YEAR OF RESTORATION

October 2004

Volume 33 Issue 10  No. 343

Barren Bones Breathing and Bouncing

The passage of dry bones coming to life in the book of Ezekiel is perhaps the best known of all chapters on Revival in the Bible. In this article I attempt to explain some self-evident and foundational truths on Revival from this passage.

Without revival we can do nothing. We cannot get by without a genuine reawakening of our spiritual lives. Often we are so spiritually blind that we don’t see the need for a revival amidst us. In this passage we find that the LORD took hold of Prophet Ezekiel and carried him away by His Spirit to a valley filled with dry bones (Ezek 37:1). If the LORD had not taken the initiative, chances are that Ezekiel would have never got to see the valley of dry bones. In other words God was telling Ezekiel: "Revival is indispensable." The phrase, "a great many bones" implies that the whole community of people in the Babylonian exile was living on without spiritual fervor (v 2). Even today, much has not changed. Every Christian needs revival whether he realizes it or not. We, sadly, like the believers of the Laodicean Church strut, "I am rich and do not need a thing" while the truth is that we are "wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked" (Rev 3:17). But this is what God has to say to us: "You are neither hot nor cold and I am about to spit you out of my mouth!" (Rev 3:16). Leonard Ravenhill hit the hammer on the head of the nail when he wrote, "I offer it as my considered judgment that the main reason why we do not have heaven-born Spirit-operated revival in our day is that WE ARE CONTENT TO LIVE WITHOUT IT. Lesser ‘blessings’ make us happy. Another bus for Sunday school is all that we ask for. A bigger attendance this year at Easter and Christmas elevates the joy of many promotion-geared Churches." I have read that John Kilpatrick, a pastor of a Church in Pensacola, United States, would drive to his Church evening after evening and simply cry out, "There’s got to be more, LORD!" And the Pensacola Revival in the United States broke out on Father’s Day in 1995 where 1,22,000 people were saved! Here was a man who was not content to live without a revival!

In this passage God quizzes Ezekiel, "Son of Man, can these bones become living people again?" To God’s question, Ezekiel gives an insightful answer. "O Sovereign Lord, you alone know the answer to that!" (37:3). Here Ezekiel correctly acknowledges that revival can result only if the "Sovereign LORD" wills it and supplies power for it. Only when God breathes into these "very" dry bones they would come again to life the same way He brought the lifeless Adam to life (v 5). Otherwise they would continue to be cold and lifeless. Without God we cannot dream of being alive. God is the only Reservoir for revival. Without His endowment no true revival can ever take place. Human efforts at best can only bring about a "rattle." We need God’s hand upon those efforts to make it a "revival!" That is one reason why we must positively pray for a revival and keep at it. Whenever we pray we are telling God, "we can’t do it on our own." Our Lord Jesus said, "apart from me you can do nothing" (Jn 15:5). Paul understood this truth. That is why he penned, "I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God made it grow!" (1 Cor 3:6).

The rule of revival in Psalm 126 still holds well: "Those who plant in tears will harvest with shouts of joy!" (126:5). The context of this Psalm is revival (please See v 4). Tears in prayer are like an irrigation pump that waters hard soils and makes it soft and supple for revival. But alas we live in a generation who prefer cheers to tears; who choose travel to travail; who opt to be organizers rather than be agonizers; who fancy being singers than be clingers; who feel compelled to be pastors, than be wrestlers; who favor fashion than passion; who like to be writers rather than be fighters (as Leonard Ravenhill creatively put it). If only all of us set aside a time every day to cry out with tears using the words of the Psalmist, "Will you not revive us again that your people may rejoice in you?", a soul-stirring revival would come storming in! When we make personal that impassioned plea, a heaven-sent revival would come bursting forth!

