review of what was needed to complete stage one (of four – the One Africa Team program for those who want to come into fellowship), we agreed that we should review the Ministry of the Keys and Baptism. Pastor Hirsch was slated to teach the Ten Commandments and managed well while Pastor Kroll gave a review of the Ministry of the Keys and practical applications of Baptism.

While we were there, we also considered a piece of land that the congregation would like to buy. It would be big enough for a school, but not quite enough for much expansion thereafter. We are still praying about the idea. The One Africa Team is hesitant to make big financial commitments in places where we have not yet been able to confirm a unity of teaching and practice. We expect that to happen in 2025.

The One Africa Team is blessed to work with this group after they had separated themselves from a Pentecostal group in 2022, confident that the Lord will bless this work in Buchanan Liberia.

To God’s glory!

Written by Missionary Dan Kroll, world missionary on the One Africa Team.

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Moments with Missionaries – Matt Behmer

2025/01/10/in Home Missions, Missions, World Missions

Missionary Matt Behmer shares an update of the work being done by the One Latin America Team. The team works with a ministry called Academia Cristo that connects with people online and trains them in God’s Word. Additional training and in-person visits are conducted by the team guiding the students towards the Church Planting Level, where the student is leading their own group. Learn more about the work of the One Latin America Team at wels.net/latinamerica and save the date for our Taste of Missions event on June 14, 2025, in Mequon, Wis.

P.S. – Follow us on Facebook and Instagram to watch even more videos from our missionaries in the upcoming weeks!

TELLestrations

2025/01/09/in Asia, Missions, WELS Blogs, World Missions

If you’ve never played Telestrations, you can think of its counterpart, Telephone. You have a sentence; you pass it on to someone, who in turn passes it on to someone else. You just hope that in the end, it turns out the same! The difference? In Telestrations, you alternate between writing sentences and drawing pictures. What can be lost in translation, even within your own family, is incredible!

Asia Lutheran Seminary’s new roll-out of TELL sometimes reminds me of Telestrations. TELL doesn’t just teach the Bible; it trains people how to share it. We have a message, and we’re trying to pass it down like Paul. “And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable people who will also be qualified to teach others.” (2 Tim 2:2). If Paul were the first one to draw on his Telestrations sheet, there would have been four people involved in that game! We are teaching others, to teach others, to teach others.

This doesn’t come without difficulty! Challenge #1: Even though our student’s English levels put any of my second languages to shame, it is still not their heart language. Challenge #2: The sheer diversity in our classes. This game has players throughout Asia. One is trying to gather a small collection of house churches in a predominately Muslim country in South Asia, and another is a police officer in the Philippines. Yet another is a chieftain of an indigenous tribe. Another is a cancer survivor turned Christian from India who has read through the book of Romans over 500 times without formal training. Everyone comes from different cultures and backgrounds, so you better believe they will draw different pictures!

And that’s a good thing.

While language and culture barriers occasionally cause misunderstandings in the classroom, these are precisely where the TELL program shines. Each culture has its own picture of what things like love, honor, and forgiveness look like. One of the most beautiful things about TELL is that we train and entrust “local artists” to draw the message more clearly.

What is our message? The Word came down to Earth and gives us the words of eternal life (Jn 1; Jn 6:68). Scripture perfectly draws that message for us. The Message (the Word) became flesh to explain and live out our salvation. Christ, the Word made flesh, is the message we hold and want to hand down.

With a message that important, we want to make sure it’s handed down well. We work hard to ensure that the message remains the same despite the picture looking different. We give feedback between “each round” as students submit the Bible study they have created. Sometimes, we receive videos of students using their final project to teach others. This has been one of the most remarkable moments as a teacher! Also, after completing eight courses (1–2 years), students may work with a counselor to deepen their training and work towards fellowship.

We’ve only started working with TELL in Asia in the past few months. Still, it’s humbling to see how eager students are to refine their understanding and improve their “comprehending” and “drawing skills” for sharing the gospel. I am humbled to be able to teach the students who join our classes.

Please pray for TELL in Asia. Pray for the handing down of the Word from culture to culture and from generation to generation. Pray that this handing down and drawing of the message would bring a lot of joy, not because the picture looks different, but because it matches the face of our Lord when he comes again.

Written by Rev. Justin Steinke, world missionary for the Asia Oceania Team based in Manila, Philippines.

