Before the service began that night, the Holy Spirit urged me to go straight and ask young men and women to commit their lives to preaching the Gospel. So before saying anything, I shared the need and gave a call to all those who wanted to commit their lives for this.
Twenty young men and women, from that one church stood up, and prayed a prayer of dedication. Right there, we prayed for an impartation of the Holy Spirit’s power over these young lives and it was one glorious session.
Then we asked for first time decisions and fifteen other people stood up. The Holy Spirit was present to bring people to Christ and to release others into missions.
We need to be asking the Lord of the harvest for this need and also keep on encouraging and enlisting people young and old, employed and retired, men and women and children, those already doing something and those wanting to do something, businessmen and professionals. We need to be doing in fact everything possible to preach the Good News, that none would perish!
This is how we can make every church an antioch type church.
Tuesday, September 27, 2011
Pipalpada - a church plant
One of the church plants out of Parsari church is Pipalpada. This is a story of the first couple who came from that village. For ages, this lady was never well. She was being tormented by evil spirits. She experienced pains and aches all over her body. She took medical treatment and went to several places seeking help but suffered without much relief.
People living nearby, who believed in Jesus Christ, brought her to the church at Parsari and we all prayed together. God touched her the very moment and that was the end of her misery. She went back and began to tell other people the great things God did in her life.
The news of her healing spread across the village and within a year, over 40 people were walking to this church in Pipalpada.
After initial hiccups, this couple began a church service in the village and today they have over 150 people in the congregation! The pastor comes and teaches the Word, but we pray for the people and visit them.
Now we are praying to build a building to accommodate the people. Please pray that God would give us space and building so that we can safely accommodate more people.
People living nearby, who believed in Jesus Christ, brought her to the church at Parsari and we all prayed together. God touched her the very moment and that was the end of her misery. She went back and began to tell other people the great things God did in her life.
The news of her healing spread across the village and within a year, over 40 people were walking to this church in Pipalpada.
After initial hiccups, this couple began a church service in the village and today they have over 150 people in the congregation! The pastor comes and teaches the Word, but we pray for the people and visit them.
Now we are praying to build a building to accommodate the people. Please pray that God would give us space and building so that we can safely accommodate more people.
A 4 hr trek to hear the Word
“Sir, I just wanted to come and greet and shake your hand,” said two young men who came to me after I taught sessions from the Word.
“Oh sure, how are you and what is your name?” I was trying to talk but had no idea of what was coming up next. In fact, I was a bit ‘surprised’ that they were not staying for the evening service. The conversation continued.
“I am Magra and this is my friend”, he said pointing to the man standing next to him. We have been blessed by these meetings tremendously.
“So good to see you here! Are you not staying for the evening session?”
“We would love to sir, but we have to reach home before it is dark”, replied the men.
“Where is your home?”
“Can you see the mountains, there? It is somewhere along that direction.”
“Unbelievable! Did you walk all the way from that distance to hear the Word?”
“Yes sir.”
“It is six now, so what time will you reach home”
“It would be about ten, by the time we reach”, replied the men as they started walking back home.
Blessed are they that hunger and thirst after righteousness for they shall be filled!
“Oh sure, how are you and what is your name?” I was trying to talk but had no idea of what was coming up next. In fact, I was a bit ‘surprised’ that they were not staying for the evening service. The conversation continued.
“I am Magra and this is my friend”, he said pointing to the man standing next to him. We have been blessed by these meetings tremendously.
“So good to see you here! Are you not staying for the evening session?”
“We would love to sir, but we have to reach home before it is dark”, replied the men.
“Where is your home?”
“Can you see the mountains, there? It is somewhere along that direction.”
“Unbelievable! Did you walk all the way from that distance to hear the Word?”
“Yes sir.”
“It is six now, so what time will you reach home”
“It would be about ten, by the time we reach”, replied the men as they started walking back home.
Blessed are they that hunger and thirst after righteousness for they shall be filled!
Seven Still Births and the Birth Of A Church
In his own words, Pr. Vechiya of Parsari village in Maharastra, describes his story.
We lost seven children one after the other. All the people told us that we had a demon in our house who was eating all our children. We were almost considered as outcasts of our village. When we had lost all hope, we heard that Jesus could save and also heal and give us our miracle. We went out of our village and walked several kilometers to a pastor who prayed for us. We did not feel a thing then, but when we came back we had a sense of peace and a new joy in our heart.
Within three months, we found out that my wife was pregnant. We were scared yet excited about that. When the time came, my wife delivered a beautiful baby girl, who did not die but is alive still. We knew that Jesus did this miracle for us.
We began going to church regularly and attending meetings for over two years. People began to see the change in us and in our circumstances. They also began to believe in Him. Thus as the numbers increased we started a prayer group in our village. This marked the beginning of the church at Parsari.
When people came to us for prayer we knelt down and prayed for them and God touched them all. It is totally the grace of God.
Today, we have four daughters and one son and two grandchildren. One of our daughters has finished Bible College and is a worship leader. Beside our own physical children, God has given us 500 children in our main church and another 600 in four other locations!
We love to serve this God!!!!
We lost seven children one after the other. All the people told us that we had a demon in our house who was eating all our children. We were almost considered as outcasts of our village. When we had lost all hope, we heard that Jesus could save and also heal and give us our miracle. We went out of our village and walked several kilometers to a pastor who prayed for us. We did not feel a thing then, but when we came back we had a sense of peace and a new joy in our heart.
Within three months, we found out that my wife was pregnant. We were scared yet excited about that. When the time came, my wife delivered a beautiful baby girl, who did not die but is alive still. We knew that Jesus did this miracle for us.
We began going to church regularly and attending meetings for over two years. People began to see the change in us and in our circumstances. They also began to believe in Him. Thus as the numbers increased we started a prayer group in our village. This marked the beginning of the church at Parsari.
When people came to us for prayer we knelt down and prayed for them and God touched them all. It is totally the grace of God.
Today, we have four daughters and one son and two grandchildren. One of our daughters has finished Bible College and is a worship leader. Beside our own physical children, God has given us 500 children in our main church and another 600 in four other locations!
We love to serve this God!!!!
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