K.P. Yohannan Author Profile

Dr. K.P. Yohannan, founder and international director of Gospel for Asia, has been crisscrossing the globe for the last 40 years, challenging the Body of Christ to discipleship. His call to a radical lifestyle—with an all-out commitment to Jesus—has left its impact on nearly every continent. To the Church caught up by the tidal waves of compromise and self-preservation, Yohannan’s life message is a fresh word to this generation and yet as timeless as the scriptural mandate itself.

Born in India, Dr. Yohannan, at the age of 16, responded to the Lord’s call to serve Him in North India. In 1974, he came to the United States, where he received his theological training and pastored a church for four years.

Stirred for the countless millions in Asia still waiting to learn of Christ’s love for them, Yohannan resigned his pastorate, and he and his wife, Gisela, started what is known today as Gospel for Asia.






The ministry supports thousands of national workers and vibrant congregations throughout South Asia, while Gospel for Asia’s Bridge of Hope program is rescuing tens of thousands of children from the generational curses of poverty and hopelessness.


Ministering hope and practical help to the people of South Asia, Dr. Yohannan’s radio program, Spiritual Journey, reaches more than a billion people in 113 languages. Additionally, his Road to Reality radio program airs weekly on more than 900 radio stations in the United States, UK, Canada, Europe, Australia and New Zealand.


Dr. Yohannan is a prolific writer with more than 200 books published in Asia and 11 in the United States.Revolution in World Missions, first written in 1986, has literally changed the course of missions history in our generation. Now in its 42th printing, the book is an international bestseller with nearly 3 million copies in print.

The Metropolitan of Believers Church

The founder and president for Gospel for Asia, K.P. Yohannan, was born and raised in a small village in South India. At age eight, Yohannan accepted Christ as his personal Savior, and by sixteen, Yohannan was volunteering in North India with Operation Mobilization. Through the next years of serving as a volunteer, a seminary student, and a pastor in Dallas, Texas, Yohannan never forgot the millions of brothers and sisters lost on his native soil, India. With a heart for his homeland, and a great desire to follow God, so began the incredible journey of serving the Lord through Gospel for Asia (GFA).

With a huge presence in Asia, GFA has become one of the most effective missions there today with 54 Bible Colleges and over 8,000 native missionaries in training for church planting. The GFA mission is: "to be devout followers of Christ and fulfill the Great Commission among the unreached in Asia through training, sending and assisting qualified laborers to win the lost and plan local churches in partnership with the Body of Christ." With a big mission and an even bigger heart, Yohannan has set GFA's vision on track with the goal of sending 100,000 native missionaries into areas of Asia that have been unreached. At this time, there are more than 14,000 native missionaries serving, with the incredible feat of planting ten churches per day.

Recently, Bill Cooper, president and CEO of ChristiaNet.com, spent time with K. P. Yohannan and had the opportunity to interview this remarkable man of God. Yohannan discussed with ChristiaNet his ministry, his dependence upon the Lord, and his take on the condition of the North American church today. Candid and convicted to follow the Lord only, Yohannan proves to live out his life demonstrating what he believes.

Yohannan and GFA operate daily with a conviction to depend upon God's leading. He discussed how we are experts in research and structure, and we are experts in getting the job done with excellent execution. But he, Yohannan, explained that he was talking about a different ball game than expertise and manipulation of time and power. "David asked God, "Should I go against the Philistines?" And God said, "Yes," so David wiped them out. But, in the next chapter, you read about how David faced the exact same problem again, and asked God, "Lord, what should I do?" But that time, God said, "Don't do anything." So, even with the same situation and same problem, God did not come to David and say "David, I see your same problem again." No, the Lord waited. The Lord waits."

Yohannan went on to describe his unique ability to understand the apostle Paul's statement about being a "bond slave of Jesus Christ" because of his beginnings in India. "Outside a large office in India, a man sits on a stool. That's all he does. He just sits there. When the boss comes out of the large office, the man on the stool says to the boss, "Sir, what would you like me to do?" The boss says, "Make me a cup of tea." The man takes three steps backward and turns around to go make the tea. He then brings it back. Then he says to the boss, "Anything else, sir?" If the boss says "no," then the servant just sits back down again on the stool. That is all he does. He has no agenda of his own."

Yohannan explained that it is to be the same way in the Christian life. "We are to have no agenda of our own, but to be totally sold out to God." Yohannan has spent time training his mind and emotions to discern God's voice and carry out God's commands through disciplined study of the Word, time in prayer, and fasting. When asked about the amount of time he spent in these disciplines, Yohannan revealed, "Everyday I read the Bible. At least one day of the week, I fast, which is not at all unusual." But, Yohannan also cautioned against the potential to become legalistic about prayer schedules and programmed fasting. "The amount of time we spend praying and the number of days we fast is something we should be private about. Publicizing how much we pray and fast becomes a burden and not an encouragement [to others]."

K. P. Yohannan shared his heart and concerns for the North American Church today in ChristiaNet's interview. "I may be off the wall, but I personally think that the church in North America is going back to the Dark Ages." He explained, "Since the beginning of the 19th century, we have not had sober, serious writings about the holiness of God or the fear of God. Why? Because experience became the measuring rod for spirituality rather than the Word of God."

Seeing the Christian community become involved in fame and fortune has attributed to Yohannan's convictions. "Who are the shepherds or our country today?" Those who write books. But sadly, what are publishing houses all about? Money." He goes on to explain that the messages we are receiving from the pulpit and from the books published by Christian Publishers is all about us, and not God's holiness and truths. "We are in the Dark Ages because the Bible is no longer the book by which people live by nor the book they will be judged by. The Bible has just become the "tool of the trade" by which pastors and writers market their books and make a living."

Ultimately, K.P. Yohannan has a message that inspires all to follow in the footsteps and example of Christ, regardless of the mission field or call upon one's life. "Jesus died to His will to do the Father's will." Yohannan believes that we must make sure that our heart condition is right before the Lord. "It is better to walk with the Lord now than to look back on life and regret having missed what will count for eternity - God's work." K.P. Yohannan, a true follower of God, and an inspiration to all.

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.