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An invitation for life

2025/01/02/in Home Missions, Joint Missions, Missions, WELS Blogs

For over 60 years, God’s people have been gathering at King of Kings Lutheran Church in Garden Grove, Calif. WELS men and women have been supporting additional ministry from this same location, starting with a King of Kings grade school that is approaching 60 years of existence. King of Kings also assisted in the formation of California Lutheran High School, which is nearing 50 years of ministry. In recent years, King of Kings opened their campus to support their fellow WELS congregation Pan de Vida and a new WELS outreach to the Vietnamese community.

On Dec. 22, 2024, members of King of Kings had the chance to witness WELS pastor Rev. Trung Le gather a group of 44 Vietnamese friends and neighbors to hear the gospel on the King of Kings campus. With support from WELS Joint Mission Council, members of Pan de Vida, and members of King of Kings, a multi-purpose room on the King of Kings campus was renovated to become an additional sanctuary for worship. It was in this worship space that Pastor Trung Le preached the good news of John 3:16 to the ears and hearts of the Vietnamese community.

God is blessing this partnership in gospel ministry so that more people in Garden Grove are hearing that God loves them – so much so that he sent his one and only Son to save them – and that whoever believes in this Savior, Jesus, will not suffer eternal punishment but rather will enjoy eternal life with God in heaven. This “gospel in a nutshell” is an invitation for life: for believers to find peace, both in this life and for eternity. God has blessed the gospel proclamation on the King of Kings campus for over 60 years and we pray with our brothers and sisters that God would continue to bless this same proclamation, in various languages, for many years to come. The Vietnamese community knows that Pastor Trung Le and fellow WELS believers will continue to be present and serve in their community. And now this same community has received an invitation for life: for as long as King of Kings is open, the gospel will be proclaimed to them, just as it has been for generations in Garden Grove. Yet this invitation for life goes beyond a location or church building. The gates of eternal life are open to the Vietnamese community just as they are to anyone who hears the saving Word of God and believes it. This was visible for all in attendance at the opening Vietnamese worship service, as Pastor Trung Le baptized a new brother in the faith. Rejoice with all the brothers and sisters who gather and support the ministry in Garden Grove, Calif. God invites all of us to find joy in his love that is for us today and for eternity.

Rejoice that you too have an invitation for life.

Written by Rev. Neil Birkholz, North American Asian ministry consultant.

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God’s kingdom grows one soul at a time

2024/12/19/in Home Missions, Missions, WELS Blogs

Sometimes missions happen organically. Even though I have only been in the mission field a couple months, God is still growing his kingdom as his faithful people care for one another and reach out to the lost and straying. A couple stories from West Lafayette, Ind., illustrate the words of Jesus: “All by itself the soil produces grain—first the stalk, then the head, then the full kernel in the head” (Mark 4:28).

West Lafayette is home to Purdue University, and while the WELS campus ministry presence there has been small recently, the students who participate are active. Students are faithfully inviting their friends to worship and on-campus Bible class. For weeks and months, they have been reaching out, but sometimes it takes many tries before anyone joins us. Yet God is using these Christians and their everyday witness to bring people into his church.

In one instance, a student invited a young man (“Jin”) to Bible study. Jin was looking for a Christian community, and he saw at work an on-campus Bible study. He came to worship that Sunday. It just so happened that my wife, a very talented cook, invited everyone in worship that Sunday to come to our house for a house-warming party. Not only did this young man join us for lunch, but he even helped cook one of the dishes. During lunch, he was able to visit the members of the church and talk to me about the WELS stance on the Bible. We thank God for these opportunities provided by faithful Christians inviting their friends to join them!

On another occasion, a car was parked in the church parking lot. I stopped over to see if everything was all right and introduce myself. I came to learn the gentleman sitting there (Kyle) was waiting to go to work; he often stops by our parking lot to sit and think. He had trauma in his church growing up, coupled with more recent struggles. Kyle wants to get back in the church and hear the Word of God. After following up, we set up a time to meet. Kyle started a Bible instruction class, and we look forward to our time together in God’s Word.

Slowly, one by one, the kingdom of God grows, through the faithful outreach of God’s people and God putting people in our paths. But this kingdom grows all by itself as the Holy Spirit works through his Means of Grace. It’s just like our Lord says, “[The kingdom of God] is like a mustard seed, which is the smallest of seeds on earth. Yet when planted, it grows and becomes the largest of all garden plants” (Mark 4:30). God is providing shelter for his people as his Word works in and through his people.

Written by Rev. Andrew Ewings, home missionary at Lamb of God Lutheran Church in West Lafayette, Ind.

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Communicate the gospel!

2024/12/19/in Africa, Missions, WELS Blogs, World Missions

Finding the best ways to communicate well is always something WELS missionaries are thinking about. That’s why, in mid-October, my family landed in Arusha, Tanzania. We planned to spend about two months in the country to learn to communicate in Swahili.

