Manna
"TO
PREACH GOOD NEWS TO THE POOR"
Given this small beginning, Ernest and Rachel were content and had no
intention of expanding their outreach further. However, the Churches started to grow and
more Pastors were added to the ministry. Churches were planted in neighboring districts
and God was blessing in a mighty way. In 1971 the ministry had come to a point where a
clear-cut strategy of church planting and direction was necessary. That same year the Lord
spoke to Ernest to return to his native land of India. In obedience to God, and with help
from the General Council of the Christian Church of North America, Ernest and Rachel
returned to India to work full time in the field. Ernest became Senior Pastor of Manna
Full Gospel Church in Amalapuram, which at the time had 30 members.
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This is
the first church of their ministry which has been blessed by
the Lord with over 3,000 people worshipping there every
Sunday morning. |
To plant churches and to reach into new areas, Pastors and
Evangelists were needed. In order to train new men and women to serve God, Manna Bible
Institute was started in 1972, offering a 2-year basic ministry education in the Telugu
Language. Manna Bible College was started in 1981 to address the situation of multilingual
India. It offers solid academic training (Bachelor’s degree in Theology), as well as
spiritual and practical training in the English language. Manna Bible Institute in Manipur
was started to reach the North East of India in 1995, and another Bible Institute is
scheduled to open in the State of Orissa in 1998.
These evangelistic
tools were combined with social work and developmental
work to move in one concerted direction. To bring the
gospel of Jesus Christ in word and deed to the nation
of India.
By the year 1975, The ministry had spread to all the districts of the
state of Andhra Pradesh and 250 churches had been established for the glory of God. In the
later part of 1975, the doors opened to start works in the neighboring state of Orissa.
Soon more doors started opening in other states and today Manna
International has churches
established in 9 states in the Nation of India. |
