Project Amount: $30,000

Field Description: Theological education is vital to the health and growth of the Gutnius Lutheran Church in Papua New Guinea. This church, with about 150,000 members, is sorely in need of well-trained pastors and evangelists. Papua New Guinea is not a “converted” nation and there are still many thousands who live in isolated areas and have never heard the Good News. The lack of roads and airstrips makes travel for evangelists, pastors, and bishops difficult as they often go on foot to bring the Gospel where there are no pastors. Not enough workers make the job even more difficult as they spread themselves very thin trying to meet all the needs.

The funding for this project will accomplish two things. First, it will provide funding for the Bible schools who train men to serve as evangelists in the church. These men go into the remote areas, open new preaching stations, and serve new congregations after they have been established. These Bible schools have proven to be very effective means of advancing the Gospel. Second, this would also prepare men for advanced training at the Timothy Lutheran Seminary at Birib. This seminary was established by LCMS missionaries in the Highlands and it has served the Gutnius Lutheran Church well over the years. This institution is vital for the health and growth of the church.

The GLC is a longstanding partner of the LCMS and, as such, is left to administer and run its own affairs and programs. They have pledged to share the Gospel with 50,000 people who are unreached or uncommitted. They are doing this through district programs, through the sending out of pastors, evangelists and seminary students, and through certain grassroots congregationally-based programs.

New congregations have been opened, and many baptisms performed. Ablaze! meetings and programs are being held.

 

Contact person: Bishop David Piso
Rev. Ted Engelbrecht
Rev. Stephen Oliver

Theological Education in
Papua New Guinea