(gentle music)
00:00:00.53\00:00:03.13
- Hello and welcome
to Jesus for Asia Now.
00:00:21.75\00:00:24.12
I'm Natalie Wood and today
00:00:24.12\00:00:25.42
I have our Jesus for
Asia director from India,
00:00:25.42\00:00:28.76
Israel Prasad with
me and our show today
00:00:28.76\00:00:31.53
is about Bible workers.
00:00:31.53\00:00:33.53
Welcome to the show Israel.
00:00:33.53\00:00:34.83
- Yes Akka.
00:00:34.83\00:00:35.76
- So glad to have you here.
00:00:35.76\00:00:37.27
Yes, thank you.
00:00:37.27\00:00:38.63
- Now now Israel,
you called me something.
00:00:38.63\00:00:41.27
- Yes, I call you Akka.
00:00:41.27\00:00:43.24
- Why do you call me Akka?
00:00:43.24\00:00:44.81
- In my mother tongue
Akka means elder sister.
00:00:44.81\00:00:47.98
- Okay.
00:00:47.98\00:00:49.34
All right, and I
usually call you Thambi.
00:00:49.34\00:00:52.58
- Yes.
00:00:52.58\00:00:53.98
- So I'm trying to
remember to call you Israel
00:00:53.98\00:00:55.48
but I usually call you
Thambi because that means
00:00:55.48\00:00:58.65
in your mother tongue
it means younger brother.
00:00:58.65\00:01:01.09
- Yes.
00:01:01.09\00:01:02.49
- So when you first started
working with Jesus for Asia,
00:01:02.49\00:01:04.33
you were a Bible worker
which means this subject
00:01:04.33\00:01:07.23
for this topic
today, our topic today,
00:01:07.23\00:01:10.30
is very dear to your heart.
00:01:10.30\00:01:12.07
- Yes.
00:01:12.07\00:01:13.37
- So when you became a
Jesus for Asia Bible worker,
00:01:13.37\00:01:15.80
how did that happen?
00:01:15.80\00:01:17.01
What were you doing before
00:01:17.01\00:01:19.11
And how did you become a
Jesus for Asia Bible worker?
00:01:19.11\00:01:22.38
- Yes. I was
working in a call center.
00:01:22.38\00:01:25.55
I went to a Seventh
Day Adventist High School
00:01:25.55\00:01:30.45
and then went to Spicer
College and so all my life
00:01:30.45\00:01:34.56
I was in the Seventh
Day Adventist background.
00:01:34.56\00:01:37.89
And most importantly, my mother
wanted all three children;
00:01:37.89\00:01:42.56
I have a brother and a sister,
00:01:42.56\00:01:44.53
we three studied in
Seventh Day Adventist school
00:01:44.53\00:01:48.17
and then the college.
00:01:48.17\00:01:49.67
After coming from the college,
I joined in a call center.
00:01:49.67\00:01:54.54
I was working in a call center
00:01:55.44\00:01:56.71
because I wanted
to support the church
00:01:56.71\00:01:58.65
but I don't want
to work in the church.
00:01:58.65\00:02:01.25
So that was when
these call centers
00:02:01.25\00:02:05.45
were offering very
good job with high salary.
00:02:05.45\00:02:08.82
And by the grace of
God I got an opportunity,
00:02:08.82\00:02:11.56
I got a job opportunity
to work in the call center.
00:02:11.56\00:02:15.66
And this is when
I started working.
00:02:15.66\00:02:18.50
I was working and I
was not feeling comfortable
00:02:18.50\00:02:22.10
because I have to work
on every Friday evenings.
00:02:22.10\00:02:25.97
So which is the end of the
week and it is very important.
00:02:25.97\00:02:30.28
If we don't achieve our target
we have to do it on Fridays.
00:02:30.28\00:02:35.35
So I went and
approached my team leader
00:02:36.32\00:02:38.59
because every day
when we call someone
00:02:38.59\00:02:41.96
they used to barge our call
to see how the conversation was,
00:02:41.96\00:02:46.13
if there is any
mistake or something like that.
00:02:46.13\00:02:48.93
And he told me you're doing
a wonderful job the other days
00:02:48.93\00:02:52.67
and you're not
performing well on Fridays.
00:02:52.67\00:02:55.30
Why?
00:02:55.30\00:02:56.87
So it opened and all like
God gave me an opportunity
00:02:56.87\00:03:00.18
to share the
Sabbath truth with them
00:03:00.18\00:03:03.61
and I told them,
this is why I told you
00:03:03.61\00:03:05.78
I need to go to
church on Fridays
00:03:05.78\00:03:09.75
because that is my Sabbath
day where I had the whole day
00:03:09.75\00:03:14.02
is meant for the Lord.
00:03:14.02\00:03:16.26
We go to church, we sing songs
and then he said, Oh, really?
00:03:16.26\00:03:21.10
And then I asked him, can
you give me an off on that day
00:03:21.10\00:03:24.50
so that I can even come
and work on Saturday evenings?
00:03:24.50\00:03:28.40
He said, no, we can't
do it because, Fridays
00:03:28.40\00:03:32.41
are very important, we
have to finish the target.
00:03:32.41\00:03:35.58
And then he said, "maybe
you can talk to the manager,
00:03:35.58\00:03:39.31
you know, the management."
00:03:39.31\00:03:40.72
I went and talked
with them and they said,
00:03:40.72\00:03:42.65
no, we cannot help you.
