Sierra Leone Mission Society (SLMS) Support for the
Christ Evangelical Lutheran Theological Seminary
Sierra Leone is a country in West Africa and among the poorest in the world. Its people are plagued with poverty, disease, short life expectancy, high maternal mortality, and little or no access to electricity, clean water, and sanitation. And they are eager to hear the Gospel. In the last few decades, the Christ Evangelical Lutheran Church of Sierra Leone (CELC) has grown dramatically, nearing 160 congregations served by 12 ordained pastors in a country of less than seven million people.
Their largest challenge is to educate and ordain pastors. They currently have 9 ordained ministers, 30 deacons, and 108 lay leaders. Most congregations are served by “deacons” with little or no formal theological education who often work two or more jobs.
To prepare these deacons for ordination, a seminary was founded in Jembe Town in January 2020 using local design and materials. The native ordained pastors, in addition to visiting LCMS pastors, serve as professors for seminary courses.
Sierra Mission Society is not an official arm of PPEWA, and it is not an Recognized Service Organization of the LC-MS.
Our focus is to provide...
Operating funds for the seminary
At this time, they simply cannot raise enough funds to keep the seminary operating on their own.
Transportation for pastors
Currently all but two pastors in the church must walk or hire transportation. Each year, we intend to provide two ordained pastors with the funds for a motorbike, the most economical means of transportation in Sierra Leone.
Rudimentary medical care
Specifically for the faculty and students of the seminary who are affected by a variety of maladies, especially malaria, a major killer in West Africa. Sierra Leone itself has the second-highest mortality rate from malaria in the world. There are over one million cases every year, resulting in a death rate of 72 per 100,000 people. Medications are generally inexpensive by American standards.
Mission Statement
The Sierra Leone Mission Society (SLMS) is a voluntary group of pastors and congregations within the Lutheran Church Missouri Synod committed to providing ongoing support for Christ Evangelical Lutheran Theological Seminary (CELTS) in Sierra Leone, West Africa. CELTS was established in 2020 for the training of pastors to serve congregations within the Christ Evangelical Lutheran Church of Sierra Leone and other Lutheran Church bodies in West Africa. The society works to provide financial, educational, and material resources for the students, faculty, and staff of the seminary. In addition, SLMS seeks to promote the work of CELTS throughout the Missouri Synod and other worldwide confessional Lutheran Church bodies.
Rev. Dan Mulholland
(307) 782-6802
Shepherd of the Valley-Ft. Bridger, WY
Rev. Doug Thompson
(218) 891-4581
Trinity-Fisher, MN & St. Paul-Euclid, MN
Rev. Kenneth Mars
(308)241-0233
Christ the King - Cody, WY
For more information
To ask questions or to book an informational presentation, please contact one of the following: