Malawi means “flame” in the national language of the land, Chichewa. Certainly, the Holy Spirit’s fire can be clearly seen in the Lutheran Church of Central Africa – Malawi Synod (LCCA-MS). The first WELS missionaries arrived in Malawi in 1963. Since that time, the LCCA-MS has grown to about 40,000 members in 134 congregations served by 26 national pastors.

The WELS One Africa Team is currently working with the LCCA-MS to restructure its worker training program. In the past, pastoral students studied at the Bible Institute in Lilongwe for three years, and then another three years at the seminary in Lusaka, Zambia. In the future, each Synod – Zambia and Malawi – will have its own complete worker training program. Three WELS missionaries live in Lilongwe and serve the needs of our sister synod partners across Africa.

Learn more about WELS mission history in Malawi.

Fast Facts

• Congregations: 134
• Baptized national members: 38,000
• National pastors: 26
• National evangelists: 1
• Vicars: 8
• Students preparing for pastoral ministry: 9