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WORLD MAP SEMINARS:
Impact in Andhra Pradesh!
By Frank R. Parrish
India: In a land of more than 1 billion people – many of whom worship over
330 million Hindu “gods” – there is a growing hunger for truth that can
answer to life’s challenges. We praise the Lord that more and more people
are turning to THE Truth, Jesus Christ, as they come to know that He truly
holds the only answers for them!
Christianity
is not new to India.
Historic tradition relates that the Apostle Thomas came to southern India
around A.D. 52 to preach the Gospel. Thomas met with great success and saw
many miracles, including the salvation of many Hindu priests – until he was
martyred for his faith in A.D. 78.
Persecution
has remained a challenge to the spread of the Gospel in India, even to this day. Yet despite
the resistance, in the last decade the Good News of Jesus Christ and His
salvation is spreading throughout India. Thousands are coming to
Christ daily, and newly-planted churches are springing up across the
country.
As is
the case in almost every developing nation, the cry among believers is for
training and equipping materials for church leaders. There are far more
believers and churches than there are trained pastors, so the problems of
reversion, heresy and lack of discipleship begin to manifest.
A Door Opened
More
than a year ago, I received a call from a brother in India. James Revapparappu, the founder of India Christian
Ministries, had heard
of the ministry of World MAP and felt prompted to contact us.
He
shared of the great things God is doing in Andhra Pradesh and the vision
and plan God has given him for reaching that entire Indian state for
Christ. As I listened, I bore witness in my spirit that this work and
strategy was God-birthed.
I
asked James how he thought World MAP could help serve the vision God had
given him.
“I
have heard of World MAP’s reputation for being a
solid, Bible-based teaching ministry,” James explained. “We have had
crusades and meetings with well-known speakers. But what our pastors need
most is strong Bible teaching and training. Is that something World MAP can
help us provide for our pastors?”
Brother
James was unaware that we had been asking the Lord for the right doors to
open in India
for World MAP seminars. It was hard to contain my enthusiasm as I explained
that we would gladly add this request to our prayers and calendar
considerations.
“True To Its Title”
I am blessed
to report that what resulted from that conversation were two significant World MAP Spiritual Renewal and
Equipping seminars in June of this year with key church leaders in both
Ongole and Vizag,
India!
There
was to be a team of three who were to carry the bulk of the teaching at the
seminars. However, a family emergency the week before the conferences were
to begin reduced our teaching team to just two – myself and Dr. Vic Torres
of Reach Out Ministries in Hyde
Park, New York.
Vic
and I experienced God’s peace, knowing that the Lord is never surprised by
such developments. We trusted the Lord to take what we had – our “five loaves
and two fishes” – and multiply it to serve the multitudes. And God was
faithful to do just that!
This
time was not without its challenges, as the conferences each comprised
three very full days, with five to six teaching sessions a day, in over
110-degree heat! But God’s grace and sustaining power were sufficient as
Vic and I enthusiastically shared everything God had placed upon our hearts
for these pastors. We invited the Holy Spirit to come and do what only He
can do – and He was faithful to instruct, bless and minister to the church
leaders who had gathered.
One
such leader, Pastor Raju, writes: “I am very glad
you conducted such a wonderful seminar. True to its title, it did bring
spiritual renewal. The truth that worked into me most deeply…is that I can
trust the Lord. I can trust Him for everything, no matter what the
situation is.”
Powerfully Touched
There
were over 500 pastors in attendance at each of these World MAP conferences.
We provided notebooks and pens to the pastors as they gathered for the
first session – and they eagerly filled the pages at each ensuing meeting.
Included
in the teaching topics were:
- Faith in God’s Word
- Confidence in God’s Call
- The Unshakeable Kingdom of God
- Hearing God’s Voice
- Three Temptations Leaders
Must Avoid
- Unity
- The Baptism of the Holy
Spirit
These
pastors were hungry to know God and very open to both the teaching of the
Word and the work of the Holy Spirit in their midst. Some were weary and
discouraged before their arrival – they came looking to the Lord for His
help and grace.
“I
came to the seminar struggling with a spirit of condemnation,
discouragement and lack of faith,” reports Pastor Babu.
“I was looking at the circumstances and doubting my financial provision.
But the seminar gave me a confidence in my call and lifted my face again… A
passion penetrated into my heart for the Kingdom of God.
I have understood about the gifts of the Holy Spirit. I am filled with
great joy now!”
Many
pastors came forward for prayer to receive the Baptism in the Holy Spirit;
many more were powerfully touched and refired as
well.
Pastor
Darla describes the seminar’s impact on her: “On the very first day, Rev.
Frank taught on the life of Paul. I have decided to lead an uncompromised
life and to know nothing but Christ… I am very much moved by God’s love for
me. I am also filled with the Holy Spirit. I will continue to be filled. I
found that I really need the help of the Holy Spirit.”