In this passage the dry bones come to life when Prophet Ezekiel obeys God’s command to speak His Word to them (37:4,7). In fact Ezekiel had dedicated his life for the ministry of preaching Yahweh’s word to His own people who lived at Tel Abib, by the Kebar River in Babylon (1:1; 3:15). And his repeated message was "Repent and live!" (Ezek 18:32). The faithful preaching of God’s unchanging Word and especially the message of repentance will definitely bring about a revival among the audience it is preached to! This is the only route to revival! It happened during the time of King Josiah. When he read to his people from the just-rediscovered Book of the Covenant, it resulted in such a terrific Passover celebration that was never seen in Israel since the days of the judges (2 Ki 23:2,22).

The same happened when Jonathan Edwards read a sermon he prepared on the basis of Scripture, titled, "Sinners in the hands of an Angry God" on 8 July 1741, to a congregation at Enfield (in the US). He began his sermon with the little-known but bone chilling words from the book of Deuteronomy: "Their foot shall slide in due time" in order to explain the danger the wicked Israelites would be exposed to if they persisted in their wayward ways (Dt 32:35). Baptised in "the terror of the Lord," Edwards oozed with holy wrath as he preached "the Word" that day. He quoted from Psalm 73 to warn his listeners that they could be brought into desolation "in a moment" (vv 18-19). Using a scarcely used verse from the writings of Prophet Nahum he compared God to a "Devouring Flame" (1:10). He made a reference to John 3:18 in order to teach that sinners were already under a sentence of condemnation to hell if they failed to repent and trust Christ. He wound them with this stirring sermon that was absolutely anchored on the Bible from start to finish with these scorching yet scriptural words: "The wrath of Almighty is now undoubtedly hanging over a great number of you. Let everyone fly out of Sodom: ‘Escape for thy life; look not behind thee, neither stay thou in all the plain; escape to the mountain, lest thou be consumed’ (Gen 19:17)" What was the result of such a daring preaching of the Bible? After the hurricane of Edwards’ judgment message was over, the crowd collapsed. Some clung to the posts of the Church out of fear that they might all of a sudden slip and fall into the depths of hell! It was this kind of straight-out-of-scripture, that blew in revival fires into New England.

Why was God so interested that the dry bones would take up muscles, skin and breath to come to life again? Simple: so that they would know that He is the LORD (37:6; See verse 13 also). The reason for revival is that God’s people would grow in their knowledge of Him. Hear God’s lament: "The ox knows his master, the donkey his owner’s manger, but Israel does not know, my people do not understand" (Isa 1:3). Because Israel stubbornly refused to know and understand God they were sent out of the Promised Land of Milk and Honey to a 70-year exile to Babylon. Prophet Isaiah records God’s words in this regard: "My people will go into exile for lack of understanding!" (Isa 5:13). That is why He now shows Ezekiel who was one among the exiles in Babylon that the whole purpose of reviving His dry-bone-like people was that they should now take time to know Him. One indication that revival fire is already lit in our hearts is that we would constantly look for opportunities to know God better. We can practically know God by taking unhurried time to study His Word. Why do I say that? The word "knowledge" is used interchangeably with the word, "the law of God" in the Bible. For example, we read these words of God from the writings of Prophet Hosea: "Because you have rejected knowledge, I also reject you my priests, because you ignored the law of your God, I will ignore your children" (6:4). The sad fact that we have time (or shall we say ‘take time’) regularly to see Television Serials, Cricket, Games, Political Trends and the like but not for the life-long process of knowing God shows how backslidden we are and where our priorities are. We need a revival, at any cost.

Prophet Ezekiel describes for us what finally happened at the end of his vision of dry bones coming to life: "So I prophesied as He commanded me, and breath entered them; they came to life and stood up on their feet— a vast army!" (37:10). It is interesting to note that he describes the people who are now revived as a "vast army" and not as an "audience!" What is the use of an army that does not march out and capture new territories for its commander? The lesson on revival from Ezekiel 37:10 is not difficult to grasp: we are revived to revive others. The reach of revival should be worldwide to reach the whole world—the unchurched, unreached and untouched! Revival rain was not only for the people of Israel but for the people "surrounding" the hill of God (Ezek 34:26). Please note that this revival chapter signs off with a missionary promise. "Then the nations will know that I make Israel holy!" (37:28). Prophet Ezekiel was a missionary at heart. He wanted the people living in Babylonian captivity to know that God cannot be locked in "geographical" boxes— the same God who was with them in Jerusalem is also with them by the Kebar River in Babylon.

