While we were preparing for the Living for a Legacy through Prayer campaign, we asked our for prayer requests from pastors and church planters who we will be praying for during these 40 days. We received this great response from Pastor Arjuna Chiguluri. Mars Hill Church has been working with and supporting Pastor Arjuna and Vision Nationals in India since 1999. Here is Pastor Arjuna’s letter:
In the past 20 years, Vision Nationals has planted over 500 churches through 120 church planters in our state of Andhra Pradesh, and it seems God has no plans for us to slow down. As we look toward 2014, we will build church buildings, expand our network into two new areas, work through our existing churches to partner with local schools to support poor kids to finish high school and attend colleges, and roll out a curriculum for regional training programs. All these things need much prayer.
Church buildings
Many of our early planters have planted between two and seven churches each. Our more mature congregations are looking to build church buildings to have a physical presence in their villages. Right now we have ten of our senior church planters working to build church buildings. Please pray God would provide the funding and also that these planters would gain favor with the local leaders to secure the permissions they will need to build church buildings.
New works
We are beginning work in Kurnool, a new district within Andhra Pradesh, and expanding into our neighboring state to the north, Odisha (previously spelled Orissa). Crossing the border into Odisha is not like stepping from Washington into Oregon. Although it is only a three-hour car ride north of our campus in Vizag, Odisha State is an entirely new culture with a different language. Unlike Andhra Pradesh, Odisha State is not friendly to Christianity. The work is extremely hard, and the church planters already working there are poorly trained and under-resourced. We praise God that after many years of prayer, doors are opening for us to encourage and provide resources to the church planters and believers in Odisha. Please pray for a strong leader to emerge in Odisha State that will love Jesus and be trustworthy and capable to oversee the network there. Pray also for the men in Kurnool District that will join our network in January.
School partnerships
Two of our church planters began offering free tutoring to local village children from poor families. This connects them well within the community and these kids are scoring better. We hope to eventually support these kids for further studies if they want to complete a degree. In fact, in one village the parents were upset because the pastor was teaching kids Bible stories and asked him to stop tutoring. He stopped and the children’s scores went down. So the parents came back and said, “Please teach our kids both Bible and studies.” In this way, many are hearing the gospel. We want to expand this model and have more of our churches partner with schools.
Regional trainings
In light of all these expansions and new works, our main focus is on raising up leaders to oversee our network, making disciples, and planting more churches. We have always held training programs for our leaders three times per year on our campus in Vizag City. However, we are now designing regional training programs for continued discipleship throughout the year on a local level. Please pray for the implementation of these trainings and for the growth of our church planters in maturity and wisdom.
As you read this, we are gathering all our district supervisors together to discuss the changes and expansion coming to our network in 2014. We need much prayer and wisdom moving forward. Please pray God would bring the right men into our network so we can be as fruitful as possible and many people would come to know Jesus.
In ending, I want to say thank you to Mars Hill Global. Churches are planted, disciples are made, and literally thousands of lives in India have been changed through your support over the last 14 years. It is a privilege to be in ministry with you. Thank you for praying for Vision Nationals.
Thank you for praying and giving to be a part of our year-end campaign to raise $2 million above and beyond our normal giving. Go here for more information on how Mars Hill is building a legacy to equip the next generation. Visit marshill.com/give to give online and set up a recurring gift for 2014.
