Dear Brothers and Sisters,
It gives me a immense pleasure to share with you that the Lord has been very kind to us and especially in these days when we were preparing and working for the above said programs. The 7th North India Preachers’ lectureship and the graduation ceremony of the NIBC, Chandigarh (Feb. 14-15) went well. We give all the glory to God and thanks for all the brothers and sisters with whose efforts and prayers this could not have happened.
Just 2 days before the lectureship, we baptized 4 souls into Christ here.
It has been a good start to begin with the NIBC to spread the borders of the Kingdom in the Northern belt, neglected field so far. NIPL is a great time of fellowship and learning especially for the brethren in Northern India. We have been getting requests from the brothers from south India also to attend this great fellowship, but so far we want to focus on the preachers from Northern India and to encourage them to be equipped with the sword of the Spirit. Out of 28 states and 7 Union territories, Brethren from Chandigarh (Union Territory), Punjab, Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh, Orissa, Delhi, UP, MP States and from Nepal and near the Nepal border attended. From the States this time, brother Russell G. Bell, Topeka, KS and Keith Kasarjian from Alabama (BVBID) attended. We are grateful for their love and of all the supporters for this great work and field.
80 plus people attended this meeting this time and the messages from 2, 3 John and Jude were given to Indian preachers. Brother Russell spoke 4 times and brother Keith for 6 times as he also attended worship with us on Sunday. Brother Russell spoke 3 lessons in the 3 sessions on the “Assurance of Heaven.” Brother Keith spoke to encourage preachers from 3 John
On 2nd day evening, we had the graduation ceremony and though 5 people could pass this, we are sure that they will be among the total of 50 graduates so far working in different States of East and North India States, effective tools to bring many sons into the light of the Kingdom. About 200 people attended to witness this ceremony.
Still the States like Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Uttaranchal, Rajasthan, Jammu & Kashmir and West Bengal in the East are not represented yet and are in our prayers to join us, yet there is a lot of work that needs to be done in these representing States in the mission field.
Keeping in view that the preacher’s work is half done without his wife’s support, along with NIPL, the ladies' started meeting in 2011 in the Park outside the lecture (in Public place) hall, thinking that the preachers' wives should also take benefit in this great fellowship. So to help them support their husbands, we planned to teach them separately.
Sister Elsy David, New Delhi also attended for the first time and she assisted Sister Benu Earnest in encouraging preachers’ wives to be their helpmates in sharing the truth with God’s people.
The Indian speakers for this lectureship included brother Earnest Gill, Chandigarh, brother Francis David, New Delhi, brother Peter Singh, Bilaspur (Chhattisgarh), and brother Vinay David.
Next year NIPL-2014 was announced to be on February 13-14, 2014.
Brother Earnest Gill