From the Field – Berea Evangelical Lutheran Church – Feb. 11, 2019
In the ‘Fact Sheets’ on foreign missions handed out at the 2018 CLC Convention the BELC(India) had 716 pastors serving 442 congregations and 1284 preaching stations. We regret that our missionary’s visa was revoked recently. The Lord is still in charge. The work for the Lord goes on. In looking back at our brethren in our sister church we see district by district how one very important goal is to go where there is no Christian witness in a village or in the surrounding area. We simply follow Scripture where Paul states in Rom. 15:20-21 that he wished to go where Christ was not yet preached. This is a worthy ambition in any age. Periodically, the BELC has had expansions in organizing districts where the pastors of an area meet each month for study and fellowship. The dates in parentheses behind the district name indicate when the district was formed. The information below is from visitation throughout all the districts to each pastor’s home from 2013-2016.
- District Souls # of stations villages where ours is the only church
- Koppedu(original) 1920 33 + new in ’07 14
- Uthukottai(original) 1514 34 + new in “07 17
- Nellore(’97) 2081 44 + new in ’07 18
- SriKalahasti(’07) 1466 25 + new in ’07 18
- Kadapa(’03) 871 12 6
- Vaniyambadi(’03) 1814 32 + new in ’07 18
- Renigunta(’03) 2258 40 +new in ’07 22
- Chennai(’05) 1501 47 + new in ’07
- Kurnool(’06) 822 12 + new 7
- Chittoor (’06) 1320 32 + new in ’09 17
- Rajampeta (’07) 955 14 + new 9
- Rayachotti(’07) 3131 13 + new 13
- Thiruvallur(’07) 1087 39 8
- Tiruttani(’08) 1604 28 17
- Puttur(’13) 1836 30+ 14
- Ponneri(’13) 672 18+ 1
- Ambur(’13) 417 16+ 6
- Madanapalli(’13) 17+
While here you have 18 districts, there are more though I do not have any further statistics on them. And these are also dated. What this does reflect in the final column is the desire to reach out to where the Gospel is not preached. There are also many preaching stations not reflected in these numbers. In ’03 we had one of the expansions adding to the 82 pastors and 3802 souls we had at that time. In ’04 going through speaking in 34 congregations in 18 of these villages ours was the only church. Next: on the CLCI and their outreach.
A Prayer for Missions
O God of infinite grace and love,
because Your Son died for all people,
because You grieve over the death of the wicked,
because You desire to draw all people to You:
We confess that we have not
spoken of Your love as we ought,
supported Your work as we are able,
sacrificed for Your cause as we might.
We urge You to
remove the indifference of our hearts,
stir in us the cheerfulness of generosity,
strengthen us to live for You.
We pray for those who
speak for You in foreign lands,
spread Your name through every means,
suffer for Your Gospel’s sake.
We beseech You to
let Your Word be fruitful in every land,
remove the gloom of unbelief and sin,
open our tongues to sing Your praise.
Bless all who labor, that Your name be hallowed in all the earth, for Jesus’ sake. Amen.