Big and Small, God Uses Them All

Two weeks ago we were in Vijayawada, in a little thatch church with a dirt floor.  Monday, we were in one of the largest in the city—St. Peter’s Lutheran Church.  The altar area was

paneled in teak and the floors were marble.  Russ was asked to preach on this second day of Holy Week, from Mark 11:15-19.

It’s still hard to reconcile formal cassocks and chandeliers with indigenous drums and lizards

My Father's House of Prayer--for All Nations

on the walls.  Head Pastor Adam Kennedy (named in honor of JFK but definitely not Irish) and Assistant Pastor Santha Rao (our host this week) welcomed us. 

A lone woman prayed at the railing, the pastors began the liturgy, and then Russ gave his message on Jesus’ cleansing of the temple, His Father’s House of Prayer.  Russ spoke of the foundational need of prayer for the Christian life, and also the need for cleansing our lives before coming to God.

His message bore fruit.  People began coming up to the altar rail; old women fell on their faces, girls kneeled, men raised their hands in prayer.  The Lord moves in hearts and souls, whether they worship Him in a tent slum or in high church.  We are honored that He continues to use us in both places.

Tuesday saw us back in Bapatla, where Russ taught 20-odd pastors (they kept arriving) principles of Christian leadership.  Some were bivocational, either teaching at Bible colleges, or driving autorickshaws—besides their ministry—to support their families.  It seems pastors’ lives are similar all over the world. 

Pastors' Meeting, Bapatla

We spent time afterward talking with Santha Rao and James, our interpreter, who is quite an intellectual.  We discussed theology and eternity and evangelism.  Santha Rao’s deepest desire is to bring the Gospel to the unreached across India. 

And, they want us back for a three-day conference next year, and would like to include pastors’ wives.  So many local pastors have so little training.  Even though they have a great desire to serve God, they definitely need more grounding in both the Scriptures and in administration.  We are praying that the Lord will make it possible for us to continue this crucial work. 

 

Tomorrow we prepare for a long train journey toward Pithapuram and our next Pastors’ and Wives’ Conference.  We will spend Easter at Pastor Samuel Raju’s Grace Baptist Church and minister with him for ten days.  Then on to Orissa with Pastor Bihit to reach more tribals in the Eastern Ghat Mountains.  So much has happened, yet so much lies ahead.  Who knows what God will do?

Please continue to keep us in your prayers.  The steep stairways and long ministry journeys are not easy--and especially hard on Russ’ legs.  But we see the heartfelt response to the Gospel and Bible teaching, and it propels us onward.   

May the Lord be glorified among the nations!  --Alice Sharrock