Missions

Messiah Supports

Phillip Magness

Serving the Lord in West and Central Africa

Bio

Phillip Magness serves the Lord through The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod (LCMS) in the French-speaking countries in West and Central Africa (Togo, Guinea, Congo-Brazzaville, Côte d’Ivoire, Benin, Burkina Faso, Congo-Kinshasa and Burundi). As a music specialist, he teaches hymnody and liturgy, composition, and music literacy at the Centre Luthérien d’Études Théologiques (CLET), or Lutheran Center for Theological Studies, in Dapaong, Togo, West Africa, as well as at workshops in surrounding countries. Phillip also advises the LCMS partner church in Ghana on their new hymnal project.

Phillip received a Bachelor of Music degree and a Master of Music degree from the University of North Texas, Denton. He then received his Director of Parish Music colloquy from Concordia University Chicago, River Forest, Ill., in 2013. In addition to serving in this half-time missionary role, Phillip also serves as the Director of Sanctuary Worship at Concordia Lutheran Church, Kirkwood, Mo. Before serving in these roles, he was a cantor at five LCMS congregations in Oklahoma, Illinois and Texas. He also taught workshops on the French edition of the Lutheran Service Book in Congo-Brazzaville, in Montréal, Québec and in Togo, and he taught at the Lutheran Theological Seminary in Tshwane, South Africa.

Phillip’s wife, Cheryl, is the managing editor of the LCMS’ official newspaper Reporter and its online version Reporter Online. She enjoys reading, blogging, photography, playing the piano and traveling. They have three children - Trevor, Caitlin and Evan - who go to school and work in the United States.

Prayers

Pray for Phillip as he serves in West and Central Africa. Ask God to keep him safe in his travels. Pray that ears and eyes are opened to hear and see the Gospel proclaimed and lived out in the work God has given Phillip to complete. Pray for the students that they have what they need to travel to the locations where Phillip is teaching. Ask God to give them wisdom, discernment and patience as they adapt what they learn to their cultural context. Pray that the existing relationships between Phillip and local pastors and musicians may be nurtured and that others may sprout up and grow. Let us give thanks to God that Phillip is serving His people in West and Central Africa.

Giving Online: You can partner with the LCMS by making an online gift restricted in use to the support of PHILLIP MAGNESS.
 

Give Now

Giving by Check: You can also make a donation towards Phillip’s ministry by check.
Mail your check, made payable to The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod and designated with his last name, to:

The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod
P.O. Box 66861
St. Louis, MO 63166-6861

(Or call 888-930-4438 to speak with someone.)