Confessional Evangelical Lutheran Church—Mexico

LUTHERAN PRESENCE IN MEXICO

(A brief historical outline of the Confessional Evangelical Lutheran Church in Mexico)

Lutheran presence in Mexico was initiated by Germans who founded the American Lutheran Church in 1857. Their main activity, as has occurred in other parts of Latin America, was to care for their fellow German countrymen with little, if any, mission orientation. One hundred years went by for this German Lutheran group to be formally recognized in the construction of a church in Mexico City called ¨Holy Spirit¨ in 1957.

Around the same time (the 1950s), the Missouri Synod from the United States began working in Mexico under the pastoral leadership of René González Ballinas and David Orea Luna. These two men received theological training in Columbus, Ohio and were sent to Mexico to start Lutheran mission work as the Mexican Lutheran Conference of Missouri. Work began in Mexico City, Monterrey, Nuevo León and Torreón, Coahuila. Their mission activity was vigorous and soon began to attract other Lutheran groups. This association was then called the Mexican Lutheran Church, headed by David Orea Luna and David Chichía González.

By 1962, the Mexican Lutheran Church was made up of 15 congregations and a theological seminary called ¨Augsburg Center¨. Soon, this seminary activity attracted and brought together other Lutheran groups who emphasized the theological trends at that time known as ¨the new theology¨. This so-called ¨new¨ theology gave rise to unionism and, separated from healthy doctrine, an ecumenical spirit arose that dared to question the authority of God´s word. This situation could not remain for long and soon there were divisions which forced the end of fellowship.

Pastor David Orea Luna along with Pastor David Chichía González looked for contact and information about the doctrinal position of the WELS president, Oscar Neumann. In answer, WELS sent representatives to initiate a dialogue with the Mexican nationals. Pastor Venus Winter, Immanuel Grey and Edgar Hoenecke, the executive secretary of the World Missions board attended this meeting. The Mexican nationals expressed worry about what was going on with the so-called ¨new¨ theology within the Mexican Lutheran movement.  God in his infinite wisdom and grace listened to us, and a second reunion took place in Phoenix, AZ before a WELS committee to reach a colloquy in which we were formally declared to be in practical and doctrinal fellowship with the WELS.

By God´s grace, Lutheran missionary work in Mexico began in the home of Pastor David Orea Luna as well as in other homes in Mexico City. The time came when WELS gathered the necessary funds to begin the search to buy a property for our future church building in Mexico City. It was found and the church ¨Risen Christ¨ of the Evangelical Lutheran Synod of Mexico was constructed and opened to the public on Sunday, July 12, 1970 on 522 Monrovia Street, in the Portales neighborhood of Mexico City.

Various pastors were present at the dedication representing the WELS: Venus Winter, Harold Essmann, and Edgar Hoenecke, as well as Mexican national pastors David Orea Luna, David Chichía González, Felipe Luna García, and Carlos Avendaño Castro and the communicant members of the congregation.

Concern arose regarding the establishment of a theological seminary for the instruction of future national pastors. The candidates were Vicente Guillén, José L. Pérez, Daniel Rodriguez Saucedo and others who did not finish their studies. The publication of a monthly magazine was planned and carried out, called the New Dawn, along with the publication of a catechism of differences. A constitution was developed for the good order of our young church body under the guidance of R. Harold Essmann.

A radio program was planned and carried out under the direction of Missionary Ernest Zimdars from El Paso, Texas in the United States, which initially began with the publication of the sermons of the national pastors. These programs, called A Message of Salvation, lasted 15 minutes and were broadcast on Sundays.

Many years later the official name of our church was changed to the Confessional Evangelical Lutheran Church in Mexico, emphasizing the confessional aspect as a distinctive mark of our doctrinal position opposite other doctrinal groups.

The Confessional Evangelical Lutheran Church in Mexico has received generous economic and doctrinal support from the WELS since 1968. Even though this subsidy has gradually been reduced, she still receives aid today although in a lesser amount. We have had the presence and assistance of field coordinators including Pastor Venus Winter, Rupert Eggert, Paul Hartman, Larry Schlomer, Michael Hartman, Brad Krause and Andrew Johnston. Other missionaries have also participated in the role of field coordinator such as Timothy Flunker and Mark Goeglein.

The Lutheran Seminary of San Juan in El Paso, Texas received Dr. Otoniel Rodriguez Sauceda and Dr. Hiram Orea Coria as seminary students. Afterwards, the seminary changed its location to various places in Mexico: Monterrey, Torreón Coahuila, Puebla, and León Guanajuato. Various national pastors such as Eduardo Vazquez, Ezequiel Sanchez, Israel Rodriguez, Mario Dominguez, Jorge Briones Romero, Gerardo Aguilar have graduated from the seminary, as well as Gonzalo Rodriguez and Victor Perez who continue in their studies. This constant concern for theological education is a key aspect in our search for full maturity, which is still taking form.

God has blessed the work in Mexico. The current governing board of the Confessional Evangelical Lutheran Church in Mexico is formed by president Román Aguilar, treasurer Guillermo Cruz, secretary Jorge Briones Romero and two chairpersons: Jesús Hernandez and Jesús Vega.

A witness of the history of the Confessional Evangelical Lutheran church in Mexico,

David Chichía González.  

Church Body Statistics

Contact Information

Mitl Montoya
Email: Mitl.Montoya@nissan-usa.com

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