Old India, as it's often
been called has a rich history
00:00:46.94\00:00:50.48
that dates back
thousands of years.
00:00:50.51\00:00:52.41
Many Hindu temples,
both ancient and new
00:00:52.45\00:00:55.72
are seen throughout the country.
00:00:55.75\00:00:58.92
Dynasties have come and
gone over the centuries.
00:00:58.95\00:01:01.72
Nearly 80 percent of the
people of India are Hindu.
00:01:05.26\00:01:08.80
Islam has a
growing presence in India
00:01:20.88\00:01:23.48
with around 14.2 percent of
the population being Muslim.
00:01:23.51\00:01:27.92
Islam first came to
the western coast of India
00:01:27.95\00:01:30.55
with Arab traders as
early as the 7th century AD.
00:01:30.59\00:01:34.26
And eventually spread from
the north to the Malabar Coast
00:01:34.29\00:01:37.53
and then across India.
00:01:37.56\00:01:39.29
2.3 percent of
India is Christian
00:01:39.33\00:01:42.10
having deep roots
to early Christianity.
00:01:42.13\00:01:44.87
In the first century,
00:01:44.90\00:01:46.50
many Jews that had
converted to Christianity
00:01:46.53\00:01:49.20
as well as other converts
escaped the persecution of Rome
00:01:49.24\00:01:52.61
by following the trade
routes all the way to India.
00:01:52.64\00:01:57.05
These were known as
the Syrian Christians.
00:01:57.08\00:02:00.82
The Apostle Thomas
landed on the coast of Kerala,
00:02:00.85\00:02:03.65
India in 52 AD.
00:02:03.69\00:02:06.35
His converts became
knows as St. Thomas Christians.
00:02:06.39\00:02:09.79
Both groups followed the simple
faith of the earlier apostles
00:02:09.82\00:02:12.89
and most kept the
Seventh-day Sabbath.
00:02:12.93\00:02:15.33
The New World
Encyclopedia states,
00:02:15.36\00:02:17.60
"Their tradition goes back
00:02:17.63\00:02:19.03
to the beginnings of
first century Christian thought,
00:02:19.07\00:02:21.77
and the seven churches
00:02:21.80\00:02:23.14
that are believed to
have been established
00:02:23.17\00:02:24.91
by Saint Thomas the Apostle.
00:02:24.94\00:02:27.28
The Nasrani
preserved the original rituals
00:02:27.31\00:02:29.98
of the early Jewish Christians,
00:02:30.01\00:02:31.75
such as covering their
heads while in workshop
00:02:31.78\00:02:34.02
and holding their
ritual service on Saturdays
00:02:34.05\00:02:36.69
in the tradition
of the Jewish Sabbath.
00:02:36.72\00:02:39.02
These early Christian Jews
00:02:39.05\00:02:40.42
believed in Jesus as the Christ,
00:02:40.46\00:02:42.56
but followed Jewish
traditions and called themselves
00:02:42.59\00:02:45.33
Nazaraeans or Nazrani,
00:02:45.36\00:02:47.23
meaning Jews who
followed the Nazarene Messiah."
00:02:47.26\00:02:50.23
On July 8, 1497,
00:02:53.54\00:02:55.94
Vasco de Gama a
Portuguese explorer
00:02:55.97\00:02:58.74
was
commissioned by King Manuel I
00:02:58.77\00:03:01.18
to lead a fleet of four ships
00:03:01.21\00:03:02.88
with the crew of 170 men
from Lisbon, Portugal to India
00:03:02.91\00:03:07.02
on a conquest for Portugal
and the Catholic Church.
00:03:07.05\00:03:10.52
The Hindus in Calicut
00:03:10.55\00:03:12.09
initially welcomed the arrival
of de Gama and his sailors,
00:03:12.12\00:03:15.92
but tensions quickly flared up
00:03:15.96\00:03:17.53
after de Gama
offered their ruler
00:03:17.56\00:03:19.56
a collection of relatively
cheap goods as arrival gifts.
00:03:19.59\00:03:23.63
They also felt victims
00:03:23.67\00:03:25.00
to the wiles of
wealthy Arabianmerchants
00:03:25.03\00:03:27.40
who influenced some
of the local Muslims
00:03:27.44\00:03:29.47
to attack these
Portuguese explorers.
00:03:29.50\00:03:32.21
De Gama returned to
Portugal vowing revenge
00:03:32.24\00:03:35.31
and to return to save India
from these pagans for the pope.
