“My Strength is Made Perfect in Weakness”

—Shepherded 74 years—

PREFACE

For anyone who wishes to be healthy and move ahead, it is important to have a thorough medical check from time to time. By this we know our vulnerabilities and our health status. For a firm or company, there is the quarter closing of accounts, the half-year closing and the annual closing. Thus a businessman knows whether he is gaining anything or just losing and eating into his capital.

Now for a church or a Fellowship, this kind of humble heart-examination in the sight of God should be a daily experience. We should know whether we are pleasing God or simply grieving His Holy Spirit by pride, presumption or vanity.

What is it to have God’s strength perfected in our weakness? Money, possessions and the flatteries of men give us a false feeling of power. The Bible says, “Power belongeth unto God.” (Ps. 62:11) So real power comes only through humbleness of heart before God and obedience to His Word. We forget this often and imagine big buildings, lovely worship halls or sanctuaries or numerous centres and overflowing grounds full of people, speak of power. On the contrary, trust in these things is a sure sign of spiritual decline and downfall. Hence watch your heart, your thinking and planning. Shut your ears to all flatteries generated by your deceitful heart or your friends—Power belongs only to the Risen Saviour.

Yes, as we enter our 75^th year, we must humble ourselves greatly that we have done so little to lift up Jesus in this desperately rebellious and woeful world full of suffering and fear.

As we were literally born in revival and grew in revival, let us not now turn to the chariots and horses of Egypt (the world) to acquire some prestige or satisfaction. Our strength comes from Him who said, “All power is given to me in heaven and in earth.” Hence we can glory in nothing else other than the propitiatory death of Christ and the Cross of Jesus.

“My strength is perfected in your weakness.” One meets a lot of miserable people whose glory and strength consists in their pay cheques, houses, lands and even ornaments. We dare not produce one such blind individual. After all these years, we are still in our infancy, in terms of missionary labours and sacrifice. Every little church and centre of ours must stop and ask, “What am I doing for missionary work and for reaching more souls?” The devil can make you busy with just bricks and mortar and thus keep you from building with living stones the kind of church which the gates of hell cannot prevail against. We should definitely ask God that the devil should run away from every place and region which we enter with His Living Word. The Truth of Jesus brings an abiding liberation from our sins and base inward nature.

St. Paul saw and knew his weakness and this made him cry to God and God’s answer was, “My grace is sufficient for you and my strength is perfected in your weakness.” This is an anomaly in the eyes of the world. “How can strength crown weakness?” they ask. But this is the working rule of our lives. Jesus stands by us saying, “My strength is perfected in your weakness.”

By our Saviour alone, we can prevail and conquer; by this strength alone we can serve and “save the lost.”

—Joshua Daniel

NEW CENTRES AND ADVANCES

Our New Telecast in Australia

The latest advance is a new telecast from Melbourne, going out over that region of the state of Victoria in Australia on Channel 31, on Saturdays from 6.00 to 6.30 am.

Please pray that the indifferent will happen upon our telecast and listen to some of the warmest words of love and strangest words of warning which they have ever heard in their lives, and turn to the Saviour.

Though our team here consists of just three or four humble, dedicated people, we are reaching many people through our 25 weekly radio broadcasts to many cities and small towns of Australia.

We want prayer especially for our broadcast aired by Transworld Radio which is directed upon China. It is amazing that our precious Lord keeps this expensive work of broadcasting going from week to week and month to month. Pray especially that our brothers, Sydney and Rodney, and their families will be used of God.

Our New Telecasts in the Indian Sub-continent

After much yearning and praying, Orissa which has figured so notoriously as a state where very poor Christians were set upon by men moved with mindless hate and by murderous gangs promoted by Hindu activists, has our telecast in Oriya language proclaiming Jesus’ everlasting love for sinners and rebels.

Up north in the Punjab, there are the many peasants, farmers and others who love their native Punjabi language. To them the message is going out in another of our new telecasts which is aired every Sunday.

We must needs pray that the promise of God assuring us that “His word proceeding from His mouth will not return void” will accomplish the great purposes of God for these hard-working and industrious people.

As God begins to speak to the hardcore Hindus who speak Manipuri language, through our new telecast on Sundays from 1.00 to 1.30 pm, aired from Imphal, let us pray that mighty men and women of God will arise from among them.

Since we do not appeal for money nor ask our hearers to support the telecasts, the false impression must not gain grounds that some rich people or vested interests are behind us. It is really a marvel and wonder to us how God supports our continually expanding broadcasts and advances. Let us take note that His Name is Jehovah-Jireh—”God will provide.” Let us give all the glory to Him.

Advancing into Sieber, Niedersachsen, Germany

Now this is a part of Germany where we have never laboured for revival before. With great joy Bro. Joe returned to where he had begun as a young man, working in the villages in Germany. It was a fair-sized music hall where quite a number of people gathered on the first night and the gracious Lord strengthened Bro. Joe to give them the Word of God at the meetings here in September. The Saturday morning session was also well attended. The evening’s meeting was followed by a short season of prayer and Bro. Joe had to spend a long time ministering to souls individually.

Earnest people from the outlying areas also came in and there was real hunger amongst the people. It grieves us that the rural districts and villages of Germany are badly neglected by preachers.

The Sunday’s meeting was well attended and was followed by a long season of personal work. We did find these folk here hungry for God’s Word and willing to make many adjustments and give supremacy to the Word.

Sister Lily was able to help a number of women who always have their own hard trials and the highly difficult job of bringing up children in this present highly polluted moral environment.

