Story number 2 for 1 Feb 1999

Next, a pastor’s conference in India left hundreds of church leaders full of hope and encouragement. Mission Network News’ Greg Yoder has been on assignment all week in Andhra Pradesh state in India. “Nearly one-thousand pastors are heading back to their villages today, excited about evangelism, and ready to encourage their church members to be missionaries. Sammy Tippit of God’s Love in Action completed the 5-day Andhra Pradesh pastor’s conference on revival and evangelism on Saturday. Pastor John Joseph of Hyderabad says because of what he learned, he’s going to be sharing the Gospel of Christ despite the persecution. I have been waiting at the feet of the Lord and praying and decided ‘why not?’ I go to those areas to comfort and encourage my own brethren in Christ…and again, to remind them to love our enemies, to win them–to pray and win them to the Lord. Church burnings, the beatings of pastors and the killing of an Australian missionary are just some of the atrocities brought against Christians in recent months by Hindu militants. Pastors say this conference came at a strategic time in their lives, giving them renewed vigor to lead people to Christ at any cost. Greg Yoder, Mission Network News, Vijayawada, Andhra Pradesh, India.”