A Hopeful Vision for the LCMS Part 2: 3 Languages, 2 Ordinations, 1 Mission
- Rev. Dr. Chris Holder
- Dec 8
- 3 min read
On September 28th, Bethel Lutheran Church in Dallas, Texas, experienced something very rare for a church—a double ordination. Two men—Walker Nery and Jonas Ntagawa—became pastors in the LCMS to serve at Bethel Lutheran Church in Dallas. Two ordinations in one day at the same service is rare enough, but there were other circumstances that made this day extra special. For one, the service was in three languages: English, Spanish, and Kinyarwanda. Walker, originally from Brazil, leads Bethel ministry to Spanish speakers in Bethel’s community. Being from Brazil, Spanish is Walker’s second language, and English now is his third. Jonas, originally from the Congo, came to the United States as a Rwanda refugee. Kinyarwanda is one of five languages he speaks, and his English is improving everyday.
One thing that stood out to me that day was the amount of joy and celebration experienced by all in attendance. Bethel’s vision to be an integrated, intercultural church has been a journey almost ten years in the making. Having these two men going through the EIIT (Ethnic Immigrant Institute of Theology) and CHS (Center for Hispanic Studies) programs through Concordia Seminary in St. Louis is a huge part of that vision. Walker and Jonas are not just pastors of the language groups they serve, they are pastors of Bethel, part of one church and one faith community. The leaders and members are committed to this one Bethel model as we grow together as one/uno/umwe.
This day would not have happened without the partnership and support of Concordia Seminary and the Texas District of the Lutheran Church. Concordia Seminary provided theological training in a distance format that allowed Walker and Jonas to study and serve as Vicars at Bethel while maintaining their employment, as both are co-vocational. The seminary also gave both men scholarships that helped offset the cost of their programs. The Texas District provided both financial and ministry support and an environment where creative ministry contexts like Bethel are encouraged and celebrated. This was evident in the number of leaders and pastors from the Texas District team and surrounding churches that actively participated in the ordination service. The Texas District made a video to capture that day, and you can find a link to that video here:
In part one of this series on “A Hopeful Vision for the LCMS,” I reflected on the Loved+Sent gathering and movement around the question of who is next? I am so grateful for my brothers Walker and Jonas who answered that call. One aspect of the future that Loved+Sent imagines is for the LCMS to be the most ethnically diverse church body in America. Given our current position, this is a very bold and ambitious statement. Yet when I look at what has happened at Bethel, supporting men like Walker and Jonas along with the ministries they lead, I can’t help but ask the question why not?. This is not going to come from a top-down initiative or directive of our seminaries, districts, or Synod itself. This will only happen as more churches like Bethel catch the vision to serve and reach out to their communities in new ways. As local churches and networks of churches do that, with support of the other institutions, days like the ordinations of Walker and Jonas can grow from rare to a normal part of our Christian experience.
In the service, the Word of God was proclaimed in readings, preaching, and song in three different languages. Two men born continents apart were brought together to serve as pastors in Dallas, Texas. And one mission to share the good news to the nations was celebrated. One of the readings from that service (Revelation 15) proclaims:
“And I saw what appeared to be a sea of glass mingled with fire—and also those who had conquered the beast and its image and the number of its name, standing beside the sea of glass with harps of God in their hands. And they sing the song of Moses, the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying,
‘Great and amazing are your deeds,
O Lord God the Almighty!
Just and true are your ways,
O King of the nations!
Who will not fear, O Lord,
and glorify your name?
For you alone are holy.
All nations will come
and worship you,
for your righteous acts have been revealed.’”
This is a beautiful vision of Jesus as King of the Nations and how our Lord is bringing the nations together to worship the Lamb and celebrate His righteous acts. Often, we see this as a future reality, but God is bringing the nations to many of our cities and communities today. Churches like Bethel are experiencing this messy and beautiful reality right now. This is why I believe we can have a hopeful vision for the LCMS.