Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod
| Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod | |
|---|---|
| Classification | Lutheran |
| Orientation | Confessional Lutheran |
| Scripture | Bible |
| Polity | Congregational |
| Associations | Confessional Evangelical Lutheran Conference, Formerly Synodical Conference (1869–1963) and General Council (1867–1869) |
| Region | United States and 24 other countries. |
| Headquarters | Waukesha, Wisconsin, U.S. |
| Origin | 1850 Milwaukee, Wisconsin, U.S. |
| Separated from | German mission societies (1868) |
| Merger of | Wisconsin, Minnesota, Michigan, and Nebraska synods |
| Separations |
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| Congregations | 1,250 |
| Members | 340,511 baptized 272,555 communicant |
| Primary schools | 284 |
| Secondary schools | 29 |
| Official website | www |
The Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod (WELS), also referred to simply as the Wisconsin Synod, is an American Confessional Lutheran denomination of Christianity. Characterized as theologically conservative, it was founded in 1850 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
As of 2022, it had a baptized membership of 340,511 in 1,250 congregations, with churches in 47 US states and 4 provinces of Canada. The WELS also does gospel outreach in 40 countries around the world. It is the third largest Lutheran denomination in the United States. The WELS school system is the fourth largest private school system in the United States.
The WELS is in fellowship with the Evangelical Lutheran Synod (ELS) and is a member of the Confessional Evangelical Lutheran Conference (CELC), a worldwide organization of Lutheran church bodies of the same beliefs.