Ministry is people. Those people live in a particular place. Your home mission at Lamb of God in West Lafayette is ripe for the harvest. Together with Lafayette and Purdue University, it has been a fascinating place to learn and conduct gospel ministry.
Moving into town, I noticed how abruptly the cornfields give way to neighborhoods. A few months later, I see a highly developing area with new housing coming in just about everywhere. In my ten-minute drive to our church, I pass multiple housing developments, and another new apartment complex just started construction. But I also see the fringes of a more pastoral setting. The same drive from my house to church also passes multiple cornfields. In West Lafayette, the farm meets urban life. A town of 45,000 people is quickly outgrowing its agricultural roots and expanding beyond a small college town.
Lamb of God Lutheran Church in West Lafayette, Ind.
Purdue University is a major draw to the area. When school is in session, the student body of roughly 50,000 doubles the population of West Lafayette. Local students may come for the College of Agriculture or College of Veterinary Medicine, but Purdueās reputation as an engineering school has achieved international fame. We see that reflected in the diversity of West Lafayette. We have neighbors from Indiana and all over the States, India, China, and Mexico. We see diversity in grocery stores representing India, Korea, China, Japan, and Mexico, most of which we have visited. Our local libraryās story time for children has connected us to people from Latin America, Europe, and Asia. In West Lafayette, the world comes to us.
With factories and major manufacturers like Subaru and Caterpillar, Lafayette adds more souls to the community. About 75,000 people live on the east side of the Wabash River. During the school year, we have more than 150,000 souls in the area, many of whom donāt know the love of our Savior Jesus. That means we can make disciples of all nations just by reaching out to the neighbors around us.
Our church is located in West Lafayette, near the interstate that serves as the most prominent route out of town. As West Lafayette continues to develop, more houses and businesses are starting to creep closer to our church campus. We are blessed with great facilities that feature a playground, a garden, a large yard, and even a hiking trail, all on our property.
Ministry is people in this place, taking action as Godās people. God has blessed us with faithful people. One member just performed an oil change on my car for me. Another cleans the church every Saturday. One member held a professional-caliber paint night; some others participate in campus ministry and exercise nights. Still more have helped put in raised garden beds for our community gardens. We have a weekly newsletter for all our members. We have a diversity of giftsāmusicians, doctors, engineers, teachers, listeners, encouragers; friendly, caring, tight-knit people dedicated to the everlasting gospel.
God is blessing our efforts too. One by one, more souls are hearing about Jesus. A couple of new members joined recently; one of them was an adult baptism. Now, his wife and daughter have started to attend church as well. His daughter asked to be baptized, and his wife would like to start instruction classes. It seems every time I finish one Bible information class, God sends me new students who want to learn his Word.
Written by Andrew Ewings, home missionary at Lamb of God Lutheran Church in Lafayette, Ind.
Learn about the ministry work of WELS Missions.
Support the ministry work of WELS Missions.
Embrace Grace and Embrace Life Ministries (pictured in the header photo): St. Marcus has become a hub of godly support for single mothers who are pregnant or have recently had a child. Through a 16-week program on Tuesday evenings, church members gather with these community mothers and offer prayer, support, and grace as they enter motherhood.
