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The ILC’s 2025 World Conference in Brief

by | Sep 29, 2025

Participants in the ILC’s 2025 World Conference.
ILC General Secretary Klaus Detlev Schulz and the new board of directors: LCC President Timothy Teuscher (North America), SLM President Omar Garza Martínez (Secretary), IELP President Alceu Alton Figur (Latin America), ELMDF Bishop Juhana Pohjola (Chairman), LCU Bishop Charles Bameka (Africa), and LM-A President Matt Anker. Archbishop Rinalds Grants was unable to attend in person.

PHILIPPINES – The International Lutheran Council (ILC) held its 28th (13th) triennial World Conference took place September 14-19, 2025, in Panglao, Bohol, Philippines. In total, more than 130 people representing more than 60 different church bodies and 55 nations participated in the event.

During the conference, Bishop Juhana Pohjola of the Evangelical Lutheran Mission Diocese of Finland (ELMDF) was reelected as chairman of the ILC. Bishop Pohjola was first elected to the position in 2022 during the ILC’s World Conference in Kenya. Elected or reelected to serve alongside Chairman Pohjola were:

  • Africa – Bishop Charles Bameka (Lutheran Church of Uganda)
  • Asia – President Matt Anker (Lutheran Mission – Australia)
  • Europe – Archbishop Rinalds Grants (Evangelical Lutheran Church of Latvia)
  • Latin America – President Alceu Alton Figur (Evangelical Lutheran Church of Paraguay)
  • North America – President Timothy Teuscher (Lutheran Church–Canada)
  • Secretary: President Omar Garza (Lutheran Synod of Mexico)
Representatives of church bodies received as full members during the ILC’s 2025 World Conference. Pictured are ILC Chairman Juhana Pohjola, FLM Bishop Denis Rakotozafy, CLCMS President Davis Robert Wowa, LM-A President Matt Anker, ELCK Bishop Alexander Burtsev, ILK/ELCB representative Rev. Mikko Tiira, and ILC General Secretary Klaus Detlev Schulz.

The conference also saw six observer member churches received into full membership in the ILC: the Confessional Lutheran Church – Malawi Synod (CLCMS); Lutheran Mission – Australia (LM-A); the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Kazakhstan (ELCK); the Istanbul Lutheran Church (ILK)/Evangelical Lutheran Church of Bulgaria (ELCB); the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Haiti (ELCH); and the Malagasy Lutheran Church (FLM).

Unity in Christ

Rev. Dr. Thomas M. Winger.

The theme for the ILC’s 2025 World Conference was “Unity in Christ: Confession and Cooperation in a Fragmented World.” The keynote speaker for the event was Rev. Dr. Thomas M. Winger of St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada, who gave a three-part presentation entitled “The Spiritual Temple,” focused on Ephesians 2:11-22.

The conference also featured several sessions with a regional focus, including an Asia Regional Focus on Shamanism and Syncretism; a Latin America Focus on migration; and an African Regional Focus on the charismatic movement. The ILC’s General Secretary, Rev. Dr. Klaus Detlev Schulz, gave a presentation entitled “Affirming Constants in an Everchanging World,” and the conference also heard presentations on history, Bible translation, and Christian publishing.

On the final day of the ILC’s world conference, participants adopted two statements: one on the Nicene Creed and the other on unity in Christ. The first of these—An Affirmation of the Nicene Creed—was adopted in light of this year’s anniversary commemorations of the Council of Nicaea. The second statement adopted—Unity in Christ and His Gospel—reflects on the theme of this year’s ILC World Conference.

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Full news from the ILC’s 2025 World Conference can be found here.

2025 World Conference: ILC Regional Representatives Panel

by | Sep 19, 2025

ELCE Chairman George Samiec, LCP President Antonio del Rio Reyes, LCU Bishop Charles Bameka, IELP President Aceu Alton Figur, and LCC President Timothy Teuscher.

PHILIPPINES – On Wednesday afternoon, the regional representatives on the International Lutheran Council’s (ILC) board of directors held a question-and-answer panel during the 2025 World Conference.

The ILC’s Europe Representative, Chairman George Samiec of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of England (ELCE), chaired the discussion, in which he was joined by Asia representative, President Antonio del Rio Reyes (Lutheran Church in the Philippines); Latin America representative, President Alceu Alton Figur (Evangelical Lutheran Church in Paraguay); and North America representative President Timothy Teuscher (Lutheran Church–Canada). Bishop Charles Bameka (Lutheran Church of Uganda), Secretary of the ILC board, participated in place of the Africa Representative.

The panelists answered a number of questions, including questions about ILC member churches holding membership in other international organizations; what communication is like between churches in each region; regional challenges; and the joys each region experiences.

The day concluded with regional meetings.

Thursday Events

LCP President Antonio del Rio Reyes preaching.

The conference continued on Thursday, beginning with a service of matins led by LCP Vice President Felipe Ehican. LCP President Antonio del Rio Reyes was the preacher, speaking on Luke 7:36-50.

The story under discussion, President Reyes said, involves two sinners: a woman who knew she was a sinner, and a Pharisee who did not. “The woman’s sin was a public scandal,” he noted, “while Simon’s was hidden beneath a layer of self-righteousness. But in God’s eyes, both had a massive debt.”

