The Salvadoran Lutheran Church is a leading voice for the protection of the poor, the oppressed, those suffering injustice, children at risk and women. Under the direction of Bishop Medardo Gómez, the church lives out the Biblical mandate to care for all of God's children.
The first Lutheran congregation in El Salvador was founded in 1952 by Rev. Robert Gussick, a Lutheran minister from Milwaukee, Wisconsin. In 1972, then Pastor Medardo Gómez rebuilt the fledgling congregation in San Salvador with a base of 4 women and 1 child. In the late 1970's, Pastor Gómez was inspired by Archbishop Oscar Romero to walk with the people in the rural and marginalized communities who were suffering from the war. Though persecuted by the authorities, the Lutheran Church accompanied the people most in need and grew by leaps and bounds during the 1970's and '80's. In 1986 the Salvadoran Lutheran Church became independent of the Lutheran Church Missouri Synod, and Bishop Medardo Gómez was installed as bishop.
During the civil war from 1982 to 1992, the church operated refugee camps and sought to protect the common people caught between the warring forces on the right and the left. Bishop Gómez was himself detained and tortured by right wing forces and was temporarily forced to flee the country.
Today the church continues to work to restore the lives of the people still suffering the effects of the years of war and terror. The ministries of the church focus on building and maintaining a healthy environment (sanitation, clean water, disaster prevention and response), promoting healthy economic lives for those most in need (land rights, micro-businesses as sustainable sources of income), and promoting holistic health for people in need (homeless shelter in San Salvador, clinics, education programs).
Bishop Gómez continues to lead the church in its work with the poor of El Salvador. Current statistics indicate a baptized membership of about 15,000 members in 62 congregations. The church is led by a staff of 23 ordained pastors, 26 diaconal pastors, 14 evangelist pastors and 62 catequists who are in the process of formation. The Salvadoran Lutheran Church benefits from international synod partnerships with the Churches of Norway, Finland, Sweden, Bavaria, Northern Germany and the United States.
The Greater Milwaukee Synod has been a companion synod of the Salvadoran Lutheran Church since 1988, although a strong relationship with Milwaukee existed for many years prior to the formal declaration. In 1998, the Salvadoran Lutheran Church began the Sister Parish Program, and St. John's became a sister church to the church Los Héroes de la Fe that same year.
