Gospel Mela: 15 Prayer Points For A 30-Minute Intercession
A Fearless Bishop Who Took On PM Indira Gandhi
THE CHRISTIAN MESSENGER INTERVIEW Anil Kant, Gospel singer
INDIA’S EVANGELICAL NEWS MAGAZINE Vol. 13, No. 3 | JULY, 2016 | Rs.20/-
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‘And He shall bring it to pass’
3 Experiences of God’s Power in Your Way
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Messenger Missions holds medical camp On April 19, Messenger Missions organized a medical camp with a team of eye specialists, general practitioners and a dentist in a village in Red Hills near Chennai. Scores of people from as many as 10 villages benefitted from the camp. Pastor Samuel Oommen of Bethel Prayer House church graciously consented to throw open the church premises for the camp. We thank all doctors, God’s servants and volunteers who were part of the camp. (Turn to P 27)
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A fearless Bishop who took on Indira Gandhi
INTERVIEW Gospel singer Anil Kant opens up about God & music
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‘And He shall bring it to pass’
3 Experiences of God’s Power in Your Way him and how he will bring His children back to their land from captivity. The thing that God has established shall surely come to pass, but we need to pray that God will use us as mighty tools in His hands when it comes to pass – just as He used Joseph and Cyrus. How will God bring to pass the thing that He has established? Romans 9:28 give us the answer. KJV has it this way: 'For he will finish the work, and cut it short in righteousness: because a short work will the Lord make upon the earth.' But the Common English Version says: 'The Lord will be quick and sure to do on earth what he has warned he will do.' Yes, God will be quick and sure about doing what He has established. The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, says 2 Peter 3:9. He will quickly and surely bring to pass that thing that He has established. If you believe it, will you say an Amen to it? That His Only Begotten Son will be crucified on the cross for the redemption of mankind was established by God the Father. And, Jesus Christ brought it to pass quickly and surely during His time on earth. OUR THING The second thing God brings to pass concerns us. It's OUR THING. The promise God has given us through Psalm 37:5 concerns us. Rather, it concerns those of us who have committed our way to God trusting Him. To trust God is to wait upon Him. Waiting for God's time need not be a chore, it can be a delightful experience. That's why in the 4th verse, David says: 'Delight yourself also in the Lord, and He shall give you the desires of your heart.' God will bring our thing to pass if we learn to 1. Trust in the Lord (verse 3), 2. Rest in the Lord (verse 7) and Wait on the Lord (verse 34). Trusting, resting and waiting do not come easily to the soul that frets. That's why David begins the Psalm by saying, 'Do not fret.' 'Bringing it to pass' means making something come true. As humans we strive to realize something or try hard to make it come true, but when God decides to bring something to pass, He simply prospers it. Sometimes, He will also let us prosper it. There are three experiences of God prospering the
BY ROBIN SAM “COMMIT YOUR WAY to the Lord, trust also in Him, and He shall bring it to pass” (Psalm 37:5). AND HE shall bring it to pass, says the Lord. What will He bring to pass? Two things. The God thing and our thing. THE GOD THING The first thing that God brings to pass concerns Him. The Bible calls it 'the thing established by God.' It's the GOD THING. A great famine was to come up on the land of Egypt. And, God wanted to reveal it to Pharaoh. As the chief executive of the nation, Pharaoh had a right to know about it and God knew it. So, He gave two dreams to Pharaoh. Even though he saw two dreams he could not make sense of them. So he summoned all the magicians and wise men of Egypt. None of them could help him. The chief butler of Pharaoh remembered how while he was in jail and dreamed a dream, a young Hebrew lad called Joseph unraveled it for him. The dream came true in his life just as Joseph had interpreted, the butler told Pharaoh. Shortly thereafter, Joseph was brought out of the dungeon. He scrubbed himself clean, changed his clothing and came to Pharaoh. Joseph listened to Pharaoh's dreams, and told him how both dreams meant the same thing. Then Joseph said to Pharaoh, “The dreams of Pharaoh are one; God has shown Pharaoh what He is about to do” (Genesis 41:25). In verse 32, Joseph told Pharaoh: “And the dream was repeated to Pharaoh twice because the thing is established by God, and God will shortly bring it to pass.” The first thing the God of Heaven brings to pass is the very thing that He has established. It's a God thing! I pray that God will bring to pass the very thing that He has established for you and me this month and this year. The thing that God has established is a sure thing. No power on earth can change it or overrule it. No one can wish it away. That's why in Isaiah 46:11, God affirms: 'Indeed I have spoken it; I will also bring it to pass. I have purposed it; I will also do it.' Before famine struck in Egypt, God revealed it to Joseph and used him to keep His children alive. Years before Cyrus was born, God prophesied about THE CHRISTIAN MESSENGER w JULY 2016
