Campus Ministries participate in Mission Journeys to home mission churches

Concordia University Campus Ministry to Illume Church
Students from Concordia University Wisconsin Campus Ministry in Mequon, Wis., took a Mission Journeys trip to Illume Church in Seattle, Wash. They spent their spring break supporting Illume Church with hands-on service projects, including painting, property beautification, outreach, and event setup. View more pictures of their Mission Journeys trip.

University of Wisconsin-Stout Campus Ministry to Tampa
Students from the University of Wisconsin-Stout Campus Ministry traveled to home mission Citrus Grove Lutheran Church in Wesley Chapel, Fla. During their time there, these campus ministry students helped with outreach efforts like doing door-to-door canvassing and inviting people from the community to come to church.

Learn more about upcoming Mission Journeys opportunities to home and world missions and how you can serve at wels.net/missionjourneys.

 





Visible and invisible blessings

As we recently passed the six-year mark of worshiping as a new mission congregation in Lehi, Utah, I find myself talking to our gracious God about different things than I would have expected at this point in our ministry.

When we moved across the country to start a new church, we had hopes, dreams, and plans. We wouldn’t say they were overly lofty plans—they reflected what we thought made good sense with the information we had. We had a rapidly-growing community and a family happy to help. I talked to God about the visible blessings he gave us: riches poured out in a beautiful setting, a fast-growing school system for our young kids, and what was sure to be scores of people longing to hear the Good News.

Fast-forward to 2025, and now I talk to God about all the change our small mission church is going through. I ask for patience as we get plenty of visitors but not exactly scores of folks longing to join. I ask for humility as we reach out to those who aren’t able to reach back. I seek God’s wisdom and assurance while as a congregation we look for different opportunities to share our space and rent with community partners on evenings and weekends.

I thank God for his invisible kingdom found in visitors who maybe come one time but leave with a message they had never heard before. I humbly give thanks for the dozens of people who return for special services but aren’t really looking for a new church.

I thank God for his visible kingdom: for the respite our church provides for those of us living in a hidden and unexplored culture in Utah County; for our established members and the new who come with questions and seek clarity; for the random texts, phone calls, or e-mails from long-time connections who have questions about something they heard at one of our services years ago. I thank God for his patience in my life as he continually helps us grow even in the face of what seems like frequent failures.

I thank God for unexpected days like Nov. 3, 2024, All Saints Sunday. For some reason, our worship space was full. It wasn’t all familiar faces. There were new families too who were joining us for the first time. Extra service folders were hastily printed. The service focused on Psalm 23 and the harsh reality of the valley of the shadow of death and the only answer found in our Good Shepherd. The sermon was plain talk about sin and grace, law and gospel. There were tears, more than in any other service.

Later conversations with one of the families would reveal why the message had seemed so personal but exactly what they needed from God’s Word. On what seemed like an unlikely Sunday for outreach, the Holy Spirit worked through the Word as God has promised he would. Two new families who visited for the first time on All Saints Sunday have continued to come back. They have started taking Bible Basics classes and are well on their way to becoming members.

I talk to God about a lot of change, some expected, but most of it unexpected and completely undeserved. Just like his grace. Which thankfully never changes.

Written by Rev. Dan Heiderich, home missionary at Good News Lutheran Church in Lehi, Utah





Moments with Missionaries – Lucas Bitter

Rev. Lucas Bitter, home missionary at Intown Lutheran Church in Atlanta, Ga., shares an update from the South Atlantic region. Through the support of WELS Home Missions and by God’s grace, they found and purchased land near their current rental property to begin building a brand new church. Later this year, they hope to break ground and begin building a worship space where they can continue to share the gospel with those in their community. Hear more from Rev. Lucas Bitter about the work being done in Atlanta, Ga., and save the date for this year’s Taste of Missions on June 14, 2025 at Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary.

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

Register today! Taste of Missions 2025

We are excited to announce that registration for Taste of Missions 2025 is now open! Join us for this special day where we celebrate gospel outreach and commission new home and world missionaries.

Date: Saturday, June 14, 2025

Time: 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

Location: Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary, Mequon, Wis. OR online!

The event begins with a special worship service, where we’ll joyfully send new missionaries to share Christ’s love around the globe. Mr. James Brandt, new Asia-Oceania Team leader, will be commissioned, and additional names will be added as new missionaries accept calls/are assigned to serve in mission fields. Explore displays and sample a variety of ethnic dishes, and then spend the afternoon:

  • Hearing from our Missions administrators as they share the latest headlines and updates from Home and World Missions.
  • Engaging with missionaries during Moments with Missionaries presentations, featuring Missionary Jeremy and Grace Seeger from the Asia-Oceania Team, and Missionary Fred and Stephanie Berger from the new mission start in Kronenwetter, Wis.
  • Asking questions during a Q&A panel with the newly commissioned missionaries.

