Zambia Convention Ready to Begin

May 19, 2026 By Deb Witte

Plans are in place for the Twelfth Triennial Convention of the CELC to be held in two weeks—on Friday, May 29, 2026, through Monday, June 1, 2026, in Lusaka, Zambia. This convention, hosted by the Lutheran Church of Central Africa–Zambia, will be the first CELC convention held on the African continent.

At this point, there are 93 registrants from 33 different churches in 29 different countries. Ten of the churches are from Africa, nine are from Europe, and nine are from Asia/Oceania.

The five convention essays, covering a variety of topics, have already been posted on the CELC website. Also posted is the new article prepared for The Eternal Word doctrinal series—Article IX on the Triune God. We hope God will bless the discussion of these documents at the convention. They may be downloaded, translated, and shared freely by anyone interested.

Friends of the CELC are encouraged to pray for God’s blessing on this convention. Pray that God will allow everyone to meet in safety and health, and that the convention will be spiritually edifying for all participants.

Submitted by the CELC Planning Committee

The Confessional Evangelical Lutheran Conference is a worldwide fellowship of Lutheran church bodies, committed to the teachings of the Lutheran Church found in the Book of Concord of 1580. Established in 1993 with thirteen churches, the CELC has grown by God’s grace to include thirty-four church bodies today.

Every three years, representatives from CELC churches gather for fellowship and theological study at an international convention. Regional meetings are held in alternate years. These gatherings provide spiritual encouragement for confessional Lutherans who often find themselves quite isolated. Visitors are always welcome at these gatherings

Joint work of the CELC includes the writing of The Eternal Word: A Lutheran Confession for the Twenty-First Century, which testifies to the unity of doctrine enjoyed by CELC churches. The CELC also has a commission to help coordinate and improve theological training in CELC churches.

Speaking about the heart and core of the CELC, former President Gaylin Schmeling wrote: “The CELC stands ready to give answer to the confident hope of salvation in Christ that is within us. It is a refuge for those seeking confessional homes and a beacon shining the light of the Gospel in a sin-darkened world. Here the central truth of the Reformation, justification by faith alone, continues to be proclaimed. We are declared righteous by nothing we do or accomplish, but alone on the basis of Christ’s redemptive work which is counted as ours through faith in the Savior. He accomplished salvation for all on the cross and announced it to all by His resurrection, declaring the whole world righteous in Christ. This treasure is brought to us personally through the means of grace and is received by faith alone in the Savior which is worked through those very means of grace.”