We’ve had a great year as a church in 2012. God has been very gracious to us.

We’ve seen wonderful growth in reaching out to people

• GodTV
• We were part of VisionIndia training up 8,600 young people from about 15 states across North India. In addition, 12,000 sets of our Hindi publications (12 titles) i.e. 1,44,000 copies of our publications distributed at VisionIndia itself!
• Short Term Bible college at Champa, where we graduated 45 students
• Missions Trips by our young people to Chattarpur
• Two more new locations in Bangalore East and West
• APC-Mangalore moved into Mangalore city and encouraging response from students there
• APC moved into a new office
• …and so much more…

As we look ahead to 2013, we as a church must be ready to reach out both in our city and across our nation. Jesus gave one of the indicators of the end of this age. He said “And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come.” (Matthew 24:14)

This morning we are going to talk about “The Greatest Faith Ever Preached”

Mark 16:14-20

There were 11 unbelieving disciples. Jesus rebuked them for their unbelief and hardness of heart – even after being with Jesus for 3 years, seeing and hearing all that He did and taught – they still doubted His resurrection. To these men, He gave the great commission – to take the Gospel to the ends of the world!

From a group of 11 unbelieving disciples, the Gospel of Jesus Christ, has spread to the nations. There is no exact figure on how many believers are there in the world today – however, we know for sure that God is moving a mighty river through the nations.

The following is an overview of the spread of Christianity from the Day on Pentecost on to this day

The First Hundred Years (100 A.D.)

The life of the Apostles and the Early Apostolic Church

c. 30 Death and resurrection of Jesus; coming of the Holy Spirit

the gospel begins in the center, Jerusalem, and expands outward to Judea & Samaria, Syria, Asia Minor, Europe, and eventually to Rome.

c. 40 The word Christians first used to describe believers in Antioch

c. 40-65 Missions of Paul and associates, especially to Gentiles

c. 50-95 Books of New Testament written

8 of the 12 apostles, were killed for their faith and preaching:

• Andrew : was crucified, suspended on an olive tree, at Patrae, a town of Achaia [Greece] where he was buried.
• Bartholomew : was crucified with his head downward, and was buried in Allanum, a town of the great Armenia [modern day southern Georgia].
• James, Son of Alphaeus : when preaching in Jerusalem, was stoned to death by the Jews, and was buried there beside the temple.
• James, Son of Zebedee : James was killed by Herod (Act 12:1-2)
• Simon/Peter : was crucified under Nero, in Rome with his head downward, as he had himself desired to suffer in that manner.
• Philip : preached and was crucified with his head downward, in what today is eastern Turkey.
• Thomas : was thrust through in the four members of his body with a pine spear in India, and was buried there.
• Matthias : replaced Judas Iscariot. Tradition has it that Matthias first preached the Gospel in Judaea, then in Ethiopia and was stoned to death there.

Only 4 of the 12 seemed to have had a natural death -

• John, brother of James : was one of the few disciples that did not die a cruel death, but of "old age". The only one who we know for sure had a natural death.We are not certain of how the remaining three died – we’re going with the tradition they all had a natural death – although some traditions record that these were also martyred:
• Matthew/Levi : fell asleep at Hierees, a town of Parthia [Parthia is near modern day Tehran].
• Simon the Zealot, the second Bishop of Jerusalem after James, and fell asleep and was buried there at the age of 120 years.
• Thaddaeus/Judas son of James : preached to the people of Edessa, and to all Mesopotamia, and fell asleep at Berytus, and was buried there.

• Paul : though not one of the Twelve, was beheaded in Rome. Paul was a Roman citizen and could not be crucified and hence had to be beheaded bby Nero, about 68 AD.

Aside from these leaders, there were several other unnamed believers who died for their faith in Jesus Christ.

During the first 100 years – the time of the Apostolic Church - the apostles and leaders in the Early Church undoubtedly preached the Gospel with power, signs and wonders.

The Next Four Hundred Years (100 – 400 A.D.)

Some of the key people in this part of Christian History and the preaching of the faith:

Ignatius of Antioch (35-107 AD), Bishop of Antioch, Earliest post-New Testament martyr. As the second (or third) bishop of Antioch, one of the most important churches of the day, he was certainly one of the most prominent Christians of the time immediately succeeding the apostles. Was taken from Antioch to Rome where he was killed.

Polycarp (69-156 AD), Bishop of Smyrna

"He who grants me to endure the fire will enable me also to remain on the pyre unmoved, without the security you desire from nails." He prayed aloud, the fire was lit, and his flesh was consumed. He was burnt alive by the Roman soldiers at the age of 86. He lived during the most formative era of the church, at the end of the age of the original apostles, when the church was making the critical transition to the second generation of believers. Tradition has it that he was personally discipled by the apostle John and that he was appointed as bishop of Smyrna (in modern Izmir in Turkey) by some of the original apostles.

Justin Martyr (100-165 AD), the Defender of the "true philosophy". Was a wandering philosopher, in search for truth. He met an elderly man on the beach who directed him to search the Scriptures. He became a believer and opened a Christian school in Rome. He wrote several books in which he tried to reconcile faith and reason, and attempted to explain and defend the faith. He also recorded the work of God’s Spirit in miraculous ways through both men and women. He wrote: "A fire was suddenly kindled in my soul. I fell in love with the prophets and these men who had loved Christ; I reflected on all their words and found that this philosophy alone was true and profitable. That is how and why I became a philosopher. And I wish that everyone felt the same way that I do." When Justin and his disciples were arrested for their faith in Rome, the prefect asked him to denounce his faith by making a sacrifice to the gods. Justin replied, "No one who is rightly minded turns from true belief to false." He said, "If we are punished for the sake of our Lord Jesus Christ, we hope to be saved." They were taken out and beheaded.

Irenaeus (125-200 AD), Bishop of Lyons

Tertullian (160-240 AD), Father of Latin Theology from North Africa

Origen (185-284 AD) Church’s first Systematic Theologian

Novatian (210-280 AD), presbyter of the church in Rome, who took a stand for moral purity in a time when there was steady moral decline. He also stood for his faith in healings, miracles and gifts of the Spirit

Cyprian (195-258 AD), bishop of Carthage, was martyred in 258 AD. He believed in the supernatural work of the Spirit and personally experienced visions.

Antony of Egypt (251-356 AD), Greatest Desert Father

"Wherever you find yourself, do not go forth from that place too quickly. Try to be patient and learn to stay in one place." Born into a wealthy family, Antony submitted to his parents and their expectations that he follow in their wealthy footsteps. They died when Antony was only about 20 years old, and he inherited every penny. His journey into purity began by removing himself from the village and spending time in nearby tombs. He took up strenuous spiritual exercises: sleepless nights spent in prayer, fasting every other day, and eating only bread and water. He discovered, Athanasius wrote, "the mind of the soul is strong when the pleasures of the body are weak." From the tombs Antony fled again, this time seeking refuge in an abandoned Roman fort on a solitary desert mountain. There he shut himself up for 20 years, waging a silent, solitary battle. When he emerged, Antony had become a symbol of strength and wisdom for all of Egypt. Having built a foundation of solitude and ceaseless prayer, Antony was ready to share his secrets with others who sought to follow his way. Many were attracted to his wisdom, and these he encouraged to seek self-denial and the hermetic life. He died at the age of 105 in the deserts of Egypt. Though Antony was not the first monk, his passion for purity blazed the way for a monastic spirituality. Athanasius's biography became a "best-seller" and inspired thousands to take up the monastic life, which developed into one of the most important institutions in Western history.

Eusebius (260-340 AD), Bishop of Caesarea, Father—and maker—of church history

"I feel inadequate to do [church history] justice as the first to venture on such an undertaking, a traveler on a lonely and untrodden path. But I pray that God may guide me and the power of the Lord assist me, for I have not found even the footprints of any predecessors on this path, only traces in which some have left various accounts of the times in which they lived". He wrote a comprehensive history of the church's last three centuries. For this ten-volume work on "The Church History", Eusebius is known as "the father of church history." But in his day, he was as much a maker of history as a recorder of it.

Ambrose (340-397 AD), Bishop of Milan

Jerome (345-420 AD), Scholar of Bethlehem, Bible translator whose version lasted a millennium.