This is a wonderful opportunity for the entire family to discover how WELS is making a global impact and to witness firsthand the lives being transformed by the gospel of Jesus.

The worship service is free and open to all. Registration is $15 per person for those who wish to receive food tickets. Children 13 and under attend for free. If you can’t attend in person, tune into the livestream and join us virtually! Sign up today at tasteofmissions.com/register.

Learn more Register today

We look forward to welcoming you to Taste of Missions, where we’ll come together to celebrate our Savior’s mission and the amazing work happening across the globe.





The gospel takes root in Nicaragua

If you had to point out Nicaragua on a map, could you do it? For many people, this small Central American country isn’t well known. Its neighbors often get more attention. Its capital, Managua, doesn’t make headlines like other cities in Latin America. Nicaragua isn’t often in the global spotlight. But our Lord of the harvest hasn’t forgotten about this little nation. Instead, he’s putting it on the map in a way that truly matters.

In 2024, we saw a significant jump in the number of students from Nicaragua who began studying with Academia Cristo, a church planting training program facilitated by the WELS One Latin America Team. Eleven new students completed their first course last year. Multiple students are interested in recognizing doctrinal agreement with the teachings of the Lutheran church. I’m currently teaching a live course on the Great Commission, and several Nicaraguans are participating.

However, the gospel is not only being learned in Nicaragua—it’s also being shared. I recently had the opportunity to visit and see this firsthand. I watched an advanced student, who is called to serve as a church planter, preach a sermon to his group. His law and gospel message was shaped by a text study he had participated in earlier that week with an Academia Cristo professor. I also saw him lead the liturgy—assuring people that their sins were forgiven, leading them in the confession of our Christian faith, and pronouncing the closing blessing upon them. I stood in the home of a student as she showed me the space where she gathers children from her neighborhood each week to teach them about Jesus. She proudly shared how she painted the space so it would have a more welcoming environment, and she had printouts of Bible verses on the walls. I listened to another student talk about her desire to plant a group with her husband so their friends and family would have a place to hear the truths of God’s Word.

What puts Nicaragua on the map? It’s called the “land of lakes and volcanoes.” It has coasts on both the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans. It’s famous for its coffee, rum, and cigars. Yet despite these things, it often goes unnoticed. But not by our Lord. Perhaps Nicaragua will be best known as a place where the gospel is taking root—where more and more people are being connected to Christ. And that’s something truly worth putting on the map.

Written by Matt Behmer, world missionary on the One Latin America Team.





Photo gallery – One Latin America Team

Academia Cristo, the primary ministry of the One Latin America Team, seeks to make disciples in Latin America by sharing the message of God’s grace with as many people as possible, identifying and training potential church planters, and encouraging those church planters to make disciples who plant even more churches. Read more in the One Latin America Team quarterly update.

There are 37 Academia Cristo students who have taken steps to plant a church (Grupos Sembrador) with support from an Academia Cristo mission counselor. Meet some of these church leaders, active students, and missionaries committed to spreading the gospel message throughout Latin America.

A Lutheran church body in Tanzania is recommended for fellowship with WELS

The WELS Commission on Inter-Church Relations (CICR) has the responsibility of overseeing our synod’s relationships with other Lutheran church bodies in the United States and around the world. The vast majority of the commission’s time is spent strengthening the bonds of fellowship with our sister church bodies. But the commission also monitors what is going on in other Lutheran church bodies with which we are not in fellowship.

The CICR also communicates with Lutheran church bodies that are seeking fellowship with WELS. In recent years, discussions with such churches have led our synod to declare fellowship with Lutheran churches in Ethiopia, Kenya, and Uganda.

This beautiful trend continues as the worldwide fellowship expands. After several years of detailed doctrinal discussions between WELS representatives and the Africa Mission Evangelism Church of Tanzania, the CICR is recommending that our synod publicly and officially declare fellowship with the Africa Mission Evangelism Church at this summer’s synod convention. Such celebrations of newly established fellowship are always one of the highlights of a synod convention.

The Africa Mission Evangelism Church is a growing Lutheran church body that separated from its previous affiliation because of doctrinal reasons. It consists of 12,000 members in 78 congregations and is served by approximately 65 pastors. The head of the Africa Mission Evangelism Church is Bishop Baltazar Kaaya. Bishop Kaaya will be attending our convention this summer to tell us more about our new partner in Africa.

