Indian Church of Christ - Bangalore

Bidar

Bidar is a small town in Karnataka State of India. It has an area of 43sq Kms. Urban Population is 170,204. 1000s of others from the nearby villages comes to town to study and work. Temperature here goes up to 45 ^oC.

The King Nizam of Hyderabad used to rule this city before Independence. So there is a huge fort built by the king in the city.

This is a poverty stricken district. Most of the villages around has 1000s of people work as bonded labourers. That means, for the entire year of hard work in the fields from morning 6 to evening 6 they get around Rs.14,000. They are expected to work 365 days of the year. If they miss any day, that wages will be cut. Some of our disciples' parents are working like this.

There are lot of small time farmers who take loans from rich people and cultivate their land. Many of them when they are  unable to pay back such loans due to crop failure, drought, flood or low price of their produce, end up committing suicide More than 50 farmers committed suicide in Bidar district alone last year.

In most of the villages untouchability still prevail. Because of this communities are segregated. There are areas in every village separated for Upper Caste Hindus, Lower Caste Hindus, Tribals, Christians. Christians are considered lower caste.

Till recently, restaurants run by uppercaste Hindus were not allowing any one from lower caste (including Christians) to have anything at all.But recently they are allowing others to have tea etc. but they are not allowed inside the restaurant, they can stay outside the restaurant ahd have tea.   If any low caste person uses the public tap to collect water, the upper caste people will do a ceremonial washing of the tap to purify it before they collect water for themselves.

There are a lot of superstitions and traditions. Some of the villages have 'Village Oracle' called Bhanumathi. They command great respect from all. People from all religions are scared of such oracles. In one of the villages called Kappalapur, the Oracle has a free run. He enters houses in the middle of the night and drags away little children and kills them probably sacrifices them. Even Christian families have lost children like that.

The rich politicians who are the landlords who owns 1000s of acres of land makes sure that there are no proper educaton facilities in the villages so that they will have workers all the time as no one gets proper education and hence no proper jobs!

Our hearts were moved to see these conditions and after much prayer and fasting, God helped us to have a team of 8 disciples to be sent out from Bangalore to Bidar to start the church in April 2007. Phlip & Pramila led the team. David & Monica went with the team and trained them for couple of weeks. In 30 days the team with the amazing help of God baptized 8 people and so the group literally doubled in a month's time.

Mission Team Members: Moses, Philip, Yesudas & Appanna

Mission Team Members: Yeshodha, Pramila, Sukanya & Durga

In just few months a house church was started in nearby village called Anadur.

In the first year (April 2007 to Dec 2007) they had 20 baptisms and the Church membership was 25 by the end of 2007.

In 2008 also God blessed the Church with 20 souls being added even though some of the mission team members went back to the mother Churches. In 2009, 13 souls got saved and the membership reached 50.

Now there are 55 disciples. There are 12 Leaders and there are 4 house churches. There are many disciples who want to go on mission teams to plant new churches.

One of the challenges faced by disciples in thechurch is the lack of jobs. Even educated people earn very less, and women are not encouraged to go out or work at all. Girls are used to getting married in their teenage, having children and being house wives. Sisters find it tough to go against the tradition, work, come out for ministry and support themselves as their families are opposed to these things.

Good News

The young Christians are risen up to take up all responsibilities in the Church so well that the Church is moving ahead with new spirit and zeal. For the first time leaders were appointed there. 5 women and 5 men Assistant Family Group leaders were appointed. The Church was very encouraged to see this wonderful event. The Church had organised an invitation service with just one week notice. There was no invitation cards at all! But the Christians were so fired up to share their faith and make every effort to bring their family members and friends. Ashok and Vinodha just got baptised last month. They brought more than 10 of their family members. Most of them came from far away places - even from neighbouring state Andhra Pradesh.

Ruth is a young girl who is from a village called Kamtan and she has been coming and studying the Bible for a couple of weeks. She brought more than 10 of her friends from her village who were very eager to know Jesus. There were more than 100 adults to attend the service making the hall packed with people! It was a challenging time for the Church as there is no Hall to meet regularly. But in this crisis time, Joshua who is a young Christian and his family opened their house for the whole Church to meet together on Sundays, and for mid week meetings. I was amazed at the generosity of that family

EZEKIEL’S STORY

Ezekiel a young 19year’s old disciple is studying P.U.C. II Year Science. He was invited to the church in October 2007 by Robert who is a Disciple. He came to the church and studied Bible in the month Feb 2008. He learned his life was without Christ Jesus and he understood he needs forgiveness from the Lord Jesus Christ and got baptized on 1st march 2008.

He was very timid, shy, insecure and not confident when he came to the church and he was not used to fellowshipping with anybody because of his insecurity.

One of the incidents on one of the occasion, we asked him to come and join with us for a taking a church photograph, but he ran away from us was unable to join with us because of his shyness, later on one of the brothers encouraged him and brought him for a photo session.

Even if we fellowship also he used to withdrew from us. He was comfortable with few people like, his family and those who studied bible with him.

But after becoming a disciple, by the power of Jesus he got transformed totally from what he was, we are amazed by his changes in his life. He became bold, confident to talk to anybody. He does Bible studies with new visitors. He gets involved in many responsibilities of the church. He leads songs boldly, translates message from Hindi to Kannada does announcements and fellowships with all of us.  

Personally his mother witnessed his transformation. Through him and by the help of God, his sister Rebecca and mother Rajamma got baptized and younger brother and father are coming regularly to the church. His father helps the disciples in times of need.  

His father attended one of the marrieds’ meetings and got inspired and convicted by the message and helped his wife in her household work. He personally shared about it and we are hoping that his father and brother will soon be disciples of Lord Jesus.  

Whole church and his relatives are amazed looking at him .We are grateful to God for His wonderful miracle in Ezekiel’s life.  

God proved once again that nothing is impossible for him by choosing Ezekiel and turning him to be his instrument. He is doing spiritually well. To God be the glory Amen.

INVITATION SERVICE

In Aug 2009, for the first time leaders were appointed there. 5 women and 5 men Assistant Family Group leaders were appointed. The Church was very encouraged to see this wonderful event.

The Church had organised an invitation service with just one week notice. There was no invitation cards at all! But the Christians were so fired up to share their faith and make every effort to bring their family members and friends. 
Ashok and Vinodha just got baptised in the previous month. They brought more than 10 of their family members. Most of them came from far away places - even from neighbouring state Andhra Pradesh. 
Ruth is a young girl who is from a village called Kamtan and she has been coming and studying the Bible for a couple of weeks. She brought more than 10 of her friends from her village who were very eager to know Jesus. In August Ruth got baptized. 
There were more than 100 adults to attend the service making the hall packed with people! 
It was a challenging time for the Church as there is no Hall to meet regularly. But in this crisis time, Joshua who is a young Christian and his family opened their house for the whole Church to meet together on Sundays, and for mid week meetings. I was amazed at the generosity of that family. 

Newly appointed leaders : Akash, Santhosh, Swamidas, Basawa, Arun

Newly appointed leaders : Elizabeth, Rebecca, Martha, Santha & Jayasree

Please continue to pray for the Church.