India Missions Association

October 2005

Connecting and Enhancing Missions since 1977

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A Closer LookA Closer LookA Closer LookA Closer LookA Closer Look

Serving to Disciple all Peoples

IMA, 1-300/118, Arul Colony, ECIL Post, Hyderabad, A.P 500 062, IndiaTel: 040-27134530 / 5, Fax: 27127303 Email: ima@imaindia.org, Website : www.imaindia.org.

IMA’s Role in Encouraging Member Organizations toServing Communities in Their Emergency Needs

A few months ago, a leader of a mission agency visited our office and we were talking to him on various issues related toaffiliation with IMA. Later we asked him what is that he expects from IMA on becoming its member. He immediatelyreplied he needs funds for a church construction.

Credibility and Track Records: We regretfully have to acknowledge that IMA is not a funding agency. IMA, as one of itsfunctions, tries to connect needy member organisations’ specific projects with interested bodies or churches. At the same time,when a project is presented to a donor agency, the approval of the project entirely lies in the hands of the donor. IMA does notguarantee for sanction of a project except that it vouches for the credibility of members depending upon their track records.

Connecting: IMA strives to help its members by introducing them to the interested partners and sometimes help the partners tovisit these ministries so that they may understand the ministry well.

Cell for Relief to Evangelists — CARE: With its regular communications and relationship with the partners, IMA has been ableto raise a small subsidy for about 40 IMA members — to be strictly used for the membercare needs of the 200 or so Christianworkers. However, this funding depends on regular reports from the workers who receive and the churches which pray for them.

Immediate Rescue and Relief: IMA has tried to encourage the members in the disaster-affected areas to be involved among thepeople as witnesses instead of being bystanders. For example, IMA encouraged about ten member organisations in providingimmediate rescue and relief to the people who were affected by the deadly Tsunami at Chennai and also partnered with fewmembers in providing relief to the fire accident victims in Hyderabad, Volcanic Type of Mudslide victims in the villages of Manipurand flood victims in Gujarat.

Enhancing long-term Mission affecting Projects: IMA, in partnership with few member missions, has given exposure ofmission fields to about 300 university students. The response from these students after the exposure has been wonderful. Somestudents have committed themselves for a longer period of ministries and some in cross-cultural situations as tent-makers andothers have committed themselves to support the field work and the workers in long-term basis. IMA has also distributed tools forministry use, in partnership with few members.

Think-tank Projects: IMA believes that the Christian work needs to be innovative in many areas to affect the whole nation — forpeople to consider following Christ. To this end IMA conducts several think-tanks. These think-tanks are crucial for members torethink and re-envision the total picture of India and serve people in relevant and meaningful ways.

Apart from all these things, the staff in IMA prays for all the member mission agencies of IMA, their missionaries and their missionwork. In turn, IMA looks forward to your fervent prayers, that our Lord will use IMA as a channel of blessings to its membermissions and the church at large.

-J J & KR

“Building bridges and connecting people together for greater efficiency in missionsmust become the trend in missions today”

- Rev.D.B.Kulothungan -<www.imaindia.org/quotes.asp>

LeardershipTraining Consultation

A one day consultation onleadership training was organizedby India Missions Association on4th August 2005 in Hyderabad. Theconsultation brought together Dr. C.Barnabas (Indian Institute ofMissiology), Mr. Gabriel (ChristianInstitute of Management), Mr. VictorKathramalla (Youth With a Mission),Mr. Paul Balasundaram (Haggai –India), Mr. James Dass and Mrs.Jane Overstreet (DevelopmentAssociates International – India),Rev. Subrata Fullonton and Mr.John Amalraj (IMA). Mr. JohnAmalraj shared the devotion on theneed for working together and Rev.Subrata Fullonton led thediscussions. All therepresentatives from differentorganizations shared about thetraining programs they organisetargeting different constituencies.Each training program has itsunique strengths and focus. It wasfelt that leadership developmentamong lay people at different levelsneeds to be emphasized. Thediscussions then focused on theneed for training the leaders in themission organizations. ChristianInstitute of Management inpartnership with Indian Institute ofManagement is offering a Mastersprogram in Christian Management.Development Associates India isoffering another Masters programin Christian Leadership inpartnership with the AllahabadAgricultural Institute. It was decidedto continue the dialogue of how tomake both these programsavailable for the Indian Missionsconstituency in partnership withone another. We praise God for

the initiative taken by theparticipants to partner with oneanother in leadership development.

- SK

networks

A seminar on missionswas conducted at theMillennium MethodistChurch Secunderabad on7th Sep 2005. The churchinvited the IMA team tolead the seminar fordrafting the missionstatement for the church.

