The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod began work in Venezuela in 1951. LCMS World Mission has supported church-planting, theological education, and outreach efforts since that time with its financial and personnel resources.

LCMS World Relief and Human Care awarded its first grants to the church in Venezuela in 1990, which provided health clinic equipment and helped construct a preschool. Since that time, LCMS World Relief and Human Care has given a half dozen grants to assist the church in human care and disaster response efforts.

Today, LCMS World Mission continues to support the Lutheran Church of Venezuela. The Juan de Frías Theological Seminary provides extensive theological training in proclaiming God’s Word and administering the Sacraments. It continues to depend on support from LCMS World Mission, though it is now led by a fully-Venezuelan teaching faculty.

Other Lutheran groups working in Venezuela include:

• LCMS Michigan District
• The Venezuela Lutheran Mission Partnership (VLMP)
• Lutheran Hour Ministries (CPTLN) – radio broadcast and media ministry
• Children Christian Concern's Society, an LCMS Recognized Service Organization –providing educational scholarships for students and teachers salaries

The ILV is a sister/partner church of the LCMS.

The Lutheran Church of Venezuela has 137 workers, including six ministers, four evangelists, 20 lay preachers, and 18 teachers. It has 18 congregations, six preaching stations, and 984 members. The church conducts theological education at 13 centers throughout the country involving 128 students. It also operates five preschools, three primary schools, and one secondary school with a total enrollment of 878 students. Through direct congregation involvement, it operates a medical clinic, a prison ministry, an orphanage visitation, food pantries, and remedial education programs.

LCMS World Mission partners with the partner/sister church, the Lutheran Church of Venezuela (ILV), to support various emphases in Venezuela. Leadership training, outreach, and church planting are all important aspects of the mission there. The Juan de Frias Theological Seminary provides extensive theological training in proclaiming God’s Word and administering the Sacraments. This training occurs through a combination of residency and correspondence-based theological education. In this way, the seminary trains the future pastors of the ILV. It continues to depend on support from LCMS World Mission, though it is now led by a fully-Venezuelan teaching faculty. Lay people can also be equipped for ministry through the Juan de Frias program.

The ‘Cristo te Llama’ program and other training efforts provide vacation Bible school outreach curriculums to congregation-level leaders throughout Venezuela. Such programs train lay leaders in outreach to children and encourage them to share their faith with family and friends. As many as 40 leaders have completed the ‘Cristo te Llama’ program already, becoming more effective VBS directors and teachers.

Finally, church planting efforts throughout Venezuela continue to depend on support from LCMS World Mission. The ILV is focusing on sites in both rural and urban contexts where there is no Lutheran presence. Leaders are using various methods to share God’s Word and striving to draw together interested listeners, new believers and long-time Lutherans into worship communities.

There are no current mercy projects in this country. For more information on mercy work in the LCMS, contact LCMS World Relief and Human Care at 888-THE-LCMS (888-843-5267) or infocenter@lcms.org .

Field Office Address:
Apartado 1356
Santiago, Dominican Republic

(Please do NOT send packages to this address)

Partner Church:
Lutheran Church of Venezuela
Apartado Postal 343 Maturin, Edo.
Monagas, Venezuela 6201-A