Church growth

Our pastor sent out a prayer request for Bishop Elisa of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Sudan, who is experiencing severe health problems. He included a letter from the Lutheran Heritage Foundation, which includes this information about how the Lutheran church of Sudan came to be:

As many of you know, the Holy Spirit has worked mightily through Rev. Elisa to establish the ELCS. Fifteen years ago, the Lutheran Heritage Foundation sent Andrew Elisa five copies of Luther’s Small Catechism and a Book of Concord, and from there, the Lutheran church began in Sudan! Today, there are more than 80 Lutheran churches, five Lutheran elementary schools and two kindergartens located throughout Sudan, attended by more than 15,000 baptized Lutherans. More than a dozen men attend the seminary in Baguga, studying to become the faithful shepherds of these people.