Africa

Holistic mission. Diakonia. Solidarity.

Opportunities and challenges for holistic mission 

Identifying good governance and accountability, encouraging youth participation, supporting gender justice, and accessing theological education and formation are priority for holistic mission for the Lutheran communion in Africa. 

The challenges to carrying out this mission in Africa are limited financial resources, few local resources, poor communication infrastructure, and diverse languages among the churches.   

Communion relations  

Church leaders come together as a communion in the Lutheran Council in Africa (LUCA) to reflect on what it means to be part of the LWF regionally and work together to ease issues related to poverty and inequity in the region.  

Minority church context 

Some member churches are located in Muslim majority countries such as Senegal while others, including those in Congo Brazzaville, and Zambia, are smaller, more recently established churches.  

Subsite

A symbolic moment during the 60th anniverary of the first all-Africa Lutheran conference, held in 2015. Photo: Photo: LWF/ Tsion Alemayehu

A symbolic moment during the 60th anniverary of the first all-Africa Lutheran conference, held in 2015. Photo: Photo: LWF/ Tsion Alemayehu

Africa Lutheran Church Leadership Consultation participants

More than 80 participants representing leadership levels of LWF's 31 member churches in Africa attended the 29 June- 1 July Africa Lutheran Church Leadership Consultation in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Photo: LWF/ALCINET Erick Adolph

ALCLC 2022 opening service

The ALCLC started with an opening eucharistic service at the Mekane Yesus Seminary chapel in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Seen here, Bishop Dr Jean Baiguele (Cameroon) and Rev. Tseganech Ayele (Ethiopia) distributing Holy Communion. Photo: LWF/ALCINET Erick Adolph

Networks

Networks facilitate mutual accompaniment, especially for smaller churches.

Women theologians’ networks, Lutheran Communion in Southern Africa, Lutheran Communion in Central and Eastern Africa, Lutheran Communion in Central and Western Africa, LWF Task Group on Poverty, African Lutheran Communication and Information Network

Partners

Partners contribute to financial support and, in some cases, also serve on joint mission boards as a further way of strengthening relationships and mutual learning.

Brot für die Welt, Church of Sweden, Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, Evangelical Lutheran Church in Bavaria, Evangelical Lutheran Church in Northern Germany, Finn Church Aid, Finnish Evangelical Lutheran Mission, Norwegian Church Aid

Yonas Dibisa of the Ethiopian Evangelical Church Mekane Yesus, LWF vice-president for Africa. Photo: LWF/Albin Hillert

Rev. Dr Yonas Yigezu Dibisa

The Ethiopian Evangelical Church Mekane Yesus
Rev. Dr Samuel Dawai, Regional Secretary for Africa. Photo: LWF/S. Gallay

Rev. Dr Samuel Dawai

31
Member Churches
Thirty-one of LWF’s 150 member churches are in Africa
28.1m
Christians
28.1 million Christians are members of Africa region member churches
23
Countries
Member churches are in 23 countries in Africa