Our church
About Us
Who we are
The Evangelical Lutheran Church in Southern Africa (ELCSA) is a Lutheran church whose congregations span South Africa, Botswana and Eswatini, organised into seven dioceses, each led by a bishop. The church is a registered non-profit organisation (NPO No. 193 295).
Our Mission
As set out in our Constitution (Part 1, Chapter 3): The mission of the Church is to glorify and praise the name of the Triune God. This is realised by:
- Proclaiming the crucified and risen Christ.
- Bringing the gospel to all people through preaching and teaching the word of God and through administering the Sacraments.
- Being a witness of Jesus Christ as servant to the world by word and deed in faith, love and hope.
- Working towards the realisation of the oneness of the Body of Christ.
- Actively supporting ecumenical movements and co-operating with other churches for the extension of the Kingdom of God.
- Advocating for justice, peace and reconciliation for the people of God.
Our Story
The Evangelical Lutheran Church in Southern Africa was established on 18 December 1975 at Tlabane, Rustenburg, at the Constituting Assembly held from 15 to 20 December 1975. The founding churches were the ELCSA Cape/Orange Region, ELCSA South Eastern Region, ELCSA Transvaal Region and ELCSA Tswana Region. The founding regions became dioceses, and three further dioceses were later established — the Central Diocese, Botswana Diocese and Eastern Diocese. Lesotho is a mission area of the church.
Our roots reach back to the missionary societies that brought the Lutheran witness to southern Africa: the Berlin Mission Society (arrived 1834), the Norwegian Mission Society (1844), the Hermannsburg Mission Society (1854), the Church of Sweden Mission (1876) and the American Lutheran Mission (1929) — working among the peoples of South Africa, Eswatini and Botswana.
How we are governed
ELCSA is an episcopal and centralised church. Its highest authority is the General Assembly, meeting at least every two years under the GA President. Between assemblies the Church Council leads the church, advised by the Episcopal Council — chaired by the Presiding Bishop and comprising all diocesan bishops. Each diocese is led by its Synod and Diocesan Council; dioceses are divided into circuits led by a Dean, and circuits into parishes served by parish pastors — congregations and preaching places gathered in one fellowship.
Bishop N.M. Myaka
Head of ELCSA · Presiding Bishop
Tel: 083 364 8652 / 082 388 8315
Email: presidingbishop@elcsa.church
Our languages
Services across ELCSA take place in Afrikaans, English, SiSwati, Northern Sotho (Pedi), Southern Sotho, Tsonga, Tswana, Venda, IsiXhosa and IsiZulu.
Our institutions
The church’s work is carried by institutions including the Lutheran Theological Seminary at Umphumulo, the Lutheran Publishing House, the KwaZamokuhle Diaconic Centre and Emseni Old Aged Home in KwaZulu-Natal, the Convent of Nuns, and the Diakonia Aids Ministry in Soweto — alongside the ELCSA Development Service and the ELCSA Property Management Company.
One church among churches
ELCSA is a member of the Lutheran World Federation, the World Council of Churches, the All-Africa Conference of Churches, the ACT Alliance, the Lutheran Communion in Southern Africa, and the Councils of Churches of South Africa, Botswana and Eswatini — partnering with Lutheran churches in America, Germany, Norway, Sweden and Finland.