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

Sent to Liberia - Nigeria - Togo - NOV/DEC 2025

On Wednesday, Nov. 12, I'll be heading to West Africa for visits to Liberia, Nigeria, and Togo. 

The trip will begin with flights from St. Louis to Washington, DC, then to Accra, Ghana, and finally to Monrovia, Liberia. I'll spend a little over two weeks in Liberia working with the LCLC. We'll make visits to Gbarnga and Global Village. We will then travel back to Monrovia on our way to Bopolu, where eighteen pastors and church leaders will gather for a three-day pastoral training seminar and conference. Following the conference, we'll head back to Monrovia for a weekend of worship and meetings.

I'll travel from Liberia to Nigeria on Nov 26th. Thanksgiving Day will be spent traveling from Lagos to Akwa Ibom State, where the NCLC's headquarters and seminary are located. If all goes according to schedule, I'll arrive in time to attend the afternoon session of the pastoral training seminar. Friday and Saturday will be spent teaching at the training seminar and attending meetings with the NCLC boards and committees. I will also have the privilege of attending the dedication of the new seminary academic building, visiting a few congregations, and worshipping at one of the NCLC congregations in the area. I'll then make my way back to Lagos for a day of report writing, rest, and a trip from Lagos to Lome', Togo.

I'm scheduled to arrive in Lome' on Thursday, Dec. 4th. The Togo visit will be short. I'll have just enough time in Togo to visit Missionary Evensen, attend and preach at the Mt. Horeb Lutheran Seminary graduation, worship with the Lome' congregation, and discuss the work with Missionary Evensen and Pastor Kossi. 

On Dec. 9th, I'll fly from Lome' to Brussels to Chicago to Home...just in time to get in on the late-season deer hunt in Missouri and a quick trip to Phoenix to celebrate my mom's 85th birthday!

It's going to be a busy month. Your prayers for safe and uneventful travels, safety, good health, and all the blessings necessary to carry out this Kingdom work are requested and much appreciated. 

 

West Africa CLC Pastoral Conference Recap...

Tuesday February 28 - The West Africa CLC Pastoral Conference is off to a blessed start. With twenty pastors arriving safely yesterday (Monday, 2/27) afternoon and evening from Togo, Liberia, Ghana, and Nigeria, we started early with morning prayers, Psalms, and breakfast.

Following an opening devotion, review of the schedule, greeting, and encouragement from CLC President Wilke and Board of Missions Chairman Krafft, and the appointment of a conference chairman and secretary, we heard the first of six essays under the theme "Seek First the Kingdom of God and His Righteousness." The first essay was titled "What God Reveals About His Kingdom."

Following a lunch-break we gathered again for our second essay titled "What God Reveals About His Righteousness," delivered by Missionary Peter Evensen.

Missionary Peter Evensen 

Wednesday, March 1 - Day two of the West Africa CLC Pastoral Conference has begun as we expect another fruitful day in our Savior's word.

Pastor Sunday Akpan Udo led us in the singing of "Rock of Ages" and encouraged us with our Savior's words recorded in Matthew 18:1-4.

Today we will hear and be encouraged by God's saving Word through two essays delivered by Pastor Godwin Akpan (Seminary Dean from the Nigeria-CLC) and Pastor Kossi Blewu (MELC-Togo).

This evening we will gather for worship and the Lord's supper.

Pastor Mike Essien (Nigeria)

Pastor Joseph Kwiwalazu (Liberia)

Pastor Godwin Akpan Ukoh (Nigeria)

Pastor Sunday Akpan (Nigeria)

Pastor Kossi Blewu (Togo)

Pastor Samuel Cheneken (Liberia)

Thursday, March 2 - The third and final day of the West Africa CLC Pastoral Conference is about to begin. We're looking forward to essays delivered by Pastors Mike Essien (President of the Nigeria-CLC) and Joseph Kwiwalazu (Liberia-CLC). Pastor Samuel Cheneken (Liberia-CLC), our morning Chaplain, encouraged us in our work with the Word of God from Matthew 4:18-19 & 1 Peter 2:20-21.

Before we began today, we took a few group pictures.

Join us in thanking our Savior for the many blessings He has given to this conference and ask for His continued blessings on our travels home over the next few days.

Deborah and the ladies who took such good care of us.

Liberia Delegation

Nigeria Delegation

Togo Delegation

Group Picture of all delegates

Pastor Essien Michael (Nigeria)

Sent to West Africa...

 

I'm gearing up for my first visit to Togo since before the pandemic. I'm leaving Sunday (2/19) morning, so I'll be able to arrive in time to travel with Missionary Evensen to the seminary to spend a couple of days teaching and observing classes. I'm excited to spend some time with my good friends and colleagues Missionary Peter Evensen and Pastor Kossi Blewu. I am also looking forward to seeing firsthand how the land and building have progressed. The last time I was there was when Peter first took up residence in Togo. At that time nothing had yet been built. Missionary Evensen has sent several pictures, but it will be great to see things with my own eyes. 

The following week, pastors from Togo, Liberia, Ghana, Benin, and Nigeria will gather in Lomé, Togo for the three-day West Africa CLC Pastoral Conference that is scheduled to begin on Tuesday, Feb. 28th. This conference was initially scheduled for 2020 but was postponed due to the pandemic. We are expecting twenty pastors and seminary students to attend. Missionary Evensen, Pastor Blewu, and I will be hosting this semi-annual conference. Six essays will be delivered by some of the pastors in attendance from each nation in attendance. An evening worship service with the Lord's Supper will be a highlight as we gather to be encouraged by a sermon from one of the Nigerian pastors. 

Your prayers are requested and much appreciated, asking the Lord to bless all those traveling to Lomé on February 27th with safe and uneventful travel. Thank the Lord for this opportunity for these pastors to gather, study, encourage, and grow together in the saving truths of God's saving word. Ask the Lord to bless the preaching, teaching, and hearing of His word that His name will be honored. And please pray for my wife Beth and family while I am gone.