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thing that concerns us. 1 . Y O U W I L L M A K E Y O U R WAY PROSPEROUS Joshua 1:8, 'This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success.' After Moses died, God chose Joshua to carry out His plan for the Israelites. That was an awesome responsibility. Joshua must have trembled to step into the big shoes of Moses, but he need not be afraid, the Lord said and revealed the formula for success: Meditating on the Word of God. In other words, God was telling Joshua: 'When you walk according to the Word, your way will be made prosperous.' The Word and our way are related. That's why the Psalmist says in 119:105, 'Your Word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.' Yes, our God lets us make our way prosperous by ourselves, but the power to do it comes from the Word of God. Your way pertains to the domain of our work, responsibilities and tasks. Are you worried about the responsibilities upon you? Are you vexed by the future of your children? Do you feel like you are ready to throw in the towel? Do not fear. The God who was with Joshua will go before you and make your crooked path straight. All you have to do is cling on to His Word and walk in obedience to it. Like Joshua accomplished what Moses could not, you will accomplish what your seniors at workplace could not. You will accomplish the very tasks that people who had gone before you had failed at. Moses was a man who spoke to God face to face, but what he could not deliver Joshua will accomplish. You will be able to outperform all those who had already tried their hand at something and failed. That very thing valour, wisdom and experience could not do, Website: www.christianmessenger.in Email: christianmessengerindia@gmail.com
anointing will accomplish. 'Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit, says the Lord (Zechariah 4:6). Anointing does not come to those who fret and fume at the things around them. Anointing comes upon those who tarry for the Lord's time (Acts 2:14). 2. GOD SHALL PROSPER YOUR WAY Genesis 24:40, 'But he said to me, 'The Lord, before whom I walk, will send His angel with you and prosper your way, and you shall take a wife for my son from my kindred and from my father's house.' Abraham's oldest servant who was sent on an important mission of finding a suitable girl for his son, Isaac, was at Laban's house. Before he ate the food set before him, he announced his mission statement. Abraham's servant prayed thus when he stood outside the city beside a well: 'O Lord God of my master Abraham, if You will now prosper the way in which I go…' Why does God prosper our way? Because of what we do for Him, the Master. Abraham knew his servant cannot do without God's blessing in his most-important mission and hence he prayed that God will send His angel with him and prosper his way. The servant himself knew that he could not do anything on his own and hence he prayed: '…if You will now prosper the way in which I go…' The servant's mission was to find a suitable bride for his master's son. Redeemed believers have a mission too. We are to 'go therefore and make disciples of all the nations' (Matthew 28:19). Apostle John in Revelation 21:2 calls the holy city, New Jerusalem, as 'bride'. We have become part of the church, the bride; but we should not be contented with that. We need to find more people to be part of the church, the bride. We have a task at hand like Abraham's servant to find a suitable bride for the 7
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and your hope will not be cut off.' What could be the thing that you waited for so long? How do you find that long-forgotten thing? What was the one thing that came up in your heart when you read the verses above? That is the very thing that God is able to bring to pass – if only you commit your way to Him and trust in Him. It is my prayer for you that God shall bring it to pass in your life this month or before the end of the year. What is it that we need to do if we are to prosper our way, if God has to prosper our way and if God has to make it happen for us? 1. Psalm 37:34. Don't choose some way arbitrarily and ask God to bless it. The secret of blessing lies in knowing the will of the One who blesses. Let the way that you have committed to the Lord be indeed His way. 'Wait on the Lord, and keep His way, and He shall exalt you to inherit the land.' 2. Hosea 10:13b. You may be very sure that you are in God's way, but don't take the familiarity of the path and the assurance of His presence for granted. Read Daniel 2:17-18. In Daniel 1:17 we read that Daniel had understanding in all visions and dreams, but when the rubber met the road, Daniel did not rely on his understanding. He went to his house and sought mercies from the God of heaven concerning the secret. Every time you are confronted with a problem, every time you need to take a decision – big or small – go to the Lord and seek His counsel afresh. Don't trust in your own way or count on what you perceive to be your strength. Proverbs 16:25, 'There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death.' 3. Isaiah 57:13b. Trust also in Him says Psalm 37:5. The also in the verse does not imply that we can have other options of trust. It's a command. Let our trust be only in Him. 'He who puts his trust in Me shall possess the land, and shall inherit My holy mountain.' Trusting in Jesus Christ is good for us for this world and the for world to come! Amen.
