India

The Spiritual Atmosphere of India

India is a country consisting of over 1000 million people. There are approximately 30 million Christians but sadly over 600 million have never heard of Jesus Christ. India is a diversified country with over 1600 languages and dialects and the Bible is printed in only 10% of the Indian languages. Nearly 800 million Hindus worship 33 million so-called gods and goddesses through idol-worship in traditional and sometimes primitive rituals like animal sacrifice. The biggest hurdle is the "caste system" which is unique in India, grouping the people into thousands of castes and sub-castes solely by various professions, isolating and restricting people to their own castes and communities. Even marriage outside one's own caste is prohibited and attached with a social stigma.

Rev. Dr. Rao is the founder of Progressive Faith Ministries

This Ministry was started in the year of 1994 by Dr. B.V.S.N. Rao & Mrs. B. Shoba Roa at Vijayawada in Andhra Pradesh of South India.

Dr. B.V.S.N. Rao was born in 1948 in a strong traditional Hindu (Vysya by cast). He was a Pharma Marketing consultant by Profession and a Post-Graduate in Alternative System of Medicine. In an encounter with the Lord Jesus Christ he embraced Jesus Christ through the healing miracle of his wife B. Shoba Rao. She was suffering from Ischemic Heart Disease, Intestinal Perforation, Mal-absorption Syndrome, Water Retention and a Spinal Ligimental Crack. She was very sick and bed-ridden for 8yrs, with failed Cardiac Surgery attempts. Many Occult & Religious remedies were proved futile. Treatment in the systems of Allopathic & Alternative medicines also failed to cure her. She was bed-ridden waiting for death for over 8 years. At last when she attended a Gospel Healing Campaign on Dec. 11, 88, she was touched by the Word of God and was healed of all the ailments instantaneously against all medical knowledge. The miraculous manifestation of the Holy Spirit through the healing power of the Almighty Jesus Christ.

Having experienced the power of God, this couple along with the other family members accepted Jesus Christ as their personal Savior and Lord and converted to Christianity. In the initial days of their conversion, they were physically threatened by their cast & religious traditionalists to the extent of physical elimination and were almost declared as outcasts by the native Hindu Society. They were protected by God's Grace.

As the Lord Jesus commands in Mark 16:15, this couple has dedicated themselves to the Lord's ministry on April 24, 94 and were ordained by many of God's servants and ministers in Vijayawada. Since then Progressive Faith Ministries took it's roots in the Lord. The first step resulted in starting the following self-sponsored programs.

This College was started in 1995 with the sole aim of Biblically Educating various Employees, Pastors, Professionals, Businessmen, House wives, Agriculturists, etc. Those who do not have the time or opportunity to attend regular Bible Colleges but are interested in Cross-Country Evangelism. Daily we teach Church history, 4 Gospels, O.T. Survey, N.T. Survey, and Evangelism among various groups. We also teach History of Israel, Book of Revelation, Theology, Discipleship, Spiritual Authority and more by renowned Bible Teachers. In the 4 years of this College, 80 students have graduated and 24 students are regularly attending. Nearly 800 pages of Computer Compiled & Printed material is being freely given to the students as a part of this Ministry. This is the first part time and evening Bible College in this part of our country, teaching and preparing many future Ministers of God. We wish to start the same in Hyderabad in the future. We are also conducting short term (30 day) Bible Training to rural youth, quarterly in selected centers, by subsidizing stay, books, food, coaching, notes and following up their future Ministerial activities at rural churches.

Good Samaritan Medical Ministry

This Ministry caters to the regular medical camps conducted at Village Churches among poor people. Also running small Clinics in the villages attending the medical needs of poor and down-trodden. Also we train dedicated Christian youth in Alternative Systems of Medicines and send them to Villages assisting pastors in fulfilling medical needs of the local congregations. We also subsidize the supply of medicine to many like minded Organizations and Social Service NGO's. This caters to the need of so many of God's poor servants who could not afford to purchase even Medicine. We propose to start a multi-specialty hospital for God's servants soon.

This Fellowship guides the women Christians of Vijayawada and the suburbs in Spiritual growth. It is inter-denominational and 200 churches will be participating in this ministry.

This Church at Narasaraopeta is ministering to about 40 families. The Directors visit the church weekly. A pastor administers to the congregation daily and there are plans to construct a permanent building soon. There are also 20 other rural churches like this one with anticipation of an increase to 100 by the year 2000. There is also plans to start a High-Way Church soon as both Dr. & Mrs. Rao travel extensively throughout South India as revival speakers.

Seminars for Pastors

Rev. Rao also holds Seminars for Pastors to train and equip them in the ministry and explaining to them their Spiritual Authority in the Kingdom of God.

This Ministry was connected with a telephone and Internet connection. Anyone can call at anytime with their problems whatever they may be. The Prayer Cell receives it and pray over it right then and then pass it on by weekly circulars to over 200 other area churches in the Vijayawada area. The Lord Jesus has performed some mighty miracles during these prayers. There are many other Ministries that Progressive Faith Ministries enfold but these are but just a few.

In India daily 16,000 people perish without Jesus Christ. As a Universal Christian do you not feel a concern to strengthen the Body of Christ in India?

PLEASE PRAY FOR THE LORD TO LEAD YOU ABOUT GIVING TO SUPPORT THIS MINISTRY THAT IS THE BOOK OF ACTS IN MOTION.

Check out the Awesome Testimony of Rev. Rao

Look here at pictures from Evangelistic Crusades in India

You are welcomed and encouraged to contact Rev. Rao for any further information on this Wonderful Ministry of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Mauritius Africa evangelism

Mailing address;

Rev. Dr. B.V.S.N.Rao.

Shebha Churches & Progressive Faith Ministries

Plot No. 12, Bank Nagar, Ramesh Nagar,

Vijayawada - 521 241, A. P. , INDIA.

Ph : +91-866-832223 or (832671).

Tel. Fax : +91-866-832113.

Checks are welcome and should be addressed in the following manner;

Make checks payable to B.V.S.N. RAO

For more information feel free to contact us: