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International Lutheran Council (ILC)

By Mathew Block

Bishop Hans-Jörg Voigt, former ILC Chairman, honoured with Festschrift

by | Mar 21, 2023

SELK Bishop Hans-Jörg Voigt (Photo: The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod/Erik M. Lunsford. Used with permission.)

GERMANY – The International Lutheran Council’s (ILC) former Chairman, Bishop Hans-Jörg Voigt of the Independent Evangelical Lutheran Church in Germany (Selbständige Evangelisch-Lutherische Kirche – SELK), has been honoured with a Festschrift to mark his 60th birthday in 2022.

The Festschrift was formally presented to Bishop Voigt on December 19, 2022, during which time the book’s dedicatory hymn—”I Will Be Present, Says the Lord,” written by Rev. Kurt Reinhardt of Canada and sung to the Luther melody “Von Himmel hoch”—was also premiered. Rev. Dr. Burkhard Neumann of the Johann Adam Möhler Institute for Ecumenism—one of the contributors to the volume—served as keynote speaker for the event.

The Festschrift features contributions in English and German, and is entitled Dienst an der Kirche durch Wort und Sakrament: Theologie und Kirche in konfessioneller und ökumenischer Verantwortung [“Service to the Church Through Word and Sacrament: Theology and Church in Confessional and Ecumenical Responsibility”]. Serving as editors for the book were Werner Klän and Michael Schätzel.

“This book is a tribute to Bishop Dr. Hans-Jörg Voigt on the occasion of his 60th birthday,” the editors write in the book’s foreword. “The honouree deserves recognition and thanks for his many kinds of service in the church and her congregations, especially for acting (and reacting) in a worship-centered manner, for his thoughtful commitment to the value of confessional Lutheran positions–within the church and ecumenically–, and for his incisive statements and expressions of a decidedly Lutheran way to practise the faith.”

Dienst an der Kirche durch Wort und Sakrament.

“When preparing this commemorative publication, it was important for us to do justice to the diverse tasks—and gifts—of Bishop Hans-Jörg Voigt,” the foreword also notes. Reflecting the diversity of Bishop Voigt’s impact, the contributors to the book come from a wide variety of nations and church backgrounds: from within the SELK in Germany; internationally, from within the International Lutheran Council; and from other church traditions who have come to know Bishop Voigt through his confessional ecumenical work.

The essays themselves are grouped into six categories: the Word of God; the Ministry of the Church; the History of the Church; Church Teaching; Church Practice; and the Relationship between Church and Society. Also featured in the book are two pieces of writing in German by Bishop Voigt himself: a 2011 pastoral letter entitled “Discovering Marriage and Family as Gifts of God” and a 2015 lecture entitled “Bringing the Reformation to the World: The Means of Grace” (these texts are available in English online here and here).

Among the book’s contributors are three current and former members of the ILC’s Board of Directors who worked alongside Bishop Voigt during his tenure as Chairman. These include: FELSISA Bishop Dieter Reinstorf of South Africa (“The Corona Pandemic and Jesus’ Parable of the Sower: A Personal Tribute”); LCMS President Matthew C. Harrison of the United States (“Scripture and Office in Sasse’s Argument on Women’s Ordination”); and LCC Past President Robert Bugbee of Canada (“The ILC: Coming of Age”).

Other contributions in the volume are by: Jorg Christian Salzmann; Thomas M. Winger; Gerson L. Linden; Achim Behrens; Karl Hinrich Manzke; John R. Stephenson; Mareile Lasogga; Horst Gorski; Jobst Schöne; Norbert Denecke; Robert Kolb; Armin Wenz; Werner Klän; Christian Neddens; Friedrich Hauschildt; John W. Kleinig; Burkhard Neumann; Martin Evang; Christoph Barnbrock; Jürgen Kampmann; Michael Schätzel; Andrea Grünhagen; Diethardt Roth; and Stefan Süß.

The book is available from Edition Ruprecht.

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ILC board gathers in Illinois, meets with local Lutherans

by | Mar 10, 2023

ILC board members take part in a choral evening prayer service at St. John’s Lutheran Church in Wheaton, Illinois.

USA – In early February 2023, the International Lutheran Council held board meetings in Chicago and Wheaton, Illinois, during which time board members also spoke at a number of events in the area.

Board meetings took place February 3-4, with members discussing new membership applications; next steps in ecumenical relations with the Roman Catholic Church; and planning for the World Seminaries Conference (tentatively scheduled for June 2024 in Argentina). The board also began looking forward to plans for the 2025 World Conference.

ILC Chairman Juhana Pohjola speaks to Chicago-area Lutherans during a fireside talk at St. John’s Lutheran in Wheaton, Illinois.

