Shepherding Fellowship

As I was traveling around with the brothers looking for venue in Bengaluru for our upcoming proofreading project, I received desperate calls from two brothers concerning their tumultuous marital bond. Since I was amidst the brothers in a running car, I could mostly listen to what they had to say, letting them pour out their burdens, concerns, and viewpoints. The Lord graced me a listening ear to patiently listen to whatever they had to say. And then at the end, I only prayed. 

The following day at a convnient time when I was alone, I had a fellowship with them again over the phone, one after the other at different times. But the Lord also gave me the words to say and the time to call back. Though the matter seemed very complicated at the time I received the first call, as I prayed and had the following calls, the matter became clearer that the issues at hand were on the process of being solved. Though it may take time, the Lord intervened in both the cases and the two husbands who also called me realised their mistakes and made the necessary reconciliation due on their parts.

The truth is, Christ is the solution to all the problems. My one and only job is to allow Christ to come into their matters by prayers. I led both the brothers to pray as I also prayed for their marital issues. This is the secret to shepherding the saints, leading the saints to Christ. I believe in what the Lord can do and will do in these two matters. And trusting in the Lord, I declared by faith that the Lord will preserve the two marriages.

I also got a time of fellowship with a couple who I had been shepherding in the past. As we finished our tasks in Bengaluru, we visited this couple as out last stop beige we depart for the next destination Chennai. My fellowship to them was to treasure the presence of the Lord wherever they are whatever they do. Even as they would move to a new city Gurugram, they should look to the Lord for their housing suitable for the saints to visit them. Their house should be useful for the Lord’s testimony in hosting fellowship, Bible study, prayer meeting, etc. 

As I came to Chennai, I spent time with a brother fellowshipping concerning his situation and the concerns brought forth due to his entanglement in some extra  business affairs. In all the fellowships, my heart was to shepherd him and pray with him that the Lord would preserve his service and his family for His testimony. 

In all these, the matters were serious in nature but simply be solved in Christ. I thank the Lord that despite the enemy's wiles to distract and destroy the Lord’s children, in the spirit of fellowship, the Lord turned them all into His wisdom to train and perfect us, who all are involved in the matters. Thank the Lord, fellowship is the way to turn from failures and frustration to the Lord to enjoy the fruit of the Spirit!

Enjoy the Lord!

Two days after coming back from the ministry literature journey, I set off again with a brother for another three weeks journey this month. This was an urgent and timely need of the hour related to the fellowship concerning literature service. I had no choice but to faithfully carry out the responsibility set before me. Therefore, a prayer request was sent for this purpose as below.

PRAYER BURDENS: Literature Service

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“Where there is no counsel, plans are frustrated; But in the multitude of counselors they are established.”

(Proverbs 15:22, RecVer)

“The plans of the heart belong to man, But the answer of the tongue is from Jehovah.”

(Proverbs 16:1, RecVer)

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Dear Saints,

Remember in your prayers our traveling to the following town and cities and the fellowship with the brothers for the literature service.

25 January to 12 February 2024

26 Jan, Fellowship: Tamil Old Testament Recovery Version Translation

Tenkasi: Tamilnadu 

28-30 Jan, Fellowship: Kannada New Testament Recovery Version Proofreading and Venue Preparation

Hubli, Bengaluru: Karnataka

31 Jan - 2 Feb, Fellowship: Literature Serving Ones

Chennai: Tamilnadu 

3 Feb, Fellowship: Telugu Old Testament Recovery Version Translation

Visakhapatnam: Andhra Pradesh 

4-7 Feb, Fellowship: Odia Translation

Sambalpur, Khariar Road: Odisha

8-12 Feb, Distribution of the Ministry Literature and Fellowship with Seeking Saints

Bhatapar, Madku, Bilaspur: Chhattisgarh 

Pray for the  Lord's presence, His speaking through all the fellowship,  and His plan to accomplish in all the above matters.

The Lord’s presence and leading have always been the sustaining factor in all these journeys. The prayer of the Body has always been very much treasured, without which such burden could never be carried out. Therefore, I am very much dependent on the brothers and sisters' prayer support for which I always send prayer burdens for then to pray. 