“We are all tempted to be like Simon, comparing ourselves to others, thinking we are good enough and judging others as ‘worse’ than us,” President Reyes continued. “But the truth is, we are all sinners. We are all like the woman—with a debt we can never repay. But the good news is that Jesus has already paid it…. He came to declare to you, just as He did to the woman, ‘Your sins are forgiven.’”

This “forgiveness of God in Christ” serves as a “powerful unifying force,” President Reyes concluded, and it, “with the help of the Holy Spirit, moves and compels us to be united—to proclaim this forgiveness and to cooperate with one another as we live out our redeemed Christian life in this fragmented world.”

The famous Chocolate Hills—currently green—in Bohol.

The rest of Thursday saw participants get a chance to stretch their legs and learn more about Bohol’s history, culture, and natural beauty, including by: visiting historic churches in the region; enjoying live music and traditional dances during lunch; a visit to a tarsier conservation site; and an excursion to the famous Chocolate Hills of Bohol.

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For more news from the ILC’s 2025 World Conference, click here.

2025 World Conference: Unity in the Spiritual Temple

by | Sep 16, 2025

Participants in the International Lutheran Council’s 2025 World Conference in the Philippines. (Photo: T. Winger).

PHILIPPINES – The third day of the International Lutheran Council’s (ILC) 2025 World Conference began with a service of Matins, with Lutheran Church in the Philippines (LCP) Vice President Felipe Ehican serving as liturgist and Lutheran Church–Canada (LCC) President Timothy Teuscher serving as preacher.

LCP Vice President Ehican looks on as LCC President Teuscher preaches during the 2025 World Conference. (Photo: T. Winger).

In his sermon, President Teuscher reflected on the “noble task” of the office of the holy ministry (1 Timothy 3:1) in light of the day’s Gospel reading: Luke 7:11-17. In this story of Christ raising the widow of Nain’s dead son to life again, President Teuscher said, “we are given a wonderful picture of what He has done for the entire world of unclean, dying people—what He has done for each and every one of us who by nature are dead in our trespasses and sins.”

“But do you know what?” he continued. “Even here and now Jesus this very thing for people who by nature are dead in their trespasses and sins…. And how does He do this? Why, through those who have been placed into the office of the holy ministry—the ministry of reconciliation.” And just as the people who saw Jesus’ miracle spread the report throughout Judea, so too “overseers, pastors, bishops” are called “to spread this report about Jesus who are still walking in that procession of death.”

The Spiritual Temple

The morning continued with the third and final presentation on the “Spiritual Temple” by keynote speaker, Rev. Dr. Thomas M. Winger. On the first day, Dr. Winger spoke about the “Pagan Temple.” On the second day, he compared the Spiritual Temple to the Old Testament Temple. This final day he devoted to an exploration of the Spiritual Temple itself and the unity we enjoy through it as Christians, focusing especially on Ephesians 2:14.

In Ephesians, Dr. Winger said, Paul is “deeply concerned with the relationship between God’s chosen people, Israel, and the rest of the world, that is the Gentiles.” And “Paul’s chief response to this disunity”—which has been exacerbated by the news that Paul had been arrested for his mission to the Gentiles—“is to point them to their common Baptism.”

Rev. Dr. Thomas M. Winger presents the final section of his keynote address.

“One might distil the letter’s major theme,” Dr. Winger said, in this way: “all those who have been joined to Christ by Baptism into His death and resurrection have not only been reconciled to God the Father, but have also been united with one another in His Body, the Church.” This leads ultimately to “the heart of the letter” and its “urgent appeal to Christian unity.”

“This imperative—to maintain the unity of the Spirit—is an appeal to what later Lutheran dogmaticians will call the concordia of the church, the outward harmony towards which we strive,” Dr. Winger continued. “But the foundation of that appeal, in Paul’s thinking, is the unitas, the true essential unity, that the church already possesses on the basis of a common Baptism and a sharing of the same spiritual gift of grace.” The true unity of the church, then, is the work of God, not something we create.

Paul points “to the cross itself as the location of reconciliation between Jews and Gentiles,” Dr. Winger explained. “He ‘has made both one.’ He has ‘created the two into one man’ because in His flesh Christ includes both all Israel and all the Gentiles…. Because Christ took both parts of the human race to the cross, both are equally redeemed. He carried both peoples in His own body on the cross, killing the hostility between them by reconciling them both to God and drawing them both into Gods presence.”

“They have been built into a new Temple,” Dr. Winger said, “and incorporated as members of Christ’s own body. They are one Church.”

ILC Chairman Juhana Pohjola thanks Dr. Winger for his presentations at the ILC 2025 World Conference.

Paul’s decision to describe the Church as a new Spiritual Temple has implications for us today, Dr. Winger said, and our demonstration of the unity we enjoy through Christ. This is particularly true of worship in the church. Dr. Winger noted that, while Martin Luther encouraged “freedom from the legalistic use of worship practices in the mediaeval church,” he also encouraged uniformity in worship practice among churches within the same territory. Today, however, “territories are no longer the limit of travel for modern people,” Dr. Winger noted, “who easily and often move from end of the country to another, or even to another country.” In a world like this, he continued, “can the commonality of our liturgy foster a unity, a concordia, among churches with a common confession?”

Dr. Winger further asked the conference “to consider how Paul’s appeal to a common Baptism and a common worship to unite Jews and Gentiles throughout the ancient world might be instructive for our Lutheran church scattered across lands and languages.” “Is the Christian faith anchored to culture,” he asked, “or does it transcend it?” And how then can the “divine service reflect the heavenly nature of the Christian Church?”

The Treasure of History

The morning continued with two presentations on the value of history. Rev. Dr. Jonathan E. Shaw, the Director of Church Relationsfor The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod, presented on “The Purpose and Meaning of History.”

Rev. Dr. Jonathan E. Shaw speaks during plenary discussion at the ILC’s 2025 World Conference.

“Understanding the purpose and meaning of history is essential for us as Christians,” Dr. Shaw said. “We must honour history, remember history, and understand its purpose and meaning in the incarnation and atonement of the Son of God. But up front, we have to realize that this view of history runs against western, liberal culture.”

Dr. Shaw went on to trace changing views of history through the ages of Rationalism and Modernism into our present age of Post-Modernism and its “eroded” understanding of history. But “the true importance of history can only be realized in Christ,” Dr. Shaw said. “He is the eternal Son of God, the Lord of history, the purpose and meaning of history. All history is from Him, points to Him, and is fulfilled in Him.”

“Christianity is true not because it has a coherent theology—you can create coherent ideologies—but because the eternal Son of God has created history, poured Himself into history, and reconciled sinners to the Father in history,” Dr. Shaw continued. “This means that history matters. Christ is the Lord of history—yesterday, today, and forever.”

Following Dr. Shaw’s presentation, Rev. Dr. Daniel N. Harmelink presented on the importance of “being faithful keepers of the Lord’s redeeming work among us.” Dr. Harmelink is Executive Director of Concordia Historical Institute (CHI).

The church today faces “the constant temptation to forget our redeemed history,” Dr. Harmelink said. “Our old, unbelieving nature can do nothing but neglect and forget and discount the unexpected, abundant blessings of redemption God showers on his pitiful, hopeless people.” But if we neglect God’s blessings, if we neglect His Word and Sacraments, then—as Luther says—the rain-shower of God’s grace will pass to other lands.

Rev. Dr. Daniel N. Harmelink speaks during the 2025 World Conference. (Photo: T. Winger).

For this reason, Dr. Harmelink said, the Scriptures tell us that “blessed are those who hear the Word of God and keep it.” And ‘keep’ does not mean ‘obey,’ he continued. It means to “to honour and treasure it.” Dr. Harmelink traced the chronicling work of people like Adam, Moses, Joshua, and others as they were called to keep God’s Word “before the eyes and in the ears of both young and the elderly… so that true faith would be strengthened, and hope and joy and thanksgiving would flourish.”

“In gratitude and thanksgiving” then for God’s great mercies, “we cannot but set up our own” memorials “as witnesses to the coming generations of Christ’s unmerited deliverance among us,” Dr. Harmelink said. To that end, he noted, CHI works to “preserve and proclaim Christ’s redeeming work among ‘Book of Concord’ Lutherans.”

“We would love to partner with you in responsibly retrieving, preserving, organizing, and sharing the redeemed history of which we have been made stewards,” he told the convention. CHI can share resources to help churches establish archival guidelines; handbooks for the preservation and digitization of historical resources; and give access to CHI’s own holdings from around the world.

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For more news from the ILC’s 2025 World Conference, click here.

2025 World Conference: Asia Regional Focus on Shamanism and Syncretism

by | Sep 16, 2025

Presenters in the Regional Focus on Syncretism in Asia: Rev. Dr. Jun-Hyun Kim, Rev. Henry Paul D. Roa, and Rev. Michael Hauser. (Photo: T. Winger).

PHILIPPINES – The afternoon of the second day of the International Lutheran Council’s (ILC) 2025 World Conference saw attendees turn to regional issues, with a panel of presentations from Asia.

The theme for the Asia Regional Focus was “Syncretistic Blends Affecting Lutheran Churches in Asia: The Examples of Shamanism, Sorcery, and Albularyo.” The presenters included Rev. Michael Hauser, an Australian missionary to Papua New Guinea; Rev. Dr. Jun-Hyun Kim, Interim President of Luther Theological University in South Korea; and Rev. Henry Paul D. Roa, President of the Lutheran Church in the Philippines’ South Luzon District.

After defining shamanism and sorcery, Rev. Hauser provided insight into the situation in Papua New Guinea, with special focus on the issue of “Sanguma.” “False accusations of ‘sanguma’ or sorcery for selfish reasons” have become a serious problem within Papua New Guinea, he noted, leading to horrific violence: in the past 20 years, according to a study by the ANU College of Asia and the Pacific, more than 600 people have been reported killed and another 340 wounded in mob-violence. But the real numbers are expected to be much higher, with “attacks often involving whole communities and involving gruesome torture and humiliation,” Rev. Hauser said.

“One wonders, quite rightly, how Christians could be involved in such attacks,” Rev. Hauser noted. The irony is that the attempt to rout out such alleged sorcerers is itself riddled with syncretistic tendencies. Christians rely on “self-professed seers who operate under the guise of ‘prayer warriors’” to identify these supposed sorcerers, Rev. Hauser said. While the government has attempted to criminalize this practice, more must be done by churches themselves, Rev. Hauser noted, to treat the root causes of the issue. Christians mission must be more willing to say, “This is idolatry, and is not Christian,” Rev. Hauser said, and bring to bear its own rites like excommunication—perhaps even of entire communities for a time—to lead those responsible to repentance.

