Off the Beaten Path in Bangladesh...

Yesterday (20 JAN) was our last full day in Bangladesh. It's been a whirlwind of activity since our arrival six days ago. We had a full day of doctrinal discussions with Pastor Monotosh on the day after our arrival. That evening we were privileged to preach and teach at a local preaching station in Dhaka. Early the next morning we hit the road in a rented van to travel to south-western districts of Bangladesh where most of the Bangladesh Lutheran Church Mission Congregations are located. For the next few days, we were up early and on the road. The congregations are not that far apart from each other, but the roads and paths and trails here in the rural areas do not make for fast travel.

The first congregation and tutoring center that we visited yesterday was well off the beaten path. At least it was off of our definition of a well-beaten path. I suspect the folks that live there wouldn't agree with our assessment since to them this is just home. And what a beautiful place to call home. From the fields and fields of canola blooms to the wide variety of palm trees separated by brick laid paths built on top of levies dividing the low-land water-ways and farmland, there is endless beauty to take in. But the most thing to see in this land that is said to be 95% Muslim and 4% Hindu is the smiling faces of men, women, and children who believe in Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior who gather to hear learn more of the truths of God's saving word from the pastor, evangelists, and deacons of the Bangladesh Lutheran Church Mission. 

What a privilege to be one of the vessels that God has chosen to bring His word to these people on these particular days. It's a bit overwhelming at times.

In about an hour we'll head to the airport for the flights that will take us to India. We'll fly from Dhaka to Colombo, Sri Lanka and then to Chennai, India. We'll be in India for the next three weeks working with the CLCI and the BELC and attending and teaching at the Joint Asia Pastoral Conference in Vijaywada. 

Please enjoy just a few pictures of the time that Pastor Dave Reim and I have spent here in Bangladesh working with and among the sheep of God's BLCM flock.

Sent to Bangladesh & India

It's time to hit the road again. Tomorrow (14 JAN) late-afternoon I will meet Pastor David Reim at the airport in Chicago where we'll board the first of several flights over the next four weeks. We'll fly from Chicago to Istanbul and then to Dhaka, Bangladesh. After a week or so in Bangladesh, we'll fly to India where we'll have the opportunity to work with the pastors and leaders of the BELC, attend the Joint Asia Pastoral Conference, and then spend our last week in India working with the CLCI. 

While in Bangladesh we will spend time visiting with Pastor Monotosh Banarjee and a few of the congregations and preaching stations that he serves. But the main purpose of our visit is to conduct a colloquy with Pastor Banarjee and the BLCM. The word colloquy is defined as a "formal conversation." When used in the context of the church, it takes on a more specific meaning. It's basically a conversation to compare doctrine to see if we share the prerequisite unity of doctrine to establish a God-pleasing fellowship. Pastor Banarjee has been in contact with representatives of the CLC for nearly four years. In the beginning, several emails were exchanged to determine the nature of the contact and to discuss expectations and just to get to know each other's intentions. These first several emails revealed that Pastor Monotosh had a strong confessional Lutheran background. He had been trained by other conservative Lutherans but had become frustrated when the training suddenly stopped and no further instruction was given. When he contacted the CLC he was eager to receive more Bible training. He had read through much of the materials from the CLC that he had found online and was convinced that the CLC was a true teaching church body that was committed to on-going pastoral training in many places around the world. It was at this time that I began Online Theological Studies with Pastor Banarjee. He has completed several courses. We began with a course titled "An Introduction to Lutheranism and the CLC" that is based on the CLC Statement of Faith and Purpose. This study revealed that Pastor Monotosh and the CLC already had much in common. After a couple more years of Online courses, a visit was conducted with myself and the Board of Missions chairman, Joel Krafft. That visit took place last year. You can read the blog post from that visit here: http://missionaryohlmann.blogspot.com/2019/03/finished-in-bangladeshheading-home.html

That first visit went very well and correspondence continued. President Eichstadt asked that colloquy be scheduled. And so, Pastor Reim and I have been sent to Bangladesh. If all goes well with the "formal conversation about doctrine" we expect to make a recommendation to President Eichstadt to formally declare fellowship with Pastor Banarjee and the BLCM to the 2020 CLC Convention in June. 