Old and young learners communicate
I enrolled in two courses at MS-TCDC, a college focused on teaching Swahili to foreigners, for five weeks. Outside of class, there were plenty of opportunities to practice Swahili with people. We bought groceries, asked for directions, flagged down bijajis (three-wheeled taxis), and just said: “jambo” (hello)! The official languages of Tanzania are both Swahili and English. However, much more emphasis is placed on Swahili in Tanzania. It’s common to find people who speak very little or no English. This made using the language a must in day-to-day interactions.

My wife, Becky, and two youngest children, Katya (9) and Leia (6) joined me for the experience. Becky homeschools the girls, so temporarily relocating from our home in Lusaka, Zambia, to Arusha didn’t interrupt their learning. Becky integrated quickly into the local homeschooling scene, and she and the girls made new friends quickly.

Connecting with local Christians
I also interacted with Africa Mission Evangelism Church (AMEC), a Lutheran church body based in Tanzania. After carefully working through One Africa Team’s Four Stage Process, WELS will declare fellowship with AMEC at this summer’s synod convention, God-willing.

Our normal practice is to visit one of our mission partners for about two weeks. After two months in Tanzania, we visited many churches on Sundays and deepened our relationships with church leaders. I also met with leaders from the Community of Evangelical Lutheran Churches of Central Africa (CEELAC). CEELAC is a new partner based in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). We have been meeting in Tanzania due to security concerns in the DRC.

Both AMEC and CEELAC use Swahili in their worship services. Attending worship was a great opportunity to put into practice what I had learned in my classes. Two months isn’t enough time to communicate like a native Swahili speaker. I was excited to see that I could understand much more and even teach a little in their language. I’m thankful for the opportunity to communicate the gospel no matter where I live!

Listen to Leia Foxen communicate in her way about what she saw in Tanzania in this video posted on the One Africa Team’s YouTube Channel.

Please pray for those working in fields that are ripe for harvest. Share their story, engage with future news, and receive updates.

Written by Missionary Ben Foxen, world missionary on the One Africa Team.

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Merry Christmas from WELS Missions

2024/12/18/in Home Missions, Joint Missions, Missions, World Missions

Dear Family of Believers,

Are you one of those people who waits impatiently to see that first Christmas card in your mailbox? Many of us cherish this festive season, which allows us to exclaim the great news of Jesus’ birth to family members and loved ones through warm holiday letters and greeting cards.

“The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.” – John 1:14

On behalf of Home, World, and Joint Missions, we want to thank you for your prayers and support. We hope this Christmas season will bring joy to many and will inspire hearts to share the priceless message of God’s love with others. We are truly grateful for your encouragement and offerings. Thank you! Together with you, we pray for the Lord’s continued blessing as we keep reaching out to the lost and hurting people in our communities and all around the world.

We have already been given the most precious gift that could ever be given. Our heavenly Father delights in our excitement as we declare this great news to others during the Advent and Christmas seasons and all throughout the year. Joyfully, we proclaim, “we have seen his glory. . . full of grace and truth!”

May God’s peace be with you and your family today and in the year to come.

WELS Home, World, and Joint Missions

P.S. – Want to learn more about WELS mission work? Follow us on Facebook or Instagram @WELSMissions or subscribe to Missions Blogs and Update Newsletters at wels.net/subscribe.

May God equip you for your calling

2024/12/18/in Missions, Native American Missions, WELS Blogs, World Missions

Originally appears in the Native American Missions (NAM) News from December 2024

The list is long.

Very long.

So, if you’re short on time, don’t ask Nathan and Julie Wagenknecht to tell you about all the places in the world they have been and how they have served the Lord in various ministries.

But if you ask, and I hope you do, you’ll learn a lot. Not only about the where and the what but especially about the how and the why.

Isn’t it encouraging to learn from any brother and sister in Christ about their journeys of faith as they have followed the Lord’s call? Isn’t it inspiring to hear from the Abrahams and Sarahs of our day who have ventured into the unknown, sharing how God has been with them every step, every move, every location.

Oh, the stories and the surprises along the way.

And for the Wagenknechts, even though they’ve already spanned countries and continents, God wasn’t done with them yet. He moved them yet again.

Now we find them in Farmington, N.M.

WELS Board for World Missions called Rev. Wagenknecht to be the Native Christians Counselor for Outreach.

What does that entail?