00:03:35.34\00:03:38.98
A few years
later in February 1502
00:03:42.82\00:03:45.95
Vasco de Gama was in charge
of another Indian expedition,
00:03:45.99\00:03:49.52
but this time with an armada.
00:03:49.56\00:03:51.93
On his ships, he took with him
00:03:51.96\00:03:53.90
military troops and
Roman Catholic priests
00:03:53.93\00:03:56.83
who would serve his
spiritual and tactical advisors.
00:03:56.87\00:04:00.50
As the armada
approached the shores of India,
00:04:00.54\00:04:03.27
it encountered a
ship heavily laden
00:04:03.30\00:04:05.37
with Muslim pilgrims
returning from Mecca.
00:04:05.41\00:04:09.01
De Gama ordered an attack
00:04:09.04\00:04:11.01
and watched while these
ships went up in flames,
00:04:11.05\00:04:14.05
thus he announced
his return to India.
00:04:14.08\00:04:16.72
As de Gama and his accompanying
priests made themselves known
00:04:22.82\00:04:26.19
among the inhabitants along
the Malabar Coast of India,
00:04:26.23\00:04:29.36
they were very surprised
to encounter Christians
00:04:29.40\00:04:31.90
living in this heathen land
among the Hindus and Muslims.
00:04:31.93\00:04:35.64
One must remember that
Thomas and Syrian Christians
00:04:35.67\00:04:38.64
looked to the Syrian
Bible as their guide of faith.
00:04:38.67\00:04:42.54
So when they first met
these Portuguese Catholics,
00:04:42.58\00:04:45.01
they were a bit
surprised as was recorded
00:04:45.05\00:04:47.35
by the well-known
historian Charles Givens.
00:04:47.38\00:04:49.95
"The title of Mother of
God was offensive to their ear,
00:04:53.89\00:04:57.03
and they measured
with scrupulous avarice
00:04:57.06\00:04:59.13
the honors of the Virgin Mary,
00:04:59.16\00:05:00.90
whom the
superstition of the Latins
00:05:00.93\00:05:02.63
had almost exalted to
the rank of a goddess.
00:05:02.66\00:05:05.13
When her image
was first presented
00:05:05.17\00:05:06.84
to the disciples of St. Thomas,
00:05:06.87\00:05:08.54
they indignantly exclaimed,
00:05:08.57\00:05:10.31
"We are
Christians, not idolaters!"
00:05:10.34\00:05:12.81
This is the
famous St. Thomas Mount.
00:05:17.61\00:05:19.98
They say that.
00:05:20.02\00:05:21.35
St. Thomas was
murdered here or martyred here
00:05:21.38\00:05:24.02
in 72 AD by
Hindu fundamentalists.
00:05:24.05\00:05:26.86
It's really hard to
know what to believe
00:05:26.89\00:05:28.72
when it comes to the
stories about Thomas,
00:05:28.76\00:05:32.46
St. Thomas of the Apostle Thomas
00:05:32.49\00:05:34.20
because revisionist have
rewritten history so much,
00:05:34.23\00:05:37.57
so I'd like to show
you just a few examples
00:05:37.60\00:05:40.04
of what I'm talking about.
00:05:40.07\00:05:41.40
First of all I can guarantee
00:05:54.55\00:05:55.98
that the Apostle
Thomas never came from Rome,
00:05:56.02\00:05:58.32
he most likely came from
Antioch in Syria to India
00:05:58.35\00:06:01.89
when he came here to
evangelize and share the gospel.
00:06:01.92\00:06:04.56
And secondly, I'm positive that
00:06:04.59\00:06:07.10
the Apostle Luke never
painted this picture in 50 AD
00:06:07.13\00:06:10.80
because the adoration
of the worship of Mary
00:06:10.83\00:06:14.04
never was really became
dogma in the Catholic church
00:06:14.07\00:06:16.87
till 1854 under Pope Pius IX.
00:06:16.91\00:06:19.67
So this would have
been a foreign concept
00:06:19.71\00:06:21.44
to the early apostles
and any other followers.
00:06:21.48\00:06:24.55
And the whole idea of
relics and hold sacred bones
00:06:24.58\00:06:31.15
and different things like that
00:06:31.19\00:06:32.59
are all part of the revisionist
theology of Catholicism
00:06:32.62\00:06:35.39
to try to help people
or to make people think
00:06:35.42\00:06:38.53
that all of these
saints were somehow connected
00:06:38.56\00:06:40.93
to the Catholic church,
were all part of the interest
00:06:40.96\00:06:44.93
of the church of Rome
00:06:44.97\00:06:46.37
in propagating its
authority and power
00:06:46.40\00:06:48.40
as being the only
and one true church.
