Our Africa division, together with our regional office in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, coordinates cooperation between UEM member churches in the African region. The Africa division maintains contact with the churches in the region as well as with Christian councils, other church organizations, and local cooperation partners, and organizes joint African programmes.
Thematically, joint programmes focus on diaconic service, HIV and AIDS, human rights and reconciliation, church management, and theological education.
The Evangelical Lutheran Church in Botswana (ELCB) has 22,000 members and 31 local pastors. The church has three church circuits, each led by a Dean. There are 43 congregations.
For the congregations, financial self-reliance is very important. Botswana is a very rural country has has to fight with droughts, which place a heavy strain on people whose are dependent on agriculture.
The Uniting Reformed Church in Southern Africa was formed by the union of the black and coloured Dutch Reformed mission churches.
Main markers in the URCSA’S history
In 1652 the Dutch formed a halfway station at the [[Cape of Good Hope |Cape]] and introduced slavery. Various foreign mission organisations started working in South Africa, which led to the formation of a number of denominations amongst those people who otherwise would have been excluded from the main churches. This process motivated the Dutch Reformed Church (DRC) in South Africa to start its own independent mission work. In 1857 the DRC synod decided to have separate services for coloured members. A separate church, the Dutch Reformed Mission Church (DRMC) was formed in 1881. For blacks, the Dutch Reformed Church in Africa (DRCA) was formed in 1951. In 1974 the synod of the DRCA decided in favour of church unity. In 1978 the DRMC decided likewise. In 1986 the Belhar Confession – with its strong emphasis on unity, reconciliation and justice – was formulated and adopted by the DRMC. In 1994 the DRMC and the DRCA united to form the Uniting Reformed Church in Southern Africa (URCSA).
Church’s history and nature
The joy which marked the formal unification of the Dutch Reformed Church in Africa (DRCA) and the Dutch Reformed Mission Church (DRMC) in 1994 to form the Uniting Reformed Church in Southern Africa (URCSA), should be seen against the background of a very difficult road on which church unity often appeared as being an unattainable goal. Shortly after the Dutch formed a halfway station at the Cape in 1652, they introduced slavery. They started a school for slaves, with the purpose of transferring the Dutch language and culture. To encourage slaves to learn the Dutch language and prayers, they were rewarded with tobacco and brandy. The Dutch East India Company, as a matter of policy, had all their slaves baptised.
The Dutch Reformed Church (DRC) of the time had no organised mission activity, with the result that the baptism of slaves were left to the wilfulness of their masters. Baptised slaves also did not necessarily become members of the church. In 1737 Georg Schmidt from the Moravian Church came to Cape Town to work amongst the Khoikhoi of the Overberg. Pressurised by the Cape church, he was forced to leave for Germany again after seven years. In the course of time various mission organisations from overseas started working in South Africa, which led to the formation of a number of denominations amongst those people who else would have been excluded from the church. This process motivated the DRC to start its own independent mission work. This new development started at the church’s first synod of 1824, when it decided to allow missionaries within its own ranks. This was clearly a move to get control over the way in which mission work would be done in years to follow. “The Afrikaner abhorred the liberal views of equality, freedom and the social integration of many missionaries (from the foreign mission societies)”.
Although at its 1829 synod the DRC formally rejected discrimination on the basis of skin colour, it did not mean that in practice people of colour were not discriminated against, particularly at worship services and holy communion. The DRC synod’s decision of 1857 about separate services for coloured members “because of the weakness of some”, has become notorious. The next logical step was the formation of a separate church. In 1881 representatives of five mission congregations assembled in Wellington near Cape Town for the first meeting of the DRMC. The DRC reserved the right to veto all decisions by this newly formed church. Also all its buildings had to be transferred on the DRC’s name. The DRC decided to divide its mission work into a “home” and “foreign” mission. The first covered the Cape region, the second all the other provinces of South Africa, including Namibia. In each province separate churches for blacks and coloureds were formed. The Free State had its own mission church already in 1910. In the Cape a separate “Dutch Reformed Bantu Church” was formed in 1951. All the coloured congregations eventually joined the DRMC, and the black congregations the DRCA. In 1974 the synod of the DRCA decided in favour of church unity.