00:03:42.65\00:03:44.79
And after a long prayer, my
mom was keeping on telling me,
00:03:44.79\00:03:48.96
you know, don't go to this job.
00:03:48.96\00:03:51.09
Sabbath is very important.
00:03:51.09\00:03:53.43
So I quit the job and
joined as a Bible worker
00:03:53.43\00:03:57.70
in Jesus for Asia ministry.
00:03:57.70\00:04:00.27
That's an amazing testimony.
00:04:00.27\00:04:01.67
I love that.
00:04:01.67\00:04:03.20
So you started as a
Jesus for Asia Bible worker
00:04:04.54\00:04:07.61
and now you're our director
00:04:07.61\00:04:09.11
and that was
another miracle that God did
00:04:09.11\00:04:12.71
to show us that need
for you to be involved.
00:04:12.71\00:04:16.12
Now, what about other people?
00:04:16.12\00:04:19.59
What about some
stories of other people
00:04:19.59\00:04:21.32
that have become Jesus
for Asia Bible workers,
00:04:21.32\00:04:23.43
how did they become
Jesus for Asia Bible workers?
00:04:23.43\00:04:25.53
How does that happen?
00:04:25.53\00:04:26.66
- Yeah, you
know, in the year 2007,
00:04:26.66\00:04:30.37
we did a six
village program down south.
00:04:30.37\00:04:34.04
In Tamil Nadu, a group of
people came with elder John Wood
00:04:34.04\00:04:38.41
and we had these six
programs and six villages.
00:04:38.41\00:04:42.61
These churches were like
dead churches, it was blocked,
00:04:42.61\00:04:47.32
it was not
functioning and God inspired us
00:04:47.32\00:04:50.35
to start
something for these villages
00:04:50.35\00:04:53.05
because they have a
church, but it is locked,
00:04:53.05\00:04:56.22
it's not functioning.
00:04:56.22\00:04:57.49
So this six village
program was a great blessing
00:04:57.49\00:05:00.86
for those six
churches to get back
00:05:00.86\00:05:04.30
to their normal functioning.
00:05:04.30\00:05:06.57
And by the grace
of God, we also did
00:05:06.57\00:05:08.74
main revival meeting in the town
00:05:08.74\00:05:13.27
and that is where
elder John Wood preached.
00:05:13.27\00:05:16.31
And this was nearly
about a 10 days program
00:05:16.31\00:05:19.58
and every day we
went not only giving them
00:05:19.58\00:05:22.82
the biblical studies
but also teaching them
00:05:22.82\00:05:26.52
about cleanliness and
giving them good health tips
00:05:26.52\00:05:30.43
and studies which was very
great help for these villages.
00:05:30.43\00:05:34.86
And at the end of the 10th
day we had wonderful baptism.
00:05:34.86\00:05:39.93
People were
coming up, they said,
00:05:41.00\00:05:42.67
we wanted to take
Jesus as our personal Savior.
00:05:42.67\00:05:46.51
They accepted Jesus, and we
had nearly about 60 to 70 people
00:05:46.51\00:05:50.91
stood forward and they
said we want to be baptized.
00:05:50.91\00:05:54.45
And these people
who were baptized
00:05:54.45\00:05:57.22
later after two, three months,
00:05:57.22\00:05:59.42
they can move be just like
hiding the light within them.
00:05:59.42\00:06:04.23
They wanted to
be a shining light
00:06:04.23\00:06:06.43
to the people in
the darkness of sin.
00:06:06.43\00:06:08.66
They came forward, they said,
We want to be Bible workers.
00:06:08.66\00:06:12.23
The way we got this message,
00:06:12.23\00:06:16.60
we want to go to all
the houses, to all the doors
00:06:16.60\00:06:20.88
and tell those people that
there is a Lord Jesus Christ.
00:06:20.88\00:06:24.51
He is our Savior and there
is a gift for eternal life.
00:06:24.51\00:06:29.58
So we want to share
this truth what we studied.
00:06:30.69\00:06:33.42
They gave up their jobs,
they joined as Bible workers.
00:06:33.42\00:06:38.06
So amazing, just believing
that God will take care of them.
00:06:38.06\00:06:42.80
It was like I felt like
it was like a discipleship
00:06:42.80\00:06:46.80
when God selected Jesus
Christ selected those 12
00:06:46.80\00:06:50.64
to do his work.
00:06:50.64\00:06:52.01
These people after God chose
them, they couldn't be quiet.
00:06:52.01\00:06:56.98
They wanted to share.
00:06:57.65\00:06:59.25
That is how we
started this Bible worker.
00:06:59.25\00:07:02.62
- Wow.
00:07:02.62\00:07:03.42
And how others have come.
00:07:03.42\00:07:04.79
Now Israel after that effort
there and the baptisms there,
00:07:04.79\00:07:09.99
we focused on the baptisms.
00:07:10.79\00:07:11.59
How does our program work there?
00:07:11.59\00:07:13.26
- Oh, we were not
focused on baptism at all.
00:07:13.26\00:07:16.30
Even today, we
don't tell our workers,
00:07:16.30\00:07:18.83
Bible workers to
focus on the numbers.
00:07:18.83\00:07:21.57
Numbers are not important.
