New WELS mission work in Australia brings the gospel to growing communities

WELS has launched a new world mission effort in Australia. With a large focus on the country’s growing immigrant communities, two WELS missionaries and their families relocated to Brisbane, Queensland, in the summer of 2024 to plant the seeds of the gospel in a region that has been described as largely post-Christian. 

“People in Australia have asked us for help,” says Rev. Larry Schlomer, WELS World Missions administrator. “WELS members who moved there, brothers and sisters from Hong Kong, and longtime partners in Brisbane reached out. It is a joy to meet these needs with WELS missionaries.” 

Missionaries Rev. Dr. Matthew Doebler and Rev. Peter Janke, both members of the Asia-Oceania Team, are leading this effort. While they continue to work with contacts throughout Asia, their physical presence in Australia allows them to establish a firm foundation for ministry within local communities. They are collaborating with two existing churches in Australia: Our Redeemer Lutheran Church in Brisbane and Fountain of Life in Maryborough. These congregations, members of the Confessional Evangelical Lutheran Conference, provide vital connections and a foundation for expanding ministry efforts. This partnership strengthens the mission by providing existing worship spaces, local insights, and a community of believers eager to spread the gospel. 

Australia is highly diverse. “Nearly 30 percent of people here were born overseas,” Doebler explains. “Last year, over 500,000 new immigrants arrived. Many are searching for community and deeper meaning.” The missionaries are focusing on relationship-building as the first step in sharing the gospel. Their families have immersed themselves in the local culture, engaging in neighborhood activities, visiting community centers, and forming friendships through English-language programs. Simple interactions, like two little boys playing together, lead to ongoing relationships and opportunities to share the gospel. These small connections are how ministry begins. 

In addition to local work in the greater Brisbane area, WELS’ approach to ministry will model early Christianity—small gatherings of believers meeting in homes to study God’s Word and share in fellowship. The missionaries’ goal is to train and mentor local leaders to establish and lead house churches. This grassroots approach is already bearing fruit. In Melbourne, a new group has formed, including believers from diverse backgrounds.  

Though still in its early stages, the mission in Australia is making an impact. Through everyday interactions and steadfast commitment, the gospel is taking root, one soul at a time. “Wherever the gospel is deployed, the Lord is at work,” Schlomer notes. “We trust his Word will bear fruit.” 

Look for this month’s WELS Connection at your local congregation to learn more about mission work in Australia.

Christine Doebler, wife of Missionary Doebler, shares the importance of family ties when serving in a mission field in this month’s edition of Forward in Christ magazine.