"Make knowledge of the Scripture your love … Live with them, meditate on them, make them the sole object of your knowledge and inquiries." Jerome (actual name Eusebius Hieronymus Sophronius) was probably the greatest Christian scholar in the world by his mid-30s. In 382 AD, at a monastery in Bethlehem he spent the next 23 years translating the Bible into everyday Latin (later to be called the Vulgate, meaning "common"). He translated the Old Testament from the original Hebrew, and directly from the Greek New Testament. After 23 years, Jerome completed his translation, which Christians used for more than 1,000 years, and in 1546 the Council of Trent declared it the only authentic Latin text of the Scriptures. And ironically, Jerome's Bible added impetus to the use of Latin as the Western church's language, resulting centuries later in a liturgy and Bible lay people could not understand—precisely the opposite of Jerome's original intention.

Key Historical Events during this period:

c. 215 Hippolytus of Rome compiles the Apostolic Tradition, describing how converts are to be discipled

250 Emperor Decius begins the first, though short-lived, general persecution of Christians

312 Conversion of Constantine

313 Edict of Milan issued by Constantine, provides official toleration for Christians, freedom of worship and special favors to the Church

c. 340 Roman legislation begins to favor Christianity and penalize paganism

381 Emperor Theodosius makes orthodox Christianity the official religion of the empire

“One of the most amazing and significant facts of history is that within five centuries of its birth Christianity won the professed allegiance of the overwhelming majority of the population of the Roman Empire and even the support of the Roman state. Beginning as a seemingly obscure sect of Judaism, one of scores, even hundreds of religions and religious groups which were competing within that realm, revering as its central figure one who had been put to death by the machinery of Rome, and in spite of having been long proscribed by that government and eventually having the full weight of the state thrown against it, Christianity proved so far the victor that the Empire sought alliance with it and to be a Roman citizen became almost identical with being a Christian." (“A History of Christianity” - by Kenneth Scott Latourette, Vol. 1)

400 A.D. to 1400 A.D.

Middle Ages (Dark Ages) And The Reformation

The conversion of Constantine in 312 AD marked the beginning of the church’s rise to earthly power, and a slow departure from its spiritual mission. Constantine became directly involved in the affairs of the church, bringing together the ‘church and the state’. He initiated the buildings for the church to meet, introduced elevated throne like seating for the bishop, and changed liturgy and worship style that was pompous and impersonal. Constantine died 337 AD.

In 381 AD Theodosius I, the new emperor made Christianity the official religion of the Roman empire. As a result hordes of unconverted people filled churches bringing with them heathen ideas and practices. This resulted in moral laxity and further departure from the Spirit filled life.

During this time, the Church saw the rise of Monasticism. Monastics were devout believers who lived ascetic lives in an effort to experience the presence and power of God in a personal manner. Initially, this movement was very individualistic, with the ascetics living in isolation as hermits. Later, around 320 AD they began to gather together in communities, and during the middle ages (600-1500 AD), these monasteries became centers of learning. The monks became custodians of books and manuscripts. Many of them were strong in prayer and experience the supernatural power of God in their lives and ministry. They proved to be shining lights during this time known as the Dark Ages.

• Antony of Egypt (251-356 AD), Greatest Desert Father, is usually considered the founder of monasticism and was the inspiration for this movement.
• Pachomius (292-346 AD) organized the first monastery about 320 AD at Tabennisi on the east bank of the Nile.
• Athanasius (295-373 AD), known as Father of Orthodoxy, Bishop of Alexandria in Egypt
• Hilarion (305-385 AD), lived a life of devotion in the wilderness of Palestine
• Augustine (354-430 AD), Bishop of Hippo, North Africa, Influential thinker and writer
• Benedict of Nursia (480-547 AD), lived as a hermit in the mountains of east Rome and founded the monastery of Monte Cassino that lasted till World War II.
• Gregory the Great (540-604 AD)
• Bernard of Clairvaux (1090-1153)
• Hildegard of Bingen (1098-1179), was called the most prominent woman in the Church of her day
• Francis of Assisi (1181-1226)
• Dominic (1170-1221) contemporary of Francis of Assisi
• Vincent of Ferrier (1350-1419)

Peter Waldo (1140 – 1218), in Lyons, Southern France, began to preach and teach publicly, based on his ideas of simplicity and poverty, notably that "No man can serve two masters, God and mammon" accompanied by strong condemnations of Papal excesses and Catholic dogmas, including purgatory and transubstantiation. This movement was characterized from the beginning by lay preaching, voluntary poverty and strict adherence to the Bible. Waldo was excommunicated by Pope Lucius III in 1184.