00:06:48.44\00:06:52.51
The historian Claudius Buchanan
00:06:52.54\00:06:54.84
tells about the contact of
the Portuguese Catholic priests
00:06:54.88\00:06:58.21
with these native Thomas
and Syrian Christians of India.
00:06:58.25\00:07:03.65
"These Churches,'
said the Portuguese,
00:07:03.69\00:07:05.72
'belong to the pope.'
00:07:05.75\00:07:07.29
'Who is the
Pope?' said the natives,
00:07:07.32\00:07:08.82
'We never heard of him...'
00:07:08.86\00:07:10.43
'We, ' they said,
'are of the true faith,
00:07:10.46\00:07:12.73
whatever you of the West may be,
00:07:12.76\00:07:14.50
for we came from the place
where the followers of Christ
00:07:14.53\00:07:17.37
were first called
Christians, meaning Antioch."
00:07:17.40\00:07:22.47
Because these
natives would not bow
00:07:22.50\00:07:24.34
to the supremacy of the pope
00:07:24.37\00:07:25.74
and the dominance
of the Catholic Church,
00:07:25.77\00:07:27.91
they soon found themselves
00:07:27.94\00:07:29.31
in the midst of the
Portuguese inquisition.
00:07:29.34\00:07:32.41
They were told
to convert or die.
00:07:32.45\00:07:35.65
Soon, the simple church
00:07:35.68\00:07:37.29
of the Thomas
and Syrian Christians
00:07:37.32\00:07:39.22
was dominated by the Catholics.
00:07:39.25\00:07:41.86
It was not till the
middle of the 17th century
00:07:41.89\00:07:44.46
that there was an uprising
against the Jesuit priests
00:07:44.49\00:07:47.26
for their
oppression of the Syrian
00:07:47.30\00:07:48.73
and Thomas Christian churches.
00:07:48.76\00:07:51.23
A significant turn of events
took place in Mattancherry
00:07:51.27\00:07:54.47
near Cochin on the Malabar Coast
00:07:54.50\00:07:56.64
when the Thomas
and Syrian Christians
00:07:56.67\00:07:58.67
tied themselves
to the large cross
00:07:58.71\00:08:00.98
and swear on oath
to separate themselves
00:08:01.01\00:08:03.45
from the Catholic Church.
00:08:03.48\00:08:05.41
Unfortunately,
the damage was done
00:08:05.45\00:08:07.48
through
reeducation and cohesion.
00:08:07.52\00:08:10.39
Their theology
and worship styles
00:08:10.42\00:08:12.35
were adopted from Catholicism
00:08:12.39\00:08:14.32
which is still seen today
throughout their churches.
00:08:14.36\00:08:17.63
They forsook the Seventh-day
Sabbath of their ancestors
00:08:17.66\00:08:20.56
and other biblical teaching
of the primitive church.
00:08:20.60\00:08:23.40
Today, the most
famous places in India
00:08:23.43\00:08:26.00
have been historically
revised to make it appear
00:08:26.03\00:08:28.54
that they are part
of Catholic history.
00:08:28.57\00:08:32.74
Adventists first entered
North India in the 1890s.
00:08:32.77\00:08:36.14
L. J Burgess
and his wife Georgia
00:08:36.18\00:08:38.58
started an outreach for women.
00:08:38.61\00:08:42.22
This picture from 1898 shows
00:08:42.25\00:08:44.72
some of the first
Adventist pioneers to India.
00:08:44.75\00:08:48.22
At first the work was slow
00:08:48.26\00:08:50.06
in a country
dominated by Hindus and Muslims.
00:08:50.09\00:08:53.09
In 1897, D. A Robinson
00:08:53.13\00:08:55.86
started the first
Adventist school for girls.
00:08:55.90\00:08:58.47
He went on to become
00:08:58.50\00:08:59.83
the director of
the Indian Mission.
00:08:59.87\00:09:01.64
Unfortunately, he
succumbed to smallpox
00:09:01.67\00:09:03.94
and passed away
in the year 1900.
00:09:03.97\00:09:06.44
The leadership in India
fell on the young W. A Spicer
00:09:10.41\00:09:14.25
who became the head
of the Indian Mission
00:09:14.28\00:09:16.45
and the editor of
the Oriental Watchman,
00:09:16.48\00:09:18.79
the first Adventist
paper published in India.