In Gottingen, North Germany

The northern parts of Germany have generally been known as being harder to reach. Though some in the South who have professed much love formerly have indicated that they no longer feel the need for the Fellowship’s ministry, there are others who are hungry for the Word.

The North German meetings in Gottingen, from Dec. 30 to Jan. 1, were special in that we were reaching a new area. In spite of the severe cold which was gripping this part of Europe, the meetings were well attended. Now we must see the Word increasing.

In spite of the heavy expenses involved, our television broadcast, which reaches more than three million households in this industrial heart of Germany, has been going out week after week from Dusseldorf.

Although Bro. Joe has sought to widen the vision of our Heidelberg folk, they have shown a tragic want of burden for the Eastern parts of Germany and beyond. Lack of vision spells death not only to the innocent people but to the preachers themselves.

Bro. Johannes Weidenmuller had the additional responsibility of interpreting Bro. Joe at short notice at these meetings. Though those who could have been a great help in these meetings, failed to come from Southern Germany, the local people from this area rallied and received God’s word with earnestness.

Widening of the Work into Myanmar (Burma)

After addressing the young people at the youth camp in our centre in Langol, Imphal on the 25th of June, at seven in the morning the next day, Bro. Joe and Sister Lily set out and reached the Burmese border at Moreh after travelling across several thickly wooded mountain ranges. This 120 km road can tire and shake up most people. At the border they had no hassles to face and were soon at the packed church of a fair size in Tamu, Myanmar.

There was not a single policeman or military person within sight. Bro. Joe had complete freedom as he delivered the Word of God. If there were ‘informers’ present, they certainly could not have escaped easily from the searching Word of God which turns men away from their sins into the righteousness of Jesus.

Many pastors were present. We must now look to the Lord that a great company will carry forth the word of God into many corners of Myanmar.

The knowledge of the ancient opposition to the Gospel which was present in Myanmar down the centuries, should not be an impediment to our faith to expect great things from God today, among these spiritually deprived people. We should indeed be very ashamed that we have done so little for them down these many years.

Though Bro. Joe was told that people do not attempt the return journey to Imphal, Manipur, the same day, he insisted that he should get back and was thus driven back across the same badly pitted stretches of road. Even one of the security jeeps which was accompanying them almost got stuck in the mud of a mountain landslide. The Lord in His mercy brought Bro. Joe and Sister Lily back safely, though a general strike had been announced which encompassed transport and travel as well. Further, this road is notoriously infested with insurgents and even the Army goes in convoy.

Too many of our people today are cultivating a kind of easygoing, false religion which cleverly bypasses the Cross, with nice chorus singing. Let all our old and young realise that faith which steps back from taking risks is scarcely to be called faith at all. If each of our families cannot even produce one or two missionaries, what are we really worth?

The New Hall at Kotagiri

When Bro. Joe was very young and just out of college, he joined his parents in fasting prayer in a tiny tea-garden quarters, by a mountainside in Kotagiri. When the monsoon rains began, he remembers how he stubbornly sat under a small tree cover and would not budge from his time of prayer. Even the monsoon clouds cooperated and they had glorious seasons of prayer, with some rain drops trickling through now and then.

Now these seasons of prayer would be followed by a few days of revival meetings in this small hill resort. The halls available then for these meetings were pretty small.

Now at long last, after these many years of labouring in this mountainous district with its beautiful hills and valleys, dominated by tea gardens, the Lord enabled us to build in a pretty tiny spot a beautiful prayer hall with an amazing seating capacity for a building of this size.

When revival meetings were announced for three days, the Lord brought in the people and His Word went out with power. On the second day of the meetings, people had to be accommodated on the roof of the building too!

Now we need to exercise prayer and faith to draw in these precious souls and turn these simple people into soul-winners.

Tanjore, Tamil Nadu

The Tanjore district which is renowned as the rich rice bowl of South India has been grossly neglected by us for a long time. In a small shed temporarily put up on the first-floor terrace of a Christian family, a small Sunday meeting had been taking place over the past few years. Being an ancient seat of Tamil culture and a large educational centre, these little services in a remote housing colony was far from adequate. So we have moved into a medium-sized hall of the local Rotary Club now.

In spite of his busy schedule of meetings, Bro. Joe allocated meetings for Tanjore in February. The hall which was hired for these special meetings was filled to overflowing. Many non-Christians came in and heard God’s Word.

This is just the beginning and bigger revival meetings are planned in our own grounds which God has wonderfully provided.

The New Hall in Gummidipundi

Gummidipundi, a dusty little village 40 km north of Madras on the Calcutta road caught Bro. Joe’s eye as he went up and down on the national highway. Today however with the springing up of the industrial park producing a variety of products and machine parts, this place has become a fair-sized township. At the time of the infancy of our medical ministry, three young medical graduates joined Bro. Joe in prayer in a small tent in Arambakkam, about 16 km north of Gummidipundi.

Dr. John Thomas, who was in that little group of young doctors, felt the call of God to take up the challenge of establishing a medical clinic right in the bazaar area and next to the police station. At this Gospel Clinic, many heard the Word of God for the very first time. The Lord also used Dr. John Thomas to pray for the sick when they were beyond the reach of medical help. Many were healed by God in answer to prayer. Earlier, passing through this village, Bro. Joe was moved by the milling crowds in the bazaar. Now this resulted in both the Gospel Clinic and the church being established after a revival campaign. Dr. Masi also assisted in the early days when the work was being built here.