Martin Luther (1483-1546)

Martin Luther was a priest and professor of theology, who opposed the church’s abuse of power particularly the selling of indulgences which was simply a license to sin. On October 13, 1517 he nailed his Ninety-Five Theses to the door of the church in Wittenberg, Germany and began what we know as the protestant reformation.

Contemporaries of Luther, who also arose as Reformers and furthered the protestant reformation, include:

Johannes Brenz (1499 – 1570) a German theologian and the Protestant Reformer.

Ulrich Zwingli (1484-1531), in Zurich, Switzerland led a reform movement that came to be known as the Anabaptists. They believed in the baptism for believers only and also the priesthood of all believers, along with the charismatic-prophetic experiences. The protestant reformation through the Anabaptists, spread in Germany, Holland through Menno Simons (1496-1561) and France. The descendants of the Anabaptists include the Amish and Mennonite churches, and also influenced the Baptists and the Quakers of England.

Highlights 1500 A.D. till Today

Since the time of the Reformation on through this day, the Spirit of God has been raising up men and women on all continents, who have boldly proclaimed the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Time will not permit us to recount the amazing stories of simple men and women who have been used by God to preach the greatest faith ever known.

The work of the Spirit in North America

The work of the Spirit in South America

The work of the Spirit in Europe

The work of the Spirit in the Middle East

The work of the Spirit in China

The work of the Spirit in Africa

The work of the Spirit in Asia

The work of the Spirit in Australia & Pacific Islands

[Today, we wish to look at what God has done and is doing in our own nation.]

The work of the Spirit in India

Brief History of Christianity In India

Apostle Thomas , According to tradition, the Apostle Thomas landed on the Malabar coast of southwest India in A.D. 52. He healed the sick and demon-possessed, converted people from various castes, and established seven congregations. He finally died in Mylapore (now within the huge city of Madras, recently renamed Chennai) at the hands of hostile Brahmans.

about 189 Pantaenus, a missionary from Alexandria, arrives in India.

about 1293 Marco Polo stays on the Coromandel Coast, describes the tomb of St. Thomas as a place of pilgrimage, and visits Christians and Jews in Quilon.

1502 Thomas Christian leaders ask Vasco da Gama for an alliance against Muslim predators.

1542 Jesuit missionary Francis Xavier and two Tamil assistants teach the Apostles' Creed, Lord's Prayer, and Ten Commandments to Paravars (fisherfolk on Coromandel Coast), baptizing 10,000 in a single month.

1606 Roberto de Nobili begins a 50-year career in the Jesuit Madurai Mission, adopting Brahman culture and becoming a renowned scholar and poet.

1710 Jesuit missionary Constanzo Giuseppe Beschi begins a spectacular career as the greatest Tamil scholar of the age.

1750 C. F. Schwartz begins career as a renowned evangelical missionary-statesman-scholar, diplomat, and mentor to leaders of later mass conversion movements in Tirunelveli.

1793 November, William Carey (1761 – 1834), Father of modern missions arrives in Calcutta, India and spends the rest of his life (40 years) in India.

1799 Serampore Mission established by William Carey, Joshua Marshman, and David Ward.

1833 Charter Renewal Act allows for full entry of missionaries into India.

1833 American Presbyterians begin work in Punjab and build a strong educational system.

1838 Jesuit order, restored by Gregory XVI, returns to its Madurai Mission after an absence of 64 years.

1841 Welsh Presbyterian missionaries in the Khasi Hills build educational infrastructures; local Christians later lead conversion movements until over 95% percent of all Khasis become Christians.