Revival fires will invariably spread. When Samson set the tails of the foxes, they started sprinting destroying the vineyards of the Philistines (Judg 15:4-5). If this is the case, imagine what could be the effect if our hearts are set on revival fire— won’t we seek to run to the last man on this planet seeking him to win him into God’s vineyard (as someone has brilliantly pointed out)? Why did David ask God to "restore" to Him the joy of Salvation?— so that he could merely jump up and down in delirious joy? No! He did so, so that He would be able to teach transgressors God’s ways (Psa 51:12,13). The book of Acts is undoubtedly a handbook of Revival. Apostle James quoted from Prophet Amos in this book to show how a God-sent restoration would result in reaching out the lost. After God returns to rebuild and restore David’s fallen tent (symbolic of the backslidden Church) the rest of humanity, including the gentiles will "find the Lord," he explained in the Church council in Jerusalem (Am 9:11-12; Acts 15:16-18). Only because the apostles had experienced "times of refreshing" they could preach it to others (Acts 3:19). What were these "refreshed" people up to? Just praising and rejoicing inside the Sanctuary? No! We also see them getting involved in proclamation of the Gospel outside the sanctuary in Jerusalem, in Judea, in Samaria and to the ends of the earth (Acts 1:8). The message in this passage is very clear that after we are revived we should first take steps to reach out the unreached in our village /city, then other places in the State, then the neighbouring States and finally in the ends of this earth. A voluntary job transfer to a needy town far from your native place, sacrificing a lucrative job to join a missionary organization, pumping missionary blood into your children’s veins—these are only a few practical ways to spread the revival fires that God has graciously lit in your heart.

Ezekiel’s vision of "Barren Bones Breathing and Bouncing" is one of his talked-about visions. But strangely no date is given for this vision, as is the case with his other major visions (See 1:2; 8:1; 40:1). But by leaving this vision deliberately dateless, is the Lord telling us, "The Dry Bones of your times too can live again?" I think, yes!

CARRYING THE SPIRIT OF REFORMATION TODAY!

Reformation Day is usually observed on the last Sunday of the month of October according to the calendar of the Protestant Church. This is because on the 31 October 1517, when the Cathedral Church in Wittenberg was packed to capacity for the celebration of its anniversary on a Sunday, Martin Luther hammered on its wooden door 95 sentences pointing out the things the Roman Catholic Church practised unbiblically and therefore needed a thorough reform.

What was the event that spurred him from taking this extreme step? One of the archbishops of the Roman Catholic Church borrowed money from a bank to bribe the Pope to ensure that he was bishop of three towns (though the law forbade one man being bishop of more than one town). To help him repay this loan from which he was a beneficiary the Pope authorized him to sell indulgences. That is, if put crudely, "prior permission to sin without loosing one’s place in heaven!" A man named John Tetzel sold these "indulgences" in the marketplace in Germany. He even coaxed his customers that they could even buy these for their loved ones who were dead and gone. "They are now in purgatory. But if you buy these indulgences on their behalf they would be promoted to heaven!", he said enthusiastically marketing his "product." When this came to Martin Luther’s ears he fumed. He knew what was going on in the Church with the Pope’s permission was plainly un-Scriptural and anti-Biblical. He knew the plain teaching of the Scripture was that "everyone who believes in Jesus will have their sins forgiven through His name!" (Acts 10:43). Salvation from sin was by grace alone (Eph 2:8). Money did not come anywhere in the picture. "Your silver and gold will be of no use to you on that day of the Lord’s anger," he had read in his Bible (Zeph 1:18). "No one can redeem the life of another by paying a ransom to God" (Psa 49:7). He also knew from Scripture that there was no chance of Salvation after one’s death, for the Bible says, "Man is destined to die once and after that face judgement" (Heb 9:27). Abraham, he remembered, told the rich man in hell, that "no one there can cross over to us!" (Lk 16:26). In other words, once a person dies and goes into eternal torment in hell there was no question of getting out of it. So Martin Luther, who was a priest with the Catholic Church, sat down and wrote out 95 statements of un-Scriptural practices of the Roman Catholic Church and hammered those statements on the door of the Wittenberg Cathedral in Germany.

