By Pastor Marc Boeker

    “For their sakes I sanctify Myself, that they themselves also may be sanctified in truth…that they may all be one; even as You, Father, are in Me and I in You, that they also may be in Us, so that the world may believe that You sent Me.” – John 17:19,20 (NASB)

This spring, a momentous event for Shepherding the Nations – India (STN India) went down in the history books. On May 17-18, 2024, STN hosted its first virtual conference for pastors and leaders across India, Nepal, and Myanmar.

Ryder Kumar, International Director, was looking for a way to provide further training to graduates in the BTCP program (Bible Training Center for Pastors). A conference would provide an excellent platform to include crucial church topics for further growth and development of the indigenous churches. Out of this desire, the PENIEL Conference was born.

Persuading to Equip and Nurture Indigenous Evangelical Leaders

Months before the conference, STN began working on visas to bring several Indian pastors to The Bridge Bible Fellowship in Reseda, California for in-person training. With much prayer, invitations were sent requesting these men to be allowed to come to the United States for an intensive time of discipleship. Their presence at The Bridge would have been both an encouragement to them as well as to their brothers and sisters in Christ who have been supporting the work in India for over 15 years. Paperwork was completed. Consulate visits were made. And they waited. And waited. And waited…

Even through waiting, one can now see God was preparing the way for a change of plans – a change of venue, a change of schedule, and a change of participants – all changes which ultimately led to an unexpected exponential increase in the number of pastors and leaders who could benefit and participate in the training. God has told his followers in times past, “the heart of man plans his way, but Yahweh directs his steps” (Psalm 16:9). The STN board’s plans were laid out, but God’s sovereign direction was needed to go beyond what was currently envisioned and provide training into homes and locations that far exceeded the STN board’s initial expectations.

While Zoom fatigue was a real thing for many during COVID, the advances in video conferencing technology that it provided have been a huge help to proclaim the truth of God’s word. In places seemingly impossible to visit, we can now sit “face-to-face” and interact on a much more personal level. For many purposes, virtual meetings can provide an opportunity for equipping the saints where an in-person meeting is out of reach for the attendees or threatens the existence of the church.

Enter PENIEL Virtual. Paul Brown, Senior Pastor of The Bridge and founding STN member was eager for this conference to continue, but with only three (3) of the original invitees able to get visas to US, the plans had to change. Moving to a virtual platform could provide the desired training along with an expanded reach inherent to a virtual conference. Excitement began to build as plans fell into place for the restructured virtual conference.

As Ryder invited church leaders from across the country one of his desires was to expand the reach of STN and the BTCP program. Many of the groups he contacted are well-educated, mature, and sacrificially serving which could serve to enhance the ministry of STN. All of the participants were encouraged to connect more closely to STN as they applied what they were taught in the conference.

By God’s grace, the gathering together of over 60 men across four countries became a reality on May 17-18. Due to the 12.5-hour difference in time zones, India experienced the conference over two days, while in the US we began welcoming guests at 5:00 AM on Friday and said our final goodbye near 11:00 PM.

In India, the conference began in the evening where three sessions were presented, each followed by a Q&A time with the participants. Randy Leinen, Executive Pastor of The Bridge began the conference with a session on transformation groups. These are small groups of 3-5 participants that provide a strong focus on bible study, accountability, evangelism, and prayer. Pastor Joe Leinen followed this by talking on the importance of small groups in the local church. Both of these ideas are somewhat foreign concepts in the Indian church. The evening concluded with a challenge toward church planting from Patrick Carmichael, Senior Pastor of Christ Bible Church.

After a night of rest, Saturday morning in India saw the pastors once again start logging in and talking together as they eagerly anticipated the final three sessions. Mike Vos, ACBC Certified Biblical Counselor, began the day with an introduction to Biblical Counseling. Thinking about what the Bible has to say about life’s problems was a solid start to the day, followed by many questions from the men. Pastor Paul completed the conference as he taught the two final sessions on Conflict Resolution and Leadership Development.

What joy it was meeting with these beloved men – leaders and teachers – eager to grow in their knowledge of the Lord and strengthen the local churches across Asia. Through God’s Spirit, we were not only friends but also brothers caring for one another as we toil for the Lord and his Church. This is the very mission of STN. God, in his sovereignty, took our humble plans for a conference to become a jumping-off point for future opportunities to provide solid biblical training and church development across Asia as he continues to unite His family around the globe.

This mission trip was very different from others. The entire time that we were in India (March 3 – 17), our schedule was jam-packed. Everywhere we went, we saw God’s wonderful accomplishments. Each day, our faith and hope were focused on not missing the next great things God would do!

Training with the Word Partners:

For two years, the leadership resource staff of Word Partners worked with these dedicated and committed pastors from North and South India to complete intensive training on expository preaching. Each was equipped with five books (four were from the Bible), so that these leaders would become skilled, faithful ministers to diligently teach the Word in their local churches. It also provided great opportunities for the Shepherding The Nations (STN) Directors and faculty groups to sharpen their own teaching skills. An extra blessing is that Word Partners is having some of the study material translated and printed in Telugu. 

