2011 Annual Report
As we look back on 2011, we are grateful to the Lord for His mercies and guidance in the past year. In 2011, through prayer and the support of faithful donors, our ministry in India grew to 953 national pastors and 23 facilitators serving in 15 states.
14 New Mission Fields, 236 Pastors
Through a generous grant, we began church planting work on 14 new mission fields in various parts of India, bringing 236 independent pastors on board to work with Serve India for a 5-year term. Sunder (Rajasthan) and Francis (Tamil Nadu) are two newly recruited pastors.
Pastor Sunder, it seems, had beenwaiting for us for three years!
"I was lonely, with no one to encourage me in Gospel work," Sunder said. "I prayed to God for three years that He would bring along a ministry that would love, encourage, and impart training to lonely independent pastors like myself."
While Sunder continues his work as pastor of his previously planted 30-member congregation, he’s also started evangelistic work in two villages since joining Serve India. In one village, he prayed for a couple barren for eight years; soon after receiving prayer, God blessed them with a baby.
Pastor Francis’ ministry also grew beyond one congregation after joining a team of Serve India pastors. At first, when his Serve India facilitator challenged him to identify five villages for outreach, it seemed impossible. Then an elderly woman with a tumor on her hand came to him for prayer. Francis prayed, and she was miraculously healed. When Francis returned for a follow-up visit a week later, 20 people were gathered in her home—hungry to know Jesus. Today, a church exists here.
It’s our privilege to serve 953 independent national pastors like Sunder and Francis as they fulfill their callings as evangelists and church planters.
To accommodate the growth innational pastors, we appointed five new facilitators—one each in Tripura, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Assam, and Jammu and Kashmir. These full-time field leaders coordinate and conduct monthly training (using curriculum through BILD International) and informally mentor pastors in significant ways.
12 New Stepping Stone Tutoring Centers
We provide after-school tutoring to 3,617 children in 85 Stepping Stone Tutoring Centers.
Training Center Dedicated
In August, we dedicated to the Lord the newly built South India Regional Office and Leadership Training Center in Hosur (near Bangalore)—a beautiful, 1,450 square-foot facility.
From this location, we coordinate the ministry work of 300 pastors serving in three states. On Sundays, the building is used for worship by one of our congregations. Both the purchase of land and construction were made possible through the generous financial support from churches and donors in the United States.
New Website, Social Media Presence
In November, we wrapped up a major project we're thrilled about—our retooled website at www.serveindiaministries.org.
This project was a true team effort between Serve India and two agencies: Five Q (an interactive agency specializing in Internet marketing for Christian ministries and other non-profits), and Ministry CRM (a production company that specializes in customer and donation relationship
management).
Content updates—whether video, photos, or text—are handled easily and a centralized system allows us to more effectively manage email and donation activity. The site also showcases
our new branding, which extends to social media:
- Twitter: www.twitter.com/Serve_India
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/ServeIndiaMinistries
Financials
Serve India Ministries Expenses 2007-2010
2010 Expense CategoriesStaff
(support raised independent of SIM)
Personal Thank You from Brother Ebey
Saying thank you is always a special privilege. It is heart warming to recall how God has cared for us, how God’s people have sent us their gifts that were nothing less than “a sweet-smelling aroma, an acceptable sacrifice, well pleasing to God” (Philippians 4:18, NKJV).
I not only borrow Paul’s words here; I am trying to speak through his heart. Because even in these difficult economic times, you have imitated the generosity of the Philippians in giving to God’s work in India. With our hearts full of gratitude and joy, we as the staff of Serve India wish to say, "you sent aid once and again," and "you have done well." You have honored God through your faithfulness to the commitment you made. Your support has been steadfast.
We would hope that your giving is an assurance of your partnership with us in the work of the Gospel among the most unreached of the world. That would mean so much to us!
For the sake of India's unreached,
Ebenezer Samuel
Founder and President