Sword & Trowel 2018: Issue 1


proclaiming and sharing the Gospel, and the Holy Spirit is at work bringing souls to conversion. To that end, we would strive not only to be preaching the Gospel but that all would be shar- ing it in our workplaces, in the streets, and through our lives. Please pray that our church people may make known the Gospel with compassion and with urgency. We meet three times a week as a


church. A doctrine class before the Sunday morning service takes place at 11:00. We hold an evangelistic service on Sunday evenings, which two un- saved visitors are currently attending. More visitors come on Sunday morn- ing, several of whom are not saved. We meet on Wednesday evening for the Bible study and prayer meeting. On Thursday evenings two or more of us go and meet for Bible study and prayer in various homes in a different location because quite a few of the believers living there cannot commute to the church building twice in a week for practical reasons of distance and family commitments. On Sunday morning, everyone will come to church. We do not have a two- day weekend here, but only Sunday is regarded as a holiday, so people are more pressured with things to do on their one day off. Though our congregation is small,


it is mostly composed of young people in their 20s. All of them need to settle down. In addition to the shortage of jobs in such a densely populated coun- try, fi nding a Christian spouse is one of the toughest challenges we face in our situation. Many who claim to be Chris- tians are devoid of a personal testimony and are unaffected by the teaching of Scripture. We live in a very traditional soci- ety where one is expected to obey everything that parents or elders say. When parents are not Christians, they take completely pragmatic decisions, in accordance with social norms, and when they want their children to do the same the problem gets bigger. On the one hand, one may want to honour his parents; on the other hand, we are com- manded to honour the Lord who said


Andhra Pradesh, India page 5


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