Dr. Kim, meanwhile, spoke on the “enduring influence of Korean shamanism within the life and practice of Korean Christianity.” This has led Korean Christians to adopt several shamanistic attitudes, he noted. As a result of this syncretism, he said, “many believers treat worship as a ritual performance for receiving blessings rather than as an act of obedience and communion with God.” Everyday believers neglect “personal responsibility for faith,” entrusting their destiny instead to church leaders who are treated more like “quasi-magical figures,” replacing the shamans of old. This results in an “undue reliance” on external rituals or works like “church attendance, offerings, or revival meetings as an automatic means of receiving blessing.” Likewise, “shamanism’s emphasis on fate has influenced many Christians to view life events as predetermined, leading to passivity and resignation rather than active discipleship.” This focus on achieving blessings for oneself has led to reduced missionary zeal.

“While Christianity once opposed such folk beliefs, many believers have unconsciously absorbed shamanistic ideas into their faith,” Dr. Kim concluded. “This syncretism manifests in transactional prayer, dependence on church leaders, and fatalistic resignation. Today, “the challenge for Korea Christianity is to resist this distortion by preserving the Gospel’s purity—emphasizing salvation, covenantal blessing, and ethical discipleship”—and by “rooting itself firmly in the message of Jesus Christ.”

Rev. Roa then spoke on the situation in the Philippines. “Syncretism is common in the Philippines,” he noted, with the blending of Christianity and pagan practices becoming “a normal and acceptable spiritual practice” for many. He noted, for example, the common practice of seeking assistance from an “albularyo” or medicine man. Modern medical care can be expensive, he noted, so many—including Christians—seek out these traditional healers. But for the albularyo, “every disease is connected with sin” and “offending the spirits.”  The offered cure, then, “is all about appeasing an angry god/spirit.” Yet Christians are put at ease because the albularyo will often incorporate a Christian prayer as well.

There are numerous other instances of syncretism present in the Philippines, Rev. Roa noted, with many focused on seeking prosperity—for example, by superstitious customs at weddings like pinning money to the married couple while they dance and the placing of coins near doors and windows. Other rituals are secretly done to ward off death. For example, church members will sometimes secretly break a glass when the body of a dead person is removed from the church following a funeral. “The effect of this blended spirituality—Christianity and paganism—is a false sense of Christianity and a false faith,” Rev. Road concluded. “The church has the great responsibility to proclaim the Word of God in its purity, and to be clear and brutally honest that Christianity mixed with pagan practice is not Christianity.

Following the presentations, attendees participated in an open question and answer period with the panel, with members noting that while the specifics may differ, the issue of cultural and religious syncretism is one that many countries face.

Translating the Word of God

Lutheran Bible Translators presents during the ILC’s 2025 World Conference. (Photo: T. Winger).

The afternoon continued with a presentation by Lutheran Bible Translators (LBT), a Recognized Organization of the International Lutheran Council. LBT’s Director of Partnerships and Scripture Engagement highlighted how, over the history of LBT, the organization has work to make God’s Word accessible in 223 languages, including 135 currently—work which it accomplishes in partnership with local church leaders. That total includes 48 milestone projects (translations of the New Testament and full Bibles), as well as lectionaries, liturgies, Bible apps, audio Bibles, and more.

Bishop John Donkoh of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Ghana (ELCG) then joined LBT’s representative for a discussion about the work of the organization. In the course of that discussion, Bishop Donkoh was presented with the first copy of the full Komba Bible—a project that the church in Ghana has been working with LBT on for 22 years. The two noted that a translation project like this one is a huge undertaking. The Komba language, for example, had never been written down before; before translation could begin, the language had to be studied, a writing system developed, and literacy taught so the Komba people could read and write their own language.

The day concluded with participants breaking into regional groups for continued conversation.

The ILC is grateful to Lutheran Bible Translators for providing today’s translation equipment.

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For more news from the ILC’s 2025 World Conference, click here.

ILC’s 2025 World Conference begins

by | Sep 14, 2025

ILC Chairman Juhana Pohjola preaches during the opening service of the ILC’s 2025 World Conference in the Philippines. Photo: T. Winger.

PHILIPPINES – The International Lutheran Council’s (ILC) 28th (13th) triennial World Conference opened September 14, 2025, in Panglao, Bohol, in the Philippines. The theme for this year’s conference is “Unity in Christ: Confession and Cooperation in a Fragmented World,” drawing on 2 Corinthians 4:13. The conference runs until September 19.

The conference began with a service of Matins, with Vice President Felipe Ehican of the Lutheran Church in the Philippines (LCP) serving as liturgist. The ILC’s Chairman, Bishop Juhana Pohjola of the Evangelical Lutheran Mission Diocese of Finland (ELMDF), preached a sermon entitled “The Beautiful and Life-Giving Cross,” based on John 3:13-17.

Christ bore the ugliness of sin upon the cross for sinners, Bishop Pohjola assured his audience: “Whatever ugliness is in your life—whatever shame, whatever poison of unbelief, bitterness, and ingratitude you have brought to this beautiful island—all was laid upon Christ…. For Christ’s sake, the Cross is a sign of salvation for you.”

