Ethiopian Evangelical Church Mekane Yesus
The Ethiopian Evangelical Church Mekane Yesus (EECMY; also called Mekane Yesus Church) is a Lutheran denomination in Ethiopia. It is the largest member church of the Lutheran World Federation. It is a Lutheran denomination with some Pentecostal influence and one Presbyterian-leaning synod, with a large Pietistic following.
| Ethiopian Evangelical Church Mekane Yesus | |
|---|---|
Logo of the EECMY | |
| Classification | Protestant (Evangelical Christianity) |
| Orientation | Lutheran (with some Pentecostal influence and one Presbyterian-leaning synod) |
| Theology | Pietistic Lutheranism |
| Leader | Yonas Yigezu |
| Associations | LWF, WCRC, AACC, WCC, FECCLAHA, ECFE, P'ent'ay Ethiopian–Eritrean Evangelicalism |
| Region | Ethiopia |
| Origin | 1959 Addis Ababa |
| Congregations | 8,500 + 4000 preaching stations |
| Members | 10,404,128 (2019) |
| Ministers | 3,000 |
| Missionaries | Mekane Yesus International Missionary Society |
| Official website | www |
With the encouragement of the Lutheran and Presbyterian missionary societies in Ethiopia and the Lutheran World Federation, the Evangelical congregations in several parts of the country met on April 23 and 25, 1958 to deliberate on the draft constitution and establish the EECMY. From these joint efforts the church was instituted as a national church on January 21, 1959, taking its name from the first congregation in Addis Ababa, Mekane Yesus ("Place of Jesus"). EECMY has a motto of "Serving the Whole Person" that was developed in the 1970s. This "holistic ministry" theme has helped it to carry out its ministry in evangelism and development work. One of the leading theologians of the EECMY was Gudina Tumsa (1929–1979), who was general secretary for several years up until his arrest and murder at the hands of the communist government of Ethiopia in 1979.
The church, which was born out of Swedish missionary work amongst others, today through Mekane Yesus International Missionary Society itself has many missionaries in countries all around the world: South Asia, several African countries, the Middle East, and Guyana.