TESTIMONY OF PHILIP
TESTIMONY OF PASTOR PHILIP (NLCM OVERSEER , KERALA, INDIA)
Greetings in the matchless name of our Lord and savior Jesus Christ.
I count it as a great privilege for me to share my testimony and also about the New Life Christian Missions.
I was born and brought up in a Hindu family as the 4th child to my parents. We are 5 brothers and 2 sisters to my parents. Few years back my father went be with the LORD. My mother is still alive.
Let me tell you very briefly how we came to the Lord.
As I said to you we were Hindus. Though we were Hindus my parents were not very interested in the ritual practices of Hindu religion. Especially my mother. Because, in her young age she had attended the Sunday schools where she studied God’s Word. During the evenings when she lits the lamp for prayer (This is a practice in our country among the Hindus- They sit behind the lighted lamp and sing the Bhajan-Spiritual Hymns to god and goddesses) she used to sing songs both to Jesus and Hindu gods. Probably at that time she might have thought that Jesus is also one of the gods like the gods in Hinduism. … She liked Jesus very much.
In short we were all very religious. From my childhood days I used to go to temples and bow down before the idols. Even though I used to do like this there was always a question in my heart rising up. Why should I bow down before an Idol that cannot see me, hear me, even cannot understand any of my problems? My little heart started to search for the truth. I asked my mother, would we go to heaven after doing all these things? She said we cannot go to heaven, because we are all sinners but those priest in the temples and churches, they will go to heaven. We will take thousands of cycle of births and rebirths to get into heaven. When I heard all these things I felt angry and bitter to God. At this time I was 12 years old.
But Thank God He knew my heart. He decided to reveal Himself to us. He decided to visit our family. Because in the eternity past He had chosen us in His Son Jesus Christ.
Now let me tell you How God drew us unto Him.
My eldest brother was affected by a serious heart problem. My parents took him to different hospitals. But there was no improvement in his health. Many people advised our parents to do some temple rituals so that my brother may get healing. Our parents spent lot of money for the same, but there was no improvement in his health. Almost we lost our hope in him. People used to visit him in hospital to console him and our family.
One day a Pastor whom we know came to the hospital to see him and pray for him. Before he leaves, he prayed for my brother. My brother decided that if Jesus would heal him he will live for the Lord. God started to work in him. Slowly he started to show some improvement in his health. Finally he was completely healed. Praise the Lord.
This made him to have faith in Jesus. Without the knowledge of my father he used to go to the Pastor’s house and started to attend in the Bible classes and meetings. The Lord’s favors were upon him and he accepted Jesus as his personal savior and Lord and he witnessed the Lord in the waters of baptism. This made my father to take a hard decision upon him. He cast him out of our house. My brother went and joined in a Bible college in Poona. As he was continuing his studies he wrote many letters to our home but one day we received a special letter from him saying that he cannot imagine a heaven where his parents and brothers won’t be. During this period I also used to go for Christians’ meetings. In one of those meetings I heard about the forgiveness of sins and how we can go to heaven. The Holy Spirit convicted me of my sins and I realized that I am a sinner and I need a savior to save me from my sins. I asked the Lord to forgive my sins and come to my life and be my savior and the Lord. Thus I gave my life to Jesus the one who gave himself for me. I decided to live the rest of my life for Jesus no matter what might be the cost I have to pay.
I also started to go to the church for worship and my father began to make problem. As a whole church began to pray for our parents and other members to be saved. Then my mother started to come with me in Church and again my father made many troubles in home. But the Lord saved them also within a year. And the Lord helped me and our parents to take baptism together. This brought great opposition from our other relatives. They tried to persecute us, isolated us. I remember, my father once was beaten up by one of our neighbors. In the beginning days of our Christian life we faced lot of oppositions and struggles from our community .They even tried to kill us
After my salvation and studies, for some time I worked with an organization in Northern part of Kerala and North India sharing the gospel and distributing the Christian literatures to every one. Then I decided to study God’s Word. The Lord opened a way for me to study His word in Hindustan Bible Institute in Chennai (Madras) .I studied there for four years. During these years the rest of other brethren came to the knowledge of Jesus and became the members of the family of God.
After my studies I came to Kerala and joined with New Life Christian Mission. The Lord has taken us through different experiences. We faced lots of ups and downs as a mission organization. We thought we would sink into the deep of the waters. There were times we faced financial difficulties to run the mission. But the Lord has taken in His hand. When there came the famine the Lord sent His “Raven” Tom Franklin and his dear wife Charlotte to feed us in a land where famine has stricken. And this raven is faithful to the Lord till today in bringing the gifts of God to us I praise the Lord for him and his dear wife Charlotte . He has brought along with him the like-minded men and women of God who became the faithful supporters of this ministry in India. I am sure that many of you have contributed to this ministry , may be out of your abundance or nothingness. I take this time to thank you all for your great contribution to the Lord’s ministry in India. I pray that may the LORD richly reward you and bless you both spiritually and materially.
Now my youngest brother K. Thampi is pastoring in Light House, H.O. Of NLCM and I am overseeing the work of NLCM. Please pray and support.
Dear friends and family,
Can you envision a land where cows are holy, animal sacrifices are a weekly occurrence and human cremations take place daily? I want to share with you a challenging ministry opportunity God has presented to me
I know that talking about needs and asking for support is a difficult thing.
But as the Lord moves your heart I am sure that you would respond to Him wisely.
Now I would like to present before you the present ministries and future projects of New Life Christian mission.
• At Present we have 19 Churches in Kerala and 4 Churches in Orissa (North India). So totally we have 23 gatherings (local churches). Among these, 9 churches have own buildings and in one place we have only the land. The rest of the churches are gathering in rented houses.
• We have a tailoring school in Light House, Kayamkulam (NLCM Head quarters). Most of the ladies who are being trained are from Hindu background. The Lord has enabled us to share the gospel with them. This is one of the mediums that we can use to share the gospel to the people.
• We have a Team of ladies working among the women both in the church and outside the church with the motives of strengthening, equipping, counseling, witnessing, etc. This team of ladies is known as “women Discipleship Ministries”.
• We also have Hospital ministries, visiting the patients and comforting and sharing the love of Jesus and helping them financially as we can.
• We conduct youth camps with the purpose of equipping the youngsters in our churches
• Our Gospel team goes to different places and witness the Lord through preaching the gospel and teaching them to obey what the Lord has commanded.
• We are also running a children home in Orissa with 12 children. It is in a rented house.
WHAT WE WANT TO DO IN THE FUTURE
• Pastoral Training Institute in Cochin or Light House
• Expansion of ministry to North India.
• A Public School in North India
• Music Team