By Jenny Scott
September 2021
Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing
them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of
the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have
commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to
the end of the age” (Matthew 28:19-20).
Rev. Tom Johnson took on the role of Ethnic Ministry Development in 2019. That position consists of assisting President Buss in reaching out to the District’s ethnic workers, organizing gatherings, recruiting speakers, serving as a cultural translator, and assisting in any way he can to help them understand ethnic ministry.
“It’s a real blessing and a privilege to serve God in this way,” said Johnson. “The biggest blessing is the people I’ve met who come from such diverse backgrounds. When you meet an Ethiopian or Guatemalan pastor and see how they are impacting their flock and the communities they serve, you truly see God’s love.”
Martín Zárate, a pastor from Mexico City who serves St. Paul Lutheran Church in Melrose Park, is one of those blessings. It makes such a difference when people can hear the Gospel in their own language and see it in practices that are familiar to them. By providing this kind of continuity, many in his congregation have come over to our confessional position.
Waktola Dufera, an Ethiopian pastor currently worshipping at St. Philip Lutheran Church on Chicago’s North Side, is also providing continuity to his congregation, many of whom speak Ethiopia’s Oromo language.
Another example of racial integration is occurring at St. Philip on Chicago’s South Side. There, African American Rev. Elstner Lewis has been serving a black Lutheran congregation. With his community gentrifying, Pastor Lewis feels blessed to have new white and Asian members of his church. This is also true of Rev. Alex Merlo of San Pablo in Aurora, whose Spanish sermons are translated into English for their non-Spanish speaking members.
‘‘Eleven o’clock on Sunday morning is the most segregated hour of the week.” Martin Luther King, Jr.
Pastor Johnson explains that all of these pastors and others are navigating that transitional bridge between what they are accustomed to and how they can intersect with the Gospel. We as a denomination need to be very welcoming to these pastors, we need to apply Grace and help them transition to worshipping in the United States. Christ’s church is intended to be multi-ethnic, but all of this takes patience.
“When you’re not taking risks, you’re not taking any steps in faith. It may feel risky to partner with someone who did not grow up in The Missouri Synod. It may be risky to plant a church in an unknown community, but this is Christ’s mission to make disciples of all nations. We serve out of joy and gratitude for the privilege we have to participate in the work of His kingdom.”
WITNESS: Encouraging personal witnessing, congregational engagement with their community, support of our NID partnerships and missions and sharing in a world mission field together.