[India] Manipur’s First Bible Conference News – The people of Manipur who love God.

From the 2nd to the 5th of November, a bible conference was held at the G.M Hall located in Imphal City in the state of Manipur, India with guest speaker, Pastor Jin Ki Seo of Good News Iksan Church. It is the first bible conference held after Pastor Ock Soo Park and the Gracias Choir visited in June and the event was prepared with expectations as well as a burdensome heart.

One day I was reading the bible and I was shown the Scriptures in Isaiah 43:18~21. “Do not remember the former things, Nor consider the things of old. Behold, I will do a new thing, Now it shall spring forth; Shall you not know it? I will even make a road in the wilderness And rivers in the desert. The beast of the field will honor Me, The jackals and the ostriches, Because I give waters in the wilderness And rivers in the desert, To give drink to My people, My chosen. This people I have formed for Myself; They shall declare My praise.” He gave me a hopeful heart, ‘So God wants to start a new work! There are many people here!’ And I could remember the words said by Pastor Ock Soo Park to our church at the last World Camp, “There are 500 church members in your church.”

The nearby short term missionaries and local brothers promoted the bible seminar together and many people came by the specially made newspaper advertisement.

Each session, 50~60 new people attended and on the last day, over 100 people attended. Especially, there weren’t enough people to give fellowship after the sermon so all the pastors and short term missionaries preached the gospel in groups. People who listened to the gospel, opened their hearts, and received salvation brought their family, friends, and relatives. After this conference, another bible conference was held with guest speaker, Pastor Sam Kwon Park of Good News Assam Church. Actually, the house we had as church was too small so we were concerned about the follow up bible conference venue. But dramatically, we were able to borrow the general church beside ours and hold the event there. Even during the follow up bible conference, 30~40 people attended every session. On the last day, the people who received salvation through this conference shared their testimonies and the gospel was so clear in their hearts that it moved the hearts of all the people there.

On Sunday, 30 new members attended the service. Even after the service was over, they did not return home but wished to keep on sharing their hearts. Naturally, they gathered in groups and shared fellowship which followed into the second service. Even after meetings until 3pm that started from 10am in the morning without a lunch break, the people were unwilling to return. There was someone who had read the bible for a long time and even read over 30 religious books but couldn’t understand the bible, another person who had gone to prison 4 times and attempted suicide, a lady living in despair after losing her husband and two sons, each and every one had a precious testimony of how God led them to the true gospel, were touched, and wanting to preach this gospel to their family and friends.

The people of Manipur, like Bereoa, who love the Scriptures and meditate on the bible was sent by God to this bible conference. There was a youth who wanted to sing the hymns while playing the guitar, another youth who wanted to interpret into local language, and a sister wanting to be married sisters’ president. We are weak and lacking but we could meet with what God had prepared.

Manipur Church was established by the will of God and the brothers and sisters that gathered by His will are beautiful. It was a thankful time in which we could see the God inside Pastor Park’s heart fulfill His plans. After the bible conference, there are bible meetings every morning and many students have already applied for mind lecture and Korean Academy that we are praying for meeting venue.