Since 1998, we have been sending a team of ministers to South India, where we are actively involved in caring for orphans, church planting, teaching pastors, conducting air crusades, and the support and rebuilding of a church/orphanage complex together with Pastor Devadas and Sarojini Mekala, their family, and the Bless India team.
In 1997, the orphanage had 20 children. Today they house 180 children. A second orphanage has been added in the village area which houses approximately 45 children. Following our vision, a public school has been established. Currently the school has about 500 students. In addition to the public school, an accredited Bible college and discipleship center has been founded. The enrollment, in the last three years, has grown to nearly 50 students. Future plans are to develop a Junior College and a medical clinic.
At present, 52 Spirit of Christ Community Church branch churches are operating throughout southern India. These pastors are sincere and eager to do great things for God even though many do not even have the minimum privileges of that poor society. The newest church has been built on the grounds of the Children's Home and School. This new church was dedicated as a House of Prayer, Praise and Deliverance during a special ceremony in February 2009. Exciting things continue to happen in India!
A team traveled to India February 13 - 24, 2011. They spent time with the orphans and held a Pastor's Conference.
From the first meeting of Pastor William K. "Russ" Lee and Pastor Mekala Devadas and their wives in the summer of 1997 a deep bond was formed. The relationship between the two ministries, The Spirit of Christ Community Church in Chambersburg, Pennsylvania, USA, and Christ the King of Kings Ministries in Gajuwaka, India, began and has grown over the years.
Through their spiritual and biological fathers, the ministry bond to work together has been handed down to the sons, the second generation as written in Malachi 4:6, "He will restore the hearts of the fathers to their children and the hearts of the children to their fathers, so that I will not come and smite the land with a curse."
Pastor Dan Browell believes that we are sister churches with both churches and ministries walking in accordance with Ephesians 4:11 "And He gave some as apostles, and some as prophets, and some as evangelists, and some as pastors and teachers,". Though thousands of miles physically separate the two, both churches resemble each other. Both see the importance of team ministry (husband and wife) in pastoring their churches/ministries; raising up a congregation of worshipers; and the necessity of faithful intercessors. We have experienced brokenness and have a heart to raise up the next generation of holy and powerful worshipers. Both also share the vision of training pastors.
The bond that exists between these churches is one that has truly come from God. Just the meeting of Pastor Russ and Pastor Devadas was a miracle in itself. When God unites people to do His work we see great and mighty things happen to those being ministered to. We are honored to be co-laborers with those at the Spirit of Christ Community Church, India, in doing God's work here on earth.
Website links: www.spiritofchristindia.com; www.BlessIndia.com
