Report on Ministry Distribution 2021

On 19th April 2021, a brother messaged in our coordination app (MSTeam) if we would like to write a report on the distribution in India in the recent past. I took that as an opportunity to learn to write as a fellowship to the Body concerning the Lord's move in India through the ministry literature distribution. I brought it to prayer and considered carefully what to write and what not to write within the 2000 words limit. Then, felt led by the Spirit, I drafted a mail and sent it to the brother I am coordinating in the literature service. He commented that the article was good and recommended copying the brothers serving in the work in India while sending it. That comment triggered within me the need for further fellowship with the brothers serving in the work in India as distribution is also a part of the Lord's move in India. Though we serve distinctly, we all are in the one service, in the one work. Therefore, I wrote to the brothers and waited for their confirmation. Though the confirmation did not come as soon as I expected, it came a week later with one word to add, which I missed out on. Meanwhile, the Lord inspired me to add one more paragraph concerning being shown mercy to witness the works of the Holy Spirit in India. Then, it was sent to a brother who requested it. The report was published on Having This Ministry- A Digital Newsletter from Living Stream Ministry in the first issue, May 2021 

A Report on Ministry Distribution in India - May 2021 (lsm.org)

The original draft before editing for publication is below:  

Distribution Report India 2021

Listen! Behold, the sower went out to sow.…into the good earth and yielded fruit, coming up and growing; and one bore thirtyfold, and one sixtyfold, and one a hundredfold. Mark 4:3,8

As sowers, the serving ones have been distributing the ministry literature all over India. Since last year, the Lord has begun to manifest the “fruits coming up and growing” of the ministry "seeds" sown especially in the Hindi speaking region of North India. Many seeking Christian groups have taken the stand for the Lord's testimony in their localities based on the truths they have learned from the ministry books, especially The Normal Christian Church Life and The Glorious Church, and are now in fellowship with the established local churches in the Lord’s recovery. As evident from the fellowship with the key leaders of these groups, the level of truths in them have grown much. The ministry literature does the work of reconstitution and recovery inwardly, and outwardly to follow suit for the establishment of the practical church life.

The ministry distribution has played a vital role in opening up the country for the Lord’s move; breaking up the fallow ground, tilling it, and sowing the seeds of the ministry. Below are few instances testifying to this fact.

North India

In the month of February 2021, the ministry books were exhibited in the largest Christian festival held annually in Chhattisgarh. Many of the Hindi-speaking Christian leaders who have already been enjoying the ministry books have visited and purchased all the newly released publication in Hindi to the point that the books brought for exhibition ran out of stock on day one itself. Despite the ongoing pandemic, they invited the brothers and gathered the believers in the city for a physical gathering after nine months of lockdown just to meet and fellowship, in addition to arranging a Zoom meeting for those who could not be present physically. 

In a town in Odisha, a group of Christian leaders came to listen to the serving ones concerning the ministry books. Though they had some negative presumption before, after listening to the serving ones’ presentation of the truths for two days, they affirmed the orthodoxy of the teachings, testified of the new lights they have seen concerning Christ and the church, and planned for a visit to see the church life.

In another town, a group of Christians who have been reading the ministry books expressed their longing to fully take the stand for the Lord’s testimony on the local ground of oneness based on the truths they have learned from the ministry books. One of the key brothers, a well-known local tribal leader who left the denomination after he tasted the ministry, expressed his deep desire and burden for the truth to be made known to many of his relatives and fellow Christians. He and a group of believers are now under constant fellowship and shepherding, awaiting and preparing for the establishment of the local church in their town.

The ongoing pandemic, though disastrous, has paved the way for a good number of seekers who read the ministry books to begin to experience the practical church life, virtually though. They started pursuing the Holy Word for Morning Revival, and pursued The Life-study of Revelation. A brother, who is an elder in a Christian group, testified that despite being an elder for a couple of decades, never understood nor enjoyed the word of God as much as he does now after tasting the ministry through the ministry books. He and his family are under regularly shepherding.  

South India

In the South where Christian population is higher, the ministry books in vernacular languages have been introduced and distributed on a regular basis by touring Christian villages, towns, and cities, alongside visiting theological seminaries and supplying the Christian bookstores with ministry books. The ministry books exhibitions have been conducted in big Christian conventions where many seeking pastors, priests, and people have come to know and taste the ministry. Some popular titles among the seekers are God’s New Testament Economy, The All-inclusive Christ, and The Economy of God by Witness Lee; and The Spiritual Man 3 vols, The Breaking of the Outer Man and the Release of the Spirit, and The Character of the Lord’s Worker by Watchman Nee. Through such tours and exhibitions, a good number of seekers are now fellowshipping with the nearby local churches. In fact, the ministry literature serves a pivotal role in ushering the Lord’s remnants into the practical church life as envisioned in the books. 

West India

The Lord has reserved hundreds of seekers in different villages, towns, and cities, who have been the beneficiaries of the ministry books. When the saints took a distribution trip in February 2021, many of them were discovered in clusters spread over different districts of Maharashtra. The ministry books exhibitions and seminars were held in a couple of these localities where these remnants were contacted and brought under a regular shepherding with the saints in the nearby local churches. 

Prominent Christian Leaders

Another burden in the literature service is to clear off the "negative tag" on Brother Witness Lee's ministry among some Christian groups. Beginning this year, the serving ones have started reaching out to the key Christian leaders, who are nationally, even internationally, famous and have a nationwide influence. One such leader was met in March 2021, and the ministry of brother Watchman Nee and Witness Lee was introduced. He was impressed by the real-life testimonies of the saints and churches who are beneficiaries of the two brothers’ ministry, to the extent that he publicly introduced and recommended the ministry books to his congregation and invited the visiting brothers to minister the word in their Lord’s day meeting. Besides, the ministry books were distributed to many of the missionaries serving in the organization. 

In New Delhi, a prominent Hindi Christian publisher and literature organization has started accepting the ministry books after many years of subtle resistance. In January 2021, when the manager learned about the depth of the ministry teachings and heard the testimonies of the saints who have been enjoying the ministry, opened up and requested for all the publication in Hindi to be exhibited in their bookstore. This openness has brought a staff of the bookstore to be in fellowship and under shepherding of the saints in the local church, and also opened the door for many Christians to know and taste the ministry through their bookstore. 

This is a joyful testimony of the serving ones who have been graced to serve in coordination, oneness, and fellowship with the Body. This report is an answer to the Body's prayer, experienced by the unprofitable slaves who witnessed the works of the Holy Spirit, and are in fellowship with the brothers overseeing the Lord's work in India. Finally, the promising seekers who have been discovered were deferred to the co-workers for further follow-up shepherding and reaping for the Lord’s testimony. 

Prayer Burden

Pray for the Lord's continual shepherding of all these ones who have been enjoying the ministry for their growth in life and full recovery into the fellowship, oneness, and blending of the Body of Christ for the establishing of the local churches.