Throughout the 1980s and early 1990s, there was growing concern among members and pastors of the Lutheran Church of Australia (LCA) that the official teachings of the church were continually being undermined through practices and teachings throughout the LCA that were directly opposed to its official teachings.
The chief causes for concern including the following: lack of commitment to the verbal inspiration and inerrancy of Scripture, unwillingness to speak about the third use of the Law, unwillingness to affirm creation in six days, an openness to evolution as an alternative explanation of the origin of the universe, the failure to discipline pastors who had adopted Charismatic and Pentecostal views, growing lack of clarity about the invisible nature of the church and its unity, an unwillingness to apply passages such as Romans 16:17 and Galatians 1:8 to people and denominations that were perceived to be Christian, a reluctance to continue the practice of closed communion, growing advocacy of women’s suffrage in congregations and synod, the practice of having women read lessons in church services, and the advocacy of women pastors.
While laymen and pastors raised these issues with LCA Officials – that there was teaching and practice in some quarters contrary to the Word of God and the LCA’s official doctrinal statements – attempts were made to silence those who spoke up, especially by not allowing discussion to be held regarding these such matters. Furthermore, many who spoke up were simply ignored, or those who spoke up about their concerns were accused of causing division. It became obvious that many LCA Officials were simply attempting to silence any discussion regarding these issues.
During this time, three pastors, Clarence Priebbenow, Vernon Grieger, and Melvyn Grieger, published an evangelical Lutheran Confession in 1990 titled The Word Shall Stand which addressed these concerns and doctrinal issues that had arisen within the LCA over the previous decades. This book contains twenty-eight articles on Scripture, the substance of the faith, and practical issues that were causing concern at the time.
Not only were these concerns that were raised over the years not addressed, but in the early 1990s, the LCA officially decided to change its teachings, specifically regarding the practice of closed communion and the meaning of church fellowship. While many pastors and laymen spoke out against these changes and opposed them, these concerns were ignored. The false doctrine now taught and promoted by the LCA could no longer be tolerated. It was beginning to dawn upon many people at this time that it was humanly impossible to change the direction and correct the LCA from within, and that it now would be necessary for people to leave the LCA if they wanted to preserve confessional Lutheranism in Australia.
St Johns Lutheran Church, Aubigny, left the LCA in 1992 and called on a number of other congregations, both congregations still within the LCA and congregations who had left the LCA over these same concerns, to both form and join the Australian Evangelical Lutheran Church (AELC). Accordingly, the Australian Evangelical Lutheran Church was formed in 1992 (officially established in 1993) by several pastors and congregations. The following congregations formed and joined the AELC: St Johns Aubigny, Bethlehem Toowoomba, St Pauls Greenwood, Trinity Oakey, St Marks Hivesville, Trinity Marburg, and St Johns Minden. Aubigny, Greenwood, Toowoomba, and Oakey were served by Pastor Clarence Priebbenow, St Marks Hivesville by Pastor Melvin Grieger, and Trinity Marburg and St Johns Minden by Pastor Vernon Grieger.
Accordingly, the Co-Ordinating Committee of the AELC was established, and a Seminary was shortly established afterwards.
Throughout 1993-1998, numerous students began studying for the ministry and numerous students were subsequently ordained and installed in congregations, notably Philip Mueller, Michael Rosensweig, and Peter Ziebell. Over this time, the AELC would continue to warn others of the false doctrine in the LCA. Later in 2003, Mark Hampel was installed as pastor of the Marburg parish, and in the late 2000s, Owen Ohlson began studies and was ordained.
During this time, and also during the following decades, discussion began with other Lutheran church bodies around the world to determine whether fellowship could be established.
Between 2006 and 2008, the AELC had 12 member-congregations and 7 Pastors and had established fellowship with 6 independent congregations and 3 Pastors across Australia.
Unfortunately, Satan began to spread false doctrine and cause division among the AELC. Doctrinal issues arose in late 2005 and early 2006 which would persist throughout 2007 and 2008 over the issue of lay consecration and its relation to the Office of the Holy Ministry. While the position of the AELC and as confessed in the Augsburg Confession (Article XIV) stated that laymen may not consecrate the elements (The Word Shall Stand, Article 18, A16), certain congregations had already been practicing lay consecration without theological justification or necessity but simply doing it out of convenience. Various papers were prepared, presented, and distributed on each side of the issue. In 2008, after much deliberation, the pastors in the AELC who were opposed to lay-consecration – in line with the teachings of Scripture and the Evangelical Lutheran Church – were Clarence Priebbenow, Peter Ziebell, Mark Hampel, and Owen Ohlson. The pastors who supported lay consecration – contrary to the teachings of Scripture and the Evangelical Lutheran Church – were Vernon Grieger, Philip Mueller and Michael Rosenzweig. Accordingly, the Co-ordinating Committee (CoC) of the AELC came to the decision that the five congregations and pastors in favour of lay consecration would be expelled from the AELC as they disagreed with the teachings of the AELC. As such, Pastors Vernon Grieger, Philip Mueller and Michael Rosenzweig, who were in favour of lay consecration, were asked to leave the AELC. They subsequently left and served the five expelled congregations. This now left the AELC with 7 congregations and 4 pastors: St Johns Aubigny, Bethlehem Toowoomba, St Pauls Greenwood, and Trinity Oakey, served by Clarence Priebbenow and Peter Ziebell; Trinity Marburg and St Johns Minden served by Mark Hampel; and Eternal Word Bethania served by Owen Ohlsen.
Furthermore, over the following decade, Pastor Mark Hampel left the AELC over personal reasons, and Pastor Clarence Priebbenow retired from the ministry. Eternal Word Bethania later closed, and Our Saviour Lowood was welcomed into membership of the AELC, and Lowood alongside Minden and Marburg were served by Pastor Owen Ohlsen.
The AELC continued to meet with American representatives of Lutheran church bodies around the world to hold discussions regarding doctrine and to determine whether fellowship could be established with them. The AELC established Altar and Pulpit Fellowship with the United Lutheran Mission Association (ULMA) in the Unites States in 2015, and with the Association of Confessing Lutheran Churches (ACLC) in the United States in 2024.
In 2018, Pastor Owen Ohlsen retired from the ministry, with Pastor Peter Ziebell being the remaining pastor in the AELC serving the remaining seven congregations. Furthermore, St Johns Minden then closed in 2021, leaving six congregations being served by Pastor Peter Ziebell.
Weekly Sunday services continue to happen in each congregation across the AELC, along with Lenten and Advent mid-week services during their respective seasons. Monthly Bible Studies happen in most congregations, along with monthly Men’s Fellowship, Ladies Guild and Fellowship Afternoons. Along with these, Young Adults & Youth (YAY) Events occur frequently, with two bush dances being held at St Pauls Greenwood in 2025.
Therefore, as of 2026, the Australian Evangelical Lutheran Church has six member-congregations: St Johns Aubigny, St Pauls Greenwood, Our Saviour Lowood, Trinity Marburg, Trinity Oakey, and Bethlehem Toowoomba. These congregations are served by Pastor Peter Ziebell. While we do not know the future, we pray that God’s will be done, as He grows His Church when and where it pleases Him.
For more information regarding the history of the AELC, please view A Brief 25 Year History of the AELC for more information.
For more information regarding the reason for the confession of The Word Shall Stand, please view The Historical Introduction to The Word Shall Stand for more information.