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BISHOP’S ADDRESS

51st DIOCESAN ASSEMBLY: TRIENNIUM ASSEMBLY

12-13 September 2014, Sutera Hotel, Seremban 2

1. INTRODUCTION (1) Grace and peace to all delegates of the 51st Diocesan Assembly. I welcome all

of you in the name of the Father, of the +Son and of the Holy Spirit. As this year is our Triennium Assembly, we are assembled here to address some of the concerns and also courageously meet the challenges of the next three years. Let us be mindful of the blessings of God which have been poured out so richly upon us over the last Triennium (2011-2013). Let us be confident that our gracious God will continue to guide and bless us in our new Triennium (2014-2016).

(2) When I took office as Bishop five years ago, we decided to move ahead

decisively with a Twofold Diocesan Objectives that were spelt out with ten directives for STRENGTHENING and EXPANDING at the diocesan and congregational level. The ten directives of strengthening and expanding were implemented as part of our ELCM 5 year plan (2009-2013). I would like to review our progress so that we can be informed and encouraged to move on boldly for the next five years (2014-2018).

2. STRENGTHENING AND EXPANDING (3) Most of you are now familiar with the twofold Diocesan Objectives for

STRENGTHENING and EXPANDING our ELCM. It was designed to meet targets at both the diocesan and congregational level. In STRENGTHENING, we spelt out five directives, namely (1) Nurturing spiritual growth; (2) Implementing self-reliant projects; (3) Training our clergy and laity; (4) Strengthening bilateral church relations; and (5) Capacity building.

(4) We also set out five directives that we should pay serious attention and

monitor closely for the EXPANSION of the Church. They are namely, (1) Introducing membership drive; (2) Developing new areas of ministry; (3) Streamlining and coordinating all auxiliary activities bodies and existing programmes; (4) Increasing Diakonia ministries; and (5) Improving revenue sources.

3. Character of our ELCM (5) Much of the character of ELCM is rooted in our history. We are grateful for

the German missionaries from the Leipzig Mission and their Indian pastors who came to look for Lutherans in Malaya in the early 1900s and organised them into congregations. We are also grateful for the Church of Sweden Mission who since 1918 had extended spiritual care to us. I am particularly grateful to the late Bishop Bertil Envall who reorganised the congregations into a Diocese, and created the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Malaysia in 1966.

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(6) The good result of this is the rise of devoted families who were committed to church, liturgy and language, and who have always rose to provide local leadership. However, over the years we have also become inward looking and overlook the need for mission. While this is a fading feature of the ELCM churchmanship, it is still important enough to take note of so that it would not hold back our Mission Priority of going “into the ends of the world to preach the gospel”outside the Church. We believe that the Lutheran doctrines of Proclamation and Diakonia must prevail in truth and essence. For this reason our forefathers proceeded (a) to create a land bank for ELCM that will help that vision come true; (b) firmly established diakonia ministry as part of the ELCM’s social doctrine; (c) invested in mission work as a means of reaching out to people outside the faith directly; and (d) created a bishopric that upholds the historical foundation of the Church.

(7) While the ELCM had seen the fruits of investing in mission and growth in the past, it is important to note that the socio-economic conditions and politics of the nation have changed. We are no more under a missionary patronage in a colonial nation. We are on our own in our own nation. We must arm ourselves to forge the ministry of Proclamation and Diakonia. We must hope to make sacrifices, create heroes and martyrs, to cherish the great stories of mission work, to pray fervently for one another and our faithful servants of God, our very own colleagues, whether they are our pastors, deacons, workers, and members.

(8) I still like to believe in the glory days of a Church aflame with the Holy Spirit, bursting out into the world with the message of the gospel of hope, and I imagine great strides in Mission. But we should at least be taking baby-steps. I know some of you think that the business of the Church is to baptise, marry and bury our members; and the pastors must preach comforting sermons that has no consequences! Nothing wrong with that really but for those who think the Church should only serve them, there is bad news! They need to change their opinion. ELCM is in the business of mission! We witness, we counsel, we baptise new souls, and we build the kingdom of God till the end of the world.

4. Mission Paradigm –Proclamation (9) In 2009, we turned ELCM around by investing in pastors and workers who

were willing to work in risky mission areas where the harvests were possible. Over the last five and the half years, we did that in 15 places, 4 were closed down and 7 became full congregations {Meru (2010), Kluang (2010), Zion Zion Redeemer, KL (2012), Puchong (2012), Kulai (2013), Batu Gajah (2013), and Taman Sentosa, Klang (June 2014)} and that added 498 in overall membership and 280 new Full (paying) Members to ELCM. The remainder 4 is still steadily growing as new areas of mission work by the Diocesan Council and local congregations. Hopefully there will be another two new congregations next year. I hope and pray that all these new outreach centres

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and new congregations will thrive and be a blessing to the ELCM. We have done well in planting new outreach centres attaining congregation status since 2009 and we must continue to flourish in the same “driving force” in the next 5 years. Mission work is always a risky business but we should keep on trying to establish at least one mission work through an outreach centre in a congregation. Therefore, I would like to appeal to all of you to think about this carefully and take this mandate back to your congregations. Invest in Outreach Work, and it does not matter if your chances of succeeding are only 50%. The other 50% is always valuable enough to keep. You need to look closely into the needs of your outreach centre even if it becomes a full congregation. This is the primary responsibility of any congregation which plants an outreach centre.