Great question. I’ll let Missionary Wagenknecht explain his new call:

I’ll be coordinating outreach to the Native American tribes in the Four Corners area of Arizona, New Mexico, Utah, and Colorado. I’ll also be developing a new model for Native American outreach, working closely with Apache and Navajo members who want to reach out to friends and family with the pure gospel message.

With all that on his mission plate, Nathan humbly requests your prayers.

Please pray for me personally that I may carry out a proper balance of time between family, office, and building personal relationships outside of the office.

Please pray for my family, too. We ask the Lord to help us settle in as we establish the services we need in a new city (doctors, dentists, etc.), find friends, and build relationships in our children’s school and our community.

And one more. Please pray for my ministry. I would love insight into this new culture so that our mission work meets people where they are, provides help where they have real needs, and connects people to their very real Savior.

Meanwhile, as Nathan settles into his new role, Julie and the kids (and one adorable pet bunny) have things to do of their own.

When Mateo (10 years old) is not in school, you will probably find him riding his bike, kicking a soccer ball, playing board games, or playing with Hopscotch.

Notice I didn’t say, playing hopscotch.

Playing with Hopscotch.

Hopscotch is the Wagenknecht’s beloved family pet.

Very photogenic, too, don’t you think? All three!

Natalia (10 years old) gave him that name as soon as he hopped into their Alaskan backyard. In this case, it wasn’t the Wagenknechts adopting Hopscotch… it was Hopscotch who adopted them!

Natalia loves it that Hopscotch made the move with them and is right there in their Farmington family room. When Natalia’s not cuddling up with Hopscotch, she enjoys art and reading.

Julie has her hands full with the kiddos, setting up the house and adjusting to life in Farmington.

Ah, yes, adjusting one more time. Each major move not only means adjustment, but also waiting. Waiting for shipments, waiting for paperwork, waiting for new friendships, waiting to fill a niche, waiting for who knows what. It’s no wonder, then, that one of Julie’s favorite “go-to” Bible verses is Psalm 27:14,

“Wait for the LORD; be strong and take heart and wait for the LORD.”

With the Farmington move, the LORD didn’t make them wait at all for a much-desired blessing: a home church. Christ the Rock Lutheran Church is conveniently located in Farmington. It immediately became their church home and family. Ever since the Wagenknechts rolled into Farmington, Pastor Jon Brohn, his wife Kay, and the members of Christ the Rock Church have welcomed the Wagenknechts with open arms and lots of help.

On Sunday, Nov.24, Pastor Brohn installed Missionary Wagenknecht at Christ the Rock Lutheran Church.

And here’s another blessing: Missionary Nathan Wagenknecht’s father, Pastor Myrl Wagenknecht, preached the sermon for his son’s installation!

Pastor Myrl Wagenknecht speaks a blessing upon his son Nathan.

The list goes on. And on. And on.

The list is long.

Very long.

If you have time, just ask the Wagenknechts about it. They’ll be thrilled to share with you how God has equipped them with “everything good” for their various ministries in Mexico, Japan, Malawi, Dominican Republic, Cuba, Brazil, Alaska… well, I’ll let them tell you.

Welcome to the team, Nathan, Julie, Mateo, and Natalia!

Written by Missionary John Holtz, Native Christians counselor on the Native American mission team.

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CAMM December 2024 Newsletter

2024/12/18/in Africa, Missions, WELS Blogs, World Missions

Partnerships are everywhere in our Christian faith: partnerships with our fellow believers, partnerships with our home churches, partnerships with the pastors that guide us, and most ultimately our partnership with God. In Philippians 1: 3-6 we are reminded by God that partnerships are necessary to share the good news of the gospel.

The Central Africa Medical Mission (CAMM) started as a partnership; the Lutheran missionaries used the Central Africa Medical Mission to provide healthcare to the local community and because the community’s physical needs were being taken care of, doors were opened for the missionaries to share God’s spiritual love and healing with those visiting the clinic.

Today, CAMM operates with many partnerships. We partner with the missionaries through the Board of World Missions and the One Africa Team, with local national staff, with local African pastors, and with supporters all across the United States and abroad.

The Board of World Missions and the One Africa Team help support CAMM by providing spiritual support, marketing support, and help to lead CAMM’s mission. WELS Christian Aid & Relief (CAR) provides CAMM with financial grant support. CAMM has been extremely blessed by CAR with their grants to purchase medicine, fuel, and vaccinations. They are a key financial supporter for the short-term medical camps that were held in Kenya in 2024 and the camp that is planned for February of 2025.