Unshakeable Unity
The
worship lifted by these Indian pastors was awe-inspiring. The sound of
their instruments and their language being sung was like nothing I had ever
heard before. They were truly worshipping the Lord Jesus Christ “in spirit
and in truth”, expressing the unity God was working among them.
The
only word I could manage to understand and sing was the occasional
“hallelujah”, so I would jump right in on that note! The rest of the time,
I lifted my hands and voice in my own words of worship and with singing in
the Spirit. It was a joyous and uplifting time to worship God together in unity
with my Indian family!
“The
teaching on unity is so wonderful,” says Pastor Prasadrao.
“It really blesses each other (sic) and there is anointing in unity. This
is a new thing to me to know.”
Pastor
Shadrach agrees: “The unshakeable kingdom teaching really shook me…I
decided to be in unity with my brothers.”
A Rich Deposit
There
is more that could be shared than these few pages will allow. Suffice it to
say that the more than 1,000 pastors in Ongole
and Vizag were so grateful for the times we all enjoyed
together. They were encouraged, built up, renewed in their passion for God
and reinvigorated in pursuing His call upon their lives to the fullest!
At the
conclusion of both conferences, it was a profound privilege to shake the
hand of every pastor in attendance and to hand them their own copy of World
MAP’s Shepherd’s
Staff in their native language of Telugu. They were overjoyed to
receive this gift that your generous offerings supply.
Each
pastor also received a Certificate of Completion for their participation in
the World MAP Spiritual Renewal and Equipping Seminars. And as a special
gift, they also received a commemorative canvas briefcase featuring the
“World MAP” logo. The pastors were thrilled to carry home these treasured tools
for their ongoing use.
But even
more exciting was what God had deposited within them during our days
together. Pastor Yobu explains: “I was very much
benefited spiritually by these three days. I recognized the presence of the
Holy Spirit in the hall for these three days. I am very much excited by
what I have learned… This conference changed even my attitudes, and I am
also grateful to you since you have given us training material.”
Multiplied Fruitfulness
We
thank the Lord for such effective and fruitful conferences in India.
Brother James worked for months to coordinate these seminars, and we are
grateful to him for his service. Dr. Vic Torres also served tirelessly and
with a wonderful attitude throughout.
We
know many of you were praying for us, especially those of the World MAP
Prayer Corps. The great work of God – with His joy, unity, sustaining grace
and strength that we also experienced – was a direct result of your
sacrifice of prayer. We thank you.
Thank
you also for your sacrificial giving to the ministry of World MAP. We try
to be the best stewards possible of the resources you entrust to us – and
God allows us much multiplied fruitfulness.
“I
appreciate your perseverance in teaching us, your co-laborers in Christ,”
reveals Pastor Nehemiah. “During these three days my spirit was revived.
The confidence had been missing though I do have the call… The encouraging
thing is to know that God does not give any unnecessary gifts. I found that
I am in a position that is necessary to the Church… I am very much
encouraged.”
Standing Invitation
This
brief report cannot adequately express the profound effect of these
conferences. Please take a few minutes to read the sidebar (below) and
other quotes from the pastors about how they were impacted by the World MAP
seminars this June in Andhra
Pradesh, India.
I know you’ll be blessed in reading them, even as I was.
World
MAP has a standing invitation to return any time to serve our brethren in
Andhra Pradesh. Thank you for praying for God’s timing and provision to
assist in the expansion of His unshakeable Kingdom in the great nation of India!
To God be the glory!
COMMENTS FROM PASTORS: SUBSTANCE OF SPIRITUAL RENEWAL
“The
confusion is gone.”
“The
teaching brought light to some things I had never known.”
With eloquent
understatement, these comments make a profound point: Spiritual renewal is substantial at a World MAP seminar.
Delegates come away with pressing questions answered, critical issues
addressed – and scriptural skills honed to “teach others also” (2Tim 2:2). Bibles are opened and key
verses probed for their rich stores of ministry-nourishing truth. A few
examples:
“The
teaching that Rev. Parrish gave from the life of Paul encouraged me a lot.
The five things that discourage a minister of God were very sobering. I
have been busy in serving the Lord, so I have been making a lot of excuses
for not spending my time with the Lord. But the word, ‘If you are too busy
to wait upon the Lord, then you are too busy to be fruitful’ has shaken my
ministry strategy. I have decided to spend time with my Master from now
on.”
“The
last day, the teaching was on Hebrews 6:10 where it talks about serving the
saints. It is a good thing that I was encouraged to do. Most people ignore
this thing.”
“John
14:16,17 was quickened to me while the Brother was
teaching. I understood some of the things about the Holy Spirit which I
never knew.”
“Acts
17:23-25 has blessed me. Yes, Paul got the vision and understood the will
of God. That is why he did not fear in the storm. Wonderful teachings.”
“Faith
is made possible by reading the Word of God. I understood, and much of the
confusion I have been having in my ministry cleared up. I have decided to
develop my sermons at the feet of the Lord.”
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