00:09:18.82\00:09:21.72
At the 1901
General Conference session,
00:09:21.76\00:09:24.49
he was elected to
the position of secretary
00:09:24.53\00:09:26.73
for the foreign
mission board in America.
00:09:26.76\00:09:29.20
Spicer Adventist
University in Pune, India
00:09:29.23\00:09:32.60
still bears his name today.
00:09:32.63\00:09:35.50
The fist Adventist
church in Southern India
00:09:35.54\00:09:37.84
is located in Prakasapuram.
00:09:37.87\00:09:40.18
We took a road from
Chennai to visit this area
00:09:40.21\00:09:43.04
and to see some new developments
00:09:43.08\00:09:44.48
for Laymen Ministries
in this historic region.
00:09:44.51\00:09:46.58
Early in the
morning we made our way
00:09:53.52\00:09:54.99
along a new toll highway.
00:09:55.02\00:09:56.73
Finally, India has
some decent highways.
00:09:56.76\00:09:59.43
Along the way, we stopped to see
00:10:14.14\00:10:15.51
the famous
Ranganathaswamy Temple complex
00:10:15.54\00:10:17.88
located on the
Island of Srirangam
00:10:17.91\00:10:20.08
which is positioned in
the middle of two rivers.
00:10:20.12\00:10:24.29
This is considered to be
00:10:24.32\00:10:25.65
the largest functioning
Hindu temple in the world
00:10:25.69\00:10:28.26
as it covers an area of about
6 million 790,000 square feet.
00:10:28.29\00:10:34.90
People come
here by the thousands
00:10:34.93\00:10:36.77
to pay homage to the
idol of the God Vishnu
00:10:36.80\00:10:39.20
that sit in the
middle of this stone temple.
00:10:39.23\00:10:41.50
Also in this area of Tamil Nadu,
00:11:07.13\00:11:09.63
there are the ruins
of the palace and temple
00:11:09.66\00:11:11.83
of the Chola dynasty,
00:11:11.87\00:11:13.80
which is one of the
longest ruling dynasties
00:11:13.84\00:11:16.00
in the history
of Southern India.
00:11:16.04\00:11:19.67
At one time it controlled
the whole southern tip of India
00:11:19.71\00:11:22.88
and its influence was
reached as far away as Malaysia.
00:11:22.91\00:11:28.52
These ruins date back to
the 11th and 12th centuries
00:11:28.55\00:11:32.15
being built by the
famous Rajaraja Chola.
00:11:32.19\00:11:34.69
We drew another six
hours to get Parankuntrapuram
00:11:41.00\00:11:43.63
which is near the
tip of South India.
00:11:43.67\00:11:46.00
It was here that the
very first Adventist church
00:11:46.03\00:11:48.47
was built in Southern India.
00:11:48.50\00:11:50.41
We met with
Pastor Jones now retired,
00:11:53.54\00:11:56.11
but used to be the
pastor of this historic church.
00:11:56.14\00:11:59.35
He had studied the history
of this Adventist church,
00:11:59.38\00:12:01.45
so we asked him to share about
00:12:01.48\00:12:02.98
how Adventists
first came to South India.
00:12:03.02\00:12:05.49
This is the first
Seventh-day Adventist church
00:12:44.73\00:12:47.43
in South India Union.
00:12:47.46\00:12:49.86
In the year 1907,
00:12:49.90\00:12:51.97
Elder James, Elder
Shaw and Elder Enoch
00:12:52.00\00:12:56.74
came to Prakasapuram
00:12:56.77\00:12:58.41
and stayed here
for about a month.
00:12:58.44\00:13:00.58
Then they all went back.
00:13:00.61\00:13:01.94
Then in 1908,
00:13:01.98\00:13:04.55
Elder James along
with his wife and children
00:13:04.58\00:13:07.78
came and settled
here, started his work.
00:13:07.82\00:13:12.05
First work they started
was among the sick people.
00:13:12.09\00:13:15.92
It's a kind of
medical missionary.
00:13:15.96\00:13:18.99
Then, they had also been giving
Bible studies to the people.
00:13:19.03\00:13:25.50
The first baptism took
place in the year 1910.
00:13:25.53\00:13:31.34
The first baptism
consisted of about 25 people.
00:13:31.37\00:13:37.41
That's how the first
church in South India Union
00:13:37.45\00:13:41.05
started here in Prakasapuram.