We thank God that he continues to build his church.

Serving with you in Christ,
WELS President Mark Schroeder

 

 

God’s plan flourishes in Vietnam

It has been 14 years since Hmong church leaders in Vietnam invited WELS to train their pastors in the truth of the gospel. It has been seven years since the communist government in Vietnam invited WELS to build a theological education center in the capital city of Hanoi. From the very beginning, we knew that the Lord had opened a door to reach the more than two million Hmong people who live in Vietnam and the surrounding countries. We also knew that this door could close at any time. Our WELS World Missions team worked quickly to ensure WELS took full advantage of the time the Lord had provided. And God’s work moved forward in ways we could have never predicted.

With the generosity of faithful donors, we built a sturdy building—complete with classrooms, sleeping quarters, and a kitchen—meant to house 60 students at a time and train pastors for Christ’s service. Almost two years ago at the dedication, it stood ready, a beacon of hope. But government regulations have kept us from using it for now. The paperwork continues, and the delay has a story of its own. A local church body that once supported us began demanding practices contrary to Scripture—insisting we stop baptizing babies and allow non-Lutheran teachers to train our pastors. In a Martin Luther-esque stand, our partner church broke away, choosing faithfulness over compromise. Since then, they’ve lost government recognition, which has slowed the process for gaining occupancy of the theological education center. Yet we trust that access could come any day, because God’s timing is not ours.

Some might see this as a delay, a plan stalled. But God has provided paths we never expected. Since we began, our sister church has grown to over 160,000 souls, hungry for the Word. Fifty-five pastors have been trained—not in that building but in rented spaces and internet classrooms where God gathered them to learn. Another 120 seminary-level students are studying now, their hearts set on preaching the gospel. Catechism classes, led by trained leaders, echo through every congregation in the rural training program that was developed by WELS missionaries and is now being supported by 12 fully trained Hmong pastors. This flock proudly calls themselves Lutheran, not because of a building but because of the truth they’ve learned through WELS training.

Take a pastoral student and his brother, for example. When they feared funding had faltered, they sold their family’s water buffalo—a sacrifice that cut deep in their rural life—so one could join the biblical training they feared might pass them by. Today, that student is a pastor, shepherding souls, his brother’s faith beside him. What earthly hurdles could stop God’s Spirit at work?

These twists and turns and extra red tape have given us more time—time to train, time to grow, and time to stand firm without interference. We thought we needed that building. God knew we needed him—and him alone. In his hands, this work triumphs, brimming with hope for tomorrow.

In Christ,
Rev. Larry Schlomer
Administrator, WELS World Missions

 

Together Video – March 18, 2025

Elise Gross, a missionary on the One Latin America Team, describes her ministry serving women in Latin America. Learn how God is using Gross and her students to spread his Word.

 

 

 

Volunteers help share the gospel in Kenya

I recently accompanied six volunteers and the Central Africa Medical Mission (CAMM) field director, Gary Evans, to Kenya. The focus of our trip was to partner with Karima Lutheran Church to run a five-day short-term medical camp. The eight of us, along with Missionary John Roebke and his wife, Nancy, traveled to the village of Sagana, about 60 miles northeast of Nairobi. We met with church leaders to establish the roles we would each play throughout the week, and our volunteers were eager to get to work sorting supplies and medications right away.

On Sun., Feb. 9, we were able to join with the congregation to praise our Lord for his many blessings. We were reminded of God’s great power when he healed King Hezekiah and reminded that he not only heals our bodies, but more importantly, he heals our souls.

The medical camp ran Feb. 11-15, and we jumped in to help in whatever ways we could. The volunteers assisted the local government healthcare workers in treating the physical needs of the nearly 2,000 patients who attended the camp by taking blood pressures, testing blood sugar levels, measuring height and weight, and re-stocking the pharmacy tent. However, that isn’t the only reason we traveled thousands of miles! We had the opportunity to work side-by-side with church leaders who used this outreach method to bring the gospel message to their community and to each and every patient that came to the camp.

The women of the congregation made delicious meals for us each day and expressed their gratitude on our last day, saying: ā€œWe are so happy for everything you have done for us. We are singing because our hearts are happy! Even the community, they are saying they are so happy.ā€

Volunteering in this way may be a lot of work and time away from families, but we make sure our volunteers have some fun also! Not only did the volunteers’ relationships with one another grow, but they also built connections with the many people we worked with throughout the camp. Additionally, a trip to Kenya wouldn’t be complete without a little sightseeing! An early-morning game drive in Nairobi National Park allowed the volunteers to marvel at God’s creation as they saw rhinos, lions, giraffes, zebras, and ostriches up close and in the wild.

