The AFC India team recently visited a historic town in western India. Over 150 years ago, missionaries realized the significance that the city held in the region and decided to establish a local church in the community. Sadly, after an initial fruitful ministry, the church has been neglected for nearly 40 years.

The church building is quite old, and there are only three Christian families in the area. Additionally, a temple of another faith has been built within the church premises, highlighting the ongoing challenges. Various factors have led to the church’s decline including persecution, a shortage of committed pastors and leaders, and ineffective teaching.

AFC India decided to take on the responsibility of rebuilding the congregation and leading the church every Sunday. They soon discovered that there were many migrant Christians living in the area. With this in mind, the team organized a one-day retreat for the church on February 23, 2025. The retreat started after the church service at 10:00 AM and continued until 4:00 PM. Nearly 70 people attended, with many of them being migrants from other states.

The retreat sessions included:

• Where is Your God?
• Who Am I?
• Understanding the Word of God

One of the women who attended the retreat said, “This is the first time that I truly understood the meaning and explanation of God’s Word and learned why idol worship should be avoided.”

Twenty individuals recommitted their lives to God during the retreat. Many others expressed that they felt God had spoken to them through His Word. AFC India has decided to train three young individuals in the church for pastoral ministry so that the congregation can eventually be cared for by its own people.

May AFC India be a catalyst for spiritual renewal and transformation in this historic city, and may God restore His church to its intended purpose.