Confessional Evangelical Lutheran Conference

 

How good and pleasant it is when brothers live together in unity! (Psalm 133:1)

Concord Evangelical Lutheran Church—Russia

In 1990 after the fall of the Iron Curtain, the Lord opened a door to bring the saving Gospel to those who had long been under the sway of atheistic governments. The first missionaries were placed in Novosibirsk in 1992.

The first Christian Information Center was opened in Akademgorodok, a region of Novosibirsk, where free Bibles were distributed and a video instruction course was offered. Regular Sunday worship and Sunday school were also begun. By God’s grace, four adults and six children were baptized and 12 adults confirmed by the end of 1994. This was the official beginning of the confessional Lutheran church in Russia. In 1995, the congregation was registered with the government under the name of the Confessional Evangelical Lutheran Church.

One year later, a second Christian Information Center was opened in Iskitim. During this same year, the church there was also received into fellowship with the Confessional Evangelical Lutheran Church. The following year, the Bible Institute-Seminary was opened in Novosibirsk. In 1999, exploratory works began in Omsk and Tomsk.

Today the mission headquarters are located in Akademgorodok. The congregation in Akademgorodok offers regular worship services, advanced classes, and Bible information classes. Bibles and other sound Christian literature are offered and humanitarian aid is distributed. A deaconess teaches Bible lessons to a local school for children with special needs. Missionaries conduct ESL outreach. Akademgorodok is the home of the seminary program.

There is one congregation in Novosibirsk and another in Iskitim, 50 kilometers south of Novosibirsk. Both congregations have regular worship services, advanced Bible classes, Bible information classes, and ESL outreach. Iskitim has an especially active Sunday school and children’s program. Deaconesses travel to a village south of Iskitim to teach children’s Bible lessons there as well. The mission conducts weekly Bible classes at the Iskitim Deaf Club, and the Sunday worship services are signed for the deaf.

The fourth small congregation is located in Tomsk, four hours north of Novosibirsk. Missionaries travel to Tomsk once a week to conduct outreach, Bible classes, and worship services.

The Russian church has a Christian Information Center in Berdsk, a city located right between Akademgorodok and Iskitim. Here a deaconess conducts outreach and distributes Christian literature. The Berdsk Deaf Club meets for weekly Bible class at the CIC.

 

Church Body Statistics

Established Congregations: 4
Christian Information Center: 1
Seminary Students: 3
Bible Institute Students: 2
Deaconesses: 4

 

Contact Information

Rev. Luke Wolfgramm
Gorkovo St. 14 apt. 57
633010 Berdsk RUSSIA
E-mail 
Phone from US: 011-7-38341-53609

The Confessional Evangelical Lutheran Conference

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.”

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