From Bangladesh, we will travel to India. The biennial Joint Asia Pastoral Conference is scheduled for 28-30 January. This conference, sponsored by the CLC and funded through the CLC Mission Development Fund takes place every-other-year with attendees coming from the CLCI and BELC in India, the HCLC-Nepal, the NLC-Myanmar, and the CLC-Myanmar. This year Pastor Banarjee from Bangladesh will also attend. We will hear encouraging essays from several pastors and reports on the work of each church body. We will also gather for worship and encouragement through the Gospel in word and sacrament. 

While we are in India we will also spend a week with the BELC before the JAPC and a week with the CLCI after the conference. During the time with the CLCI and BELC we will be teaching pastoral training seminars and preaching and teaching at several congregations and preaching stations. 

Please keep us in your prayers asking the Lord to bless us with safe and uneventful travels, that He will clear our way through immigration in both Bangladesh and India, and that He will grant us the wisdom, patience, love, and zeal for the work before us. Pray also for our wives and families back home. And pray for those we are going to work with and those we go to teach that they too will be blessed with all that is needed both as hearers and learners of God's saving word. 

Prayer List - January 2020

Finally, brethren, pray for us, that the word of the Lord may run swiftly and be glorified, just as it is with you...

2 Thessalonians 3:1 (NKJV)

1.    Bangladesh – An official colloquy with Pastor Monotosh Banarjee and the Bangladesh Lutheran Church Mission (BLCM) is scheduled for mid-January. Pastor Monotosh has been in contact with the CLC for nearly four years and has successfully completed several Online Theological Courses. Missionary Ohlmann and Bd of Missions Chairman, Joel Krafft visited the BLCM in February of 2019. President Eichstadt has appointed Pastor David Reim of the CLC Board of Doctrine to represent the CLC in this colloquy. Pastor Reim will accompany Missionary Ohlmann on a visit to Bangladesh for this purpose. They will be leaving for Bangladesh on January 13^th. Pray that the Lord will bless this important next step toward establishing a God-pleasing fellowship based upon a unity of faith and doctrine.

2.    Asia – The Joint Asia Pastoral Conference (JAPC) – is a conference for CLC affiliated pastors throughout Asia. It is sponsored by the CLC Board of Missions and funded through the CLC Mission Development Fund. This conference is held every other year in India from January 28-30. Missionary Ohlmann and Pastor David Reim are planning to attend after visiting Bangladesh. As the Lord wills, pastors from India, Nepal, Myanmar, and Bangladesh will be in attendance. Pray that the Lord will bless this effort to encourage and build up the leaders of these church bodies through the essays and Bible studies that will be delivered. Pray also that He will bless and provide for all that is necessary tor such a conference to take place.

3.    D.R. Congo – Seven men have completed four years of theological training and are now ready to graduate and be ordained as pastors in the Congregation Confessionnelle Lutheranienne Du Congo (CCLC). Graduation and ordination services are planned for March. Give thanks to the Lord for providing for the training these men have received through the support of CLC Project Kinship. Ask the Lord to continue to bless their labors that many may be led to repent of their sins and to rejoice in the salvation that Jesus won for all people on the cross.  

4.    Nepal – There are sixteen men who are nearing graduation from the Himalayan Bible Institute. They are scheduled to graduate and be ordained in April of 2020. Missionary Ohlmann is making plans to be in Nepal to attend the service. Pray that the Lord will bless their last few months of formal training and give thanks to the Lord that these men have dedicated themselves to preaching and teaching the truth of His saving word.

5.    Tanzania – The second year of classes is set to begin again at the Wartburg Lutheran Seminary of the CLC-Tanzania in late January. There are six students enrolled and the CLC Project Kinship has arranged sponsorship for each student. Pray that the Lord will bless these men and their families with everything needed as they spend their time preparing to be faithful preachers and teachers of God’s saving word. Pray also for the teachers and staff that the Lord will continue to give them the wisdom, strength, and guidance needed for the work they have been given.

DEC. 2019 - CLC Mission Opportunities Prayer List

Finally, brethren, pray for us, that the word of the Lord may run swiftly and be glorified, just as it is with you...

2 Thessalonians 3:1 (NKJV)

1.    Kenya – On Friday, December 6, Vincent Okerosi was shot and killed by Al Shabaab Islamic terrorists near a north-east Kenyan city near the Somali border. Vincent was a teacher at St. David’s Kinship School in Etago, Kenya. He was killed along with several other non-Somali’s who were taken off a bus and executed. Please pray for Vincent’s family along with the students and staff at St. David’s School in Etago.