The Catholic Church authorities summoned Luther to a place called Worms to explain his action. He was warned about the danger of going there by his well-meaning friends. His eloquent reply to this was, "I shall go to Worms though there were as many devils there as there are tiles on the roofs!" And Luther did go to Worms and faced the Church leadership. They asked him to take back everything he had posted on the door of the Cathedral. This was his reply: "I am bound by the texts of the Bible; my conscience is captive to the Word of God. I neither can nor will take back anything…God help me!"

The flame of reformation was well and truly now lit. Even today this flame must spread. Reason? Just as the Roman Catholic practised some unbiblical things then, the modern protestant Church too does practises things that are not Scriptural. The Infant Baptism, the "accountability to God alone" when it comes to finances and morals, non-involvement in missionary work, etc. are some of them. We must be so deeply rooted in the Scriptures that we identify these practices and raise our voices against any such practises that are un-scriptural. The best way to counter unbiblical doctrines is to teach and promote sound biblical doctrine. Then it can be said of us that we carry the spirit of reformation even today! Not only that but we would thereby contend for the faith that was "once for all delivered to the saints" as Jude said.

Ten Commandments

Evangeline Duke

I remember those days at Chennai, the three years that rolled by in a flash. An auto ride was a part and parcel of my Chennai days.

When my auto would whiz pass the neon-lit Metro City roads, I would wonder what on earth I could do. An idea sprung up in my mind. Why not share the Gospel with the Auto Driver? My missionary parents named me as ‘Evangeline’ perhaps dreaming that I would evangelise all who came my way! Why not I live up to my name? God’s words tell us to witness for Him—in season and out of season. So I decided to obey His Word.

I asked the auto driver, "Do you know about Jesus, sir?" He replied in the negative. "You might have heard about Christmas—the day the Christians celebrate to recollect how Jesus came into this world two thousand years ago to save us from our sins. You might have heard about Good Friday, the day when the sinless Jesus died instead of you and me on a Cross. You might have even heard about Easter. Well, that’s the day when Jesus rose again from the Dead. This same Jesus is coming back to Judge every one in this world. He is the only way to God. If we invite Him into our lives after confessing our sins we can experience a strange peace! Jesus will take us to heaven!" The Gospel was driven in meaningfully, soaked in prayer.

After having got married, every time I hopped into an auto in New Delhi with my husband I would straight away go for my 10 sentence Gospel presentation. My Hindi was broken. English words would be sprayed liberally in-between. For some of them this was just too much to take!

Once I was stunned when an auto man interrupted me mid-way. He said, "I have heard this before. Yes! You were riding from Ansal Plaza to Saket then, Madam. Thank you for sharing this Acchi Baath (‘Good News’ in Hindi) with me." My heart leapt with joy! Sharing the gospel with the same auto driver in just a few months! I believe that someday the Gospel seed sown in their hearts will bear fruit. What a privilege it is just to sow the seed! I have a question: what about the other drivers and travelers who haven’t yet heard the Gospel even once? Who will tell them? If not you, then who? If not now, then when? Travelling time is a great opportunity to share the Gospel. Let us win souls!

Greatness of Soulwinning

• There will be more rejoicing in Heaven over one sinner who repents than over nintynine righteous persons who do not need to repent!

• Whoever turns a sinner from the error of his way will save him from death and cover over a multitude of sins!

• I am not ashamed of the Gospel, because it is the power of God for salvation for everyone who believes!

