Welcome from our Director

Greetings and Welcome to Lutheran Vietnamese Ministry!

Over 44 years ago our Lord called me into ministry to proclaim the Gospel of Jesus Christ to the people of Vietnam. This has not been easy. These have been many difficult years for the Vietnamese people and especially for Vietnamese Christians alike. In 1975, when North Vietnamese won the war, many Christians like myself had to flee at the risk of their lives.

Yet, it was in 1995 I felt the Lord calling me to return to Vietnam and preach the Gospel once again to my brothers and sisters there. A couple years later I had the blessing to meet Pastor Mark Vander Tuig. Mark is pastor at the Church of the Cross in Altoona, Iowa. From this relationship, Lutheran Vietnamese Ministries came into being.

After these last couple of years, the church in Vietnam is growing! Many of our Lutheran Christians have had to make great sacrifices to join the church in Vietnam because of the government and social pressures. Yet they praise the Lord with great joy for the grace and love they have found in Christ.

As our church grows in Vietnam, so do our many needs. For our congregations to remain faithful, healthy, and strong they must have strong leadership. We are also in great need for materials such as bibles, hymnals, and other teaching materials. Most of our congregations are very poor and suffer many difficulties. We also support and care for many of Vietnam's orphaned children.

This is why we need you. We need your prayers and support for our ministry. You can make a great difference in sharing Christ's love and message of hope to a waiting people.

May the Lord bless you and keep you.

Pastor John Dovinh

Pastor Dovinh's Bibliography

I. Ministry Training and Development

1961—1966: Seminary and intern pastor; graduated and ordained.

1966—1975: Pastor, Evangelical Church of Vietnam
(A denomination with “Christian Missionary Alliance”).

April 1975: Came to the US under refugee status.

1978—1985: Pastor of an Independent Lutheran congregation, Seattle, Washington.
Continued education in the Bible and theology with the American Lutheran Church.

1980—April 1985:    Continue study at the Lutheran Schools/Seminary:
Cook Christian Training Center, Tampa, Arizona.
Lutheran Institute of Theology/Education at Pacific Lutheran University, Tacoma, Washington
Luther Seminary, Saint Paul, Minnesota

April 30, 1985: Ordained into the American Lutheran Church by Bishop Dr. Clifford Lunde, ALC.

1985—1998: Served as a pastor to the Vietnamese Lutheran Church in Seattle, WA.
(A member congregation of the ALC and later the ELCA).

1999—2002: Moved to Des Moines, Iowa,
Served as the Associate Pastor of Central Lutheran Church
Served as the Director of The Central Asian Ministry.

Other positions related to my ministry:

1995—present: Volunteer missionary to Vietnam; Organized the Lutheran church in Vietnam

1997—present: Elected superintendent of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Vietnam.

2001—2002: South Eastern Iowa Synod (ELCA) council member at large.

2002—present: Operations Director of the Vietnam Orphan Family Assistance Program.
(A US registered nonprofit organization).

December 31, 2002:      Retired from Central Lutheran/Capitol Hill Lutheran Church, Des Moines.

II. Ministry With Lutheran Congregations In Mission for Christ (LCMC)

 1999—2002: Began to develop a ministry relationship with Mark Vander Tuig, pastor at Lutheran Church of the Cross, Altoona, Iowa.

November 4, 2002: Met in conference with Rev. Mark Vander Tuig at Capitol Hill Lutheran.

November 19, 2002:       Met with the Lutheran Church of the Cross Church Council.

January 5, 2003: The Lutheran Vietnamese Ministries (LVM) was begun as a partnership
with Lutheran Church of the Cross.

January 7, 2003: Opened the LVM office on the campus of Lutheran Church of the Cross (LCC).
Opened the accounts for LVM

January 27, 2003: Received acknowledgment from the State of Iowa as a Registered 501 (c)(3)
nonprofit corporation.
  Present John continues as mission director with the support of the Lutheran Vietnamese Ministries board of directors. John spends a great deal of his time in Vietnam visiting and encouraging pastors and churches, teaching, and organizing ministry training.

III. From John: My commitment to ministry:

  • Serve the Lord as a missionary to the Vietnamese people in the US

  • Serve the Lord as a missionary to Vietnam.
          - Continue to organize Lutheran congregations.
          - Help the church to develop and grow.
          - Continue to evangelize.
          - Offer/conduct worship services, sacraments.

  • Train pastors and preachers to minister to the congregations of Vietnam

  • Continue to help the orphans and abandoned children.

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