1855 Abolition of slavery in Travancore (Kerala) opens the way for mass conversions among untouchables, lower castes, and former slave castes.

1876 Naga Christians establish a "village of refuge" where American missionaries translate Scripture, set up schools, and lay the foundation for movements by which over 95% of Nagas eventually become Christians.

1886 Pandita Ramabai makes a triumphant tour of the United States.

1886 Catholic hierarchy of India established.

1888 Mar Thoma Evangelistic Association founded, with missionaries reaching out to low-caste peoples, forming ashram-like settlements.

1888-89 Salvadorians, led by German missionaries, arrive in Khasi Hills and gain first converts.

1899 Two Mizos become Christians, five years after missionary arrival. (Today Mizo Christians make up 86% of the population of Mizoram.)

1904 Sundar Singh has a vision of Christ and becomes a wandering Christian sadhu.

1905 "Holy Spirit Revival" and speaking in tongues among devout school girls at Pandita Ramabai's Mukti Mission attracts world-wide attention.

1905-06 Revival in the Khasi Hills, with 8,000 converts, spreads to surrounding areas.

1927 Amy Carmichael founds Dohnavur Fellowship for rescuing child temple prostitutes; becomes friend of Gandhi.

1947 Independence of India, accompanied by the Partition of the Indian Empire into India and Pakistan, followed the next year by the forming of independent Burma and Ceylon

1947 Church of South India is formed, combining formerly Anglican, Congregationalist, Reformed, and Methodist denominations; soon followed by Church of North India (CNI).

1948 Mohandas K. Gandhi is assassinated.

1951 Mother Teresa (Agnes Gonxha Bojaxhiu) forms the Catholic Missionaries of Charity in Calcutta.

1960s Freedom of Religion Acts bolster Hindu efforts to stop Christian conversion

1977 Indian Supreme Court defines evangelist's work as a threat to the "freedom of conscience" guaranteed to all citizens of India.

2002 Tamil Nadu Prohibition of Forcible Conversion of Religion Ordinance passed.

Of these we want to highlight the work of the following people:

William Carey (1761-1834), Father of modern missions

Translated the Bible and parts of it into several Indian languages and dialects including Bengali, Sanskrit, Marathi, Punjabi. Opened the Serampore college. Fought against Sati and saw it abolished.

Pandita Ramabai (1858 – 1922)

Fought for Indian women especially those involved in the Hindu traditions. She spoke against the practice of child marriage and the terrible constraints on the lives of child widows, and spoke out on behalf of young women and widows condemned to life as temple prostitues in Northern India.

In 1889 Ramabai established the Mukti Mission in Pune, as a refuge and a Gospel witness for young widows deserted and abused by their families; she also established Krupa Sadan, a home for for "fallen” women, who had been cast out of society due to their moral failures. Ramabai also started SHARDA SADAN, which also provided housing, education, vocational training and medical services for many needy groups including widows, orphans and the blind. In her spotless widow's white, Ramabai most often arose before 4:00 A.M. and worked until half past eight at night. By 1900 there were 1,500 residents and over a hundred cattle in the Mukti mission and she was also involved in establishing a Church at Mukti. In 1905 "Holy Spirit Revival" and speaking in tongues among devout school girls at Pandita Ramabai's Mukti Mission attracted world-wide attention.

The Pandita Ramabai Mukti Mission is still active today, providing housing, education, vocational training, and medical services, for many needy groups including widows, orphans, and the blind. [Source: Wikipedia.org]

Sadhu Sunder Singh (1889-1929/33), the apostle of the bleeding feet, evangelist to India and Tibet

After his coming to Jesus Christ, in 1906, he set out on his journey as a new Christian, wearing a turban and the yellow robe of a Hindu sadhu, an ascetic devoted to spiritual practice. Singh viewed himself as a sadhu, albeit one within Christianity rather than Hinduism, because he realized Christianity could not penetrate India unless it was in an Indian way. Sundar Singh travelled northward through the Punjab, Kashmir, Muslim Afghanistan , the North-West Frontier, Baluchistan, Tibet etc.. He was referred to as "the apostle with the bleeding feet" by the Christian communities of the north. He suffered arrest and stoning for his beliefs, and experienced mystical encounters.

