Nigeria Visit - APR 2026

 When I visited Nigeria last year the leaders of the Nigeria-CLC (NCLC) were excited to tell me about their upcoming 50th Church Anniversary celebration they were planning for 2026. They asked me to invite dignitaries from the CLC to attend the festivities. I laughed and explained that the CLC does not have dignitaries, but I would be glad invite the CLC President and CLC Board of Missions chairman. And so, CLC President Wilke, his wife Gloria, Mr. Joel Krafft, and I began looking at schedules and making plans. The Lord blessed those plans and we were able to spend a week with many of our brothers and sisters in Christ of the NCLC for their 50th Anniversary celebration and annual convention. President Wilke delivered an essay on Objective Justification, Joel presented an essay on Communion and Fellowship, Gloria was able to teach a Bible lesson the children and delver an essay to the Women's Fellowship of the NCLC. I delivered an essay on the dangers of the Prosperity Theology. President Wilke served as the guest preacher for the Sunday NCLC worship service. President Wilke and I were also asked to officiate the the dedication of the new NCLC Seminary Academic and HQ building that is nearing completion and already being used for seminary classes. On our final day in Akwa Ibom State before we flew back to Lagos, we visited the compound where Missionary Norbert Reim (Gloria Wilke's father) lived with his wife Celeste and their family in the 1950s when he was a missionary for the Synodical Conference. We also got to tour the seminary where he taught. In addition to all of these blessings we also got to spend time getting to know many of our brothers and sisters in Christ of the NCLC and putting names to the faces that many have only read about in various Lutheran Spokesman articles and reports. It was a blessed week, blessed in too many way to list them all. 

The Wilkes and Joel Krafft have safely returned to the U.S.. I am currently in Kinshasa, DR Congo (DRC). I flew from Lagos, Nigeria to Lomé, Togo where I met up with Missionary Peter Evensen. From there we flew together to Kinshasa. We will spend about a week working with Pastor Jacques Pondi Lumiangu who serves a Confessional Lutheran congregation in this very large and chaotic city. Since the DRC was once a Belgium colony, French in the official language and very few speak English. That means that Peter does most of the talking and teaching while we're here. The plan is for Peter to take over the annual visits to the DRC going forward. Which also means that this will my last annual visit to the DRC. Next week, Peter and I will fly to Lubumbashi in the south where Pastor Yumba Lumbala, the CCLC, and the Holy Trinity Lutheran Seminary are located. 

Enjoy the pictures from Nigeria...more pictures available HERE

CLC President Wilke, NCLC President Essien, Bd of Missions Chairman Joel Krafft

CLC President Wilke greeting the attendees at the NCLC 50th Anniversary Celebration

The NCLC 50th Anniversary Cake

CLC delegation with Pastors Mike and Charles Essien in front of the "Mission House" where CLC Missionaries have lived

Six of the Seven current NCLC Immanuel Lutheran Seminary Students

NCLC Immanuel Lutheran Seminary Students and Teachers

Dedication of the new NCLC Seminary Academic and HQ Building

Sunday Morning worship service at the NCLC church in Efa Anyam, Akwa Ibom State

CLC Board of Missions Chairman Joel Krafft delivering his essay

We flew to and from Lagos to Uyo on Ibom Air

Nigeria - DR Congo - Zambia - APR/MAY 2026

Later today I'll head to the airport for a five-week trip to Nigeria, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Zambia. 

For the first leg of the trip, I will be joined by CLC President Michael Wilke and his wife Gloria, as well as CLC Board of Missions chairman, Mr. Joel Krafft. We are traveling to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Nigeria Church of the Lutheran Confession (NCLC).

Our seven-day Nigeria itinerary is packed...

• The NCLC Annual Convention and Pastor Conference: Pastor Wilke, Joel Krafft, and I will each be delivering theological essays. 

• Dedication Ceremony: We will dedicate the newly constructed NCLC academic building and headquarters. 

• Worship & Fellowship: Pastor Wilke will preach for the NCLC-wide Sunday morning worship service. 

• NCLC Women's Conference: Gloria will deliver an essay on the blessings of Christian motherhood and lead a Sunday School teacher workshop for the women of the NCLC.

After a week in Nigeria, the Wilkes and Joel Krafft will return to the U.S., and I will fly from Lagos to Lomé, Togo. There, I will meet Missionary Peter Evensen in the airport, From there, we will fly together to the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Having Peter along is a real blessing; since the DRC is French-speaking, his fluency—honed through his regular teaching and preaching in French for the past several years in Togo will be much appreciated. Our time in the DRC will be split between two locations:

• Kinshasa: visiting Pastor Luminangu and assisting in efforts to establish a confessional Lutheran ministry in the capital city of the DRC. 

• Lubumbashi: visiting the headquarters of the CCLC and Holy Trinity Lutheran Seminary. We will host a pastor conference and participate in the graduation and ordination of the latest seminary class.

The final two weeks of the trip will be spent in Zambia working with the Zambia CLC (ZCLC). While I am there, I will conduct a four-day pastor training seminar. The ZCLC will also conduct the first formal organizational meetings for the church, with pastors traveling from four different districts to attend. The last week in Zambia will be spent in Livingstone helping to conduct an outreach seminar.

Your prayers for safe and uneventful travel, Godly wisdom, patience, and love, along with God's blessings on all the plans and logistics as He fulfills His promise to bless the preaching and teaching of His holy word are requested and much appreciated.