The Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod (WELS) is a North American Confessional Lutheran denomination of Christianity. Characterized as theologically conservative, it was founded in 1850 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. As of 2012, it had a baptized membership of 380,728 in 1,278 , with members in all 50 US states and 4 provinces of Canada. It is the third largest Lutheran denomination in the United States.