2.    Kenya – Following the recent, heavier than usual, rains in south-west Kenya, the student latrines at St. David’s Kinship School have collapsed and need to be repaired before the students return to classes in January. Pray that the Lord will provide for this need and that repairs can be completed in time.

3.    Nepal – Pastor Raju recently reported that sixty independent pastors in two different Nepali states attended two separate informational/pastoral training seminars that were offered by the HCLCN. Several of these men have expressed interest in attending classes at the Himalayan Bible Institute.

4.    Nepal – Following outreach efforts and Bible instruction, twenty individuals were baptized and became members of the HCLC congregation in a Himalayan foothill village west of Kathmandu where several CLC Mission Helper teams have visited.

5.    Nepal – There are ten men who are nearing graduation from the Himalayan Bible Institute. They are scheduled to graduate and be ordained in April of 2020. Missionary Ohlmann is making plans to be in Nepal to attend the service. Pray that the Lord will bless their last few months of formal training and give thanks to the Lord that these men have dedicated themselves to preaching and teaching the truth of His saving word.

6.    Bangladesh – As Pastor Monotosh continues Online Theological Studies with our missionary, plans are also being made for an official colloquy in early 2020. President Eichstadt has appointed Pastor David Reim of the CLC Board of Doctrine to represent the CLC in this colloquy. Missionary Ohlmann will accompany Pastor Reim on this visit in mid-January. Pray that the Lord will bless this important next step toward establishing a God-pleasing fellowship based upon a unity of faith and doctrine.

7.    Asia – The Joint Asia Pastoral Conference (JAPC) – is a conference for CLC affiliated pastors throughout Asia. It is sponsored by the CLC Board of Missions and funded through the CLC Mission Development Fund. This conference is held every other year in India. The CLCI will host the conference in early February of 2020. Missionary Ohlmann and Pastor David Reim are planning to attend. As the Lord wills, pastors from India, Nepal, and Myanmar will be in attendance. Pray that the Lord will bless this effort to encourage and build up the leaders of these church bodies through the essays and Bible studies that will be delivered. Pray also that He will bless and provide for all that is necessary for such a conference to take place.

CLC Mission Opportunities Prayer List - Nov. 2019

Finally, brethren, pray for us, that the word of the Lord may run swiftly and be glorified, just as it is with you...

2 Thessalonians 3:1 (NKJV)

1.    Nigeria – The Martin Luther Bible Institute currently has three students in attendance. They are praying for and expecting at least two more students to begin classes at the beginning of the next semester. Give thanks to the Lord for those who are willing to commit themselves to study and prepare for the public ministry. Pray for the faculty as they teach classes five days a week and serve congregations with the Word and Sacrament each weekend.

2.    Nigeria – After the Nigerian Children’s Home in Akwa Ibom State was closed several months ago, the leadership of the NCLC has appointed a committee to develop a new set of guidelines and policies for the care of orphaned children with the hope and prayer of opening a new orphanage in the not-to-distant future. Pray that the Lord will bless this committee with wisdom and compassion as they seek a God-pleasing way to offer love and care to those in need.

3.    The Democratic Republic of the Congo – The Lord has blessed the efforts of Pastors Yumba, who has been training seven men for the public ministry in temporary classroom facilities. These seven students have attended classes five days a week from April-October for the past four years. They are currently serving their final five-month practicum in their home congregations. They are all scheduled to be ordained in March of 2020. These men have been supported through Project Kinship while they have been preparing to be faithful preachers and teachers of God’s saving word. Pray that the Lord will bless the practical experience they are currently receiving between now and March. Pray also that the Lord will continue to bless the efforts of the CCLC to prepare more men for the public ministry in the DRC.