The first day of meetings were held on the campus of Concordia University Chicago (CUC), where board members joined the university community for chapel. During a lunch with students and faculty, ILC Chairman Juhana Pohjola, Bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Mission Diocese of Finland, presented on the situation his own church faces in Finland, as well as on the work of the International Lutheran Council. Following his talk, other members of the board also spoke to the students and faculty.

The second day of meetings took place at St. John’s Lutheran Church in Wheaton, Illinois. Later in the day, St. John’s also hosted a “fireside talk” with ILC Chairman Pohjola, with members of numerous Chicago-area Lutheran churches in attendance. The evening culminated in a choral evening prayer service entitled “For the Future of the Church and the Life of the World.” Rev. Dr. Scott A. Bruzek of St. John’s served as liturgist and Rev. Dr. Patrick Bayens of CUC preached. Mr. Peter Sovitzky of St. John’s served as cantor. The ILC’s General Secretary, Rev. Dr. Timothy C.J. Quill, and Chairman Pohjola served as lectors. Members of the ILC board were also vested for the service.

Archbishop Joseph Omolo (Evangelical Lutheran Church in Kenya) joins a local Illinois congregation (St. Peter Lutheran Church in Arlington Heights) for Sunday morning service.

On Sunday, February 5, those ILC board members and officers who were present attended worship at various Lutheran churches in the Chicago area, where they preached during Divine Service. In total, eleven congregations welcomed ILC board members and other representatives, with the preachers hailing from Canada, Finland, Ghana, Kenya, Paraguay, the Philippines, and the United States. Members also had the opportunity to speak with congregants about the work of the International Lutheran Council as well as their own individual church bodies.

“A key aspect of this round of meetings was engagement with the local church,” said ILC General Secretary Quill. “It was a privilege to welcome ILC members from across the globe to visit with local congregants and to share the work their church bodies are doing in service of the Gospel both individually and collectively as part of the International Lutheran Council.”

Chairman Juhana Pohjola and other ILC representatives greet congregants after a choral evening service at St. John’s Lutheran (Wheaton, Illinois.)

“The ILC is more than just leaders of our member church bodies,” Dr. Quill noted. “The work we do depends on the prayerful support of individual church members across the globe. It was wonderful to witness that partnership in action during our visits with local congregations and the Concordia University Chicago community in Illinois.”

The International Lutheran Council is a global association of Lutheran church bodies, dedicated to proclaiming the Gospel of Jesus Christ on the basis of a shared-commitment to the authority of Scripture and the Lutheran Confessions.

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New District Bishop Elected for SELVD in Tanzania

by | Mar 6, 2023

ELCT-SEVLD Bishop Elect Yohana Ernest Nzelu.

TANZANIA – The South East of Lake Victoria Diocese of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Tanzania (ELCT-SELVD) held its General Assembly from December 9-10, 2022 at its Tumani Bariadi congregation, during which time the district elected a new bishop: Rev. Dr. Yohana Ernest Nzelu

“I congratulate Dr. Nzelu on his election as bishop,” said Rev. Dr. Timothy Quill, General Secretary of the International Lutheran Council (ILC). “It’s been a joy to see our relationship with the ELCT-SELVD grow over the past number of years, and we look forward to continued cooperation in the future. May God bless Dr. Nzelu with every good thing in Christ as he begins this new work on behalf of the South of East Victoria Diocese.”

Bishop Elect Nzelu was elected to a ten-year term. Prior to the election, he served the ELCT-SELVD as Assistant to the Bishop. Ordained fifteen years ago, he also served as a District Pastor for eight years and as headmaster at Mwadui Lutheran Secondary School for ten years. He earned his doctorate from Concordia Theological Seminary (Fort Wayne, Indiana) in 2021.

ELCT-SEVLD Bishop Elect Yohana Ernest Nzelu.

Bishop Elect Nzelu succeeds Bishop Emmanuel Joseph Makala, who was the ELCT-SELVD’s first bishop.

Also elected was Rev. Dr. Daniel Henry Mono, who will serve as Assistant to the Bishop for a four-year term. Dr. Mono previously served as District Pastor at Kahama.

“I am so excited about having them both on board,” noted outgoing ELCT-SELVD Bishop Makala. “The new leadership have years of experience and have clearly demonstrated their essential skills in leadership positions.”

The consecration of Bishop Elect Nzelu and the installation of Dr. Mono as Assistant to the Bishop will take place on April 30, 2023 at Ebenezer Cathedral in Shinyanga.

The ELCT-SELVD holds membership as a recognized organization in the International Lutheran Council, a global association of confessional Lutheran churches.

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Spanish Lutheran bishop passes on to glory

by | Mar 2, 2023

Former IELE Bishop José Luis de Miguel.

