B.A.S.I.C. NEWSLETTER #44

B.A.S.I.C. NEWSLETTER #44
February 7, 2005

BAPTISM – We as Lutherans hold to the ancient and Bible teaching of infant baptism.  It is such a blessing to see from children to aged people baptized into God’s name with all that that means.  CONGO – Pastor Muzakuza reports that 12 children were baptized in December at Kipushi congregation. At Trinite congregation there were 9 children baptized. KENYA – In Kenya as well as in Tanzania, as reported before in the LCEA, there is a mission effort to work among the Masai tribe.  Pastor Jeremiah of the CLCEA reports that at OleMapina/Taveta on January 1st 60 adults and 20 children of the Masai were baptized.  TOGO – Due to our delay in getting to Lome, the baptism service has been delayed until May on a Sunday when around 20 people will be baptized.

BIBLE DISTRIBUTION BY THE CLC IN 2004 – That Each May Read in His Own Language the Wonderful Works of God.The brethren in the CLC-USA gave the following: 14 Masai and 22 Swahili in Kenya,over 70 Swahili in DRC, 5 Ewe in Ghana, 80 Efik in Nigeria, 1425 Tamil and Telegu in India. In many of these cases a small proportion of the cost is given by an individual who receives a Bible. By far though, the largest share of cost is willingly carried by brothers and sisters in the USA. (continued)

TO THE EAST, BOTH NORTH AND SOUTH – part 2. Up to about 100AD.
In the West – In considering the centuries we will take a glimpse at what happened in the West while under God’s direction, while He spread His Word in the East.  The church was spread to Rome in Italy and across north Africa.
To the East – Very interestingly many of the apostles of our Lord are said by traditions to have gone to the East. The following are according to traditions and can not be considered historically correct in all cases:  James the son of Alphaeus – Syria,Thaddaeus – Edessa, Armenia,  Simon the Zealot – Persia,  Bartholomew – Armenia, North India (old India), Matthew – Parthia, Persia, North India.(from Firth – Indian Church History).  The Syrian Christian tradition has Thomas going to India.  “St. Thomas, after visiting Socotra (an island in the Arabian Sea off the northeast coast of Africa), landed at Cranganore, on the Periyar estuary north of Cochin, in about 52AD.  He is said to have preached to the Jewish colony settled there and to have made converts both among them and among their neighbors.   Travelling in the coastal region southwards he founded churches in seven places,   Maliankara (near Cranganore), Palayur, Parur, Gokamangalam, Niranam, Chayal and Quilon, in four of which places Syrian churches still exist… After this he is said to have crossed over to the east coast and to have travelled eastwards from there…The year of his martyrdom is said to have been about 72AD “On the basis of certain seventh and tenth century writings, which say that St. Bartholomew went to “India Felix”, Bartholomew is regarded as “apostle…founder of the Christian community at Kalyan, near Bombay.”In a visit to India by Pantaenus, a noted Christian teacher of Alexandria, shortly after AD190, he is said to have found a Gospel of Matthew said to have been left there by Bartholomew.In any case it is correct to say that the apostles heeded very seriously Jesus’ command/prophecy to be His witnesses to Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria and to the ends of the world.

In Christ,   Pastor Koenig