That cross—and our universal need for it—becomes then also the source of our unity as Christians. Reflecting on the convention theme, he explained: “When we speak of unity in the Church at this conference, we do not merely mean sharing concerns about human rights and equality issues, or what we all might oppose or support in cultural battles, or even sharing the name ‘Lutheran.’”

“We are not speaking of ideological togetherness but of Christian unity—unity found and given around the Cross,” he continued. “The closer we are to the Crucified, the closer we are to one another.”

From Many Nations

LCP President Antonio del Rio Reyes and ILC General Secretary Klaus Detlev Schulz address the convention. Photo: T. Winger.

Following the opening service, the ILC’s General Secretary, Rev. Dr. Klaus Detlev Schulz, welcomed participants to the conference. He also expressed thanks to LCP President Antonio del Rio Reyes and his wife Arlene for their hard work in preparing for the conference, as well as to all the other members of the Lutheran Church in the Philippines for hosting the event.

President Reyes, who also serves as the Asia Region Representative on the ILC’s Board of Directors, also welcomed participants to the Philippines, saying it was a privilege for the ILC’s Asia World Region to host the event.

Convention participants take part in the convention’s opening worship service. Photo: T. Winger.

In total, more than 130 people representing more than 60 different churches are in attendance at this year’s conference. That includes representatives of ILC member churches as well as guests invited to attend this year’s conference.The full list of nations and churches present at this year’s conference include:

  • Argentina – Evangelical Lutheran Church of Argentina
  • Australia – Lutheran Mission – Australia
  • Belgium – Evangelical Lutheran Church in Belgium
  • Benin – Lutheran Church in Africa – Synod of Benin
  • Bolivia – Christian Evangelical Lutheran Church of Bolivia
  • Brazil – Evangelical Lutheran Church of Brazil
  • Burundi – Hope Evangelical Lutheran Church in Burundi
  • Cambodia – Cambodia Lutheran Church
  • Canada – Lutheran Church–Canada
  • Chile – Confessional Lutheran Church of Chile
  • Cöte d’Ivoire – Lutheran Church in Africa – Synod of Cöte d’Ivoire
  • Democratic Republic of Congo– The Church of the Faithful Confessing Lutherans in Congo
  • Ethiopia – Ethiopian Evangelical Lutheran Church
  • Finland – Evangelical Lutheran Mission Diocese of Finland
  • France – Evangelical Lutheran Church – Synod of France
  • Germany – Independent Evangelical Lutheran Church
  • Ghana – Evangelical Lutheran Church of Ghana
  • Guatemala – Lutheran Church of Guatemala
  • India – India Evangelical Lutheran Church
  • Indonesia – Indonesian Christian Lutheran Church
  • Japan – Lutheran Brethren – Japan
  • Kazakhstan (Almaty) – Evangelical Lutheran Church of the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul
  • Kenya – Evangelical Lutheran Church in Kenya
  • Latvia – Evangelical Lutheran Church of Latvia
  • Liberia – Evangelical Lutheran Church of Liberia
  • Madagascar – Malagasy Lutheran Church
  • Malawi – Confessional Lutheran Church – Malawi Synod
  • Mexico – Lutheran Synod of Mexico
  • Mongolia – Mongolia Evangelical Lutheran Church
  • Myanmar – Myanmar Lutheran Church
  • Norway – The Evangelical Lutheran Diocese in Norway
  • Norway – Norwegian Lutheran Mission
  • Norway and Iceland – The Lutheran Church in Norway and Iceland
  • Papua New Guinea – Gutnius Lutheran Church
  • Panama – Evangelical Lutheran Church of Panama
  • Paraguay – Evangelical Lutheran Church of Paraguay
  • Peru – Evangelical Lutheran Church – Peru
  • Philippines – Lutheran Church in the Philippines
  • Portugal – Portuguese Evangelical Lutheran Church
  • Russia – Evangelical Lutheran Church of Ingria in Russia
  • Russia – Siberian Evangelical Lutheran Church
  • Rwanda – Independent Evangelical Lutheran Congregation in Rwanda
  • Rwanda – Lutheran Mission in Africa – Synod of Thousand Hills
  • South Africa – Confessional Lutheran Synod South Africa
  • South Africa – Free Evangelical Lutheran Synod in South Africa
  • South Africa – Lutheran Church in Southern Africa
  • South Korea – Lutheran Church in Korea
  • South Sudan – South Sudan Evangelical Lutheran Church
  • South Sudan and Sudan – Evangelical Lutheran Church in South Sudan and Sudan
  • Sri Lanka – Ceylon Evangelical Lutheran Church
  • Sweden – Mission Province in Sweden
  • Tanzania – Evangelical Lutheran Church of Tanzania (Lake Tanganyika Diocese)
  • Tanzania – Evangelical Lutheran Church of Tanzania (South East of Lake Victoria Diocese)
  • Thailand – Thailand Concordia Lutheran Church
  • Turkey and Bulgaria – Istanbul Lutheran Church/Evangelical Lutheran Church of Bulgaria
  • Uganda – Lutheran Church of Uganda
  • Uruguay – Lutheran Church of Uruguay
  • United Kingdom – Evangelical Lutheran Church of England
  • United States of America – American Association of Lutheran Churches
  • United States of America – The Lutheran Church –Missouri Synod
  • Venezuela – Lutheran Church of Venezuela

In addition to the nations listed above, Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan are also represented at the conference. Two additional Recognized Organization members (Europe’s Corpus Christi and the United States of America’s Lutheran Bible Translators) are also present, along with representatives of Concordia Historical Institute, Concordia Publishing House, Lutheran Church Extension Fund, and Lutheran Heritage Foundation.