In 1978 the DRMC decided likewise.It took another 16 years for that ideal to be fulfilled. In the process, the Belhar Confession with its strong emphasis on unity, reconciliation and justice was formulated and adopted in 1986. This is still very much the motivating power by which the URCSA today lives. The Uniting Reformed Church consists of more than 500,000 confessing members (excluding all those who are only baptised) and 683 congregations. Its name (which is in the continuous tense) and its logo (which is an incomplete circle) reflects the Church’s emphasis on unity, and its hope for an even greater church unification within the family of God. The Church is divided into seven regional synods, namely Namibia, Northern Transvaal, Southern Transvaal, Phororo (Northern Cape), Cape, Kwazulu-Natal, Free State and Lesotho. Each region has its own moderamen, and every congregation is represented at these synods. Congregations are grouped together in presbyteries. At the general synod level congregations are only represented through their presbyteries. The general synod determines the Church’s policy, and the regional synods see to it that these policies are reflected in their various activities.
The Church of Christ in Congo (ECC) is a union of 62 Protestant denominations in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Since 2008, the ECC is member of the United Evangelical Mission. More information (in french) is available on http://ecc.faithweb.com/.
The Baptist Church in the Centre of Africa, CBCA in acronym, is a Church born from the work of the Unevangelized Africa Mission (UAM) which arrived in Kivu in 1927. A quarrel over the claim by the natives for education for the Youth led to the creation of the present CBCA in 1959. It was endowed with its civil personality on 12.06.1964 by presidential order. In the beginning its name was "Baptist-Protestant Church in Kivu". As a result of the extension of the church in and out of the country, the Church name changed into "Baptist Church in Central Africa, in French: Communauté Baptiste au Centre de l'Afrique (CBCA).
The CBCA currently operates in different Provinces of the DR Congo like North Kivu, South Kivu, Maniema and the Eastern Province, Lubumbashi and Kalemie, and has also congregations in Kinshasa, the Capital City of the DR Congo. It is active in other countries of central Africa as well, for example in Uganda.
The Headquarter of the CBCA is in Goma, the head town of the North-Kivu Province. You find it here:
Mount Goma Avenue, No. 008, Volcano Quarter, Goma Slum, Commercial Unit.
The CBCA has more than 450.000 members (children included) in 461 parishes lead by 567 ordained pastors, 225 retired pastors and it cares for 205 widows of pastors. It runs a total of 738 schools, including 32 nursery schools, 470 primary schools and 236 secondary schools in different domains (sciences, languages, business, pedagogy, agriculture, arts, etc.). The church also supplies its members with 4 hospitals, more than 50 health centers 3 HIV/AIDS centres and one rehabilitation centre for demobilised former soldiers, to ensure all members' health and wellbeing. The church operates 2 bible schools, 2 diaconic centers, 4 mission stations and 4 guest houses.
In its work for Justice, Peace and the integrity of Creation it runs more than 100 peace groups and 37 peace clubs, uniting more than 1.000 congolese and rwandan youth for peace and human rights.
The highest body of the CBCA is the General Assembly. It consists of 120 delegates from the districts. It meets annually in ordinary session. The second body is the Executive Committee, which brings together 36 delegates (2 from each district and the 4 elected church leaders) twice a year to monitor the implementation of the decisions of the General Assembly. The church is lead by a team of four executives who are elected by the General Assembly for a term of 5 years, with a possibility of one re-election. The present leading team consists of:
Its administration functions under eight departments directed each by a director:
Kiswahili and French are the languages used by the CBCA in its assemblies. Nevertheless, speakers of English and German will not have difficulties to visit the CBCA. Some local churches of CBCA use French in services, a great number use Kiswahili and several local languages (Mashi, Kinande, Kihavu, Kihunde, Kinyarwanda, Kirega, Fulero, Kinyanga and Kibembe).
