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God’s Transforming Power Clearly Seen – Jose Simon

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Jose

Jose Simon stands to read during early BTCP conference.

Jose Simon (along with his wife) sold land given to him by his parents in South India. With this money he bought another piece of land in North India. The place is not only far from his culture, language, and family but it is in a remote village where nobody wants to live. Jose’s purpose was to spread the Gospel.

To have income he established a school. Having no formal training in theology he was desperate to receive training. When he approached STN India he was rejected at first because he was not a pastor. But his intensity in pursuing this training persuaded our coordinator to enroll him for the BTCP study course. Jose did not just attend classes but watched the lives of teachers who came from the US, interacted with them, and became a diligent student. He was challenged by the lives that he watched. His hard work, discipline and dedication enabled him to do well and graduate. The five long years of study was of great value. His life has been transformed. Jose, with his meager earnings from the school that he established in the village helps the poor students to buy BTCP books. He spends long hours in traveling as he travels with low budget and leads two groups in remote villages in two of the most backward states of North India.

Ryder (left) with pastors during conference in Lucknow in January 2016. (Jose Simon is on the right.)

Ryder (left) with pastors during conference in Lucknow in January 2016. (Jose Simon is on the right.)

Jose is also helping STN India as a board member.

God Is Working in Nepal

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Meeting-Lkw-Jan-2016Our great God is known for awesome deeds. In His provision, plan and purpose, He chooses people. One of them happens to be Mahavir Kumar Sah of Nepal. Following his family traditions, he and his family have been bowing before idols and worshipping them until KB, another Nepali met and confronted him. KB, one of our STN graduates, presented the gospel with all simplicity as is his style. Mahavir didn’t take much time to throw away his idols from his home. Both Mahavir and his wife, being convicted of sin, accepted the Lord Jesus Christ as their Savior. In order to mentor Mahavir, KB brought him to Lucknow to attend STN seminars. Mahavir, with great interest and diligence studied the courses and graduated in October 2014.

Mahavir’s church, which is planted in Joshipur is growing. Mahavir baptized about 12 people; there are 22 in the congregation. Mahavir was equipped and trained at STN seminars. Now he is ready to launch out to see many transformed by being equipped with BTCP training classes. He can’t wait to see this happen and is anxious to begin the training ministry.

Mahavir

Trip to Kanpur

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Growing Church in Kanpur

Kanpur is an industrial city situated near Lucknow in the state of Uttar Pradesh. In the past Randy and Susan Leinen from our team that visited India from the US, have ministered in this church here. The church has not only been growing locally but multiplying. The need of the hour has been to strengthen these new believers who have come from Hindu background. KB (popularly known in STN) has been instrumental in mentoring; many have become Pastors. Among them is Laxman Paul who is a recent STN graduate. He and his wife are actively involved in church and church planting.

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Laxman Paul, Pastor of Kanpur church

Women’s Seminar

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December 3rd has become a memorable day in this pastor’s church as 55 sisters gathered from surrounding churches to spend their time from 11.30 a.m. till about 5 p.m. to listen, study on discipleship, discuss in groups and enjoy fellowship. Flory poured out heart to teach while Mercy interpreted in Hindi. The challenge was not to be in the ‘crowd’ but be a true ‘disciple’ of the Lord Jesus Christ. As “Ghar Vapsi” (meaning come back home) a thrust by Hindu fanatics has become popular to bring back Christians to be reconverted to Hinduism, the message on following the Lord Jesus was enforced with the enlightening Word.

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The fellowship seminar ended with interesting testimonies. The sisters left the gathering rejuvenated.

Flory felt a real fulfilment as she saw God blessing the meetings immensely. In the midst of imported obnoxious false teaching, it was worthwhile to spend several hours with dear sisters who are truly devoted to grow in the Lord and live a sacrificial lives.

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Flory teaching with Mercy translating

Kumar’s New Home

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Here are some wonderful photos from the Kumar’s new home in India:

Return for a Reason

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Prayers answered: Ephesians 3:20 “Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us.”

It is little over 1 ½ months since Flory and I left the US with many people praying for us. If it is not for a reason the return to India wouldn’t have been possible. We are so grateful for different groups lifting us up in prayer. God has been abundantly answering prayers on our behalf. The prayer of Paul Brown flashes thru my mind over and again when we see several surprises coming our way.

