ELCA's Global Mission: Where We Serve
Building Christ’s Church Throughout the World
We are a church called into the world, together. As part of the Lutheran World Federation, the ELCA joins 142 member churches in 79 countries, walking with 70 million Lutherans to grow the church and participate in God’s reconciling work. Through deep, longstanding relationships with Lutheran companions and other partners, we support new congregations, urban and youth outreach, theological education, leadership formation and the pursuit of justice and peace. As we serve with our partners, faith deepens, and the global church grows stronger.
Our shared work is as diverse as the people and places we accompany. Together we are:
- Building up the church in many countries
- Creating meaningful service opportunities for young adults and adults
- Supporting 240+ ELCA missionaries in 40+ countries
- Nurturing companion synod relationships with global partners
- Providing scholarships and training for international leaders
- Advancing innovative ways of participating in God’s mission
This is how we live as a global church, working side by side to build up Christ’s church throughout the world.
Where We Serve
In Southern Africa, some countries are stable and divided by deep ethnic, racial and economic inequities, while others face ongoing socio-economic and political crises. With regional Lutheran partners, the ELCA supports malaria control, HIV prevention, peace and reconciliation forums, health and hospital services and developing sustainable livelihoods. Twelve companion synods deepen mutual support across the region.
The ELCA’s East Africa priorities include church self-reliance, capacity building in health and hospital services, community-based development and strengthening theological institutions. Engagement is anchored by 26 ELCA synods in companion relationships, the most in any region, and includes ties with two of Africa’s oldest, largest Lutheran churches. The Evangelical Lutheran Church in Tanzania has more than 5 million members, and the Malagasy Lutheran Church has over 3 million members.
The ELCA accompanies a diverse group of churches and one seminary that comprise the Lutheran Communion of Central and Western Africa, where French is a prominent language. The ELCA supports this region’s emphasis on evangelism, social services, rural development, education, reconciliation during times of conflict, health ministry and Christian/Muslim relations. Eight ELCA synods relate to churches in this region.
Asia and the Pacific are at the crossroads of the world’s economies, political centers and religions. The robust and growing Asian economies affect world politics daily. The confluence of Christianity, Islam, Buddhism and Hinduism brings both rich tradition and new questions about how faiths can engage one another on the very continent that birthed them. The ELCA participates in 19 countries of this region, and 15 synods are connected to this region through the companion synod program.
Lutherans are a distinct but committed minority in the Balkans and Baltics, Hungary, Slovakia and other areas that were part of the Soviet bloc until 1989. The ELCA accompanies these churches in leadership development, evangelism, education and outreach among minority populations. Examples include projects among marginalized Roma people in Hungary and church leadership programs in Siberia. Twenty-five companion synod relationships connect European churches and ELCA synods and congregations.
Although a minority denomination in an overwhelmingly Roman Catholic region, the Lutheran churches of Latin America and the Caribbean have responded by providing a holistic ministry that serves the community and blends word and sacrament with advocacy and diaconal ministries in human rights, gender and economic justice, education, health, climate change, immigration and human trafficking. Twenty-six companion synod relationships connect Latin American and Caribbean companions with ELCA synods.
In the Middle East and North Africa, the need for God’s mission of restoring community, reconciliation and peacebuilding is urgent. The ELCA and our companions and partners are working together to bring new life, strong leaders and healing to the region. Through companions, partners and dialogues, the ELCA promotes Muslim-Christian-Jewish reconciliation and challenges Christian Zionism, a movement that demeans our companions and exacerbates Christian-Jewish tensions. ELCA synods and congregations throughout the U.S. work through the Sumud campaign for Middle East peace by developing working groups that network together.
