History
The Lutheran Ministry at the Baptismal Site began in 2008, when a tract of land at the site was gifted to the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Jordan and the Holy Land by King Abdullah II of Jordan. The establishment of active ministries at the historic site of Jesus’s Baptism was part of King Abdullah’s commitment to preserve the future of Christianity in Jordan, Palestine, and the world. Work began to build a church at the site. The Bishop of the ELCJHL at that time, Bishop Emeritus Munib Younan, worked with several international partners of the church to secure funding for the ministry.
Building a church at the Baptism Site was a serious undertaking. The security situation of the area and the harsh climate both presented challenges to permitting, planning, and construction. A local architect and general contractor were both secured to help with the project.
In 2012, ground was broken to begin active work on the church. A site dedication service was held to kick-off construction. Local and international partners of the church helped along the way by donating funds, furnishings, artwork, and more to the project. After two years, the church was finished and ready to be consecrated on January 6, 2014. Church leaders, government officials, funders and donors, and friends and partners from the region and all over the world attended the service to celebrate the beginning of the new ministry and the commissioning of the first site directors.
The ELCJHL was the first church to have an active ministry at the Baptismal Site. Besides the beautiful church that faces west over the Jordan River toward Jerusalem, the site also features a community hall and a guest house. Since the time of the church’s dedication, we have hosted pilgrims and visitors to the site on a regular basis, offering them historical and biblical context for the site, updates on the current political and ecological reality of the area, time and space for spiritual reflection and renewal, and the opportunity to remember their baptismal vows.
The site has operated under the patronage of three bishops of the ELCJHL: Bishop Dr. Munib Younan, Bishop Dr. Sani Ibrahim Azar, and Bishop Dr. Imad Haddad. We look forward to hosting many more local believers and pilgrims to the site in the years to come.