• Though I am free from all men, I have made myself a servant to all that I might win the more!

• We are ambassadors for Christ!

• How beautiful are the feet of him who brings Good News!

• He who wins souls is wise!

• Those who sow in tears will reap with songs of Joy!

• Thanks be to God who always leads us in Tirumph in Christ and thro’ us diffuses the fragrance of His knowledge in every place!

• This is to my Father’s Glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be My disciples!

• Whoever confesses Me before men, him I will also confess before My Father who is in Heaven!

• Those who lead many to righteousness will shine like the stars for ever and ever!

Lk 15:7; Js 5:20; Rom 1:16; 1 Cor 9:19; 2 Cor 5:20; Isa 52:7; Prov 11:30; Psa 126:5; 2 Cor 2:14; Jn 15:8; Mt 10:32; Dan 12:3

Ministerial Report

E.L. Mathansingh, Field Coordinator

In order to ensure that the Church is filled with the glory of God and the world is reached with the Gospel of Lord Jesus, Blessing Youth Mission continues to press on with the vision and mission—Labouring for revival, Mobilizing youth and Fulfilling the Great Commission. Here is a brief report for a period of 18 months (January 2003-June 2004) of the labour of love and dedicated work of the faithful band of 321 missionaries spread out in 13 states of India in the areas of Revival, Youth, Literature, Social work, Church planting, Staff welfare and training.

Revival is the heart beat of BYM. To kindle the holy flame of revival in the hearts of God’s people, as many as 71 revival programmes were organised in various strategic cities, Sathgaon, Baligaon and Dawki (Assam), Darjeeling and Siliguri (West Bengal), Hazaribag (Jharkhand), Alnavar, Belgaum and Kuchigaon (Karnataka), Kantabanji, Bhawanipatanam, Khariar, Narayanpur, Pipli, Meekherbag Bhaminigam (Orissa) Trichy (Tamilnadu) and so on in which 2000 people participated. 110 teachers were challenged to be role models in their profession, during the teachers’ conferences conducted one each in Katni (Madhya Pradesh) and Siliguri (West Bengal). 350 ladies from Orissa and Maharashtra received spiritual insights to maintain intimacy with the Lord as they participated in the Blessing Retreats conducted exclusively for women. Musical concerts of brother Elisha and his team stirred up the spiritual fervor of the Christians in Ajmer and Jaipur of Rajasthan. ‘Missionary Conferences,’ ‘Mission Sundays’ and ‘Missionary Evenings’ organised in Dawki (Assam), Kurnool (Andhra Pradesh), Chennai, Tuticorin and other places in Tamilnadu brought in missionary vision to the Body of Christ. Our partners from Tamilnadu, Mumbai and Bible college students and lecturers from Chennai and Yavatmal received field exposure in the jungles of Orissa and Gargoti valley of Maharashtra as they undertook a Needy Land Tour to these places. Blessing Readers’ Meet, Partners’ and Key Persons’ Meets conducted in Visakhapatnam (Andhra Pradesh), Nadiad, Ahemedabad and Baroda (Gujarat); Hubli (Karnataka); Jabalpur and Katni (Madhya Pradesh); Cuttack (Orissa) and Trichy (Tamilnadu) blessed the participants with spiritual nurture, fellowship and challenged them for deeper involvement in the ministry. Around 1000 prayer warriors gathered in five centres in Tamilnadu for two day’s prayer, interceded with the Lord for reviving the Church. Prayer with fasting and all night prayers kindled the spirit of prayer among the participants. Our great desire is that God’s people should be revived to the extent that they are saturated with God.

