On 16th -26th January 2012 the GAT team of Ian and Jo Dyble, Polly Johnson and Steve Downes will be delivering Global Alpha Training to between 80-100 church planters and leaders from Kolkata and the villages around. During our time in India we will also run a Relationship Central Conference. The money that we raise will go towards funding the trip. We hope to also be able to give money to the team we will be working with in Kolkata enabling them to grow in their ministry.

The people who will be trained are part of a church-planting phenomenon called Big Life Ministries.

Using the simple philosophy of “Acts in Action”, Big Life has planted well over 6,000 church fellowships in villages in India, Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan andPakistan. The method is to use local people to share the gospel in neighbouring villages. They find the “man of peace” in a village, are welcomed into a house, then take the opportunity to speak with villagers about Jesus Christ. Many, many people accept the invitation to follow Him, and there are countless examples of healings, deliverance from addiction and turning from false gods.

Ian and Steve spent two weeks in the region in 2008, visiting 13 villages, sharing the gospel and seeing many hundreds of people coming to know Christ. On leaving each village, a new church had begun. They both know that God is at the centre of something remarkable – and very reminiscent of reading Acts.

The movement has grown thus far without any Alpha input. But Ian was approached by Big Life South Asia co-ordinator Benjamin Francis to train local leaders to run Alpha courses. Ben’s vision is for Alpha to be used in all of the church fellowships that are already established, giving the leaders and church planters another string to their Gospel bow. It is very much an additional method, and by no means something that will replace the current tried-and-tested (and blessed) way of reaching people for Christ.

Thank you so much for supporting our GAT to Kolkata. We look forward to updating you with exciting news from our trip on our return. We would really apprecate your prayers, if you would like to be added to our prayer list please drop us an email at 

kolkataGAT@gmail.com

God bless

The Kolkata GAT team. 

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