  • Found a house to live: Meeting a couple (who happened to be the US citizens) within two hours of our search for a  house and then this couple offering their house that is unoccupied for six months for a price which is less than half the price at other parts of the city is a surprise. The owner has air conditioners in each room and good curtains for the doors – all for the same rent!
  • Gas connection to cook food: When I went to book cooking gas connection, the manager who was opening his lunch box to eat stopped and took my work to process and give a permit within half hour is a surprise.
  • Room for storing luggage: Ravi and Shanti whose church premises is now in their possession allowed us to keep our 10 suitcases for several days as we couldn’t keep them all in our hotel room. No charges and everything was safe. Surprise!
  • Big purchases were made: Immediate purchases for household needs, getting to know lot of new systems (never existed while we lived here), and encountering challenges in day-to-day life such as finding helpers for cleaning the house, taxis and volunteers to drive us around for errands have become part of life.
  • Ministry in the midst of all that is going on: Except for one Sunday when I was sick with high fever all other Sundays, I have been preaching and Flory has had a Sunday school ministry. The church had 1st time youth retreat with 200 youth gathering for 5 days; I was one of the speakers for the 5 days, Flory, too, was involved in counseling sessions and interaction groups. Talking to our graduates in the North and West Bengal has been very encouraging. Everyone appears to be waiting for our visit to their regions. All of them are aggressively involved in the ministry. Conversions and baptisms are taking place.
  • STN India: Board meeting and Annual general meeting that were essential were held. The board was able to discuss logistics, legal aspects and FCRA matters at length. Two significant meetings were held with a renowned CPA (handling the work of Bill Gates in India). I have also started talking with Suresh; he is officially retired from Every Home Crusade.
  • Abraham’s office and home: This continues to be a blessing as I am getting some work done through this office and stay at home and get the help of transportation in Delhi.

Pilgrims: Psalm 119:54 “Your statutes are my songs In the house of my pilgrimage.”

  • Both Flory and I aren’t feeling at home yet, though Flory has made the home beautiful to live in over just a couple of weeks. We do feel like pilgrims. Flory is battling with the language. Tears have been flowing as she misses worship in English/Hindi.
  • On November 8th we had some pastors with their spouses and Christian leaders with their spouses come for a house warming and to introduce them to STN India. We were able to combine our 10th marriage anniversary with this event.
  • Opening bank accounts and operating ATM has been quite an experience. At Lucknow my cards didn’t work.
  • We had made a special devise for getting water purified for daily use at home, with monthly servicing.

Expenses incurring in such new systems/adventures never occurred prior to making budget. But blessing in disguise, we can put some of these expenses into house rent and it will still be much low than what we have budgeted.

Program: 1 Corinthians 16:9 “For a wide door for effective service has opened to me, and there are many adversaries.”

In the midst of growing hostility towards the Gospel there is a tremendous open door for evangelism, and planting churches. STN India has a significant role in training and equipping. The past nine years of work has become a model.

  • There is a need to identify a large number of people who need support and training.
  • Making proposals, policies and budgets, visits to regions, sending out newsletters and making a prayer partner lists are tasks to be undertaken in next weeks.

Pray: There are specific requests.

  • Visits to regions such as North (two areas), West Bengal and Nepal. The Lord to give us directions as we make plans starting in January 2016 to meet with our graduates, pray with them and work with them. There are requests to start BTCP programs. What is God showing us?
  • Suresh Mathews to be led by God as Suresh desires to be associated with STN India. We do need help in teaching in North India and Nepal. He can be asset. We also need help in STN India administration.
  • I see a need to mentor, train several graduates such as J., D., L. and WB brothers. There is a need to hold TTWs in different parts. Both Flory and I have made ourselves available for helping Ravi and Shanti. Also there would be openings in local churches. We need God’s leading to know what to accept and what to reject.
  • There is a significant meeting coming up in the 1st week of December @ Lucknow to discuss on problems at Unnao Church, Suresh’s future involvement, probing into CPA’s work, D.’ requests for naming their churches. This trip will also enable me to bring luggage that is left at our son’s home in Gurgaon.
  • This time coming to India is a return for a reason that persuades and motivates us to press on. We are very thankful to the STN International board for being a great support in our commitment to serve the living God.

Update – Eddie in Bolivia

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Eddie with friends in LaPaz

Communication from Eddie during his research  trip to Bolivia has been brief as the wifi has been spotty. Praise God – he is doing fine.
He has been to Santa Cruz, Cochabamba, Tarija and this monday he arrived at his final city, La Paz, which is also his hometown.
He has been able to meet and speak with a number of pastors in the cities he has been to and was very encouraged by their enthusiasm to the plan of work he presented to them.  He will be meeting other pastors  this week to present the plan of work and sunday he will be preaching in one of the churches.
Please pray for the Lord’s direction and wisdom as Eddie explains what the training can do to expand the Gospel.

Answered Prayer for Rehoboth

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For over 10 years there has been a legal battle over the property where Reheboth church meets in Hyderabad, India. This little church, led by Pastor Ravi Kumar, has been a bright light in Hyderabad for many years. For a while it looked like they might have to find a different place to meet. But praise the Lord that the battle is over! The property, which contains a church and a home, is now fully owned by Reheboth church. This is a tremendous answer to prayer. Thank you to the many people who prayed on their behalf for so many years. May the Lord continue to bless this congregation for His glory.

Today as I was getting ready to post this, I came across Genesis 26:22 in my daily Bible reading about how the Philistines were quarreling with Issac over the wells that he was digging. He dug a third well and the story reads,

“He moved on from there and dug another well, and no one quarreled over it. He named it Rehoboth, saying, “Now the Lord has given us room and we will flourish in the land.”

The name, “Rehoboth” means “enough room,” and what a blessing to see how just as the Lord gave Issac this well, so he gave Ravi and His church in Hyderabad the provision of this church property so that they will “flourish in the land.”

