Together on a Mission INDIA 2009

By Simon Walker,

Bristol, UK

With a greater population than all of Africa, more unreached people groups within its borders than any other nation and three of the fifteen largest metro cities in the world, India needs a family of churches together on a mission. And she has one!

Over 400 delegates gathered from across India in October 2009 for Newfrontiers India’s Together on a Mission conference in Bangalore. Capturing the event in a few words seems impossible! There is growing evidence of God’s grace: a love of the gospel, joyful worship, prophetic direction, deep friendship and a desire for God to be worshipped amongst those who don’t yet know Him through planting new churches.
Samir Deokuliar opened the conference with a stirring call to be adventurous in God and take fresh steps of faith. Many had taken courageous steps in the past but had become comfortable … it is time to take fresh steps again.

Challenges and opportunities

Through Guy Miller’s teaching on the life of Joseph, we looked at the challenges and opportunities we now face together in India. The challenges of continually living in God’s grace, of sexual purity and handling suffering were all ones that Joseph faced, and like him we need both to work hard and to stand on God’s promises, knowing that He will fulfil them.
Joseph’s life provided the prophetic note of the conference. Now is the time for us to feed the nation with the gospel of grace.

Guy summarised the dream he had for us as Newfrontiers India – ‘I have a dream for a blood-washed India where God is moving, where in the next five years we’ll have 100 churches, in years hundreds. A dream of apostolic and resourcing churches, of Indian apostolic teams who give the ‘battle cry’. A dream to see every local church touching the poor and needy – not just food in their stomachs but seeing their lives changed. A dream to see the Bible lifted high in India, fearlessly declared as the Word of God by fiery preachers. A dream to see evangelists speaking to crowds of thousands, seeing signs and wonders, miracles of healing, and thousands being swept into the kingdom of God. I have a dream, and I’m living for it. God would say – live for His dream.’

There was a significant response following preaching on the church being the place of God’s glory; His dwelling place in the earth and the place from which the gospel shines out. Many stepped forward to give themselves to church planting, in response to the challenge of growing to 100 churches across India, and a generous offering was taken toward this.

Passionate prayer

A massive highlight of the conference was the prayer evening. Sydney Nevis led the delegates through prayer for India and the nations. We prayed for each of the Indian states, for the massive metro cities including Delhi (where we are church planting in April). We also prayed for the poor, for other situations where outreaches are taking place and for the unreached people groups. We cried out to God to raise up workers and enable us to train leaders and plant churches. We also prayed beyond India for God to move, particularly for the Newfrontiers church plant into Berlin. Prayer was interspersed with news and celebration as Wellington Gomes lead us in worship and dancing.

India is a country of many languages and traditions and we enjoyed using songs in a variety of languages and styles. Each day a different one was introduced, celebrating what it means to be one new man in Christ with real joy.

Deep friendship

We deeply value friendship. Time between meetings was filled with laughter, joy, the deepening of friendships and fabulous food provided by the staff of the Frontier Management Centre. Groups huddled together to discuss the implications of the messages and prophecy. Others pondered the personal implications of the previous session. Many laughed and hugged as they caught up with old friends and made new ones.
I sat with a group of friends from the Punjab drinking chai, discussing how God has spoken to them at TOAM India.
I began to realise that they would have plenty of time to review and plan on their 40+ hour train journey home!
The breakthrough at Antioch was a watershed moment in church history. For the first time a majority gentile, multicultural church was planted that went on to see leaders trained, apostles sent and churches started all over the Roman Empire. Whilst no conference can ever reach the heights and glories of a local church, the richness of Antioch was in evidence at TOAM India!