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For more news from the ILC’s 2025 World Conference, click here.

ILC prepares for 2025 World Conference

by | Apr 14, 2025

PHILIPPINES – The International Lutheran Council (ILC) will hold its 28th World Conference in Bohol, Philippines from September 14-19, 2025. The Lutheran Church in the Philippines (LCP) will serve as host for this year’s conference.

The theme for the 28th World Conference is “Unity in Christ: Confession and Cooperation in a Fragmented World,” inspired by 2 Corinthians 4:13. The theme “reminds us of the same spirit of faith that unites us in reaching out to a rapidly changing world,” said Rev. Dr. Klaus Detlev Schulz, General Secretary of the ILC. “Let us stand firm together as we bear witness to the Gospel in a fragmented world in need of Christ’s saving grace.”

The triennial World Conference sees the leaders of confessional Lutheran church bodies from across the globe gather together for worship, plenary sessions, and discussion, as well as to conduct the business of the ILC. Rev. Dr. Thomas M. Winger will serve as keynote speaker for the 2025 World Conference, leading a study of Ephesians 2:17-22. Dr. Winger is President of Concordia Lutheran Theological Seminary (CLTS) in St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada. He is also the author of the Concordia Commentary on Ephesians from Concordia Publishing House.

Other speakers during the conference will include Rev. Dr. Jun Hyun Kim (Philippines); Rev. Dr. Tom Omolo (Kenya) and Rev. John Donkoh (Ghana); Rev. Dr. Sergio Schelske (Argentina) and President Geraldo Walmir Schüler (Brazil); ILC General Secretary Klaus Detlev Schulz (USA); and Bishop Torkild Masvie (Norway).

During the conference, the ILC will also hold elections, hear reports, hold regional meetings , and conduct other business.

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 Asia Regional Conference meets in South Korea

by | Jul 22, 2024

Participants in the International Lutheran Council’s 2024 Asia Regional Conference.

SOUTH KOREA – The International Lutheran Council’s (ILC) Asia Regional Conference took place June 24-28 at Luther University in Seoul, South Korea. The theme for the conference was “Leading Amid Changing Social, Cultural, and Theological Landscapes,” and focused on Hebrews 13:8—”Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.”

The conference brought together church leaders and representatives from three member churches of the ILC’s Asia World Region: the Lutheran Church in Korea (LCK), the Lutheran Church in the Philippines (LCP), and the Lutheran Church of Australia and New Zealand (LCA/NZ). Representatives of the Thailand Concordia Lutheran Church (TCLC) were also present as guests, as were 32 pastors of the LCK. Several other ILC member churches in the Asia region were unable to attend this year’s conference due to travel difficulties and other reasons.

LCK President Eunseob Kim and Luther University President Jun Hyn Kim.

“We express our heartfelt gratitude to the Lutheran Church of Korea—especially to LCK President Eunseob Kim and Luther University President Jun Hyun Kim—for their gracious hospitality and efficient management of the program,” said LCP President Antonio Reyes, who also serves as the Asia World Region representative on the ILC’s Board of Directors. “As hosts they ensured that all aspects of the conference were of the highest quality. We are overwhelmed by their enthusiasm in support of the goals of the ILC.”

Bishop Juhana Pohjola addresses the ILC’s 2024 Asia Regional Conference.
Rev. Dr. Andrew Pfeiffer speaks.

Speakers for the conference were Bishop Juhana Pohjola of the Evangelical Lutheran Mission Diocese of Finland (ELMDF), who also serves as ILC Chairman; Rev. Dr. Andrew Pfeiffer of the LCA’s Australian Lutheran College; and Rev. Dr. Klaus Detlev Schulz, General Secretary of the ILC. Bishop Pohjola gave a lecture on the challenges posed by women’s ordination, reflecting on the experience of Finland’s national Lutheran church. Dr. Pfeiffer gave two addresses: one on the office of the holy ministry and one on pastoral care. Dr. Schulz, meanwhile, presented on church relations and altar-and-pulpit fellowship.

An additional session led by Dr. Schulz and President Reyes discussed the ways in which the ILC might assist member church bodies in recognizing fellowship with each other.

LCP President Antonio Reyes.
ILC General Secretary Klaus Detlev Schulz.

“It was a blessing to gather together with our friends in the Asia World Region, and to discuss the challenges and opportunities surrounding the proclamation of the Gospel in that part of the globe,” said ILC General Secretary Schulz after the conference. “The International Lutheran Council plays an important role in fostering greater communication and cooperation between member churches, and in encouraging Lutherans around the world to remain faithful to Christ and His Word. We are grateful for the strong and faithful witnesses to Christ present in ILC member churches throughout the Asia World Region.”

