LIVING THE VISION

“These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off were assured of them, embraced them and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth.” Hebrews 11:13

Are you at a place where you find that your dreams and visions have remained just that – dreams, hopes, and visions? Do you feel like you belong to the men in Hebrews chapter 11? Don’t lose heart! I pray that as you read this India Connection you will be encouraged. May the Lord confirm those things He has spoken to you and may your faith be strengthened!

2011 KSOM students

In the few years the Lord has given me the privilege to be involved in the India Ministry, I have experienced the following progression: First we caught His vision, then we talked about His vision, then we made prayerful plans and got involved in doing His vision, and today we are seeing some of the fruit of the vision. We have not produced the fruit, but as 1 Corinthians 3:6 tells us, “God gave the increase.” We are privileged, saints! I am eternally amazed that our Almighty God would think of incorporating us in His mighty plan, but He does and all the Glory belongs to Him!

This particular story begins in the slums of Chhattisgarh. As our vehicles came to a stop a few years ago, we were ushered down a path that was wide enough for just one person to walk, with shacks made out of plastic on both sides, open sewers running below, no lights, no water, no sanitation. At the end of this small long passage, we were ushered into a small open area where we would be preaching the Gospel.

From what I had been told, our pastors had been reaching this slum six months prior to our visit and it was a “hard ground” – filled with people who were desperate, just hanging on by a thread – physically, emotionally, economically, and spiritually. Steeped in superstition, jailed by the caste system, threatened by the slumlords – hopelessness and despair were the main diet each day for these poor people. For three nights we were privileged to preach the Gospel boldly and openly to these men, women and children, and each night many came forward for prayer and to give their lives to Jesus. The Word of God does not return void (Isaiah 55:11)! The Gospel pricked their hearts and they responded. As we left this slum, we prayed that the Word would fall on good soil and bear much fruit. The very next Sunday morning, people gathered and began to worship Jesus – in the face of persecution, amidst looming threats of grave harm if they became Christians – and yet they were compelled to worship Almighty God and proclaim Him Lord of their lives.

Dedication of new church building in Jagdalpur

The Lord put a burden on Pastor Joseph’s heart to put up a church building right there in the slums where these saints can worship. Today, I am thrilled to report that this church building is finished and it was recently inaugu-rated, and a flock of some 150 saints worships there. Please keep them in your daily prayers. One thing I have learned from experiencing this whole thing is to not despise the day of small beginnings. (See Zechariah 4:6-10.) The Lord is Almighty, Powerful, Creator, and NOTHING is impossible for Him (Jeremiah 32:17; Luke 1:37)!

For the past 15 years we have invested in India with an undivided heart and a single mind to train Christian men who will lead the Indian Church at large and train the next generation, as the Lord tarries. Speaking of “Living the Vision” – we are! At the Pastors Conference we met many of our older pastors and their wives, but we also saw graduates of the Koinonia School of Ministry (KSOM) who are now married, have little children, and are pastoring churches all across India. We as a body of Christ here at home get to Live the Vision! You are partakers of what the Lord has done in India, and continues to do in a mighty way. We know that it is His Church; He owns it and He builds it (Matthew 16:18). We get the privilege to be those “living stones” (See 1 Peter 2:4-7.) – check that: How many living stones have you come across in your life? But Jesus the Cornerstone, the Capstone has made us alive by giving us the opportunity to receive Him as our personal Savior, forgiving our sins, and adopting us as His sons and daughters. I am fascinated by the fact that He builds with living stones and not bricks. Bricks all look the same, come in the same size, color, weight and height, etc. Stones on the other hand are all different, unique, and only God in His sovereignty can put us all together as a body of Christ to bring glory to His name.