Early History of Madagascar Missionaries
In 1866 the first Lutheran missionaries arrived in Madagascar from the Norwegian Mission Society. In 1888, the first Lutheran missionaries from the United States arrived in Madagascar. During the next 125 years, a total of 366 American missionaries served in Madagascar. This equaled 5,445 years of service. The average time of service was 14.88 years. The longest term of service was 46 years.

Rev. John Hogstad and his wife, Olline
The first Norwegian American missionary to Madagascar was The Rev. John Hogstad. He was a graduate of Augsburg Seminary and arrived in Madagascar in 1888. He was ordained at Hawk Creek Lutheran Church near Sacred Heart, Minnesota.

Some of the first missionaries from America
These first missionaries, and all who followed, realized that their responsibility was:
1. To preach the Gospel;
2. To establish Bible Schools and Seminaries to train Malagasy leaders; and
3. To establish a Lutheran Church governed by the Malagasy people.
So, in 1950, the Malagasy Lutheran Church was formed with 1,800 congregations. It was the first Lutheran “mission field” to become an independent, self-governed church. A solid foundation was laid by the Lutheran missionaries from Norway and the United States, but immediately the church began to rapidly grow in numbers. It was now “their church” and it continues to grow today under their leadership, their emphasis on Evangelism and social ministry to the those who were the neediest in their country.
The New Missionaries
The early missionaries gave the newly-formed Malagasy Lutheran Church a system of regional seminaries to prepare pastors to serve in the congregations. But there were still many regions of the country where the Norwegian and American missionaries had not reached, and so a system of Bible Schools was established to train “evangelists” to reach out to share the Gospel with those who had not yet heard the Good News. The Bible schools have a two-year educational program, which includes the study of the Old and New Testament, Church history, Lutheran doctrine, Christian ethics, stewardship, leadership development, a study of the Malagasy natural region (Animism), and how to witness the Christian Faith.
After graduating, the students are equipped to serve as an evangelist in areas under the supervision of an ordained pastor. They live in a specific village, but they travel to surrounding villages, usually by walking or by riding a bicycle.
Evangelists Work
The Story of Evangelist Venjy Zety
Mrs. Zety is one of the Evangelists supported by the Friends of Madagascar Mission (FOMM) in the Andriry Betroka Regional Synod (SPAB). She is one of the Evangelists with a gift for sharing the Gospel with the Bara people of this region to accept Jesus as their Lord and Savior.
The Bara people of this region believe in an authoritarian structure that gives power and respect to the Lonaky, a family and community leader responsible for the spiritual and material well-being of the village. The Bara believe in Zanahary, the Creator, who is a high and distant figure, and they also fear and worship ancestors – the living dead who can exert influence for good and ill on those still alive. They have a complex system of customs, rituals, taboos and practices, which play a key role in their animistic worldview. Much emphasis is given to death and dying, and elaborate rituals have traditionally accompanied burials.

Evangelist Zety and her husband

The Bara region where Evangelist Zety serves is the area shown in the dark color brown in the south central part of Madagascar.
The president of the Andriry Betroka Regional Synod (SPAB), describes Mrs. Zety’s ministry:
“In 2022, Evangelist Zety was transferred by the SPAB Evangelistic Coordination Committee to work in the village of Tritriva. There were already evangelists working in Tritriva before Evangelist Zety arrived, but the work was very successful when she was working there. Before 2022, about 40 people had accepted Jesus in Tritriva. But when Evangelist Zety arrived there, she implemented strategies such as: 1) teaching the Holy Scripture and songs to the people; 2) visiting each home in Tritriva; 3) preaching the Gospel; and 4) taking Christians who have accepted Jesus in Tritriva to visit the surrounding villages and share the message of the Gospel.
In addition, she also does revival work three times a week as a shepherd. That is, she casts out demons by placing her hand on the head of the sick; many are healed, especially people who are oppressed by the devil, and are freed from the bonds of evil spirits. As a result, the Church in Tritriva has grown and progressed. There are now more than 200 Lutheran Christians in Tritriva.”

The members of the Tritriva Church
“Mr. Seraphin, a policeman who lives and works in Tritriva, was elected by the Church in Tritriva as the President of the Church. He is also active in the ministry, helping Evangelist Zety. He has been in charge of building the Church building (16×8 meters or just over 52×26 feet) and also helps in establishing the church’s youth ministry and directing the church choir.”

The choir at the Tritriva Lutheran Church
“Their request, when I visited the area, was that there would be a generous person of good will like FOMM to help them change the roof of the church, which is still thatched, to a tin roof, because they cannot afford it.”

The Tritriva Lutheran Church building (note the thatched church roof)
“Therefore, we can say that this Church in Tritriva is one of the fastest growing Churches in the Anaviavy Parish, Tranovato District. And within five years, it could become a new Parish, if this progress continues.
May all this be for the glory of the Lord Jesus Christ!”
— Pastor Andriamihaja Jean Norbert, President of the Andriry Betroka Regional Synod.
Evangelists — The New Missionaries
The work in mission of the new missionaries, the evangelists, makes the Madagascar church one of the fastest growing Lutheran church in the world!
Friends of Madagascar Mission provides the financial support for these evangelists. Why? Because Madagascar is one of the poorest nations in the world and they do not have the financial ability to pay for the livelihood of these evangelists. The cost to support an evangelist is $800 a year: $600 salary, $100 continuing education, and $100 for medical expenses.
Compare this with about $125,000 a year, what it would cost to send a missionary from the USA or Europe. And that person would have to learn the language, try to understand the culture and live in a village without electricity, plumbing, a shopping mall, clinics/hospitals or hundreds of other conveniences they take for granted in our culture. The new missionaries, the evangelists of Madagascar, are there for the rest of their lives to share the Gospel and keep achieving the annual reports that are shared earlier in this article.
IT IS A NEW DAY IN MISSION WORK IN MADAGASCAR! THANKS BE TO GOD!
How interesting to read of the first Norwegian Lutheran missionaries who arrived in Madagascar in 1866 and then the first American Lutheran Missionaries in 1888. We thank God for their faithfulness in preaching the Gospel and establishing schools, seminaries and churches. Today this evangelistic and humanitarian work of meeting the needs of the people is continuing by the efforts of Friends of Madagascar Missions which was founded by Rev. David Lerseth. By our prayers and support we to can; Declare his glory among the nations, his marvelous deeds among all peoples. 1 Chronicles 16:24
Stewart Eidem