by Ryder Kumar, International Director.

Hyderabad

As the participants gathered in South India the scenario was a clear display of the accomplishment of our purpose of equipping and training. Vara Prasad, who had been attending the seminars regularly and shown diligence in study, said, “I am so blessed by the training received during the seminars that whenever I minister the Word, there is a greater interest in the congregation and there are new people joining the church. The course on Church history has been a very helpful subject. We have studied about Roman Catholics which motivated me to teach in my village. As a result of this, some Roman Catholic people came to know truth and two families have started to attend the Church services. Please pray as they desire to witness in the waters of baptism.” It was an honor for me to co-teach this seminar with Casey Danley.

Casey Danley co-teaches in Hyderabad

Vijayawada

Following the Hyderabad seminar, two special events took place in Vijayawada. The first was a dedication of the first baby (Ruhamah) of our first STN India pastor, Isaac, and his wife, Usha. The other event was the baptism of Stephy.

Lucknow

Our final seminar was in Lucknow where we had 31 participants gathered to study Church history. Here is what Jose Simon, the principal of village school said, “It was interesting to know how God brought the gospel through the ages. In history God has made known His manifold wisdom through His Church to the principalities and powers in the heavenly realms. God warned me to love the people of other faiths as we studied about the Crusades, which failed to demonstrate the love of Christ. I was challenged by Martin Luther who responded by being motivated by the Word Of God, to bring reformation ….” It was a blessing to co-teach this seminar with Kishore Mathews.

Kishore Mathews co-teaches in Lucknow

by Jeff Forbes

There are hero’s who walk among us who quietly live their lives without fan fare or spectacle. Who are not desirous of the attention due them, for the mercies they bestow. They are vessels of honor, filled to the brim for the sole purpose of being poured out.

To some their actions may seem trivial, but their impact like the ripples of a stone once cast into the water, can reach nations with God’s love. Such are those who gave so abundantly during our recent clothes drive to benefit the homeless, while, at the same time, raising much-needed funds for “Saving the Nations.”

On behalf of all of those you have blessed and will never know your name or your face, but who will stand in awe at the miraculous way God has fulfilled their need, I say thank you.

Thank you for giving of yourself, and know that because of your generosity, a child could go to school not embarrassed for the first time because of what he or she was wearing or that a woman in her first new dress could look in the mirror and, as never before, see that she has value beyond her circumstance.

You have made it possible for pastors on the other side of the world to be trained and strengthened in God’s Word.

Imagine that a pair of pants or shoes, a shirt or a dress given by you, not only clothed the needy, but assisted in training a pastor and quite possibly helped to usher a lost soul into the arms of Christ.

Thank you for participating in God’s plan and economy and may our Lord and Savior richly bless you with the unshakable joy of serving Him!

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.

From Shanthi –

We were eagerly waiting for this conference to start, as this was a Doctrines oriented teaching, and we were expectant to learn new things from our resource leaders Bro.Ryder and Bro.David Nelson.

Dr.Vijay and Bro.Timothy were the translators and as usual they did a good job. The conference started on 31st Oct. 2011, with the opening session commencing at 2.00 p.m. By the way, we want to thank everyone who prayed for the agitation to subside in our state. God answered all your prayers and just a week before the conference was due to start, all form of agitations ceased, and all our pastors could arrive in time and with safety.

This time in all about 46 pastors attended the seminar. The weather was near perfect, and as usual the facilities provided at the centre were excellent.

“In the beginning GOD”—-so started our first doctrinal studies about God. The remarkable thing is we learnt news things on the first day itself. One of the revelations we had is “Bible assumes God is present, and the BIBLE is not intended for proving the existence of God but rather it is a demonstration of His works.”

Three instances of speaking in tongues from Act 2, 9 and 19 and how they were related to the circumstances of those times, was the highlight of this conference. In India there is this prevalent thinking, that if one does not speak in tongues, he does not have the Holy Spirit. The participants were enlightened about this particular gift.

We were enlightened about the characteristics of God, and how these characteristics build up healthy relations with our creator and redeemer.

The next doctrines taught were on Bibliology/Jesus Christ/Holy Spirit and Angelology. The one doctrine on which the participants had so many doubts was on HOLY SPIRIT. The true doctrine was taught from the scriptures and many doubts clarified. All that we can say is that the participants went back with the correct doctrine, and resolve to negate any false teaching on HOLY SPIRIT. We thank STN for these splendid resources through BTCP.

