What does the confessional Lutheran church look like in Brazil? We were honored to meet and share stories of global Lutheran church leaders at the International Church Relations Conference (ICRC), held during the LCMS Synod Convention. In this conversation, the Rev. Geraldo Schüler (President, Evangelical Lutheran Church of Brazil – IELB) joins Sarah Gulseth (co-host of The Coffee Hour), Rachel Bomberger (managing editor of The Lutheran Witness, LCMS Communications), and translator Rev. Airton Schroeder (Vice President of Mercy Work, Evangelical Lutheran Church of Brazil – IELB) to talk about where he lives and works, the history and culture of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Brazil, the long history between the IELB and the LCMS, how the church fits into the broader culture of Argentina, how they are able to serve their neighbors with the love of Christ, challenges the church body has faced as they seek to be faithful to Scripture and the Lutheran Confessions, and the joy he’s found among fellowship with fellow Lutherans.
Find the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Brazil (IELB: Igreja Evangélica Luterana do Brasil) at ielb.org.br.
To learn more about Global Lutheranism:
Read more about the 2026 International Church Relations Conference at reporter.lcms.org/2026/global-lutheran-leaders-challenges-abound-contentment-rules.
Learn more about partner churches around the globe at lcms.org/how-we-serve/international/partner-church-bodies.
Find the International Lutheran Council at ilc-online.org/members.
For more information on The Lutheran Witness or to subscribe to the magazine, please visit witness.lcms.org.
