B.A.S.I.C. NEWSLETTER #191

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

ANNUAL REPORT FOR THE YEARS 2009-2010 OF MLBS AFFILIATED WITH BELC,NAGALAPURAM, A.P.STATE, S.INDIA

“How than shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed?  And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher”

Our Martin Luther Bible School’s main intent is making pastors, training for God’s ministry and send them to do God’s service.
Recently the first batch of our students completed their course and graduated. We sent these dedicated and committed youth and appointed them pastors under our BELC congregations.
Our main purpose is to train these youth and teach them the Lutheran doctrine and our practice and send them out to preach the Gospel in every corner of the world, where the word of God has not yet reached.

Instructions:

The 2nd batch of 18 students are attending classes regularly. They are from various parts of Tamilnadu and A.P. State, attending four days a week.
They do Gospel Team services Friday and Saturday and on Sundays they are working under one of our BELC pastors.
Martin Luther’s Small Catechism, taught by Pastor T. Sampath
Creed and Music classes, by Pastor V. Rajamani
Old Testament Review, by Pastor K. Ashirvadham

Law and Gospel-Distinguish properly between Law and Gospel,
Lutheran Agenda,
Acts,
Gospel,
The doctrinal position of BELC,
What the Bible and Lutherans teach.
A summary of Koehler’s Christian Doctrine
Parable and its meaning     –       by D.Paul

Study of Ephesians,
Homiletics,
Means of Grace
Noah and flood and Eschatology         –     by Rev. Matthew Ude

Beatitude,
Little study of Greek and Hebrew,
History of Martin Luther,
Book of Concord
Fellowship.
Justification,
10 basic principles for Bible interpretation            –          Rev. David Koenig

The will of God,
Little study of Homiletics,
The Holy Scriptures, etc.

The second batch of students completed their two year Bible course at the end of February 2011. We plan to start a new batch after that.
The second  batch of students are serving under our BELC congregations.

Our plan in the future:

We should proclaim the whole counsel of God. Our preaching should be scriptural and Christ centered.
We plan to arrange Gospel  services. They will be provided with megaphones and musical instruments and will be given sound training and tracts will be printed pertaining to our Lutheran doctrines and given out in Rural and city areas.  The Gospel will be spread in areas where the Gospel has not yet been preached. Our students work very hard to fulfill these tasks.  We intend to buy one car for these Gospel team services.

We feel it is urgent to establish an orphanage to provide shelter and food to the needy. We have submitted the project proposal with the budget estimates and required particulars to our beloved second Missonary.
For several years we have made this request, but have not yet received any response. We have identified orphans in our congregations areas.  We most humbly request you to approve and recommend the project.
We plan to arrange Health and Medical checkup camps, Balawadis, old Age home, Tuition centers and plan to start income generating programs for our church women.
In His three year ministry, Jesus did a lot of charitable works in the midst of the needy. Our Missionary allowed us to do Leprosy mission services at two of the BELC districts: Tiruttani and Renigunta.
We are very thankful to our Lord and our members of our Board of CLC, and CLC people who showed these generous activities upon our Indian people through the times of Natural disaster in India.

Film Project:

We can operate the Jesus film project and we have done this in many areas. and now are going to the districts of Chennai–headed by Pastor V. Rajamani. After this, we will do it in the remaining districts of BELC.
Through the film project non-Christians come to know the knowledge of the Son of man, the crucified and risen Lord Jesus Christ. We yield good results and we reveal Jesus Christ through these film projects.

Conclusion:

Jesus Christ has redeemed us and won us from all sin, from death and eternal damnation and the power of the devil, not with gold or silver, but with His holy precious blood and innocent sufferings and death.
Let us continue in our faith, not moving from the hope held out in the Gospel, until our Lord comes again to take us to heaven.

Yours in His Service,
D.Paul
BELC

KISII DISTRICT-Kenya

CHOTORORO LUTHERAN THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY REPORT

Due to the growing of our CLC churches here in Kisii District we came together as Leaders and proposed to have a theological seminary which can enable our men to study God’s word .

COMMENCEMENT

Plans for opening the seminary were started by Pastor Koenig and the men from Kisii . The proposed site was set apart at Chotororo CLC in the year 2007 . By this time we had our young men join St. Peters Seminary at Himo (Tanzania) . This method didn’t seem effective . Because only unmarried men were allowed to go to train . Our married men were also interested to study God’s word and this led us to arrive at the decision of starting a seminary which is near to our churches , and which can train all interested men .

PROGRESS

Since the year 2007 with our humble request to the mission board , in the year 2010 with the leadership of our second missionary Nathaneal Mayhew the mission board heeded our requests and accepted us to start the seminary at Chotororo . We first started with four students who were previously training in Tanzania and two teachers .

Because there was much interest from our men also the mission in October 2010 decided to give six more chances for the new intakes . Then we took six new students adding up to 10 students . Because of the new students we divide our class in two , which means first years and second years . As it was that those who were in Tanzania had taken one year and here in kenya one year , to this time we count them third years.

We are also expecting two students in March from the newly opened church at Matunda in Eldoret – Kitale .

COURSE DURATION

Our theology course we run is as follows ;

1 . Diploma in theology – 4 yrs

2 . Certificate in theology – 2 yrs

Note : Out of the students we have some will graduate in diploma level and others certificate level .

STAFF

By now the institution is being run by three teachers ;

1 . Pastor Fred Ogendo – Seminary principle

2 . Pastor Michael Gurath

3 . Pastor Joseph Nyaribo

FUTURE PROGRESS

We ask God to open ways so that we can have some building for seminary classes and hostels, because we are using the church building for classes and rental house as dormitory

Pastor Fred

Principal

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Pastor Koenig