Togo Visit - DEC 2025

My short visit to Togo is drawing to a close. I'm thankful that schedules worked out so I could drop by Togo to help celebrate the graduation of three students from the Mt. Horeb Lutheran Seminary and spend a few days visiting my good friend and fellow missionary Peter! Pastor Kossi Blewu and Missionary Peter Evensen have been faithfully teaching and training these men for the past three years with CLC Online Theological Studies (OTS) materials translated into French by Missionary Evensen. These OTS courses were written by the late Professor David Lau for use in seminaries, Bible institutes, and pastor-training seminars around the world. Missionary Bruce Naumann (read his blog HERE)  has also been using these materials in Wittenberg Lutheran Theological Seminary of the Tanzania-CLC (TCLC) where they also celebrated a graduation a couple of weeks ago. Missionary Evensen posts pictures HERE.

After three years of training, these three men have successfully completed their training, and they are now ready to begin their ministry. Missionary Evensen and Pastor Kossi will spend the next several months helping them to establish congregations in different areas of Togo. This will bring the number of trained and ordained pastors of the Mission Evangelique Lutherienne de Confession du Togo (MELC) to seven. Praise the Lord for His love and faithfulness in providing more faithful preachers and teachers to proclaim the truths of His saving Word here in Togo!

The seminary will start classes again in October with a new cohort of students. Pastor Kossi expects at least 4 students to enroll, perhaps more. 

Graduation day was a lot of fun! I am so thankful that the Lord allowed me to be here to share in the joy of it all. Having been a French colony for many years, French is the official language of Togo. But out in the more rural areas of southern Togo, where the MELC is most active, the local language is Ewe. So that means that I am not able to understand much of anything that is being spoken. When I preached the graduation service sermon, it was translated into Ewe. Missionary Evensen preaches and teaches in French, and his words are translated into Ewe. Again, while I didn't understand much of anything that was being said, the joy of the occasion didn't need a translation! What a privilege to be a part of such a wonderful day!

On Sunday, Missionary Evensen taught the Bible Study, and I was again given the opportunity to share God's word by preaching the Sunday sermon. The service was held at the main MELC congregation in Lome'. They have been patiently building this church over the past few years as funds have become available. They have made great progress since I was here a few years ago. 

Peter, Kossi, and I spent yesterday afternoon relaxing a bit at the beach, and I will head to the airport later this afternoon (Tuesday, 12/9) to go home! My flight is scheduled to depart at 7:50 pm. I'll fly from Lome' to Brussels to Chicago to HOME! 

Enjoy a few pictures and videos. You can see more HERE.

Graduates and their Teachers

Five Kinship Orphans with Pastor Kossi and His Wife

A Big Crowd Waiting for the Graduation to Begin

Pastor Kossi Welcoming the Guests to the Graduation

Missionary Evensen and Pastor Kossi at the MELC Church in Lome'

Missionary Evensen Teaching Bible Class with Pastor Kossi Translating

Nigeria Visit - NOV/DEC 2025

I am currently sitting in Missionary Peter Evensen's apartment after traveling from Nigeria to Togo yesterday (12/5) afternoon. It's only 285 km (177 miles) from Lagos to Lome, but it took 2 short flights to get here.  It was like taking a big bus in the sky. We took off from Lagos, flew for about 30 minutes, and landed in Cotonou, Benin. A few passengers got off, a few more got on, and we then flew for about 35 minutes to Lome, where some passengers and I got off. I'm not sure where the plane was going from there. Missionary Evensen and Pastor Kossi were at the airport to meet me. It was good to see them both!

The visit to Nigeria was brief but filled with many activities. Pastor Mike Essien has served as the president of the Nigeria-CLC for the past five years. It is a real privilege to work closely with Pastor Mike. The Lord has truly blessed his leadership. After the death of the founding president, Pastor E.E. Essien, about 20 years ago, and the sudden, unexpected passing of Pastor Patrick Udo a few years later, the NCLC faced significant challenges. However, the Lord has blessed NCLC with a renewed focus on Gospel outreach and pastoral training. With MDF grants from the CLC, they have been carrying out Gospel outreach in Bayelsa State and are also working to reopen some congregations that closed. They plan to assign an NCLC pastor to the capital city of Yenagoa, Bayelsa, to conduct outreach and provide theological training for the six independent Lutheran pastors serving in this waterlogged river delta region of Nigeria. Additionally, the seminary faculty has been regularly conducting NCLC pastoral training seminars for all NCLC pastors to encourage one another in ministry and to continue to grow in their understanding of God's Word. The NCLC has also been working to reaffirm its status, especially in the Akwa Ibom State area, as a confessional Lutheran church grounded in the faithful preaching and teachings of all the truths of God's saving word. These efforts are part of the NCLC's recent renewed efforts, including the construction of a multi-purpose academic and NCLC headquarters on the seminary campus. They are also working on a major expansion of the main church building in Efa. Exciting developments are happening among our brothers and sisters in Christ in the NCLC.

Planning is also underway for an NCLC 50th anniversary celebration in 2026. The event will take place during their annual convention in April. They have invited CLC President Mike Wilke, CLC Board of Missions Chairman Mr. Joel Krafft, and I to attend. This will also coincide with the completion and dedication of the Academic and NCLC HQ building. 

My visit to Nigeria lasted only 8 days, but I left feeling excited about the renewed zeal and exciting plans that the Lord is blessing among our brothers and sisters in Christ of the NCLC. I am eagerly looking forward to returning for the festivities in April!

Here are a few videos and pictures from the visit. You can see more HERE

Essien Brothers LtoR - Alfred, Mike, Martin, and Charles

Main NCLC Church Building In Efa

NCLC Pastors after the 2-day Pastor Conference

NCLC Pastor Conference in the newly completed seminary classroom

NCLC Academic and HQ Building Project

NCLC Immanuel Lutheran Seminary Faculty

NCLC Seminary Students

NCLC Youth Choir

Liberia - NOV 2025

I left Liberia a little over a week ago. I finally have reliable internet access while I spend a final day at a hotel near the Lagos, Nigeria airport, waiting for my flight to Lome, Togo tomorrow morning. Since I didn't have time to write a blog post before I left Liberia, I figured I might as well do one now... better late than never.

My two weeks in Liberia went quickly, with visits to Morovia, Gbargna, Lutheran Global Village, and Bopolu. Pastor Joseph Kwiwalazu and I made these visits together. The big event on this visit was a three-day pastor's conference with Pastors Kwiwalazu, Cheneken, and Cheanweay (the three pastors in fellowship with the Liberia-CLC), along with about 12 other pastors and church leaders who have been studying with Pastors John Hein and Kwiwalazu for about 10 years.  

I also had a day at the end of my time in Liberia to meet with the three LCLC pastors, meet some of their family members, and discuss Gospel outreach and humanitarian efforts they are involved in. We also spent a few hours relaxing and visiting at a beautiful beach resort.

The time in Liberia went by quickly, but thanks to Pastor Kwiwalazu, it was a well-planned and organized visit, and we were able to accomplish a lot, with concrete plans that we ask our Savior to bless in the coming year. 

Showing the Jesus Video at Lutheran Global Village

Our transportation from Monrovia to Bopolu...

From Right to Left...LCLC Pastors Cheneken, Kwiwalazu, Cheanweay, and a nobody

At the beach with Pastors Cheanweay and Kwiwalazu

Pastors and Visitors at the LCLC Conference in Bopolu