We thank God for allowing us the opportunity to work alongside fellow believers to share his love with those living near Sagana, Kenya.

Written by Kate Wood, secretary on the Central Africa Medical Mission Committee.





Moments with Missionaries – Mark Zondag

Missionary Mark Zondag shares an update on the Asia Oceania Team’s work. Based in Chiang Mai, Thailand, he supports local congregations in reaching the lost. He continues collaborating with the Confederation of Lutheran Churches in Thailand to expand gospel outreach. Hear more from Missionary Zondag as he shares upcoming plans to continue their mission of sharing the good news with those in Thailand, and save the date for this year’s Taste of Missions on June 14, 2025 at Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary.

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

One Latin America Team – Winter 2025 Quarterly Update

A snapshot of blessings during the past quarter:

1. Academia Cristo General Assembly

The inaugural Academia Cristo General Assembly was held this past quarter with about 165 students attending. One Latin America Team Leader Andrew Johnston presented on the future of Academia Cristo, Missionary Nathan Schulte shared an overview of the changes to the Church Planting Level of the program, and Iglesia Cristo WELS Internacional President Henry Herrera presented on the benefits of being part of a synod. The event received favorable reviews in follow-up surveys, and almost all students expressed interest in attending similar events in the future.

2. Sister synod calls new missionary

Iglesia Cristo WELS Internacional called its president, Rev. Henry Herrera, to serve as a missionary for the church body. Herrera also serves as a pastor within the Lutheran Church of Colombia, which helped found Iglesia Cristo WELS Internacional in 2021, and is an active partner in Academia Cristo ministry. In this new role, he will work alongside Academia Cristo church planters as they continue their training and are welcomed into fellowship with Iglesia Cristo WELS Internacional.

3. Additional church planters called

On Oct. 29, 2024, Academia Cristo called six students from Guatemala, Mexico, and Ecuador to serve as church planters. On Jan. 27, 2025, an additional five students from Argentina, Venezuela, Mexico, and Puerto Rico were also called to serve as church planters.

4. Progress on seminary program

Representatives from the Pastoral Studies Institute, the One Latin America Team, and WELS’ sister churches met in person in MedellĆ­n, Colombia, and had follow-up meetings via Zoom to formalize the curriculum for Seminario Cristo, the new Latin American seminary program. Plans are in place to develop and implement the program over the next two years.

5. New Church Planting Level courses and resources for church planters

Several new Church Planting Level courses have been developed and taught to equip church planters with essential skills for ministry. One course focused on creating Christian community within a church plant, while another emphasized the Christ-centered nature of ministry and the character required for all types of ministries. Additionally, a course was taught that helped church planters prepare basic sermon messages. Building on this, a system was established for missionaries and national partners to lead weekly text studies, providing ongoing support as they share the gospel with their groups. To further support church planters, a simple and replicable template was developed for use in various counseling situations that might arise.

6. Abuse conferences

In November 2024, Academia Cristo held four well-attended abuse conferences, sparking interest and follow-up among students. The conference videos will be shared annually in October, and the manuscript will serve as a resource for church planters. A support group, led by Christian Family Solutions Counselor Carolina Acosta and supported by Missionary Elise Gross, began in February 2025.

Trips from the past quarter

  • Andrew Johnston traveled to the Dominican Republic to visit church planters, students, and a church in our fellowship.
  • Andrew Johnston, Joel Sutton, and Jon Gross traveled to Argentina with Iglesia Cristo WELS Internacional President Henry Herrera to visit church planters and their groups, especially a group in Baradero led by church planter Luis Bello, whose group is on track to apply for membership in Iglesia Cristo WELS Internacional.
  • Luis Acosta spent a month in Mexico counseling church planters. Various One Latin America missionaries stopped in to assist. During this time, missionaries also attended the annual convention of the Confessional Evangelical Lutheran Church-Mexico, WELS’ sister church.
  • Nixon Vivar and Matt Behmer visited students and church planters in Guatemala City, Guatemala.
  • Nixon Vivar and Jon Gross visited church planters, their groups, and other students in Guayaquil, Ecuador.
  • Elise Gross visited church planters and students in Argentina. This included a visit to the first student in nearby Uruguay.

Fast Facts

  • Academia Cristo reaches an average of 1.78 millionĀ people weekly on social media
  • A total of 32,280Ā students have enrolled in the Self-Study Level of courses
  • 1,200+ students have completed one Discipleship Level live course
  • 120+ students have completed the Discipleship Level (13 live courses)
  • 49 students have completed the Church Planting Level (ten live courses)
  • 37Ā Academia Cristo students are actively leading church plantsĀ (Grupos Sembrador)





An ordinary table, an extraordinary purpose

I sent a picture of a kitchen table to Jan last fall. After a few decades in Colorado, Jan relocated last summer and reached out to me when she heard about the donations we were receiving to serve our community, especially furniture and household goods for migrants settling into apartments with their clothing, a few blankets, and not much else.

Jose and Paola had both their sons baptized

The table in the picture was part of the haul that we transported across the span of metro Denver to deliver to a new home. I remember Jan mentioning her own family moments and special memories that happened around that table while raising her kids, but as she was downsizing and moving across the country, it just couldn’t make the trip with her. She was glad to hear that the table would be a blessing to a family. I also remember it was a pain to take apart and, even in pieces, quite heavy, requiring two grown men to maneuver it up from the basement. Yes, it was in the basement, and the thought crossed my mind to decline the donation simply out of my own laziness.

However, that day I sat at that same table with Jose and Paola and not only enjoyed a delicious plate of food but also shared God’s Word with them and prayed with them. The conversation even turned to setting up a time to baptize their two small sons. During our conversation, Luis, a young man staying with them, stopped scrolling on his phone while on the couch nearby and took a seat at the table to join us with his own questions. Since then, more conversations and more Bible studies have taken place and several new faces have joined us around that table. The boys were baptized in our Spanish service in February. Jose and Paola want to keep studying to grow in their faith and knowledge and become members of the congregation.

God is blessing donations we have received in ways we couldn’t ever imagine. Jan was so happy to hear that another family is being fed with God’s Word around the same table where her own family held devotions and shared so many memories. As we continue to serve our neighbors by connecting them with clothing, food, diapers, English classes, and even used furniture, we remain excited to see how God will use that generosity to connect them to their Savior.

To God be the glory!

Written by Rev. Paul Biedenbender, home missionary at Christ Lutheran Church in Denver, Colo.





Moments with Missionaries – Jake Vilhauer

Missionary Jake Vilhauer shares an update from his first few months as a world missionary on the One Africa Team. He spent time in both France and Cameroon learning the French language with plans to use the language for outreach in french-speaking African countries. The Vilhauers will return to Zambia soon to settle into their home and begin work with the rest of the One Africa Team. Hear more about the work in Africa from Missionary Jake Vilhauer, and save the date for this year’s Taste of Missions on June 14, 2025 at Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary.

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

Moments with Missionaries – C.J. Fury

Rev. C.J. Fury gives an update from new mission start, Living Stone Lutheran Church in Conway, Ark. He shares updates just eight months following his commissioning at Taste of Missions. He shares what it has been like to work with a core group, select a church name, find a worship facility, and begin Bible information classes. Hear more from Rev. C.J. Fury about the work being done in Conway, Ark., and save the date for this year’s Taste of Missions on June 14, 2025 at Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary.

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

Photo timeline – Anchor, Marquette, Mich.

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

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 ā€œmission school.ā€

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: ā€œHow can we connect more families to our churches?ā€ 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, ā€œGod’s Own Child, I Gladly Say It.ā€ The church was packed, and God was certainly glorified that day.

This recent ā€œBaptism Sundayā€ is just one example of how churches and schools can work together to ā€œmake disciples of all nations.ā€ 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.





Becoming a One Africa Team missionary

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.Ā 





CAMM February 2025 Newsletter

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





The first Bible you ever meet

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 ā€œborn, work, and dieā€ 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 ā€œthe people inside the church don’t act like Jesus would.ā€ 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, ā€œWhere is the most unlikely place you will find an unchurched person? Inside of a church.ā€

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.





Thought Leadership in Ministry

Thought Leadership is the detailing of ideas and sharing knowledge around a particular field, area, or topic of expertise. While Wikipedia contains no ā€œthought leadershipā€ entry, it does for ā€œthought leader.ā€ Here is the entry:

AĀ thought leaderĀ has been described as an individual or firm recognized as an authority in aĀ specific field[1]Ā and also as business jargon.

Meanings

Go-to expert

From a thought leader’s perspective as the ā€˜go-to expert,’ being a thought leader means consistently answering the biggest questions on the minds of the target audience on a particular topic. Thought leaders are commonly asked to speak at public events, conferences, or webinars to share their insight with a relevant audience. In a 1990 Wall Street JournalĀ Marketing section article, Patrick Reilly used the term ā€œthought leader publicationsā€ to refer to such magazines asĀ Harper’s.[2]

In the previous decade, the term was revived and re-engineered by marketers.

