Equipping Leaders in Ethnic Communities

rev. clark and class with cfna associate richard leigh

If you come to the Christian Friends of New Americans (CFNA) Peace Center on a Saturday morning, you will find a group of seven Nepali men who are eager to become better equipped to lead and teach in their community. The students are members of one of three Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod (LCMS) congregations in St. Louis City: Ascension, Messiah, or St. Johns Lutheran. Already leaders among Nepali Christians, these students, who are refugees, are participating in a “Leadership Class” to gain a better understanding of the Old Testament, New Testament, and Christian Lutheran Doctrine.

Another goal of the Leadership Class is to become a “pre-seminary” class for those who have the desire to continue their formal education through Concordia Seminary’s Ethnic Immigrant Institute of Theology (EIIT). The EIIT is a specialized program for those who aspire to serve immigrant and refugee communities as Lutheran pastors.

The materials utilized for this class include Luther’s Small Catechism with Explanation—2017 Visual Edition. It presents the catechism in an easy-to-navigate format with engaging illustrations. This valuable resource was generously made possible by Concordia Publishing House’s Concordia Gospel Outreach (CGO). Christian Friends of New Americans is grateful for this partnership with CGO in connecting ethnic leaders with the Gospel.

Speaking of partnerships, the instruction for this Leadership Class would not be possible without the partnership of four LCMS pastors working together. These pastors include Al Buckman of CFNA, Stanish Stanley of CFNA, Matt Clark of Ascension, and Michael Tanney of St. Johns. Please pray that the Lord would continue to equip current and future leaders in ethnic communities through the work of CFNA!

By Rev. Matt Clark Ascension Lutheran Church