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Archives for October 2012

Hyderabad Conference – (and a birthday!)

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from Shanthi,

We praise God for this year’s 2nd seminar, BTCP Course 7. All the participants arrived safely from different parts of the State well prepared to receive the inputs. The opening day’s topics were the Portrait of the church, and purpose of the church, topics of utmost importance. The participants listened with rapt attention, as the portrait of the church was unveiled by Bro.Randy and Bro.Ryder. 29th October being Jeff’s Birthday, we celebrated it with a cake cutting.





The second day’s topics are concerned with the practice of the church and family ministry. The participants actively involved in interacting with the resource persons, getting clarifications. They were introduced to new concepts, which would promote growth and unity in the church.

The chain prayer started yesterday evening at 6 p.m and it went on till today upto 6 a.m. We had a wonderful time praying for a long list of prayer requests. All the pastors were put in different groups who took turns to pray the whole night. Praise God! More about it in today’s report coming up in the evening!

Sunday Worship

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Well we just finished a great day of ministry. I preached two messages at BHEL and Jeff shared his testimony (he did a great job). There were probably around 700 people at the service which lasted 3.5 hours! One of the amazing parts was listening to the people pray for over an hour (although we could understand nothing they were saying).

BHEL Church with around 700 in attendance

Jeff had his first taste of India during the daytime. It was a mild drive as drives go in India. But Jeff was shocked even at the low traffic of a Sunday. Can’t wait to see what he thinks about a Monday.

A family of 5 out for an afternoon ride 🙂

Here are a few things to pray for:
1. Jet lag. I am having a hard time this time. I am so tired during the day and so is Jeff. Hopefully, we can get on schedule tomorrow.
2. Health. Ravi & Shanthi want us to avoid shaking hands with everyone. They even recommended that I wear a mask when I am not preaching. I guess there are some severe flues going around and they want me to be careful. This has me a little nervous now.

Dinner with Ravi, Shanthi, Ryder, Jeff and me

More prayer requests to come. FYI, I could feel the prayer power when I was on stage preaching. Even before I felt a calm and a peace that was supernatural. Thanks to everyone who is praying!

Praises Following Vijayawada Conference

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from Ryder

Thanks for your prayers on our behalf. I happy to report that:

  • There were several testimonies by the participants on the last day at Vijayawada expressing how ignorant they were about observation, interpretation and application of God’s Word. One pastor said he was preaching for 15 years and realized in this seminar that what he was preaching was incorrect interpretation.
  • Everyone was appreciative of the teaching, study material and are eagerly looking for the next one. Many expressed that they want all the ten courses to be done soon. They can’t wait.
  • There has been very good interaction between the participants and teachers.
  • I had good opportunities of witness outside the seminar. I enjoyed thoroughly teaching to the participants.

David got sick at the airport with shivering in the body but reached Hyderabad safely. We are all at the hotel now. I am waiting for the arrival of Randy and Jeff. Looking forward for a great time on this Sunday and the week to follow.

Report from Vijaayawada

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From Ryder, Oct. 24th, 2012

Thanks for your prayers on our behalf.

  • The Lord has kept the team in unity, love and good health.
  • The selection of the participants is done very carefully as it appears through the diligence, devotion and discipline.
  • The study of course # 1 is going on well. Today is the third day. Participants started interacting with good and intelligent questions. I am very encouraged. It looks that there is going to be a great impact through these participants in the areas of their work.

Please pray:

  1. That participants would be able to get a study Bible. None of them have a study Bible and reference Bible.
  2. The remaining two days may be fruitful.
  3. Vinay and Isaac who were greatly impacted by the BTCP courses done through STN may keep themselves humble and broken to continue to impact many lives among whom they labor. The testimony was these two brothers is the result of our labors of past. Their ministry has become more meaningful and powerful and purposeful.
  4. Pray for the family conference arranged by Kalapala brothers where David  and I would minister the Word.

Thanks. I am looking forward to Jeff and Randy’s arrival.

Field Updates – B. Laxman

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Gospel outreach is done in seven different villages and includes distribution of tracts, street preaching and door to door ministry. There are also evening Gospel meetings. Because most of these people are less educated and have only a tribal background, it is important to make regular visits to counsel them. It is very hard for them to come out of their deep-rooted beliefs and false religions. Praise God for a couple who are new converts and are attending church. Praise, too, that we could dedicate the newly built church. Please pray for the remaining finishing work to be completed, especially the toilets and a bore-well for water. Please also pray for a woman and her daughter infected with AIDS. Her husband has deserted her. She is a born again believer. Please also pray for this pastor as he visits believers and tries to reach unbeliev-ers with the Gospel.

