Visiting Alumni in Nepal

April 6, 2022

As you know, Acts exists to train national pastoral leaders for effective ministry and church planting among the unreached in South Asia. There are numerous individuals who have gone through Acts Training Centers that are now serving among the unreached. Last month, some of our partners from the States got to see their work firsthand. One group had the honor of hosting appreciation ceremonies for Acts Alumni who are serving as church-planters.

These faithful laborers often sacrifice greatly to minister among the unreached. Though remaining within their own countries, the collectivist cultures they live in value preservation and unity of the multitude far more than individual choice, causing church planting to make little sense to those around them. Support and affirmation are rarely received. Some of these church-planters leave their village to go elsewhere, thereby forsaking their community. Others remain within their home village, but in order to preserve caste standing, people within the village may stop associating with these church-planters. So in light of these things, a group of supporters appreciating them for their efforts was quite meaningful.

During the appreciation ceremony, 22 Acts Alumni were acknowledged. As a result of the faithful labor of these graduates in the past 3 years, 80 churches or fellowships have been started, over 400 people made decisions for Christ, and 45 people were effectively discipled! The goal is that with a little more training, these 45 people will be sent out to further unreached areas to make new disciples and plant more churches.

One particular graduate, we will call him G, is currently laboring in Mid-West Nepal. He has learned four different trades since graduating from an Acts Training Center while church-planting. The purpose in G’s trade endeavors is to become financially independent from foreign donors so that the ministry may be self-sustaining. He has, by his own funds and the support of an organization we are in partnership with, been able to purchase land to begin constructing a church building. The building is for a church which he began with just four people that has now grown to a fellowship of about 30 people! This is what training national pastoral leaders looks like and this is the fruit of of their labor. The unreached are being reached and it is all to the glory of God.