Master's Son. Here, the way refers to our ministry, our testimony, and whatever we do for the Lord. We cannot do this on our own. We need His grace and guidance every day to testify about Jesus Christ to those around us through our words and deeds. Jesus said: '…without me you can do nothing' (John 15:5). 3. GOD SHALL MAKE IT HAPPEN Psalm 37:5, 'Commit your way to the Lord, trust also in Him, and He shall bring it to pass' (Psalm 37:5). When God says He will bring it to pass, what He means is He will make it happen no matter how hopeless and adverse the situations are. When David wrote Psalm 37, his prayer was not for himself. He was advanced in years when he wrote this psalm (verse 25). He had seen the world enough to say, ‘I’ve been there and done it.’ His prayer was not for himself but for those around him whom he saw suffer due to injustice. Four times in the psalm he talks about justice (verse 6, 28, 30 and 33). David was concerned about the righteous waiting for justice. God is able to give His children justice because He loves justice. Chances are you've been waiting for it for so long that it seems dim now. But, the psalmist asks us not to fret. “For yet a little while and the wicked shall be no more; Indeed, you will look diligently for his place, but it shall be no more' (verse 10). That door of favour that you so desperately want opened, that thing for which your heart has been longing, that one thing you know no man but God can do for you is the very thing that God will bring to pass for you. You know what it is. Perhaps, you waited for it for so long that you have altogether forgotten what it was. If that is your case, the God of the Word wants to tell you: 'It's not over until God says it is.' So, don't give up hope. Proverbs 13:13 says, 'Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but when the desire comes, it is a tree of life.' Proverbs 23:18 says, 'For surely there is a hereafter, THE CHRISTIAN MESSENGER w JULY 2016
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fth; /gPr;rh;
GOSPEL MELA 2016 24-Hour Chain Prayer
15 Specific Prayer Points For a 30-Minute Intercession Praying with one accord for 2,234 people groups spread across 1.2 billion people in 29 states and 7 UTs in one nation. Every nation, every tribe, every people and every tongue shall say: “Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!” (Revelation 7:10). “Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved” (Acts 4:12). Redemption of our souls is possible only through Jesus, there’s no other way. Gospel is nothing but proclaiming that Jesus is the only way to be saved from our sins, to be delivered out of the bondage of our curses and to come out of darkness into His magnificent light. We are doing this in a concerted manner by targeting one State in the country every month for the next 12 months. We are reaching out to 100,000 people in each state with the Gospel message through tracts, other booklets and personal evangelism wherever possible. We are not working on this in isolation but have involved several local churches and missions organizations in each state. We have christened this effort as ‘Gospel Mela 2016’. We need your prayerful support to make this a success. We lean on to the One who said: ‘…for without Me you can do nothing” (John 15:5). God expects us to intensify our prayers and give freely to the Lord’s work so hundreds of thousands of Indians will come to know that Jesus is the only way to salvation in the next one year. Besides using these prayer points to pray for 30 minutes during the 24-hour chain prayer time, will you also set apart five minutes a day or an hour on any day of the week to join us in prayer? If you do, God will do wonders in this nation. Amen. Glory to God. 1. This month, we are focussing on Madhya Pradesh. Out of the estimated 666 people groups in that State, 623 are unreached by the Gospel. In a state with a population of 73 million, Christians amount to a mere 0.3 percent. The possibilities are immense and the challenges are huge. Pray to the Lord of harvest for a mighty move of God in the nation. 2. In a few days, we will set out to reach a particular district in Madhya Pradesh with the good news under the Gospel Mela prayer umbrella. Tracts, New Testaments and other Gospel literature THE CHRISTIAN MESSENGER w JULY 2016
have been bought and printed in huge numbers. Pray for the campaign. Pray for the protection of the workers. Pray that the vision of Gospel Mela spreads across India like wildfire. 3. Keep Balaghat district of Madhya Pradesh in your prayers. Our mission field is in this district. Out of the 296 people groups who live in this district, 273 are unreached. The Christian population percentage is a mere 0.3 percent. – Pray.
