The Pastoral Studies Institute (PSI) has three primary areas of responsibility:

1) providing theological training for non-Anglo seminary students in North America, 37 at present, to prepare them for ministry in their context;
2) supporting world mission One Teams worldwide, at their request, by reviewing curriculum, lending teaching assistance to supplement on-site missionaries, assisting with course development, and overseeing training programs; and
3) helping world mission One Teams with new opportunities that present themselves.

Recently, Professor Skip Goetzinger, the director of PSI, returned from a two-week teaching trip to Maor Theological Seminary in Bishoftu, Ethiopia . Maor is a part of WELS’ sister church, the Lutheran Church of Ethiopia, with Rev. Dr. Kebede serving as the president of both the church body and the seminary. Four of the Maor students were involved in a six-week intensive training program that was a year in the planning. From 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., six days a week, these students dedicated themselves to study. During the first three weeks they took courses taught by three of the Africa One Team (AOT) missionaries. Professor Goetzinger taught systematic theology and the book of Romans during weeks four and five. This is just one of the ways the PSI Team serves the theological education needs of our world mission One Teams and national church bodies in our CELC fellowship.

Please pray for the work being done to train pastors in North America and to support theological education in places around the world. Pray also for the men who are studying, that they may approach their study of God’s Word with great zeal and may be well prepared to proclaim to others the saving message of Jesus’ gospel.