00:07:21.57\00:07:23.57
You teach them the truth
and give them an opportunity
00:07:23.57\00:07:27.81
to choose whether you
need Jesus or the world
00:07:27.81\00:07:32.01
which is going to perish.
00:07:32.01\00:07:34.42
It is their choice,
they wanted to choose Jesus.
00:07:34.42\00:07:39.32
They themself come,
they ask us, they tell us,
00:07:39.32\00:07:42.46
please give us baptism.
00:07:42.46\00:07:43.93
Baptize us, we want to
be a part of the church.
00:07:43.93\00:07:46.73
We want to be the
part of this program
00:07:46.73\00:07:49.03
so that we can
share the love of Jesus.
00:07:49.03\00:07:52.13
- Okay, so the Bible workers.
00:07:52.13\00:07:54.27
What is their life look like
00:07:54.27\00:07:55.94
after they
become a Bible worker,
00:07:55.94\00:07:57.41
what's their lifestyle?
00:07:57.41\00:07:59.14
- As I told you, these
people when they accept Jesus
00:07:59.14\00:08:03.35
as their personal Savior,
00:08:03.35\00:08:05.51
they don't look
the worldly things.
00:08:05.51\00:08:08.92
You know, will I be fed?
00:08:08.92\00:08:11.25
Will my children be fed?
00:08:11.25\00:08:13.32
Can I take care of their
studies, no tuition fees?
00:08:13.32\00:08:17.29
What is going
to happen tomorrow?
00:08:17.29\00:08:19.26
It is 100% belief, the
faith they have in Jesus,
00:08:19.26\00:08:24.30
their determination, the
desire they have in their heart,
00:08:25.60\00:08:28.30
I want to share the Word of God.
00:08:28.30\00:08:30.91
What may happen, I'm
going to do for Jesus
00:08:30.91\00:08:34.58
because he has given
me this great privilege.
00:08:34.58\00:08:37.55
I need to do for my brothers,
00:08:37.55\00:08:39.61
who are still
without knowing Jesus.
00:08:39.61\00:08:41.92
It is a great, great
commitment what they do.
00:08:41.92\00:08:46.35
Thank the Lord for that.
00:08:46.35\00:08:48.92
- Yes, yes.
00:08:48.92\00:08:50.43
Well, I know we
have some pictures
00:08:50.43\00:08:52.36
that shows a little
bit of what their life
00:08:52.36\00:08:54.13
is like day by day.
00:08:54.13\00:08:55.30
- Yes. - Right. Okay.
00:08:55.30\00:08:56.80
So you wanna walk us
through some of these pictures?
00:08:56.80\00:08:59.10
- Yes, yes.
00:08:59.10\00:09:00.30
- Well, let's
put up the first one.
00:09:00.30\00:09:01.87
Now what is this?
00:09:01.87\00:09:03.44
- This picture is
a wonderful picture
00:09:03.44\00:09:07.71
because this
couple, brother Thomas
00:09:07.71\00:09:11.51
and his wife sister Jennifer,
00:09:11.51\00:09:13.62
they were baptized in
the 2007 revival meeting.
00:09:13.62\00:09:18.02
- Right.
00:09:18.02\00:09:18.82
The one in the in the main town?
00:09:18.82\00:09:20.02
- Yes, in the main town.
00:09:20.02\00:09:21.46
- Yeah, that's an amazing story.
00:09:21.46\00:09:23.12
I think we've shared it before
00:09:23.12\00:09:24.46
but you wanna
briefly share that story.
00:09:24.46\00:09:27.03
- It's amazing.
00:09:27.03\00:09:28.23
Sister Jennifer is a
housewife and brother Thomas,
00:09:28.23\00:09:31.77
he comes from a very
strong Indian family.
00:09:31.77\00:09:35.04
He was a kind of a
leader, team leader,
00:09:35.04\00:09:37.67
for nearly 15 people.
00:09:37.67\00:09:39.51
He gathers 15 people
and take them to pilgrimage
00:09:39.51\00:09:43.21
to the temples.
00:09:43.21\00:09:44.35
You know, he was
like a leader and his name
00:09:44.35\00:09:47.62
is Sindelle Wale and
now God has changed the name
00:09:47.62\00:09:51.19
into Thomas and he
is really a Thomas now
00:09:51.19\00:09:54.96
because after he got
this message through his wife,
00:09:54.96\00:09:58.96
because he was not a
attending these meeting
00:09:58.96\00:10:00.93
in the beginning, but
his wife, it's a miraculous
00:10:00.93\00:10:04.33
how she came to
know about these meetings
00:10:04.33\00:10:06.43
because she was at home
taking care of her children.
00:10:06.43\00:10:09.54
She has two daughters.
00:10:09.54\00:10:11.51
And here comes the
announcement they were making
00:10:11.51\00:10:14.38
on this three wheeler
bike saying that there is a--
00:10:14.38\00:10:17.71
- But the speaker, loud speaker?
00:10:17.71\00:10:19.41
- Yeah.
00:10:19.41\00:10:20.72
With the loud speaker
saying that the every evening
00:10:20.72\00:10:22.52
there is going to
be a meeting, you know,
00:10:22.52\00:10:24.79
this time and the
place and everything.
00:10:24.79\00:10:27.09
By the time she came out
this vehicle just passed by.
00:10:27.09\00:10:31.93
And she was worried,
what is this all about?
00:10:31.93\00:10:35.26
You know, I want
to go for a meeting.