A man from Gond community 4. Pray for the Gond community in Madhya Pradesh. They are an agrarian community that lives on riverbeds close to forests. They believe evil spirits cause sicknesses. Perumal, the high-priest, responsible for three or four villages together, offers these sacrifices for every village. The sacrifice will be followed by a social dinner. The sacrificial goat has to give permission for the sacrifice by nodding its head! The people will wait till the animal does it. Pray that the Gonds get to know about the Supreme
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We prayed, we will prevail!
Sacrifice made for them by the Lamb of God (John 1:29). There are an estimated 1.4 crore Gonds in India scattered in Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Maharashtra and Odisha besides other states. Christian population 1.03 percent. Ask the Holy Spirit to soften their hearts towards Christians so that they will be receptive to the Gospel.
Mrs. Ida Singh I have had the good fortune of reading The Christian Messenger magazine for the past six months. God's Word that comes under the slug The Message is very useful to my spiritual life. I consider it a privilege and blessing to be part of the 24-hour chain prayer conducted under Gospel Mela 2016. Ever since it started, I have been praying for the prayer points. The prayer points are excellent. Focus on a state every month with data and statistics is helpful for us in praying. I have kept the prayer points in my daily devotional book. I read it every day and pray over the points. God will give a big harvest through this glorious work. Mr. Josiah Selvakumar Praise be to the most holy Name of our God. I live and minister in Dhanushkodi, Rameswaram. On the chain prayer day last month, I prayed along with my family from 10 am to 12 noon. I was hit in the eye by an iron nail
A woman from Lodha community 5. The Lodha community in India is estimated to be around 68 lakh out of which an estimated 120,000 live in Balaghat district. Most of them live in UP, MP and Chhattisgarh. They are also known as Lodhe, Lodhi, Lodhi Rajput, Parihar, MahaLodhi and Tomar. Some of the girls of the community are tattooed at an early age on the chin and forehand. The Lodha are moderately educated. The largest religion among the people group is Hinduism (99.73 percent), while Christians a mere 0.26 percent. A majority of them speak Hindi, while a few also speak Awadhi, Kanauji, Chhattisgarhi, Bhojpuri and Bundeli. Pray that the Lodhas will hear the Gospel in their own languages and accept Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior. 6. Pray for the Mahar community. The Marathispeaking people group were historically a part of the Untouchables, the lowest caste in the Hindu social system. Before the British period, they were not even allowed to sit on the ground or talk loudly to the upper caste people. In 1956, as many as five lakh Mahars converted to Buddhism under B R Ambedkar. The state of Maharashtra is named after them. The Mahar people are primarily Hindus. They believe in the numerous Hindu gods and the reincarnation cycle based upon their good works. Pray that the Mahars realize that Salvation is not by works but by the grace of God (Ephesians 2:8). Pray that the Mahar community accepts the gift of God. Website: www.christianmessenger.in Email: christianmessengerindia@gmail.com
and had to undergo a surgery. It was after the surgery that I engaged myself in praying for the nation. Believe me, it was such a wonderful experience. God lifted up my sagging spirit and made me experience His presence when I interceded for the nation. 7. Pray for a mighty revival in the mission fields administered by Messenger Missions and other mission organizations. If God's work has to progress on war footing, Gospel outreach efforts have to be accompanied by signs and wonders on ground. Remember our mission fields in Jammu & Kashmir, Punjab, Himachal Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh. 8. If every Christian family comes forward to send a person to missions or give generously for the needs of the missions, we can reach the unreached people of our Nation (India) sooner than we think. Let ‘Go, send or give’ be the slogan and the heart’s cry of