The liturgy is a mixed one that brings together elements from fixed and free liturgies. Songs, both of the congregation and of many different choirs, are an important part of the services, where the Word of God in preaching and listening is at its heart.
To preach the gospel of Jesus Christ for the complete salvation of every human being in diverse aspects of life. That is to say the liberation and promotion of every man and woman at the spiritual, physical, material, social, and intellectual level. The mission implies winning souls for Christ, strengthening them in faith, teaching them the doctrines of Christian life, training and sending them into the world to serve people spiritually and physically. It aims at preaching the Good News of the kingdom of God and his justice to all people and helping them to prepare the Lord’s way until His return.
It aims at transforming men, women, youth and children into agents of change at all levels of society.
In 2024, we are a Baptist Church made of men and women who are transformed for change by faith and action.
The CBCA publishes a leaflet: “La Trompette” (The Trumpet) every two months and runs a website (www.cbca-kanisa.org) for its members and its partners on what happens in the whole Church and the community at large. It has three radio stations in Butembo, Rutshuru and Idjwi, with one more developing in Goma. Those media develop specific subjects relating to the different activities of the CBCA.
CBCA cooperates with international partners and organizations such as the All Africa Conference of Churches, the Baptist World Alliance, Bread for the World, the German Evangelical Service for Development (EED). It is a member of the Protestant Council of Churches in Congo, the World Council of Churches, the United Evangelical Mission and other communities, both national and international.
The Community of Disciples of Christ became autonomous in 1964 and a UEM member in 1979. It has its headquarters in Mbandaka, in the Province of the Equator. The Disciples of Christ in Congo, like all other Disciples of Christ in the world, confess Jesus Christ as Lord, believe in the Holy Trinity, in the supreme authority of the Bible as the foundation of faith, baptism by immersion, the holy communion, the teaching of Jesus and the apostles. The church makes a serious effort to preserve African culture and arts in the liturgical celebrations. It witnesses to the unity of the church as the body of Christ, or the unity of all Christians irrespective of race, gender and confession, to the task of restoring the unity of the church on the basis of the New Testament, the task of preaching the gospel and of making Disciples all the Congolese provinces and neighbouring countries.
The highest authority of the community is the general assembly. The CDCC has departments for evangelism, education, health care and development. It runs 186 primary and 59 secondary schools, three nursery schools, six hospitals, 28 operational health centres and a centre for the training of nurses. In the area of community development the CDCC has a social centre for women, a school for agriculture, a coffee plantation, a bookshop and printing house, and a religious radio programme. It is a founding member of the Protestant University of Congo in Kinshasa and has its own institute for theological training which is being upgraded to Masters degree level. The church is actively working towards financial self-reliance at the local level. It is involved in the struggle against HIV/AIDS and in promoting peace, democracy and the respect of human rights.
Our member church CADELU ist the fruit of the work of the "Region Beyond Missionary Union". It became independent in 1960 and a member of the UEm in 1976. The church is based in the equatorial region of the Congo at the Lulonga river. The church has 20 church circuits and more than 70,000 members.
The gospel was first brought to what is now Cameroon by African-American missionaries from Jamaica. They joined the work of the Baptist Missionary Society (London) in the area which began in 1845. After 1884, when the territory came under German rule, the Basel Mission took over. Following the defeat of Germany in the first world war Cameroon was divided into two mandated territories of the League of Nations. In the part of the country placed under French mandate the Paris Mission Society replaced the Basel Mission. Its work gave birth to the Evangelical Church of Cameroon, which was officially established in 1951 and became autonomous in 1957. The church has extended itself and has grown very rapidly, particularly in the regions of Bamileke and Bamoun and in the south.