SPAIN – On February 14, 2023, Rev. José Luis de Miguel of the Spanish Evangelical Lutheran Church (Iglesia Evangélica Luterana Española – IELE) entered into glory. Rev. Luis was the first Spanish-born pastor to lead the Lutheran church in Spain—a role in which he served until shortly before his death when his health declined due to cancer.

Bishop Luis studied for the pastoral ministry at Seminario Concordia El Reformador in the Dominican Republic. He was ordained in 2017, after having first been made a deacon in 2012. In 2020, he was named the Spanish church’s first bishop, although the consecration could not take place until 2021 because of the pandemic.

In addition to serving the church, Rev. Luis also worked for the Spanish Association Against Cancer.

After Bishop Luis became ill, the Spanish church held an extraordinary convention on February 4, 2023 to elect a new leader. Rev. Felipe Lobo Arranz was selected to guide the church as president during this time of transition.

In a video address to the church following Bishop Luis’ death, President Lobo noted that the news had been very hard for the church. Expressing his condolences to the former bishop’s wife and children, President Lobo went on to say that the whole church “remembers him fondly, knowing that we will soon see each other again—that soon we will all be together with Christ, where [Bishop Luis] is right now, watching Him and contemplating Him.”

IELE President Felipe Lobo Arranz.

President Lobo encouraged members of the church to take comfort in the knowledge of the resurrection, pointing them to the promises of God in 1 Corinthians 15. “The reality of life is certain; the reality of death is certain,” he said. “But just as true is the reality of resurrection.”

Those who know Christ, President Lobo said, can look forward in hope to eternal life with Christ: “Remember that death has been defeated by Jesus Christ on the cross of calvary.”

The IELE grew out of mission efforts of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Argentina (IELA), which was later supplemented by missionary support from The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod (LCMS). Today the Spanish church has four congregations and, following the death of Bishop Luis, three Spanish-born pastors, as well as the support of one LCMS missionary.

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Lutherans in Australia and New Zealand decline women’s ordination but raise future possibility of “one church, two practices”

by | Feb 21, 2023

AUSTRALIA – From February 9-12, 2023, the Lutheran Church of Australia and New Zealand (LCANZ) gathered in Melbourne, Australia for in-person sessions of its General Synod, during which time the church again declined a resolution calling for the ordination of women. However, a day later the church accepted a separate proposal to study the possibility of creating “one church with two different practices of ordination.”

The gathering in Melbourne was the continuation of a General Synod which first began in October 2021, but in-person sessions were delayed until this year because of the pandemic.

The first resolution was debated on February 10, and saw the church vote on whether to alter church teaching to allow the ordination of women. The vote required a 2/3 majority, which it failed to achieve. In total, 59 percent of delegates voted in favour of the change (203 for; 136 against; 3 abstentions).

The LCANZ’s Bishop Paul Smith encouraged continued “prayer for the Lord’s guiding hand on His church” as it continues to wrestle with this subject.

This was the church’s fifth vote on women’s ordination since 2000, with all failing to receive the required 2/3 majority to change church teaching (votes took place in 2000, 2006, 2015, 2018, and now in 2023). In a release, the LCANZ notes that the practice of ordaining men only was included in the Theses of Agreement which the LCANZ’s two predecessor church bodies accepted in 1966 as part of their decision to unite.

Following the February 10 vote on women’s ordination, the LCANZ adopted a separate proposal on February 11, which calls on the synod to examine the possibility of creating “one church with two different practices of ordination.” Because this proposal was to examine the possibility, rather than to change church teaching at this time, it required only a simple majority, which it achieved (250 for; 89 against; 1 abstention).

“Synod directed that work be done to outline how one church with two ordination practices might function,” notes the LCANZ in another release, “such as one or more existing LCANZ districts becoming districts that teach and practice the ordination of both women and men to the office of the public ministry, or by establishing a non-geographical LCANZ ‘district’ that does so.” The results of that examination are to be presented for discussion at the church’s 2024 General Pastors Conference in the lead up to the next convention of General Synod.

“We are grateful that the LCANZ has again declined the practice of women’s ordination, which is contrary to Holy Scripture and historic Christian teaching,” said Rev. Dr. Timothy Quill, General Secretary of the International Lutheran Council (ILC). “However, the proposal to examine the possibility of creating ‘one church with two different practices of ordination’ is disconcerting and will sow the seed of confusion and discord. We pray that the church’s discussion will ultimately conclude in favour of one church with one practice of ordination—namely, the biblical position that ordination is only open to men.”

The Lutheran Church of Australia and New Zealand is an associate member of the International Lutheran Council, a global association of confessional Lutheran church bodies. In keeping with the teachings of Scripture, the ILC does not accept the ordination of women to the pastoral ministry, encouraging women to serve the church in other ways.