While today we have all national staff at our clinics, originally CAMM employed an American nurse-in-charge and an American clinic administrator in both Zambia and Malawi. The individuals who held these positions moved far away from their families and lived in Malawi and Zambia for three years or more. They helped lead the national staff and relayed communication on clinic operations back to the CAMM stateside committee, even though communication was slow due to limitations in phone and mail service, especially from our start in 1961 through the late 1990’s. CAMM relied on the leadership and professional background of the American nurse-in-charge and American clinic administrator at each clinic to ensure the clinics ran smoothly, and their partnership was essential to the success of CAMM, especially in those early years.

In 1994, the Lutheran Rural Health Centre in Zambia was turned over to national staff to run the clinic. The same followed for the Malawi staff in 2022. Where would CAMM be now without the knowledge, commitment, and integrity of the Malawian and Zambian staff? CAMM relies on them to ensure devotions are held each morning and to treat each patient that arrives at our clinics with empathy and professionalism. The staff is the face of our clinics and through the love and compassion they share with each patient, they are reflections of God’s compassion to them. The local pastors of the Lutheran Church of Central Africa are also key partners with CAMM, as they have an important role to further develop the spiritual welfare of each staff member and patient.

Finally, all of our supporters are key partners with CAMM. Schools, churches, and women’s groups, including LWMS, help spread the word about the work of CAMM with even more individuals across the country. And this in turn has caused an outpouring of support, in the form of prayers, monetary donations, assembling and mailing parcels to the clinics, and special projects such as a CAMM baby shower, chili potlucks, special mission Sundays, and school mission projects, which help fund building projects and new vehicles. The CAMM stateside committee members are filled with gratitude when we see photos of these activities or learn of all the assistance that is being provided. Since CAMM is supported solely by donations, we would not be able to carry out our work without the partnership of all of you, our supporters.

God has truly blessed the work of the Central Africa Medical Mission for over 60 years, beyond what we ever could have imagined. May he continue to use all of these partnerships to guide and bless our work in the future to provide Christ-centered health care and to share the gospel with all those who come to the clinics.

Have a blessed Christmas season as we celebrate the joyous birth of our Savior!

Written by Angela Sievert, Central Africa Medical Mission chair

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Congo-reka!

2024/12/12/in Africa, Missions, WELS Blogs, World Missions

Just to date myself, I’m a fan of Oklahoma rock group Flaming Lips. One time they released an album—actually four discs (dated again!)—meant to be played simultaneously—called “Zaireka.” They wanted a name that evoked chaos and joy . . . and Zaire (now the Democratic Republic of the Congo, or DRC) was the ultimate byword for chaos.

Not so, on the One Africa Team’s travels to Lubumbashi, a busy, thriving mining city in the southeast of the DRC. We need the government’s permission to go there and offer workshops to the confessional Lutheran church group—the Evangelical Lutheran Mission to The Congo (MELC) —with whom we are exploring the possibility of fellowship. The intelligence officers monitor One Africa Team missionaries’ visits closely, both for their good and for ours. We have heard that they are happy to have us visit, so that we can spread the word that Lubumbashi is safe, orderly, and open for business.

But we’ve also heard that they like what we’ve been teaching. As they’ve read reports of our pastoral training workshops, they’ve mentioned that they think the content—which has been the small Catechism of Luther, so far—is wonderful. The gospel Word is spread, sometimes in surprising ways.

In November, One Africa Team Adjunct, Pastor Joel Seifert, and I presented a second training workshop for the pastors and evangelists of the MELC who came to Lubumbashi from as far away as Kinshasa in the west and Manono to the north. On Wednesday evenings, I continue to hold French-language doctrinal studies on Zoom with the leaders of MELC.

Thank you for whatever ways you’ve been supporting this new mission field! Congo-reka! And soli deo gloria. Peace.

Written by Missionary Keegan Dowling, world missionary on the One Africa Team.

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The Christian Church

2024/12/12/in Latin America, Missions, WELS Blogs, World Missions

As I closed my laptop for the night, I found myself sitting in awe of what had just happened. Students from across Latin America had gathered—virtually—for the final session of The Christian Church, a month-long journey through the book of Acts. Faces lit with joy, hearts filled with gratitude, and words of thanks filled the digital space. It was more than a class; it was a glimpse of God’s work unfolding before my eyes.

And as I reflected on the experience, I couldn’t help but wonder: Who is more thankful—the students, or me? How many people get to study God’s Word with students from 13 different countries? How many people get to share the love of Christ as their job? The truth is, though, it’s not my job just because I was called to be a missionary—it’s my job because God called me, and all Christians, throughout the world, to go and be witnesses, to make disciples, to share Christ’s love.