The Evangelical Church of Cameroon understands itself as part of the universal church, the body of Christ endowed with the preaching of the good news of Jesus Christ and giving testimony to God's kingdom. It recognizes the sovereign authority of the word of God and is in communion with all the churches having Jesus Christ as their foundation. The pastors of the EEC are trained at the theological college in Ndoungue and the Faculty of Protestant Theology in Yaoundé.
The EEC is organized in parishes (which can comprise one or more annexes and places of worship), districts or consistories, regional synods, and a general synod at the national level which is the highest decision-making body of the church. The regional and general synods meet annually. An executive commission represents the general synod in between meetings. Four departments contribute to the life and witness of the church: Christian education, which is in charge of theological and liturgical research, hymnology and church choirs, and children's worship; communication and information, comprised of a press service, television unit and radio service; youth, responsible for the Christian Youth Union and four youth centres, and organizing specific programmes for parish youth, students in colleges and universities, youth in towns and villages; Christian Women Union, which promotes the participation of women in the church and the society and runs a socio-educational centre for young people. The church has also a group for justice, peace and creation which is involved in the fight against HIV/AIDS and drug abuse, care for street children, training for self-employment and the issue of violence against women.
The EEC runs extensive educational, medical and social services. It has 53 nursery and 140 primary schools, and 13 secondary and technical colleges; three more colleges are being planned. In the medical field four hospitals and 39 dispensaries and health centres are at the disposal of the people. Several social centres take care of children and youth who are in need of assistance. In the area of development the EEC has five agricultural schools and three centres for training and integrated development. It has also a sailors' community centre.
The Evangelical Lutheran Church in the Republic of Namibia grew out of the work of the Rhenish Missionary Society from Germany which began working in the area in 1842. The church was constituted in 1957 and named the Evangelical Lutheran Church in South-West Africa (Rheinische Mission). After the independence of Namibia in 1990 the ELCRN took its present name.
The church runs several institutions and programmes spread over the country, as part of its witness in society and service to the people of Namibia. It has a centre where women are trained to take leadership in nursery schools and hostels; over 200 women are employed by the church in these functions. The Martin Luther High School offers opportunities for young people to prepare for higher education. The ELCRN Media Centre runs a book and media depot and is the editorial office of the church. Pastors are trained at the Paulinum Theological Seminary jointly owned with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Namibia. The Evangelical Lutheran Church AIDS programme was established in 1999 in response to the increasing HIV/AIDS pandemic. It seeks to provide a comprehensive approach with focus on caring and counselling for infected persons, care and support for orphans and family members, prevention through awareness-building and education, outreach to all congregations and areas where the ELCRN is present, and networking with other organizations. More than 30 home-based care groups have been established.
In 2003 the ELCRN launched a social development programme to address issues of mass poverty, especially in view of HIV/AIDS. The programme looks at the root causes as well as the broader social implications of the pandemic. It is to provide vision and direction and to facilitate strategies and structures for the church's involvement towards social development in Namibia. The first phase of the programme is research, which is done in close cooperation with the regional offices and congregational committees of the AIDS programme.
The ELCRN Business Trust manages several guesthouses and conference centres in order to generate income for the church. The mission, evangelism and humanitarian services programme looks after the inner life of the church, e.g. catechism, Sunday schools, women, men, youth, Bible studies, church music, etc. It is also in charge of evangelization.
In March 2007 the ELCRN, the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Namibia (ELCIN) and the German-speaking Evangelical Lutheran Church in Namibia (GELC) established the United Church Council of the Lutheran Churches in Namibia, with the ultimate aim to become one church.
Two missionary doctors of the Church Missionary Society evangelized the eastern region of Rwanda in 1914-16. The first station of the Rwanda mission was established in 1925. The work grew with the revivals in the 1930s and 1940s. The first Rwandan bishop was appointed in 1965. That same year the church was called the Anglican Church of Rwanda, which became the Episcopal Church of Rwanda and was part of the Province of Rwanda, Burundi and Boga-Zaïre. In 1992 the church became an autonomous province within the Anglican Communion.
