LCMS missionaries heed call to Africa as number nearly triples

By Roger Drinnon

As the Holy Spirit rains down on Africa, the LCMS has answered the call by placing nearly triple the number of missionaries there since 2013.

The Rev. Dr. Alan Ludwig, a theological educator serving as a missionary in Siberia, Russia, teaches class Nov. 13, 2014, at Mekane Yesus Seminary in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. The LCMS seeks to fill the need for more theological educators and English as a foreign language teachers in Africa this year. (LCMS/Erik M. Lunsford)

“Back in 2013 the numbers in Africa were very low, but since that time we will have gone from about 8-10 missionaries up to almost 30 by the end of this summer,” said the Rev. Dr. Edward Grimenstein, associate executive director of the Synod’s Office of International Mission (OIM). “God is being very gracious to the believers in Africa, and the LCMS is playing a huge role. The church has heard God’s call to serve in Africa, and believers from the LCMS are listening to that call, deliberating it, and many are answering.”

As Africa missionaries remain crucial to the spread of the Gospel and continued growth of LCMS partner churches there, Grimenstein said many more opportunities are available this year.

“For this upcoming year, LCMS Missionary Recruitment is looking to fill an additional 50 missionary slots in Africa,” he said. “These positions include theological educators, church planters and evangelists, as well as [English as a foreign language] teachers, outreach coordinators for Lutheran schools, health-education specialists, volunteer coordinators and some other positions.”

In keeping with 2013 LCMS convention Resolution 1-11, the LCMS Board for International Mission (BIM) recently announced the Synod is more than halfway toward the goal of doubling its number of career missionaries overall, as it approaches 105 career missionaries, up from 68 in July 2013. Details of the board’s Jan. 30-31 meeting in St. Louis are available here.

The timing is appropriate, as more and more people in the Global South, especially in Africa, are hearing and believing the Gospel amid what the BIM referred to as a mission “renaissance.”

“Africa needs the Gospel now more than ever,” said Grimenstein. “It is truly wonderful to have the church hear Christ’s call for missionaries, prayerfully consider and then be called to serve on the field. The LCMS has indeed heard this call and has answered with a resounding, ‘Yes! Send me!’ ”

Roger Drinnon (roger.drinnon@lcms.org) is manager of Editorial Services for LCMS Communications.

Posted March 6, 2015