CHURCH PLANTING IN SILIGURI, INDIA

Pastor Brendan went to Siliguri, India for ministry from 2nd to 8th Feb 2016. Siliguri is a city located in the Darjeeling district and Jalpaiguri district in the Indian state of West Bengal. Siliguri is located on the banks of the Mahananda River and the foothills of the Himalayas. The purpose of this trip was to encourage local pastors and share the church planting vision of HIM. Pastor Brendan had opportunity to pray for people and saw God healed many people. 

Visit a Church at Rimbick 

Pastor Brendan, Pastor Ravi and Pastor Ugyen took photo of the Himalayas! It was the edge of Nepal, Bhutan, Sikkim and India! There were almost vertical drop off the sides of roads while they were driving.



Ps Ugyen shared about his dad, Ps Ishmael who pioneered the church: He was walking all day through mountainous terrain to a Hindu village. He knocked on the door of Hindu family. They have never heard of Jesus. The wife was about to die of sickness. He preached Jesus to the dad, prayed for the mother and she was healed! She got up and made a celebration meal! The family converted and formed the first church in the region. Today, there are 12 churches around that village area.

There was once Ps Ishamel preached at an open air crusade. People were turning to the Lord. Three men who were satanists come with knives and spears to attack him. Ishmael did not respond but stood his ground. They said to him "Show us your Jesus!" He said to them "Jesus is standing right here. If you say 'Jesus show yourself to us' you will see Him!" They couldn't say it. They screamed and ran away.


There was another instance when Ps Ishmael was preaching at crusade. A man with an axe wanted to attack him. But he was wrestled to the ground by something no one could see, and he fell down at Ishmael’s feet. He got up and ran away.

When Ps Ishmael was dying on 2 Aug 2011 he sat upright in his bed – he had been semi-conscious. He said to Ugyen and another young pastor, "The people are going up and down. They need to hear the gospel!" Three hours later he died.

Ps Ugyen stated that a pastor was actually burned alive in rural Nepal for preaching the gospel. This happened only 3 weeks before the great earthquake on 21 April 2015.

The church in Rimbick is currently led by Ps BenHur. Ps Ishmael started this church 24 years ago. Now, the church have about 70 plus people with 6 or 7 leaders. Pastor Ravi shared how burdened he was for the gospel to go to these unreached people in neighbouring villages. There is a need to train leaders and equip them to be sent out.



Healing Service on Saturday 6th, Feb 

Pastor Brendan went for church service at a church plant at Upper Fagu Tea Garden (TG). It was a 2-hour drive. Three elders of the church are Lakba Lama, Purna Bahadur Bhuzal and Santos Rai. The church was started about 7 years ago. The church has new believers. There are round 20 – 30 people (5 families) including kids each Sunday. The church service started about 11am. There were about 55 people attending church. Great attendance!

Pastor Brendan preached on Importance of Walking by Faith!”. Thank God that six people accepted Christ on that day. (See photo).

There were also healings on that day. The following are some of the testimonies: 

1) Prayed for lady with brain tumor – we were fighting for her life. Almost all pain left. Doctors in Delhi have given up on her. (See lady sitting in black jumper with hands on her head – she couldn’t stand she was in such pain, and continually held her head with her hands). Four hours later she said she was feeling so much better.

2) Prayed for 6 ladies with back pain and then prayed individually for them. They were healed.


3) Prayed for the Catholic man with hand on head. He had very bad head pain, unclear eyesight, and a bad ear. All healed to better than 75%. A wall poster previously unclear to his sight was now clear! Then he committed his life to Jesus and got saved.


4) Lady with pink and black handkerchief on her head had a curse placed on her shoulders 2 or 3 years ago affecting both arms. She is a new believer. She renounced all idols and false gods and all dedications at birth in Jesus’ name. Thereafter, she felt all pain and heaviness leave.

5) Prayed for woman holding glass (in photo) for throat ulcer. Previously she had felt pain while drinking water. After being prayed for, the pain left.


6) Prayed for 9 people to receive the baptism of the Holy Spirit. (Photo).















7) A crippled man with walking stick (in photo) normally needed someone to assist him even to walk. After prayer, he was able walk with a stick on his own. His wife said he could not do that before.


Sunday morning 7th Feb at New Life Church. 


Pastor Brendan preached on “Overcoming Problems by Faith!” and prayed for healing. He prayed for a variety conditions including a young lady with tumor, marriages, people with headaches, crippled people, eye sight problems and gall bladder stones. Some experienced 100% healing and many felt much better and experienced God’s presence.

Performing signs and wonders, and demonstrating the power of God is important in that the local pastors get inspired as they see people’s lives being touched and healed, and their own people are excited about coming to church.


Hope Pastors Training Pastor 

Brendan trained Ps Sayal and Usha, Ps Magdalene, Ps Chitra and Sarita. Pastor Brendan went through Core Values again, Vision of the Great Commission and an apostolic movement. They discussed some strategies to grow the local church as well. Please continue to pray the pastors and churches in this region for the spread of the gospel and to plant more churches