4.    The Democratic Republic of Congo – Missionary Ohlmann and Missionary Evensen have been in the DRC for the past couple of weeks. They are accompanied by Pastor Kossi from Togo. They had an opportunity to conduct a seminar at the building site of the Holy Trinity Lutheran Bible Institute. This building project has been in the works for the past few years and was partially funded through offerings to the CLC Mission Development Fund. Three rooms are completed to stage where they can be used as a classroom, sleeping room, and a kitchen. Toilet facilities have also been completed. There is still much work to be done. Eventually, there will be dormitory rooms for up to sixteen resident students along with a dedicated kitchen and dining area. There are also plans for farming projects that will allow the students to work for their education as the income from the farm will provide some of the necessary finances for the school.  This is an ambitious project that will hopefully serve the Kingdom of God in the DRC for many years to come. Offer prayers of thanksgiving to the Lord for His blessings and provision for this project. Pray also that the Lord will continue to bless the CCLC with all that is necessary to continue to train faithful preachers and teachers.

5.    The Democratic Republic of Congo –  Pastor Jacques Pondi Lumiangu first contacted the CLC through Pastor Tim Daub after seeing one of his sermons on Facebook. Pastor Lumiangu has been in correspondence with the CLC for the past three years and has diligently and successfully completed several Online Theological Studies courses. Missionaries Evensen and Ohlmann spent four days visiting with Pastor Lumiangu and the elders of Eglise Confessional Lutherienne Sainte Famille Au Congo (Holy Family Confessional Lutheran Church of Congo) in Kinshasa. Please offer prayers of thanksgiving to our Savior for this successful visit and pray that the Lord will continue to bless the on-going Theological Studies correspondence.

6.    Nepal – Pray that the Lord will grant patience and guidance as our brothers and sisters of the Himalayan Church of the Lutheran Confession of Nepal wait upon the Lord to provide the resources necessary to purchase a suitable and affordable piece of land to build or an existing building. They need a building that will serve as a worship facility, seminary classroom, library, dormitory, office, and faculty residence for the HCLCN Himalayan Bible Institute. The CLC Board of Missions is considering ways in which the CLC can assist with this effort through offerings to the Mission Development Fund. Pray that the Lord will provide the resources and wisdom necessary for this project.

7.    Nepal – Pastor Raju and his father, Pastor J.B., have been traveling to the various districts of Nepal over the past few weeks offering seminars to area pastors and believers with the goal of proclaiming the truth of God’s saving word. Several independent pastors have been in attendance and have expressed interest in studying God’s word with the HCLCN to be better prepared to serve in the public ministry. These are mostly men who have had little or no formal pastoral training. Pray that the Lord will use this effort to open more doors of opportunity to proclaim the Gospel of Jesus in this predominately Hindu and Buddhist nation.

8.    Nepal – There are ten men who are nearing graduation from the Himalayan Bible Institute. They are scheduled to graduate and be ordained in April of 2020. Pray that the Lord will bless their last few months of formal training and give thanks to the Lord that these men have dedicated themselves to preaching and teaching the truth of His saving word.

9.    India – Classes with fifty-one students at the CLCI Seminary and twenty-five students at the Martin Luther Bible Institute of the BELC, along with BELC monthly pastoral training classes continue to be conducted among the 1,000+ pastors, students, and evangelists with whom we are in fellowship in India. Pray that the Lord will keep all of them and those they serve strong and safe as persecution continues to increase.

10.  Asia – The Joint Asia Pastoral Conference (JAPC) – is a conference for CLC affiliated pastors throughout Asia. It is sponsored by the CLC Board of Missions and funded through the CLC Mission Development Fund. This conference is held every other year in India. The CLCI will host the conference in early February of 2020. Missionary Ohlmann and Pastor David Reim are planning to attend. As the Lord wills, pastors from India, Nepal, and Myanmar will be in attendance. Pray that the Lord will bless this effort to encourage and build up the leaders of these church bodies through the essays and Bible studies that will be delivered. Pray also that He will bless and provide for all that is necessary tor such a conference to take place.

11.  Bangladesh – As Pastor Monotosh continues Online Theological Studies with our missionary, plans are also being made for an official colloquy in early 2020. President Eichstadt has appointed Pastor David Reim of the CLC Board of Doctrine to represent the CLC in this colloquy. Missionary Ohlmann will accompany Pastor Reim on this visit in mid-January. Pray that the Lord will bless this important next step toward establishing a God-pleasing fellowship based upon a unity of faith and doctrine.

12.  Togo – Missionary Evensen is busy teaching the six pastoral students of the Mt. Horeb Bible Institute of the MELC. He also continues to train four ordained MELC pastors as they continue to grow in their understanding of God’s saving word. Pray that the Lord will bless Missionary Evensen’s developing abilities to communicate and teach in French as he assists Pastor Kossi in preparing men to be faithful preachers and teachers.

