The population of India is over one billion one hundred million - 1,100,000,000. This is second only to China, a country whose population India is projected to pass by the middle of the century. Unfortunately, less than three percent of the people of India know Jesus as their Savior. The national church, Christ Evangelical Lutheran Ministries ( CELM) is working in four different states in India in two different languages, Hindi and Telugu. As soon as manpower and finances allow, there are plans to begin work in another state.

CELM has 130 congregations,  thirty preaching stations, a four-year seminary program and a two-year pre-seminary program.  There are over sixty men enrolled in the theological training program, a program vital to the continued outreach efforts of the church.

Approximately seven thousand men, women and children are served by more than one hundred pastors, teachers and Bible women. Eleven national pastors are increasingly taking over supervisory roles in the six different districts of the church as well as being very instrumental in the seminary, pre-seminary and publications programs. Three hundred children are physically and spiritually nurtured in ten orphanages and two Christian elementary schools that are run in cooperation with the national church. Surely the Lord has blessed the work in India!