Like all strata of Rwandan society, the church suffered through the genocide, and one of its major priorities is to replace clergy through training. The church has a role as a healing ministry to the many traumatized people in Rwanda and in reconciliation, restoration, and rehabilitation. The church has also been involved in rural development, medical work, vocational training, education, and in the struggle against HIV/AIDS.
The gospel was first preached in Rwanda at the beginning of the 20th century by Catholic missionaries. They were followed in 1907 by Protestants from the German Bethel Mission who came together with Tanzanians to start what became the Presbyterian Church in Rwanda. After the first world war, German missionaries were replaced by Belgians and Swiss, who were joined later by Dutch missionaries. From the very beginning, the evangelistic work was done by Rwandan people who accepted the gospel. Until 1957 the church was concentrated around three main stations, Kirinda, Rubengera and Remera. After it became autonomous in 1959, with the name Evangelical Presbyterian Church in Rwanda, the priority became to extend its presence throughout the whole country. In the process of growth the church changed its name to Presbyterian Church in Rwanda, which was motivated by the refusal to claim the title "evangelical" for itself while it is deeply engaged ecumenically. As the credibility of the church's message depends on its response to misery, poverty, hunger, illness and ignorance, the EPR tries to maintain a balance between the teaching of the biblical message and social engagement through its hospitals, schools and development projects. In the area of evangelism, the church stresses the teaching of a transformative gospel, in a situation where many new churches and groups preach a message which takes people away from the current realities of the country and the society and invites them to flee to heaven.
Like other institutions in Rwanda the 1994 genocide affected the church which lost 16 of its pastors and many other members. In the period consecutive to the genocide much emphasis has been placed on the preparation of the younger generation in peace-building and reconciliation, while the church also faces the challenge of caring for the many orphans and widows, most of whom still suffer from trauma.
The leading organ of the church is the general synod to which all the programmes, institutions and congregations are accountable. It is coordinated by the president of the church assisted by the general secretary. The EPR maintains close relationships with its traditional partners in Rwanda, Africa, Belgium, Switzerland, Germany and the Netherlands and plays an active role in many ecumenical organizations of which it is a member.
The Karagwe-Diocese (KAD) is one of 20 dioceses of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Tanzania (ELCT). 126.000 Christians in 205 congregations belong to the KAD.
Lutheran mission work in today's Tanzania began in the 19th century, from Europe and the USA. By 1938 there were seven Lutheran churches in Tanganyika, which united and founded that year the Federation of Lutheran Churches. In 1963 these seven churches, under the umbrella of the federation merged to become the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Tanzania, with a total membership of approximately 500,000 Christians. Lutherans are the largest Christian denomination in the country after Roman Catholics. The main language used in the church is Kiswahili, though local languages are also used.
The church proclaims the word of God, both within the country and across borders, through mission work. Mission work within Tanzania is done by the dioceses. The ELCT had mission work in Kenya and the Democratic Republic of Congo, which have now become autonomous churches. Currently, it is a member of joint mission boards with the Evangelical Lutheran churches in Malawi, Mozambique, DRC and Zambia, which help to undertake evangelization in these churches. The church is also involved in communicating the gospel through the radio studio in Moshi and the church magazine. Plans are underway to launch a newspaper - Tega Sikio. The church is also involved in Christian-Muslim dialogue for peaceful coexistence. Other activities include the work of diakonia, supporting widows, the disabled and disadvantaged in society. The church also undertakes several HIV/AIDS programmes, which aim at breaking the silence, education, care for victims, and administering ARVs. Major programmes of the church are in the area of training pastors, evangelists, deacons and parish workers for evangelism.
