Pastor Conference (part 2)

So what does cooking for 120+ people look like in India? Exactly like this: 

Huge pots, all fresh ingredients and cooking over a fire. What an awesome experience! Pastors from all over the region gathering for this time, learning about each other’s ministry and encouraging one another!

After lunch we came back together for the second part of our conference.  This time, Jay started with his testimony and how it brought a practical side to the talks from the first part of the seminar.  It was clutch!  A real-life testimony to the concepts we just discussed.  It was awesome.

The second half focused on prayer and cooperation.  It was a truly powerful time.  At the end of the conference I spoke about salt and its power.  We looked at why biblically salt related to us as believers.  I talked about how we all are to work together in this ministry to hold each other up as we work.  To bring that home, I had Pastor Moses get a large bowl of salt and bring it out.  I challenged the pastors to pray and come up and take a handful of salt and put it into an empty bowl.  As each pastor added his salt to the growing amount in the bowl, we were no longer individuals but a team, working together.  It was a moving thing to see all of them respond.

Later I talked with one pastor that really moved me.  He told me that because of the day he now had a burden for souls and that he was going to do something about it.  He also said he would never forget the salt covenant we made at the end of the conference and how it encouraged him to know he was bound with brothers on the other side of the world.

Wow.  I cried.  

Pastor Raja

Some of you may have heard my story of Pastor Raja.  A man from India that called our office asking me when I am coming to India.  Over the past year we talked many times on the phone, shared our hearts, and prayed and encouraged one another.  Well, I finally got to meet him face-to-face.

We were able to sit and chat for awhile.  I know he was disappointed that our time was so short.  Still, we've solidified a friendship and I believe our paths will cross again.

Pastor Conference Number 1 (pt 1)

Yesterday was pastor conference number 1.  Moses had told us from the start of our trip planning that we were going to be speaking for several hours at a pastor's conference he was organizing.  Here's the brochure for 2 guys from America coming to Moses' church.

From the beginning, my heart had been set on teaching the Walk Thru the Bible to these men in India.  The Walk Thru message is powerful and transferable and offers so many opportunities to share the truth of the Gospel with non-believers as well as teach and encourage believers.  I give all the setup on Walk Thru because an event is usually 4 to 5 hours.  When we finally got the details on the conference worked out, we were only speaking about 4 hours.  There would not be enough time when speaking through a translator.

But God had other plans anyway.  (And, yes, His plans were AWESOME!)

120 pastors from a radius of about 60 miles came to hear God's word, be encouraged and enjoy fellowship.  This was a humbling idea.  All the time up til now I was coming to teach Walk Thru, but now, Jay and I were speaking to these men that were laboring for God.

In the church, everyone takes off their shoes before they enter.  It is Holy ground and everyone goes without shoes.

And Jay and I walked into this picture.

The day was amazing.  In the first session, Jay started with talking about the comparison between the Indian church and Acts 17.  There are so many gods and idols around, and as pastors they have an opportunity to share that is unlike any other.  He also encouraged them that God had placed them in India and they were to act like the Indian church, not try to copy other churches from other countries.  A good word indeed!  Then,  we spoke on the 4 deadly questions and the need to talk "to" people where they are rather than "at" them.  This really hit some of the pastors as they were able to really begin to have a renewed heart for reaching the lost.

Humbling to say the least.


4 Deadly Questions for Evangelism
1)  What do you mean by that?
2)  Where do you get your information from?
3)  How do you know that to be true?
4)  What happens if you are wrong?

A Birthday and the Gospel

After playing with the kids, Pastor Moses told me we were going to a birthday party.  One of his church members had a daughter that had turned 3 and wanted Moses to come and pray a blessing.  So off we went.

On the way there I got to experience and India traffic jam.  Imagine something like this picture I took in the day time.

Only it's night, there are 3 times as many people, and a large bus is pusing through slowly like some kind of crazy video game.  It was a little tense, but we made it there.