(10) Setting up Outreach Centres is the responsibility of the Congregation,

and there are many small towns and new housing area (Tamans) where there is still very little Christian presence. I am personally impressed with the sort of work I see in Ipoh and Batu Gajah where the Pastors and the people there keep trying whenever there is a chance to gather people to worship. This is what I want to see: “Congregations investing both their labour and money in outreach centres.” Some good examples are Holy Cross Lutheran Congregation in Port Klang that invested in planting Meru Lutheran Congregation and Taman Sentosa Lutheran Congregation. Our Saviour Lutheran Congregation in Johor Baru which invested in planting Kulai Lutheran Congregation. Zion Cathedral Lutheran Congregation in Brickfields also invested in planting Puchong Lutheran Congregation. Credit goes to the hard work put in by the pastors and leaders of these congregations.

(11) To keep the momentum going, we launched membership campaign in 2009, named as “Each One Reach One Each Year,” this campaign brought about mission consciousness among our members. A brochure was designed and was given to every congregation for their evangelistic use. There was a slight improvement in the overall membership in every congregation. In 2012, we declared the year as “ELCM Year of Outreach.” The idea is that every congregation should start an outreach and take complete ownership of the work. Only one or two congregations attempted to do something! A brochure was designed to assist the pastors and members on “how to start an outreach centre,” and 2014 has been declared as the ELCM Year of Mission. We need to keep moving forward and start looking at our own ministries and mission strategies in our own local congregations. We cannot go on maintaining what we have! I have mentioned this view in all my previous Diocesan Assembly Bishop’s Addresses. Currently, only 2 out of the 27 congregations have outreach work going on…and it is disappointing!

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5. DIAKONIA OF ELCM (12) Diakonia work is the natural outcome of any worshipping community.

We have Rumah Bethany, Rumah Hope and Rumah Chrestus that are still viable and operating well. In 2010 Rumah Luther Ria (Port Dickson) and the ELCM Women’s Care and Counselling Centre (Port Klang) were set up. In 2011, the ELCM Women’s Skill Training Centre (Sentul) was set up. In 2013, Rumah Harmony Trinity (Bagan Datoh) was set up, and hopefully in 2014, the ELCM Family Counselling Centre in Kuala Lumpur would be set up.

(13) All ELCM congregations are encouraged to be engaged with their

immediate community. The lack of diakonia ministry reflects an unhealthy isolation. Some of our congregations are extremely competent in dealing with the poor and unfortunate people, yet some are doing it quietly and I noticed often spearheaded by small groups. I hope the whole congregation can take ownership, and further strengthen the efforts for which such groups are willing to sacrifice their time and energy.

(14) I also realize that all the diakonia of ELCM seem to have acquired the character of aiding families distressed by poverty, women and the disabled. This is particularly interesting because it boils down to one thing: children. The real recipients of God’s blessing in diakonia work are the children. In all the adult decisions we make, be it organisational policy, family decision, marital decision or personal commitment, it always impacts upon the invisible and voiceless children.

(15) Two Service Centres were set-up to cater to members and the public. The first service Centre is the ELCM Archives which was opened in 2009 and is situated in the Diocesan Building, Brickfields. The second service Centre is the Lutheran Book Centre which was opened in 2010 and is situated in the Diocesan Compound, Brickfields. Both these Service Centres are rendering excellent services to our members and people from outside our Church.

6. THEOLOGICAL TRAINING AND PASTORS (16) We have two young men studying and training for full-time ministry

in the Seminari Theoloji Malaysia. There seems to be a great heaviness among our members to encourage their children to go for full-time ministry. I suppose the reasons are complicated. On the one hand, we want our children to earn handsome salaries in the secular world, and on the other hand, we are not able to pay our pastors a good salary. We brought in pastors from India

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but they are a stop-gap measure and are not feasible over a longer period. Currently, we have started training a new group of young voluntary lay persons as a long term measure to fill up the gap whenever the need arises in the future. Perhaps, we may have to look at some very different ways to deploy our pastors; and also look at the way we are managing our Diocesan Commitment.

(17) In 2009, we initiated the Deaconess Training, and the Voluntary

Pastors’ Training, and again these are to complement our full-time pastoral ministry. Many of the graduates of the Voluntary Pastors’ Training were ordained and are employed as full-time congregational pastors of the Diocese. In any case, to deploy the graduates of Deaconess and Voluntary Pastors’ Training are not free of cost either. It is quite normal that our income is tied to the number and performance of our workers.

