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ILC welcomes church in DR Congo into membership

by | May 6, 2025

DR CONGO – The International Lutheran Council (ILC) has received the Confessional Evangelical Lutheran Church of Congo (Église Évangélique Luthérienne Confessionnelle du Congo – EELCC) as an observer member. The decision came during a meeting of the ILC’s Board of Directors on January 30.

“We are delighted to welcome the EELCC into membership in the International Lutheran Council,” said ILC General Secretary Detlev Schulz. “And we look forward to deepening our relationship in the years to come. May God bless the ministry of the EELCC, as it proclaims the good news of Jesus Christ in the Democratic Republic of Congo.”

EELCC President Emile Dongo

The EELCC is led by President Emile Dongo. In applying for membership of the ILC, the church noted its desire to “safeguard its confessional position” and strengthen its links with confessional Lutherans worldwide.

The history of the Confessional Evangelical Lutheran Church of Congo dates back to the 1970s, when Rev. Emile Dongo—then the head of a district of Baptist pastors in Zaire (today called the Democratic Republic of Congo)—contacted the Evangelical Lutheran Church – Synod of France (Église Évangélique Luthérienne – Synode de France – EEL-SF) to pursue higher theological education. After completing studies through the EEL-SF’s Centre d’Études Théologiques in Châtenay-Malabry, Rev. Dongo was ordained a Lutheran pastor and returned to Zaire to work alongside Lutherans there.

The EELCC (then called the Église Évangélique Luthérienne Confessionnelle du Zaire) was formally established in 1989. After a period of union with other another church body in DR Congo, the EELCC withdrew in 2019 as a result of the other church’s decline from Lutheran doctrine in such as areas as infant baptism. Today, the EELCC has five pastors and ten congregations.

The International Lutheran Council is a global association of confessional Lutheran churches which proclaim the Gospel of Jesus Christ, grounded in the authority of Scripture and the Lutheran Confessions.

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ILC encourages prayer for DR Congo

by | Feb 4, 2025

DR CONGO – The International Lutheran Council is encouraging prayer for the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) following hostilities in the eastern part of the country which have left at least 900 people dead, and more than 2,900 wounded.

“We encourage Christians around the world to remember the people of the eastern DRC in prayer,” said Rev. Dr. Detlev Schulz, General Secretary of the International Lutheran Council. “The death and destruction in the area is horrific. We pray for an end to the hostilities; the protection of the endangered; the well-being of the displaced; and the comfort of all who mourn. Lord, have mercy.”

M23 rebels, with support from Rwanda, launched a new assault in eastern DRC in early 2025. Over the past weeks, rebels have seized control over a large area, culminating at the end of January with the seizure of Goma, the capital city of North Kivu Province. Numerous civilians have been killed in the conflict, and there are reports of horrific atrocities against civilians, including women and children.

Even before the latest assaults, more than 700,000 displaced people lived near Goma, having fled earlier clashes between rebels and DRC troops in the east.

The Evangelical Lutheran Church in East Congo (CELCE) has a significant number of members in the affected area. CELCE Bishop Herman Kashaba calls the situation “not only dramatic but apocalyptic,” and has invited the prayers of Christians around the world for the region.

The ILC also has contacts with Lutheran church bodies in other regions of the Democratic Republic of Congo. “We pray for our Lutheran brothers and sisters throughout the DRC, and for all who are suffering in in this terrible situation,” said ILC General Secretary Schulz. “May Christ be present among His people with His mercy even in the midst of war.”

The International Lutheran Council is a global association of Lutheran church bodies and groups, 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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