I By Dr. Charles J. Evanson Mission activity in Lithuania faces unique challenges. Although Lithuania was the last European country to receive and accept the Gospel and become a Christian nation, the onslaughts of a Soviet captivity, which Lithuania endured for almost half a century, and the pressures of a highly secularized culture inimical to Christian faith and morals have not been entirely successful in their attempts to destroy the Christian church and Christian faith. 8 For the Life of the World Eighty to ninety percent of the Lithuanian popu lation openly state that they believe in God. Most of those who make this dcclaration are outwardly associated with thc Roman Catholic Church or other so-called "traditional" churches (Russian Orthodox. Russia Old-Believers. Lutherans and Reformed). ~"'ost Lithuanian children arc baptized. and almo;;t every funeral is performed by an ordaineel priest. pastor or minister. Howevcr, only between five to ten percent of the population go to church with any regularity, the divorce rate is high (over 50'"/(:) . abortions are rega rded as normal proccdurcs. an abnormally large percentage of the population is afflicted with alcoholism and the suicide rate is the among the highest in the world . It is evident that the years of Soviet domination and regulations which proscribed all but private one-on-one religious instruction. together with strong discouragements to church attendance and any sort of religious activity. have done much to contribute to the developmcnt of a post-Christian. secularist society. Although Lithuanian law allows that school pupils Illay be permitted to receive a course of religious instruction in the public school , many parents do not take advantage of this option . and in many places the instruction is uncven in ljuality. In short. our Lord's mandate to His church to makc disciples of all nations by Baptism and instruction in the Christian faith remains unfulfilled, for f'ew receive adequate catechctical in.~truction or go to church se rvi ces regularly. Active mission work is difficult for the pastors and parishioners of Lithuanian Lutheran churches. To engage in active ami concentrated mission activity among people who have been baptized and are claimed by churches as their own would open Lutherans to the charge of proselytism. Therefore the mission Although Uthuanian law allows that activities or tile Lithuania Lutheran Church must be conducted del ieately. school pupils may be permitted Mission activity is carried out primarily in the local congregations. to receive a course of religious Church iCstivals and public parish activities provide opportunities for instruction in the public school, contact with members of the community. The annual Cemetery Services many parents do not take advantageheld in the parish cemeteries attract families members, many of them of this option, and in many places secularized, to cOl11e to decorate the graves of their deceased family the instruction is uneven in quality. membcrs and hea r the Gospel. These services provide opportunities for contact with those who have straycd to once again hear the proclamation of In short, our Lord's mandate to His the Worcl of God. church to make disciples of alJ Groups of Lutheran pHrishes sponsor rcgional youth camps which attract nations by Baptism and instruction not only Lutheran young people but friends ami classmates who are not in the Christian faith remainsactively involved in other churches. In scvcral congregation., children's unfulfilled, for few receive adequate choirs, music classes and Bible study excite the intcrcst of children who are unchurched or uninvolved. Many unchurchcd young people subsequently catechelical instruction or go to enroll in study courses and confinnation classcs, and oftell whole families church services regularly. are brought into the fellowship of the church. Many Lithuanians become acquainted with and eventually join the Lutheran Church after marrying Lutherans. Pastors encourage their parishioners to invite friends. neighbors anel co-workers to join them in attending Divine Services and to see themselves as Christian missionaries who provide a strong and positive C bristian witness to attract co-workers, friends and neighbors who have had little previous contact with any church. In recent years the Lithuanian Lutheran Church has become actively involved in mission activity in the neighboring country of Belaru s. Belarus was at one time a part of Lithuania. and in past centuries the Lutheran Church in Lithuania was instrulllental in establishing congregations throughout the country. Pastor Richarcl as Doksa.'. assistant to Bi.,hop Min claugas Sabutis ancl second pastor of the Lutheran parish in Vilnius. the capital of Lithuania. now serves also as pastor of the Polosk Lutheran parish in norlh central Bclaru,. In addition. a pastor/theologian sent by Concordia Theological November 2010 9 The door which had been closed for so many years is once again open and the church has mobilized itself to learn once again to become a mission-minded church in the highly secularized, post-Soviet, European Union environment. With the help of Concordia Theological Seminary and the strong support of the Bishop and Consistory, instructional seminars are held for the pastors of the Uthuanian Church and public school teachers who teach Christian doctrine in the public schools. Scminary provides theological instruction for the clergy-both pastors and deacons-of the Belarusian Church, nonc of whom has heen able to receive any substantial theological or mission training. In order to prepare itself more adequately for the tasking of making disciples through Bapti sm anc! instruction, the Lithuanian Church is now involved in a program of learning more about the work of mission. The churches in the B,litic states were kept under close scrutiny during the Soviet years. All church activity was restricted to the church building itself. ivlission activity was absolutely forbidden. The penalty for engaging in such activity was that the parish would be forced to forfeit its official registration. its permission to exist and hold Divine Services. administer the Sacraments and engage in other congregational activities. In addition, the pastors would lose their own personal registration certificates allowing them to minister the 'Word of God anc! administcr the Sacramellls. During that sael time the church was able to circumvcnt g()vernmental regulations and engage in some "illegal" activities such as the youth camp at Butinge in northwestern LitJluania and other activities. Now the door which had been closed j'm so many years is onee again open and thc church has m()bilizcd itself to Jearn oncc again to become a mission-minded church in thc highly sccuiari7.cd, post-Soviet, European Union environment. With the help of Concordia Theological Seminary anclthe strong support of the Bishop and Consistory, instructional seminars arc held for the pastors of the Lithuanian Church and public schoolteachers who teach Christian doetrinc in the public schools. In additioJl, the church has undertaken a program of ten special seminars in three geographical rcgions to provide in-depth instruction in Christian doctrinc for parish officers anc! congregational members. The purpose of the seminars is to strengthen personal dedication, deepen congregational life , provide a renewcd vi sion of the work and \vorship of the church and develop skills in sharing the Gospel with a sccularized, P()stChristi,1I1 people. The church is concerned that, in the words of St. Pcter, all may be made rcady to give reason for the hope that is in them. and to do so with meekness and reverence (I Peter.U 5). ~ Dr. Charles EI'(IIl.I'OI/ htls I}eell serving in Lithuania since 1999. He was a member of Ihe Departmem (If £nmgelicul Theology illl/U! Humallitarian Fucllily o./Ille Unil'ersif), (~l Kluipeda, Ur/Ilwnia (1999-2004), and presently serves as Theological Consllltant TO the Bishop and ConsiSTOry ofthe Lithuanian Evallgelical Lllfherall Church, a si~ter cllL/rel! a/The Lurherall C/II(rc/1 -MissOilri Synod. He is also a member ofthe urdained staffat Concordia Theological Semil1ar.v, Fort Wayne, Illdial/a . He lecllIl'es and leads seminars for pa.stors and other clergy. teachers, evangelists ((nd lay members ojLlllheran churches ill Lithuania , u(tvia, ESlOllia. Fillland, Sweden. Russia and other nations. For the Life of the World 10