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PRAYER POINTS
We prayed, we will prevail! Rev P Rajasekaran I am glad I am able to pray for the nation as part of the Gospel Mela 2016 efforts. In my personal life, God has increased the burden to pray for the nation as a result of this. It is my hope and prayer that God will redeem several souls because of these concerted efforts through prayer and evangelism. The intercessory chain prayer has increased the soul burden of our entire family. Let us pray, may a cloud of prayer cover our nation.
Mahar community every redeemed believer. 9. A huge amount of money is required to buy Bibles, New Testaments and Gospel Tracts in Hindi, Marathi, Gujarati, Rajasthani, Telugu, Kannada, Tamil and Odiya among other languages month after month. Pray that these needs are met by God through Christians who come forward to store treasures for themselves in heaven (Matthew 6:20). 10. Pray for the Ponwar community. The Ponwars are part of the much larger Rajput community. The word Rajput (from Rajputra) means children of king. The Ponwars' primary religion is Hinduism. They pray to numerous gods to escape the cycle of reincarnation. Worship of ancestors is also common. They also believe stars control their destiny. The Hindi-speaking Ponwar-Rajputs are an influential community who are cent per cent Hindus. Pray that they become the children of the King of kings by accepting Lord Jesus Christ. 11. The Yadav community in India has traditionally been milkmen, cowherds or labourers while some of them are also businessmen and politicians. They are also known as Yadavas in some places. They are very influential and are a major challenge to the political supremacy of the Brahmins. There is an estimated 6 crore Yadav people in India with a majority of them speaking Hindi followed by Telugu, Bhojpuri and Bengali. Pray that the herdsmen will accept the saving grace of the Chief Shepherd, Jesus Christ (1 Peter 5:4). 12. Pray for the Tamboli Hindu community that lives in Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, Bihar and Odisha. In Rajasthan, they are called as Chaurasia. The word Tamboli comes from tambool (Sanskrit for big leaf). They sell betel leaves and hence the name. In Madhya Pradesh there is an estimated 211,000 Tamboli people. Balaghat district alone is said to have 1,500 Tamboli people. THE CHRISTIAN MESSENGER w JULY 2016
Mr. G Sam George I live in a village near Chennai city. For the past two months, I have been praying for the prayer points issued under Gospel Mela. Your prayer points help me pray earnestly for the nation. I feel the presence of God every time I pray over a particular point. Although I had resolved to pray for 30 minutes on the chain prayer day, when I finally got up from prayer I realized I had prayed for over an hour. The prayer points helped me intercede with a lot of burden. I pray that God will fill everyone engaged in the Lord's work with His Word and power. I pray that those who hear the Word of God will accept Jesus Christ as their personal saviour and Lord. Amen. Ask the Lord to raise up strong local churches among the Tamboli. 13. Do we trust God enough to save India? Halfhearted prayers won't do. If you are wrestling with unbelief, read Isaiah 50:2. It says: ‘Is My hand shortened at all that it cannot redeem? Or have I no power to deliver?’ Lord, we pray that Your hand will still do mighty things in our nation. With that hope, we pray: ‘Lord, save India.’ 14. Pray for the Pashtun community. An estimated 11,516,000 Pashtun people are said to be living in India. Islam is the largest religion of the Urduspeaking people group.