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Sri Lankan Lutherans consecrate first bishop, seek ILC membership

by | Feb 16, 2023

Participants at the consecration of CELC Bishop Arulchelvan.

SRI LANKA – On October 9 2022, the Ceylon Evangelical Lutheran Church (CELC) consecrated its first Bishop, Rev. Arumanayagam Arulchelvan. Approximately 200 members from across the church were present for the event.

The consecration was conducted by Archbishop Joseph Omolo of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Kenya (ELCK), joined also by ELCK Bishops Kispin and Titus. Archbishop Omolo, who also serves as the Africa Region Representative for the International Lutheran Council (ILC), expressed great satisfaction at being able to participate in the event, noting “it was a good opportunity for the Africa region to have fellowship with the Asia region in same-saying the faith and strengthening one another in the Lord.”

ECLK Archbishop Joseph Omolo consecrates CELC Bishop Arulchelvan.

Also present for the consecration were representatives of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod (LCMS), including the church’s Sri Lanka Mission Manager, Rev. Steven Mahlburg, and Regional Director for Asia, Rev. Charles Ferry.

The consecration was the culmination of a long process for the CELC. Plans for the election and consecration of a bishop were initially planned for May 2020, with the ELCK’s Archbishop planning to attend at that time. But the outbreak of civil unrest, in addition to the effects of the pandemic and an economic crisis, led the church to delay its Diocesan Assembly several times.

On September 27, 2022, the church was finally able to hold its Diocesan Assembly, gathering in Colombo. Representatives from every congregation in the church, along with CELC’s pastors and lay evangelists, formally ratified their new constitution and elected Rev. Arulchelvan to be their new bishop. They also elected a Diocesan Council.

CELC Bishop Arulchelvan (centre front) and LCMS Sri Lanka Mission Manager, Rev. Steven Mahlburg (front right), pose with the newly elected Sri Lankan church’s Diocesan Council in September 2022.

The CELC also voted to seek membership in the International Lutheran Council (ILC). The Sri Lankan church previously held membership in the ILC but its membership lapsed in recent years as it attempted to restructure itself. CELC also voted to seek altar and pulpit fellowship with the LCMS, with whom it has historic ties.

The history of Lutheran missions in Sri Lanka, go back more than 150 years but the CELC traces its particular history to 1958 when Rev. James Fergin, an LCMS missionary from India, arrived to minister to Tamil workers in Sri Lanka’s tea plantations. This eventually led to the formation of the Lanka Lutheran Church in 1978.

In 1983, civil war broke out Sri Lanka—war which would last for 26 years and put significant pressure on the church. The Lanka Lutheran Church’s government registration subsequently lapsed in the mid-2000s, though the church itself continued to function.

A few years after the civil war ended in 2009, the LCMS began to send resident missionaries to Sri Lanka again, helping the church to reconstitute itself. The church eventually obtained new government registration in 2017 under its new name: the Ceylon Evangelical Lutheran Church.

Today, the CELC has about 15 congregations and mission stations; four ordained pastors; five lay evangelists; and an approximate membership of 2,000 people. The vast majority of people in the country are Buddhist, with Christians making up just over seven percent of the population, meaning outreach can be difficult. Historic tensions between Tamil and Singalese people in the country also create challenges.

The LCMS’ Sri Lanka Mission Manager, Rev. Mahlburg, encourages Lutherans across the world to remember the Ceylon Evangelical Lutheran Church in prayer. “Though they’re small in numbers, there is a core group of Christians in Sri Lanka that are committed Lutherans,” he says. “They are proud of their heritage and are struggling to carry out the ministry there and reach out to people as they are able.”

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Education celebrations in Benin and Kenya

by | Feb 13, 2023

The Lutheran Church in Africa-Benin Synod celebrates the ordination of two new pastors. Photo:  Emmanuel Lekoto.

AFRICA – Two Lutheran church bodies in Kenya and Benin are celebrating recent events related to seminary education.

The ELA-SBe ordains two new pastors. Photo:  Emmanuel Lekoto.

On November 19, 2022, the Lutheran Church in Africa-Benin Synod (Église Luthérienne en Afrique—Synode du Bénin – ELA-SBe) celebrated the ordination of two new pastors—Revs. Aris D. Agbessi and Prudence T. Lekoto—during a service at Resurrection Lutheran Church in Abomey-Calavi. Both took their theological training at the Lutheran Centre for Theological Studies (Centre Luthérien d’Études Théologiques – CLET) in Dapaong, Togo. CLET is the seminary of the Lutheran Church of Togo (Église Luthérienne du Togo – ELT).

The ELA-SBe is a young church body in Benin, and the ordination of two new pastors brings the church’s total number of pastors to three. The church serves approximately 400 members in three congregations.

