New Milestones in India

In late January I (Russell) traveled with World Missions Ministries Executive Director Talmadge Gardner as part of a special team to three strategic meetings in different regions of India.

North India General Conference
Our first stop was the city of Siliguri, located in the northeast region which shares borders with China, Nepal, Bhutan, and Bangladesh. Here we held the North India General Conference, which focused on electing officials and credentialing new ministers. This General Conference had the largest attendance ever, with over 500 ministers present.

North India General Conference.

Recent years have brought an unprecedented explosion of growth in our North India work. Expansion has been so rapid that the three district conferences had to be doubled to six conferences in order for the structure to keep up with the growth. Elections were held to choose leadership for each conference, as well as an Executive Committee to oversee the whole of North India.

A national missionary couple has been called to set up a training center in Siliguri to equip and send out workers into the unreached areas throughout this region. The whole conference prayed together for this couple and this strategic project.

A highlight of the conference was the welcoming of over 200 men and women as newly credentialed ministers in North India! Most of these servants of God have already planted a church, and many have planted multiple churches! Praise the Lord for new laborers in the harvest!

North India newly licensed ministers.

Kerala Silver Jubilee
Our second stop was the southern state of Kerala, to join the Silver Jubilee celebration for Father's House International. Rev. Sabu Abraham and his wife Rachel left America 25 years ago to pioneer a new work in Kerala state. They founded a seminary which has trained 500 workers and sent them out to plant churches throughout India.

Rev. Sabu Abraham ministering.

It was our privilege to dedicate the new library at the seminary, and to address the new graduates and pray for their work for the Lord. We were blessed to hear the testimonies of several alumni who came to the celebration in order to share what God has been doing in their ministries.

Dedicating the new library.

South India General Conference
Our third stop on this ministry tour was the city of Hyderabad in central India. Here the General Conference was held to elect leaders and to set vision and direction for the future. Leadership teams were appointed to spearhead outreach into the states of Maharashtra and Orissa.

South India prayer for ordination.

The credentialing service was especially encouraging, as we were thrilled to award minister's licenses to dozens of men and women. And the special prayers for those who were being ordained brought new levels of anointing and empowerment for greater ministry ahead. We are confident that the best is yet to come for South India!

South India licensed minister.

POINTS FOR PRAYER
• Pray for the leadership in South India, the Bible School there, and the outreach teams working in new areas.
• Pray for the work of IPHC Father's House International, and the seminary teachers who are equipping more laborers for the harvest. Pray for expansion of the library and financial support for the seminary.
• Pray for Gopi and Marites as they set up the Beyond Borders Training Center to equip and send workers across political, cultural and linguistic borders.
• Radical Hindus in many states are hostile to Christians. Pray for the churches to be protected from violence, and for the evangelists to be able to preach freely in unreached villages.

Thank you for partnering with us to fulfill the Great Commission in Asia!

Russell & Sandra Board

"Sympathy is no substitute for action." - David Livingstone