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Hailing from Afghanistan and Pakistan, they are said to be the descendants of a grandson of King Saul. The Pashtuns of Afghanistan are also called as the ‘lost tribes of Israel.’ The majority of Pashtun are Sunni Muslims. A large number of the adults are also illiterate. Ask God to grant wisdom and favor to mission agencies that are focusing on the Pashtuns. Pray for Pashtun children who grow up in fear and hatred of outsiders. Ask God to encourage and protect the small number of Pashtun believers. 15. Pray for the Bania, Agrahari community. Of the 326,000 people belonging to this people group, not one is a Christian. The Agrahari people have a traditional rivalry with the Agrawal people group. Although they were part of the same root once, now they are divided by bitterness and feuds. Pray that the Holy Spirit will win people from each of these two groups and use them to bring peace and reconciliation that will draw others to the Prince of Peace. The next 24-hour chain prayer will be from midnight of July 29, 2016 to midnight of July 30, 2016. You may request prayer points for the same. For any other assistance, call 044-65145334 or email: contact@christianmessenger.in
Website: www.christianmessenger.in Email: christianmessengerindia@gmail.com
,NaR ctikfspdhNy Ngrf; fhuzk; vd;d?
,NaR fpwp];J jhk; tho;e;j fhyj;jpy; ctikfs; %ykhfg; Ngr ,uz;L Kf;fpakhd fhuzq;fs; ,Ue;jd. Kjy; fhuzk;: mJ xU jPh;f;fjhprdj;jpd; epiwNtWjy; kj;NjA 13:34> 35> ~~,itfisnay;yhk; ,NaR [dq; f NshNl ctikfshfg; Ngrpdhh; . ctikfspdhNyad;wp mth;fNshl Ngrtpy;iy. vd; thia ctikfspdhNy jpwg;Ngd;@ cyfj;Njhw;wKjy; kiwnghUshditfis ntspg;gLj;JNtd; vd;W jPh;f;fjhprpahy; (rq;fPjk; 78:2) ciuf;fg;gl;lJ epiwNtWk;gb ,g;gb ele;jJ.|| ,uz;lhtJ fhuzk;: NjtDila uh[;aj;jpw;Fg; Gwk;Ng ,Uf;fpwth;fSf;F mJ kiwnghUs;. khw;F 4:11-k; trdj;jpd; gpd;gFjpAk; 12-tJ trdKk; ~~...Gwk; N g ,Uf; f pwth; f Sf; N fh ,itfnsy;yhk; ctikfshfr; nrhy;yg;gLfpwJ. mth;fs; Fzg;glhjgbf;Fk;> ghtq;fs; mth;fSf;F kd;dpf;fg;glhjgbf;Fk;> mth;fs; fz;Lk; fhzhjth;fshfTk;> Nfl;Lk; czuhjth;fshfTk; ,Uf;Fk;gb> ,g;gbr; nrhy;yg;gLfpwJ vd;whh;.”
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INTERVIEW
Obedience to God matters, not quality of singing: Anil Kant BY PALLAVI BHATTACHARYA BORN INTO a religious Hindu Punjabi family, Anil Kant sought a close relationship with God when he felt something was amiss in his life. Through a combination of various circumstances, he accepted Jesus Christ as his Lord and Savior. However, he sees the hand of God behind them. An exceptionally talented singer, he went on to compose songs and sing for His Savior. He weaves the traditional satsang with praise and worship. His CDs have recorded brisk sales and have touched the souls of many. He has also created beautiful music videos and short films that share the message of the Gospel. He and his wife along with their children worship the Lord through musical and non-musical pursuits. THE CHRISTIAN MESSENGER spoke to him at THE CHRISTIAN MESSENGER w JULY 2016
one of his musical performances in Mumbai recently. Excerpts from the interview: You blend melody and harmony so well in your Gospel songs. Music is universal. One can be influenced by various kind of music from around the world. My son, Rishabh, is into Western music more than I am. I get a chance to hear from him about what’s happening in the Western music world. My daughter has a good notion of Western music as well. Therefore, it is only natural that our music is a blend of various kind of music that we hear from different parts of the world. I am not too much of a puritan who wishes to stick to just Indian music, because it’s
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beautiful to blend all sorts of music.
like to serve the Lord together as a family?