Meanwhile in Kenya, on January 28, 2023, the seminary relations committee of the Evangelical Lutheran Conference and Ministerium of Kenya (ELCMK) celebrated the receipt of several boxes of books for their library. The books will play an important role in ensuring a strong confessional education for Lutherans in the ELCMK.

The ELCMK’s seminary relations committee celebrates new books for their library.

The books were a gift from the Lutheran Heritage Foundation (LHF)—an American organization associated with The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod (LCMS)—which has translated and provided Lutheran books for use in more than 145 languages in 90 countries across the world.

The Lutheran Church in Africa-Benin Synod is a full member of the International Lutheran Council, while the Evangelical Lutheran Conference and Ministerium of Kenya is an observer member. The ILC is a global association of confessional Lutheran church bodies dedicated to the authority of Scripture and the Lutheran Confessions.

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Lutherans in Turkey ask for prayer following devastating earthquake

by | Feb 7, 2023

A collapsed building in Diyarbakır, Turkey (VOA).

UPDATE (February 21, 2023): Another large earthquake hit Turkey on February 20, leading to additional death and destruction. As of this update, more than 47,000 people have been confirmed dead in Turkey and Syria following the first earthquakes on February 6. The ILC urges continued prayer for the people of Turkey and Syria, and invites readers to contact their local church body for additional information on ways to support victims.

TURKEY – The Istanbul Lutheran Church (İstanbul Luteryen Kilisesi – ILK) is requesting prayer following a catastrophic earthquake on February 6, 2023 which has left parts of Turkey and Syria devastated.

As of this publication, more than 6,000 people are confirmed dead and tens of thousands are injured, but officials warn that number will continue to rise. Thousands of buildings have collapsed, and rescuers are facing a race against time and freezing temperatures to save survivors. Countless people have been left homeless, and critical infrastructure has been destroyed. The World Health Organization estimates that upwards of 23 million people have been affected by the earthquake and subsequent aftershocks.

In response to the tragedy, the head of the Istanbul Lutheran Church, Rev. Bahadir Argönûl, is calling for urgent prayer. Some of his congregation have lost family members and many are among those affected by the disaster. “We thank the Lord that our brother, his wife, and their daughter, were saved from the earthquake,” he says. “We request prayers for them and for the tens of thousands of others who are in a similar situation, lacking shelter and daily necessities.”

“Pray for those who are working to help those who are still trapped under collapsed buildings that many might still be saved,” ILK Pastor Argönûl continued. “May the Lord have mercy on all those who suffer and provide comfort for those who have lost loved ones. And may all this strengthen our faith in Jesus Christ.”

The International Lutheran Council’s Chairman, Bishop Juhana Pohjola of the Evangelical Lutheran Mission Diocese of Finland (ELMDF), is also calling on the international Lutheran community to remember Syria and Turkey in prayer. The ELMDF has close ties to the Istanbul Lutheran Church. “We are witnessing enormous human suffering in Turkey and Syria,” Bishop Pohjola noted, “and we offer our deepest condolences to those who have lost loved ones.”

“We pray for those who have been injured and those who have seen their homes and livelihoods destroyed. Even when the television cameras have moved on to other places, we know that our Lord Jesus Christ and His words of mercy and hope will remain. We pray for the Istanbul Lutheran Church and her witness, that many will receive true comfort in Christ, through whom we find life and salvation. ‘God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear though the earth gives way, though the mountains be moved into the heart of the sea’ (Psalm 46:1-2).”

Lutheran ministry in Turkey first began in 1709 but came to a hiatus in the late 19th century. In 1999, Lutherans living in Istanbul came together to form a congregation. Rev. Risto Soramies—who would go on to serve as the ELMDF’s first bishop—was eventually called to serve as the Istanbul congregation’s first pastor (he had previously served a Turkish-speaking congregation in Germany). Today the Istanbul Lutheran Church has congregations in Istanbul and Izmir, Turkey, as well as Turkish-speaking congregations in Peshtera and Krushevo, Bulgaria.

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Lutherans in Congo celebrate ILC membership, open theological training centre

by | Jan 31, 2023

The Church of the Faithful Confessing Lutherans in Congo holds a divine service in Kananga on January 8, 2023.

CONGO – The Church of the Faithful Confessing Lutherans in Congo (Église de Fidèles Confessants Lutheriens au Congo – EFCLCO) held special events on January 8, 2023 to celebrate the church’s recent acceptance into the International Lutheran Council (ILC) as well as the church’s official opening of a theological training centre.

