LPGM’s History

Lutheran Partners in Global Ministry was begun as a result of events following the death of Gordon and Betty Olson’s son, Timothy, in the Central African Republic (C.A.R.) in 1991. He was tragically murdered by bandits as he and his girlfriend were returning from a short visit to a game preserve in the northern part of the country. Tim, who aspired to be an architect, had been in C.A.R.’s capital city of Bangui for nearly six months supervising an effort to build a Lutheran church. At the time of his death the walls were nearly up and the entire building was beginning to take shape.

Tim’s parents, his sister, Karna and her husband Bob Hauck, along with LPGM Board member Naomi Staruch & several other friends flew to Bangui for the church dedication on January 3, 1993 after it was completed by another American supervisor, Tim Dray, an architect from Minneapolis. Seeing the completed church was an extremely emotional experience for the Olson’s and their friends, but having it named St. Timothy Lutheran Church connected them forever with this special place.

“The Africans we met and the needs we encountered tugged at our hearts,” says Betty Olson, “until we decided we could continue Tim’s passion for service by getting involved ourselves.” Armed with a powerful story and a desire to serve God through global ministry, the Olson’s sought the help of several friends and experts in the field of global mission. This led to the creation of a global mission advocacy organization in 1995, Lutheran Partners in Global Ministry.

We now celebrate the short life of Tim Olson whose faith and trust in a personal God led him to make a difference in this world. The legacy of his work and servant leadership in Africa has now influenced many people throughout the world.

The articles of incorporation for Lutheran Partners in Global Ministry were written and submitted to the state of Minnesota in June of 1995. Soon after, we became a legal non profit agency with tax exempt status from both federal and state governments. Founding members were Gordon Olson, Betty Olson, Naomi Staruch, Lorens Brynestad, Poul Bertelsen and Shelly Franz.

Within one year of its beginnings, LPGM connected with the Arcot Lutheran Church of South India to support children in its boarding homes. Since its inception, LPGM has worked in ten countries, worked with 60 congregations, completed 30 projects (including a large child sponsorship project), and reached about 5,000 individuals through several partnerships with churches and organizations both nationally and internationally. Having started as only a legal document and an abstract dream, LPGM has grown to become a force in mission advocacy for individuals and congregations and a vehicle for Christians to follow the great commission to “make disciples of all nations.”