These intensive training seminars are held twice a year. Recently, a few leaders demonstrated outstanding skill development and were chosen to lead various sessions with the whole group. Two of them were our STN directors and three were from the STN faculty. (see photo above)

The Power of Sunday’s Routines:

For the past 19 years, STN International has played a vital role in the local churches, developing strong spiritual relationships within each church. These relationships provided opportunities to encourage, admonish, and minister more effectively to the saints. STN’s close ministry association with the local churches (now 57) has led to increased prayer and financial support. Some churches have even volunteered to host our study groups by offering their facilities and providing meals.

God Brings Strength in Unity:

God has united so many Pastors and churches. Pastor J. has been to El Shaddai church three times where Pastor P. G. is the shepherd. Pastor A. has been to Agape Prayer House in Hyderabad to support their Pastor, Bro. P., who is an accomplished civil engineer, an STN graduate, and a participant of Word Partners. 

I personally had the privilege of visiting Bro. A.’s assembly (congregation of 500) in Sangareddy, to minister the Word by delivering three messages and spending time together around the Lord’s Table. 

On the second Sunday of the trip, I was with a church in Vijayawada with seven hundred people. Preaching two messages and spending time with these saints has been a real blessing. 

“…there is the daily pressure on me of concern for all the churches.” 2 Corinthians 11 28

Teacher Training Workshop:

Seven key leaders from Nepal, North, and South India were selected to undergo the Teacher Training Workshop with CCI (Crossing Cultures, International). Praise God for the facility and lunch provided by Agape Church. One of the leaders, S., a theology graduate and a native of Odisha started teaching. This was such a blessing as we now have a person who knows the Oriya language. Brother N. in Nepal is another person who started teaching under J.S. After a brief training, N. will begin teaching on his own in different parts of Nepal. N. is a graduate of STN’s 2022 class. The great news is STN has expanded into different parts of Nepal with several classes. 

Administrative Issues:

Now, in 2023, our waiting period is over, and soon we are eligible to apply for our Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA) status. Consultations and discussions have continued between V., our STN CPA, and me. We are now including J.S. on the team. J.S. is our treasurer on the STN board while V. takes care of the FCRA. He needs to understand the process, the functioning, and other implications. 

STN’s India Board Meeting:

Conducting regular meetings of the board is a government requirement. The board meeting in March 2023 was important as we discussed certain changes in the board and issues regarding the FCRA. While a couple of board members exited, one new couple was added. We welcome Bro. P. and his wife S. to the STN board. The board proceedings are recorded for the STN office and to comply with government regulations. 

Planting Churches:

Congratulations to two couples who graduated from STN in November 2022. A. & H., and N. & D. are now actively involved in church planting. I had the privilege of spending a few hours with them to encourage, fellowship, and record their stories. Do they have church buildings? The answer is NO. Are they supported by any organization? Again, the answer is NO. Being in remote areas where there is not a good economic structure, pastors often go through struggles. These limitations did not stop them from serving the Lord. By faith, they launched out! I witnessed their zeal, enthusiasm, and burden for perishing souls. These qualities will keep them pressing on with perseverance. Keep them in your prayers so that God will use them effectively for His service! 

Going to your hometown and not visiting family:

Short term mission trips have always been busy times. I have rarely visited the homes of any of my family. Without complaining, but with great understanding, my sisters, nieces, nephews, and in-laws would attend the churches where I was preaching and meet me after the service just so we could have some time together as family. It was on one such occasion that I saw my younger sister, her son, her daughter, her grandkids, and my nephew with his wife. It was such a good time of fellowship together as a family!

by STN International Director, Ryder Kumar (SE Asia)

“There is the daily pressure on me of concern for all the churches.”
2 Corinthians 11:28.

The STN organization was born in a local church.

Most of the International board members are either pastors or elders and their wives. Others on the board are significantly involved in the ministries of the local church. I delight in talking about these facts as the Lord has put on our hearts to focus on local churches right from the inception of Shepherding the Nations.

Pastor Suresh with his wife, Mercy

About 18 years ago, even before STN was established, when we first launched out into India, we had about half a dozen assemblies (churches) in India with whom we were closely associated and ministered. The Lord increased the number; today, STN is partnering with about 60 churches in various parts of India and Nepal. On the left, we have Pastor Suresh with his wife, Mercy. Our team worked for several years with this church in North India.

While we labored in North India, we also had a great opening in South India. Left is a picture of a local church on the left where Pastor Ravi Rathan Kumar, along with one of his elders named Timothy, participated in the study courses of STN and graduated.

Everywhere STN has operated, we have worked with local churches. In Nepal, the Lord led our regional director, Jose Simon, to work with local churches.

Jose Simon, center

A Pastor from Nepal says,

“I could learn how to stop the wrong teachings from spreading in our area. I learned what true gospel is and how to keep a church record. Through church history, I could learn to avoid the faults of the previous generation.”
-Dil Bahadur Dharti

In one of the growing assemblies (church) in a remote location in South India, we have a dear brother who resigned from his lucrative bank job to be a pastor of his church.