The day began with a Divine Service marking Epiphany, with EFCLCO Bishop Ilunga Kendi Evariste preaching on Matthew 4:18-25. The bishop proclaimed that Christ, the Light of the World, had come to those in the city of Kananga, Congo, though they had long been in darkness and sin. Following the example of the people of Naphtali and Zebulon, the Kanangese have also been invited to praise God for the gift of His Son to the world, he said. That God had given His Son to the world is one thing, Bishop Ilunga noted, but that Kanangese people themselves should receive this gift in faith is another. Motivated by the Holy Spirit at work in the Word, the Kanangese can welcome the light, confessing that even their faith is not their own doing.

The service also saw the baptism of two children by Rev. Serge Bamba Kapita and the celebration of the Lord’s Supper, with Bishop Ilunga presiding.

Celebrating the baptism of a child.

On this day, the EFCLCO also announced to members its acceptance into the International Lutheran Council as an observer member. The announcement garnered great applause and celebration. Bishop Ilunga went on to explain to members and visiting church leaders what the ILC stands for and its mission to equip confessional Lutherans across the world to faithfully proclaim the Word of God and the Good News of Jesus Christ.

The day also saw the official opening of the church’s Lutheran Centre of Theological Education and Apprentice (CLET&A/Kananga) in Kananga—an event which reinforced the Gospel text for the day, which features Jesus calling the disciples Peter, Andrew, James, and John to be His followers and fishers of men.

The centre is now operational, providing a Theological Education by Extension program based on educational materials from The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod (LCMS). The operating model is mobile in nature, allowing the program to move from one congregation to another.

At the same time, the EFCLCO’s work in translating Lutheran resources such as the Lutheran Confessions, the catechisms, a hymnal, and liturgies is continuing well. In this respect, the church expresses gratitude to the Lutheran Heritage Foundation for its support. The teaching of modern languages such as English as French to prepare students for further theological education is also planned.

“We pray and invite others to pray with us that  God will make it possible to grow this centre into  a formal Bible school,” said Bishop Ilunga, “and ultimately into a permanent theological seminary for the formal training of pastors in both EFCLCO and other churches in Congo. May God use it to empower leaders in various ways to fit and serve the needs of the church.”

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First graduates for Lutheran Leadership Development Program

by | Jan 12, 2023

Following the commencement service. The four graduates—President/Bishop John Donkoh, General Secretary Teshome Amenu, Deputy Bishop Helmut Paul, and Bishop Emmanuel Makala—pose in front, along with other participants in the LLDP, some of the LLDP’s teaching faculty (Dr. Collver, Dr. Masaki, Prof. Pless, Dr. Quill), and Dr. Carl Rockroah (Zion Lutheran in Ridgeville Corners, Ohio and former LCMS missionary to Ghana, South Africa, and Ethiopia).

USA – The Lutheran Leadership Development Program (LLDP) celebrated its first commencement ceremony following its most recent session November 8–19, 2022 in Troy, Illinois. The ceremony took place November 17 at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Troy.

Dr. Masaki speaks during the commencement ceremony.

“It is a great joy to recognize the accomplishment of the first graduates of the Lutheran Leadership Development Program,” said Rev. Dr. Naomichi Masaki, LLDP Director. “I commend them for their achievement of this Certificate of Theology in Lutheran Leadership, because, despite their demanding ministry context as church leaders back home, they have been diligent in their studies and have accomplished the goals for which the program was created. I pray the Lord of the church to continue to bless them as He uses the confessional Lutheran theology and practical skills that they have acquired in the LLDP in the service of ecclesial leadership in their home church bodies.”

Four graduates were awarded the Certificate of Theology in Lutheran Leadership on behalf of the International Lutheran Council (ILC). In addition to completing coursework on church leadership in various areas, each also wrote a graduation thesis as a culminating exercise. Each was provided a thesis advisor from the LLDP teaching faculty. Their theses were approved by the advisor as well as Dr. Masaki who served as a reader for all four theses. The graduates include:

  • President/Bishop John Donkoh (Evangelical Lutheran Church of Ghana – ELCG) – Thesis: “Why are Some Hermeneutical Approaches Problematic, Even When Using the Bible?: A Consideration of the Proper Principles of Biblical Interpretation.” (Advisor: Rev. Dr. Charles Gieschen, Provost of CTSFW)
  • Bishop Emmanuel Makala (South East of Lake Victoria Diocese, Evangelical Lutheran Church in Tanzania – SELVD-ELCT) – Thesis: “The Dodoma Statement: An Evaluation of the Position Statement of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Tanzania Regarding Same-Sex Marriage.” (Advisor: Rev. Dr. Albert B. Collver III, former ILC General Secretary)
  • Deputy Bishop Helmut Paul (Free Evangelical Lutheran Synod in South Africa – FELSISA) – Thesis: “According to our Lutheran Confessions, Is Confession and Absolution—be it in a Corporate Service or Private Confession with the Pastor—a Prerequisite for Receiving the Lord’s Supper?” (Advisor: Rev. Prof. John T. Pless, CTSFW).
  • General Secretary Teshome Amenu (Ethiopian Evangelical Church Mekane Yesus – EECMY)– Thesis: “An Analysis of the 1969 Agreement on the Integration Policy between the Mission Partners and the EECMY in the Light of Augsburg Confession, Article VII.” (Advisor: Rev. Dr. Albert B. Collver III, former ILC General Secretary)