Additional presentations focused on the history and present situation in each of the church bodies represented at the conference. Rev. Johng Ho Won presented on behalf of the Lutheran Church in Korea; Rev. Matthew Anker on behalf of the Lutheran Church of Australia and New Zealand; President Reyes on behalf of the Lutheran Church in the Philippines; and President Pornprom (Ted) NaThalang and Rev. Neran Temsakun on behalf of the Thailand Concordia Lutheran Church (TCLC).

TCLC President Pornprom (Ted) NaThalang speaks during the conference.

President NaThalang also gave a presentation on the work of the Lutheran Heritage Foundation in Asia.

In addition to the presentations and discussions, participants held daily matins and vespers. Preaching for these services were LCK President Eunseob Kim; Rev. Anker of the LCA/NZ; Rev. Carl Hanson of International Lutheran Church in Seoul; LCP President Reyes; and Dr. Jun Hyun Kim of Luther University.

Closing worship at Yeolrinmoon Lutheran Church.

Bishop Pohjola served as preacher for the conference’s closing worship service, which was held at the newly-built Yeolrinmoon Lutheran Church. “Our noble calling as church leaders is to receive the life-giving and faith-sustaining Word and Sacraments and ministry,” he said. “During those few years in the life of the Church when we hold Christ’s office it, is our holy and noble task to hand over and pass on Christ and His gifts in the same way we received them—and not to take away anything or adopt strange new teachings.”

“You have received the faith from faithful pastors and laity in the past generation, you preach and teach it now, and then you pass it on to the next generation,” he continued. “This is the reality of how Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever among us in Korea, Thailand, Australia, the Philippines, Finland, and the world.”

The International Lutheran Council is a global association of confessional Lutheran churches which proclaim the Gospel of Jesus Christ on the basis of an unconditional commitment to Scripture and the Lutheran Confessions.

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ILC brings greetings as new bishop installed for Australia and New Zealand

by | Mar 16, 2022

Bishop Emeritus John Henderson (right) installs Rev. John Henderson as Bishop of the Lutheran Church of Australia and New Zealand.

AUSTRALIA – The Lutheran Church of Australia and New Zealand (LCANZ) installed its new bishop, Rev. Paul Smith, during a service of celebration in Adelaide on February 20, 2022, and the International Lutheran Council was present to bring greetings. The theme for the service was Galatians 5:1—“For freedom Christ has set us free.”

Bishop Smith was elected to lead the LCANZ in October 2021. Prior to his election, he served as bishop of the LCANZ’s Queensland District from 2005-2021. He is the sixth leader to head the LCANZ since the unification of Australia’s Lutheran churches in 1966.

“I ask you to pray for me and for all the people of our evangelical Lutheran Church in New Zealand and Australia,” Bishop Smith said in remarks following his installation, “and for the people of all Christian churches of the world, that we would gladly serve in the Lord’s name.

President Antonio Reyes of the Lutheran Church in the Philippines (LCP) was present for the installation of Bishop Smith to bring greetings on behalf of the International Lutheran Council. President Reyes represents the Asia World Region on the ILC’s Board of Directors.

LCANZ Bishop Paul Smith and LCP President Antonio Reyes.

“It is amazing how God’s promise of providing for His people and never abandoning them still continues to be fulfilled today,” President Reyes said. “It is our prayer that the Holy Spirit will guide you, Bishop Paul, as the shepherd of God’s flock here in Australia and New Zealand. May the Lord of the harvest grant you wisdom, strength, and courage as you serve Him and His people.”

President Reyes also expressed his thankfulness for the LCANZ’s longstanding participation in the life of the International Lutheran Council. “My presence here signifies the ILC’s wholehearted intention to walk and work with you,” he said, “to continue to study and learn with you and your pastors the Holy Scriptures—the inspired Word of God—and the Lutheran Confessions as the correct exposition of God’s Word.”

President Reyes also expressed thanks for the cooperative work which exists between the LCANZ and the Lutheran Church in the Philippines, and especially for the love they showed the LCP during the pandemic.

President Reyes’ full remarks can be read here.

Additional information on the installation of Bishop Smith is available here.

The LCANZ is an Associate Member of the ILC,  a global association of confessional Lutheran church bodies which proclaim the Gospel of Jesus Christ on the basis of an unconditional commitment to the Holy Scriptures as expounded in the Lutheran Confessions.

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Philippines: Church Planting in a Pandemic

by | Mar 23, 2021

LCP President Antonio Reyes speaks to children at COVID Lutheran Church.

PHILIPPINES – When pandemic restrictions hit the Philippines, Lutheran Church in the Philippines (LCP) President Antonio Reyes and his wife Arlene were caught in Tiaong, Quezon Province—a small town about 100 kms away from the LCP’s main office in Manila. So he did what anyone would do: begin mission work.

Of course, that wasn’t the plan from the beginning. President Reyes had been visiting a property recently acquired by the LCP when the quarantine was instituted. Unable to return to Manila, he organized a local food-distribution ministry, providing free rice to informal settlers living along the Philippine National Railway who were unable to work as a result of pandemic regulations. What began as a service to 12 families would eventually grow to reach 40 families.

That practical assistance led in time to Bible studies with local people, and eventually to regular worship services. Today, the LCP has a new mission congregation in the area with a unique name: “COVID Lutheran Church,” with “COVID” standing for “Christ Our Victorious Infinite Deliverer”—a deliberate reminder that God can use even the most difficult circumstances for good.