An inexpensive little prayer shed did service as a church building and in the week was used as a primary school facility. After these forty odd years, this whole structure became weak and dangerous and at long last we took up the project of constructing a much bigger hall with galleries. There are additional classrooms also above the hall, making our building one of the prominent landmarks on the main street of Gummidipundi. Now we have the important duty of teaching the children of this area the things of God. The Lord must give us teachers who are truly dedicated. Currently there are 300 children in our primary school here. Dr. Jayanth Samuel continues to serve the people at our Gospel clinic here.

On Sunday, the 5th of July, instead of a formal opening with ribbon cutting etc, Bro. Joe chose the way of having a huge revival rally when the whole new facility was packed out and the grounds too were full of people listening to the Word of God. Bro. Rodney also helped with the message here.

The New Centre in Ashok Nagar, Chennai

Three nights were given to this new centre in May, which we are seeking to build next to a well-known clinic on a main road in Ashok Nagar which has emerged as a much-sought-after residential area. We had to actually ask our people not to come because the space available was limited. The Lord stood with us and His Word went out in a new and crowded locality.

The New Centre in Annavaram, Andhra Pradesh

In this place of Hindu pilgrimage, the Lord has been using our team members to reach souls over the years and Bro. Joe had desired to preach amongst these earnest souls who are taking their stand for Jesus. Our small compound was almost full at the one meeting which Bro. Joe addressed here.

The New Hall in Kavali, Andhra Pradesh

When the worker who is a retired postal official, turned out to be both disorderly and unfaithful, it was necessary for a new beginning to be made. Hence, Bro. Joe instructed our building crew to build a commodious prayer hall in minimum time, raising the ground level of a low-lying plot. They reported that even as we prayed, angels appeared to come and help them do everything here which was necessary.

The last night of the three meetings here in February, saw an even bigger gathering than had turned up earlier. The Spirit of God brought such a conviction of sin upon them but yet the meetings could not be extended. It was really wrong to stop the meetings at that stage.

There are several additional constructions which are required before this centre can be said to be really operational. According to our normal practice, when such situations arose, we did not wait until the flooring and the front section of the hall were ready, but went fully out to proclaim God’s word to all who would hear.

A Primary School in Mettupalayam

A small primary school called L.E.F. Christian Primary School has begun to function in our two-room school house on a beautiful but barren elevated location. This is barely five kilometres from the centre of Mettupalayam which is the gateway to the Blue Mountains or Nilgiris.

In this rocky campus of nine acres, the Lord indicated a spot where out of the rocky soil, God gave a spring which supplies water to our various operations.

We are praying and planning to have a large open-air revival rally in this place for the people of this whole area. A new work should spring here as the Word of God is declared to the people.

Our Worldwide Labours

The slow advance of the Gospel into many needy areas reveals clearly that many who once had a longing to win souls and magnify Jesus, eventually chose comfortable places and not too far away from their location as the field of their operation. The Bible clearly tells us that the Spirit of Christ which rests on us is one which leads us into building and restoring ‘the former desolations’. In the midst of an inexorable cycle of self-destruction so close to him, how can a truly converted person be happy when he knows there are whole cities and regions where there is little preaching of the Word of God?

So even in the little villages or towns where we have our centres, there must be a great burden or concern for the souls that are without the word of God in other countries and much prayer must go up for the US, England, Germany, France, Guyana, Malaysia, Singapore, Australia and other countries where we are labouring.

IN THE UK

Several earnest people had gathered at Quinta Hall, London, in July ’08 and more than ever this was a retreat with no frivolity or foolishness. The two seasons of prayer in the afternoons were blessed of God. We have always found that at our camps and retreats several people are found missing at dinner times as they give themselves, unknown to others, to fasting and prayer.

We have a long way to go in Britain and the “birds of the air” which carry away the seed have to be clipped and brought down. The Lord Jesus in his reference to the birds of the air was pointing a fact that the powers of darkness carry away the Word of God and thus keep souls in bondage and captivity.

During the Winter Retreat in January, London was in the grip of a really cold winter. Yet many came in and the Lord graciously gave us of His presence. The Retreat closed on Sunday afternoon with the last meeting in our own little hall at the back of our Brixton bookstall.

One of our young men at Oxford University organized a Special Meeting for students on May 1 and invited many. Though it was a Friday night, several students were present.

Though the moral condition of Britain is alarming and appalling, many of the educated appear not to care. Bro. Joe says, “What England needs is not a squeaky mellifluous speaker with a silver tongue, but the strident call of a full-throated trumpeter. I do not seem to fit the bill at all and bemoan this fact. Pray for me and our team members.” This is no time to play the clown, the dancing master, or jester. A Jeremiah and a Daniel are the need of this hour!

IN FRANCE

When Bro. Joe went to France in July 2008, he gave the first two days to live broadcasts of one and half hours. It was told that the audience is largely a Tamil audience scattered through gulf countries, Africa, Europe and America. When Bro. Joe preached directly in Tamil, the Lord gave him the Word and caused His Word to go forth with power. When the meetings began, we saw strangers who had heard the broadcast and had therefore come to the meeting.

Many in the congregation are very poor people who work long hours. The smallness of our labours does not depress us inasmuch as the soul of the poorest man in Paris is as precious in the sight of God as that of the President of France.

In the capital city of France, Paris, we are fighting a battle of faith to establish a centre where Frenchmen and men of other nations will hear the word of God.

The two days given to Paris in December 2008 were a time when many who had fled to Paris as political or economic refugees heard the word of God. It takes a true walk with God to overcome the devil and his works in Paris and sadly the folk from Asia are largely taken up with the wherewithal of mere economic survival.