As I undertook this journey, the Lord impressed me deeply with his words of confirmation. Though the task ahead seemed tough, the promise of the Lord this time was loud and clear, "Enjoy the Lord!"

My pursuing of the Life-study of Genesis just confirmed the Lord’s promise of enjoying Him in this journey and all the other activities to follow.

Being called by God, living by faith in God, and living in fellowship with God are all for the enjoyment of God. We have been called to the enjoyment of God, we must learn to live by faith in God that we may have the enjoyment of God, and we need to live in fellowship with God that we may participate in all His riches. All this is for one thing—the enjoyment of God.

“Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope in the power of the Holy Spirit.” (Romans 15:13, RecVer)

“These things I have spoken to you that My joy may be in you and that your joy may be made full.” (John 15:11, RecVer)

“For the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.” (Romans 14:17, RecVer)

Furthermore, as I enjoyed the Lord’s promise of enjoying Him, my daily morning revival reiterates the same promise. Our God is a God of joy, the Lord is a joy to His believers, and the Spirit who indwells me is the spirit of joy, so by abiding in Him, I can also be joyful!

This journey and all the past as well as the upcoming journeys will and must be a matter of enjoying the Lord! I am not laboring outwardly only. Yes, there must be labor too, but in all the labors, I must enjoy the Lord. No matter, I travel or not, my Christian life must be a life of joy in the Holy Spirit.

This matter of the need for enjoyment I also shared with my brothers who called me for fellowship and prayer. What a joyful Christian life I can live today!

Ministry of the Word in Vizag

The brothers in the church in Vizag arranged a combined Lord’s Table Meeting foe all the saints in the two district and requested me to.minister the word of God as the Loed leads. I looked to the Lord for His word as we travelled by train from Kakinada to Vizag. The Lord gave me the burden to minister in three burdens.

First, on the need to be brought into the full knowledge of the truth, I encouraged all the saints to read the Bible daily especially, the Recovery Version with study notes.

“Who desires all men to be saved and to come to the full knowledge of the truth.” (1 Timothy 2:4, RecVer)

Second, I released the burden on the need to first of all pray for anything and everything and never to be presumptuous. I also gave my own testimony of the Lord’s leading in my life through first of all praying for my family's salvation, classmates' salavation, and also for my service in the literature service and the church life the Lord has placed me in.

“I exhort therefore, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercessions, thanksgivings be made on behalf of all men;” (1 Timothy 2:1, RecVer)

Then, I released the burden on following the pattern of the apostles in living a proper Christian life for the church life using 1 Thessalonians 2. Verse by verse, I just read and emphasized the key words in each verse and simply repeated what the word of God says. The word itself is the ministry, the Lord’s speaking to meet the timely need of His church.

“For you yourselves know, brothers, our entrance toward you, that it has not been in vain. But having suffered previously and having been outrageously treated, even as you know, in Philippi, we were bold in our God to speak to you the gospel of God in much struggle. For our exhortation is not out of deception nor out of uncleanness nor in guile; But even as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel, so we speak, not as pleasing men but God, who proves our hearts. For neither were we found at any time with flattering speech, even as you know, nor with a pretext for covetousness; God is witness. Nor did we seek glory from men, neither from you nor from others, though we could have stood on our authority as apostles of Christ. But we were gentle in your midst, as a nursing mother would cherish her own children. Yearning in this way over you, we were well pleased to impart to you not only the gospel of God but also our own souls, because you became beloved to us. For you remember, brothers, our labor and travail: While working night and day so as not to be burdensome to any of you, we proclaimed to you the gospel of God. You are witnesses, as well as God, how in a holy and righteous and blameless manner we conducted ourselves toward you who believe, Just as you know how we were to each one of you, as a father to his own children, exhorting you and consoling you and testifying, So that you might walk in a manner worthy of God, who calls you into His own kingdom and glory.” (1 Thessalonians 2:1-12, RecVer)

In the afternoon, we met all the key Christian leaders living in the vicinity of the meeting hall of the church in Vizag. All of these Pastors appreciated the truth contained in the Holy Bible Recovery Version so much. Most of them placed order for the Bible and paid the money immediately though we did not have the stock to give to them. They all have requested us to make this Bible known publicly in big meetings and prayed for us for the spread of this Recovery Version especially in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. 

