WELS has been sharing the Gospel in Hong Kong since the 1960s.  Asia Lutheran Seminary opened in 2005 as one part of the 2003 “Now Is the Time” commitment of WELS to the wider Chinese-speaking world.  ALS works alongside SALEM, the WELS daughter church in Hong Kong, and also on behalf of the WELS mission field in Taiwan.  ALS trains evangelists and pastors and sponsors Chinese-language translations of Lutheran print and electronic media in Mandarin and Cantonese. ALS is also committed to using distance learning to share confessional Lutheran training more widely in Asia and to partner with other seminaries of the Confessional Evangelical Lutheran Conference (CELC) around the world.  ALS supports study of the Bible, Christian doctrine, historical Christianity, the practical ministry of gathered believers, and especially outreach to those who do not yet know Jesus Christ.