Though France is far removed from the thinking of most people, yet to us the spiritual needs here and in the former French possessions in the Atlantic and elsewhere present a challenge which we must take.

IN THE UNITED STATES

The early Pilgrim Fathers who came to America had as their chief quest their one desire to seek God and worship Him in liberty. Many of them had been greatly persecuted in England for their faith. They were succeeded by waves of Puritan immigrants who had high moral standards and a great work ethic which made them turn cold and arid wildernesses into fruitful fields and habitable places.

Today’s America has forgotten all about these great sacrifices, noble benchmarks and longings of the founders. It must not be forgotten however that departure from the Word of God carries heavy penalties which are more disastrous than crashing one’s car against an impregnable wall. Let us pray that God will open the eyes of many indifferent people so that the Word of God is heeded and obeyed and the nation at large turns back to Jesus Christ at this time of grave economic crisis and joblessness in the cities of America.

Are we of the Fellowship to remain as mere bystanders or shall we be those who with tears warn the nation and turn America back to the God of her fathers.

The American Retreat

It was amazing how day after day the Lord carried us through, giving us the right Word from His heart. Yes, we need to get right back to, “THUS SAITH THE LORD.” The promise of wealth and glamour which has drawn many like a magnet to America has turned to ashes and many are in a horrible financial distress. It is hard to bear the suffering of so many who have never known deprivation or hunger. Witnesses are needed for Jesus on the shop and factory floor. People in deep debt and with little hope have to be made aware that the ‘God of all hope’ is still ruling in the affairs of men and of nations.

At such a time, when people from the workplace like John speak for the Lord, people sit up and hear. The seasons of prayer at the Retreat were times when we poured out our hearts before God both for America and for our fitting into the role of turning America back to the Saviour.

The Thanksgiving Retreat

People generally get quite taken up with eating and drinking, visiting friends and family during the Thanksgiving weekend. But some of our people who feel drained of spiritual power, from the fast, high pressure life here, deem it a necessity to come to this retreat, which we manage to hold with a supreme effort, amidst a many-pronged and demanding ministry.

Some came from very distant places and we put them up in a motel, not far from our church, which is situated at Novi, Detroit. Our ladies worked hard and provided meals which were greatly appreciated by those present.

More and more people are logging on and hearing the message on their computer in distant and remote places. In the days ahead, we expect to have a very large number in our “unseen congregation,” for there are still many who are longing for a true and “searching Word” from the Lord.

Our work by way of radio broadcasts, telecasts and through our magazines and literature continues and grows in spite of the bleak economic condition.

A number of earnest people were at the Easter Retreat and the dear Lord gave us plentifully from His table.

Please remember to pray for the steadily increasing television ministry in this vast continent.

In Windsor, Ontario, Canada

In Windsor, Ontario, Canada, we could only have two special meetings in September 2008. We used a smallish hall of the theological faculty. The students of the neighbouring university were not present. Their lecturers apparently were on strike. Despite these hindrances we go on sowing the Word.

Brother Lawrence who will be remembered as one of our old Bible students has been careful to labour on diligently for the Lord in Ontario, Canada. On Sundays he comes over with his family to worship with us in our small church in Novi, near Detroit.

In Guyana, South America

The work amongst students of the University and in some of the housing colonies is increasing and our team is kept far too busy. The telecast which reaches the whole nation and the radio message each week is carrying the ‘words of life’ and liberating truth to many. We believe that the word of God will prevail.

Our revival meetings were held for four evenings in a High School hall. Then we moved to our rented hall opposite the gates of the University of Guyana. The three nights here saw many new people at the meetings.

A short retreat for teacher trainees and several meetings for nurses and student-nurses in two hospitals, kept Bro. Joe and Sister Lily very busy.

Where violence and thieving have become a way of life, it is only our good Saviour who is keeping our crew safe. Two of our young sisters are being used of God as a Director of the Nursing School in a big hospital and as a Lecturer in Nursing at the University, respectively. The services of two of our young missionaries who are in charge of producing the required software for the University, are being valued by the authorities. Our hearts rejoiced at the baptismal service when some precious souls were baptized. Much of our personal work here is focused on leading people into deep and true repentance.

We must pray much for Dr. Danny and the team here. Prayer for advancing deeper into South America is upon our hearts. Brazil is directly below Guyana.

In VenEzuela, South america

Klaus Klingler continues to labour on in this country, where day to day living has been made extremely difficult over the years by the moves and dictates of its communist President.

Unfortunately Klaus has had to labour alone without a supporting team. Liselore, his wife, however has faithfully supported him taking care of the day to day running of their farm and household in Germany. Like any father from a farming background, Klaus misses much active partnership of his children in the missionary work. They used to assist him much in the printing of tracts and Spanish literature in the past. He labours on faithfully looking unto the Lord.

Please pray that God will raise up other missionaries to assist him and to continue these labours.

In Singapore

In Singapore it is something of a marvel that after a heavy day’s work, some even venture to rush to our small meetings. Yet many here have great personal needs pressing on their hearts. In this rich city-state, which manages to thrive in spite of being under the shadow of China, a small work like ours has little appeal to people who are accustomed to the razzle-dazzle of modern extravaganzas. But we continue faithfully renting a room for our Sunday services from the Salvation Army.

The want of a proper place for worship however is a serious impediment to the growth of the work. The Government of Singapore continues to keep a strong hold on all the property with laws which strictly limit Christian work to public and not residential areas and these public places are hard to lease.