The next day, we went to meet a few more Pastors and all our time were spent with two main Christian leaders in the city. The first one is a lover of the ministry of Watchman Nee so much. As we introduced the Recovery Version Bible, he immediately suggested that we present this Bible to the upcoming Pastors and Elders meeting in the city where he himself is the main coordinator. As we fellowshipped, he invited us for lunch and we further enjoyed more time fellowshipping. He prayed for us and blessed us for the further spreading of the ministry of the word to many seeking Christians. He also purchased the Holy Bible Recovery Version for himself and invited us again to present the ministry books to Christian leaders.

After a wholesome lovefeast and a brotherly fellowship, the Lord brought us to meet with a Pastor who later revelead himself as a one who had his reservation on the teaching of Witness Lee and the Holy Bible Recovery Version as he had heard some rumors negatively spreading among certain Christian groups. He opened up only after I introduced the Recovery Version Bible and answered all his questions on his doubts about the Bible translation itself, the footnotes, the books by Witness Lee,  and the pattern of the church practiced by the local churches. Since this questions were raised in front of me, I deemed it best to fellowship as Christian brothers and clarify whatever questions and doubts he raised. Inwardly, I was praying to the Lord for the proper utterance and the Lord to open our brother's spiritual eyes to see the truth. The fellowship went on and on for over two hours. It was a good time together to meet with "opposers" face to face and use the Bible to address their concerns, point by point. Immediately, I also texted him all the important links concerning our statement of faith, an open letter, defense and confirmation of the truth, the teaching on the divine Trinity, and the practice of prophesying one by one, the need for the oneness of the believers for the building up of the Body of Christ, and CRI research and findings on the teachings of Watchman Nee and Witness Lee and the local churches. After all these, he was very open and his understanding of the ministry has much been better. I established a good relationship with him and promised to send him some ministry books on his request and opened myself to him for any feedback, comment, or clarifications. Then, we requested him to pray which he did and we amened his prayer for light and truth. May the Lord grant him the grace to see the truth and be cleared of all doubts, rumors, and negative speaking. Lord, gain our brother!

The local brothers who coordinated with were so excited that they could have a first hand experience of meeting with "opposers" and defend and confirm the truth boldly face to face with a spirit of meekness and long-suffering. As they drove me to the airport, we all prayed together and thanked the Lord for His leading and blessing this ministry literature journey. 

The local brothers even testified that this new year 2024 the Lord is doing many new things for His testimony in Vizag! 

Lord, bless Your move and Your testimony in Vizag!

Ministry of the Word in Rajahmundry and Kakinada

In Rajahmundry, the Lord led us to the key Christian leaders. One of them is a TV Preacher with a huge follower. As soon as I introduced the Holy Bible Recovery Version to him, he immediately purchased both the English and Telugu versions. May the Lord open his eyes to see the truth concerning God’s economy as he reads and studies this Bible. 

Besides this English speaking Pastor, all the rest were Telugu speaking brothers. So I left the introduction to my brothers who speaks Telugu. I was thankful that the Lord has been training and perfecting them to present the truth to Christian leaders using the ministry literature. 

Then, we moved on to the next city, Kakinada. There, within one day, from morning to evening, we met most of the key Pastors with a good number of believers. All of them appreciated the Holy Bible Recovery Version very much after we presented to them the key features of this study Bible. Each of them purchased the Bible either the Telugu Version or the English Version, and some both along with the ministry books. Even in this city, I spoke only the introductory words and let my Telugu speaking brothers function more. I enjoyed a sweet and wonderful coordination.

In the night, the church arranged a meeting where I shared about the need for living a normal Christian life by being brought to the full knowledge of the truth beginning with a simple exercise of calling upon the Lord’s name, exercising our human spirit, and reading and studying the Bible using the  Recovery Version Bible with its study notes to give a complete view of the Christian life from regeneration through transformation and transfiguration. Besides, I used 1 Corinthians 1:30, RecVer) “But of Him you are in Christ Jesus, who became wisdom to us from God: both righteousness and sanctification and redemption.” 