00:10:35.26\00:10:37.07
It says that if
you want eternal life,
00:10:37.07\00:10:39.70
please come to this meeting.
00:10:39.70\00:10:41.34
If you want a change in
your life come to these meeting.
00:10:41.34\00:10:42.14
If you want a peace in your
life come to these meetings.
00:10:44.51\00:10:45.31
And she was impressed.
00:10:48.41\00:10:50.38
And she was just
thinking that if that vehicle
00:10:50.38\00:10:53.52
will come back
again and let me know
00:10:53.52\00:10:55.85
what is really all
these things are about
00:10:55.85\00:10:58.32
and the envelopes
if they give it to me,
00:10:58.32\00:11:00.39
I will definitely go.
00:11:00.39\00:11:02.09
As she was just
thinking about that,
00:11:02.09\00:11:04.03
this vehicle was
coming back towards her.
00:11:04.03\00:11:07.40
And they came and they
handed over the envelop to her.
00:11:07.40\00:11:10.97
She was surprised.
00:11:10.97\00:11:12.77
And she said, Oh, yes,
this is the place I have to go.
00:11:12.77\00:11:16.54
Because I was thinking in
myself and it is happening.
00:11:16.54\00:11:20.38
So it's going to
be real blessing.
00:11:20.38\00:11:22.91
She started
going to these meeting.
00:11:22.91\00:11:25.11
In the beginning she
didn't even tell her husband
00:11:25.11\00:11:27.45
about these meeting
because he was already working
00:11:27.45\00:11:29.85
in a company he would
come only in the evenings.
00:11:29.85\00:11:34.39
And she just determined
herself to go every evening
00:11:34.39\00:11:38.09
to those meetings
and she would take down
00:11:38.09\00:11:40.60
all those messages.
00:11:40.60\00:11:42.30
All those messages
and she would come home
00:11:42.30\00:11:47.27
and share with her husband.
00:11:48.17\00:11:49.47
He was really,
you know, very angry.
00:11:49.47\00:11:52.34
He said you can't
do this, don't go.
00:11:52.34\00:11:55.31
Why are you going there?
00:11:55.31\00:11:57.21
She said, no I'm going.
00:11:57.21\00:11:59.48
And he said, why are
you acting like this?
00:11:59.48\00:12:03.62
Then she explained
to him what happened.
00:12:03.62\00:12:06.82
She was waiting
there, the vehicle came
00:12:06.82\00:12:09.09
and also the messages,
what she was hearing there,
00:12:09.09\00:12:13.06
she has never
heard in her life at all.
00:12:13.06\00:12:15.96
That really touched
brother Thomas' heart.
00:12:17.30\00:12:21.24
And he said, Okay, you go.
00:12:21.24\00:12:23.97
And she said, not only
me, you have to come with me.
00:12:23.97\00:12:28.14
We need to go to these
meeting meetings as a family.
00:12:28.14\00:12:32.11
So they together
started attending the meeting.
00:12:32.11\00:12:35.85
He's even you
know, didn't go to work.
00:12:35.85\00:12:39.09
- Wow, he had to take time off.
00:12:39.09\00:12:41.69
- Yes, time off.
00:12:41.69\00:12:43.29
It was like his, you
know, his money, his salary,
00:12:43.29\00:12:46.76
will be deducted but
still, he was not worried.
00:12:46.76\00:12:49.86
He came every day
to these meetings.
00:12:49.86\00:12:53.13
And at the end,
they accepted Jesus
00:12:53.13\00:12:56.40
as their personal Savior.
00:12:56.40\00:12:57.87
And they took baptism and
he said, I'm giving up my job.
00:12:59.37\00:13:04.05
After within, you
know, one of months,
00:13:05.15\00:13:07.62
he said, I don't
want to go for my job.
00:13:07.62\00:13:10.49
I want to do God's work.
00:13:10.49\00:13:12.65
And then they
became the Bible workers
00:13:12.65\00:13:16.59
without even
knowing how they're going
00:13:16.59\00:13:19.19
to take care of their life.
00:13:19.19\00:13:20.83
How their future is going to be.
00:13:21.90\00:13:23.80
They had the complete faith
that God will take care of them.
00:13:23.80\00:13:27.60
- Wow.
00:13:27.60\00:13:28.40
So we have a few more pictures
00:13:28.40\00:13:29.70
I think of
Bible workers praying.
00:13:29.70\00:13:31.87
There's brother
Thomas praying with someone
00:13:31.87\00:13:34.61
and then another one.
00:13:34.61\00:13:35.81
- Yes.
00:13:35.81\00:13:36.91
- So that looks like a
couple of Bible workers.
00:13:36.91\00:13:39.15
- Yes.
00:13:39.15\00:13:40.45
And here is brother
Thomas, and brother Padna Raj
00:13:40.45\00:13:45.12
with his wife Priscilla.
00:13:45.12\00:13:47.29
They are praying for a
lady, Hindu lady together.
00:13:47.29\00:13:51.69
And brother Padma Raj is
a very interesting person.
00:13:51.69\00:13:56.63
He's a retired military man
00:13:56.63\00:13:59.23
and he was running a
Sunday worshipping church
00:13:59.23\00:14:02.30
for the past 30 years.
00:14:02.30\00:14:05.61
And he has nearly
about 50 to 60 members
00:14:05.61\00:14:09.34
attending his church.