At the meetings here in February, the word of God went out and was heard with great earnestness by several new people. Building and strengthening the faith of some of our own people takes up a great deal of our time.

In Malaysia

The two meetings arranged in a church hall in Kuala Lumpur were well attended. After the second meeting, Bro. Ong drove Bro. Joe and Sister Lily at a very high speed to get them to Penang at least by 2 am on Sunday morning.

It has become customary these days to receive a preacher with a handclap. Not many people however feel like clapping their hands at the end of Bro. Joe’s message. Preachers of today appear to thrive on handclaps and the plaudits of men, instead of putting on sackcloth for the perishing millions and the frozen church groups around the world.

In the evening the meeting was held in a small hall where political gatherings take place usually. Some who had been influenced by the life of our sister Liang during her tenure as a Penang assembly woman, were also present. The law however forbids native Malays from attending Christian meetings.

Our literature will soon be available in the local Malay language. East Malaysia is separated by a vast stretch of sea and must be reached also.

YOUTH CAMPS

The International Students’ Camp

Young people poured into Beulah Gardens from all directions! It is hard to imagine students, many of whom are finding it tough to pay their heavy college fees and other bills, travelling three or four days each way, to be present at the Camp of only three and half days. Of course, not all people had such long journeys to undertake.

It is not celebrities of any sort nor do we provide gimmicks and novelties to lure young people to our camps. It is the cleansing Word of God which goes out and touches their deepest need. Why be apologetic of this fact that Jesus and His salvation alone really satisfy the heart of man?

We should however watch against the hardness of heart, which comes to many who are granted the grace to view numerous works of God. We should never therefore lose that joy, excitement, expectation and gratefulness while we partake of His merciful acts. The very rapid flow of events in the Fellowship today is a real danger and God alone must keep us from becoming mechanical and treating God’s workings casually or as commonplace.

Before the camp closed, the registration showed that we had 5600 people resident in the camp. The Word of the Lord went forth and the earnestness and longing that many of them revealed for the touch of the Lord was quite moving.

The third day of the camp witnessed a visitation of God’s Spirit which caused many to humble themselves with tears.

Many of our senior brothers, who themselves were converted as students, helped in the discussion groups, where they encouraged young people to open up and share their inward thoughts and views. Of course, they were not allowed to stray far off from the carefully set questions before them. John Branch and John Daniel helped Bro. Joe with the main messages.

Students are encouraged to get alone with God and pour out their hearts before Him. Many were found doing just that.

Youth Camp in Imphal, Manipur

Arriving at Imphal at around 2 pm, on Thursday, the 25^th of June, Bro. Joe and Sister Lily were received with great joy by a well-known high official in the administration. As a young student, Mr. Sing Sit had been converted at one of our students’ camps. At the airports these days, Bro. Joe is even greeted by the security men who had either been at our meetings or are actually converted people.

At 5.30 pm, in our packed hall, the message went out to the young people and others who had gathered for our youth camp. John Daniel and some of our team members were busy with reaching these young people and drawing them into true faith in the Lord Jesus. Bro. Joe therefore could only address one message to the young people at the camp. John, who had freed himself from the many cares of his hectic business life, was able to take full share in the work of the Lord here together with his family.

Whereas hitherto very few local non-Christians, who had established a reputation for themselves as being very hostile to Christian teaching, would come to the meetings, a new and an open frame of mind was manifest by them. Thus quite a large number of the Hindus of the plains were present. The dear Lord is lifting them out of many complicated and distressing situations.

A strong spirit of prayer gripped the young people and many cried out to God for mercy and forgiveness of sins. Now these young people carried this Spirit of prayer to their remote mountain villages and towns. They would be introducing a completely new moral integrity amongst their people.

Our Large Campaigns in Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh which has now a population of 80 million, having been the location where the revival first broke out, naturally, has more of our centres where our people are actively engaged in reaching souls.

Now the Lord in His mercy made it possible for us to pack into the short space of six or seven weeks a veritable whirlwind of soul-winning campaigns in January and February, of which we give you a few glimpses.

The Convention at Stuartpuram

So many people arrived in Stuartpuram for the convention that all the cover that could be provided over the seating area proved inadequate. Our Wonderful Saviour sent a cloud over the place so that the people who could not find room in the huge covered arena were kept from the direct heat and rays of the sun.

Bro. Whitson and Dr. Samraj helped with the opening days of the convention. Others of our team laboured hard giving the Bible classes and preaching at the other subsidiary meetings. Towards the final days much of the preaching burden fell to Bro. Joe’s lot.

The Lord poured out of His Spirit repeatedly upon the vast crowd and a tremendous spirit of prayer and the spirit of repentance seized the people.

There is a continuing trend of greater and greater crowds at our meetings. Though tired in body, Bro. Joe was graciously strengthened and the Lord wonderfully supplied His Word. The crowd was estimated to be around 100,000. What is important to us is that God should touch each one of these individuals.

Many sick people had to be prayed for too. Always there are wonderful happenings and the workings of God in healing spirit, soul and body are everyday events.

Our bookstalls were also kept very busy. The financial downturn afflicting the markets and banks had no impact whatever upon these mammoth meetings, where many very poor people also heard the word of God. The Lord provided all that was needed.

Now we expect these men and women from several corners of this vast sub-continent to take the word of God to remote regions.

Kakinada & Rajahmundry

Our compound was packed with people. Bro. Joe had to preach at Rajahmundry first and race over 60 kilometres to address another big crowd in Kakinada. It was past 9.30 pm by the time the message concluded in Kakinada. The crowd sat attentively and there was pin-drop silence. Preaching in these two places at the same time was something of a necessity as different dates could not be found for each of these key centres. But the Lord who gives sufficient grace, enabled Bro. Joe to do this on the two concluding nights of the campaigns.

