Koelpin travels to Hong Kong
Filed Under: Asia, Asia Lutheran Seminary, Cantonese, Chinese, Hong Kong, Mandarin, Southeast Asia Committee, World Missions
Rev. Dan Koelpin, administrator for WELS Board for World Missions, returned on Nov. 28 from Hong Kong, where he met with leaders of Asia Lutheran Seminary to discuss the strategy and needs of the institution and to determine how WELS can best support its operation.
"We're trying to establish a distinctive Lutheran seminary in a world-class city," says Koelpin. But he says the challenge is finding resources to support it. "We've got the plan, we've got the people, and we've got the potential; but we don't have the money to implement the plan fully."
Koelpin and Dr. John Lawrenz, president of Asia Lutheran Seminary, talked about the lack of Christian materials currently available in the Chinese language, and the need for a full-time translation specialist at the seminary. They also discussed property options and the seminary's technology needs for the future.
"Supporting Asia Lutheran Seminary and outreach to the Chinese-speaking world is the foremost priority of the Board for World Missions," says Koelpin. "And we're going to have to try to funnel some resources there. This is the kind of effort we can't do halfway. We need to go in with both feet or not at all."
Koelpin will relay these findings to WELS Southeast Asia Committee in January and at the Board for World Missions meeting in February. "There's no doubt in my mind that the board will want to back Hong Kong, but it's all in the Lord's hands," says Koelpin, "If we operate with the funds we have, we can only give them limited help. So we really need a huge influx of funds. There's never going to be a time for reaching out in [this region] like there is right now."