00:14:09.34\00:14:10.98
Our Bible workers they went
and gave him this Bible study
00:14:10.98\00:14:15.62
and this truth from this Bible,
00:14:15.62\00:14:17.75
which he has not
ever heard about.
00:14:17.75\00:14:20.76
Which he has never spoke those
truth to his church members.
00:14:20.76\00:14:25.29
- So he was a pastor but
he didn't see any of this
00:14:25.29\00:14:28.70
in the scriptures?
- Any of this, yes.
00:14:28.70\00:14:29.63
Not heard or seen, it
was very, very new to him.
00:14:30.97\00:14:35.60
He was surprised.
00:14:36.91\00:14:38.64
Oh, these people are quoting
everything from the scriptures?
00:14:38.64\00:14:42.64
Wow, amazing.
00:14:42.64\00:14:44.61
I've never ever
heard about this before.
00:14:44.61\00:14:47.72
And he's a very strong person.
00:14:47.72\00:14:49.38
He is very straightforward.
00:14:49.38\00:14:50.95
You know, and if
something is wrong,
00:14:50.95\00:14:53.62
he will not accept it.
00:14:53.62\00:14:55.46
So he's like that.
00:14:55.46\00:14:57.36
But he cannot say anything
about against these people
00:14:57.36\00:15:01.00
because they were quoting
everything from the Bible,
00:15:01.00\00:15:03.87
from the Scripture
which he has not even read.
00:15:03.87\00:15:08.30
And he was surprised and he
was touched by the Holy Spirit.
00:15:08.30\00:15:13.38
By the grace of God,
he accepted Jesus Christ.
00:15:14.81\00:15:18.81
Our Seventh Day Adventist
Sabbath is the true Sabbath day.
00:15:18.81\00:15:23.12
And he told our Bible workers,
I'm going to take baptism,
00:15:23.12\00:15:27.92
but I'm not going to allow
my members to take baptism now.
00:15:27.92\00:15:32.93
What I can do is, I
will open my church,
00:15:32.93\00:15:36.16
the way you gave
me the Bible studies,
00:15:36.16\00:15:38.60
you can come every Sunday
and give the same Bible study
00:15:38.60\00:15:42.30
to my 60-70
members in the church.
00:15:42.30\00:15:45.27
If they accept like
how I have accepted,
00:15:45.27\00:15:48.28
you can give them baptism.
00:15:48.28\00:15:49.84
By the grace of
God, our Bible workers,
00:15:50.95\00:15:53.18
not just
particularly brother Thomas,
00:15:53.18\00:15:56.08
it was it was like,
you know, several of them,
00:15:56.08\00:15:59.79
they had a kind of timetable,
00:15:59.79\00:16:01.72
I will speak on this today,
you speak on this next week.
00:16:01.72\00:16:05.59
So continually they
were giving every Sunday
00:16:05.59\00:16:09.10
the biblical food for
those members, spiritual food
00:16:09.10\00:16:14.17
and those members
were really surprised.
00:16:15.24\00:16:18.47
And here is this
pastor also supporting
00:16:18.47\00:16:21.44
what the preachers
are preaching on Sunday.
00:16:21.44\00:16:25.11
Amen, yes, Hallelujah.
00:16:25.11\00:16:27.28
And, you know, the
members were really touched
00:16:28.58\00:16:31.19
and by the grace of God,
now that Maranatha Church
00:16:31.19\00:16:35.29
is a Seventh Day
Adventist Church.
00:16:35.29\00:16:37.93
All the members took baptism.
00:16:37.93\00:16:40.03
- Wow, all of them?
00:16:40.03\00:16:41.33
- All of them.
00:16:41.33\00:16:42.23
- Wow, praise the Lord.
00:16:42.23\00:16:43.80
- Yeah.
00:16:43.80\00:16:44.90
They don't have any
more Sunday worshiping
00:16:44.90\00:16:46.70
they have their
worshiping on the Sabbath day.
00:16:46.70\00:16:49.87
The true Sabbath day.
00:16:49.87\00:16:51.54
- Wow.
00:16:51.54\00:16:52.71
Well, that's so
beautiful. - Yes, yes.
00:16:52.71\00:16:54.38
- I know we've got a
few more pictures here
00:16:54.38\00:16:56.21
of them just praying and
studying with people, right?
00:16:56.21\00:16:59.35
- Yes, yes, yes.
00:16:59.35\00:17:01.02
And this is brother
Paul, one of our Bible workers.
00:17:01.02\00:17:06.09
He gave up a very good job
00:17:06.89\00:17:09.32
and he became a Bible
worker when he was in Valparai
00:17:09.32\00:17:13.93
which is a hill station.
00:17:13.93\00:17:15.83
He gave up a very good job.
00:17:15.83\00:17:17.20
He was a constructor.
00:17:17.20\00:17:18.87
He gave up that job
because he got this message
00:17:18.87\00:17:22.27
and he wanted to
share his this message
00:17:22.27\00:17:25.51
with the people in that area.
00:17:25.51\00:17:27.58
For the past 10 years
he has been a Bible worker
00:17:27.58\00:17:30.71
bringing many souls
to the kingdom of God.
00:17:30.71\00:17:34.92
- Wow, praise the Lord.
00:17:34.92\00:17:36.28
- And he's taking care of
two churches now (mumbles).
00:17:36.28\00:17:38.89
- Okay.