00:13:41.08\00:13:44.45
Just down the street
from the Adventist church
00:13:44.49\00:13:46.76
is the Indian
church of only Savior
00:13:46.79\00:13:49.29
which also keeps
the Seventh-day Sabbath.
00:13:49.32\00:13:52.69
It's interesting to
know that back in 1854
00:13:52.73\00:13:55.86
the founder of this church
discovered the Sabbath truth
00:13:55.90\00:13:58.40
from a study of the Bible.
00:13:58.43\00:14:00.57
It was estimated
that in the year 1900
00:14:00.60\00:14:03.44
around 500 to 1000
Tamil Sabbath keepers
00:14:03.47\00:14:06.98
were in this area of India.
00:14:07.01\00:14:09.44
It was in search of
these Sabbath keepers
00:14:09.48\00:14:11.41
that drew early
Adventist missionaries
00:14:11.45\00:14:13.35
Elder Juts and James
00:14:13.38\00:14:14.88
accompanied by two of
his friends to this area.
00:14:14.92\00:14:19.45
A more recent
historical development
00:14:19.49\00:14:21.79
was a donation of
this buildings and land
00:14:21.82\00:14:23.76
to Laymen Ministries.
00:14:23.79\00:14:25.23
In front is an active church
00:14:25.26\00:14:27.40
and the back is a completely
functioning community center
00:14:27.43\00:14:30.47
to which we're
going to add an orphanage.
00:14:30.50\00:14:34.50
Laymen Ministries
has been talking about
00:14:34.54\00:14:36.00
starting an
orphanage in India for years.
00:14:36.04\00:14:38.64
There's a real
need for that here.
00:14:38.67\00:14:40.58
And after the success that we
had in the country of Lithuania
00:14:40.61\00:14:43.31
with helping the
government orphanages there,
00:14:43.35\00:14:45.85
we thought the timing is right
00:14:45.88\00:14:47.62
and just recently
this facility here
00:14:47.65\00:14:49.92
became available
for Laymen Ministries
00:14:49.95\00:14:51.75
to start a really nice
orphanage out in the country.
00:14:51.79\00:14:54.56
And so, we're hoping
next year, this time,
00:14:54.59\00:14:56.59
when we do a report about
our project here in India,
00:14:56.62\00:14:59.29
that we'll be
able to bring you here
00:14:59.33\00:15:00.66
and show you the young children
00:15:00.70\00:15:02.06
that will be benefited by
being involved with an orphanage
00:15:02.10\00:15:04.83
ran by Laymen Ministries.
00:15:04.87\00:15:08.47
I'm Moses Daniel, I'm a layman,
I'm taking care of this church.
00:15:08.50\00:15:13.98
We have five
families coming to this church
00:15:14.01\00:15:17.85
and this is very nice to
have a community center here.
00:15:17.88\00:15:20.95
We have lot of Hindus
and lot of Roman Catholics
00:15:20.98\00:15:25.35
and this church serves them
by giving them the real truth.
00:15:25.39\00:15:30.53
This is the building
00:15:30.56\00:15:31.89
which is meant for
our community services.
00:15:31.93\00:15:34.23
And we do some technical,
00:15:34.26\00:15:38.40
we give some
technical practices,
00:15:38.43\00:15:41.34
trainings like
computer services, computer,
00:15:41.37\00:15:44.97
basic computer
learning, computer skills
00:15:45.01\00:15:47.48
and spoken English, soft
skills like spoken English
00:15:47.51\00:15:52.08
and this is the
computer center actually.
00:15:52.11\00:15:56.18
Okay, we have seven computers.
00:16:00.46\00:16:03.19
So far, we have finished
three batches of students.
00:16:03.22\00:16:08.10
Our students are
from this local area
00:16:08.13\00:16:11.40
and they come here
00:16:11.43\00:16:13.00
and they not only
get the education,
00:16:13.03\00:16:15.24
but we also give them
our books, our literature,
00:16:15.27\00:16:19.77
our gospel books
and we give them,
00:16:19.81\00:16:22.71
we tell Jesus loved them
00:16:22.74\00:16:25.21
and they get not
only the training,
00:16:25.25\00:16:28.85
they are trained to heaven.
00:16:28.88\00:16:32.02
The room
attached to this is that
00:16:32.05\00:16:35.42
community center which
we give sewing training.
00:16:35.46\00:16:40.10
This we especially
give training for ladies.
00:16:40.13\00:16:44.53
We bring the unemployed ladies
00:16:44.57\00:16:48.70
and we give
them sewing training.
