Churches emerge a decade 

after Iron Curtain

Barely 10 years after the fall of com 

munism in Eastern European countries, the

Missouri Synod is helping Lutheran

churches there re emerge.

For example, Synod missionaries are

working with the Evangelical Lutheran

Church of Ingria in Russia an LCMS part 

ner church by planting churches and edu 

cating pastors and other church workers.

Rev. John Mehl, LCMS World

Mission area director for Eastern Europe,

said goals in Russia for the next nine years

include strengthening the existing 75 con 

gregations, planting 125 new congrega 

tions, having 400 small preaching stations

and educating 1,200 church leaders.

In Kazakhstan, missionaries have

planted six congregations and established a

In Russia, Pastor Igor Alisov conducts a Baptism at a Moscow orphan 

seminary in the city of Almaty, where they

age.Alisov preaches at Holy trinity, a congregation of Evangelical

also are starting a mission training center. The work

Lutheran Church of Ingria in Moscow. LCMS World Mission assists the

in that country is expanding into villages through

church body with  leadership and theological training.

medical missions and Lutheran Hour radio broad 

Today in the Synod, there are about 160 such

casts.

ministries to Hispanics, compared with 90 Hispanic

Missionaries have started a congregation in

ministries in 1997 and 29 in 1979, says Dr. Robert

Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, as well as in four villages of

Gonzalez, mission facilitator for new Hispanic mis 

that country. Mehl said that the  hope  is to buy a

sions with LCMS World Mission North America

building to house classes in English as a Second

Services.

Language and serve as a training center for church

Among them are growing border ministries,

outreach. Other goals include planting 20 more vil 

evidenced last year when four LCMS districts and

lage congregations with pastors and other church

North America Services formed a partnership with

leaders who can train more leaders.

the goal of connecting one million Hispanics with

In Georgia, Synod missionaries are working

the Gospel and training 500 new Hispanic workers

with the International Lutheran Laymen's League

for the region that borders Mexico.

to start churches and train pastors and church lead 

 One of our primary goals,  Gonzalez said,  is

ers there. 

to continue to sensitize congregations to see

The Synod has made it possible for Belarusian

Hispanic ministry as an opportunity, not a threat.

students to study at the Ingrian church's seminary in

Congregations and others that are successful in

Russia. In Belarus, Synod missionaries have held

Hispanic ministry are learning to be culturally 

theological education seminars and helped LCMS

sensitive to Hispanics. 

World Relief with humanitarian aid projects.

Rev. Steven Schulz, pastor of Grace Lutheran

Missionaries helped Estonian Lutherans pro 

Church in Storm Lake, says he has noticed  a big

duce a Lutheran newspaper that is sold from news 

change  in the cultural sensitivity of members to

stands and currently assist with an outreach pro 

Hispanics since he came to the area four years ago

gram. The Estonian Evangelical Lutheran Church

and Brink started his work three years ago. 

is the largest church in Eastern Europe.

Within that time, Schulz said he has seen  the

In Latvia, the Synod is helping build Luther

prevailing attitude [go from] `why don't they go

Academy with a building and by preparing a theo 

back to where they came from' [to] `how can we

logical faculty at the two LCMS seminaries. 

help them integrate into our society and help them

Missionaries have helped translate material

to know about Jesus.' 

from Concordia Publishing House into Lithuanian.

Photo: LCMS World Mission

(49) FEBRUARY 2003

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