Field Updates – M. Balasundaram

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Praise for a Gospel outreach program where the response was good. Approximately 600 tracts were distributed. As a result of “cottage meetings” conducted recently, 10 people came to saving faith! Please pray for Bro. Dayakar suffering from epilepsy. He encountered opposition from Hindu fanatics when he was doing open air preaching. Pray, too, for the spiritual growth of the new believers. There are many more open air meetings planned for the coming weeks.

Field Updates – N. Peter

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In addition to other ministry, every Saturday evening, special Bible study classes are conducted for school children in one village. Praise God for the church under construction (right). Praise God for Gospel preaching and distribution of tracts where people were gathered to buy cattle. Praise God for one woman healed from chronic ailments. Please pray for a man who accepted the Lord as Savior. Also, many have been affected by malaria, typhoid and dengue fevers. Pray that these won’t spread, that lives will be spared.

Meet These Pastors In India – Part 2

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John and Jose Simon in the North

Pastors John and Jose attending the recent STN Conference

John and Jose (and 2 other men) come to our seminars from the state of Uttar Pradesh. The particular village where they live and minister is remote. Several years ago John planted a church which has been growing ever since; its members are all from a Hindu background. John and Jose are not only quick learners but their eyes and ears are attentive to the Truth. They have been watching the lives of the STN staff and have seen the Lord working in their own lives in amazing ways. Yes, God answers your prayers more than what you ask or imagine!

Bodh Gaya is the place where Buddha supposedly received enlightenment. There are many Buddhist temples and places of idol worship. People from all over the world visit this place, some as tourists and some to worship the idols. There is an eighty foot tall idol of Buddha which is one of the attractions of this place. Jose says, “When we go in to these temples we sense that the evil spirits have a strong clutch over the place. But as the Church began to grow, we started to delegate the responsibilities of the ministry among the mature believers. They started to reach their own villages first and then the neighboring villages. The number of believers began to increase rapidly. Last year the number grew to 200 believers in Bodh Gaya and around.”

There are about 20 young people who offer their time after work to visit and conduct worship in villages. Jose began to train seven men from this group so that they will be equipped to teach others. John and Jose have undertaken the responsibility to teach the very BTCP courses that they have been taught at the STN Conferences! Thirty six from Hindu background witnessed in the waters of baptism! One of the believers, a lady about 40 years old, fell sick and was prayed for. Later that night she was taken to the hospital, but died early the next morning. When the non-Christians heard about it, they began to accuse the believers, blaming her death on the believers who left the Hindu gods. But the believers stood firm on the Truth in the midst of opposition and planned to conduct a Christian burial. The Hindus were furious and prevented the believers from participating in necessary affairs in the villages. This persecution did not discourage these simple believers but became motivation to approach the pastor and ask him to baptize the Christians in the community. One of those who got baptized was the widower of the lady who died. Clinging to his faith in Jesus, he witnessed in the waters of baptism only three days after her burial.

Meet These Pastors In India Part I

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It is our joy to share the following profiles on three particular pastors in India as well as various updates from the field on the following page. These represent but a few of the many, many pastors whose lives are being impacted for eternity. Only the Lord truly knows the number of individuals, families and villages these men are influencing! We rejoice and praise God for what He is doing through the STN Training Conferences!

Vinay Kalapala in the South

Pastor Vinay preaching in the village of Gangur. Over 1,000 people were in attendance and 58 made decisions to give their lives to Jesus.

“My intention was different when I first attended the STN seminar in 2009. I desired to seek some financial help but my intention dramatically changed to give me a goal that I now long to keep as my vision.” Vinay’s vision is to teach the whole Bible in his lifetime! He holds a university degree and is employed with the State Government for his livelihood. But his calling is to be a pastor and teacher. Along with his father, a senior pastor, Vinay preaches and teaches at his local church. “The STN team teaching of the BTCP courses has not only been equipping me but transforming me with insights and enlightenments. I am learning the orderly pattern, how to study in depth and have a passion for ministering the Word,” says Vinay with a grateful heart. Vinay’s church has an attendance of 80 to 110 people and reaches out to about 125 villages every year. Along with the responsi-bilities of the local church, Vinay is responsible to train and shepherd 26 other pastors, provide administration and spiritual admonition for 32 churches under his care, partner with 40 evangelists and train 30 other pastors to teach BTCP.

After attending the first seminar, Vinay was so blessed that he couldn’t keep it to himself but recruited his younger brother who is a youth leader in the church. Vinay and his brother, Isaac, regularly attend the STN Conferences and are a con-stant challenge to the teaching staff to be well prepared to impart the Scriptures.