Passing the Torch: Leadership Spreads from One Missionary to Another
Gospel for Asia-supported missionary Adil Gavde is only 26 years old, but God has truly prospered his ministry. Within two years he established three Christian fellowships in the region where he is sharing God's love.
Adil's journey of serving the Lord began several years ago. His parents abandoned him and his younger sister, so GFA-supported missionary Basistha Kadam took in Adil and his sister and raised them as his own children.
Pastor Basistha also prayed for the children and taught them about Jesus. Through this, Adil developed a personal relationship with Christ. As he grew spiritually, Basistha taught him the importance of spreading the Good News and brought him along to share the Gospel in nearby villages. Both Adil and his sister decided to attend the GFA-supported Bible college in their state.
Adil is now pastor of a growing congregation in one village and leads two smaller fellowships in nearby villages.
Knowing where this growth springs from, Pastor Adil spends time with the Lord each morning before he starts his work, praying and meditating on God's Word.
During the day Adil hands out Gospel tracts to anyone he meets, whether on the street or out in the fields. He desires that all people in his area hear the Good News, regardless of race or religion. Sometimes he walks for miles just to tell people about Jesus.
Adil encourages the members of his congregation to become effective witnesses. Many believers now join him in reaching out to their neighbors.
Even though they are busy, laborers working in the fields don't mind receiving Gospel tracts. Adil asks if they have time to listen to him, and if they do, he tells them about Christ.
For many villagers, this is their first time to hear about the love of Jesus.
Every Sunday, more than 60 believers gather to worship and hear Pastor Adil teach from the Word of God. All of them are first-generation Christians, and this church building is the first in their village!
After the service, Adil invites those who are sick or suffering to come receive prayer.
Adil also teaches Sunday school to the children, who enthusiastically listen to the stories he tells and learn the songs and Bible verses he teaches them.
In addition to teaching them about Jesus, he imparts a lot of useful knowledge to the children, since many of them cannot go to school but end up working as child laborers or helping their parents in the fields.
Even as people continue to give their lives to Jesus and join the congregation, Adil knows there are many who still need to hear about Christ.
God is using Adil to raise up a new generation of leaders! As Basistha ministered to Adil, Adil is pouring into the young people of his congregation. Now these two young women from his church are in the same place he was a few years ago: studying at the GFA-supported Bible college in their state.
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