Lutheran Heritage Foundation:
THE WORD AT WORK
GHANA LUTHERANS CELEBRATE 60 YEARS IN MISSION
In August, the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Ghana (ELCG) celebrated its 60th anniversary, and an important highlight of that celebration was the dedication and distribution of new LHF publications in five Ghanaian languages.
More than 700 people participated in the celebration, marking the birth of the ELCG in 1959.
“Real Lutheran missionary efforts began in Ghana in 1957 in the city of Accra,” explained Rev. Joseph Minnow Bart-Plange, ELCG general secretary. A pastor in the African Methodist Episcopal Church “saw the Martin Luther film and came to realize that he was a Lutheran!”
Since then, the ELCG has grown to more than 6,500 people, but the Church has lacked one good thing: the books of our Lutheran faith, translated into their languages. More than 250 languages are spoken throughout Ghana, but up until the past month, LHF had
only published in two of them: Kusaal and Konkomba. LHF’s work to translate the “Jesus Never Fails” devotional booklet into those languages and Ewe, Fante and Twi has pioneered Lutheran translation in those tongues. Other projects are now underway, including A Child’s Garden of Bible Stories, Luther’s Small Catechism, Worship Book, portions of the Book of Concord and more.
Rev. Dr. Nicholas Salifu, LHF project coordinator for Ghana, helps young Nathan to read his copy of A Child’s Garden of Bible Stories.
Order your English copy at info@LHFmissions.org Volume 26 Number 5 ■ September/October 2019
“People like the ‘Jesus Never Fails’ booklet because the title alone gives hope,” explained Rev. Dr. Nicholas Salifu, LHF’s project coordinator in Ghana. “The message is very clear. People will fail us: parents, children, politicians, chiefs, close friends, government, pastors, Muslim leaders, soothsayers, the idols people worship, etc. The message about why Jesus never fails, as read from the Scriptures, gives people hope.”
President John Shadrack Donkoh - ELCG
TWO YEARS WITH NO RAIN... WITH THE
In late August, Rev. George Ondieki (LHF translator in Kenya, Africa) and Tuomo Simojoki (coordinator for the LHF-Kenya office, pictured at top right) set out for the Kitui region of Kenya, boxes of catechisms and Bible storybooks packing the trunk of their vehicle.
As the two men traveled the several hundred miles from Nairobi, to Meru, to Kitui County, green vegetation became sparser and the dust gathered. River beds, like the one shown here, were dry. There had been no rain for two years.
“The area is really suffering at the moment,” shared Tuomo. “There is massive drought and no crops. Communities consist of women and children, drained of
in one congregation we visited, there was only one man present. The women walk three hours a day to find water and then another three to get back home–six hours every day! In case of sickness, they walk 20 miles to the nearest health clinic. So many die on the way.”
IN THE MIDST OF SUCH CHALLENGES, CONGREGATIONS ARE THIRSTY FOR RESOURCES AND TRAINING.
“We were invited by the bishop of the Mt. Kenyan (Lutheran) Synod to join them in a mission trip,” Tuomo explained. “There were two new Lutheran congregations, which had previously been Pentecostal but have become Lutheran. Their pastors had never seen a catechism before. They were extremely thrilled to receive catechisms in their Kamba language!
“The congregations and pastors are thirsty for resources and training. Some of the pastors came from Anglican backgrounds, a few from Methodist, and also some from Pentecostal backgrounds. Because of a lack of training, many African pastors’ theology is shallow and limited. But a change has come, from hearing good Lutheran theology. They are impressed by the depth and Biblical truth of our Lutheran teachings.”
“WE WANT MORE!”
At each of the churches, Rev. Ondieki introduced the Small Catechism, translated and published by LHF in the Kamba language. Listeners eagerly followed along and discussed
BUT QUENCHED
THE WORD OF GOD
baptism, the Lord’s Supper and women’s roles in the congregation. During down times, they talked of practical things, such as how to organize a Sunday school and better train their pastors and evangelists.