Rev. Dr. Francis Sunderaraj led themorning devotion. His Bibleexposition gave a challenge to thecongregation about how to beinvolved in mission. Rev. SubrataFullonton spoke on the importance ofthe church to focus on mission bypresenting the ‘Indian missionchallenges.’ He brought the messagefrom the Biblical perspective of howGod’s plan of salvation has beenfulfilled through His servants in theOld and the New Testament days andtoday; how God has been using Hisservants from around the worldmightily for the mission.

Mr. John Amalraj motivated thechurch to expand its ministry to thepractical needs of the people aroundthem. He presented the variousmission trends of today. He helpedthe delegates to visualize the different

kinds of people in the society in thecontext of communicating the gospel.He said that we should be aware ofthe current issues such as religiousand political ideologies.

Mr. Valentine Davidar led thedelegates in 8 discussion groups onthe specific concerns of the church

in the light of challenges. He helpedthe church to draft a missionstatement which will guide the churchin its future ministry and asked themto write the action plan for mission intheir church. They all came out withseveral suggestions and each teamreported what they had planned out.

Dr. K. Rajendran addressed thedelegates with contemporary trendsin missions. He said that we needto change our mission methods.Missionaries must be well informedabout the people. We neednetworking among the churches andmission organizations. Sendingorganizations need financialresources from the establishedchurches and individual believers.

There were about 100 participantsfrom the church. The seminar wascoordinated by the church committeeon Christian education.

- PV

TRAINING

Mission Focus Seminar

reportsA brief Report — South India

5th September 05. Attended a function of Rev. Thomas Samuel’s 75th Birthday and 50th Anniversary of hisministry. The function was well attended by many leaders in the city. Rev. Ben Wati former EFI General Secretarythough 87 was there throughout the service and he released a souvenir of Rev. Thomas Samuel of QuiteCorner India, a member mission of IMA.

From 8th to 11th September were spent on visiting member missions with the IMA Member Relations DirectorRev. Subrata Fullonton. Please see the special report on this.

On the 15th, a letter of communication was sent to all the 16 member missions in Karnataka so that the CEOsmay organize aptitude analysis which will be done by Mr. Jacob Isaac.

On 24th attended a thanks giving meeting by South African team of FCI who are involved in bi-vocationalministries. They have completed 15 years of experience in this type of ministry in India. Their aim is to disciplepeople and give cross cultural training to selected candidates from some nations of Africa.

Plans are being made to visit Kerala by second week of October.

On the 8th October BYT (Bangalore Youth Transformation) planned by Mr. Jacob Isaac, who is our youth networkleader.

Visits to the Member Missions by the IMA Member Relations Director Rev. Subrata Fullonton, andPastor C. Sekar:

Rev. Subrata Fullonton was in Bangalore to attend the IIM Board and curriculum committee meeting on the 8th

September 2005.

IIM Convocation was attended by Pastor C. Sekar. 46 students graduated from various affiliated colleges.The chief guest for the function was Dr. B. K. Pramanik, of the Bible Society of India, and the Guest Speakerwas Dr. Ken Gnanakan, of Acts Institute, Bangalore.

On the 9th we visited KEA, KSM, Rev. Dr. Theodore Williams, OM India Bangalore. We also visited Dr.Pramanik’s home to encourage and assure him of our prayers for his wife who is undergoing Chemo Therapy.

On 10th, we had breakfast prayer with Karnataka Mission Network. We also attended Quiet Corner Indiasecond Saturday prayer meeting.

We were thrilled by the activities of Kerygma. They bring out a quarterly magazine called “Coffee BeanZ” withthe circulation of 10,000 copies for the youth.

On the 11th September, Sunday, both of us attended the Church services of Emmanuel Baptist Church andLight of Life Fellowship of Sadhana.

In the evening we were able to visit a new mission connected with re-habilitation home for the drug abusevictims, run by Life Challenge Mission. The person in charge of this Mission is Rev. P.M. John. Rev. Fullontonministered to the 27 victims who were present. Majority of them are from Manipur and others from South India.We were very impressed by the life changing efforts they have put into some of the inmates.

Sekar Chinnasamy,IMA South Representative,

Bangalore

Editorial TeamK. RajendranJohn Amalraj

Philipose VaidyarDaniel Sathiaraj

Joy Mercy Gomez

India Missions Associationis the national federation of missions in India.

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Profiles of 150 selected peoples of India.An abridged edition of the book UnreachedMega Peoples of India with additional 50profiles.Contain description, population,states, religion and prayer pointsDonation Rs.150 or US $ 15

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