Hyderabad : The Seminar held from Feb 28th thru March 4th was attended by 48 participants. One can observe how well dressed they are, looking healthy and more diligent to grasp what is being taught. Ravi and Timothy have taught couple of sessions and Dr. Vijay and Timothy helped in the translation. On the last day, everybody received book # 5 to prepare for the Fall seminar of 2011. There was a special glow on the faces of the participants giving an impression of their grasp of studies and a sense of being more equipped for the ministry in the churches. The course was taught passionately to enable the participants not only dive into the course book but be able to teach the truth in their areas. The center where we had the seminar has upgraded with better lighting, cleanliness and air-conditioning. Food provided here was excellent superseding the previous times. The management was so kind that they didn’t charge for an extra day for guest room and a room and food provided for the board meeting held on the 5th.

From Ryder Kumar

We took David to a doctor yesterday. His was neither dengue nor bird flue. PTL. The medicine was given. And in overnight David is alright and back into teaching from yesterday afternoon. Many have died in Lucknow due to dengue. Couple of pastors couldn’t make it to the seminar due to sickness. Laxman Paul too is sick (Kanpur guy).  The ones present are taking very keen interest. There have been many questions that are being answered as David and I are pouring out hearts to see these men become good expositors. I am enjoying this teaching a  lot. There is good stuff in the course book.

This is the fourth course book and happens to be one of the most important one that we are teaching during this seminar. The participants in Hyderabad have thoroughly enjoyed, especially the practical session on how to do weddings. One of the participants who has the license to marry, married Ravi and Shanthi. [See photos in previous blog entry.] The whole group went into laughter but understood the meaning, conducting the marriage and the biblical truths. There are lot of practical sessions on preaching which is another segment that people enjoyed.

The most difficult part that the team had was travel from Hyderabad to Delhi when we were informed that the connecting flight was cancelled. When we went to bed that night it was already 11 p.m. we had to wake up at 3 in the morning and go to the airport to catch flight at 5.30 a.m. in order to be ready for the seminar at 8.30 a.m. After a hectic schedule at Hyderabad we were very tired and need a good rest but the circumstances didn’t allow us. But these challenges that we encountered never distracted our focus on teaching and accomplishing the tasks. God’s grace, strength and power were abundantly manifested as an answerer to prayers of His people. You may not imagine how God undertakes when you PRAY.

From Ryder:

Praise items:

1. The Lord’s blessing on the seminars as there is an increased interest, interaction, and diligence among the participants.
2. Though there was a commotion due to misinformation at Hyderabad about cancellation of connecting flights from Delhi to Lucknow the Lord helped us in arranging alternatives and reach Lucknow seminar on time.
3. David Nelson who got sick and was forced to rest for a day is now healed and back into teaching.
4. The Lord undertook for my preaching last Sunday despite of tiredness and hectic schedule.
5. There had been protection and safety all through until now.

Prayer requests:

1. There is dengue fever around. Couple of participants couldn’t make it in the North due to sickness.
2. Participants at Hyderabad went with refreshed minds from the study on preaching and pastoral ministry. Pray that they will be reminded constantly about the qualifications of a pastor, preaching methods, sample messages that they learnt and serious responsibility of being a pastor/elder.
3. Pray for the Nelsons as they travel back on the 30th morning.
4. In all I am preaching 40 times in various locations in India. Please pray for a powerful ministry of the word.

Keith and Ryder are both home safe and sound and praising God for the blessings of the trip. Thank you all for praying for them as they worked labored in India to bring the Word to these pastors so that they in turn can bring it to their own corners of India. Normally March weather in India is quite mild but Keith and Ryder endured an unusual heat wave in both southern and northern India. Increased power outrages made the afternoon sessions very difficult for both teachers and students. Please continue to pray for our Indian pastors as they take apply the things they have learned to their own preaching and teaching in their villages and churches.

From Ryder –

As I write this to you Keith is in his first session of 4 ½ sessions today. Suresh is doing a good interpretation. Again he broke out in tears last evening at different times while doing the interpretation. Another thing that has happened yesterday was a wonderful reconciliation between two brothers who had difficulties, struggles and tensions over few months in their relationships. Both attend our seminars and they had some problems during the time they attended our seminar in November 2009. This mounted up. Their Pastor came to me for help the other day. Keeping up with the precedence of my guru, Paul Brown and my baba Randy, I took the challenge prayerfully to sit in three sessions with these guys. The end of the story is victory of our Lord in their lives as they confessed and reconciled.

We had Pauline and Maxwell the other day for breakfast at Clark’s Avadh. You may remember them from last time. Both of them had non stop sharing in the blessing that they received during Nov 09 seminar on family when Paul preached. They cherish that message, remember it and loved the teaching. They said nothing about my message that preached last Sunday but kept telling about Paul’s teaching. (should I be envious? How can I be when the people are being blessed – I am emotional with eyes getting wet).

The Lord willing we leave this evening which is your Friday 5 a.m. Please pray as I dread that long flight of 16 hours by Emirates. Please pray for Keith who also will have similar flight. We will spend several hours at the Delhi International airport during midnight until early morning.

I can’t wait to seeing you all to share more of all that has happened here as an answer to pray.