Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod

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
Origin	1850 ; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, U.S.
Separated from	German mission societies (1868)
Merger of	Wisconsin, Minnesota, Michigan, and Nebraska synods
Separations	Protes'tant Conference (1927); Church of the Lutheran Confession (1960);
Congregations	1,250
Members	340,511 baptized; 272,555 communicant
Primary schools	284
Secondary schools	29
Official website	www.wels.net

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.^[1] The WELS also does gospel outreach in 40 countries around the world.^[2] 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.^[3]

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.

^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f "Annual Report". Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod. Archived from the original on February 24, 2023. Retrieved January 20, 2022.
^ "WHERE WE ARE". August 3, 2023. Archived from the original on June 30, 2020. Retrieved July 8, 2019.
^ Hunt, T.; Carper, J. (2012). The Praeger Handbook of Faith-Based Schools in the United States, K-12, Volume 1. ABC-CLIO. p. 177. ISBN 978-0313391392.

[WELS_ANNUAL_REPORT-1] ^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f "Annual Report". Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod. Archived from the original on February 24, 2023. Retrieved January 20, 2022.

[2] "WHERE WE ARE". August 3, 2023. Archived from the original on June 30, 2020. Retrieved July 8, 2019.

[3] Hunt, T.; Carper, J. (2012). The Praeger Handbook of Faith-Based Schools in the United States, K-12, Volume 1. ABC-CLIO. p. 177. ISBN 978-0313391392.

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