Introduction
Thank you for your interest in the work I and many others do in Northeast India and other areas. Below is a brief biographical sketch of my life and an overview of the work I do in India. Please contact me with questions, comments or needs.
I am available to come and present a PowerPoint of the work in India when I am in the states. Thank you for your interest and I seek your prayers in this work and as possible financial support in this work to take the Gospel into many places in Central Asia.
Biographical Sketch
I was born in Rome, Georgia in 1954. My parents and grandparents were faithful members of the church. After completing high school I attended David Lipscomb University then served in the U.S. Army. Upon completion of my military service I desired to become a preacher of the Gospel of Christ.
I graduated from Southeastern Biblical Institute (Doraville, Georgia) in May of 1980 with a BSL degree in Bible. I hold a BA degree in History from N.C. Wesleyan College and also a BS degree in Education from N.C. Wesleyan. I received my master’s degree in Educational Administration from the University of Georgia in 1993.
I have been married for forty-two years to my wife Cindy and we have three married daughters and seven grandchildren. All of my family faithfully serves in the Lord’s church. My son-in-law, Bruce Holt, preaches for the church in Oliver Springs, Tennessee and my son-in-law Gentry Jackson is a deacon at Karns church of Christ in Knoxville.
Since 1980 I have preached for congregations in North Carolina, Georgia, Illinois and Tennessee. The congregations I preached for on a full time basis include: Rocky Mount church of Christ in Rocky Mount, North Carolina, Monroe church of Christ in Monroe, Georgia, Mount Pleasant church of Christ in Valdosta, Georgia, Quincy church of Christ in Quincy Illinois, Clinton church of Christ in Clinton, Tennessee.
In addition, I have held numerous Gospel Meetings and Parenting Seminars in several states. I have also worked in secular work over the years as I preached the Gospel. I taught in both Middle School and High School for approximately ten years. I served as principal of Knoxville Christian School from 1995 through 1998 while also preaching for the Central church of Christ in Harriman, Tennessee.
From 2000 until 2007 I did overseas mission work (one month per year). First in Ghana, Africa and then in Nepal and India. For a number of years I went over and taught a class for Brother Jim Waldron in Nepal and then in Shillong, India. It is during this time that I developed a strong desire to enter the foreign mission field on a full-time basis. I have taught in schools of preaching in Ghana, Nepal and India.
In 2007 the Clinton church of Christ accepted the oversight of my work and I began to work full time in India. In 2009 I began the Mustard Seed Village orphanage in Lakla, Assam and a two year school of preaching in Dibrugarh, Assam which I combined with the Mustard Seed Village in 2011. At present I am constructing the Rainbow Village orphanage close to Miao, Arunachel Pradesh. The Mustard Seed Village will be for the boys and the Rainbow Village for the girls. At present we have 78 orphans at the Mustard Seed Village.
I have now completed seven years of full time work in India. My work encompasses a number of activities that work together to fulfill the great commission as well as 2 Timothy 2:2, Galatians 6:10 and James 1:27.
1. Spiritual Sword Bible School Programs
The SSBS is taught by brothers trained at the Mustard Seed Village to teach a one year (52 lesson) program to interested men and women in many places in Northeast India, Nepal and Bhutan. People come from all walks of life, many different religions, male and female, and they study the Bible with emphasis on the New Testament Church. At the end of the year those who complete the program receive a Bible Certificate of Learning.
To date we have had over 34 classes in five states of India, Nepal, and Bhutan. Numerous conversions have taken place and a number of the converts have gone on to preaching school or the Antioch Program. Many of our courses are conducted in denominational buildings. Through this exciting and growing program we have converted entire denominational congregations to the New Testament pattern.
2. The Antioch Program
The Antioch Program is a new program begun in 2013 where we train men and their families to move to a (one million people or more) city in the Northeast to begin the Lord’s Church where it does not presently exist. The brothers, after completing a two year school of preaching, go through an intensive one year program where they evaluate, plan and prepare for the city that they will move to and commit the rest of their lives in growing the Lord’s work. These men are very educated, speak fluent English and are mature married men with dedicated wives at their sides. In 2015-2017 we will establish the church in Kalimpong, Jorhat, Diphu, Dimapur, Kohima, and Argatala. Our plan is to place the Lord’s church in all the capital cities of the Northeast and North India, as well as, other major metropolitan cities.
3. The Jean Fields Women’s Bible School
Since 2011 we have conducted the Jean Fields Women’s Bible School at the Mustard Seed Village. Here single sisters, and all the sisters who work at the Mustard Seed Village attend this Bible school to study the word of God. This program is very well received and the sisters are thankful that they too have an opportunity to seriously and methodically study the word of God. Future preacher’s wives if at all possible are requested to attend this program so they can be fellow-workers with their husbands and particularly among the women and children.
