In this series, those involved with CLC foreign missions profile one aspect of our overseas endeavors.
[Editor: The following is a report about current activities in the Himalayan Church of the Lutheran Confession in Nepal (HCLCN). It is written, in his own words, by the indigenous pastor who is our main contact in Nepal. Names of people and places are being withheld because of the risk of persecution. The report is lightly edited for clarity.]
God created the heavens and the earth, and it was good. The world was perfect, and the man had a great fellowship and relationship with God. Nature and the creatures lived in perfect harmony. The Lord God put man in charge of all things that He had created. The commandment that God had given to man was not to eat of the fruit in the middle of the Garden. The first man and woman failed to keep the very first command that God gave them. Sin emerged and existed at the very moment they bit the fruit. Human beings died spiritually, and separation from their creator was inevitable. However, the number of human beings multiplied as God blessed them. Now, we have a lot of people in the world, but sadly they are all born in the bondage to sin and devil. Romans 3:23 says “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” “The wages of sin is death.” (Romans 6:23) The punishment or result of sin is death.
2017 Mission Helpers trip to Nepal.
Of spiritually dead people the Bible says, “Seeing they do not see, and hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand.” (Matthew 13:13) In Nepali context it is so obvious that there are millions of “gods” and people worshipping idols and offering food and sacrifice to the idols. There are countless temples and idols. People are blinded by the false religions and there are millions of gods. In the land of 29.6 million people, there are thirty-three million gods.
2017 Mission Helpers enduring (yet another) very steep climb.
Therefore, Jesus commanded the disciples to go preach the Gospel. “And he said to them, ‘Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation.'” (Mark 16:15 ESV) God sends us to proclaim the Gospel to the people. We are in Nepal and we need to proclaim Gospel to Nepali people first. Nepal is a mountainous country; 85% of the land is covered with hills and mighty mountains. Going out and evangelizing in the mountains is challenging, and there are all sorts of constraints and hardships in carrying the Gospel. But there are souls dying without hearing the news of their Savior and their Lord. And of course, some hearing resist and reject the Gospel, which is a sad part. The ones that believe see and know the Truth.
Recently, in April 2025, we had a baptism service where fifty-seven people including infants, children, youth, and adults were baptized in Chitwan district. What a great joy to have these people in the Kingdom of God. This is the largest number of people baptized in a church in one day in the HCLC Nepal. Praise be to God alone. We are so blessed and glad that these people are saved by the Word of God and Holy Baptism. It is a great achievement for us as we work to preach the Gospel to expand the Kingdom of God in Nepal. The spiritually blind have begun to see and know their Savior, and they have become free from all kinds of “gods” and superstitions.
There are many people and places that need evangelism. To carry forth the Gospel, we have been privileged to work with the CLC Mission Helpers for over a decade; evangelizing, encouraging, and guiding thousands of children over the years. In June 2025 we expect eight mission helpers to visit Nepal. They will sow the seeds of the Gospel into the hearts of children in the foothills of the Himalayas. The Lord knows how the Gospel will sprout and grow in the hearts of the children that receive it. The mission helpers will experience Nepal and the work of the Kingdom that is being done in the country, and they will keep praying for the country and its people.
There is more evangelism to be done in this predominantly Hindu country, because God wants all people to be saved. Prayers and continuous support and working together in evangelism is much appreciated!
2023 Mission Helper trip.