Waldron Mission Fund

 

Under the oversight of the elders of the Crossville church of Christ, PO Box 211, Crossville, TN 38557

 

Vol. 41                                                                        January 2007                                                                              No. 1

THE LECTURES OF DECEMBER22-23, 2006

 

             In December there were, as mentioned before, sixteen lectureships held in India’s two most southern states, Tamil Nadu and Kerala.  The attendance of 1,676 included 1,254 preachers and 422 current student preachers.  That number represented about 85 percent of local preachers and congregations that have, by the grace of God, been established by our efforts.  It was fewer than expected; but the lower attendance was actually a good sign, for it illustrates that more of our brethren are getting jobs that require them to be at work every day.  The vast majority are day laborers that struggle to find work; even two or three times a week; but in the last few years the Indian economy has changed dramatically, thus many more are finding regular employment.  This is especially true in the garment industry and it means that many of our brethren can find work for while they are students they are encouraged in their spare time to study tailoring (or another trade).  The wages in that industry is far better than day work in the fields, but it is still low – about $35 a month – and that for six days each week.

 

             The 1,254, who are currently preaching reported they are working with 1,166 congregations in the two states and that 5,077 had been baptized in 2006.  The average membership was 21.  The churches are small, but the average attendance with children and visitors is about double that figure.  The poverty is actually greater than what it was during the great depression in the U.S.  This means that virtually all congregations meet in homes, sheds or rented rooms. 

 

             God willing, if we can afford to hold the lectureships in 2007 we will do so on the two-day national holiday in October, that way we will get a clearer view of the total number of preachers and congregations.  In the meantime the brothers have asked us to print for them 36,445 copies (35 cents a copy—$12,755.00) -  of the booklet “Introduction To Faith” in Tamil and Malayalam to use in home Bible studies and to strengthen new saints.  They have also requested that we supply them with 28,268 copies of Bible Lists (10 cents a copy—$2,827.00), which is the study booklet that is designed to help them prepare for the very stiff Bible entrance exam that applicants must pass to get into one of the eighteen preacher training schools that will be in place in June ’07.  That includes three new ones to be opened that month in the area hit by the Tsunami in ’05, which has been so very fruitful.  Brother Don Iverson has taken on the job of getting the new schools up and running.

 

             Prior to those 16 lectureships taking place I wrote to 1345 preachers encouraging them to greater zeal in the kingdom.  In each location that letter was read aloud to those present.  The total cost to us for each brother to attend the two days was $7.50.  This included food, bus fare and daily wages.  The following letter, dated December 25, 2006 from brother Joseph Santhanaraj, who is the principal of the SOP in Trinaveli, illustrates the great benefit of bringing these gospel preachers together to exhort one another.

 

Dear Brother Jim,  Greetings in the name of our Lord Jesus!  It was really an encouraging experience to have fellowship with the 51 brethren including preachers, preacher training students and leading brothers of many local congregations.  This was just a glimpse of the great evangelical explosion going to happen, God willing, in the southern part of Tamil Nadu.

 

We had 4 lectures on each day on various topics.  The lectureship started with reading Bro. Jim's letter to the preachers, which had really been poured out from his heart.  Bro. Michael quoted 2 Cor 12:15, to say that Bro. Jim is not loved by the Indian brethren as much as he loves the Indian work.  He gladly spends and lets himself be spent for the Indian congregations.

        Bro. Michael conducted the program on the first day.  Bro. Murugesan, who studied at the Kanyakumari one-year school, preached the first lectureship on "fellowship."  He started with 1 John 1:3 and went on emphasizing the importance of fellowship between the brothers.  The next topic was stewardship, which was handled well by Bro. Peter Eswaran, who preaches for the Periyathalai congregation.  Everyone got it very clear about the necessity of "faithfulness" of the stewards as he preached from I Cor 4:1-2.

        After lunch break, which was very useful for the preachers to get to know each other, Bro. Irudayaraj from Marthandam congregation preached on the "joy of giving."  He expressed the preacher's role to be an example for the brethren in giving, from Paul's example.  Then, for the first day's finishing lecture came the powerful preaching on "retrieving the fallen souls" by Bro. Vincent of Muttam congregation.  At the end of first day all the preachers expressed their gratitude for having such a wonderful fellowship.

        The second day began with the lecture on "Christian Growth" quoting from 2 Peter 1: 4–8.  Bro. Velu, who is a final year student at Dindigul Bible Institute, and a preacher in Trichendure delivered that lecture.  He described well the fact that the preacher should always be thinking about the growth of every individual soul within their congregation as well as his own growth.  Then came a lecture on Mk. 10:28, regarding Peter's question to the Lord, "What shall we have?" (Matt 19:27).  It was an excellent lecture for the preachers as many have the same fear in their heart as what shall they get for serving God?  Bro. Pitchai Muthu of Tuticorin congregation delivered that lecture with lot of scriptural references and filled the preachers' hearts with hope in serving the Lord.

        Bro. Stephen Jebadurai of Trichendure congregation put forth the necessity of appointing evangelists in the congregations.  Act 13:2, was explained well about how the church at Antioch separated Barnabas and Paul for the evangelism work and how they came back with the report of their work.  It was emphasized that the one-year Bible schools are in place to help train the evangelists appointed by the local congregations.  Everyone got it clear as to how the one year Bible schools can help the growth of their own local congregations by sending students to the school from their congregations. 

        Finally, Bro. Arul Raj of Kovilpati congregation came up with the lecture on “the importance of appointing elders in the congregations."  The reference was from Acts 14:21-23.  Many agreed that 2 or 3 local congregations should merge together to have elders in their congregations.

        All of them have expressed their joy for the fellowship and their willingness to have more such fellowships in the future.  Especially all of them conveyed their thanks to Bro. Jim E Waldron, and also to Bro. Don for the one-year schools in their area and the saints in America..

 

With love

Joseph Santhanaraj 

 

As you may surmise the request for 28,268 booklets to prepare for the entrance exams in April and May indicates a rising tide of men setting their sights on training to preach.  Tamil Nadu alone has more than 65,000,000 people and our work has hardly begun.  I thank God that you share in the burden of the heart for these lost souls.  Please keep us in your prayers.

 

With love,

 

 

 

Jim E. Waldron