Members support Vietnam outreach
In 2018, God's grace opened the door to an unprecedented mission opportunity for our synod. The communist Vietnamese government invited WELS to build a theological education facility in the capital…
Question and answer: Equipping Christian Witnesses: Part 3
In celebration of its 25th anniversary in 2020, Martin Luther College (MLC), with the approval of the Conference of Presidents, has begun a two-year capital campaign called “Equipping Christian Witnesses.”…
Shepherd of the Valley launch service
Nebraska Shepherd of the Valley, Candelas, Colo., held its official launch service on Oct. 6, 2019. Jeremy Belter, home missionary for Shepherd of the Valley, reports: “Every seat was filled.…
50th anniversary: Beautiful Saviour, Carlsbad, Calif.
Arizona-California Beautiful Saviour, Carlsbad, Calif., celebrated its 50th anniversary on Sept. 29, 2019. Pictured from left: Silas Krueger (previous pastor), Jon Mahnke (first resident pastor), Wayne Uhlhorn (current pastor), and…
Middle School Honors Band Festival 2019
Northern Wisconsin Fox Valley Lutheran High School, Appleton, Wis., hosted the third annual WELS Middle School Honors Band Festival on Nov. 16, 2019. Students from ten WELS high schools attended.
WELS Choralfest 2019
Northern Wisconsin The 2019 WELS National Choralfest was held Nov. 8-10, 2019, at Winnebago Lutheran Academy, Fond du Lac, Wis. It included a pops concert and a sacred concert with…
Pheng Moua: 20th anniversary in ministry
Minnesota Happy anniversary! MN—Immanuel Hmong, St. Paul, Minn., celebrated the 20th anniversary in the pastoral ministry of Pheng Moua.
Truck strikes Christ, North St. Paul, Minn.
Minnesota A semi-trailer truck crashed into Christ, North St. Paul, Minn., on Nov. 6, 2019. The driver misjudged the height of the portico. No one was injured.
Cross of Christ, North Nampa, Idaho, launches first service
Pacific Northwest Cross of Christ, North Nampa, Idaho, launched its first worship service in a local restaurant on Nov. 25, 2019. Cross of Christ is a multi-site congregation that is…
Messiah, Olympia, Wash., rededicates church
Pacific Northwest Messiah, Olympia, Wash., rededicated its church building on Aug. 4, 2019, after a fire destroyed the building in 2017.
WELS Connections: 2020 report highlights God’s blessings
“Your gifts, God’s blessings: An annual report to our members” is available in January. The 2020 report highlights the blessings that God has showered on WELS through the gifts of…
New president at Martin Luther College
Richard Gurgel has accepted the call to serve as president of WELS’ college of ministry, Martin Luther College (MLC), New Ulm, Minn. He will begin his new call on July…
Changes in East Asia mission field
The Board for World Missions has decided to pull the East Asia Team missionaries and families out of their focus country because of security concerns. The East Asia missionaries and…
Meet the editorial staff: Greg Lyon
Ever ask yourself, “Who are these people who write for Forward in Christ?” Through this series, you can find out. “I am incredibly fascinated by people and how their experiences—positive…
Meet the editorial staff: David Scharf
Ever ask yourself, “Who are these people who write for Forward in Christ?” Through this series, you can find out. David Scharf, professor at Martin Luther College (MLC), New Ulm,…
Question and answer about Equipping Christian Witnesses – Part 2
In celebration of its 25th anniversary in 2020, Martin Luther College (MLC), with the approval of the Conference of Presidents, has begun a two-year capital campaign called “Equipping Christian Witnesses.” The…
Lighthouse Youth Center opens third location
After every school day, Lighthouse Youth Center provides safe, encouraging, Christ-centered environments to children ages 10 to 18 in Milwaukee. Through its healthy outlets for recreation, consistent support for education,…
A front-row seat to WELS Waukesha campus ministry
Please Lord! Just send two or three college students to our gathering tonight. That was my initial prayer in September 2016 for my first campus ministry event held on the…
Book nook: Purposeful Grieving
One who is grieving is often challenged to find someone who relates to their situation, and Stacey Hoehl is able to offer connection through her writing. In her book Purposeful Grieving: Embracing God’s Plan in the Midst of Loss, Hoehl admits to tantrums and wrestling…
Insights into Lutheran leadership
WELS Congregational Services will host the WELS National Conference on Lutheran Leadership at the Sheraton Grand in Chicago on Jan. 21–23. Two of the presenters at that conference, Adam Mueller, pastor at Redeemer, Tucson, Ariz., and Luke Thompson, pastor at St.…
Wrapped in God’s comfort
Gabriella Blauert At the end of a long day, many enjoy burrowing beneath their blankets to receive rest and comfort. For some, a blanket or quilt can mean more than…
The Obadiah Lutheran Synod in Uganda has more than 700 baptized members in 11 churches, including these members or Nairika Lutheran Church.
