Participatory learning is part of ELCIN’s activities to enhance the church’s preparedness to serve communities more effectively. Photo: ELCIN
New skills training to enhance diaconal work recognition and preparedness for effective response
(LWI) - Church deacons are met with a variety of issues from members every day. It may be grief after loss, a family in crisis, or a young person at risk. In the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Namibia (ELCIN), the men and women serving as deacons have long been trained to apply their faith tradition and respond with compassion to different needs—but often without effective tools to fully navigate the complexity behind these situations. That is beginning to change.
The ELCIN has partnered with academic institutions to strengthen its practices of diakonia (church social service delivery) to ensure that care is not only heartfelt but also informed and effective. With support from the Diakonia College of Finland, a diploma course in social auxiliary work has been integrated into the deacon training process in collaboration with the United Lutheran Theological Seminary Paulinum in Windhoek. The institution is jointly owned and managed by the ELCIN and Evangelical Lutheran Church in the Republic of Namibia.
“Diaconal services are the lifeblood of the church; without them, the church cannot fully explain its existence within society,” said Rev. Josef Ngula, director, ELCIN Department of Missions, Diakonia and Social Services. Through its diaconal arm, “the church functions as a beacon of hope in difficult times, bringing light to surrounding communities and actively living out the gospel through service, compassion, and love in action,” he said.
The deacon training program is part of the ELCIN Enhancing Church Preparedness (ECP) project, funded through The Lutheran World Federation (LWF) Member church projects program.
Rev. Josef Ngula, director, ELCIN Department of Missions, Diakonia and Social Services. Photo: ELCIN
Ms Helena Amuthitu, secretary of Mission, Diakonia and Social Services, ELCIN eastern diocese, facilitating a training for deacons. Photo: ELCIN
Impact in people’s lives
For deacons at the community level, the new course is more than a qualification. It is a shift in how they see and serve their communities. They are now equipped with nationally recognized skills aligned with standards of the Ministry of Health and Social Services and the Ministry of Gender Equality and Welfare. This enhances their capacity to assess needs more professionally, respond more effectively, and connect people to formal support systems that can help them rebuild their lives.
After attending a crisis counselling workshop in the coastal city of Swakopmund in 2025, ELCIN dean Rev. Petrus Haikali said new leadership skills have strengthened his confidence and are now being shared across his deanery. “For the first time, I feel equipped not only to preach, but to walk with people through their pain. I now understand how to support my pastors and congregation in moments of grief, trauma, and uncertainty.”
There was a time I wanted to help but I did not know how. Now I have the skills and confidence to support people in crisis and guide them toward healing.
Deacon Maria Nakanyala, Evangelical Lutheran Church in Namibia
Deacon Maria Nakanyala works closely with vulnerable families. Following a training on bereavement support and community counselling for emergencies, she can now respond better to people’s needs and link them to the appropriate services. “There was a time I wanted to help but I did not know how. Now I have the skills and confidence to support people in crisis and guide them toward healing,” she said.
Launched in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic, the ECP project focuses on strengthening the capacity of congregations and communities to respond to crises while restoring dignity, resilience, and hope. Its activities directly support nearly 600 people, reaching another 3,000—particularly women and youth—while strengthening the church’s preparedness for future crises.
“We are positioning the church as a more structured and reliable actor within the broader social support system,” added Linda Chikerema, ELCIN project advisor.