That’s really the point of the course The Christian Church, which I had the privilege of guiding over 50 students through this last month. We are all commissioned to “go.” You don’t need to be a pastor to share God’s Word; you don’t need to have a church building to worship; you don’t need to be an Israelite to be a part of God’s family. The Christian Church is made up of believers across the world, and Jesus’ command to us all is to keep on sharing the gospel message!

This course also serves as a beautiful summary of our work within Academia Cristo. In the course, we study the book of Acts, where we see Paul working alongside believers throughout the ancient world—sharing both the law and the gospel, and encouraging them in their study of Scripture. He wasn’t alone—leaders in the cities he visited and fellow missionaries traveling with him were doing the same. Our work as a team of missionaries serving Latin America follows this same pattern. We have the privilege of sharing the teachings of the Bible with students throughout Latin America and encouraging them in their study of Scripture. We also get to support leaders living in a variety of countries to do the same. What a privilege! What a joy!

Over the next two weeks, I’ll be receiving final projects from about 50 believers, each one commissioned by God to share his Word with others. Some will begin immediately, eager to share everything they’ve learned. Others will gain more confidence with each passing course. Some may continue their ministry within their own church, but now equipped with a deeper understanding of the truth of Scripture. And, God willing, some will join us in planting new confessional Lutheran churches in their neighborhoods—becoming vital partners in the gospel.

We are the Christian Church, called by God to carry his message of salvation to the world. What a privilege and responsibility we all share! May we all find joy and purpose in the special work that God has entrusted to each of us, wherever he has placed us in this world.

José María, one of my students, messaged me after the last class, asking if I thought he could be a missionary. My answer for José is really God’s answer. And it’s God’s answer not just for José María, but for each of us: Yes! Go, tell your family about Jesus. Go, share the gospel with your neighbors. Go, into all the world and be Christ’s witness.

Acts 1:8 – “You will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”

Written by Missionary Luke Beilke, world missionary and Dean of Students for Academia Cristo.

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“Night of house music” in Leipzig, Germany

2024/12/05/in Europe, Missions, WELS Blogs, World Missions

On Sat., Nov. 23, 2024, our sister congregation in Leipzig, Germany, participated in an annual citywide event sponsored by a cultural group called the Leipzig Music Trail Association. Lu Hirsch, a member of Holy Trinity Congregation, organized the event. Read Lu’s description:

Every year the Leipzig Music Trail Association organizes a “Night of House Music.” Hosts open their homes, stores, rooms, and museums to enjoy music together. The event always takes place the evening before the last Sunday of the church year at 7:00 p.m.

Those who wish to host a concert register with the association. They tell how many musicians and which instruments will be featured. The association posts all the concerts on its website, and people can sign up to attend concerts throughout the city.

This year, our congregation, Holy Trinity, hosted a concert for the second time.

Fifteen amateur musicians from our congregation play many different instruments: piano, organ, violin, flute, trumpet, bass clarinet, cello, and double bass. We were able to perform very different pieces from baroque to classical to klezmer.

During a short intermission, we had opportunity to talk to our guests. A woman who also attended last year particularly enjoyed the many young musicians and the variety of music. She was also interested in our congregation, church services, and other events we might host.

Other than a large cross on the outside, our church building looks much like a regular house, so it is always important to make people aware of the congregation here.

The Night of House Music is a good opportunity to invite music lovers and interested people into our worship space to talk about our faith and our hope.

I was honored to attend the Night of House Music at our Leipzig congregation and play a small part. These were my five favorite takeaways:

1. An outreach opportunity especially suited to Leipzig! Leipzig has long celebrated music and musicians. Bach and Mendelssohn spent significant portions of their careers in Leipzig. Mendelssohn founded Germany’s first music conservatory in Leipzig. Here he trained musicians for the city’s orchestra, which he conducted. Leipzig’s prominence as a book and music publishing center from the 18th to the 20th centuries drew composers to the city as well. The love of music lives on! Every weekend the old cathedrals downtown are filled for nearly free concerts by local choirs and instrumentalists. The opera and symphony hold places of honor. Friends gather in their homes to play music and sing together. Leipzigers love music and appreciate musicians! What could be better than a concert to invite the neighborhood into church?

2. A lay-led evangelism effort. The musicians of our Leipzig congregation took the initiative and conducted the event from start to finish, freeing their pastor for other important work. The musicians acted as hosts for the concert, not only introducing the pieces being played, but describing how we gather in this same room every Sunday morning to listen to God’s Word in the Bible, sing hymns, pray, and grow in our faith.