00:17:40.96\00:17:42.26
So how many Bible
workers do we have in India?
00:17:42.26\00:17:45.43
- Right now we have
320 Bible workers in India.
00:17:45.43\00:17:49.63
So God is really blessing
and there are doors opening.
00:17:49.63\00:17:53.54
More doors are opening.
00:17:53.54\00:17:55.64
- Right.
00:17:55.64\00:17:56.67
Seems like we're
always getting requests.
00:17:56.67\00:17:59.11
- Yes.
00:17:59.11\00:18:00.51
- And I know that you
hear them sooner than we do
00:18:00.51\00:18:01.84
because they call you up and
they say, please can we please?
00:18:01.84\00:18:05.38
- Yes, I thank the Lord.
00:18:05.38\00:18:07.75
Now, they're
even in North India.
00:18:07.75\00:18:11.25
Previously in the north,
you know, the the work was like,
00:18:11.25\00:18:15.96
not, you know, going
forward, moving forward.
00:18:15.96\00:18:20.33
But now, the leaders
are opening the doors.
00:18:20.33\00:18:24.37
They are asking
for Bible workers.
00:18:24.37\00:18:27.30
They say we want to do
something because we can see
00:18:27.30\00:18:31.01
how devil is really, you
know, wants to press this work
00:18:31.01\00:18:36.08
and press Christianity.
00:18:36.75\00:18:38.38
You know, I'm to this.
00:18:38.38\00:18:41.55
There are so many
people, so many leaders,
00:18:41.55\00:18:44.75
calling us and telling us
please give us Bible workers.
00:18:44.75\00:18:48.92
We want to do
something for the Lord.
00:18:48.92\00:18:51.43
We have so many
people without knowing Jesus
00:18:51.43\00:18:54.30
and we don't have
that many workers here.
00:18:54.30\00:18:58.10
So please give us.
00:18:58.10\00:19:00.37
- Wow.
00:19:00.37\00:19:01.47
Well, I know we
can talk a lot further
00:19:01.47\00:19:03.04
about miracle
stories and things like that
00:19:03.04\00:19:05.14
but first let's share
because we're almost to the end
00:19:05.14\00:19:08.01
of our time amazingly
enough it has passed by.
00:19:08.01\00:19:11.38
But can you please share with
us some of the future vision?
00:19:11.38\00:19:15.12
I know we've got workers also
in Nepal at the present time
00:19:15.12\00:19:19.02
but we also have
requests from other countries.
00:19:19.02\00:19:21.29
- Yes, yes.
00:19:21.29\00:19:22.39
Like Sri Lanka,
there is a request
00:19:22.39\00:19:25.33
saying that we
need Bible workers.
00:19:25.33\00:19:28.26
We are in need of Bible workers
00:19:28.26\00:19:30.50
because we have
very less workers.
00:19:30.50\00:19:33.17
We need to do
something for the Lord.
00:19:33.17\00:19:35.50
And in Bangladesh, there
is a request from Bangladesh.
00:19:35.50\00:19:39.71
I thank the
Lord, Praise the Lord
00:19:39.71\00:19:41.78
for these countries
opening up, you know,
00:19:41.78\00:19:44.51
so that we can utilize this time
00:19:44.51\00:19:47.25
spread the work of the Lord.
00:19:47.25\00:19:49.12
- Yeah.
00:19:49.12\00:19:50.25
Well, okay, so we
have over 300 now.
00:19:50.25\00:19:53.59
- Yes.
00:19:53.59\00:19:54.39
- Now what's your prayer Israel?
00:19:54.39\00:19:55.19
What are you praying for?
00:19:55.19\00:19:56.52
- My future prayer and
my vision is that give us
00:19:56.52\00:20:00.90
thousand Bible
workers at the end of 2020.
00:20:00.90\00:20:04.57
- So in one year?
00:20:04.57\00:20:05.73
- One year yes.
00:20:05.73\00:20:06.77
- 1000?
00:20:06.77\00:20:07.80
- Yes, 1000. - So another 700?
00:20:07.80\00:20:09.30
- 700 yes.
00:20:09.30\00:20:10.34
- Or another
thousand? - Another, yeah.
00:20:10.34\00:20:12.47
Yes. - Okay.
00:20:13.48\00:20:14.48
Well, that is an
amazing, amazing prayer.
00:20:14.48\00:20:17.21
- Right, because I see
that India is a vast country.
00:20:17.21\00:20:22.15
Right now we have 1.3
billion people population
00:20:22.15\00:20:26.82
and the Christian,
statistically when we see,
00:20:26.82\00:20:31.29
the population of
Christianity is just 4%
00:20:31.29\00:20:35.26
or something like that.
00:20:35.26\00:20:36.10
- Right.
00:20:36.10\00:20:37.30
Well, one of the
statistics we've heard
00:20:37.30\00:20:38.77
is that there's over
400,000 towns and villages
00:20:38.77\00:20:41.60
with no Christian
presence. - Exactly, yes.
00:20:41.60\00:20:44.41
- Not even Adventist, no
Christian presence of any kind.
00:20:44.41\00:20:47.64
- Exactly, yes.
00:20:47.64\00:20:48.91
- So there's a lot
of work to be done.
00:20:48.91\00:20:50.98
- A lot of work to be done.
00:20:50.98\00:20:52.78
I praise the Lord for
the doors which is opening.
