The 2025 convention adopted Resolution 2-05 titled “To Address the Evangelical  Lutheran Church in Kenya’s Membership in the Lutheran World Federation.” This  resolution, in part, directs the District President to report to the 2025, 2026, and 2027  Spring Pastors’ Conferences on the synod’s status of moving the Evangelical Lutheran  Church in Kenya away from the Lutheran World Federation. The resolution also directs  that this report be published in the district’s media. Here is my report to you, the North  Dakota District. 

LWF Background 

For the history of the LWF, I am relying heavily on Jonathan Shaw’s booklet The Lutheran World Federation Today: Missio Dei, Imago Dei and the Ongoing Reformation,  which can be found at https://files.lcms.org/folder/church-relations 

The Lutheran World Federation (LWF) was established in 1947 as a federation of  Lutheran churches throughout the world to seek “‘greater fellowship and solidarity and  rest on the pillars of ‘rescue the needy, common initiatives in mission, joint efforts in  theology, and a common response to the ecumenical challenge.’“ (Shaw) Many of the  first attendees to the LWF’s First Assembly were European Lutheran Church bodies.  This is not surprising, since the countries they inhabited had been ravaged by World  War II. In this First Assembly, they gathered under the banner “The Lutheran Church in  the World Today.” At this First Assembly, the first constitution was signed, stating that  members were in ‘free association.” 

Since then, the LWF has steadily veered off the road of Christian orthodoxy. In the  decades following the First Assembly, the LWF has advocated for the ordination of  women, historical criticism of the Bible, and all the tenets of “diversity, equity, and  

inclusion.” It was quite obvious even before this, but the LWF’s Thirteenth Assembly held in Krakow, Poland in 2023, left no doubt that the convictions, the confessions, and theological integrity of the Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod or the LCMS’ partner churches are incompatible with the LWF. Gathered under the theme of “One Body, One  Spirit, One Hope,” the open worship service included a sermon given by “Rev. Danielle  Dokman of Suriname. She liberally paraphrased the Wise Men and asked: ‘Where is  the Incarnate One born to disrupt the status quo?’ “ (Shaw)  

At the First Assembly in 1947, the Lutheran Church bodies who were members of the  LWF were a “free association” of churches; but in 1990, at their Eighth Assembly in  Brazil, a constitutional change was approved to move the nomenclature from a “free  association” to a “communion of churches, united in pulpit an altar fellowship.” What this means is that, according to the LWF website, member churches 1) “confess the triune God” (I will note that this “triune God” is unnamed). 2. “Agree in the proclamation  of the Word of God.” (I will note that this leaves room for historical criticism.) 3) “are  united in pulpit and altar fellowship.” 

Evangelical Lutheran Church in Kenya

The Evangelical Church in Kenya (ELCK) joined the LWF in 1970, well before the 1990  constitutional change was made by the LWF. The ELCK entered into altar and pulpit fellowship with the LCMS in 2004. The benefit of LWF membership to church bodies is financial. The ELCK annually receives about 10 university scholarships awarded by  LWF to children in the ELCK church. In a country like Kenya, this affords these scholarship recipients a significant improvement in their lives. The financial component to the matter has made it difficult for the ELCK to remove itself from the LWF. 

I want to make it very clear. The ELCK does not teach any of the false theology that the  LWF supports. They are good Christians who hunger and thirst for Confessional  Lutheranism. Thus, in no way that I am aware, have they taught outside of the Sacred  Scriptures and our Lutheran Confessions.  

The problem remains, however, that the ELCK is in communion with the LWF. Again,  being in fellowship with the LWF requires one to agree with their false doctrine. The Synod leadership is aware of this issue, not just with the ELCK, but with several other partner churches, and is working to remedy the situation.  

Project 24 

Why has the North Dakota District only been interested in the ELCK’s involvement with the LWF and not numerous other LCMS partner churches? The North Dakota District has financially supported Project 24, which falls under the umbrella of Christ’s Care for  Children: Kenya. The concern of the 2025 North Dakota District Convention, as evidenced in the passing of Resolution 2-05, is that the North Dakota District is working with a partner church that, simultaneously, is in fellowship with the heterodox  LWF. Resolution 2-05 directs the District President to keep the pastors and the district at large abreast of the situation each spring. 

Update 

I am pleased to report that the synod leadership is working towards resolving this fellowship issue by helping the ELCK to disassociate itself from the LWF. There is a  conference scheduled in Kenya on August 8-10 on preaching and the interpretation of  Scripture – homiletics and hermeneutics – to be attended by ELCK pastors and evangelists. Presenting at this conference will be Rev. Charlie Froh and Rev. Dr. Tom  Aadland (retired missionaries to the ELCK), along with the LCMS Church Relations director and deputy director, Rev. Dr. Jonathan Shaw and Rev. Michael Frese. Rev.  Shaw and Rev. Frese, as part of this conference, will be presenting to the ELCK clergy the theological dangers of being in altar and pulpit fellowship with the LWF. 

Conclusion 

I am encouraged by this conference. The synod is, indeed, working toward guiding our  brothers and sisters in Christ in the ELCK away from the dangerous doctrines of the 

LWF. Let us all pray that the conference that is scheduled in August bears fruit, that  God’s Word be proclaimed faithfully, and that this messy situation comes to a faithful end.