Our Honorable Guest
Reverend Salome Pathak
Reverend Salome Pathak holds a Master of Divinity from Trinity Lutheran Seminary, Columbus Ohio. Both Rev. Salome and her husband, the Reverend Dr. Divaker Pathak, were ordained by the North American Lutheran Church in 2013.
Rev. Salome was inspired to be a church planter by her father, the Reverend Clement Johnson, who was a church planter and a pastor for more than 60 years. Rev. Salome and her husband planted the Christ Is Lord Lutheran Church & Ministries, a Jamaica mission of the North American Lutheran Church, (NALC), and Christ Is Lord Ministries NALC, a US -Mission. Rev. Salome also planted a Free community Clinic in Jamaica.
Rev. Salome has been proclaiming the Gospel of Christ since she was nine years old which started in her father’s congregation. She is an ambassador of Christ, and a champion of the NALC core values: 1. Christ centered through the authority of the Word, 2. mission driven to carry out Christ mission of preaching the gospel and making disciples at home and abroad, 3. traditionally grounded by staying grounded in the Word of God, and 4. congregationally focused to empower ministries of local congregations for ministry and missions. These values resonate with Reverend Salome as she has been called to preach the gospel as a missionary Pastor.
She cherishes being a sister in Christ of the Women of the NALC (WNALC). One of Rev. Salome’ gifts is fervent praying, which she uses on behalf of the WNALC sisters. Her prayer is that the Women of the NALC will be expectant with spiritual gifts, plant new ministries, and empower them to go forth and preach the gospel of Christ to nations.
Rev. Salome is a woman of many talents and experiences. She has been a legal and public relations secretary, residential real-estate sales rep, architect, public and private school teacher, author, speaker and has nursed the sick back to health in the medical field. Rev. Salome uses all of these experiences in the mission field. As a Missionary Pastor she fulfills the role of general contractor and overseer for the construction of the church mission, choosing and acquiring building materials, hiring workers and all that entails constructing the mission.
While Rev. Salome has impacted many lives through the gospel, her greatest accomplishment and love aside from Christ is her family; husband Dr. Divaker Pathak (University Professor and pastor), daughters and daughter-in-law Dija Henry, Dr. Neha Pathak and Ebony Pathak, her son and son-in-law, San Pathak and Darye Henry, and her seven grandchildren.
When Rev. Salome is not preaching and teaching the Word, she can be found planting flowers in her garden, shopping with the grandchildren and catching up with old friends. On the mission field when she is not doing church work you will find her planting yams, fruit trees and flowers around the mission grounds only to have them eaten by those pesky goats.
Speaker: Life-to-Life Discipleship
Reverend David Keener
The Rev. David Keener has served congregations in Michigan and Georgia. He served as chair of the North American Lutheran Church‘s Congregational Renewal Team and is currently a member of the NALC Life-to-Life Discipleship Team. As a Certified Discipleship Coach with the Navigators, he has assisted pastors and lay leaders in developing ways to become more intentional in their personal and congregational discipleship. In February, 2022 he joined the NALC staff and works in the areas of Life-to-Life Discipleship and New Mission Starts.
Bishop's Address
Bishop Dan Selbo
The Bishop carries out a pastoral ministry within the church, serving as pastor for the pastors and congregations of the NALC. The Bishop preaches the Gospel, forgives sins, administers the Sacraments and judges doctrine (Augsburg Confession XXVIII). The Bishop carries out a ministry of visitation throughout the church, is a defender of the faith, and promotes the mission of the church.
Mission Banks
More information to come.
When Disaster Strikes: How NALC Congregations Can Help
What should NALC pastors or congregation leaders do when a natural disaster, such as flooding, tornadoes, and fires, strikes in their community or in an area where the congregation is able to or desires to provide assistance?
Since the NALC is a small church with widespread congregations, it is important that you contact us as quickly as possible when a disaster occurs in your area.
First and foremost, if the disaster is close by, make sure you are safe.
Next, contact NALC Disaster Response Coordinator, Mary Bates as quickly as possible so the prayer power of the NALC can be unleashed. Be sure to also contact your Mission District to see if your local NALC Disaster Response Team can provide assistance.
NALC Disaster Response has resources and capabilities to assist in early response and longer term recovery. We can open the gates to material resources, networking, counseling, training, and volunteers.
Remember, the key is early communication! The sooner we learn of a disaster in your area, the more quickly NALC Disaster Response can respond to the needs of your community.
The purpose of the Great Commission Society of the NALC is to mobilize disciples for the work of the Great Commission. Our mission is to proclaim the Gospel of Jesus Christ to a world that is in desperate need of the Good News. We propose to do this by networking congregations and individuals who have a passion for the proclamation of the Gospel and a commitment to the calling of the Great Commission.
“And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” (Matthew 28:18-20 ESV)