Participant Response

The four graduates. From left to right: President Donkoh (ELCG), Deputy Bishop Paul (FELSISA), General Secretary Amenu (EECMY), and Bishop Makala (SELVD-ELCT).

The graduates praised the knowledge and skills they had learned as a result of the program. “I’m privileged to be among the first batch of students who successfully completed the LLDP,” noted President/Bishop John Donkoh of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Ghana. “This program has been an eye opener for me in many ways. Lutheran churches around the world, particularly in Africa, need assistance in leadership and theological education, particularly in leadership development for current and future leaders in the areas of Lutheran identity and confessions.”

“It is my prayer and hope that this program will continue and that more church leaders on the continent would have such opportunities to acquire leadership training,” said President Donkoh, who was also elected in 2022 to serve as secretary of the International Lutheran Council.

Deputy Bishop Helmut Paul of the Free Evangelical Lutheran Synod in South Africa said that the LLDP provided him time to reflect on concrete problems and challenges in his home church. “It was of an immense value to have had opportunities to discuss and collaborate with professors and esteemed colleagues about their solutions,” he noted.

Bishop Emmanuel Makala of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Tanzania’s South East of Lake Victoria Diocese reflected that the LLDP was “an overwhelming experience.” “The quality and contents of the program were deep and practical,” he explained. “It exceeded my expectation. I enjoyed everything—except for cold weather, frequent cancellation of flights and jet lags, and deadline pressure for assignments!”

LLDP participants visit with President Tom Egger during a trip to Concordia Seminary in St. Louis, Missouri.

General Secretary Teshome Amenu of the Ethiopian Evangelical Church Mekane Yesus concurred with his colleagues on the benefits of the LLDP. He also remarked that another big benefit of the program was the connections made with leadership of other Lutheran church bodies. “Getting to know them and becoming friends can never happen by meetings,” he said. “We are not isolated. Together we are committed and pledged to exercise confessional leadership in our Lutheran churches in Africa. Particularly meaningful was the fact that selected individuals represented the largest Lutheran church bodies around the world.”

“For me, the LLDP was the best program I have ever attended for higher theological studies,” General Secretary Amenu continued. “The program has already started to impact my church body in a special way. We have now designed a leadership capacity development project in which we train leaders of our church at all levels: head office, synods, parishes, and congregations.”

Additional students from the first cohort of students in the LLDP are expected to complete their studies in 2023, when the LLDP will welcome a new group of students into the program.

During the commencement, letters of congratulations from ILC Chairman Juhana Pohjola (Bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Mission Diocese of Finland), as well as from LLDP Council member, President Dr. Lawrence Rast of CTSFW, were also read.

Christ, Not Leaders, Sustains His Church

Rev. Dr. Albert B. Collver III gives the commencement address.

Serving as commencement speaker for the event was Rev. Dr. Albert B. Collver III, who helped to found the program during his tenure as General Secretary of the ILC. “As leaders of the church, the task in front of you can seem overwhelming,” he said to the graduates. “You may not feel up to the task. Politics within your church can seem daunting or even make you wonder if the church even exists in this place or if these people around me are Christians.”

“You have been placed where you are to serve your Lord and your church, to be His instruments to guide and lead His church in the way of the Gospel,” he continued. “Jesus has promised you that He will never leave you nor forsake you. But He also has not given you the task to save His church. Jesus is the Saviour of His people. Jesus is the Saviour of His Church.”

“We do not bear that burden,” Dr. Collver stressed. “He has not given us that burden to bear. Yet graciously our Lord Jesus still gives us the privilege to work and serve in His church where He uses us according to His own purpose. Yet the responsibility is His to protect and guard and preserve the church here on earth. He calls us to remain faithful to His confession, to study His Word, and to serve Him where He has called and placed us. There is great comfort in knowing that the Lord makes use of us though we are not responsible for the future of the church. The future of the church belongs solely to Jesus.”

As Dr. Masaki conducted the commencement, he also recounted the history of the program, discussed its Student Learning Outcomes, and expressed his gratitude to the LLDP Council, ILC, and other supporters of the program, especially Concordia Publishing House (CPH), Concordia Theological Seminary in Fort Wayne, Indiana (CTSFW), and The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod (LCMS). The LLDP is a program of the ILC initiated in partnership with CPH, CTSFW, and the LCMS, and the ILC is grateful for the support of all its partners in this important endeavor.