Worship at COVID Lutheran Church in the Philippines.

“Despite having to face the negative effects of the pandemic, we thank God for His grace and His mercy,” President Reyes says of the situation in the Philippines. “Even in these times, the Church prevails.”

Today, the LCP continues to provide rice to those in need, as funds are available. And the pandemic—which has resulted in job losses as well as an increase in the price of basic food commodities—has left many in need.

The Lutheran Church in the Philippines is a member of the International Lutheran Council, a global association of confessional Lutheran church bodies.

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COVID-19 and ILC Churches in the Philippines, Russia, and South Africa

by | May 4, 2020

LCP President Antonio Reyes leads Easter worship for residents in the immediate vicinity of the Lutheran Center in Tiaong, Quezon Province, where he and his wife were stranded when the nation-wide quarantine began. The church here has also been distributing rice, milk, and hygienic products.

WORLD – The coronavirus pandemic continues to affect nations around the world, and churches are responding with practical and spiritual care. In this report, we highlight the work of International Lutheran Council (ILC) member churches in the Philippines, Russia, and South Africa.

Philippines

The Philippines has reported 9,485 cases of COVID-19 so far, with 623 deaths. The country entered into quarantine measures on March 15, 2020 in order to combat the spread of the disease, and those measures have been extended at least through May 15. Authorities have called on citizens to refrain from attending mass gatherings and to ensure social distancing.

In response to the spread of COVID-19, the Lutheran Church in the Philippines (LCP) responded immediately, encouraging all members of the church to abide by and respect the government’s directions. Through the church’s website and social media channels, the LCP has published a wide variety of resources to assist church members during this time of crisis. These resources have included the broadcast of worship services online, the publication of written devotionals and sermons, and posting regular prayers and inspirational articles.

Faith Lutheran Church in Batuan City, Philippines, distributes face masks to local residents as part of their practical support during the coronavirus pandemic.

On the local level, pastors and congregations are also reaching out with practical support to the people in their communities. Faith Lutheran Church in Batuan City, for example, has distributed face masks, as well as food supplies, to families in need. Similar distributions of foods and other necessities have taken place in Tiaong, Quezon Province; Patag, Opol, Misamis Oriental; and in Sitio Suapog Barangay Camachile, Bulacan, among other locations.

In a prayer posted on the LCP website, President Antonio Reyes writes the following: “I come to You in behalf of those affected by COVID-19. You are the Great Physician and healer. You have healed people of old and You can do the same today.”

“Protect those serving on the frontline around the world: doctors, nurses, and others in the medical profession,” he continues. “Protect and bless the government representatives. Give wisdom and good health to those working for the antidote of the virus, that they may develop the cure.”

“Lastly, I pray for Your mercy and grace in Jesus, because it is really You who heals our sickness… Help us to be patient… Come, Lord Jesus, save us from this predicament. Amen.”

Russia

Russia reports 145, 268 cases of COVID-19 as well as 1,356 deaths so far. Different regions have enacted quarantines and lockdown procedures, with many citizens ordered to self-isolate.

SELC Bishop Vsevolod Lytkin leads Easter worship in Novosibirsk, Russia.

As late as Easter, the Siberian Evangelical Lutheran Church (SELC) noted that its churches were still able to be open, even as they worked diligently to comply with sanitary requirements, doing everything possible to ensure the safety of members.

In an Easter letter to all parishes of the church, SELC Bishop Vsevolod Lytkin asked members to reflect not only on their physical health during the crisis but also on their spiritual health. “After all,” he wrote, “not only temporary health but also eternal life is given to us by a God who has died for us and has risen, for Whom no doors can be an obstacle.”

Noting that the current pandemic meant many parishioners were unable to attend church, Bishop Lytkin encouraged members to remember that the Eucharist will be waiting for them when they are finally able to return to church. “If current circumstances and restrictions keep you from this for the time being, please remember that in the church every service with the Holy Communion is a little Easter. And this is the main joy of Easter: Christ has risen to be with us and not to leave us; therefore, He is always waiting for us at the altar.”

South Africa

South Africa has reported 7,220 cases of COVID-19 and 138 deaths. A national lockdown began on March 26, 2020, with the country entering into a period of gradual easing of restrictions beginning on May 1.

LCSA Bishop S.M.A. Modise Maragelo leads members in a live-streamed service.

From the beginning, the Lutheran Church in Southern Africa (LCSA) called on its members to heed government calls for lockdown, with the Office of the Bishop postponing and suspending all church activities.

Like many other churches around the world, the LCSA has embraced a number of various mediums of communication to ensure continued spiritual care for members. This has included recording and live-streaming sermons, as well as sending regular messages to members via the church’s Facebook page.

Individual members and congregations have also reached out to the needy with food parcels where possible.

“It could seem at times as if things were out of control,” acknowledged LCSA Bishop S.M.A. Modise Maragelo. “But things never get beyond the control or the reach of God. Because of the fact that He is in control, we can always look to Him and we can always trust Him.”

“We trust God to give compassion and dedication to medical professionals,” he continued, “and wisdom to researchers as the world faces this pandemic.”

“Fear and panic have been the order of the day,” he said. “Yet there is hope because God is still alive and still in control.”

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For more news and information from the International Lutheran Council about the COVID-19 pandemic, click here.

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