Reaching every nation
The synod’s new long-range plan, entitled “Christ through us,” has four main priorities. One of those four involves bringing Christ to the nations through our world mission efforts. Rev. Larry Schlomer, administrator of WELS World Missions, provides the following summary of how we plan, under God, to carry out those efforts in the next ten years.
Serving with you in Christ,
WELS President Mark Schroeder
Christ through us: Commission
As part of Christ’s church on earth, we believe that God has commissioned us as his ambassadors, sending us out with a purpose: to proclaim the saving message of Jesus Christ to every nation under heaven. Through us, Christ reaches the nations.
Reflecting on 175 years of grace-filled ministry in WELS, we are filled with gratitude for the countless lives transformed by the gospel. WELS now has working partnerships with churches and missions in 49 countries around the world.
Yet, the mission is still unfinished. With renewed urgency and prayerful confidence in Christ, we look to the future, asking God to continue using us to reach lost souls with his Word of salvation.
Borderless support network
To expand the reach of the gospel, we are forging a borderless support network, built on international ministry partnerships.
Read more about WELS’ partnership with a new Latin American synod (scroll to the bottom to “A growing sister church”).
A global missionary force
Historically, WELS has sent missionaries from the United States to plant the gospel in new lands. This model has borne much fruit, but the present reality demands more workers than ever before. The solution lies in empowering pastors and evangelists from our global sister churches. These leaders are uniquely equipped to bring the gospel to their own people, cultures, and regions.
Read more about Juan Reyes, a new church planter in Tenancingo, Mexico, who learned not only what God’s Word teaches but also how to share it through Academia Cristo.
Confessional Lutheran seminaries
As the gospel gains ground in new regions, emerging Lutheran church bodies recognize the need for seminaries grounded in the authority of Scripture and the clarity of the Lutheran Confessions. Our goal is to establish confessional Lutheran seminaries in key global locations.
See recent graduates from Asia Lutheran Seminary, a confessional Lutheran seminary located in Hong Kong.
Multi-language mission efforts
By producing and translating gospel resources, training materials, and worship aids, we aim to make God’s Word accessible to all people, regardless of their language.
Missions in high-risk and unreached areas
Despite progress, vast regions of the world remain unreached, places where sharing Christ’s love is not only challenging but sometimes dangerous. Our vision is to pioneer WELS missions in these difficult contexts, working diligently to identify and develop approaches tailored to each unique situation.
Read more about how WELS is sending missionaries to share the gospel with two unreached people groups: the Wolof people of Senegal in West Africa and the Hindi-speaking population of India.
With hope, humility, and boldness, we entrust our efforts to the Lord of the harvest, confident that he will accomplish far more than we could ever ask or imagine. This is Christ through us!
Adapted from “Christ through us: Commission,” Forward in Christ, December 2025.