4. The Mustard Seed Village
MSV was started in 2009 as a home for orphan and destitute children. The children are cared for by widow women and the children are taught daily the Word of God. At present we have 78 children at the Mustard Seed Village. Our children come from many areas of India. In addition the Mustard Seed Village houses the school of preaching, the Antioch program, a Spiritual Sword Bible School Program, the Jean Fields Women’s Bible School and the Health Worker’s Training Institute. Please see the Mustard Seed page for pictures of the children.
5. The Rainbow Village
The Rainbow Village was completed in late fall 2014. Now all the girl orphans at the MSV have been relocated to this village. This will allow us to have up to 100 boys at the Mustard Seed Village and 100 girls at the Rainbow Village. In addition the Rainbow Village presently provides large vegetable gardens to grow much of the food that both Villages will need in the future. Recently 5000 tea plants were planted at the Rainbow Village. We are planning to use the tea to help support the continuation of both orphan homes in the years to come after American missionaries have left this field of work. Next year 500 orange trees will be planted among the tea plants to provide the needed partial shade for good tea production and also another source of local income. Please see the Rainbow Village page for pictures of the children.
6. Medical Missions
Medical missions has developed over the past several years to be an important and integral part of our work to take the Gospel of Christ into the poor and interior regions and jungles of Northeast India. There are three different works that we do through Medical Missions.
Medical Clinics
Medical Clinics are conducted in the villages, tea gardens and poor areas of India. We conduct these clinics in areas that are primitive and in desperate need of medical help and intervention. In the clinics we offer vitamins, first aid, medicine and medical treatment as possible. Our preachers, students and staff preach and teach to the large groups that come for medical help. More than 40 clinics have been conducted with many more planned and requested by the Indian people. This approach shows the people that Christianity is not just words and “religion” but rather compassion, genuine help and care and above all the introduction and teaching concerning the one true God of heaven and Earth. Through the clinics we have brought many into the New Testament church. Recently two hospitals have approached us about partnering with us in providing doctors, dentists, nurses and medicines in our medical clinics. In the future this will help us lead these medical workers to the Lord.
Disaster Relief Team
Since 2008 we have responded with medicine, clinics, and disaster aid to the natural and man-made disasters that occur often in the subcontinent of India. To date we have responded to several major floods, earthquakes and drought relief work in India, Bhutan and Nepal. During these times of disaster or tribal wars we are able to help physical, emotionally and most importantly with the Gospel of our Savior.
Health Worker's Training Institute
We began this program in 2012 after seeing the great need to provide medical training to the many small villages in the Northeast. Particularly we were greatly concerned about the need to train mid-wives from the villages on the proper medical and clean procedures of caring for a pregnant women and having a safe pregnancy and delivery of a healthy child. India leads the world in the number of women and babies who die during child birth. To this end, we conduct two week training programs at the Mustard Seed Village and other places where we train women from different villages as midwives. After completing the program on midwifery, first aid, emergency medical training, proper sanitation and health issues they receive a certified Health-Worker Diploma. In addition they are given birthing kits, stethoscopes, blood pressure cuffs, thermometers, pin-lights and other health equipment. Most of the women are Christians but those who are not are taught the word of God. We follow up in their villages with preaching and medical clinics.
7. Theophilus English Medium School
In 2014, we started the Theophilus English Medium School at the Mustard Seed Village. At present we conduct classes from pre-school through grade eight. In this school all of our children and some of the local village children will receive a Christian education. Also they will learn and be taught in the English language as this will provide them a great advantage in seeking employment in India where the educated and business community speaks the English language.
As our children graduate and move to higher classes we will offer additional grades. At present, we are building a new school that will hold 500 students near Rainbow village. Completion is scheduled for November 2017. Once completed two students will be from outside our children’s homes and will pay tuition. This will cover the cost of our administration, staff, and building maintenance.
8. Esther’s Place for Beautiful Girls
In March 2017 we begin our third children’s home called, “Esther’s Place for Beautiful Girls”. It is located in Gunter, Andra Pradesh in south India. In addition, we are seeking to oversee and support the work of establishing the Gunter church of Christ with a very talented and dedicated couple. Both are medically trained. Abraham and Priya will be able to provide their own support within two years and then we plan to complete the Antioch program within five years establishing a fully supporting Indian congregation by the year 2022.
At present I am working yearly in the city of Kolkata (Calcutta) among the street dwellers and some of the poorest people on earth. We are hoping to develop Support centers in key areas of this city of over 15 million people.