00:16:48.74\00:16:51.51
We have finished three
batches and lot of ladies
00:16:51.54\00:16:55.81
from this area both
married and unmarried,
00:16:55.84\00:16:58.65
they come and get the
training and they're employed,
00:16:58.68\00:17:02.88
they get skills in sewing.
00:17:02.92\00:17:07.02
And they get some money.
00:17:07.06\00:17:10.13
And we want orphanages,
00:17:10.16\00:17:13.40
orphanage to be started with
this building which is enough.
00:17:13.43\00:17:18.47
We have enough of bathrooms
00:17:18.50\00:17:21.30
and we have enough
of sanitary facilities.
00:17:21.34\00:17:24.21
And to begin with,
00:17:24.24\00:17:26.07
we can use this
building for the boys' dorm.
00:17:26.11\00:17:29.48
I myself have
studied in orphanage
00:17:29.51\00:17:32.75
for about 15 years.
00:17:32.78\00:17:36.69
And after that, after having my
education through an orphanage,
00:17:36.72\00:17:41.12
through the
help of an orphanage,
00:17:41.16\00:17:43.73
I have run an
orphanage for 12 years.
00:17:43.76\00:17:47.40
We have produced lot of
students for this country.
00:17:47.43\00:17:52.23
They're working in
various capacities.
00:17:52.27\00:17:54.67
And they still
have connection with me.
00:17:54.70\00:17:57.31
And I love them
and they love me still.
00:17:57.34\00:18:00.41
Okay, we have
to see the kitchen.
00:18:00.44\00:18:04.08
We have already built a kitchen,
00:18:04.11\00:18:06.72
keeping in mind to have
00:18:06.75\00:18:08.65
children or men
for the training.
00:18:08.68\00:18:13.29
So this is the kitchen.
00:18:16.96\00:18:19.53
We have all
facilities like water,
00:18:19.56\00:18:22.63
water connection
and drainage system,
00:18:22.66\00:18:25.33
everything is okay.
00:18:25.37\00:18:28.07
The whole land
and the whole building
00:18:28.10\00:18:30.57
has been made only
for Laymen Ministries.
00:18:30.61\00:18:35.41
This building and the land is,
00:18:35.44\00:18:37.48
can be used for
the Laymen Ministry.
00:18:37.51\00:18:41.95
Laymen Ministries
sponsors 24 Bible workers
00:18:41.98\00:18:44.72
along with three team leaders.
00:18:44.75\00:18:46.55
These faithful Bible
workers go door-to-door
00:18:46.59\00:18:49.06
working areas of the
city giving Bible studies.
00:18:49.09\00:18:52.39
They have a
systematic way of working.
00:18:52.43\00:18:54.66
As they approach the door,
00:18:54.70\00:18:56.03
they mention our
television programs
00:18:56.06\00:18:58.03
as many of the people
are familiar with them.
00:18:58.07\00:19:00.34
This often opens the door.
00:19:00.37\00:19:03.47
Then they share
books and literature
00:19:03.51\00:19:05.17
which we print as well.
00:19:05.21\00:19:06.94
Eventually they
establish group Bible studies
00:19:06.98\00:19:09.54
which leads to
evangelistic series,
00:19:09.58\00:19:11.81
followed by baptisms
00:19:11.85\00:19:13.18
and the
establishment of a small church.
00:19:13.21\00:19:15.38
I'd like to show
you some examples
00:19:21.66\00:19:23.19
of our new church plans.
00:19:23.22\00:19:24.69
Right now we're
heading over to a church
00:19:28.20\00:19:29.73
that's called Nimilitary.
00:19:29.76\00:19:31.10
It's a church that
has been established
00:19:31.13\00:19:32.63
by Laymen
Ministries Bible workers.
00:19:32.67\00:19:34.70
And, Pastor, did you say that
00:19:34.74\00:19:36.64
local people help
get the money together
00:19:36.67\00:19:38.84
to help buy that church,
00:19:38.87\00:19:40.21
to build the church
or is that rented place?
00:19:40.24\00:19:42.54
It's a rented
place. Rented place.
00:19:42.58\00:19:44.15
It's a rented place.
00:19:44.18\00:19:45.51
Yeah, so that's
where we're headed now,
00:19:45.55\00:19:46.88
we're all packed in this car
in a lot of traffic right now.
00:19:46.92\00:19:51.32
We first made a
quick stop to see
00:20:11.34\00:20:12.87
one of our new church plants
00:20:12.91\00:20:14.24
that's on the roof of a house.
