Evangelical Lutheran Church of Papua New Guinea

The Evangelical Lutheran Church of Papua New Guinea (ELC - PNG) is the largest of the two Lutheran churches in Papua New Guinea. It has about 900,000 members (as of 2010 ), making it by the Catholic Church, the largest church in the country.

History of the Church

She went in 1956 from the Evangelical Lutheran Church of New Guinea ( ELCONG ) out. 1976, a year after the country's independence, they became fully independent and assumed its present name. The seeds for the creation of today's independent church was laid by Neuendettelsauer mission of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Bavaria. On July 12, 1886 entered the first Bavarian missionary, Johann Flierl, in Finschhafen the floor of New Guinea. 1973 was the church with Zurewe Zurenuo the first indigenous bishop.

Structure of the Church

The church has its main office in Lae, the capital of Morobe Province and maintains three pastor seminars, two Tok Pisin -language and English- speaking. It is divided into 16 districts. Several hospitals, such as the Brown Memorial Hospital in Finschhafen and Gaubin Hospital on the island of Karkar, and various training centers to be entertained. Worship languages ​​are English, Tok Pisin or the local languages ​​. As Tok Pisin was not as widespread as today, the Bel languages ​​( Madang Province ), Kate and Yabem were particularly (both Morobe Province) used as churches and mission languages.

The ELC - PNG is a member of the Lutheran World Federation since 1976.

Leaders of the church

News

In the highlands, another Lutheran Church, the Lutheran Church Gutnius exists. There are also efforts to split an independent Lutheran Melpa Church in the Western Highlands Province of the ELC - PNG. De facto managed this already yourself Dealing with a worn by younger people charismatic renewal movement ( Renewal, Revival ) is also an issue.