Our India Connection: A Brief History of the Wisconsin Synod's Mission Involvement in India

Abstract

Michael Bartsch recounts the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod’s mission efforts in India, centered around Pastor T. Paul Mitra. The essay traces Mitra’s journey from receiving a New Testament in the late 1960s to his theological training at Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary and ordination in 1971. Despite government restrictions on foreign missions, Mitra became a lone but faithful evangelist in a nation of over 720 million people, most of whom are Hindu. Bartsch highlights Mitra’s dedication to street evangelism and personal witness, including public preaching in England and enduring persecution. The paper emphasizes the urgent need for future gospel workers in India and proposes the establishment of a Worker Training Counselor to support Mitra and ensure continuity. Bartsch calls for renewed commitment to India’s mission field, recognizing the open door—however narrow—and the power of God’s Word to reach the lost. Abstract prepared by Microsoft Copilot (GPT-4)