At the home, our plans changed a little.  The mother of the birthday girl said that she wanted us to stay for the party, not just pray.  And not just stay for the party, but give a gospel message because some of the extended family and guests were not Christian.  So then Moses looks at me and says, "Ok, Bill.  You'll give 1 hour gospel message."  Now remember, this is with a translator so it's really about 30 minutes.  The party was being held outside in the alley by their home.  They had an amplifier and microphones setup and we had church.  A good time of praise and worship, and then the message.  Here's what it looks like when you come to a birthday and hear a message about the greatest birthday in the Bible, the birth of Jesus.

And then you here about the chance for rebirth that can only come through following Him.  As we preached, others began to come and hear the truth of Jesus.  People were coming to hear the truth.  Here's a picture of Moses and I.

I show this picture because the man sitting with the speaker directly beside him is Hindu.  Just outside of he picture are 2 other people.  So for over an hour they were literally being blasted with the message of Jesus through praise, worship, message and prayer.  It was truly a powerful time.

Gifts for Children

Yesterday was full of amazing things.  I spent the day alone with Pastor Moses.  Jay was unfortunately at work and could not get away.  He missed an adventure.

The day started with a trip back out to the orphanage.  What an experience.  I was able to give out the gifts that you all so generously donated.

Happy faces tell of fun times to come with kazoos, kaleidoscopes, coloring pencils and books, and jingle bells.  The children had a ball!  Many games and drawings.  Complete laughter and fascination from children and adults over the kaleidoscopes.  I felt in awe.  Such simple things that brought so much joy.  Real joy.

The children then taught me "This is the Day" in their language, Telugu.  I will not include a sound file, but if you ask, I'll sing it for you :)

One thing my wife commented on as she looked at all my pictures so far was that all the children look happy.  Big smiles and hearts are always seen.  How can this be the case in an orphanage where each child's story is so heart touching?  I can give you a hint.  (JESUS!)

Orphans, Pastors and India Time

Yesterday was amazing.  I had the amazing opportunity to meet Pastor Moses, his family, the children in the orphanage and some of the men and women that work in his ministry.  This is a place where faith comes to life.

Here is the church that Moses built in the past year

This building stands next to a witch's home and behind a Hindu temple.  It is a place that stands for God.  There are many stories of how the land was donated, funds were donated and God's provision for water that stand as a testament to this ministry.

We spent the day visiting the orphans.  They so much wanted love.  We played games, told stories, sang with them and just talked.  Each has a story that is heart breaking.  Pastor Moses and his family have taken the charge  from James seriously and pledged to watch over these children until they are of age.  Amazing sacrifices are made here every day.

During our visit, the Muslim call to prayer played out.  This was in stark contrast to the joyful singing of the children in the orphanage singing Father Abraham, Jesus Loves Me and other children's songs in Telugu.  I have never been so in the middle of opposing spiritual views.  In America things are much different.  We have opposing views, but often try to gloss over them to make everyone think that we are really all the same.  Here, Nissi Faith stands tall and proud for God.  It is humbling.

On Tuesday we have 100 or so pastors coming to a conference to hear Jay and I speak.  The conference will go from 10a to 4p, India time.  I have learned that India time is more than the time zone, it is a way of life.  Let me illustrate with this conference.  Though it is scheduled to start at 10, we won't really start to 11:30.  Then, we'll eat at 1, start pack a little after 2 and wrap up after 4.  The whole time of starting and ending is more a feeling of the a part of the day more than exactness.  The same timing came up when Jay was talking to his driver about being picked up for a meeting.  Jay said he needed the car to be there at 9:15.  The driver said he would be there at 9:30 because Jay would not need to travel so long.  Jay reiterrated 9:15 because he needed to be at his office earlier.  The driver responded ok, he'll be there at 9.  Jay then politely told him that the car could be there at 9, but Jay wasn't coming down to 9:15.  India time.  

I Made It!

Long flights, gifts of grace and some great stories.  Those are some of my memories of the 36hr journey here.  And I am here.

I'm sitting at my laptop in my hotel room in India.  So far I've met up with Pastor Moses and his team, had breakfast with Jay and just took a very refreshing shower.  Tonight, Jay and I will be meeting with Moses and his family for sharing stories and good bread-breaking.