WELS missionaries served the Confessional Evangelical Lutheran Church of Albania for about 13 years between 1995 and 2008. Sometimes missionaries were able to live and work on field, and other times unrest forced evacuations and missionaries were only able to make brief visits. From 2008-2021, the Europe Administrative Committee, Missionary Luke Wolfgramm, and the Pastoral Studies Institute (PSI) made periodic visits to Albania. In March 2022, Missionary Wolfgramm settled with his wife in Durres, Albania, to provide onsite training and support for the Albanian church. Learn more about WELS mission history in Albania.  

Currently two national pastors serve the Confessional Evangelical Lutheran Church of Albania, Mikel Bishka and his son, Nikolla Bishka (pictured above). The Albanian church has two congregations, one in the capital city of Tirana and another in the port city of Durres. Another man, Adriatik Molla, is just beginning seminary training. The men work together to serve the 80 members and reach out with the gospel. 

Fast Facts

• Congregations: 2
• Baptized members: 80
• National pastors: 2
• Seminary students: 1
• In Romans 15:19, Paul speaks of preaching everywhere from Jerusalem to Illyricum, the ancient name for the region now known as Albania.
• The ancient road known as the Via Egnatia runs from Istanbul to Durres. Paul traveled a portion of this road during his missionary journeys.