‘Students won, India won’ — remains to be the slogan of BYM. Efforts were taken in this regard to mobilise the youth for building God’s kingdom. More than 9000 students were reached with the Gospel of Jesus Christ through SOZOs (Gospel rallies) conducted for both boys and girls in 71 centres belonging to many states. As many as 3200 youth were exposed to the Gospel of Jesus Christ in the major camps of ‘Halo,’ ‘Aroma’ and other similar youth programmes. Through youth retreats conducted in several places, around 1000 youth were challenged for holy living and bold witnessing. Discipleship Training Programmes, Fishers’ Training Programmes, Shepherds’ Training Programmes and periodical fasting pryers were conducted as follow up. Interested students were actively involved in evangelism through Silent Street Witnessing, Students Missionary Programmes and Christmas Outreach Programmes covering 370 villages in sharing the love of Christ.

True revival results in spontaneous evangelism. Our missionaries worked with definite goals and specific targets in reaching out the unreached people of our country. Ahirwar, Patel, Choudhure, Gotia, Banskar, Thakurs, Yadavs, Vasava, Mang, Warli, Mahar, Gosavi, Maratha, Lingayat, Dhanagar, Voddar, Mangalkoli, Siddi, Gauli, Banjara, Gonds, Soura, Malayali and Lambadi were among the 35 people groups covered in establishing churches. They worked with the concept, "Win the winnable while they are winnable," following the principles of web evangelism, power encounter, prayer with fasting and pastoral care. By the grace of God, through the united efforts of the staff, 559 people were added to the Church and four new church buildings were constructed during the period under report. The believers were strengthened and refreshed through ‘Festival of Joy,’ Believers’ Retreats and periodical fasting prayers. 2310 children of remote villages were benefitted through Sunday Schools and Vacation Bible Schools. Who knows how many of them are going to be the future leaders in the local churches in the coming years?

"Give me 26 lead soldiers and I will conquor the entire world," said a wiseman. Having understood the power of the printed page, BYM has been using literature as one of its main tools in its labour for revival and evangelism. The Blessing Literature Centre, Chennai is the base for production and promotion of Blessing Literature, video and audio cassettes/ CDs. During the period under report, God enabled us to bring out the following books: Five loaves and Two Fish (Telugu), Frank Answers Vol-2 (Malayalam), Higher Ways Higher Thoughts (Nepalese), Apples of Gold (Gujarathi), World of Youth (Marathi). How to do Gospel Work (Oriya), Blessed are the Obedient, Power belongs to God and Patience makes the Man (English & Tamil). Eighteen books were reprinted because of heavy demands. How to make Decisions, Stop backsliding, All out for God, Hurdles Race and Life Abundant were the cassettes released in English (with translation). We had mini and mega Literature Distribution Programmes conducted in Towns and Cities like—Tura, Kakinada, Guntur, Surat, Dahod, Anand, Godhra, Raipur, etc. The Blessing Magazine was published as monthly in English, Tamil and Telugu while as bimonthly in Assamese, Gujarathi, Hindi, Kannada, Malayalam, Marathi and Oriya. A Daily Devotional book entitled: Better Everyday by the founder, Mr. R. Stanley was published in English and Tamil which has been a source of blessing to many.

Blessing Youth Mission is committed not only to ‘preach’ but also to demonstrate the Christian love in ‘action.’ Our Blessing Children Homes in Ramagiri, Umerkote (Orissa), Alnavar (Karnataka), Sitteri (Tamilnadu) and Katni (Madhya Pradesh) take care of 155 tribal children. Our missionaries help the poor students by coaching them in five centres in four states. The Day Care Centres provide help for the neglected children in the remote villages of Karnataka. Free medical camps conducted in the remote areas of Orissa and Sitteri Hills relieved the pains of hundreds of downtrodden people, particularly the tribals. Awareness of health and hygiene was given to the socially neglected people through our literacy programmes. In the drought hit areas of Orissa, the marginalised, poorest of the poor, widows, destitutes and Tuberculosis patients were attended to with divine love under the Feed Orissa project spearheaded by Dr. Mrs. Lilian Stanley with a team of missionaries. Self help schemes and vocational training like tailoring and basket making have rehabilitated many.

