Triangular Trip

This time the Lord took me to three places in North India again for the distribution of the ministry of the word, viz., Roorkee, Haridwar and Rishikhesh. Again this was my first visit to these places. A brother came along with me in coordination and we were given hospitality in a local brother's home in Baktowali, Jhabrera.

This was the brother I met few years ago, who came along with another brother in Gurgaon. Surprisingly some other brother had asked him to meet me, and till date I could not recognise that unknown introducer even after his photo was shown to me. Anyway, it was all the Lord's arrangement for His divine economy. During that visit, I remember sharing to him for hours on the truth concerning a genuine ground of oneness. He was very receptive and invited me to visit him since then. But I could do so, only this time it was possible; this was the perfect time.

We were together for six days, each day visiting different people and ministering as the Lord led us to. Though this was meant to be a distribution trip, it was more of a propagation. One significant thing in this trip was the following of the Spirit's leading. And we did exercise in prayer to discern the Spirit's leading.

Memorable and some note worthy meetings were below.

A seeking family: As the meeting began they sang local Hindi songs, none of which I was familiar of, then to take care of us they selected two English hymns, the last one being "showers of blessing." As we finished singing, the instant speaking of the Lord was on "Blessing is God Himself." For over an hour the Spirit's speaking was very rich on God in Christ as the Spirit is the real blessing. The family were very nourished and enlightened as message was loud and clear against the degraded understanding of blessings implied on materialism and mammon. As a token of thanks they attempted to offer some "offering" which I politely rejected with explanation, to set a precedence for the coming days.

Meeting with a Christian leader: A wealthy Christian leader running a big congregation in the city of Roorkee and having a solid work among the IITians was on a defensive mood as we introduced the ministry literature, especially the Recovery Version Bible. But as I shared my testimony of salvation and God's calling he was completely mum, listening with rapt attention. Though he tend to differ in some topics we brought out as he himself is a Bible teacher, he did acknowledge that he learned new things from our fellowship and confessed his defiant attitude when he prayed. We were glad, at least, he heard us out, and he promised to go through the ministry books before he could recommend to others.

A Christian leader in Haridwar: The main and earliest serving ones in the city, who was also a leader of a big international Christian organisation, was very curious to hear us first before he introduced his service to us. As we used the ministry books to minister the word he nodded and even audibly applauded our sincere effort to equip the believers with the truth of the Bible. His response too was that he himself would read the books first and then introduce to other Christians as well. His final comment was his appreciation in the clarity of the truths we presented, and opened up to us for any future help if we need it at all. Later we enjoyed lovefeast together.

A Christian leader in Rishikhesh: A very decent, well to do and educated leader and his wife welcomed us and gave us good audience. Every ministry books we introduced was an eye opening to them. With some insight, we presented the subject on "authority and submission" which pricked them so much as the Christian world today is embroiled with hidden fights for name, fame and position. They, without any hesitation, selected that book with the same title and others as well. Since they promised to introduce to others and they being the main one, we were happy that the beachhead was touched.

The most significant of all the meetings we had was the one with a Christian leader and his family with the local "Sarpanch," an elected head of a village-level statutory institution of local self-government called the panchayat (village government) in India (gram panchayat), along with a the district president and vice president of a ruling political party of the state, Uttarakhand. The Spirit's speaking was on growth in Christian life, oneness among the believers, sanctification by the word of God, and the truth and practices of righteousness. The speaking was so strong that these leaders would have been impacted in their inward being and living as political and social leaders. The burden on oneness was released because our host was in tears when he met us and expressed the sadness and seriousness of division among believers today of which he himself was one of the victims.

Another additional meetings were:

Two brothers from Delhi of a leading Christian group were co-hosted by our guest with us. As we fellowshipped, the Lord burdened me to share my testimony that touched them so much that the elderly brother of seventy five years later acknowledged his gratitude to the Lord for the unexpected meeting. He further fellowship and told me something of his discernment that I had the gift of prayer and healing and other gifts that many Christian leaders are seeking for. I simply nod my head in neutrality, and he asked me to simple say "amen." Only the Lord knows what He has bestowed me with, and if at all His discernment were true the gifts of God is for the building up of the Body of Christ that will fulfill God’s eternal economy.

Finally, the last meeting we had in this trip was the Lord's day meeting where I was asked to minister the truth on "baptism." I ministered on the seven significances of baptism, after which three new believers took baptism, one of which was a village "pradhan," the village head.

This triangular trip to three different cities and villages has opened our eyes and a new door for the Lord's move in the Hindi heartland.

May Your testimony in the Hindi heartland!