# LCMS Convention Workbook_St. Louis Missouri_1969_S9
# Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

MISSIONS 9

a drastic cut in missionary personnel because some of
the missionaries were German citizens and had to leave
as the war broke out. But quiet, persistent work grew
throughout the twenties and thirties.

After World War II the political climate made mis-
sionaries appear as agents of colonial powers. National
churches were formally established, proud to be Indian
and unwilling to remain mere wards of some other
church abroad.

Today we view a world mission scene in which God
has planted churches in every major land of the world.
The mission to the world no longer flows one way—
from West to East —but instead flows out from all direc-
tions where new Christians gather.

b. Changed Relationships. With the change in attitude
and administrative methods from the so-called colonial
era, a new set of “partnership” relationships has de-
veloped. In a country as economically poor as India
it is particularly important not to equate selfhood and
independence with financial viability. We know, too, that
when one party gives too much or too unwisely, the re-
ceiving party is weakened rather than strengthened. In
a country where so many have yet to be reached with
the Gospel, we must find ways of working together with
aggressiveness and determination — strengthening rather
than weakening each other in the process.

There are no neat answers, no one-shot solutions.
But we have increasingly been able to discern the prin-
ciples which ought to guide us as we negotiate, church
to church, on the mission in India. We are trying to
minister to each other with the following assumptions:

1) We focus on the task to be done, not on the finan-
cial arrangements for it.

2) We discuss what has to be done far in advance of
the decision stage so that we are free to urge our re-
spective opinions without loss of face to the other partner.

3) After mutual discussions each church must be
left free to make its own decision concerning if, when,
and how it will participate.

4) Each church has the obligation to evaluate the
other on the basis of the objectives emerging in stage two.

These assumptions have prevented us from thinking
that we have all the answers and reminded us that God
has given churches in other cultural contexts gifts of
insight and understanding that we sorely need.

c. Church Relationships in India. Christians in India
comprise barely 3% percent of the total population (now
estimated at 550 million). They are therefore extremely
conscious that the world around them is a Hindu and
Muslim world in which people in Christ of whatever
denomination must stand together to witness to their
fellowman. A large group speaking with one voice can
make itself heard in India and must do so. In the past
biennium, therefore, the India Evangelical Lutheran
Church culminated many years of negotiations by enter-
ing the Federation of Lutheran Churches in India and
resolved to apply for membership in the Lutheran World
Federation. The IELC has also continued its discussions

with the Church of South India. The Lutherans and the
Church of South India have prepared a joint catechism.
It is felt that Christian unity in India, as elsewhere, dare
not be merely a matter of church politics at central
church levels but must include dialog and study of the
Word of God at local levels also.

In some towns Christians conduct joint evangelistic
campaigns from the stance “We, the Christians of this
place.” Ways must be found to enhance this common
witness while at the same time retaining confessional
integrity. Indian Christians have frequently discovered
that when this problem is tackled with deep concern
for the unchurched, joint witness and confessional in-
tegrity are complementary rather than antithetic. They
have also found that language and communal differences
are often greater obstacles to joint action for mission
than theological differences.

d. Changing Strategies. As the India Evangelical
Lutheran Church comes closer to fully supporting the
local ministry of congregations in India, the shape and
extent of our involvement is changing. There is so much
to do; the constant question is how to do it without
patronizing or weakening a church that has strong peo-
ple resources but inadequate financial resources.

In the past 2 years it has been possible to establish
a Christian Arts and Communications Service. A number
of leading churchmen in South India serve as a board
of managers for this enterprise. They plan how best and
where best to amplify the witness of the churches in
South India through the media of mass communications.
For 17 years the LLL radio ministry, now managed by
Mr. B. W. Chelladurai, has effectively used dramatic
formats for proclamation. Cinema presents a vast un-
tapped challenge to Christians in India; dance dramas,
drama troupes, and Indian song-preaching are all very
popular. By training people, by helping Christians
of a given area to do better what they intend to do,
the CACS can help expedite the efforts of Christians
to communicate the Christian hope to their Hindu and
Muslim brethren. Unfortunately plans to expand our
training program have been delayed by government
refusals to grant residence visas to a mass-media re-
source team, which will now work out of Korea.

e. Special Ministries

1) Mission to Muslims. The IELC, with the help of
the LCMS, is vigorously and effectively pursuing its
mission to Muslims in India. Five missionaries and five
Indian pastors, together with several evangelists, have
continued the Muslim outreach in three geographic
areas. Part of their ministry is to promote the cause of
Muslim missions in the IELC and in other churches in
South India, helping the people of God understand the
special problems and approaches in witnessing to the
adherents of Islam.

2) Kond Work—Orissa. Increasing harassment and
hostility against the Christian movement in India has
forced Indian churches to help each other out. A large
people movement among the hill tribes of Orissa State