BELC – Bakthavachalam
From the Field April 26, ’15
D. Paul Bakthavachalam is president of Berea Evangelical Lutheran Church. When we had a division from the former head of the BELC, D. Paul was the vice-president and stayed with us as did most of the pastors at that time. Since then, there has been steady growth in the church body. About two years ago after four years of not accepting new men for study in the districts, a new batch of 174 men were accepted for study. We praise God for the interest of these men in our sister synod’s work. It certainly was not an interest in earthly gain, as we do not pay salaries from the states for these men nor from any central purse of the BELC. The Word of God is alive an active working in the hearts.
Of the new men who entered study and the oldest of them bore the same name as D. Paul, but is not related. D. Paul recently wrote how this man was doing.
“G.D.Bakthavachalam aged 77 years is one of our BELC pastors under the Chittoor District. His wife’s name is Usha Rani age 55 and has some mental disorder. He has two sons: one son left in his 21 years old and he will not likely yet return back, one son is studying with us in our Madanapalli Bible classes.
Pastor is serving and is with us. He began his ministry service in 1987 was serving three congregations . Before he become a pastor he had served as a school teacher and he voluntarily resigned his job and began his ministry. Total believers – 125 in his congregation
Thanking you,
Yours in Him, D. Paul”
Meetings with interested pastors were held in G.D.’s partially completed church. He came by bus to our new meetings at Chittoor District which was a long ways away. Sometimes he missed classes due to back problems. But he completed the studies and joined us. He is one of the oldest of BELC pastors with a white beard and sparkling eyes.
When Peter said, “Lo, we have left everything and followed You” Jesus answered that we receive a hundredfold back in God’s way in this time with persecutions also, and “in the age to come eternal life.”
BELC Statistics: Pastors – 774, Pastors in Training – 22, Congregations 1319, Preaching Stations – 387, Members – 40,000+