Lhagvasuren

(Translated from the ‘MSTEE News’, distributed May 2008.)
An interview with ‘House of Prayer’ church pastor, Damdin Lhagvasuren

MSTEE News: How are you? Thank you for agreeing to this interview with MSTEE News. Would you like to introduce yourself?
Lhagvasuren: My name is Damdin Lhagvasuren, I am 46 and I live with my wife and five children. Having gone to the Military College, I worked for 15 years in the army as an officer. By the grace of God, all of my children have become Christians.
MSTEE News: Would you tell our readers about the beginnings of ‘House of Prayer’ church, and particularly the way that you started using the TEE programme?
Lhagvasuren: As far as the start of ‘House of Prayer’ church goes, in January 2004, together with my family, I was sent out from ‘Holy Way’ church to the 2nd horoo of Bayanzurkh district, usually known as ‘Dari Eh’. This is an area with a population of around 27,000 people, and from January 2007 onwards, we began sharing the gospel a family, and gathering the few people who came in our ger for call meetings. Then from July onwards, around 30 people gathered for Sunday worship in an 8-wall section ger. From October of that same year, we began using the TEE program with two groups of 12 studying ‘Abundant Life’, the first course of the Foundation Program. From that time, the story of the gaining an education in the things of faith and God in our church began.
MSTEE News: Does that mean that the whole church began to pay attention to Christian education?
Lhagvasuren: Certainly
MSTEE News: How is the church growing? What are you experiencing of God’s blessing?
Lhagvasuren: We are being filled with God’s love and mercy. Now the church has over 170 believers, and is running a children’s and young people’s work. So far as the TEE program goes, through the many tens of group leaders that we have grown, we’ve been able to run many groups at Foundation and Certificate level, and even have the first Diploma level group running in Mongolia.
MSTEE News: What do you see as the results of the priority that you have given to theological education? How many elders and leaders have you trained?
Lhagvasuren: I can testify that over the past few years, the result of the TEE training is that we have been able to prepare 18 local elders and leaders. These leaders have not only served in ‘House of Prayer’ church, but one family has answered the call to mission, and been sent out to plant a church in Hujirbulan, also in Bayanzurkh district. ‘Jesus’ flock’ church is now training workers using the TEE program there.
Looking back over the years we have used the TEE program, many tens of Mongolian families have been built up, many, many, of the Lord’s sons and daughters have been turned to the right way of living, and many hundreds of people are giving glory to the Lord Jesus Christ, have a heart to minister for the Kingdom of God, and a desire to be good disciples in God because they have found the meaning of their lives.

MSTEE News: What would you like to say in conclusion?
Lhagvasuren: I am so thankful to God that through the study of the TEE program according to its methodology I have been able to see a neighbourhood reached, and hundreds turning to God’s kingdom, and committing their lives to Him. To our Lord God be the glory!