From the beginning the church has provided services through schools, hospitals and medical training to the society in general. Currently, provision of education ranges from primary school to education for the deaf, higher education from secondary school level to the university. The Tumaini University of the ELCT runs four constituent colleges, namely Makumira (Arusha), Kilimanjaro Christian Medical College (Moshi), Dar-es-Salaam College and Iringa University College. The main objective is to offer tertiary education in an environment imbued with Christian faith, traditions and moral values. Two management programmes, on health care and on education, develop policies with the objective to create sustainable, affordable and quality health care and education services. The church is also involved in various development projects, including sustainable agriculture, dairy, fish farming, water, renewable energy, reafforestation and other projects.
The ELCT owns Lutheran Investment Company Ltd. (LUICO Ltd). The first business enterprise to be managed by LUICO is the New Safari Hotel (1967) Ltd, which is operational since July 2004.
The North-Eastern Diocese (NED) is one of 20 dioceses of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Tanzania (ELCT). It has more than 135.000 members and 67 pastors.
Lutheran mission work in today's Tanzania began in the 19th century, from Europe and the USA. By 1938 there were seven Lutheran churches in Tanganyika, which united and founded that year the Federation of Lutheran Churches. In 1963 these seven churches, under the umbrella of the federation merged to become the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Tanzania, with a total membership of approximately 500,000 Christians. Lutherans are the largest Christian denomination in the country after Roman Catholics. The main language used in the church is Kiswahili, though local languages are also used.
The church proclaims the word of God, both within the country and across borders, through mission work. Mission work within Tanzania is done by the dioceses. The ELCT had mission work in Kenya and the Democratic Republic of Congo, which have now become autonomous churches. Currently, it is a member of joint mission boards with the Evangelical Lutheran churches in Malawi, Mozambique, DRC and Zambia, which help to undertake evangelization in these churches. The church is also involved in communicating the gospel through the radio studio in Moshi and the church magazine. Plans are underway to launch a newspaper - Tega Sikio. The church is also involved in Christian-Muslim dialogue for peaceful coexistence. Other activities include the work of diakonia, supporting widows, the disabled and disadvantaged in society. The church also undertakes several HIV/AIDS programmes, which aim at breaking the silence, education, care for victims, and administering ARVs. Major programmes of the church are in the area of training pastors, evangelists, deacons and parish workers for evangelism.
From the beginning the church has provided services through schools, hospitals and medical training to the society in general. Currently, provision of education ranges from primary school to education for the deaf, higher education from secondary school level to the university. The Tumaini University of the ELCT runs four constituent colleges, namely Makumira (Arusha), Kilimanjaro Christian Medical College (Moshi), Dar-es-Salaam College and Iringa University College. The main objective is to offer tertiary education in an environment imbued with Christian faith, traditions and moral values. Two management programmes, on health care and on education, develop policies with the objective to create sustainable, affordable and quality health care and education services. The church is also involved in various development projects, including sustainable agriculture, dairy, fish farming, water, renewable energy, reafforestation and other projects.
The ELCT owns Lutheran Investment Company Ltd. (LUICO Ltd). The first business enterprise to be managed by LUICO is the New Safari Hotel (1967) Ltd, which is operational since July 2004.
The North-Western Diocese (NWD) is one of 20 dioceses of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Tanzania (ELCT). It has 153.669 Mitglieder in 235 congregations.
Lutheran mission work in today's Tanzania began in the 19th century, from Europe and the USA. By 1938 there were seven Lutheran churches in Tanganyika, which united and founded that year the Federation of Lutheran Churches. In 1963 these seven churches, under the umbrella of the federation merged to become the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Tanzania, with a total membership of approximately 500,000 Christians. Lutherans are the largest Christian denomination in the country after Roman Catholics. The main language used in the church is Kiswahili, though local languages are also used.