Criticism of the phrase and concept

Some writers have identified the phrase ā€œthought leaderā€ as an annoying example of business jargon.[3]Ā Kevin Money and Nuno Da Camara of the John Madejski Centre for Reputation at the University of Reading’s Henley Management College write that the nebulous nature of the phrase (the unclear nature of ā€œwhat is and what is not thought leadershipā€) contributes to its reputation among cynics as ā€œmeaningless management speak.ā€[4]Ā Some writers, such as Harvard Business Review contributor Dorie Clark, have defended the phrase while agreeing ā€œthat it is very icky when people call themselves thought leaders because that sounds a little bit egomaniacal.ā€[5]Ā New York TimesĀ columnistĀ David BrooksĀ mocked the lifecycle of the role in a satirical column entitled ā€œThe Thought Leader,ā€ published in December 2013.[6]

A parody on the term was published in 2016 by Pat Kelly on Canadian television’sĀ This Is That program. In the process of the discussion, imitatingĀ TED talks, Kelly elicits responses from the audience that exemplify the effect he describes as the result of applying well-known marketing techniques to achieve the impression of being an erudite speaker.[7]

Thought leader. (2022, December 13). InĀ Wikipedia.Ā https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thought_leader

As I read through this definition, I see the need for thought leaders in the context of our synod, churches, and schools, but I also see why some would pause in aspiring to or seeing somebody else as one. After all, when a possible meaning includes the word ā€œegomaniacal,ā€ one should pause. Clearly, I think it is a worthy discussion. I’ve chosen to take up a few paragraphs to consider thought leadership in the context of ministry. It comes to mind as I’m working through the teaching of a graduate course for Martin Luther College entitled Enhancing Ministry through Technology. I am thinking about including an entire week on the topic. Let me explain why.

when a possible meaning includes the word ā€œegomaniacal,ā€ one should pause.

Leadership in the area of technology, especially as it relates to ministry, is a precious commodity within our midst. So as I write, I will primarily have technology leadership in mind. It is not that it doesn’t exist, but it is very much under the radar. Many pastors, teachers, and volunteers have the ability to consider the intersections of technology and ministry, discern its usefulness and then apply it thoughtfully. Many times the ministry greatly benefits. I see classroom innovations and, superior use of digital communications tools and personal productivity gains, and the list goes on. Becoming such a wise steward of these gifts takes time and earned expertise. A worker must understand the best uses for a website or social media platform or master a classroom management system, which can take hundreds or thousands of hours from an already stressed ministry workload. Some would consider such pursuits ancillary to the ā€œtrue ministryā€ of gospel sharing. While arguments could be made, the real worth shouldn’t be measured by the first-degree impact but by the broader one.

This is where thought leadership steps up. To spend time becoming an expert without sharing that expertise seems to be poor stewardship. While sharing with and teaching others takes even more time, there are ways to prepare for the eventual thought leadership portion if you go into these pursuits with that end game in mind.

So, what would a thought leader do? For a person in ministry, that might initially look like a concern that other team members would benefit from their learnings and a formal way to transfer that knowledge, coach, consult, and participate in the ministry of others. In the world of educational technology, this does not always equate to a title like ā€œTechnology Director.ā€ In fact, there could be multiple thought leaders within one faculty sharing their technical expertise. As for pastors, I’ve seen expertise shared on tools like Logos, task and project management, and the like within the ministry team, one-on-one with other pastors, or at circuit meetings. Why? Because they are passionate about the topic and confident in their own understanding and use cases of the tool, process, etc.

Thought leaders are informed opinion leaders in their areas of expertise. They are influencers in the most positive form of that label. But when is the right time to take on that role, and how do you do it? Here are five steps I would suggest to approach it.

Number One: As you learn, write. It is very difficult to share expertise with someone else without giving them something in written (or some lasting) form. Take the time to document what you have learned, which is usually not much. Initially, this can be rather unstructured, but it is more of a journal. But good writing, with an eye toward your future self’s needs, can be made up of excellent building blocks to piece together insight and meaningful content for others. I would suggest using a notetaking app like Google Keep, Apple Notes, OneNote, or Evernote. Use tags or some organization strategy if you like, but don’t go overboard. This is a step that can’t be distasteful.