Sadhu Sundar Singh is treasured by many as a formative figure in the development of the Christian church in India. [Source: Wikipedia.org]

Amy Carmichael (1861-1951) founder of the Dohnavur Fellowship

born in Ireland, was a Protestant Christian missionary in India, who opened an orphanage and founded a mission in Dohnavur. She served in India for 55 years without furlough and wrote many books about the missionary work there. Hindu temple children were young girls dedicated to the gods and forced into prostitution to earn money for the priests i.e Devadasi. Much of her work was with young ladies, some of whom were saved from forced prostitution.When the children were asked what drew them to Amy,they most often replied It was love.Amma (Amy) loved us. The organization she founded was known as the Dohnavur Fellowship. Dohnavur is situated in Tamil Nadu, thirty miles from the southern tip of India. The fellowship would become a sanctuary for over one thousand children who would otherwise have faced a bleak future.She had often said that her Ministry of rescuing temple children. In an effort to respect Indian culture, members of the organization wore Indian dress and the children were given Indian names. She herself dressed in Indian clothes, dyed her skin with dark coffee, and often travelled long distances on India's hot, dusty roads to save just one child from suffering.

While serving in India, Amy received a letter from a young lady who was considering life as a missionary. She asked Amy, "What is missionary life like?" Amy wrote back saying simply, "Missionary life is simply a chance to die." Her work also extended to the printed page. She was a prolific writer and poet, producing thirty-five published books including Things as They Are: Mission Work in Southern India (1903), His Thoughts Said . . . His Father Said (1951), If (1953), Edges of His Ways (1955) and God's Missionary (1957). She died in India in 1951 at the age of 83. Her biography quotes her as saying: "One can give without loving, but one cannot love without giving." Her example as a missionary inspired others (including Jim Elliot and his wife Elisabeth Elliot) to pursue a similar vocation. [Source: Wikipedia]

Ida Scudder (1870-1960) founder of Vellore Medical College

a third-generation American medical missionary in India of the Reformed Church in America. She dedicated her life to the plight of Indian women and the fight against bubonic plague, cholera and leprosy. In 1918, she started one of Asia's foremost teaching hospitals, the Christian Medical College & Hospital, Vellore, India. Ida had expressed a resolve not to become a medical missionary, but during that stay, she had the enlightening experience of not being able to help three woman in childbirth who died needlessly in one night. That experience convinced her that God wanted her to become a physician and return to help the women of India. She never married. She graduated from Cornell Medical College, New York City in 1899, as part of the first class at that school that accepted women as medical students. She then headed back to India, and started a tiny medical dispensary and clinic for women at Vellore, 75 miles from Madras. Her father died in 1900, soon after she arrived in India. In two years she treated 5,000 patients. She opened the Mary Taber Schell Hospital in 1902. Ida Scudder realized that she would be foolish to go on alone in her fight to bring better health to South India's women, so she decided to open a medical school for girls. Skeptical males said she would be lucky to get three applicants; actually she had 151 the first year (1918), and had to turn many away ever since. At first, the Reformed Church in America was the main backer of the Vellore school, but after Dr. Scudder agreed to make it coeducational, it eventually gained the support of 40 missions. Of 242 students today, 95 are men. In 1928 ground was broken for the "Hillsite" medical school campus on 200 acres (0.8 km²) at Bagayam, Vellore. In 1945, the college was opened to men as well as women. The Vellore Christian Medical Center is one of the largest Christian hospitals in the world, with 2000 beds, and its medical school is now one of the premier medical colleges in India. [Source: Wikipedia.org]

Dr. DGS Dhinakaran (1935 – 2008)

An amazing story of how God raised up one man to have a profound impact on the nation and influence the rising up of many other anointed ministers and ministries across the nation of India.