The church proclaims the word of God, both within the country and across borders, through mission work. Mission work within Tanzania is done by the dioceses. The ELCT had mission work in Kenya and the Democratic Republic of Congo, which have now become autonomous churches. Currently, it is a member of joint mission boards with the Evangelical Lutheran churches in Malawi, Mozambique, DRC and Zambia, which help to undertake evangelization in these churches. The church is also involved in communicating the gospel through the radio studio in Moshi and the church magazine. Plans are underway to launch a newspaper - Tega Sikio. The church is also involved in Christian-Muslim dialogue for peaceful coexistence. Other activities include the work of diakonia, supporting widows, the disabled and disadvantaged in society. The church also undertakes several HIV/AIDS programmes, which aim at breaking the silence, education, care for victims, and administering ARVs. Major programmes of the church are in the area of training pastors, evangelists, deacons and parish workers for evangelism.
From the beginning the church has provided services through schools, hospitals and medical training to the society in general. Currently, provision of education ranges from primary school to education for the deaf, higher education from secondary school level to the university. The Tumaini University of the ELCT runs four constituent colleges, namely Makumira (Arusha), Kilimanjaro Christian Medical College (Moshi), Dar-es-Salaam College and Iringa University College. The main objective is to offer tertiary education in an environment imbued with Christian faith, traditions and moral values. Two management programmes, on health care and on education, develop policies with the objective to create sustainable, affordable and quality health care and education services. The church is also involved in various development projects, including sustainable agriculture, dairy, fish farming, water, renewable energy, reafforestation and other projects.
The ELCT owns Lutheran Investment Company Ltd. (LUICO Ltd). The first business enterprise to be managed by LUICO is the New Safari Hotel (1967) Ltd, which is operational since July 2004.
Die Eastern and Coastal Diocese is one of 20 dioceses of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Tanzania (ELCT). It has more than 88.000 members in 68 congregations.
Lutheran mission work in today's Tanzania began in the 19th century, from Europe and the USA. By 1938 there were seven Lutheran churches in Tanganyika, which united and founded that year the Federation of Lutheran Churches. In 1963 these seven churches, under the umbrella of the federation merged to become the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Tanzania, with a total membership of approximately 500,000 Christians. Lutherans are the largest Christian denomination in the country after Roman Catholics. The main language used in the church is Kiswahili, though local languages are also used.
The church proclaims the word of God, both within the country and across borders, through mission work. Mission work within Tanzania is done by the dioceses. The ELCT had mission work in Kenya and the Democratic Republic of Congo, which have now become autonomous churches. Currently, it is a member of joint mission boards with the Evangelical Lutheran churches in Malawi, Mozambique, DRC and Zambia, which help to undertake evangelization in these churches. The church is also involved in communicating the gospel through the radio studio in Moshi and the church magazine. Plans are underway to launch a newspaper - Tega Sikio. The church is also involved in Christian-Muslim dialogue for peaceful coexistence. Other activities include the work of diakonia, supporting widows, the disabled and disadvantaged in society. The church also undertakes several HIV/AIDS programmes, which aim at breaking the silence, education, care for victims, and administering ARVs. Major programmes of the church are in the area of training pastors, evangelists, deacons and parish workers for evangelism.
From the beginning the church has provided services through schools, hospitals and medical training to the society in general. Currently, provision of education ranges from primary school to education for the deaf, higher education from secondary school level to the university. The Tumaini University of the ELCT runs four constituent colleges, namely Makumira (Arusha), Kilimanjaro Christian Medical College (Moshi), Dar-es-Salaam College and Iringa University College. The main objective is to offer tertiary education in an environment imbued with Christian faith, traditions and moral values. Two management programmes, on health care and on education, develop policies with the objective to create sustainable, affordable and quality health care and education services. The church is also involved in various development projects, including sustainable agriculture, dairy, fish farming, water, renewable energy, reafforestation and other projects.
The ELCT owns Lutheran Investment Company Ltd. (LUICO Ltd). The first business enterprise to be managed by LUICO is the New Safari Hotel (1967) Ltd, which is operational since July 2004.
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