Introducing satsang to worship Jesus was When you serve God together as a family, it’s innovative. What made you introduce this form actually the fulfillment of God's Word and His of worship? How’s the response? promises in our lives. When you do so as a family, you know that your cup runs over, and you know that Jesus is normally seen as a Western God, which is God is in it, because it’s not something that I am why we introduced the satsang as a contextualized doing as my own ministry. It’s something that God church version which is fellowship relevant to our wants me to do, and His hand is upon it. Indian culture. We’ve received very positive feedback from all over the world. I took up to My daughter Shreya has a degree in mass media, satsang for worship to reach out to my own people. I fashion design and graphic designing. She also come from a Hindu background. For a long time, I serves the Lord fully in her ministry. She is focused was unable to reach out to my own family. All along, on women’s healthcare. She holds classes and I was looking for the right contextualized model to workshops for women, because often busy with reach out to them. They would be so comfortable household chores they don’t take care of themselves. coming to a satsang than stepping into a church. A lot of women are blessed by her ministry. Rishabh has completed studies in management. He’ll You pen beautiful lyrics in chaste Hindi. What probably choose his own professional path. We’re was the inspiration? waiting to see what the Lord leads him to. My wife Reena and I studied in Delhi. We studied music There was a time when I used to be inspired by my together from the same teacher. Both of us have an emotions, but now my only inspiration is the Word of MBA degree. We both did our Bachelors and God. I am led by the Holy Spirit, by the Spirit of God. Masters together. We have a recording studio. I don't even know when the song is written, I just sit and write, and it gets done, it is as simple as that. You have sung along with other Gospel singers as well. What was it like working with them? Of all the songs that you have composed, which one is the closest to your heart? Every singer I’ve sung with, no matter if he or she was famous or not, is eminent. I don’t judge them by All of the songs that I’ve written are close to my their celebrity status. I’ve sung with some anointed heart. I particularly love Meri Rooh Khudaki Pyasi children of God, even in some remote villages. I Hai. really know that the Spirit of the Lord is upon them. How did your parents react when you accepted What are the qualities that a good Gospel the Lord? Have they accepted the Lord as well? singer should have? Yes, they have accepted the Lord but it was not an easy path. The Lord spoke to them and they accepted Him. That was one of the most beautiful rewards from God. Initially, they didn’t like it that I had accepted the Lord. They were so against me becoming Christian. I had a tough time explaining to them that it was not about me being Christian, but about leading a new life.
It’s not the quality of singing that matters. What really matters is your obedience to the Word of God. That’s worship. I think every Gospel singer has the responsibility to obey God, and to follow Him closely, because that’s when worship will be the bridge between people and God.
You recently recorded a message for Narendra Modi. Have you heard from him, his party or his Wasn’t your wife skeptical about accepting the colleagues? Lord, too? How did she actually realize that Jesus was the right path? I guess that they definitely heard it but it was not an offensive message. It was just an eye-opener. For a year, we had a lot of tiffs. Then God spoke to More than anything, it was more of an anointed her as well. message, to give a direction through the Word of God. People really liked it and forwarded it. I heard You sing and perform along with your family. that even in countries like USA and France, people You have recorded albums together. What’s it saved it as messages in their mobiles. Website: www.christianmessenger.in Email: christianmessengerindia@gmail.com
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by Sha gi re fti G ng os a pe Bi l bl e
SE ES N
SION IS
R GE M
THE CHRISTIAN MESSENGER
S
M
THIS BOOK HAS BROUGHT HOPE, JOY AND LOVE IN MILLIONS OF LIVES! Wasn’t your life also transformed for the better by the Bible?