Yeshu Darbar (2001-present)

Dr. Sam Higginbottom, Founded Allahabad Agricultural Institute in 1919, now Sam Higginbottom Institute of Agriculture, Technology and Sciences (SHIATS) (www.shiats.edu.in)

Prof. Dr. Rajendra B. Lal, Vice Chancellor of this university when he was baptised by the Holy Spirit in Feb 2000. He received various prophecies and prophetic words especially anointed to heal the sick and cast out demons and preach the gospel. Thus the spiritual movement began and a small group started meeting in the house of the Hon’ble Vice Chancellor on Saturdays as well as in the Chapel of Brotherly Love every Sunday. God started healing the sick. People came to know about our heritage, values and preservation of it’s culture. Nearly 500 to 700 people started gathering every Sunday until the year 2001. In October 2001, the Spirit of God moved Dr. Mani Jacob, Chairman, Board of Directors, Allahabad Agricultural Institute–Deemed University attended the Sunday service and saw the work of God amongst the people and being inspired by the Holy Spirit, he declared that this small group of believers will become a great and mighty Church of Indian origin. Dr. Jacob, expressed that he has all appreciations for this Indianized Church which maintains our heritage, values and preservation of it’s culture. While he was speaking, the Holy Spirit spontaneously inspired him to speak that Rev. Dr. Rajendra B. Lal, should lead this Indianised worshiping community as it’s founder Bishop. Thus in the presence of the congregation, Dr. Jacob anointed Rev. Dr. Rajendra B. Lal with oil as the founder Bishop of the Yeshu Darbar. Followed by the anointing, the miracles, healings and wonders started in a much greater way and Spirit outpouring increased, resulting in a heterogeneous group of believers comprising of people from all communities (all castes, creeds and religions), assembled in a large number i.e. 50,000 to 60,000 every Sunday to receive healing from all kinds of diseases and sickness and deliverance from evil possession. This assembly is held on Sundays under the banner of, “Yeshu Darbar” in the open field and the Lord is confirming his word of salvation while doing wonders and miracles. At present the “Yeshu Darbar” Church services are being held in a football stadium with over 50,000 people gathering each weekend. [Source: yeshudarbar.org]

CHALLENGE

Time would not suffice to speak of so many things that the Lord has done and is doing around the world today.

The faith we have is The Greatest Faith Ever Preached, the greatest faith ever proclaimed, believed and lived across the ages.

It our turn now!

What are you willing to do to get the Gospel out – to preach, proclaim, share, tell, publish - this Gospel?

What are you willing to sacrifice?

What price are you willing to pay?

How much are you willing to stretch?

Romans 10:13-15

The faith we have is The Greatest Faith Ever Preached, the greatest faith ever proclaimed, believed and lived across the ages. Lets do all that that we can to preach this faith to our city and nation!

Esther 4:14

Plan for 2013

As we look ahead into 2013, as a church we wish to equip ourselves and go out into our city and our nation to preach and proclaim this great faith we have. We want everyone to be involved in whatever way you can!

Sources:

A History of Christianity, Kenneth Scott Latourette, Vol. 1

200 years of Charismatic Christianity, Eddie L. Hyatt

70 Great Christians, Geoffrey Hanks

What Happened to the 12 Disciples? [http://www.ichthus.info/Disciples/intro.html]

Evangelism in the Early Church: Christian History Timeline - The Growth of Early Christianity

[http://www.christianitytoday.com/ch/1998/issue57/57h026.html]

Ignatius of Antioch, Earliest post-New Testament martyr

[http://www.christianitytoday.com/ch/131christians/martyrs/ignatiusantioch.html]

Polycarp, Aged bishop of Smyrna

[http://www.christianitytoday.com/ch/131christians/martyrs/polycarp.html]

Justin Martyr, Defender of the "true philosophy"

[http://www.christianitytoday.com/ch/131christians/evangelistsandapologists/martyr.html]

Jerome, Bible translator whose version lasted a millennium.

[http://www.christianitytoday.com/ch/131christians/scholarsandscientists/jerome.html]

Eusebius of Caesarea, Father—and maker—of church history

[http://www.christianitytoday.com/ch/131christians/scholarsandscientists/eusebius.html]

Antony of Egypt, Greatest Desert Father

[http://www.christianitytoday.com/ch/131christians/innertravelers/antonyegypt.html]

India: Did You Know? Interesting facts about Christianity in India [http://www.christianitytoday.com/ch/2005/issue87/2.02.html]