Let’s say you’ve figured out how to craft an annual report of some sort using infographics rather than bland headings and paragraphs. You use a tool like Visme or Canva to create engaging presentations. Document your journey. Why did you select that tool? What are its benefits over something else? What templates do you like? What are your examples? What are your use cases? Perhaps at first, the documentation is more for yourself than anybody else so you can remember why and how you did it next year.

Number Two: Go deep, and don’t fill up your dance card. Once you have tools, techniques, and processes that work well for you, don’t succumb to the temptation of greener grass. Thought leaders look for excellence in themselves and their tools, but they aren’t quick to adopt every new shiny thing that crosses their path. They go deep. They know their area, their tools, and their chosen technologies. In the end, if it isn’t working, they know why and what the next thing should be…and they document that, too.

Number Three: Maintain a list of learnings you’d like to publish. If you truly have insights to share, there should be no shortage of things you can write about. Create a note for yourself that lists all the things that occur to you that might be worth sharing. This list can also act as a script for future learnings you’d like to undertake or things you want to go deeper into.

Number Four: Publish stuff. Spend two hours a week writing, screencasting, or whatever you will use to share your work. The discipline of setting time aside can’t be skirted. It needs to be intentional. Obviously, one of the staples of thought leaders is the blog. It is a place where you control everything. If you don’t want comments, then turn them off. You control the organization, the title, the length, the use of imagery, and what appears before, next to, and after your content – unlike things like Facebook and Twitter, where you have very little control. This is your narrative. This is you on the web.

This is your narrative. This is you on the web.

Consider sites like WordPress, Squarespace, Edublogs, and Blogger. There are hundreds of others. If you want to share content like screencasts or you are comfortable in front of a camera sharing your expertise, one obvious choice is YouTube. It is so easy to publish. One benefit of self-publishing is that you have a little more control over what the internet or Google thinks you are. When someone searches your name, your content will likely appear, rather than what others might have written about you somewhere else.

Number Five: Promote your stuff. There is no sense in publishing if you don’t let your intended audiences know there is good stuff to be had. This doesn’t have to be marketing; look for opportunities to share your experiences and expertise. In fact, you may discern many more opportunities to share because you have taken the time to document what you’ve taken the time to get smart on. You will even find a greater thirst to learn from the other thought leaders in areas you are interested in. Your network will grow, and you will, too…to benefit the kingdom.

One place in my ministry area where I see many budding thought leaders is the WELSTech Google Group. Rarely will a question be asked that isn’t responded to with a most thorough and thoughtful response. And usually spot on! Those who respond are experts in their fields. They’ve been bloodied and survived to tell the tale to the benefit of others. The short step to broadening their reach and value to the community is to publish. That is a good way to identify if you are a potential thought leader. When asked, you share your expertise. The next step is obvious, I hope.

What God has gifted you with is worth sharing. Your insights, ups and downs, struggles, and successes can all contribute to a larger

Rev. David Rosenau, keynote speaker

ecosystem of learning. From my observations, there is far too much wheel-inventing going on. That’s poor stewardship. That’s harmful and wasteful to ministry opportunities. With today’s tools, there really are few barriers to sharing your useful and wonderful and helpful thoughts.

Many years ago, I taught a Winterim course at Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary. Winterim is a two-week session between semesters that gives students an opportunity to study in areas of personal interest not normally part of the seminary curriculum. The course I taught was on pastoral productivity. I had forgotten that I had even taught the course until a pastor approached me with thanks for the learnings I had shared during that course. He said it had and still is positively impacting his ministry. It made a difference.

That is the thing. You don’t determine how God will use your gifts, experiences, or story. He does. Making yourself available for ministry opportunities is what stewardship is all about. Finding ways in true humbleness to share your giftedness is the point.

Finding ways in true humbleness to share your giftedness is the point.

Of course, thought leadership isn’t only for techie topics. As I write, plans are being made for another WELS Leadership Conference, which will be held in Chicago, IL again. I’m excited to attend, as many ministry thought leaders will be willing to stand in front of people and share what God has allowed them to learn and experience. What a blessing! However, I also believe the influence and benefit of a ā€œtech in ministryā€ thought leader must be as broad as possible. Technology changes fast, and I see many frustrated by it rather than being enabled by it. What a waste. I look forward to many more taking on the joys of thought leadership, not in an egomaniacal fashion, but in true humility and a desire for true learning stewardship.

Little wins

ā€œTime!ā€ 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, ā€œmany hands make light work,ā€ 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.

ā€œWe can help with that,ā€ 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.





