B.A.S.I.C. NEWSLETTER #8

B.A.S.I.C. NEWSLETTER #8
April 24, 2003

I Cor. 16:9 “a wide door for effective work has opened…and there are many adversaries.”

NEWS FROM THE LUTHERAN CHURCH OF EAST AFRICA – TANZANIA
Pastor Angowi reports that with the beginning of May, the St. Peter’s Lutheran Seminary will begin.  There are at least ten men who will start.  Four of the LCEA pastors will teach classes in this three year program.  The normal school year starts in January.  The pastors will have to make up the school year beginning in May.  Pray for them that the Lord gives them the increased strength and wisdom to carry out this venture for the Lord.  It is vitally important that pastors are trained in God’s Word in depth to better serve Him and His people.  Pray also for the students that each of them takes very seriously their studies and that their efforts are crowned with increased faith and knowledge of our Lord Jesus.  We pray for the LCEA that this seminary may be a fountain of blessings since Jesus will be ruling there with His grace and love.  As time passes and ways are worked out, we also pray for men to go to study there from Kenya and Congo.Pastor Jeremiah has reported on work among the Maasai in the Rift Valley.  In teaching them, six received the waters of baptism recently.  In May about another 20 will receive the washing of regeneration and renewal in the Holy Spirit.  The
reason for the delay is that the Maasai of the area where Jeremiah is teaching had to move their cattle to another area to find water.  The Maasai are cattlemen whose life centers on this activity.  There is a drought at this time in their areas also.  There is a real contention for men’s souls in the Rift Valley with the Muslims competing with the Christians for the souls of the Maasai.  Only about 10% of the Maasai are Christian.  Earnestly pray this which our Lord commanded in the Great Commission, and praise God for those He has brought into His church through the preaching of the Gospel.

ANSWER TO PRAYER – Pastor Benson of the NCLC, Nigeria was facing a court case that was being dragged out by a wicked man in his village.  Pastor Benson was innocent of the charges.  Just a few days ago the magistrate cancelled the case after the accuser did not appear on two court set dates.  God is in charge.

NEWS FROM THE CONFESSIONAL LUTHERAN CHURCH OF THE CONGO (ELCC)
Pastor Muzakuza writes that he has gathered a translation team and when I arrive we will go over the costs of paper, copying, etc.  He has also gone to the capital, Kinshasa, to work on the national registration of the church.  This is necessary to have as the church has expanded beyond the province of Katanga to at least two others.  While registered in Katanga, to have congregations in other areas of Congo requires national registration.  Being in fellowship with the CLC, a duly constituted overseas church, allows him to register for substantially less.  The finalization of this is still to be done, but progress is being made to that end.

NEWS FROM THE BELC IN INDIA
In the regular reports from the lead pastors in the five districts indicate that all pastors, both old and new, are attending the regular meetings.  We have an arrangement that allows for two to three meetings a month while the new pastors are learning of our church and its teachings.  There are also plans being made for Vacation Bible Schools to be held in the villages.  We pray that a video projector can be brought in by the missions helpers who will come to work with our brethren in the BELC in July-August.  The Jesus video in either Telegu or Tamil can also be presented in the villages.  We praise God that our fellowship with these faithful men continued despite the problems of January 2002.  God worked out a blessed settlement and we continue to thank Him for our fellowship relationship.

PASTOR BOHDE indicated in an email that he was swamped with work in Thailand and consequently this interferred with the
newsletter.

In Him,
Pastor D. Koenig