The Indian Pentecostal Church of God Kuwait was formed on September 5th 1976 with a handful of believers who came from India. Since its inception, the Church has been a support for the mission work in India. In the initial stages of mission support, an amount of Rs.500/- per month was sent directly to three missionaries as directed by the IPC Kerala Mission Board. This amount was sufficient to pay the house rent for a family living in India during those days. Support in this manner either continued for five years in one place or until the work was established in the area.
As the years have passed, the membership of the Church has increased and we enhanced the sponsorship by supporting more missionaries and augmenting their monthly supports. However, due to the Iraqi invasion in Kuwait in 1990, we were forced to stop this support.
Following the liberation of Kuwait in 1991, the churches in Kuwait, including IPC Kuwait, were re-established. The second phase of our mission support started in 1992. We started supporting different mission stations in India through the IPC Kerala Mission Board Office. Besides this, God enabled us to start two other mission stations, giving them full financial support. Both mission fields have grown to a stage that no more financial support from outside Kerala was required.
In 2008, IPC Kuwait conducted a detailed study of the climate of missions in India. The study revealed that the work in India today is very organized to the extent that churches can adopt new mission fields and focus entirely on the work in that particular area. Many IPC pastors serving the Lord outside of India are shouldering responsibility for different districts or areas by running Bible Schools and financing new work stations there. Based on the afore-mentioned studies, IPC Kuwait also decided to take up new areas where no previous work existed and develop mission works in association with the state/region leaders by sending missionaries. Today, we are no longer sponsors of works but are partners of mission works in India.
Nenmara, Palakkad District
Nenmara area in Palakkad District, Kerala was chosen as our pilot project where we sent out few evangelists. These evangelists live in rented houses in areas where there are no churches and work in the nearby towns and villages. We are receiving satisfactory reports from the fields regularly. Many lives are being touched and changed by the power of the Gospel.
Other Mission Stations in Kerala
Thodupuzha: One of our former members pioneered this work. IPC Kuwait is sponsoring the work by sending monthly financial support.
Mayurbhenj Dist., Orissa
This is the north-east district of Orissa where the Australian missionary, Graham Staines, worked for 34 long years before he and his two sons, Timothy and Phillip, were burned alive early on the morning of Jan 23, 1999. This part of Orissa is very much neglected. Our representatives have visited these villages several times. Bible classes, workers meeting, gospel meetings, and baptisms were conducted during their visits. By the grace of God, we were able to support many evangelists in this area and God added many people to His church in Orissa by confirming His word through signs and wonders. God is working mightily in Orissa through the dedicated and faithful servants of God. The harvest truly is plenteous, but the labourers are few. Let us pray and ask the Lord of the harvest to send out more missionaries to go into these rural areas of India.
Madavi-Tapi, South Gujarat.
Satisfied by the fruits of the first two projects, we have ventured out to study about the Tapi District of Gujarat, with help of the IPC South Gujarat leadership. In July 2010, Bro. Jacob Thomas, our Ex.Mission co-ordinater, visited a few villages of South Gujarat and met six evangelists who were willing to partner with us. Accordingly, we have started six stations in Madavi area under the leadership of IPC Gujarat. In addition to laboring in this new mission field, four of these missionaries are also receiving additional training in the Gujarat Bible Training Center, Anand. After six months, follow up reports received in November show that a good number of people are attending the different meetings in this area. Here too, many wonders and miracles are taking place and many are turning to the Lord.
Oswald J. Smith once said "Any church that is not seriously involved in helping fulfill the Great Commission has forfeited its biblical right to exist."
May God give us the grace to be faithful in our calling and enable us to work as functional parts of the body of Christ.
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