Susan with Shanthi in front of Rehoboth church (center and right) during 2009 conference.

Susan with Shanthi in front of Rehoboth church (center and right) during 2009 conference.

Susan with Shanthi in front of Rehoboth church (center and right) during 2009 conference.

Randy and Mike Amoroso after services at Rehoboth church in 2009.

A Testimony of Being Equipped

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We were pleased to receive the following testimony from one of our Bible Conference pastors:

“The Lord worked in an amazing way when He led us to Rev. Kumar through my brother and Pastor Paul Brown.

As a result, both my brother and I were able to attend STN training seminars in Hyderabad that were of great help to me as I had no knowledge of preaching or teaching and a great need of being equipped as a pastor.

The course material of BTCP and the other tools like the Concordance, the Study Bible and Dictionary have been of great help to me in my studies and in preparing for my sermons with the interaction with the teachers influenced me and left an indelible impression on me to grow into a spirited pastor and preacher.

Due to such effective training, by the grace of God, two churches have been planted in Andhra Pradesh with one having 70 people in attendance, the other 50, all of whom regularly attend the worship every Sunday with their families.

Every Sunday, I teach the Bible and, as of now, have completed the Books of Malachi and Nahum. My brother and I also started the BTCP Training Centre for 35 pastors in Vijayawada, my home-town, where I am also teaching as a member of the faculty.

Thanks to the help of STN, I am now in a position to preach sound doctrine at my church. I profoundly believe that God Himself has given me this rare and wonderful opportunity to grow in Christ spiritually through STN.

I witness His blessing in every family that attends our church. The church attendees also often express their gratitude and gratefulness to the STN for being instrumental in thus fortifying their lives and families spiritually.

Presently, STN is supporting me financially since in each of my churches the monthly offerings are as low as 600 to 1000 rupees (USD $10 to $17). At times, one loses sleep thinking about making both ends meet as such scanty creature comforts often pose a threat even to one’s spiritual growth.

But, by God’s grace, manifest through STN financial aid, I am living a better life than in the past.

I wholeheartedly acknowledge with thankfulness that STN has changed my life’s destiny and helped mold me into an unworthy servant of Christ.

Please know that I am forever grateful to STN for enriching me through sound teaching and for giving me the enviable mission of bringing about a multi-dimensional transformation in our community.”

Pastor I. K.

Savara Tribe Update: Baptisms, Building and Beauty

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Shanthi and Ravi Report on a Field Visit in January of 2013

Day One – Eguva Seedi Church with Pastor S. K.

Our January visit to Srikakulam was a very special one as we were joined by some of the sisters from our Rehoboth church in Hyderabad. After an 18 hour train journey and some time to refresh ourselves, we traveled by Jeep to the interior to visit Eguva Seedi, where members of the church there welcomed us in their traditional way by washing our feet and serving us coconut water to drink.

Shanthi & Ravi arrive at Eguva Seedi

Shanthi & Ravi arrive at Eguva Seedi

Pastor S. K. ministers to the Savara tribe in the village, about 150 believers, as well as those Savara Christians in surrounding villages. The people there speak Telagu and work mostly in agriculture with the whole area full of cashew nut trees. A very beautiful place in God’s creation!

The church at Eguva Seedi has been under construction for the past three years as the work has been slowed by the difficulty in raising funds. We pray for God’s provision to complete the work.

The church in Eguva Seedi has been under construction for three years.

The church in Eguva Seedi has been under construction for three years.

The believers currently worship in a thatched hut and praise God with music produced on instruments made from bamboo.

Despite lack of a church building, worship continues in a thatched hut.

Despite lack of a church building, worship continues in a thatched hut.

Day Two – Venkatapuram Village Pastor N.S.

On the second day, we traveled to Paata Barna and stopped for a time to see the church construction at Venkatapuram village. We received a warm welcome there and were very happy to participate in the dedication of the beautiful church there that stands as a testament to God’s faithfulness in fulfilling His promises. Pastor N. S. led the dedication service, which included several baptisms, and all present expressed their joy and gratitude to the Lord for his gracious blessings.

Ravi speaks at joyful church dedication service.

Ravi speaks at joyful church dedication service.

Maliveeduguda, Kotha Barna, and Eetamanuguda

Following the baptisms, we visited Maliveeduguda, another Savara tribal village, where the church building is also under construction. We then traveled on to Kotha Barna, where we participated in an evening service at their church before driving to Eetamanuguda, where three new converts testified in baptism in a beautiful nearby waterfall and spent some time in prayer.

Ravi and Shanthi participate in an evening service at Kotha Barna.

Ravi and Shanthi participate in an evening service at Kotha Barna.

Baptisms near a waterfall

Baptisms near a waterfall

Ministry in Puligummi

From Eetamanudguda, we left for Puligummi, where we conducted a service for the believers there (IMAGE 7) before returning by train to Hyderabad.

Ravi and Shanthi conduct a service in Eetamanuguda.

Ravi and Shanthi conduct a service in Eetamanuguda.

Thank you for your faithfulness in continuing to pray and contribute so much to the Lord’s work here. Much remains to be done, but God be praised for all that He has done and promises to do I the future through you!

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.