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.

The Pastors Conference was a tremendous blessing to many of the pastors who have been serving all year in the field. It is their “only” opportunity to be fed. Here’s an excerpt from an e-mail one of these dear brothers in Christ sent to Pastor Ray:

This year we were blessed to have Liz Viola and Teresa Hiwale come and teach the pastors’ wives, and we heard wonderful short testimonies from the ladies to this effect: “We have learned things from the Scriptures that have broadened our horizons on how God views us. In our culture, we are told that we are an afterthought, but we are encouraged and now go with a message that will set many free as it has set us free.” Would you pray for these precious pastors and their wives as they minister in India?

The Medical Clinic continues to make an impact in the community. It is now in the News that 1 out of every 5 Indians has diabetes, but many do not know; 1 out 6 has hypertension, but is unaware. Alcohol and drug addiction is rampant. Starting this month, we will be offering weekly open/walk-in clinics for diabetes, blood pressure, and EKG screenings to reach the community. We are praying through a community development plan that we began this year with the women from the local slums when our medical team visited to educate them about hygiene, cleaning, water. Educating them and praying with them has opened tremendous doors to share the Gospel.

Please continue to pray as we have set our hearts on opening the Girls Home at the end of April 2012. We ask prayer for: 1. Wisdom in renting the right space; 2. Raising sponsors who will provide support on a monthly basis; 3. Infrastructure development - staff, communication and organization, etc. India may be experiencing an economic boom but there is no doubt that gender cleansing is a fact of life there. With that, the enormous need to reach these young girls, provide a safe environment where we would love them, pour into them every available resource, so that they can be those godly enzymes and catalysts to change the next generation. We have the vision, opportunity, heart and will. We need your prayers and support as we embark on this life saving journey. Come and be a part of it!

As we close this year, we are looking ahead and earnestly seeking the funding to begin construction on the India Ministry multi-purpose building. The Lord has provided the land, but you may not be aware that we are spending anywhere between 34% to 37% of the India Ministry monthly budget on renting space for the KSOM and the Medical Clinic, and the costs keep going up. We can begin construction with $ 100,000.00, and I have complete faith that God will do the rest. Begin we must, prayerfully and by faith. The money we save in rent will completely paid for – just in “rental monies saved” in three years! Would you share this with others? Would you pray and seek the Lord on this matter and how you should get involved?

THANK YOU again for being conduits of God’s blessings to all of us at Koinonia. Your prayers and support help us take the Gospel to many in India. We all share in the blessings of this ministry. As you celebrate Christmas with your family, our prayers are with you as we seek His will preeminently in your lives. As for the visions, dreams and hopes that you have had – Do NOT give up and Do NOT quit!! As long as Jesus is on the Throne, we have hope. One thing we cannot afford to do is to become stagnant. We are called to be rivers of living waters, conduits of God’s truth and grace and love. This Christmas, may your life and your families be filled with the Joy of the Lord because God is with us!

In His Service,
Pastor Ben

“For the vision is yet for the appointed time; it hastens toward the goal and it will not fail. Though it tarries, wait for it; for it will certainly come, it will not delay.” Habakkuk 2:3 NASB