Teaching Ministry Certification

A teacher in a Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod school is a gospel minister called by the church to share the Word of God with children and their families in a Lutheran school setting. In addition to possessing the capacity to instruct, a called Lutheran teacher must be conversant in the entire Bible, have a firm grasp of Christian doctrine, agree with the Lutheran Confessions, and properly apply these truths to the lives of children throughout all aspects of the Lutheran school ministry.

The ministry certification program for WELS teachers assures the district president and the calling body that the candidate . . .

• is a WELS member in good standing who faithfully makes use of the means of grace,
• holds the proper teaching credentials (bachelor’s degree or license) for the called responsibilities,
• is able to teach, and
• knows and can apply the Word of God, Christian doctrine, and the Lutheran Confessions in a Lutheran school setting.

Ministry certification is only for those who are already teachers. The program provides spiritual training for gospel ministry in a Lutheran context. It does not provide teaching qualifications or credentials.

There are three areas of teaching ministry certification. Certification in one area qualifies one to be called only for the corresponding position.