In its meeting April 15-17, the Board for World Missions (BWM) approved calls for two new positions and two replacement calls—one for a retiring missionary.

BWM will be calling a fourth full-time professor for Asia Lutheran Seminary (ALS) in Hong Kong for the coming school year. Divisional funds and budget underspending will provide funding for the position for three to four years. The decision to call "comes as most welcome news" says Dr. John Lawrenz, president of ALS.

Lawrenz says a stable faculty teaching core subjects and the biblical languages is essential to the mission of ALS, which is to be a confessional Lutheran beacon for Christian witness in East Asia. "ALS will be looking for a fourth man who has a love for outreach and a passion for the Scriptures in either Hebrew or Greek," he says. He adds two other traits: "an aptitude to learn Mandarin, which is the gateway to Chinese culture, and that right balance of experience and many years yet to serve."

The board will also be calling two graduate mission associates—one new for Russia and the other a replacement for East Asia. Graduate mission associates receive an initial two-year call, which can then be extended if the ministry is being blessed and funds are available. Otherwise, those serving become eligible for calls elsewhere when they have completed their two years of service. The call to Russia is funded from the budget. The call to East Asia is made possible through special funds.

Finally, the board has decided to call a seminary graduate to replace retiring missionary to Mexico, Rev. Ralph Martens. Marten's current service in Latin American mission fields dates back to June 2003.