“The reaction was so positive,” Tuomo said. “The congregations were impressed that a Church had such materials and they want more! The pastors demanded more teaching, and soon. The bishop has asked for LHF to hold a seminar as soon as possible.”
READY TO GIVE ALL
Our Kitui brothers and sisters in Christ model a faith all should aspire to.
“On Sunday, we gave a lift to an elderly lady who was prepared to walk to our church service,” Tuomo recalled. “It would have been an over 15 mile walk for her. The pastor tends to three congregations by foot. The distance is three hours to each congregation, so he doesn’t make it to each place every Sunday. At church, there were these two girls who walked 4 hours to get there. They were ages 12-14 years, and the area is full of poisonous snakes. But they wanted to come to church.”
YOU CAN HELP THEM HEAR GOD’S WORD IN THEIR OWN LANGUAGE.
The catechisms our Kenyan brothers and sisters thirst for cost only around $5 to print. Now, church leaders there have asked LHF to translate another dozen titles for them. You can make a difference in the lives of people like those pictured at right! Go to www.LHFmissions.org/donate.
NIGERIA AFRICANS IN AMERICA
Rev. Dr. Dinku Bato, LHF coordinator for African projects, is touring many African countries, meeting with translation leaders such as Rev. Dr. Nelson Unwene (left) and Rev. Dr. Michael Adoga (right) in Nigeria.
LHF has begun work in a new language of Nigeria, Hausa. Hausa is spoken predominantly by Muslims in the northern region of the country.
“The approach that Nigerian Lutherans are taking toward the evangelization of Muslims is very good, very gentle,” said Rev. Dr. Dinku Bato, LHF’s coordinator for African projects. “Some Christian groups are very aggressive and irritate the already volatile situation by doing things like tearing up a Koran in front of the Muslims. That is not right. We should be reaching out in love and respect, trying to win their ears. Translating and publishing books looks slow, but through relationships and friendship, that is what is most effective and will be most fruitful.”
Expanding work in more of Nigeria’s 300 languages is also being explored by working with students at the JEM Lutheran Seminary. Read more at LHFmissions.org
LUTHERAN HERITAGE FOUNDATION
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LHF “WORD AT WORK” STAFF:
EDITOR: Rev. Dr. Matthew Heise
MANAGING EDITOR: Jennifer Bagnall
GRAPHIC DESIGN: Jennifer Bagnall
“The Word at Work” is the official publication of the Lutheran Heritage Foundation. Permission is hereby granted to excerpt from this publication for not-for-profit purposes.
The Lutheran Heritage Foundation is a Recognized Service Organization of The Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod. LHF translates, publishes, distributes and introduces confessional Lutheran materials throughout the world so that people can be brought to Christ. LHF is not subsidized by the LCMS or any other church body. It is entirely supported by individual donations and grants.
Rev. Robert Rahn (LHF founder) and Rev. Dr. Matthew Heise (LHF executive director) traveled to Lansing, Mich. to provide French and Swahili theology books for immigrant pastors. Also pictured are Rev. Todd Jones (seated, left) of the LCMS Michigan District and Rev. Zerit Yohannes (standing, right), member of the LHF board of directors.
Rev. Zerit Yohannes, a member of the LHF board of directors, is working with the LCMS Michigan District to help better educate pastors from Africa who have immigrated with their people to the United States.
Sixteen men from 6 states are taking part in the program. Most lived for many years in African refugee camps before coming to the U.S.
For textbooks, “we use the books that LHF has already produced!” explained Rev. Yohannes, their instructor.
“These men have not lived lives in stable countries, and many of them have very little theological education. But they come with faith.”
Their studies begin with the Small Catechism.
“When the people have the Word in their language, they have Jesus!” Rev. Yohannes said. “As their leaders become Lutheran, their people will follow.”
In the past year, LHF has published books in 37 languages, from Akha to Zande.
Printed in the last year: 217,300 books 441,500 pamphlets/tracts
All publications to date: 1,035 titles in 106 languages!
TOTAL: 658,800 publications Luther’s Small Catechism: 90 languages
A Child’s Garden of Bible Stories: 34