00:20:14.28\00:20:16.68
These church
plants eventually end up
00:20:16.71\00:20:18.51
having their
own church buildings
00:20:18.55\00:20:20.02
as the congregation grows.
00:20:20.05\00:20:21.72
Pastor Johnson wanted to show
us one of the churches where
00:20:55.88\00:20:58.65
the Bible workers
did the groundwork
00:20:58.69\00:21:00.69
and now they're
running a building here.
00:21:00.72\00:21:02.66
How long ago did they
establish this church here?
00:21:02.69\00:21:04.96
Seven months back.
00:21:04.99\00:21:06.33
Okay. This is real recently.
00:21:06.36\00:21:07.86
Yes.
00:21:07.90\00:21:09.23
And they're meeting at
someone's home or is it rented?
00:21:09.26\00:21:11.03
It's a rented place.
00:21:11.07\00:21:12.73
Here is still
another church plant
00:21:50.11\00:21:51.57
in another rented building.
00:21:51.61\00:21:54.94
One of our Bible workers
00:21:54.98\00:21:56.31
shares a testimony
with the believers here.
00:21:56.34\00:21:58.35
On this trip to India,
00:22:19.33\00:22:20.67
I'm trying to get a
little bit of an idea
00:22:20.70\00:22:22.04
of what we're doing
with the Bible workers.
00:22:22.07\00:22:24.17
Bible workers go into an area,
00:22:24.21\00:22:25.81
sometimes work it
for five or six months,
00:22:25.84\00:22:28.11
develop a core of people
00:22:28.14\00:22:29.48
who are interested
in studying the Bible
00:22:29.51\00:22:30.95
and then we establish a church.
00:22:30.98\00:22:32.71
This morning we saw one
church that was established
00:22:32.75\00:22:35.88
that was meeting
actually in a house,
00:22:35.92\00:22:37.89
they're actually
renting the house.
00:22:37.92\00:22:39.45
And then, there is
different developments
00:22:39.49\00:22:41.39
that are taking place with
the different church groups.
00:22:41.42\00:22:43.59
Some of them are
well established churches
00:22:43.63\00:22:46.03
where we bought
property, build the church.
00:22:46.06\00:22:48.10
Sometimes we do
this in connection
00:22:48.13\00:22:49.50
with the local union
or the conference here.
00:22:49.53\00:22:52.73
Sometimes with
other organizations
00:22:52.77\00:22:54.24
that help with the
church building process,
00:22:54.27\00:22:56.74
but nevertheless over the years
of being here for 21 years now,
00:22:56.77\00:23:00.48
we've established a lot of
churches in the Chennai area.
00:23:00.51\00:23:03.45
When we were here on this trip,
00:23:06.85\00:23:08.55
we found out that there was
going to be 11 people baptized,
00:23:08.58\00:23:12.05
again as the result
of our Bible workers.
00:23:12.09\00:23:15.62
We never rush
people into this decision
00:23:15.66\00:23:18.19
as we want to
see true conversions.
00:23:18.23\00:23:21.43
The Bible workers have built
00:23:21.46\00:23:22.80
close
relationships with these people
00:23:22.83\00:23:24.27
over the last several months.
00:23:24.30\00:23:26.37
Each has a story to tell.
00:23:26.40\00:23:29.84
Since working in
India since 1993,
00:23:29.87\00:23:33.14
by God's grace we have
seen thousands of baptisms.
00:23:33.17\00:23:37.08
Twenty one years of journey
Laymen Ministry in India.
00:23:42.42\00:23:49.16
I couldn't believe that.
00:23:49.19\00:23:51.39
We just seems to be
met but 21 years passed.
00:23:51.43\00:23:56.87
And we met in the city
of Porur in Chennai, India.
00:23:56.90\00:24:02.44
We were holding
evangelistic meeting.
00:24:02.47\00:24:04.77
Gary Gibbs and you came
and to video record that one.
00:24:04.81\00:24:10.48
Then after that
I couldn't see you.
00:24:10.51\00:24:12.98
'99 Doug Batchelor came,
00:24:13.01\00:24:17.55
hold a big evangelistic meeting
00:24:17.59\00:24:19.95
and I was the coordinator,
one of the coordinator
00:24:19.99\00:24:23.32
and handling all the
finance section of that.
00:24:23.36\00:24:28.06
By God's grace when I saw
that Doug Batchelor meeting
00:24:28.10\00:24:32.90
and I heard
about he was doing TV,
00:24:32.93\00:24:34.90
radio and all of
publishing, all of that.