00:20:52.78\00:20:55.45
I pray that God
will give us the strength
00:20:55.45\00:20:58.15
to utilize these time so
that his name will be glorified.
00:20:58.15\00:21:02.02
- Right, wow.
00:21:02.02\00:21:03.53
Can you tell us one of
the stories from, I mean,
00:21:03.53\00:21:06.23
we've already heard
stories of lives change.
00:21:06.23\00:21:08.90
Those are miracles,
but also do you have
00:21:08.90\00:21:11.50
another miracle story
that you would like to share?
00:21:11.50\00:21:13.80
- Yes, yes.
00:21:13.80\00:21:14.90
Recently we baptized
a man called Jay Paul.
00:21:14.90\00:21:19.41
He has a very good education.
00:21:19.41\00:21:22.84
He was working in a college
as a professor and in Monterrey
00:21:22.84\00:21:27.92
and he came to
Chennai because he married
00:21:28.98\00:21:30.52
a girl in Chennai.
00:21:30.52\00:21:32.32
And this man, he was sitting
00:21:32.32\00:21:35.36
in the railway
station in Chennai.
00:21:35.36\00:21:39.56
Everyday he would
come, sit in one spot
00:21:39.56\00:21:42.73
and cry and just very depressed.
00:21:42.73\00:21:47.07
Because we have Bible workers
00:21:47.07\00:21:48.67
from various places in Chennai,
00:21:48.67\00:21:51.04
so they come to a
spot, a main spot,
00:21:51.04\00:21:53.68
where they will gather together
00:21:53.68\00:21:55.58
before they would
disperse to their areas,
00:21:55.58\00:21:58.35
they would pray and surrendered
their work to the Lord
00:21:58.35\00:22:02.32
so that God will open
the way and bless them
00:22:02.32\00:22:05.45
with the Holy Spirit.
00:22:05.45\00:22:06.76
They does every day where before
going, they pray together.
00:22:06.76\00:22:10.46
And they were
looking at this person
00:22:10.46\00:22:13.56
sitting in that
station, railway station,
00:22:13.56\00:22:17.10
every day morning
and crying, depressed,
00:22:17.10\00:22:21.64
and they thought that
something is happening,
00:22:21.64\00:22:24.37
some bad thing is happening.
00:22:24.37\00:22:26.51
So our Bible workers,
they went and approached him.
00:22:26.51\00:22:29.94
They asked brother,
can we pray for you?
00:22:29.94\00:22:33.45
And he said, no,
I don't want prayer.
00:22:33.45\00:22:36.99
And they said,
why you look very sad.
00:22:36.99\00:22:40.46
We see you every
day you come here,
00:22:40.46\00:22:42.72
you sit in the same place.
00:22:42.72\00:22:44.56
And he said, every day
when I come from my home,
00:22:44.56\00:22:49.60
I come with an
idea to kill myself.
00:22:50.77\00:22:54.07
To jump in front of the train,
00:22:54.07\00:22:56.91
so that is why I come every day
00:22:56.91\00:22:59.34
but something used to
just stop me but I want to die.
00:22:59.34\00:23:04.01
That is my aim
and I want to do that.
00:23:04.01\00:23:07.65
They asked why?
00:23:07.65\00:23:09.22
Why do you did you
take this kind of decision?
00:23:09.22\00:23:12.05
He said, my
family life is not good.
00:23:12.05\00:23:16.19
I have a very good education
but my work is not good.
00:23:16.19\00:23:20.80
I'm not satisfied.
00:23:20.80\00:23:22.13
Everything is gone, I
don't want to live in this world
00:23:22.13\00:23:25.43
so I want to suicide, die.
00:23:25.43\00:23:29.07
And the Bible workers, they
said, "Can we pray for you?"
00:23:29.07\00:23:33.14
He said, "I don't believe
but you can pray for me."
00:23:33.14\00:23:36.58
They all knelt.
00:23:36.58\00:23:38.48
He was sitting in the middle,
00:23:39.85\00:23:41.62
they all knelt, started praying.
00:23:41.62\00:23:44.92
They were praying very
tearfully crying out to the Lord
00:23:44.92\00:23:48.99
for this wonderful brother.
00:23:48.99\00:23:51.03
And this man is
sitting in the middle,
00:23:51.03\00:23:54.00
they prayed and
after the prayer,
00:23:54.00\00:23:57.20
they caught up and they
said God is going to bless you,
00:23:57.20\00:24:01.00
don't be worried.
00:24:01.00\00:24:02.57
He was crying, they saw him cry.
00:24:02.57\00:24:05.84
And they asked, why did you cry?
00:24:05.84\00:24:07.98
He said, I have never
been loved like this before.
00:24:07.98\00:24:12.81
You don't know me and
I don't know who you are
00:24:12.81\00:24:16.95
but you were crying for
me and praying to your God?
00:24:16.95\00:24:20.06
I have never
experienced this before.
00:24:20.06\00:24:23.39
And he said,
please come every day.
00:24:23.39\00:24:26.13
I'm going to come to the same
place, give me Bible studies.
00:24:26.13\00:24:30.37
So they were
giving him Bible studies.
00:24:30.37\00:24:33.10
At the end, he
accepted Jesus Christ
00:24:33.10\00:24:35.80
and they brought
him to us, you know,
00:24:35.80\00:24:39.41
and they said, he is
now ready for baptism.