‘The worker is more important than the work’ is always emphasized in BYM. The Mission is deeply committed to do its maximum to keep the workers happy and comfortable. The missionaries are paid monthly allowances in advance on the first day of each month. This huge sum is met by a number of sponsors who support the missionaries by paying a minimum of Rs. 1,500/- per month. Besides these, thousands of donors contribute sacrificially, regularly and prayerfully towards the needs of the missionaries and the fields. Similarly for the educational needs of the dependent BYM kids, 210 sponsors contribute regularly. During the Christmas season, a family of 4 members received a Christmas gift of Rs. 3,500/-. The staff who completed successful service for 5 years, 10 years, 20 years and 25 years received appreciation gifts. Promotions were also made systematically in accordance with the evaluations of performance. In addition to these, the staff were provided special grants to buy devotional/ Theological/ Missiological books to enrich and equip their knowledge. Also the quarterly voice of the Senior Staff Syndicate, the Mantle was published and circulated among the missionaries for edification and information along with another periodical, ‘Arrows,’ published exclusively for children and youth. Rest house facilities were provided in Ooty, Sitteri Hills, Palayamkottai and Gargoti for the staff who go on vacation to refresh themselves.

The mission is committed to build the spiritual life of the missionaries, because the Christian character is more important than activities. A genuine ministry flows out of a personal walk with God. Thursday is declared as a day of fasting prayer for the staff of the mission. The men staff of each State gathered for a 3 day fasting and prayer once in a quarter. Lady missionaries of each field gathered exclusively for a time of prayer every week. An Annual Retreat was conducted for the staff families at state level. Once in 2 years, a regional level Staff Retreat is organised. To build a closer fellowship among the staff, a National Staff Retreat was organised in Tirupattur (Taminadu) 24-29, May 2004. The meaningful theme of the retreat was— Together To Gather.

All the retired staff and those who have completed 25 years of full time service with BYM were honored. Dr. Mrs. Lilian Stanley and Mr. A. Jeyaraj who retired in the recent past were honoured with special awards, for their exemplary service. Missionaries Mrs. & Dr. H. M. Vyas and Mr. Saroj Kumar Apat were awarded special prizes for courageous service. Three lady missionaries were recognized for their extraordinary contribution as supportive wives and active women workers. Besides these, all those who were prompt in writing the periodical reports were awarded a certificate of merit. The ex-staff of the mission were invited to join the retreat on the concluding two days, and 16 of them turned up, including the first field secretary of BYM, Pastor Edwin Easter Doss. Amidst applause and with gratitude, they were introduced to the present staff.

Apostle Paul writes "... The man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work" (2 Tim 3:17). Missionaries were sent for different levels of training programmes. Six of our senior missionaries underwent the Advanced Leadership Training Programme organised by IMA, in Hyderabad. Five missionary couples took part in the Family Enrichment Seminars conducted by MUT in Vellore. Also missionaries Mr. & Mrs. Mohana Krishinan underwent a month long training conducted by Grace Counseling in Kottayam to be equipped in the area of counselling. A Ministerial Efficiency Programme was conducted by our mission in four places: Jabalpur, Umerkote, Gargoti, and Alnavar to train the native workers for a fruitful life and ministry. Five lady missionaries underwent a specialized training in ministry among children conducted by International Children Ministry. 36 missionaries were intensively trained through a month long Workers Training Programme held in Sitteri Hills. 75 missionaries have completed four seminars in B. Miss. Extension studies and two missionaries have completed the M. Miss degree course from the India Graduate School of Missiology, Tiruvallur.

The Lord in His goodness added a few more facilities to accelerate the furtherance of the Gospel. A few modifications were made in the Blessing centre, Vellore mainly to accommodate the departments of the Human Resource Development (HRD) and Finance. The friends of Indienhilfe donated a building to house 50 tribal children of Blessing Children Home in Alnavar, Karnataka. An acre of land was purchased in Shahgarh field, which is a Churchless Taluk in Madhya Pradesh to construct a multipurpose hall cum missionary quarters. A similar land was acquired for constructing a Church cum missionary quarters in Jamkhandi, Karnataka. In addition, the Lord provided money to purchase land in Kalasapadi, Velanur, Nochikuttai, Thekkalpatti, Aavaloor and Keeraipatti. We praise God for His faithfulness.

