Global Servant Leader

The International Center of Bethlehem, Luther Center in Wittenberg and México Center in Mexico City currently constitute the International Centers’ Network. They have the commitment of bringing people to a deeper understanding of the Reformation Movement, and share strategies for the training and transformation of Global Servant Leaders.

The Mission Statement of the International Centers presently reads:

Encountering people and places of formation, reformation and transformation to become Global Servant Leaders in a changing/tumultuous world and a changing/searching church.

These centers have a commitment to faith transformation that can occur when one experiences God in another context and culture.  There is a sense that “we need the other to know ourselves.” Each of the three centers has its unique gifts, and they are dedicated to letting the uniqueness of each speak.  One of the ways of doing this is by being true to the context of each center and letting that context do the teaching.  Each also is working with reformation as a living heritage, a movement that allows them to be bridge builders. The focus, therefore, is certainly on transforming individuals and also transforming the church. 

The centers may be part of the Holy Spirit’s work of readying the church for whatever new forms it will need to take in order to be part of the global village, always asking the questions “What does the church need to be for today?  What is God doing now?”  Therefore these centers are a window through which we can look to see the world.  These three centers offer three different views.

In order to be these kinds of centers—and to be this kind of church—we must be willing to lose ourselves in the process of re-forming. What remains constant is the core Lutheran identity of being a reforming movement in the Christian church.

▪    Bethlehem as a place of Formation.

▪    Lutherstadt Wittenberg as a place of Reformation

▪    Mexico City as a place of Transformation

The first meeting took place during 2003 in Dallas, Texas. The second meeting took place in México City in 2004 and a third meeting is scheduled for 2005 in Bethlehem.

The three centers are recognized by the ELCA as a Life Long Learning Centers.