3. More than a third of the musicians were kids! I loved listening to the children and teenagers of the congregation gladly sharing their musical gifts with the neighborhood.

4. More than intermission . . . halfway through the concert, the musicians and guests enjoyed fellowship and refreshments, a valuable time to talk together and make connections with the community.

5. A fun day for the musicians! The musicians came early in the day to rehearse and set up the church for the concert. We enjoyed the afternoon of visiting, decorating, coffee-drinking, and eating together before the guests arrived for the concert. Growing together as a congregation was the icing on the cake!

Written by Jennifer Wolfgramm, wife of world missionary on the Europe One Team, and Lu Hirsch.

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CAMM November 2024 Newsletter

2024/12/02/in Africa, Missions, WELS Blogs, World Missions

The Lutheran Mission Rural Health Centre (Mwembezhi) in Zambia has been providing both physical and spiritual help to both the clients and patients in its 63 years of existence. It is the hand of God that has brought us this far. God established this work through His missionaries and their wives who were serving this area at a time when it was most difficult to live in Africa. Today the clinic stands tall with its ever-increasing population which has grown significantly since the 1990’s. The area has witnessed growth in both population and infrastructure since the area was declared a district in 2011 by the President at that time. There would have been even more growth in population and infrastructure had the President lived to see his vision through.

The clinic serves eight separate areas within our catchment and was seeing about eighteen thousand eight hundred people per year. In 2023 The Zambia government built two new health posts within our catchment area. These health posts were designed to provide people with a clinic closer to their homes rather than travel to Mwembezhi. The Mutombe health post is located about eight kilometres from our clinic and the Shikatende health post is about twelve Kilometres from Mwembezhi. Each health post was given a population of around five thousand people to serve thereby lowering the population served at Mwambezhi by around 10,000. However, it did not work out that way. People prefer coming to Mwembezhi over the health posts for reasons such as “at the Mwembezhi clinic they pray to God” and “offer Bible reading” (devotion), they have drugs and at the centre there are “Doctors” available (Doctors in this case meaning medical staff in white coats). True to the peoples’ words, we are vessels of God sent for the sake of providing physical and spiritual help to our brothers and sisters in that area. As a team, we believe that the clinic is a Christ-centered facility. We treat, but Jesus Christ heals.

I am grateful to hear how people in the area praise God and mostly I hear them saying “Leza alelekwe pakutupa chibadela cha Lutheran” meaning that “May the name of God be glorified for giving us the Lutheran clinic”. Hearing of the nice comments reminds me of the favour of God in our lives and how we ought to be grateful to Him. We are grateful for everything that God allowed us to see and do this year and remain grateful to all who pray for and support the Clinic. Let’s encourage each other to live for God and be grateful to Him, especially around this time.

As children of God let’s remember what He has given us despite the many challenges we face. There is an example of two people travelling in a public bus, one passenger (a woman) accidently spilled something on a smartly dressed passenger (a man) who was seated next to her and his clothes became dirty. It was expected that this smartly dressed man would get angry at the woman. But to the surprise of everyone the man smiled and said, “It’s okay my sister, I will be dropping at the next station and home is near.” The point is, let’s not
stress too much on the issues beyond our control, rather we hand over everything to God and be grateful for what He has given us.

With prayer and believing in God’s promises it was possible to establish the clinic that does His work now as it did 60 years ago. The God our forefathers served is the same God today. The clinic serves as a ready platform to extend God’s grace to His people, showing the love of Jesus to all who come. Our hope is that more will praise God for his salvation through Jesus as well as being grateful for the medical care given at our clinic. Thank you for your time.

Written by Alisad Banda, CAMM Clinic Administrator in Zambia.

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Happy Thanksgiving from WELS Missions!

2024/11/22/in Home Missions, Joint Missions, Missions, World Missions

Dear Friend of Missions,

“. . . because of your partnership in the gospel. . .”

– Philippians 1:3-5

This was Paul’s reason for giving thanks. He cherished his partnership with God’s people, knowing he couldn’t do mission work without his brothers and sisters in Christ in the congregation at Philippi. So, he said this at the beginning of his letter: “I thank my God every time I remember you. In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel. . .” (Philippians 1:3-5)

We, too, cherish our partnership with you in the gospel. Humanly speaking, we couldn’t do what we do in Home and World Missions without it. This is by God’s design. The many parts of the body are meant to work in partnership with each other for the common good. Your partnership in the form of prayers, encouragement, and gifts enables us to enter new mission fields and provide ongoing support to missions throughout North America and across the globe. We thank God for this blessed partnership! Enjoy this video that shares a small taste of how God blessed our partnership in 2024.

