Rev. Lesego Martha Temane of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Southern Africa (right) alongside Rev. Delphine Fongeh Nsufor of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Cameroon (left) preside over Holy Communion during a prayer service observed in the Fronleichnamskapelle – by the Town Church of Saint Mary in Wittenberg. Photo: LWF/Albin Hillert
LWF training equips scholarship recipients for leadership in church
(LWI) - A leadership training for scholarship holders and alumni has drawn to a close in Wittenberg, Germany. Participants from across The Lutheran World Federation (LWF) churches shared their perspectives on responsible theology and other topics at the 19-24 April event, under the theme, “Grow to lead.”
What are the consequences of my theology, is it empowering people, is it affirming everyone's human dignity, is it a theology of servanthood, what is the impact of my leadership on the people around me, positive or negative? These were some of the questions from the dozen women and men of different ages and backgrounds at the LWF training, as they explored together different perspectives, experiences and learnings as current and emerging church leaders.
Rev. Lesego Martha Temane of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Southern Africa, who presided over Holy Communion during a worship service on the training’s closing day, said the experience has been profound.
“I thought it was just about the workshop and leadership, but I leave this place shaped as a new person, and not only a new person, but a healed person,” she reflected.
“You come and learn from others that not everything is black and white, that there is a gray area and it's beautiful, where grace resides,” she added.
It calls you to reflect and revisit different leadership styles, that it is not just about yourself, but for the benefit of others as well, she explained: “It's an inclusive thing. It's not about me, but it's about the body of Christ."
I leave this place shaped as a new person, and not only a new person, but a healed person
Rev. Lesego Martha Temane, ELCSA
Connecting and learning across a global communion
Throughout the week, participants have been diving into a wide range of leadership dimensions: values, skills, Lutheran identity and identities, and questions of empowering church communities.
Rev. Ricardo Flores Martínez of the Mexican Lutheran Church described the training as an opportunity “to learn from other experiences and contexts, and most of all to grow in those principles and values, to be able to be a better leader for my community.”
Schneider Masumbuko of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Congo highlighted the concepts of transformative justice and intergenerational justice in leadership.
“Transformative justice is a way to restore relationship, and a way to empower others. We are talking about inclusion, social justice, gender justice and when I have this value of transformative justice it's given me that easy way to empower others, to even share power,” she reflected.
“When we are talking about transformative justice in the sense of intergenerational justice, we see that even young people can have this opportunity to lead,” she continued.
Rev. Berman Maeda Situmorang, Director of the LWF National Committee in Indonesia, served as a facilitator in the training alongside Rev. Dr Minna Rikkinen, Senior adviser for church leadership at the Finnish Evangelical Lutheran Mission (FELM) and LWF Program Executive for Transformative Leadership Rev. Katariina Kiilunen.
“In this era of globalization, of quick technological development and so on, it is essential that young people have a chance to develop themselves and especially the capacity to be a young leader in their own community,” Situmorang emphasized.
“Through this training, the participants have gained the knowledge and have the willingness to improve their skills, improve the talents needed in their communities,” he said.
Participants undertake a tour of ‘Wittenberg in the time of Martin Luther’, led by guide Katja Koehler enacting the role of Martin Luther's wife Katharina von Bora. Photo: LWF/Albin Hillert
Participants from across the globe walk in conversation in the streets of central Wittenberg. Photo: LWF/Albin Hillert
Participants in the leadership training gathered at the doorstep of the Fronleichnamskapelle by the Town Church of Saint Mary in Wittenberg, following a prayer service including Holy Communion on their last day together. Photo: LWF/Albin Hillert
Responsible theology a guiding framework for leadership
A core guiding theme during the week was the concept of responsible theology, stemming from the LWF Thirteenth Assembly in Krakow, Poland in 2023, which called for the LWF to accompany its member churches in strengthening leadership capacity.
"Responsible theology as a term is not intended to create division, but to draw us closer to Christ and therefore to one another," Kiilunen explained. "It means starting with ourselves — reflecting on the consequences of the theology I practice, whether it is truly Christ-centered, liberating and life-affirming.”
“It clicks like commitment, taking care of something that it is dear to you. When I talk about responsible theology, it means that I have to assist whoever we are together in that circle of faith, so that we can practice what will help us and what will build our faith,” reflected Sarah Mapenzi Mwathethe of the Kenya Evangelical Lutheran Church.
Looking ahead, Rev. Lukman Pasaribi Pasaribu of the United Protestant Church (GPP) in Indonesia concluded: “Because the root of responsible theology is Christ, in my ministry, in my preaching, what Jesus has done in his life I can apply as a leader and as a pastor to my congregation, and also to the community surrounding me.”
From 19-24 April 2026, LWF scholarship holders and alumni from the regions of Africa, Asia, Europe and Latin America and the Caribbean are setting out to explore together a variety of dimensions of church leadership – as the LWF convenes a Leadership Training for LWF Scholarship Holders and Alumni in the historic city of Wittenberg, Germany under the theme ‘Grow to Lead’.