00:24:34.94\00:24:38.51
Then I told in our church
00:24:38.54\00:24:40.04
that we need a TV
program in our church.
00:24:40.08\00:24:42.94
Then next year, in
2000 Elder Mark Finley came
00:24:42.98\00:24:47.02
and we hired a big hall,
00:24:47.05\00:24:48.92
Kamaraj Hall in
the city of Chennai.
00:24:48.95\00:24:51.82
It too, it is a big hall.
00:24:51.85\00:24:54.56
Then I thought that we
need a TV program in India.
00:24:54.59\00:24:59.93
As my church and
myself, we're all praying that
00:24:59.96\00:25:04.93
by God's grace that
I was able to meet you.
00:25:04.97\00:25:08.94
First we met in
Pastor Shadrach home,
00:25:08.97\00:25:11.51
then we met in one
of our lay member house.
00:25:11.54\00:25:15.48
And we were talking about
how to start a TV program.
00:25:15.51\00:25:18.78
Laymen Ministry is a pioneering
for TV evangelism in India
00:25:18.81\00:25:24.55
and Bible
worker, then publishing,
00:25:24.59\00:25:29.26
we did a role model.
00:25:29.29\00:25:31.56
Still there are
number of ministries
00:25:31.59\00:25:34.43
following other method,
00:25:34.46\00:25:36.77
it is because we have a
system to follow in India.
00:25:36.80\00:25:43.84
Laymen
Ministries owns and operates
00:25:43.87\00:25:45.84
a television studio in India
00:25:45.87\00:25:48.04
where we produce our
own television programs
00:25:48.08\00:25:50.18
that are aired on a number of
00:25:50.21\00:25:51.55
different cable and
international networks.
00:25:51.58\00:25:54.65
The upper floor of our
studio was for book storage
00:25:54.68\00:25:57.49
and is used for
community outreach.
00:25:57.52\00:25:59.89
We have a church
behind our studio
00:25:59.92\00:26:01.46
that is used as a
training center for laymen
00:26:01.49\00:26:04.09
and has services every Sabbath.
00:26:04.13\00:26:08.10
Our editors work at producing
a variety of TV programs.
00:26:08.13\00:26:12.53
We have people
come into our studio
00:26:12.57\00:26:14.04
to record sermon presentations
00:26:14.07\00:26:15.94
and sometimes even
special musical pieces.
00:26:15.97\00:26:18.97
We produce programs in Telugu,
Tamil and English languages.
00:26:19.01\00:26:24.15
Christo Samuel
directs our studio operations.
00:26:24.18\00:26:28.62
Here are just a
couple of samples
00:26:28.65\00:26:29.98
of some of our programs.
00:26:30.02\00:26:31.39
1 John 3:1,
00:26:37.89\00:26:39.59
"Behold, what manner of love
00:26:39.63\00:26:41.26
the Father hath
bestowed upon us,
00:26:41.30\00:26:43.47
that we should be
called the sons of God:
00:26:43.50\00:26:46.03
therefore the
world knoweth us not,
00:26:46.07\00:26:48.10
because it knew him not."
00:26:48.14\00:26:49.97
May we realize the importance
of the love God has given us
00:26:50.01\00:26:53.17
and cherish every moment of it.
00:26:53.21\00:26:55.64
Laymen Ministries started
working in India in 1993.
00:27:09.76\00:27:14.20
God has blessed in so many ways.
00:27:14.23\00:27:16.30
Now after 23 years of work,
00:27:16.33\00:27:18.47
the historical legacy
continues to be established.
00:27:18.50\00:27:21.70
Over the years we have
printed thousands of books,
00:27:21.74\00:27:24.07
tracks and Bible studies.
00:27:24.11\00:27:25.91
TV programs go around the world.
00:27:25.94\00:27:28.28
Bible workers touch people's
lives in a very personal way,
00:27:28.31\00:27:32.11
thousands have been baptized.
00:27:32.15\00:27:35.18
And if it were not
for people like you
00:27:35.22\00:27:36.75
who support projects like this,
00:27:36.79\00:27:38.82
these blessings
would not have happened.
00:27:38.85\00:27:41.12
Next, we plan to
reprint books like
00:27:41.16\00:27:43.02
the Great Controversy
and the Desire of Ages.
00:27:43.06\00:27:46.33
We'll be adding more networks
to air our television programs
00:27:46.36\00:27:49.60
as well as getting our
orphanage up and operating.
00:27:49.63\00:27:52.73
Thank you for your support.
00:27:52.77\00:27:54.64