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.