LCMS Convention Workbook St. Louis, Missouri — 1973, Page 15

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MISSIONS 15

And yet in the reports of what has been accomplished and
what is being planned for the future, even with so little money
available, the consecration and commitment of individual Chris-
tians and congregations and mission leaders in your own
District, in other North American Districts and in sister churches
across the sea, becomes apparent to all.

At this convention we truly ask the Lord to “take us” —that
is, to accept us, to forgive us, in spite of our failure to give our-
selves fully to Him and to His mission. In His acceptance and
forgiveness, in the treasure store of the love He constantly
pours at our feet, we can pledge ourselves anew —as individuals,
as a board, and as a Synod—to be “wholly, wholly, wholly” —
“ever, only, all for Him.”

BOARD FOR MISSIONS
Waldo J. Werning, Chairman
William H. Kohn, Executive Secretary

APPENDIX A
Reports from Overseas Churches and Missions
1. The India Evangelical Lutheran Church
Major Problems

The IELC is the youngest of all the nine Lutheran churches
in India. It started its mission work mostly among the backward
communities of the country. The IELC has worked hard to gain
increasing strength in membership, leadership, and impact on
the surrounding country. There have been strong influences on
the life of the church, however, which have made growth
difficult and have hindered progress toward our goal of re-
sponsible autonomy under the Gospel, such as:

1) The challenge of secularism as it rapidly gains foothold in
minds and hearts of Indian youth especially.

2) The attitude of dependence upon Western forms, thought
patterns and material aid.

3) Too close an identity with the church in the West has
hindered us at times from making a genuine indigenous re-
sponse to the Gospel.

4) Government withdrawal of educational and other conces-
sions hitherto enjoyed by Christians has placed severe obstacles
in the way of those who would be favorably disposed to Chris-
tianity. This additional burden on the economy of the average
Christian family, together with droughts and failure of monsoon
rains, has been a cause of discouragement in the efforts to reach
financial autonomy and “self-support” for ministry, especially
in rural areas.

5) At this stage we hear of the Government bill on the
limitation of foreign money, the attitude of the Government in
restricting foreign personnel to serve with the Christian church
or community and the Board for Missions’ decreasing subsidy
help to the church. The leadership which hitherto rested on the
missionaries is to be shouldered by nationals. This is really a
challenge to the national church.

Reasons to Rejoice and Give Thanks

Among the chief reasons for thanks and encouragement in
the IELC we can list:

1) Significant blessings in evangelistic endeavors in all
three synods.

2) Growing numbers of laymen better equipped through
various lay training programs and_ short-term theological
training.

3) Increase in the level of education of the common people
and also in the number of college graduates and professional
people.

4) Increased production of Christian literature for lay train-
ing and out-reach purposes— mostly produced by members of
the IELC and geared to the needs of the church in India.

5) Opportunities for leadership training in various fields of
service—theology, medicine, social work, education, and
administration.

6) Membership in the Federation of Evangelical Lutheran
Churches in India has brought the IELC into closer fellowship
with eight other Lutheran churches in India and has opened up
new sharing opportunities for mutual fellowship and cooperation.

Plans and Hopes for the Future

The IELC looks forward to a period of progress on several
fronts. There are various efforts at ongoing evaluation of church

life— theological and lay training, socio-economic development
projects, ministry of healing, education and literature produc-
tion, as well as in the enriching of congregational worship and
new efforts at evangelism in areas adjacent to existing con-
gregations and in new areas.

In an age of growing secularization and materialism, there
is a challenge to help youth to relate the power of the Gospel to
their daily lives so that they will remain loyal to Christ and help
win others.

Also to meet the rising cost of church administration and
ministry in a country with gigantic economic problems, popula-
tion explosion, and social change will require every resource
which the IELC can enlist and equip so that every member of
the church can face his fellow-Indian citizens with dignity arising
out of his or her identity in Christ—and no longer dependent
upon Western leadership or direction, but more intimately
linked in fellowship and interdependence with fellow Christians
faced with common objectives and empowered by the same
Holy Spirit.

Lazerus Abraham Raj, President. IELC
(Rev. G. Thomas Edward is
the new President of the IELC,
elected in February 1973.)

2. Lutheran Church of Sri Lanka (Ceylon)
Major Developments

During the past 2 years the highlight of the activities of the
Lutheran Church in Sri Lanka was the ordination of two
Ceylonese pastors on Feb. 4, 1971. The Lutheran Council of Sri
Lanka was formed in the spring of 1971, and these laymen are
learning to shoulder their responsibilities.

The ground work has been almost completed for the estab-
lishment of three new Christian congregations on other planta-
tions in the Hatton and Nuwara Eliya Districts. In Colombo
Rev. Philipdas has attempted to develop the “church-in-the-
home” type ministry, by organizing evening meetings in various
areas of this capital city.

Major Problems

Typical of modern Asia, Sri Lanka is a society in transition
and in search of self-identity. There is an unmistakable drift
toward a socialist ordering of society. A revolution by violence
was attempted by a radical youth movement in the spring of
1971, and the country was under a 3-month curfew with clashes
in many districts. Since this outbreak of insurgency, pessimism
has flourished: suspicion and mistrust have spread like the
plague; the economy of the nation has suffered severely: many
capable well-trained agriculturalists and other professional
people have left the Island. These problems have had an effect
on the Christian’s life of ministry in Sri Lanka.

Reasons to Rejoice and Give Thanks

The major joy that has been experienced is that in spite of
and/or because of the great problems we as Christians are yet
enabled to see the God-given opportunities. The unique op-
portunity that the Lutheran Church of Sri Lanka has is that she
has two young pastors who have come from the tea plantation
community, among whom a part of our ministry takes place.
These men know from bitter experience the problems and needs
of their people. These two men are capable of speaking to and
writing for this community. These two men have been called
and commissioned for this ministry to the plantation community.

Plans and Hopes for the Future

Christians in Sri Lanka cannot be content with yesterday’s
answers to today’s and tomorrow’s problems. By means of
creative flexibility each problem as it arises in the plantation
sector or the urban society can be met with a God-pleasing solu-
tion. New situations and new opportunities demand new forms
of ministry. It is our challenge to wrestle with the Lord of the
church and demand new direction and insight from His prom-
ised Holy Spirit. The future of the Sri Lanka Lutheran Church is
one of expansion and outreach; of experimentation in commend-
ing the Gospel of God’s abundant love and forgiveness to people
in all walks of life; of lay leadership training programs; of tract
writing and planned distribution; and of social service wherever
possible with the people rather than for the people.