Studies in the LLDP

Commencement Day at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Troy, Illinois, during a break from the thesis forum. Left to right: Dr. Bruce Kintz, former President and CEO of Concordia Publishing House; Dr. Timothy Quill, ILC General Secretary; Dr. Yohana Nzelu, Assistant Bishop (Bishop Elect) of South East of Lake Victoria Diocese, Evangelical Lutheran Church in Tanzania (SELVD-ELCT); Dr. Daniel Mono, District Pastor (Assistant Bishop Elect) of SELVD-ELCT; Dr. Emmanuel Makala, Bishop of SELVD-ELCT; Rev. Helmut Paul, Deputy Bishop of Free Evangelical Lutheran Synod in South Africa (FELSISA); Rev. Teshome Amenu, General Secretary of Ethiopian Evangelical Church Mekane Yesus (EECMY); Rev. John Donkoh, President/Bishop of Evangelical Lutheran Church of Ghana (ELCG); Rev. Modise Maragelo, Bishop of Lutheran Church in Southern Africa (LCSA); Dr. Bruk Ayele, President of Mekane Yesus Seminary (EECMY); Dr. Denis Rakotozafy, President of Malagasy Lutheran Church (FLM); Rev. Mandla Thwala, Deputy Bishop of LCSA; Tsegahun Assefa, Former Director of Children and Youth (EECMY); Dr. Albert Collver, Pastor of St. Paul’s Lutheran Church and School, former General Secretary of ILC; and Dr. Naomichi Masaki, Director of LLDP, Professor of Concordia Theological Seminary, Fort Wayne (CTSFW).

The LLDP is a graduate-level program of the ILC dedicated to equipping confessional Lutheran leaders around the world with the theological and practical knowledge necessary to effectively serve their church bodies.

The first cohort of students accepted into the program all hail from Africa, and began their studies in 2019. The program has seen participants gather for studies in Wittenberg, Germany; Fort Wayne, Indiana; and Troy, Illinois.

Courses and their instructors included:

Dr. Albert Collver and Dr. Naomichi Masaki led chapel and taught classes during the November 2022 sessions. Dr. Collver, with the members of St. Paul’s in Troy, were gracious hosts, as Dr. Masaki presided over the commencement ceremony.
  1. Theology of the Lutheran Confessions – Rev. Dr. Naomichi Masaki (LLDP Director, CTSFW)
  2. World Lutheranism and the Ecumenical Movement – Rev. Dr. Albert Collver (ILC General Secretary)
  3. History of the Lutheran Church – Rev. Dr. Lawrence Rast (CTSFW)
  4. Lutheran Hermeneutics – Rev. Dr. Charles Gieschen (CTSFW)
  5. Ecclesial and Organizational Leadership – Archbishop Dr. Christian Ekong (LCN)
  6. Responding to Contemporary Issues and Neo-Pentecostalism – Rev. Prof. John Pless (CTSFW)
  7. The Lord’s Supper – Rev. Dr. Naomichi Masaki (LLDP Director, CTSFW)
  8. Liturgy and Lutheran Hymnody – Rev. Dr. Timothy Quill (ILC General Secretary)
  9. Strategic Planning and Task Management – Rev. Dr. Jeffrey Skopak (Grace Lutheran Church and School, Jacksonville, Florida)
  10. Budgeting and Financial Accountability – President Dr. Roger Paavola (LCMS, Mid-South District)
  11. The Office of the Holy Ministry – Rev. Dr. Naomichi Masaki
  12. Lutheran Mission, Ecclesiology, and Ecumenism – Rev. Dr. Albert Collver

The program has also seen the publication of three books through Concordia Publishing House during the period of the first cohort:

  • Charles Schaum and Albert Collver, Breath of God, Yet Work of Man: Scripture, Philosophy, Dialogue, and Conflict.
  • Christian O. Ekong, Strengthening Integrity and Accountability in Church Leadership.
  • Victor C. Pfitzner, Led by the Spirit: How Charismatic is New Testament Christianity?

The LLDP plans to publish additional monographs on such topics as strategic planning and accountability in biblical stewardship.

LLDP Support

LLDP participants meet with Dr. Joel Lehenbauer, Executive Director of the LCMS Commission on Theology and Church Relations, and Dr. Rick Serina, Associate Executive Director, during a visit to The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod’s International Center in St. Louis, Missouri.

You can support the work of the Lutheran Leadership Development Program by making a donation online. You can also mail a donation by cheque to:

International Lutheran Council
PO Box 10149
Fort Wayne, Indiana 46850 USA

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