Gospel outreach opportunities in Africa
Opportunities for gospel connections are flourishing across Africa. Christian groups in Uganda, Liberia, Mozambique, and more are learning about WELS and Lutheran doctrine and reaching out for fellowship. One of these church bodies, Lutheran Congregations in Ministry for Christ in Kenya, reached…
Question and answer about Equipping Christian Witnesses – Part 1
In celebration of its 25th anniversary in 2020, Martin Luther College (MLC), with the approval of the Conference of Presidents, has begun a two-year capital campaign called “Equipping Christian Witnesses.” The…
New partners in Christ through Convention
Representatives from church bodies in Kenya and Taiwan traveled a long way to be at the synod convention in Minnesota this summer—and not just in miles. Their journeys were very…
Lutheran Leadership Conference coming in 2020
WELS Congregational Services will host the first WELS National Conference on Lutheran Leadership at the Sheraton Grand in Chicago, Ill., Jan. 21-23. WELS Congregational Services works under the Conference of Presidents to help congregations…
Academia Cristo brings new opportunities to share the gospel
Academia Cristo began in 2015 with a primary goal to help people start churches in Latin America that faithfully preach and teach God’s Word. “We provide resources, and train and connect people to a network…
A summer of faith, fellowship and fun
This summer, WELS members have been blessed with countless opportunities to connect with others in fellowship and faith. Enjoy these photos and takeaways from some of the synod’s biggest summertime events! WELS EdTechLead Summit—June 25-27 About the event: The WELS Education, Technology, and Leadership Summit (EdTechLead)…
New Bible translation available – EHV
A new translation of the Bible—the Evangelical Heritage Version (EHV)—is now available from Northwestern Publishing House (NPH). More than one hundred people—pastors, professors, teachers, and laypeople—have been working on the translation since 2013,…
Being a welcoming congregation
As part of its Welcome Home initiative, WELS Congregational Services has released a series of videos to address some of the most common reasons Christians stop attending church and how to show love and minister to these members. Nate Bourman, pastor at Mount Lebanon,…
Learning about God’s timing
In April 2018, WELS Board for Home Missions approved funding for a new mission in Joplin, Mo. In May 2019, Jordan Bence was assigned to serve as the home missionary…
Congregational Services launches Welcome Home
“Welcome home.” It’s what one says to a spouse who’s been gone on a business trip or to a child who’s been away at school. With a new program from WELS Congregational…
New location for Northwestern Publishing House
Northwestern Publishing House (NPH) has moved. In May, it packed up its offices and relocated to its new home, the WELS Center for Mission and Ministry (CMM), the synod’s headquarters…
WELS World Missions updates
Vietnam In April, WELS leaders, including Mark Schroeder, WELS president; Larry Schlomer, World Missions administrator; Sean Young, director of Missions Operations; and Bounkeo Lor, Hmong Asia ministry coordinator, traveled to Vietnam to…
Moments with missionaries: Hendersonville, North Carolina
Paul E. Zell I was practicing my sermon on a recent Sunday morning when I got a phone call. Doris* wanted to confirm what time the service was. “I can’t come to church today,…
Spreading special ministries to Ethiopia
With many prayers, support from WELS members, and a partnership with WELS Special Ministries, the Lutheran Church of Ethiopia (LCE), WELS’ sister synod, is now the owner of a Braille embosser to help the many visually…
Let your light shine: Justman
When Herbert Justman, a member at Zion, Allenton, Wis., learned about the opportunity for WELS to establish a theological training facility for Hmong pastors in Hanoi, Vietnam, he said he…
WELS Mission Journeys: Short-term mission trips that inspire a lifelong journey of service and outreach
Escondido, California This past February, 11 members from Resurrection and Life, Rochester, Minn., traveled to Ascension, Escondido, Calif., to assist the congregation with local outreach. Together, they canvassed the neighborhoods of Escondido and San Marcos, Calif., sharing the gospel in nearly one thousand homes…
Audio: A new voice for WELS Daily Devotions
The audio version of the WELS Daily Devotions now features a new voice: Zach Steinke. Steinke is a senior at Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary (WLS), Mequon, Wis., with prior experience in…
Finding a spiritual home in Atlanta
Spenser hadn’t been to church in years. He found himself wandering in faith and unsure of his beliefs. Moving to the city of Atlanta had provided him with a great…
Hope after the storm in Puerto Rico
Rev. Timothy Satorius Three visitors! No big deal on some Sundays . . . lost in the crowd at some churches . . . a below-average turnout on many occasions.…
Novotny takes over for Jeske at Time of Grace
“Pastor Jeske leaves a legacy of teaching the Bible in a way that is accessible, interesting, and grace-centered,” says Mike Novotny, pastor at The CORE, Appleton, Wis. “The most frequent…
Moments with missionaries: Waukegan, Illinois
Two Cultures. One Ministry. Seth P. Haakenson I often tell people that the first thing they’ll say in heaven is not “Wow!”, but “Oh!” In other words, in heaven we’ll…
New Kids Connection segment can star your church or school
My School” is a special new segment of the monthly video news magazine Kids Connection. Each month, Kids Connection will visit a school or church to share a story of that organization’s unique ministry efforts in God’s kingdom.…
Book nook: Quick to Listen: Understanding Viewpoints that Challenge Your Faith
The very first sentence of the forward perfectly prepares the reader for this book: “This is not an easy book. You, dear reader, should know what you’ve gotten yourself in…
New mentoring program helps congregations reach those in need
What do you do when someone comes knocking on your door asking for help? That’s a question the pastors and several members of St. Paul’s, New Ulm, Minn., asked when people would stop at the…
Where are they now? Divine Savior Ministries
In Forward in Christ, we report the news but aren’t always able to follow up. “Where are they now?” is our way of giving you the rest of the story.…
The WLC Mission Journeys team to Arizona - David pictured third from left
Students put their faith into action
Not all college students are planning to lie in the sun or ski the slopes during their Spring Break this year. WELS Mission Journeys is working with campus ministries at several…
WELS EdTechLead conference to be held in 2019
The 2019 WELS Education, Technology, and Leadership Summit (WELS EdTechLead) will be held June 25–27 at the Kalahari Resort in Wisconsin Dells, Wis. This new event combines the National School…
Women’s ministry conference – being living stones
“You also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ” (1 Peter 2:5). The focal point of the upcoming 2019 WELS Women’s…
WELS members support Christmas outreach program – C18
Approximately 70 percent of WELS congregations participated in the synodwide Christmas outreach program known as C18. WELS Congregational Services created a myriad of materials for congregations to use to encourage…