Dr. Samraj and Dr. Jesu helped with the heavy burden of addressing the huge congregations during the morning and other meetings.

Vishakapatnam

In this fast-growing port-city, the crowd grew bigger and bigger by the day. People came from distant places with hungry hearts. On the third and final day of the meetings, a special meeting was also held in the morning at our commodious centre. Our compound situated close to the railway station was packed with attentive listeners.

The spiritual potential of these crowds cannot be estimated. God can do mighty things through these earnest hearers and seekers after the truth. Building up these souls in faith after their spiritual rebirth is becoming a very daunting and challenging task.

We feel that we are hardly doing any justice to meeting the great need of the people. These northern stretches of the Eastern seaboard reaching into Orissa need the fire which drives the demons entrenched in these parts into the Bay of Bengal in the manner in which the demons fled in the Gadarenes, at the word of Jesus.

Many in our congregation are highly educated people and yet they are seriously handicapped by a strange diffidence and fear, imposed upon them by a caste-ridden society. Many that became Christians in some of the backward areas were drawn from the poorer rungs of society and therefore were looked down upon. They themselves developed an inferiority complex that makes them wilt before the flood of evil or corruption in their departments, instead of standing fast and fighting for the Truth. This situation should be completely overturned and a victorious spirit—the spirit of looking unto Jesus—should be given to them.

Vijayawada

Vijayawada is quite a hub of commercial, travel and pilgrim activity. Our meetings here are looked forward to by many. Hence people come in large numbers and our vast grounds in the centre of the city are hardly able to accommodate the people.

The amazing thing is, as the Lord Himself is in the midst and ordering all things, everything works like clockwork. The Lord keeps even the elements in such a way that they cooperate with us, the rain and sun being at His command.

Our Television ministry also is touching so many that the number of our viewers who want to attend, appears to grow continually.

It is generally found that when the technical equipment and other paraphernalia increase, the message and its depth and clarity suffer. In other words, the whole thing becomes a mere human organisation. Now this means that God is nowhere in sight. The Lord in His mercy however has been keeping us humble and trembling at His Feet and He Himself goes forth to touch and transform people.

Hyderabad

Our hall, in this capital city of Andhra Pradesh, occupies a sizeable part of our compound. Being in the very heart of the city, there is little possibility to expand our centre further.

With the help of TV monitors, etc, we manage to get even our overflow to hear the Word of the Lord. It is indeed a pity that these meetings could not be extended. Bro. Joe is greatly pained when the deep needs of the people are not met.

Warangal

In this college and railway centre, the word of God rang out by the main street. Our work which began as a very small effort, has grown through prayer and faith into a ministry which is touching several young people and turning them to Christ.

The Lord caused a growing number of people to attend the meetings and hear His Word.

Nellore

In Nellore, which is just over 175 km north of Madras, a huge congregation gathered to hear God’s Word. Now the district of Nellore encompasses a very fertile region where there are thickly populated areas, what we are doing is really very little.

What should be considered as totally unacceptable is to engage in half-hearted and superficial service. Are we ever going to produce Christ-like men from this region?

Kurnool

Certain sizeable pockets of land and territories which have seen the activity of Christian missions for a long time, remain as barren and fruitless fields. But this hardness must be broken. Kurnool and some of the neighbouring districts which belong to the Rayalseema area, come under this category. But this hardness against the Gospel and true Christian living must be broken.

The Fellowship’s revival meetings have scarcely taken place in Kurnool. Apart from a few sporadic visits by the late Francis Daniel, the youngest of the Daniel children, and his wife, Shanthi, there have been few special efforts. One or two of our evangelists also have laboured for this vast city. Bro. David spent all his youth there. Some very precious souls were touched and have risen up from this area. Now we must make a new beginning and pray for a deep work to be done amongst the people.

The Lord in His mercy must give us a centre of our own where souls can be truly built up in faith. Otherwise there are many ‘foxes today who ruin the vines’. Some of the people appear to think that Christian work is a business. Such people should be unmasked and put far away from us.

The campaign itself, which was for a duration of two days only, drew many people to the vast YMCA grounds. But we failed to draw in the net properly.

Masulipatnam

The traumatic reports of the burnings and the killings and the wholesale destruction of churches in the Khandamal region of Orissa, had filled the hearts of many with fear and they were ready to retreat into their shells like frightened snails. At such a time, the Lord laid it on Bro. Joe’s heart to call for meetings in Masulipatnam in October ’08.

It was quite a courageous gesture of the governing authorities of the Noble College, Masulipatnam to give us the use of their grounds for open-air meetings in this atmosphere charged with uncertainty and fear.

Many people however turned up and perfect order was maintained at the meetings and the message went forth with great freedom. Around this city, where late Mr. Daniel had prayed so much as a young man, new centres and preaching points are being established.

LABOURS IN FAR-FLUNG REGIONS OF INDIA

Ooty, Tamil Nadu

Ooty, which is also known as the Queen of Hill stations, has got one of our old centres, which requires a fresh revival sent from the Lord. Many, who had begun their Christian experience as young people, have now become elderly, retired men. Fresh fire and young people with zeal need to be raised up.

The few days that were allocated to Ooty were far from adequate. Several people from various hill tribes attended in spite of the opposition being stirred up by die-hard traditionalists who seek to hold them captive to their ancient customs and superstitions.