7. RELATIONS WITH THE GOVERNMENT (18) ELCM cares for the marginalized in our society who are the poor,

widows, the underprivileged children, the disabled, the aged, and the homeless. We also care about issues of justice and corruption; environmental integrity; and freedom of religion. As such, it is inevitable that we may sometimes have to question the State and its role. As an affirmation, be assured that ELCM will not tolerate the denial of the freedom of religion of its citizens by adopting any State ideology that seem to tell us who among our citizens we can or cannot show our love to. This is not political but a theological issue for us. Such a State ideology perverts justice, deprives the conscience of those who hear the gospel; and interferes in the diakonia work of the Church.

(19) Nonetheless, ELCM is committed to the larger and more significant enterprise of creating a more open society. Unfortunately, this means radical elements will have their opinions heard in public as well. We need to take note and be cautious but we need not fear. Although we are predominantly Indian in character, we will not hesitate to resist racism in all sorts of manners, whether in Government or non-governmental sectors, in cultural expressions, or in churchmanship. We will always be partners with the Government only if it means creating a more modern and civil society where our young ones can live without fear of persecution, express their opinions and be heard, participate in policies, and shape their future. Therefore, we will continue to pray for our leaders that despite sin and mistakes, we move forward towards a brighter future.

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8. CHALLENGES AHEAD: THE NEXT FIVE YEARS 2014-2018 (20) The danger of ELCM becoming irrelevant and stagnant in the next

decade or two is real. Unless we take concrete steps now, we might as well as be stagnant. We need to take a good hard look at ourselves and come to terms with our gifts and our failures, so that we can imagine what sort of culture the Church will make. We need to look at our youngsters asking about the relevance of Church to them, and ask how we can make it relevant for them when they grow up. What is it going to mean for them to be a Church, a worshiping community, or to be a Lutheran?

(21) Some members and pastors may speak mockingly about our concern

for numbers. Yes, numbers is not the end-all of churchmanship, and the critics may genuinely want us to “stop playing the number game.” But try and imagine for a minute an ELCM with 500 voting members, or perhaps 200! These sort of decline is not difficult to reach and not too far from our present number. Well, if that day comes, we would become financially non-viable, and may have to become a missionary district of some foreign diocese. Not to mention ELCM becoming a subject of some Seminary student’s thesis on how a Church failed? Or perhaps becoming the laughing stock of those denominations who think we are too inward looking? I hope I will not live to see that day; and I certainly would not like our children to live to see that day.

(22) The strength of the Diocese lies in the performance of its local congregations. The integrity of the Diocese lies in the hands of its local congregations. It is the local congregations that makeup the total membership of the Diocese. The investment in terms of finance and human resources must rise from local congregations. The local congregations and its pastors must have a great burden to strengthen and expand their membership. This is in line with our Diocesan Twofold Objectives of STRENGTHENING AND EXPANDING. I am sure if all the congregations together with their Pastors put in hard work in their mission and ministry work, the status of the Diocese will grow to greater heights. In view of this, I am recommending that every congregation should focus on the next five years plan of action (2014-2018) which was implemented in 2009 so that we will grow steadily and fulfill our 10 years Diocesan Objectives. The Bishop together with the Diocesan Council would continue to assist and monitor the progress and work of the local congregations.

(23) The 10 Plan of Action for the next 5 years (2014-2018) are appended here of: 1. Every congregation is to have regular Bible Study and regular cell group meetings, etc; 2. Every congregation is to raise its own funds and support its own operating cost for mission and ministry work; 3. Every congregation is to train at least 8 new leaders for auxiliary ministries and

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leadership tasks; 4. Every congregation is to foster a cordial relationship and fellowship with neighbouring churches; 5. Every congregation is to raise at least two potential members for fulltime ministry either for Pastor’s training or Deaconess training; 6. Every congregation should attempt to increase its membership by double fold by implementing membership drive programmes- a growth of 30 members per year ( i.e. 10 new members and 20 new members for auxiliary activities per year); 7. Every congregation is to plant a new outreach centre; 8. Every congregation is to have at least 5 auxiliary ministries (e.g. Women Fellowship, Junior Work, Youth Fellowship, Sunday School, Senior Citizen Fellowship, Young Adults’ Fellowship, etc); 9. Every congregation is to establish one social ministry either directly or indirectly; and 10. Every congregation is to become self-reliant by supporting its own worker’s salary and travel, assessment, quit rent, fire insurance and building maintenance.

(24) The urgency of the end of the world for us starts today. We need to pit

all our strength and sweat, to move forward. We need to invest where it matters – our people! We need to go out into the world and gather the lost. May the Lord bless all of you as you aggressively explore new territories to bravely proclaim the gospel. I specially thank the outgoing Diocesan Council Members of the last triennium (2011-2013) for their untiring support and guidance.

Rt. Rev. Dr. Solomon Rajah Bishop Evangelical Lutheran Church in Malaysia 12th September 2014