13.  Togo – With a resident missionary now in place, Pastor Kossi is excited as they begin planning and conducting five evangelism campaigns throughout Togo over the next year. A CLC-MDF grant was recently approved to provide funding for this effort to preach the truth of God’s saving word in Togo, Ghana, and Benin. Pray for the Lord’s blessing on this effort.

14.  Liberia - Pastor John Hein, who serves as the visiting missionary to Liberia has been in Liberia for the past few weeks. He has been meeting with pastors and leaders who wish to establish a confessional Lutheran church body in Liberia. Thank the Lord for a productive visit as Pastor Hein and Pastor Joseph worked together to spread the truth of God’s saving word in Monrovia and Bopolu. Pray for all those they worked with these past few weeks that their labors will bring forth much fruit for God’s kingdom.

15.  Tanzania – The four pastors who teach at the Wartburg Lutheran Theological Seminary are busy preparing for the third semester of classes that will begin in late January. The students are helping with the ministry at their home congregations for the next few months until classes begin again. Pray that the Lord will continue to bless this effort with all the resources necessary to train these men to be faithful preachers and teachers of God’s saving word.

16.  Missionary Evensen in Togo – Missionary Peter Evensen has recently received a “Stay Card” which will allow him to stay in Togo for longer periods of time and will also allow him to more easily travel throughout West Africa. This is a big deal and the Lord was clearly behind the scenes making this happen. He was granted a visa to visit the D. R. Congo with Missionary Ohlmann. Missionary Evensen also stays busy with translating and conducting Online Theological Studies in French with several contacts in French-speaking African nations. You can read his blog at http://evensen.lutheranmissions.org/

17.  Visiting Foreign Missionary – Missionary Ohlmann will soon be returning from a five-week trip to visit our sister church bodies in the West African countries of Togo, Nigeria, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. He will be stateside until mid-January as he continues Online Theological Correspondence classes, makes travel plans, prepares lessons, and schedules visits to Tanzania, Zambia, the DRC, India, Myanmar, Nepal, and Bangladesh in the first few months of 2020. Please pray for safe and uneventful travel, successful meetings with our brothers, and zeal to proclaim the truths of God’s saving word. Pray also for his wife Beth and their family while he is away. You can read his blog and see pictures of some of the things mentioned above at www.romans10v14-17.org

18.  CLC Online Theological Studies – continue to pray for individuals in the following countries around the world who are studying God’s word through email correspondence courses as they continue to train to be faithful preachers and teachers of God’s saving word:

1.    Burundi, East Africa

2.    Senegal, West Africa

3.    D. R. Congo, Central Africa

4.    Liberia, West Africa

5.    Bangladesh, South East Asia

6.    Zimbabwe, Africa

7.    Myanmar, South East Asia

8.    Kenya, East Africa

9.    Uganda, East Africa

10.  Congo-Brazzaville, Central Africa

Sent...to the Democratic Republic of Congo

All checked in and patiently waiting for my first of three flights on my to the Democratic Republic of Congo...Lagos to Kigali to Johannesburg to Lumbumbashi.

If all goes according to plan, I'll meet up with Missionary Peter and Pastor Kossi (flying from Lomé, Togo) in Johannesburg for the last leg of the journey.

We'll spend the next couple of weeks working with Pastor Yumba in Lumbumbashi and Pastor Jacques Pondi Lumiangu in Kinshasa.

I've been denied a visa to vist the DRC three times over the past couple of years. I'm thankful to the Lord for clearing this obstacle and I'm very much looking forward to another visit with my brothers and sisters in Christ!

We'll be conducting a four day pastoral training seminar, visiting the Holy Trinity Lutheran Bible Institute building project, discussing seminary curriculum and future plans, and doing evangelism with Pastor Yumba in the southeast part of the DRC.

In Kinshasa, near the western border of the DRC, we'll be conducting the first face to face doctrinal discussions and visit with Pastor Lumiangu.

As always, prayers for safe and uneventful travel are requested and appreciated. Pray also that the Holy Spirit will bless and sanctify our every thought, word, and deed according to His will for the furtherance of His kingdom! 

Sent to West and Central Africa...

The Lord has provided good health, visas, the resources, and has called me into His service as a missionary, so...I'm heading back to West and Central Africa!

