Celebration of hope

‘Celebration of Hope’, the Christmas celebrations of Believers Church Residential School was held on December 20th.

The students and staff performed a number of programs such as choreography, nativity play, instrumental fusion etc. The school choir presented melodious christmas carols and songs.

The event was inaugurated by the Home Minister of Kerala, Shri. Thiruvanchoor Radhakrishnan and presided over by Dr. K.P.Yohannan, Metropolitan of Believers Church. The event was attended by several prominent political leaders.

Gospel for Asia: Sharing the love of Christ in Asia

Gospel for Asia:

• Is serving humanity by caring for the homeless, victims of disaster and children in need of education.
• Endeavors to share the love of Christ in Asia.
• Is working among people in China, Nepal, India, UK, US, Germany, Burma, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and others.
• Is a religious non-governmental organization (NGO) and is therefore not involved in politics or controversies of any kind.
• Does not believe in the idea of forced conversions.

Gospel for Asia Believes:

• All are created by God.
• That religious discrimination is wrong.
• That rich nations should not exploit the poor.
• That God's love is revealed in Jesus Christ, and His followers are asked to also love their neighbors as themselves. This compels us to serve by both word and deed.

More about the legend

Dr. K.P. Yohannan, Metropolitan of Believers Church, is committed to giving India’s youth access to education that will equip them with both the skills and values they need to succeed. Believers Church Residential School was started to help meet this goal.

Located near Believers Church’s Synod Secretariat, the school provides a model for other value-based schools around the country. Around 2,000 students currently study in the school.

“Education must facilitate these children to become leaders and strong, upstanding citizens,” says Dr. K.P. Yohannan, Metropolitan; “people who will be able to serve and lead the country in the years to come with integrity and honesty.”

K.P. Yohannan, the Indian-born founder of Gospel for Asia, is a quiet revolutionary who is leading the charge to bring the Gospel message to the “10/40 Window,” which is an area of the world that contains the largest population of non-Christians in the world – two billion of them. The area extends from 10 degrees to 40 degrees north of the equator, and stretches from North Africa across to China.

His 16,500 native missionaries are based in10 countries that include Bangladesh, Cambodia, Sri Lanka, Myanmar (Burma), Nepal and India. Each missionary goes through intense training.

In an interview at his headquarters in the Indian state of Kerela, K.P. spoke about that training which is bringing a “Revolution in World Missions.”

Introduction to KP Yohannan and Gospel for Asia

In 1981, current president K. P. Yohannan formed a branch of GFA in his native Kerala, with an Indian headquarters being set up in Tiruvalla in 1983. It is active throughout India, especially in the North, and directly administers bible colleges, whose graduates receive financial support to found new congregations. Increasing donations made GFA "one of the most financially powerful mission undertakings in India in the 1980s." GFA directly supports more than 50 Bible colleges in various countries.

In 1993, GFA began founding its own network of churches in Asia, including the Believers Church which is Episcopal in governance.

The mission statement for Gospel for Asia is Our mission in life is to be devout followers of Christ and to fulfill the Great Commission among the unreached in Asia through training, sending out and assisting qualified laborers in partnership with the Body of Christ.

About the Metropolitan

Dr. K.P. Yohannan, the Metropolitan Bishop of Believers Church, was born and brought up in Niranam, Kerala. Niranam has immense historical significance in the tradition of Saint Thomas, a disciple of Jesus Christ who planted the first church there in AD 52.

Metropolitan Dr. K.P. Yohannan dedicated his life to God at a young age to serve the needy and downtrodden. He prayed, “Oh my Lord, let my heart break with the things that break Your heart” and his life was never the same. It’s his belief that one can only demonstrate God’s love by loving people. After over four decades of selfless service, he says,

I have no regrets in praying that prayer for I know God has touched millions through what He did in and through me. It is all God’s grace.

He spent the early years of his service in North India and traveled to the remote villages sharing the love of Christ and doing charitable works. Through numerous encounters during those years, he was instilled with an increasing passion to bring hope, peace, and comfort to the needy and deprived. His sacrificial commitment, farsightedness and aptitude to perceive helped him to lead a life of unhindered devotion to serve Christ and His church.

On February 6, 2003, he was consecrated and installed as the Metropolitan Bishop of Believers Church. He remains grateful for the Godly heritage of his parents. Hailing from the Malankara Syrian Christian tradition, he is honored to have begun this spiritual journey following in the footsteps of Saint Thomas.

Ring kissing ritual

Out of the metropolitan’s heart for the needy have flowed many initiatives and projects to build the nations where Believers Church is located. These include Bridge of Hope, a childcare project helping 72,000 impoverished children; Sisters of Compassion, an order that serves the most neglected of society; hospitals, schools and major relief efforts.

Metropolitan Dr. K.P. Yohannan is also the voice of Athmeeya Yathra, touching millions through his daily radio and TV broadcasts. His 250 books offer practical and spiritual guidance on hundreds of subjects.

Metropolitan Dr. K.P. Yohannan’s wife and two grown children are also serving the Lord.