The saints were so sipllied and many of them shared their enjoyment of the word of God. I also helped them to pray-read and memorised the verse in Romans on calling upon the Lord’s name.

“For “whoever calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.”” (Romans 10:13, RecVer)

Having thus released our burden in Kakinada, we moved on to the last destination this time, Visakhapatnam. 

Lord, bless Your testimony in Kakinada!

Ministry of the Word in Guntur

Our days in Guntur started off with meeting a well known Christian leader who used to have a very negative opinion about the saints in the local church and the ministry. Since one of the elder brothers asked us to meet this "negative one," we just went by faith. I was praying inwardly as we walked to his home, that too, without prior appointment. But it turned out that as I introduced the Holy Bible Recovery Version he agreed to all the points I presented. He humbly acknowledged that he was old and did not have the strength to study further though he appreciated whatever I presented to him. Since he amened whatever I said with smiling face, I did not feel good to bring up any defending points to confront his "negative opnion" in the past about the ministry. I was not even sure if he was really negative towards the ministry except that a brother told us that he once was. We simply introduced the ministry books and requested him to pray which he did willingly and in fact, blessed us!

As another young seeking brother was introduced to me, I felt the burden within me to give my own testimony of how the Lord led me step by step to know the truth concerning Christ and the church and how He wisely graced me to take the way of the Lord’s recovery. Whatever I testified and fellowshipped touched this young brother so much that he immediately purchased the Holy Bible Recovery Version and wanted to purchase the books I mentioned to him that helped me very much. He also testifed that he was so supplied by the fellowship and that it was the Lord’s sovereign arrangement that I could meet him though he was to go other city for his ministry but somehow canceled it on that day. Deep within, I felt that the Lord would shepherd him through the ministry of the word and recover him for the Lord’s move in the South, especially Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. May the Lord shepherd him into the oneness and fellowship of the Body of Christ!

Likewise, we met some key Christian leaders from the inner life Christian groups and fellowshipped at length the truth concerning the church, the oneness of Body of Christ, and the overcomers. Many of them now have a better understanding of who we are and what the ministry of the word is.

Besides, I also fellowshipped with two families who invited us for lovefeast and especially with a full time serving brother in the literature service. I encouraged this brother to serve faithfully and also be in active coordination and function in the church life, not merely for his locality but also for the entire states of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. I was glad that he immediately received the fellowshipped and that cleared many of his doubts concerning his function in the church life. He testifed that the fellowship was an answer to his prayers.

Finally, I had a time of fellowship with the family of a brother with whom I have been coordinating for the ministry literature distribution. They have been barren since marriage and have been praying for a child. To them, I fellowshipped on the life of Abraham and Sarah, and Hannah. I also  testified of what the Lord has done in our family life, blessing with three children simply by trusting in the Lord. I encouraged them to pray and trust in the Lord’s sovereignty. Whether He gives a child or not, we must still praise the Lord and love Him. For He knows what is best for His children. The husband of the family later told me how supplied his family were with the fellowship and prayer, especially his wife. May the Lord grace them what He deems best!

With this, the burden in Guntur was released for the time and we moved to our next city, Rajahmundry. 

Ministry of the Word in Hyderabad

Last week, I was in Hyderabad for two days with the burden to visit some of the key Christian leaders and groups for the introduction and distribution of the ministry books, especially, Telugu New Testament Recovery Version. 

Though the local brothers did not plan any specific meeting, when we prayed and fellowshipped, the Lord led us to some key Christian leaders in the city. In fact, whatever the brothers tried to plan initially did not work out. Then, I searched on Google for some Christian groups and found a couple of them. One of those I selected and requested the brothers to drive to the address. This turned out to be a Pastor who loved the word of God very much. With him I could freely introduce the Holy Bible Recovery Version and fellowship at length on some deeper truth in the Bible. He also placed order for the ministry books in Telugu and a whole box of Telugu New Testament!