CAMM January 2025 Newsletter

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: ā€œFor 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.ā€ 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 AdministratorĀ 





2025 Taste of Missions school challenge and poster contest

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 ā€œchallengesā€, 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 aĀ Taste of Missions partyfor their classroom, tickets to the event, and additional surprises. Be sure to fill out the submission form byĀ April 16, 2025, to be entered to win. Inspire your students with the joy of spreading the gospel through this exciting challenge!


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 11ā€ x 17ā€ masterpiece capturing the heart of either WELS Home or World Missions. Submit byĀ 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 ā€œfan favoriteā€ 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!

 

 





Life after losing everything

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.

ā€œI was scared and alone and felt very far from God,ā€ Cat says. ā€œNow 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.ā€

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.

 





Faces of Faith – Albert Szeto

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. ā€œThat changed my life forever. It’s where I came to know Jesus Christ and was baptized,ā€ Albert said.

Albert graduated from high school at Immanuel. Albert remembers toward the end of his time at Immanuel, ā€œMy father took me aside and said, ā€˜That’s it.ā€™ā€ 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. ā€œOf course I do! I can’t afford it though!ā€ Rev. Gary Kirschke and Rev. Gary Schroeder said they could help. ā€œI don’t know why [the missionaries] chose me.ā€ ā€œSo DMLC (Dr. Martin Luther College) in New Ulm… here I come!ā€ 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.

ā€œWe 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.ā€ 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 ā€œEast Asiaā€ 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.

ā€œThis is just my response to God’s love and salvation to me,ā€ 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.Ā 





Moments with Missionaries – Caleb King

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

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.

Blessings through war—an update from Ukraine

It has been nearly three years since Russia first invaded Ukraine in an attempt to take control of the country. Cities have been destroyed and infrastructure decimated. The number of casualties Ukraine has suffered is difficult to ascertain, but it is well into the tens of thousands.Ā 

Against this backdrop of devastation, destruction, and death, God is working. The power of his love and his Word can be seen clearly in the updates from the Ukrainian Lutheran Church (ULC), WELS’ sister synod in Ukraine.Ā 

From the beginning of the war, WELS provided financial assistance to the ULC so our brothers and sisters could help each other and their neighbors with basic needs, such as food, medicine, clothing, and fuel. In fact, Christ’s love flowed so generously through WELS members that there is enough funding to cover current needs and anticipated future aid. The most important thing shared, however, has been the saving gospel message of Christ and the hope all Christians have through our risen Savior.Ā 

Pastor Vyacheslav Horpynchuk, bishop of the Ukrainian Lutheran Church, recently provided a detailed update. Here is a summary of the highlights:Ā Ā 

  • The ULC has 14 congregations, 12 pastors, and 5 deacons, serving 655 members.Ā 
  • Three congregations had to temporarily suspend worship services due to attacks in their areas.Ā 
  • While services in Bereznehuvate had to cease temporarily, once Russian forces were out of the area, the congregation not only resumed regular worship, but also started a mission in Snihurivka, with an average of 100 people attending each week.Ā 
  • The pastor for the congregation in Tokmak had to leave the city after Russians started arresting Protestant pastors. Many members left as well.Ā 
  • Thousands of people have received aid in the form of food, medicine, household supplies, clothes, and more through the ULC.Ā 

ā€œWe are grateful to WELS for helping us to buy electric generators, charging stations, electric inverters, and lots of firewood. During three war winters we have light in our churches, in most of our homes, and we are warm. Thank you also for the warm clothes and winter shoes!ā€ā€”HorpynchukĀ 

  • With the aid, ULC members have been able to help each other repair damage to homes after attacks.Ā 
  • In Kyiv, 90 people have joined the church and 30 more are taking catechism class. Ā 

ā€œPeople suffer and we continue to help them. We have about 150 new communicant members [throughout ULC churches] because of our humanitarian efforts, and about 100 more people are currently studying Luther’s Small Catechism. In addition, several hundred new people attend the church every Sunday without enrolling in catechism classes. We hope and pray the Word will not return empty in their case as well.ā€ā€”HorpynchukĀ 

ā€œGod’s Word provided us comfort and strength to live, resist the Russian invasion, and help thousands of suffering people around us,ā€ concluded Horpynchuk. ā€œPlease continue to pray for us and help us in time of our dire need. We are grateful to all WELS members and to the United States of America. God bless WELS! God bless America! Please pray that this war is finished soon!ā€Ā 

Read the entire, unedited update from Pastor Vyacheslav Horpynchuk.Ā 

 

 

 

Mission Marana: before the firsts

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 ā€œfirsts?ā€ 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: ā€œWhat if we just volunteered to serve in whatever way was needed?ā€ 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 ā€œMission Marana.ā€ 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!