A joyful embracing

Photo Mark Schroeder wearing green vest with cross — WELS President Mark Schroeder | PHOTO by Mel Anne Designs

The Confessional Evangelical Lutheran Conference (CELC) is a fellowship of 35 member churches from around the world joined by a common commitment to the Scriptures and the Lutheran Confessions. At the end of May, the CELC gathered for its triennial convention in Lusaka, Zambia. There, 22 of the 35 member churches met to hear theological essays, to worship, and to renew personal relationships that have been formed since the founding of the CELC in 1993.

This was the first CELC convention to be held in Africa. Holding the CELC convention there is fitting and appropriate. This continent has more Lutherans than any other. It might surprise you to know that there are 30.7 million Lutherans in Africa, compared to 5.3 million in North America and 30.2 million in Europe.¹ While the vast majority of African Lutherans are not in fellowship with WELS and the CELC, it does remind us that Lutheranism is fairly well-known on the continent and the number of African churches seeking to become more confessional is growing rapidly. Church bodies in Kenya and Ethiopia have joined the CELC in recent years. At this convention, two more were accepted as members, and others are in the process of joining. As of now, nine African church bodies have full membership.

Thomas Nass, who completed his service as CELC president at this convention, summarized the purpose and blessings of a convention such as this: “I look for two things [at this convention]: a joyful embracing of God’s Word and the good news of salvation in Jesus Christ, and a joyful embracing of like-minded brothers and sisters in the faith from around the world. We are here because we have all confessed faith in Jesus Christ as the Savior of the world, and we have professed allegiance to the teachings of God’s Word as they are presented in the Lutheran Book of Concord of 1580.”

At the convention, confessional Lutheran churches from around the world gathered to encourage one another and to share the many ways that God is blessing the worldwide mission he has given us to carry out. Some of these churches were formed independently more than a century ago. Some began as missions of WELS or the Evangelical Lutheran Synod and have now become independent. Some are churches that began as part of liberal Lutheran church bodies and have left those church bodies to form their own confessional Lutheran church bodies.

The challenges CELC churches face are many and real. They may be political in nature, with governments imposing restrictions and limitations. They may be cultural, where churches struggle to share the message of the gospel in places that are vigorously opposed to it because of local traditions and religions. They may be challenges of financing, a lack of worship facilities, and the pressing need for trained pastors. But at this convention, we were reminded that, regardless of the challenges, we do this work together and with the strength that God provides through the power of his Word and promises.

It was an amazing event, one that everyone who attended will remember as a sure sign of God’s continued blessing on the work he has called us to do.

Learn more about the CELC Convention and those who attended.