Calcutta, West Bengal

Our small team has been labouring faithfully amidst the great need of this vast metropolis. The two meetings in a high school hall addressed by Bro. Joe were well attended. At our meetings we want people who come from outlying cities to take the fire to their own places and be used of God. In fact, some of those places from which people attended our meetings, are asking for our regular Sunday services to be held.

Our weekly telecast in Bengali is being used of God and souls are being touched in remote corners. As this telecast reaches parts of Bangladesh also, we must see fruit emerging from Bangladesh.

In the Sunderbans, we were able to put up a simple, medium-sized structure for our use during our bimonthly medical camps. The Lord also is touching and healing people. In the recent devastating floods, some of our brothers were the first to reach the sufferers in the Sunderbans with a few small items, to relieve their distress. How we wish we can do more for the people of the marshlands of the Sunderbans, which are so close to Calcutta but so far away from civilization!

Delhi—The Jewel which World Conquerors had Always Sought

During the two nights of the campaign here, the medium-sized hall of the YWCA overflowed.

Our Sunday services are so early in the morning that many people find it hard to get to them. Of course many brave the chill of the Delhi winter mornings to be present regularly at our 8 am service.

We believe the time has come when the Lord will give us our own hall here, where people can freely gather for prayer. People with discernment can easily see that what Delhi needs is not just another brand of Christian work, but deep Christ-like men of prayer. Let us pray to this end.

Bombay

After the tragic terrorist attack in Bombay which left many dead, the police were most apprehensive and were actively disallowing all meetings and gatherings where people could be targeted easily by other plotters. In fact, they sent a Police Inspector in plain clothes to check out our proceedings at our meeting. The man was so touched with the message from the Word of God that he sought prayer and like many other Hindus, desired the blessing of Bro. Joe. Bro. Joe however makes it plain that he is only a man and what they need is Jesus’ touch. It was a great mercy that the police ceased to interfere with our meetings. But the Lord stood with us and touched many souls at the revival meetings here in January.

The Lord is blessing the work amongst the slum children and more and more children from non-Christian background are hearing the Word of God and are putting their trust in the Living Saviour. Sister Esther who ministers to these children every week, is going forward in faith, in spite of the stiff opposition from many quarters. Recently some rocks and stones hurt her, but God has given her a continuing burden and we are only envisaging the widening of the work amongst these neglected street children.

Despite our many projects, Bro. Joe feels the urgent need for a home for these needy street children, who must be brought to the Feet of the Loving Saviour and be taught the things of God at their early age. Moreover they need to be protected from the rapacious men who wish to use and violate them.

Tambaram, Chennai

Our new and commodious hall was full, with many seated outside the hall. The Word of the Lord was sown in many hearts.

There are many newcomers to the Fellowship these days who hardly know anything of the deep heart-cries that were in our hearts long before any visible work appeared. We had cried much for a testimony in this college town from where a steady stream of college men proceed into the life-stream of the nation.

The ancient Madras Christian College which is situated here was originally started to shed light in a darkened nation. Bro. Joe spent two years in this college and our earliest prayer groups and ‘bush-gatherings’ functioned faithfully here. It is thus with a great vision to turn young people to the Lord that Bro. Joe fought hard to establish a centre here.

Any work amongst students and other sub-urbanites requires painstaking and steady labours. Let us pray that some of the ‘oldies’ of the Fellowship will not weaken and destroy the good work of the past. If their children have no burden, God will raise up rank outsiders and “the stones will cry out.” We have not yet been able to fill our fair-sized hall with transformed and truly converted men and women. During the three days of our meetings here, several new people were present.

Cochin, Kerala

Our work in the western coast is not what anyone can describe as powerful or widespread. It has been slow-going.

In the three days of meetings in February which were given to Cochin, some new people did come. Our trust is ever in the Word, that God’s Spirit will take the Word and use it. The Lord is helping our small team to labour faithfully.

Age-old customs which are contrary to the Word of God have to be dismantled steadily in Kerala. We need to see the scepticism and unbelief in various quarters uprooted. Simple faith needs to come into the hearts which are currently so cluttered with money. Yet the religious show goes on! Services and conventions take place regularly. Oh, may the Lord send us His revival visitation, which will upturn this boring superstitious practices and hastily intoned prayer!

Dimapur, Nagaland

In an area where there is much Christian work and an unusually high level of factional and tribal killing, our meetings must needs be different and life-changing. The Lord brought many to the meetings which just concluded at the end of June.

Our hall was quickly filled with those hungry for God’s word. Many new people were present including the students and staff of a neighbouring Bible College. The Lord used John Daniel mightily. Our book-table in the open market is resulting in reaching many with the Gospel. Much prayer is needed to see the tide of evil turned.

Gujarat

Hitherto we have been slow to mention the Western state of Gujarat, although we have desired many to direct their prayer upon this strategic area. After the bifurcation of Bombay Province into Maharashtra and Gujarat, industrially Gujarat has made great strides. However, Christian work and labours have lagged behind woefully. Brother Whitson has been making repeated visits and concentrating upon building up of souls in this neglected region.

While we have not as yet embarked upon our usual strategy of having public campaigns, the work goes on and small groups of people are being touched in various locations and cities. Pray that the preaching of the Word of God and our Sunday Services will spread even into remote areas.

It was a great joy for us to see converted people who had once been total strangers to the Gospel at the Annual Retreat in Beulah Gardens. Amongst them was a girl who had been hopelessly crippled in the past. The Lord touched and healed this Hindu girl miraculously in answer to prayer.

