B.A.S.I.C. NEWSLETTER #70

B.A.S.I.C. NEWSLETTER #70

March 15, 2006

I Cor. 16:9   For a wide door for effective work has opened to me, and there are many adversaries.

Mission Board Policy

You are asked to remember that when the Mission Board approves an expense for any of our brethren overseas, the thing approved should not be drastically changed unless you check with me first. If it is something very major, I can ask the Mission Board. During this last year we have had some items approved by the Mission Board and than substantially changed. We did not know this until the audit was made. This is not orderly. A minor change does not need to be approved, but anything major should be. Working together as brothers we should work together and consult. We consulted our brethren when something was recommended to the Mission Board. It is a simple matter of courtesy to consult when there is a change. If we give something that was not requested, like Bibles, which is understood as one chief goal of our helping, there should still be consultation if there is a change. If you have any questions on this, by all means write me.

Highlights – CLCK Nairobi – Kenya

During this last year in five stations fellowships were started under Charles Gikonyo who came to understand and agree with our teachings. They have 131 adults and 108 children in these fellowships. Through the efforts of the Nairobi men the CLCK is now a registered church body in Kenya with four officers, Pastor Enosh being the chairman. At this time all pastors are studying our teachings to see if they agree and find them in accord with Scripture. Over 80 English catechisms and workbooks have been issued to pastors and people. Twenty-one children at least are to be baptized soon.

They also hope to be doing work at Mombasa where there are many Muslims. A new area where the Masai are not too far from Nairobi is being considered as a new station. There is only one Christian church in that area. The Masai are a tribe that is found stretching from Kenya through Tanzania. The tribe has only about 10 per cent who are Christian. The stated vision of the CLCK in Nairobi is, “It is the vision of the CLCK to build a church that will train and equip people for the work of the ministry, establishing churches throughout the country. The communities will know us as a Christ like influence of church integrity, a church that will make a difference …to the hurting people. Our church members will experience a sense of belonging, spiritual stability and acceptance.”

HIGHLIGHTS- Church of the Lutheran Confession of East Africa (Tanzania, Kenya, Uganda)

Our brethren in this fellowship are divided up into two districts: Takama District with 812 souls served by three pastors and 11 evangelists in 14 stations, Arusha District with 538 souls served by ten pastors and assistants in 10 stations. Initial work has started also in Uganda.

The brethren in the CLCEA are doing a lot of work with the Masai. In the Takama District eight of the 14 stations are among the Masai. Of the 538 souls in the Arusha District 383 are Masai. For this reason we are giving many Masai catechisms for this work. All pastors and assistants have to study the catechism and other materials and take an examination to be qualified as a preacher and to determine unity in fellowship. The two lead pastors, Alex and Jeremiah, are working with all the pastors, evangelists and assistants so that there is unity on God’s teachings. In addition to this work the two men will make three trips in 2006 to the Nairobi area and assist the pastors there in study.

Previously, Pastors Alex and Jeremiah made a mission trip to Ugandan contacts, which have now resulted in work starting in two areas. In Kampala a congregation is going through the catechism and other materials to see if they agree with our positions. In the Mbale area three small congregations and their pastors are being supplied catechisms and other materials to go through to determine if fellowship can exist between us. The three trips to Nairobi will also include the leg to Uganda and working with pastors and people in Uganda. This is very new work and we must commit it to the Lord’s direction and care as He moves hearts and minds.

Thumbnail Sketch – Romans

The use of the letter as a medium of divine revelation was unheard of until the time of Paul and his contemporaries. Through them Paul in his thirteen letters, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, was able to address specific problems and issues of his time with perspectives that are universal and timeless. Romans along with I Corinthians were his longest letters. This letter was written likely in 56 to a church that Paul did not found and had not visited. He wrote the letter to give an account of his Gospel in preparation for a personal visit. Paul wrote very likely from Corinth during his three months there on the third missionary journey, where he was completing the collection of money from the Macedonians and Achaian Christians for the “poor saints” in Jerusalem. The key-expression in the letter is “the righteousness of God.”Foundational to all teaching on the spiritual life is the central passage of Romans 6-8. The answers to the questions of how to be delivered from sin, how to live a balanced life under grace, and how to live the victorious Christian life through the power of the Holy Spirit are all contained here. In the context of “righteousness” you could look at the chapters this way:

— The Revelation of the Righteousness of God (chaps. 1-8)

— The Vindication of the Righteousness of God (chaps. 9-11)       — The Application of the Righteousness of God (chaps.12-16) Outline

I   Introduction. 1:1-17

II   The world’s need of God. 1:18-3:20; Gentiles (1:18-2:16) and Jews (2:17-3:20) stand in need of salvation; all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God (3:23).

III   Justification by faith alone. 3:21-8:39; Salvation is God’s gracious gift; man is justified on the basis of faith alone, not of works. This is true both of Jews and Gentiles, and it means that the believer is to live a life of purity and holiness, since he lives under grace, and not law. The Spirit enables the believer to live a triumphant life, and no power can separate him from God’s love in Christ Jesus the Lord.

IV   Jew and Gentile in the plan of God. 9:1-11:36: God has not forsaken His people; but His people have always been a minority, not the total number of Israelites. They too are saved by grace through faith, as are the Gentiles, and both are within God’s redemptive purposes; though we cannot fully understand it, we can rely on God’s all-embracing mercy.

V   Ethical teaching. 12:1-15:13: How God’s grace works in the lives of believers; how they are to relate themselves to the state and its rights; how ‘strong’ and ‘weak’ Christians are to treat each other, living in harmony and accepting one another as God in Christ has accepted them all.

VI   Conclusion and postscript. 15:14-16:27

Pastor D. Koenig