We also join with you in giving thanks to our gracious God. We know where we would be without him. Yet, by his grace, we are children of God, bought with the blood of Jesus Christ and heirs of eternal life. By his grace, we are showered with an abundance of earthly blessings that provide for our daily needs and more! And by his grace, we are partners in gospel outreach ministry that has an eternal impact on souls around the world. Praise the Lord!

From all of us in WELS Missions, we thank God for you.

Happy Thanksgiving!

WELS Home, World, and Joint Missions

P.S. – Follow us on Facebook and Instagram to watch even more videos from our missionaries in the upcoming weeks!

Unexpected ways to build connections

2024/11/21/in Asia, Missions, WELS Blogs, World Missions

A little blonde haired boy is doing laps around a small play center in a mall near a Kmart. (Yeah, they still exist in Australia). He starts to play with a boy about his age. They chase each other and climb through the play center’s obstacles to head for the slide. Each in turn, they inch down a slide that is inexplicably slow. And then they race back up to do it again. And at least for now, it doesn’t matter at all that they can’t speak the same language. After a while, the boys’ mothers connect and begin talking. Before they leave the moms exchange contact information for hopefully a play date for the newly formed friends zooming around mall.

Three and a half months into living in Australia, we’re just starting to get the hang of some new things. There’s a different vocabulary with a serious affection for shortening words and tacking on an O (servo, arvo, bottle-o, flanno, rego, smoko, garbo, to name a few), there’s some exciting new food options (meat pies, TimTams, excellent coffee, and yes, Vegemite—it’s excellent on toast with butter!), and there are a lot of different people groups here. We knew that having experience living in East Asia would be a benefit in making friends here and it has, but we’ve also met Filipinos, Japanese, Indonesians, Colombians, Malaysians, Taiwanese, and Mongolians. And the main person starting the connection with most of those people: my wife Alanna. And sometimes my son Marvin.

One of the most exciting aspects of ministry here in Australia is that we’re all working on it together. Yes, the WELS missionaries, Matt and Peter (me), but also Christine (Matt’s wife) and Alanna (my wife), and even unknowingly Marvin and Jonas. We’re exploring, trying out things like English programs, play groups, parks, library events, cultural nights, and running into all sorts of people and making friends with so many people. Hopefully, some of those connections turn into coffee, dinners, and conversations. Conversations about God. And all that feels very normal.

I would venture a guess that in your community, wherever you may be, there’s probably someone new, learning a new culture, maybe learning a new language, figuring out how to do basic things, and could use some help. And I bet that person would appreciate a friend. We’ve certainly appreciated all the help we’ve gotten from friends so far.

There’s something really fascinating in Psalm 86. It’s a psalm that praises God for how he listens and delivers those who trust in him. And in the middle of the psalm, the position of emphasis, there is verse nine. “All the nations you have made will come and worship before you, Lord; they will bring glory to your name.” It’s a beautiful cause and effect explanation. God I trust in you, you save me, you deliver me, you answer me, and you help me.

Written by Rev. Peter Janke, world missionary on the Asia Oceania Team based in Brisbane, Australia

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Stronger together: a reflection on the WELS Texas campus ministry retreat

2024/11/14/in Home Missions, Missions, WELS Blogs

Looking back on our second annual WELS Texas Campus Ministry Retreat, Ephesians 4:3-4 comes to mind; “Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to one hope when you were called.” Through the Holy Spirit, that unity was reflected in the fellowship we had at our retreat.

At the beginning of our spring semester, 17 WELS college students from Baylor University, Tarleton State University, and Texas A&M University took a weekend away from our studies to spend time together at a retreat in Lorena, Texas. We played games, ate delicious food, showed everyone around Waco, and watched a heartbreaking triple overtime Baylor basketball loss on T.V. More importantly, we spent time in the Word with Bible study focused on how we can share Christ and his love in each and every one of our relationships.

On college campuses, even Christian ones like Baylor, sometimes you aren’t quite sure what the people around you believe or how it differs from your own faith. Even with a loving community of Baylor friends, who I know love Jesus, there can still be a disconnect between what we believe. This retreat was especially refreshing in that I got to sit down and dive into the Word with people who I know for a fact believe what I do. While I had never met half of the students there, our faith in the “one hope” of Jesus connected us and made it easy to talk to each other about everything.

I am certain that our hope in Jesus is one and the same. I have peace in knowing that outside of college, I am a part of a family of believers with whom I have complete unity. Our retreat was the perfect expression of that fellowship.

Written by Lilia Kasten, campus ministry student at Baylor University.

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