Then, we visited a couple of other Christian leaders with whom we introduced the Holy Bible Recovery Version. One father and son duo were so attracted by the truth I presented using Ephesians 1:5 and Matthew 1:1. The son immediately requestd if he could record my speaking on his phone. But I denied and rather told him that he could read the introduction done professionally on a web page. He further commented that the need of the hour was such Bible like the Recovery Version to help believers understand the word of God in a better way. They also placed order for the entire box of Telugu New Testament and English Holy Bible. 

On the last day of my stay in Hyderabad, the Lord opened the door for us to introduce the Holy Bible Recovery Version in a Pastor's prayer fellowship. We were given just fuve minutes at the end of the meeting as the program was already fixed. We used that time wisely. Since I needed translation to Telugu, I presented the Recovery Version Bible in just two and half minutes and my brother translated into Telugu in another two and half minutes. The Lord led me to use the study note in Philippians 1:19, tracing the progressive revelation of the Spirit from Genesis till Revelation. This became a key attracting point for the Christian leaders present in the meeting.

Right after the meeting, many Pastors came and enquired more about the Recovery Version and purchased it. Almost one whole box was sold instantly. And some seeking contacts were introduced to the brothers in Hyderabad for their follow up shepherding. 

Praise the Lord for His move in Hyderabad!

Shepherding Visit in Hyderabad

The Lord has been very faithful in leading me to places I should go and people I should meet, when and with whom. Last week as I was in the full-timers training in Hyderabad, the Lord made arrangement for me to meet three families in the city. Though I had no plan as such, the Lord made the arrangements!

The first family was a classmate of mine twenty years ago while I was studying my Master's degree in Computer Science in Chennai. His family had move to Hyderabad as he has been working in the city. His wife a medical doctor working in a hospital in the city too. As we visited him and his family, I fellowshipping on the matter of our need to be dealt with by the Lord through the experience of the cross of Jesus Christ and emphasized the need for laboring on the all-inclusive Christ. Then, my two fellow brothers added on the same points with more details. 

In order to encourage the couple for the normal Christian living, I shared about the need to function as priests of the New Testament, our divine birthright. As a priest, one must live in the presence of God, bring God to people, and bring people to God. This can and must be done by all Christians wherever the Lord has placed us. In our work places, in our neighborhood, and wherever. Besides, we all prayed for the family and encouraged them to be in fellowship with the church in Hyderabad. God also sovereignly brought a couple from the church in Hong Kong to live near his apartment so that they can be in fellowship. I do pray and believe that the Lord will receive this family for the church life.

The second family was the family of a sister who is also an Indian army officer. I knew her since the time she was single and was serving in Guwahati. She had been enjoying the church life there and even attended a month's training in Gurugram. She is also one of the sisters to whom I used to send prayer request whenever I travel for the ministry literature journey. As she received my message last week, she immediately enquired if I was in Hyderabad and that she would like to attend "my meeting," if any, or meet for fellowship. In fact, when I received the message I was already on the way to meet a brother's family who lives a few miles away from her. The Lord was sovereign in this arrangement; the date, the place, and the timing were all just perfect!

As I and a brother visited her family, on her request for the word of God, I fellowshipped with her and her husband on God's eternal plan. As we read Bible verses like Genesis 1:26; 2:7, 1 Thessalonians 5:24, and others, I expounded these verse and delved deep into the ruth concerning  the spirit, soul, and body of man and how God as the Spirit comes into regenerate man once anyone believes into the Lord Jesus Christ, the burden shifted to her husband who has not yet been baptised. Then, I helped him to understand the spiritual significances of baptism by showing all the important verses in the New Testament concerning baptism. I also encouraged the family to open their home for the saints to visit for home meetings and introduced them to the brothers in the church in Hyderabad. I do pray and believe that the Lord will receive this family for the church life.

The third family was a brother known to me since twenty years. But he has been distracted very much by the things in Christianity and could not stay faithful to practice of the proper church life. Nevertheless, I have been in touch with him and visited him whenever I can. Though I did not have any thought of inviting for any church meeting as such, after visiting him, he called me to get the phone humber of one of the brothers in the church in Hyderabad. Later he texted me to say that he had called the brother and that he would join the meeting with the church on the Lord’s Day. I do pray and believe that the Lord will receive this family for the church life.