The Annual Retreat

When our Lord Jesus had His retreats in the wilderness, there was no retreat kitchen or elaborate organization. It is somewhat disconcerting to us that to feed upwards of 5000 and accommodate close to 10,000 people including day visitors, requires such a mass of utensils, equipment, fittings etc. In the midst of all this, one can easily miss the primacy of God’s Spirit and His Word. We carefully however keep the dear Lord right in the centre.

Now the dear Lord has been very merciful to us in that He used His Word to our hearts. Bro. Joe says, “In my own heart, the Word of God burnt strongly such that even sleep departed from me.” How precious is the presence of the dear Lord!

Now to carefully select and sift the really hungry and the earnest and to turn away those who come out of mere convention and habit is not at all easy. However, we made a real attempt to keep people who really do not mean business with God away. In fact, a few disorderly people were even told not to come.

When a work grows into so many regions, languages, tribes and ethnic peoples, it is only the Holy Spirit which can give and preserve a spirit of purity and unity. When people from Burma, Malaysia, the borders of China and others from distant Kashmir and westernmost Gujarat, besides internationals from the Occident meet under one roof, in one Name—the Name of Jesus—and in one accord, what power is generated! We praised the Lord together, extolled His Name and cried mightily in His presence, to be made ‘meet for the Master’s use’.

Now we expect a wide scattering of the Word of God as these men and women have returned to their own places and to their respective posts of duty.

Many were logging on to the Internet and were partaking in the Retreat almost meeting by meeting. We need to make it known that this new facility is now available from our big retreats. God must cause His blessing to spread throughout the world.

OUR SCHOOLS

While running a school has become a commercial enterprise to many today, we run our schools to give the Light of the Gospel to a non-Christian society by inculcating Christian values in our school children. Thus their parents are exposed to the Truth.

We are grateful for the loving service and sacrifice of so many of our teachers and staff of our schools. It is due to their hard work and dedication, some of our small Nursery Schools have now grown into Matriculation Schools and are able to see good academic results as well. Three of our four Matriculation schools have obtained 100% results in the School Leaving Matriculation exams, with most of our students obtaining first class marks.

There is a great need for dedicated teachers today for our schools, especially for our Bansi School, which is scarcely 50 km from Nepal. What a blessing dedicated teachers can be!

ON THE LITERATURE FRONT

Our books are being greatly valued and the readership of our magazines keeps growing continually.

Since some of Bro. Joe’s booklets published already have been out of print for a long time, there is a great demand for those booklets. So we reprinted two of his booklets, “True Faith” and “Make me to Know.” These two booklets are going out far and wide and proving to be a great blessing to many.

Our daily reading book, “Faith is the Victory” continues to stir many hearts for a closer walk with God and is in great demand. Hence we have had to reprint this book in English and Telugu. Now we have published this book in Tamil also. The lives of William Carey and Steven Masood and two children’s books have been published in Telugu.

It is marvellous to see that notwithstanding the economic recession, the distribution of our books appears only to increase. Hence our books are continually in great demand and we constantly run out of stock of our publications. Mrs. Daniel’s two books, “A Wise Woman Buildeth Her Home” and “The School of God’s Children” have been reprinted with a new attractive cover. In Telugu, twenty-two titles and in Tamil five titles underwent reprint.

In North-East India, our literature team had book-fairs in Shillong, Imphal, Dimapur, Kohima and Itanagar. In Andhra Pradesh, in thirteen places we held our book-fairs where a large number of people came and bought good Christian books and Bibles. These book-fairs serve to scatter the seed of God’s word and many outsiders pick up books which will certainly transform their thinking and make them turn to God’s word to seek real answers for their problems. As usual our press was kept very busy, producing books in many languages.

Our magazine “Christ is Victor” in English, Tamil, Telugu, Hindi, Malayalam, Kannada, Bengali and Burmese reach many needy souls in widely scattered areas. In several nations, the international edition of our magazine “Christ is Victor” is being read by many students.

Our Radio and Television Broadcasts

It is amazing what the Lord is doing. Our TV and radio messages continue to be a great blessing to men and women of so many nations as souls are being touched and challenged. With more channels carrying our message into new areas in India and other countries, certainly our faith and prayer must increase.

With the addition of two more new channels in Oriya and Punjabi, now we have thirteen weekly telecasts in India. The Lord is stirring the hearts of many through our telecasts in Germany, France, UK, Guyana and the US. The new telecast in Australia is beginning to reach many needy people there. The need of the hour is travailing prayer for this unseen congregation around the world. Our hearts are greatly burdened about a telecast in Chinese.

CONCLUSION

As we enter the important landmark of the 75^th year of the Fellowship, it behoves us to be both deeply grateful and humble.

If Moses said, “Who am I..?” and if Paul the great Apostle said, “Who then is Paul..?”, must we not in true self abasement say, “We are nothing..and what we have done for Jesus is so little?” But we shall not stop there. We shall give of our best to the Master, our very best.

The world is clearly eroding the love of many but we shall not like them seek the warmth of the company and fire made by the enemies of God and of Jesus and sit warming ourselves while our Lord is being spat upon. Many find sacrificial living and giving to be hard but Brother Joe emphatically says, “As I seek to measure everything by Calvary and my Saviour’s death on the Cross, I have not found any idol too hard to break or any foolish pleasure too hard to renounce or any sacrifice to be too hard.” Hence looking unto Jesus, our Lord, let us be found faithful in all God’s house.

“…See, says God, that you make all things according to the pattern showed to you in the mount.” (Heb.8:5) May we likewise carefully build according to God’s pattern and not our own!