Having no biblical training, he not only joined our study program but also provided the use of the church facilities and food to all the participants from the beginning to the end of the program. He graduated and continued to serve the Lord at the same location. (Photo on left.)

India has a population of 1.3 billion and will have the largest population in the world by 2023.

We look forward to tens of thousands who will be trained and equipped to catch the vision. We came in contact with one senior pastor who came into the grip of this vision. Brother Paul Chepa, a senior pastor, says, “STN has been pivotal in planting and establishing new local churches in remote and tribal villages of Andhra Pradesh. I can proudly say that STN training shaped, equipped, and prepared the ministers for effective and healthy churches. I found a mentor in Ryder, International Director, who personally prays, speaks, guides, encourages, and challenges with daily devotions and different biographies and his testimonies. We are always indebted to the STN ministries for blessing us with training”.

Is the Church in India growing? Yes!

• New churches are planted.
• The Word is preached.
• STN stepped into these nations with God’s provision, enabling us to serve His people.
• There are many needs to be met, and this can’t be done without the partnership of churches with a vision for Missions!

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

The STN training and equipping is not limited to study programs. The International team that goes to India has been involved in counseling to resolve conflicts in interpersonal relationships. The leaders’ relationships in the local churches were restored.

One of the blessings has been to be an example to the local churches in keeping New Testament practices. On the right, we have prayed over those baptized by laying on of hands. On the left, we have a photo of a child’s dedication. This attests to the teaching that we do dedication but not child baptism.

We do praise God for the local churches that are partnering with STN. Philippians 4:19 – “And my God will supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus.”

by STN International Director, Ryder Kumar

We praise God that he is raising up faithful prayer partners who also give sacrificially. This includes US local churches and individual believers that support the ministry of Shepherding the Nations. I know of a dear lady from the church where I pastored for 15 years. She has been retired for many years but is so committed to giving that even with her limited resources she keeps giving to the mission work of STN. Another brother from a Wichita church retired from his job many years ago, but out of his limited resources is committed to give to the ministries of STN sacrificially.

Even during the times of Covid lockdown, the giving of our donors enabled our regional directors in India to receive their monthly financial support. Each of our 1000 participants receive the set of 10 books in the curriculum, each costing $10. These participants could not afford to buy these books without your donations.

Not a single day goes by when I don’t thank the Lord for His saints’ giving! Here is a real story to tell how your giving enabled us to start a new class in an “H”* populated location which has been hostile to the Gospel for decades!

36 participants meet in a local Christian school

Praying for 20 years!

“This church has been praying for twenty years to have the course introduced by STN regional director, “P,”* said Bro. “S,” the local church’s pastor in “B” town. His local church, with about 150 believers, has opened the doors for STN training classes. The group of people in this local church also ministers in eight other churches in 15 surrounding villages. However, none of these believers, including the pastor, have formal training to teach God’s Word. “P” introduced the study program of STN. The church believes that this systematic study and equipping program was an answer to their prayers!

“P,” our regional director, launched STN training into this new area through the local church as is his practice. Incessant rains didn’t force him to cancel his schedule, but he sent a prayer request to several people. The Lord answered and stopped the rains!

This is not only a new class for STN, but a new state in India for STN. For these 36 new participants, this STN training will be a turning point in their pilgrimage to study the Word systematically and dive into reformed theology. While 32 new participants registered, 36 attended. The four extra people who attended couldn’t resist their hunger to study the Word, and for “P,” it became irresistible to stop them from attending the class.

A local Christian school provided facilities to hold our classes. This helps our ministry continue to be  cost-effective for our students. Usually each class takes about 2 ½ years to complete the 10-book curriculum. Shepherding the Nations’ goal is to provide these classes in remote villages where most of the population live.  This method is working to reach thousands of participants who live in unreached areas.

• STN ministry’s presence in already reaching several states of India and Nepal. Please pray to that we may launch into eight new states where there is a need.
• Pray for about 1000 participants in several states of India and Nepal who are currently being equipped to be the disciples of the Lord Jesus Christ, spreading the message of peace in personal lives, families, and societies.
• Please pray that graduates of 2015 (67), 2019 (199), and 2021 (127) would multiply by taking His Word further to those who need this training.
• Pray for the graduations scheduled in November 2022 as Paul Brown addresses over 450 graduates via Zoom. Pray that these graduates may consecrate themselves to plant new churches, establish new study centers and multiply the impact of solid Bible teaching into local churches.

New class in Orissa

STN is also working in this state in a new location where a new class has begun. “S” is a small town in the Orissa state of North India, one of the most backward areas on earth. It is populated predominantly by a tribal society that has responded to the Gospel in the last century. The church’s growth is limited chiefly to family expansion due to the lack of proper guidance and training.

In this town in 2022 STN has registered 16 pastors and leaders in our training classes to equip them with the systematic study of the Word. The group gathers every month for two days for study and training. “J”, STN’s regional director for North India and Nepal, spends 9 to 10 hours each day teaching, answering questions, and leading the students in discussions. He has such a heart for people to reach these unreached areas!

*Names of people and places have been abbreviated for security.