Жаңа Гвинея Евангелиялық Лютерандық Шіркеуінің Тарихы мен Құрылымы

Protestant church in Papua New Guinea
It is a member of the:
Lutheran World Federation (LWF) (1976)
World Council of Churches
Pacific Conference of Churches
and is in fellowship with the Lutheran Church of Australia.

The Evangelical Lutheran Church of Papua New Guinea grew out of the work of the Neuendettelsau Mission Society (1886) and the Rhenish Missionary Society (1887), both from Germany. During World War II all missionaries left the area, and many mission stations, churches, schools and hospitals were damaged. In spite of this, the indigenous church leaders and local Christians stood firm in the work of the church. After the war the Lutheran churches in Australia and North America were asked to help reconstruct the church in Papua New Guinea, working together as the Lutheran Mission New Guinea. In 1956 expatriate missionaries and indigenous church leaders gathered and formed the present indigenous church. At the time of its founding the church was called Evangelical Lutheran Church of New Guinea (ELCONG), and its founding bishop was an expatriate missionary from the American Lutheran Church. The first indigenous bishop was elected in 1973. In 1975, on the eve of the country's independence, the name of the church was changed to Evangelical Lutheran Church of Papua New Guinea (ELCPNG). In 1977 the church was officially declared autonomous and another local Lutheran church organized by the Australian Lutheran Mission joined with the ELCPNG. It has long had close relations with the Gutnius Lutheran Church, largely in Enga Province, whose origins were American Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod, and shares clergy college in Lae.

The church has seven departments: evangelism, education, lands and properties, ministerial training, medical services, development services, finance. There are 17 districts divided according to geographical and population needs. Circuits cover smaller areas within the districts; within the circuits are the local parishes/congregations. The church runs 81 health centres, 224 primary schools, 18 high schools, 6 secondary schools, 3 community school one teacher training college, 3 nursing college, 5 girls' Bible schools, 3 seminaries and a training centre for evangelists.