To summarize, the months that have rolled by in the one and a half years were God given opportunities, meaningful events and fruitful results, inspite of the human weaknesses and limitations. The entire report is a powerful testimony of amazing accomplishments by His grace and for His glory. Hallelujah!

All Sufficient God!

Financial Report for the year 2003-2004 submitted to the Members of the 33rd Annual General Body Meeting of the Blessing Youth Mission.

Dear co-labourers in the proclamation of the Gospel of Christ,

Loving greetings to you in the Matchless and Wonderful Name of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ!

As we look back this Financial Year 2003-2004, our hearts bubble with thanksgiving and our eyes shed tears of joy for the Lord’s concern for our ministry and the missionaries. While comparing with the previous Financial Year (2002-2003), we can boldly testify that the Lord who provided ‘Daily Manna’ for His children in the wilderness has been liberal in sending His supply for His ministry and for the welfare of His ministers. The donations received from God’s people and the Bank Interest earned during 2003-2004 was Rs. 3,72,43,028/- which is 21.68% more than the previous year. Nearly 86% of the donations were from Indian partners and the rest from Non-Indian well wishers. We deeply appreciate each one of our Partners for lovingly responding to the appeal made in our Financial Statement appeared in Blessing (July 2003).

This year, our Staff Strength was 321 and we also implemented the Revised Staff Allowances (30% more). The allowances were sent to our missionaries as usual, one month in advance. There were 213 missionary children as on July 2003 who were aided with a monthly allowance.

On the Ministry Frontier, we opened a few new mission fields, led many souls to Christ, constructed a few Church buildings and missionary quarters, carried on many Social Welfare Projects for the benefit of the poor, sick and the needy in our mission stations, published Blessing books, released audio cassettes, etc. (For a detailed report please see our Ministerial Report on pages 8-10). Inspite of these multifarious activities, by the grace of God, we have brought down the expenses considerably. We are happy to find a balance at the end of this Financial Year which will be sufficient to meet the need of the Mission for one more month.

We want to record our special word of thanks to each one of our Missionary-offering-Collectors who prayerfully visited Christian homes, Fellowships and Churches to raise prayer and financial support. They did these after fulfilling the demands of their family and secular jobs sacrificially. Nearly 50% of the total donation for the Mission is being raised by these Lay-people. Systematic visit to various Cities, Towns and Villages by Mr. A. Suthanthira- singh, the State Coordinator of Tamilnadu to motivate these Collectors is much appreciated.

The Mission records its appreciation for Mr. A. Jeyaraj, who served as the Finance Coordinator from the inception of the BYM till September 2003 for his hard and sincere work in handling the Finance Department efficiently. Apart from training the Staff in Finance Department, HRD and General Administration, he has been requested to serve as the Member of the Administrative Committee and help in the areas of Audit, Assets and Liaison after his retirement, for a period of one year.

We do hereby thankfully acknowledge the cordial and caring partnership of the organizations like Indienhilfe, Christian Aid Mission, Bethel Agricultural Fellowship, India Missions Association, Missionary Upholders Trust and a host of Churches and Fellowships in taking the Full Gospel of Christ to the whole man by our Missionaries.

The need for the current Financial Year 2004-2005 seems to be great and challenging. But we are confident that the good Lord who has guided us so far since 1971, will surely provide all our ministerial needs because He is Jehovah-Jireh! Hudson Taylor, the Founder of the China Inland Mission rightly said, "God’s work done in God’s way never lacks God’s supply." Yes, indeed—thro’ God’s People!

We take this opportunity to thank each and every one of our Prayer Warriors, Partners, Representatives, Leaders and the dedicated Staff in the Finance Department. Please see pages 12-15 for the audited statement of accounts.

Praises to the Lord of Harvest and thanks to His people

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