# LCMS Convention Workbook_St. Louis Missouri_1973_S19 # Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration) MISSIONS 19 10. The Evangelical Lutheran Church of Ghana Major Developments The beauty and joy of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Ghana (ELCG) lies in its variety of forms as it proclaims the Gospel of Jesus Christ to those living in Ghana. The five congre- gations gathering men, women, and children through worship services, Sunday schools, and Bible study groups are concen- trated in the three urban areas of Accra-Tema, Kumasi, and Takoradi-Sekondi, while in the North, more than seven preach- ing stations located in villages form part of our work in the Bimoba tribal area. Each ELCG congregation has developed forms of ministry on the basis of unique needs or possibilities in its own area. Trinity congregation makes special efforts to witness to North- erners working in Tema, in addition to providing a Ghanaian Lutheran nurse for a community organization project. Since the leaders of splinter “indigenous churches” lack training, St. Paul’s congregation (Accra) has been active in teaching Bible courses to such leaders—so that the Gospel might shine more clearly in these churches. Being the only church in a large housing development, the Kumasi congregation lays emphasis on training the young through its Sunday school program. Lutheran village work in the South, due to the efforts of the Takoradi-Sekondi congregations begun in 1972, looks very promising. The past biennium has seen the beginning of a youth organi- zation in the ELCG and her member congregations; translation of the Lutheran Hymnal into the Fanti language; the opening of an agricultural station at Bunkpurugu (Northern Ghana). Major Problems The shortage of professionally trained workers is a major problem. Holy Trinity congregation (Kumasi) has been without its own pastor for over 2 years. However, the ministry of Word and Sacrament has regularly continued and the work of the congregation has not stopped. This is due to the strong emphasis in the ELCG of equipping the laity for ministry. Plans and Hopes for the Future Beginning in 1973, annual 2-week lay leaders workshops will be conducted in each congregation for all the members. The ELCG maintains cordial relations with other church bodies. Its work with the Islam in Africa project through the loaning of a worker is a positive sign of this cordial relationship, for it awakens churches to their responsibility of witnessing to Muslims. The ELCG is also participating in church union talks with five other church bodies. The ELCG appreciates such op- portunities to share its understanding of the Gospel with fellow workers in Christ’s mission. Osei Agyeman, Chairman. ELCG (Mr. Cobbinah is the new chairman of the ELCG, elected in March 1973) 11. The Middle East Lutheran Ministry Major Developments The call to be God’s people in the Middle East is one that has been keenly felt by the Middle East Lutheran Ministry (MELM). Interestingly, this call for the MELM is in the very area where our Lord lived and worked—in the Middle East where today more than 90 percent of the people are not fol- lowers of Christ; —in the Middle East where God’s call is as clear and imperative as it was nearly 20 centuries ago. But God’s Spirit is active among His people in the Middle East. There is talk daily of renewal by Christians in Lebanon, Syria, Jordan, Egypt, and North Africa. With packed churches for Sunday worship, active midweek Bible classes and enthu- siastic youth groups, the Christian churches indicate renewal is more than talk or “hibr ’ala waraq” (ink on paper). The Middle East Lutheran Ministry thanks God that it has been asked to play a part in the renewal and revival. It serves as a ministry to and through the Christian churches here. As a ministry to the Arab Christian churches, the MELM has been deeply involved in the last 2 years in the following projects: — correspondence courses that use inductive methods: —new Arab Christian hymns on records and cassettes for radio and private use; —creation of a Middle East Communications Fellowship of Christian studios and producers for exchange of radio ideas and techniques; —village projects which concentrate on a specific congre- gation or Christian group: -—research surveys to determine the complexion and strengths of the Christian presence in certain areas of the Middle East. As a ministry through the Arab Christian churches, the MELM has reached out to the non-Christian Muslim majority of the Middle East with the witness of the Gospel. In its ministry through the churches, and not apart from them, the MELM in- volves Arab Christians in Christian witness to Arab Muslims. Thus, in the last 2 years, the Middle East Lutheran Ministry has been deeply involved in the following projects: —a correspondence course that is designed to bring Chris- tians and Muslims into witness and discussion; —new Arab Christian songs that use typical Arabic melodies, not Western Christian tunes; —specific Christian radio programs written on Muslim themes: —several village projects which bring Muslim and Christian youth together for discussion and witness: ~a simplified IBM survey to determine the complexion of Islam in certain areas of the Middle East. The American missionaries have served mainly in the areas of setting long-range objectives, advising the ministry projects to and through the churches, developing a mission theology con- sistent with Middle East Christianity, studying modern mission approaches to the Muslim, and experimenting with new pos- sibilities of ministry and mission. Major Problems As in so many things, where the challenge is greatest, there the problems are also most acute. Nationalistic feelings and self-determination greatly aid the Christians in the Middle East. At the same time they stand in the way of real growth. The mail carrying our correspondence courses often is stopped or becomes unreliable. Constant jamming for two weeks on one of our radio program outlets has shown us how critical and precarious things can be. The departure to the West of long- term staff members reminds us of the constant “brain drain” from these countries because of political instability. Plans and Hopes for the Future But the blessings and positive challenges continue to over- whelm and take our attention. A TV ministry through the churches has begun. A cassette ministry to the churches is on the horizon. And more. In all of this, one thing is very clear. God through His Spirit will guide. God will touch people in the Middle East to carry on His work as well as people outside the Middle East who will sup- port the work through their prayers and gifts: Through these people the Gospel of Jesus Christ will be clearly told in the land where He Himself lived—and continues to live! Dennis Hilgendorf, Chairman. MELM 12. Argentine District of The Lutheran Church — Missouri Synod Major Developments Thanks to the fine offerings of the thousands of little friends of Jesus in North America it became a blessed fact that during 1971 and 1972 practically all of the mission fields and parishes in Argentina and Paraguay not having a motorized vehicle were supplied with one. In Argentina only three pastors are still with- out a car and any moment their parishes come to a decision to take care of this need, their arms receive the necessary support. Your fellow Christians in the Argentine District are express- ing their gratitude to the little friends of Jesus in U.S.A. in contributing their share (40 to 50%) in this so wonderful project “getting Argentina rolling.” A most exciting news is that the buildings of two of the three parochial mission schools in construction are firmly standing with open doors and letting the little ones come in and draw our missionaries into their homes to bring Christ to their folks. The one has an enrollment of 75 in its second year and the other one has 35 in its first year. The large parochial mission school in Valparaiso, Chile, is still growing, and a surprise it is that during the years 1971 and 1972 the enrollment went up from 280 to 443. Also in Montevideo, Uruguay, the St. Paul’s parochial