00:24:39.41\00:24:44.48
So we arranged
and he took baptism
00:24:45.58\00:24:48.82
and after the month,
even without paying, getting a
00:24:48.82\00:24:53.89
salary, he went with our
Bible workers to the field
00:24:54.99\00:24:58.33
to share what
God has done to him.
00:24:58.33\00:25:01.13
And later, now he is now
one of our Bible workers.
00:25:02.50\00:25:06.84
And God has blessed his family.
00:25:08.10\00:25:10.84
- Awesome.
00:25:10.84\00:25:12.31
- Blessed him.
00:25:12.31\00:25:13.64
He told his wife, I'm
not going to work anymore
00:25:13.64\00:25:16.81
as a professor, I
don't want those jobs.
00:25:16.81\00:25:18.91
I want to be a Bible
worker, preaching about Jesus.
00:25:18.91\00:25:23.99
- Was that hard for her?
00:25:24.65\00:25:25.32
- That was hard for her.
00:25:25.32\00:25:26.72
She said, Oh, what
are we going to do?
00:25:26.72\00:25:28.96
We have two children.
00:25:28.96\00:25:30.16
No, I'm not worried God
is going to take care of us.
00:25:31.56\00:25:33.73
Amazing person.
00:25:35.46\00:25:37.20
And now he's bringing
people into the church.
00:25:37.20\00:25:42.27
He's giving Bible studies.
00:25:43.07\00:25:45.54
Since he's educated
person now we have given him
00:25:45.54\00:25:48.91
a place called (mumbles).
00:25:48.91\00:25:50.25
Most of them they,
well not most them,
00:25:51.35\00:25:54.02
few of them speak English.
00:25:54.02\00:25:55.15
So we are also
planning to start English church
00:25:55.15\00:25:57.75
in that area and he's
one of our main Bible workers
00:25:57.75\00:26:01.29
now working for
those people in that area.
00:26:01.29\00:26:04.36
- Wow.
00:26:04.36\00:26:05.56
Wow, that's awesome.
00:26:05.56\00:26:07.83
- Wonderful.
00:26:07.83\00:26:08.83
God is mightily
leading Bible workers.
00:26:08.83\00:26:13.23
- Well, one more question
I wanna ask and that is,
00:26:13.23\00:26:16.04
how does the Bible
workers work with the church,
00:26:16.04\00:26:18.64
with the conferences, with
the church structure in India?
00:26:18.64\00:26:22.24
How does that work?
00:26:22.24\00:26:23.04
- Yeah, I thank the Lord.
00:26:23.04\00:26:24.91
Jesus for Asia Ministries
work very close with the church.
00:26:24.91\00:26:29.25
Our funds, our everything,
we do it through the church
00:26:29.25\00:26:33.66
coordinators are the
presidents of those units.
00:26:33.66\00:26:37.89
- Right.
00:26:37.89\00:26:39.26
If it's a conference or
region or whatever it is,
00:26:39.26\00:26:42.53
the President
is the Bible worker
00:26:42.53\00:26:44.90
supervisor coordinator? - Yes.
00:26:44.90\00:26:47.04
So we work very
close with the church
00:26:47.04\00:26:49.90
and as I told you before,
00:26:49.90\00:26:52.74
most of our Bible workers are
also taking care of churches.
00:26:52.74\00:26:56.51
So we work very
close with the conference.
00:26:56.51\00:26:59.31
- Yes.
00:26:59.31\00:27:00.52
What a blessing it
is to be able to do that
00:27:00.52\00:27:01.95
and then there's
support on both sides
00:27:01.95\00:27:04.12
for these new believers.
00:27:04.12\00:27:05.45
- Yes. - That's wonderful.
00:27:05.45\00:27:06.76
- The church is very happy
because the church is now filled
00:27:06.76\00:27:10.39
and the churches
are being taken care,
00:27:10.39\00:27:12.93
because very less
workers are there in the field.
00:27:12.93\00:27:16.06
Jesus for Asia Bible
workers are great blessing
00:27:16.06\00:27:19.70
for the conferences
and the union in India.
00:27:19.70\00:27:22.50
- Praise the Lord.
00:27:23.81\00:27:24.91
- Thank the Lord.
00:27:24.91\00:27:25.94
- Thank you so
much for joining us
00:27:25.94\00:27:27.01
for these beautiful
stories of lives changed
00:27:27.01\00:27:30.01
and lives being changed and
opportunities to change lives.
00:27:30.01\00:27:34.12
If God is impressing you
to be a part of this work,
00:27:34.12\00:27:37.59
you can contact
us at Jesus for Asia,
00:27:37.59\00:27:40.06
P.O. Box 1221,
Collegedale, Tennessee 37315.
00:27:40.06\00:27:44.19
Call us at (423)-413-7321
00:27:45.39\00:27:49.23
or visit our
website at Jesus4asia.org.
00:27:49.23\00:27:53.54
Please remember to pray
for these Bible workers.
00:27:53.54\00:27:56.10
There are many difficulties
that they encounter,
00:27:56.10\00:27:58.71
but the Lord helps them through
00:27:58.71\00:28:00.51
all of their
difficulties and challenges.
00:28:00.51\00:28:03.04
May God richly bless you
until we see you next time
00:28:03.04\00:28:06.28
on Jesus for Asia Now.
00:28:06.28\00:28:07.88
(gentle music)
00:28:07.88\00:28:10.62