Specifically, I'll be visiting Togo, Nigeria, and the Democratic Republic of Congo. I'll spend a little over a week in Togo working with Missionary Peter Evensen and the pastors and leaders of the Mission Evangelique Lutherienne de Confession du Togo (MELC-T). I'll arrive late on Saturday evening and then it's up bright and early on Sunday morning to preach and teach. While I'm there I'll have the opportunity to teach two different groups. I'll be teaching on-going pastoral training lessons to the pastors and then also to the students of the Mt. Horeb Lutheran Bible Institute. When not teaching I'll accompany Pastor Kossi and Missionary Evensen to the MELC land that is a few hours north of Lome'. This land was purchased with an MDF grant a few years ago. The land is currently being farmed as they raise funds to build a church and school.  

From Togo, I will fly to Lagos, Nigeria. With a population of 21 million and growing, Lagos is the largest city in all of Africa. Because of some sort of protest that was blocking traffic, the last time I was there it took me 1.5 hours to go 4 km to get from my hotel to the airport and I almost missed my flight home. I'll only be spending one night in Lagos and then I will fly to Akwa Ibom State to spend time with the pastors and leaders of the Nigeria-CLC at the headquarters and seminary in Efa. While I am there I will have meetings with the NCLC Board, the Seminary Faculty, the budget committee, the disciplinary committee, and the newly formed Children's Home committee. Because of the on-going security issues in Nigeria, I will be keeping a low profile while I'm there. I will be in Nigeria for a couple of weeks and will have the opportunity to preach in the two NCLC congregations and teach at the seminary. 

From Nigeria, I will fly from Lagos to Johannesburg, South Africa to Kigali, Rwanda, to Lubumbashi, The Democratic Republic of Congo where I will be met by Pastor Gaston Yumba Lumbala of the CCLC. This will be the first CLC visit to the CCLC since 2013. This will be my fourth visit to the DRC. Over the past 2 1/2 years, I have tried three times to visit but was denied a visa. No reason was given for the denial, but I have learned from others that they were denying all western visitors during the elections in late 2018. After twenty-one years of despotic rule, President Joseph Kabila agreed to open elections. Rumor has it that he did not want anyone from other countries to observe the election so that he could make sure the man of his choosing would replace him. Whatever the case may be, I was denied entry in 2017, 2018, and again in early 2019. With the advice of a few visa agencies, I made a trip to Washington, DC a few weeks ago and applied for a visa in person at the DRC embassy. The visa was granted in two days! So, the Lord has cleared the way for a long-awaited visit to our brothers and sisters of the CCLC.

Your prayers for safe and uneventful travel along with the blessings of the Holy Spirit on the preaching, teaching, and hearing of God's saving word are requested and very much appreciated. Please keep my wife and children in your prayers as well.

OCT 2019 - CLC Mission Opportunities Prayer List

Finally, brethren, pray for us, that the word of the Lord may run swiftly and be glorified, just as it is with you...

2 Thessalonians 3:1 (NKJV)

1.    Nepal – Pray that the Lord will grant patience and guidance as our brothers and sisters of the Himalayan Church of the Lutheran Confession of Nepal wait upon the Lord to provide the resources necessary to purchase a suitable and affordable piece of land to build or an existing building. They need a building that will serve as a worship facility, seminary classroom, library, office for the HCLCN and the Bible Institute, dormitory, and residence. The CLC Board of Missions is considering ways in which the CLC can assist with this effort.

2.    Nepal – Pastor Raju and his family were evicted from their apartment a few months ago for singing hymns and having prayers in their home during a birthday celebration with a few of the youth from the congregation. They are currently living with Raju’s parents while their possessions are in storage. Pray that the Holy Spirit will work faith in the hearts of the landlord through the Word of God that he has heard from Raju. 

3.    India – Classes at the CLCI Seminary, the Martin Luther Bible Institute of the BELC, and monthly pastoral training classes continue to be conducted among the 1,000+ pastors, students, and evangelists that with whom we are in fellowship in India. Pray that the Lord will keep all of them, and those they serve, strong and safe as persecution continues to increase.

4.    Bangladesh – As Pastor Monotosh continues Online Theological Studies with our missionary, plans are also being made for an official colloquy in early 2020. Our visiting missionary and a representative of the CLC appointed by President Eichstadt will travel together to Bangladesh to conduct the colloquy. Pray that the Lord will bless this important next step.