Will you now place it in the hands of those who seek the Truth? GIFT someone a Bible in Hindi or Punjabi today. A copy of the full Bible in Hindi / Punjabi costs Rs.200/Join MESSENGER MISSIONS in taking the Gospel to the unreached people in Jammu & Kashmir, Punjab, Himachal Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh besides, of course, in Tamil Nadu. I would like to partner with MESSENGER MISSIONS by gifting 100 Bibles in ________________________(specify the language here) 50 Bibles in ________________________ 25 Bibles in ________________________ 10 Bibles in ________________________ 1 Bible in ________________________ I am enclosing a cheque/DD in favor of MESSENGER MISSIONS for Rs.___________/- as my gift.
I would like to partner with MESSENGER MISSIONS by contributing Rs.5,000 to print 50,000 Gospel tracts in Hindi or Punjabi ( Tick the appropriate box) Rs.5,000 to support a missionary in one State once a year / every month I am enclosing a cheque/DD in favor of MESSENGER MISSIONS for Rs.___________/- as my gift.
To send your contribution through Bank Transfer, Net Banking or Money Order, please check details on Page 21. Website: www.christianmessenger.in Email: christianmessengerindia@gmail.com
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SUPPORT OUR MINISTRY
Missionary children’s educational need unmet I greet you in the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ who said in Luke 10:42: ‘But one thing is needed: and Mary has chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her.’ We greet the children who are getting ready for a new academic year. We remember in prayers those children who are getting into new classes in schools and colleges; those who are getting into colleges for the first time and those children who are going to a new city or country to pursue higher studies. Chances are there are no school- or college-going children in your home. Perhaps, they have completed education and are now earning or married and living independently. Or perhaps, you still have your children in schools and colleges. As a parent, you know the hardships you went through to pay their fee on time. If it was a struggle to you, I urge you to imagine the plight of our missionaries who have forsaken everything to be in the Lord’s service. We need to raise Rs.1,38,000/- towards the educational expenses of our missionaries’ children immediately. From this year, we have decided to sponsor the fees of a Bible college student as well.
If God speaks to you to meet this need either partially or fully, I urge you to come forward and support us. I pray you would send your contributions to us at the earliest. We need your prayerful support to let the ministry go on unhindered. Pray for our ministries in Madhya Pradesh through Gospel Mela. God-willing, this month new initiatives of Gospel Mela will be launched there. Pray for all the meetings. May God bless you.
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Messenger Missions has mission fields in the north and central regions of India. It builds the Kingdom of God through evangelism, church planting, Bible Study groups, medical camps, community development projects and other ministries.
Messenger Communications publishes The Christian Messenger in English and Tamil. Its mission is to sow the Word of God and faith in as many lives as possible and proclaim the Gospel through niche media products and get a generation ready for the Lord’s imminent return.
To contribute your offerings for our missions, please use the details below: A/C Name A/C No Account Type Bank Name Branch Branch IFS code Swift code
To send your subscriptions and offerings for the media ministry, please see below:
: Messenger Missions : 913020055473409 : Current : Axis Bank : Mogappair, Chennai. : 345 : UTIB0000345 : AXISINBB016
A/C Name A/C No Account Type Bank Branch Branch code IFS code
: Messenger Communications : 030501389547195001 : Current : Catholic Syrian Bank : Padi, Chennai : 305 : CSBK0000305
Please let us know details of your offerings and subscriptions after you make the payment at 044-65145334 or 0-7299063345. It will help us send a receipt to you immediately. Website: www.christianmessenger.in Email: christianmessengerindia@gmail.com
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MM distributes spectacles free of cost On June 4, Messenger Missions distributed spectacles to as many as 76 people free of cost in a village near Chennai. They had earlier been screened for vision problems. The culmination of the program was the presentation of Gospel to the gathering. If you’d like to hold a medical camp in your village, call us at 044-65145334.
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Posted: 2nd to 8th of every month RNI No. TNBIL/2004/15307 Postal Registration No. TN/CCN/271/2016-2018 Licence to Post Without Pre-payment WPP No. TN/PMG(CCR)/WPP-77/2016-2018 | Date of Publication: 25 of every month th
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