A Place a Church Can Call Home

News Release from Gospel for Asia (www.gfa.org) – For Immediate Release

WILLS POINT, TX (ANS – Feb. 15, 2016) -- A crowd assembled around the little house. Someone stepped forward to lock the door from the outside. With rocks in hand and the exit securely fastened, villagers hurled their stones against the outer walls, yelling threats at the believers trapped inside.

Fellowship Begins Through Healing

It was a drastic measure, but the villagers living in the place where Gospel for Asia-supported pastor Nirbhay served believed only outcasts should worship Jesus.
When Pastor Nirbhay first began ministering in this place, few people responded to his message, yet Nirbhay still shared about the love of Christ.

After a few months, the Lord began bringing people to Himself through healing miracles in the village. Those with sicknesses and injuries were completely healed when Nirbhay prayed for them, and many people decided to follow the Lord. The pastor began worship services and prayer meetings in his home as the fellowship was birthed, but it came with opposition.

Forced to Move

Three times, circumstances forced the fellowship to move their place of worship to another location. The first time, villagers locked the believers inside the pastor’s home and threw rocks at the building. Then on two separate occasions, Nirbhay’s landlords were pressured by villagers to kick the pastor out of the house he was renting. Pastor Nirbhay and his family moved a few miles away, but the opposition only followed him. Three villagers stirred the people against him, encouraging them not to listen to the pastor. They even came with a group to beat Nirbhay, but the Lord protected him.

Church Withstands Opposition

Though a few in the fellowship were scared and stopped attending services, the rest of the believers grew strong in their decision to live for Jesus, believing the Lord would see them through each trial.

Soon the fellowship became large enough to need a bigger building. The believers searched the surrounding area, but no one would sell their land to be used for a church building. After looking at about 25 plots of land, the Lord answered the believers’ prayers and gave them a good piece of land to purchase. But problems arose yet again when they began construction.

“You cannot build a church here,” villagers insisted.

All construction came to a standstill as the congregation prayed and fasted together for more than a month. By God’s grace, the work finally began again 45 days later.

Standing on the Promises of God

In May 2015, Pastor Nirbhay and more than 200 believers gathered to worship together for the first time in their newly completed church building. Though some opposition still continues, God has strengthened the believers’ decision to live for Jesus in each trial and situation. Now, after nearly 10 years of waiting and shuffling prayer meetings from house to house, the growing fellowship joins together freely to offer praise and worship to the God who always provides for their needs.

GospelforAsia (www.gfa.org) is a mission organization sharing the love of Jesus across SouthAsia.

Find out how you can pray for church buildings by going to: (http://www.gfa.org/pray/2013/september-church-buildings/?cm_mmc=GFAReports-_--_--_-).

Photo captions: 1) Believers going to church. (GFA). 2) A make-shift church. (GFA)

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