5.    Togo – Missionary Evensen is busy teaching the seven pastoral students of the Mt. Horeb Bible Institute of the MELC. He also continues to train four ordained MELC pastors as they continue to grow in their understanding of God’s saving word. Pray that the Lord will bless Missionary Evensen’s developing abilities to communicate and teach in French as he assists Pastor Kossi in preparing men to be faithful preachers and teachers.

6.    Togo – With a resident missionary now in place, Pastor Kossi is excited as they begin planning and conducting five evangelism campaigns throughout Togo over the next year. A CLC-MDF grant was recently approved to provide funding for this effort to preach the truth of God’s saving word in Togo, Ghana, and Benin. Pray for the Lord’s blessing on this effort.

7.    Liberia - Pastor John Hein, who serves as the visiting missionary to Liberia, will be traveling to Liberia in October. Pray that the Lord will provide safe and uneventful travel. Pray also for a productive visit as Pastor Hein and Pastor Joseph work together to spread the truth of God’s saving word in Monrovia and Bopolu.

8.    Tanzania – The four pastors who teach at the Wartburg Lutheran Theological Seminary are busy preparing for the third semester of classes that will begin in late January. The students are helping with the ministry at their home congregations for the next few months until classes begin again. Pray that the Lord will continue to bless this effort with all the resources necessary to train these men to be faithful preachers and teachers of God’s saving word.

9.    The Democratic Republic of Congo – Our visiting missionary has been granted a six-month, multiple-entry visa. He is planning a three-week visit November and will try to visit again after the first of the year. It has been six years since the CLC has made a visit to the DRC. Thank the Lord for providing the necessary visa and pray that the trip will go smoothly, and much will be accomplished for His glory.

10.  The Democratic Republic of Congo – Missionary Ohlmann will be in the DRC in November to see and report on the construction of a multipurpose facility that will serve as seminary classrooms, offices, library, chapel, and dormitory for the CCLC and the Holy Trinity Lutheran Seminary. This project was partially funded through offerings to the CLC Mission Development Fund (MDF). Thank the Lord for opening the hearts of His children to support His work of training more men to preach and teach His saving word in DRC.

11.  Nigeria – Missionary Ohlmann will visit our brothers and sisters of the NCLC in early November. He will preach at two congregations, visit the seminary, and meet with the various NCLC boards and committees. Pray that the Lord will bless this visit with productive and encouraging meetings that are focused on serving the Lord through faithfulness to the truths of His saving word. Pray also for safe travels.  

12.  Missionary Evensen in Togo – Missionary Peter Evensen has recently received a “Stay Card” which will allow him to stay in Togo for longer periods of time and will also allow him to more easily travel throughout West Africa. This is a big deal and the Lord was clearly behind the scenes making this happen. He has received a Nigerian visa and is hoping to have a DR Congo visa in time to join Missionary Ohlmann on his visit. Pray that the Lord will continue to bless this transition to Togo and the work he is doing to assist in training men to be faithful preachers and teachers of God’s saving word. You can read his blog at: http://evensen.lutheranmissions.org/

13.  Visiting Foreign Missionary – Missionary Ohlmann will be leaving soon on a five-week trip to visit our sister church bodies in the West African countries of Togo, Nigeria, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. He is also preparing lessons, making travel plans and schedules for visits to Tanzania, Zambia, the DRC, India, Myanmar, Nepal, and Bangladesh in early 2020. Please pray for safe and uneventful travel, successful meetings with our brothers, and zeal to proclaim the truths of God’s saving word. Pray also for his wife Beth and their family while he is away. You can read his blog at:  www.romans10v14-17.org

14.  CLC Online Theological Studies – continue to pray for individuals in the following countries around the world who are studying God’s word through email correspondence courses as they continue to train to be faithful preachers and teachers of God’s saving word:

1.    Burundi, East Africa

2.    Senegal, West Africa

3.    D. R. Congo, Central Africa

4.    Liberia, West Africa

5.    Bangladesh, South East Asia

6.    Zimbabwe, Africa

7.    Myanmar, South East Asia

8.    Kenya, East Africa

9.    Uganda, East Africa

10.  Congo-Brazzaville, Central Africa