Walking with our overseas partners

The Lutheran Study Centre (LSC) at Sabah Theological Seminary (STS) in Malaysia was established to enhance Lutheran confessional identity among the member churches of the Federation of Evangelical Lutheran Churches in Malaysia and Singapore (FELCMS).

After talks with the LCANZ’s Dr Vic Pfitzner, the need was raised with LCA International Mission and other mission partners. The centre was opened in March 2010, thanks to advisory and financial support from the LCA and Australian Lutheran College, and technical assistance from the Lutheran World Federation, the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Bavaria and the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America.

The centre’s key objectives are to serve the Lutheran churches in South-East Asia in providing Lutheran distinctive training for pastors, lay members and theological students, to serve as a centre for theological research, to develop resources and publications to enhance Lutheran identity, and to network with regional and international Lutheran study centres.

FELCMS member churches have a policy that all pastoral candidates must go through Lutheran distinctive training by LSC before ordination.

The ministry of the LSC also has extended to Indonesia and the Mekong region. In Indonesia, Lutheran churches were encouraged to send students to STS for training and LSC has invited Indonesian Lutheran theologians to give lectures and conduct seminars. The LCA and the Mekong Mission Forum also played a crucial role in connecting the LSC with the Mekong region. Post-graduate students were invited to study at STS, while training programs and online courses were organised for the Lutheran churches in the Mekong region.

We continue to pray that God will use the LSC to be able to do greater things for his glory. At the same time, we at LSC ask for the continued support and prayers of our International mission partners. Thank you for your partnership in this ministry.

Dr Wilfred J Samuel is LSC Director.

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