To Online friends: Nov 7, 2017

27 November 2017

Dear Online Friend(s),

Greetings in Christ’s matchless Name! Praise God for the year 2017 in which God has led us through victoriously in both joys and sorrows with a singular purpose of transforming us into the very image of His Son (Rom 8:28,29). The year 2017 has not been too good for many people in India and around the world. The happenings like shootings, earthquakes, floods, accidents, epidemics and the like had been so many. The affected people consist of both good and bad. If we are alive today, hale and healthy, the only reason is the inexplainable and irresistible grace of God (Lam 3:22,23). God keeps extending our life on earth expecting more fruitfulness (Lk 13:6-9). Let’s rededicate ourselves on God’s altar to live a life that pleases Him as a sweet-smelling aroma (Eph
5:1,2).

On the 18th of this month I completed 55 years of my walk with God. I was born again this day in 1962 while I was a fresher in college. I gratefully remembered Mr. T. Michael Chelladurai, my school teacher, and Mr. D.P. Gnanadurai, my college lecturer, who led me to Christ in Nazareth my hometown, and mentored me in the early years of my new life. I have dedicated my latest book, “Old Paths,” to these two men of God who are no more. You may be benefitted by the Outline No. 6, titled, “Happy Rebirthday!”, in my 1200-page Volume, “Bible Pearls.” (Online Letter, 23 April 2017). I always wonder why God saved me while there were so many youngsters better than me!

God has enabled me this year to complete 14 years of independent ministry with a few associates since I retired from the Blessing Youth Mission in 2003 after giving 33 years of spiritual and administrative leadership. It was hard for me to refuse the request from the Board of Directors of the Mission to continue to be the leader for life. But I obeyed God’s guidance. Leading a Mission was only an “assignment” to me, but my basic “calling” is to be a Bible Teacher. God has graciously enlarged my tent for a wider service to the Body of Christ. I rejoice to see the emergence of many young leaders in BYM. God makes no mistakes!

I would like to quickly share with you what the Lord has done in and through me during this year. “I dare not write of anything which Christ has not accomplished through me” (Rom 15:18) —

  • Nearly 75 of the old members of the Karaikudi Campus Prayer Fellowship gathered here on 28 January to remember God’s mercies of the past years. In God’s providence I started this group in the premises of the Engineering College here in 1963. Brother Lionel led this team from 1968 to 1970. Leaders have been emerging subsequently, and this is one of the very few Campus Fellowships functioning regularly with daily evening prayer for 54 years! In the gathering on 28 Jan, I spoke on the topic, “Am I truly following Jesus?” This was published later as a 52-page booklet in English and in Tamil, titled, “I have decided to follow Jesus!” (Online Letter, 12 May 2017).
  • My 1200-page book, “Bible Pearls” was released in TAMIL on Sunday, 29 January, in the CSI Church of Divine Glory in Kottaiyur, near Karaikudi. (The Telugu, Hindi and Kannada translations are in progress.) I spoke in the Sunday morning Service and also in the forenoon and the afternoon sessions. This Church was founded by my Dad in 1965 and handed over to the CSI. Over 600 believers had gathered from all over Tamilnadu. I spoke on Protestant Reformation in the forenoon and afternoon sessions. 2017 is the 500th Anniversary of Protestant Reformation. I dwelt on the Five Slogans of Reformation, namely, “Scripture alone; Faith alone; Grace alone; Christ alone; Glory of God alone.” This message is now available as a 60-page booklet, titled, “Here I stand!” in English, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam, Odiya and Hindi. (Online Letter, 1 March 2017). The Marathi and Bengali editions are underway. The entire Talk in Tamil is available as an mp3 CD also.
  • It was a sad news that the Government of India ordered Compassion International to close down all their activities in India with effect from 15 March. 1,45,000 Children across India were helped by this organisation. No persuasion by Indian Church leaders and American Senators could help. A few concerned friends in responsible positions came together and launched, “Children Sponsorship Connect India” (CSCI), to challenge and motivate the Indian Church to rise up to the occasion. I shared the Word of God in the Meet on 8 April in Chennai. I encourage you to visit the website, “childsponsorshipconnect. com” and register your willingness to sponsor one or more children as a family or as a Church.
  • It was more than a Christmas Celebration for us when we released my 832-page Volume, “Bible Treasures,” in HINDI in Nagpur on 29 April. There were over 600 Christians in the gathering. Six of us had gone there from Tamilnadu. Nearly 1000 copies are set aside for free distribution to Hindi speaking Pastors and Preachers in the northern States of India. The beneficiaries thank God for this contribution to the Hindi Christian community. Such study books are rare in Hindi.
  • My friend, Mr. E.L. Ephrim (59), went to be with the Lord on 8 April. He had helped me a lot in the editing of my 432-page daily devotional, Better Everyday, in Tamil in 2003. He was my Tamil translator for several of my meetings in Tamilnadu and TV programmes. The Tamil Christian world has lost a good speaker, writer and translator in his death. He is the younger brother of Mr. E.L. Mathansingh, a retired Missionary leader from the Blessing Youth Mission. I preached in the Thanksgiving Service of Brother Ephrim in Thanjavur on 13 May. All those who attended this Service were given a free copy of my DVD containing a 30-minute TV Episode, titled, “Why I follow Christ,” for which Mr. Ephrim was the Tamil Translator. A copy of my 80-page booklet, “How not to Die,” was also gifted to the attendees. Pray much for his bereaved wife, Kavitha, and daughter, Zibiah, who is doing her first year medicine.
  • My wife and I had the privilege of ministering to the Tamil AG Church of Sharjah, UAE, 14-27 June. This is a growing Church with a genuine missionary vision. We thank Pastor Immanuel Samraj, his wife and the Elders of the Church for the wonderful fellowship we enjoyed during our time with them.
  • A team of eight friends from Bengaluru visited me in Vellore on 12 March with a request to give dates for a weekend programme in Bengaluru this year. I told them that I would be happy to consider their invitation only if they would organize a programme relating to the Protestant Reformation. The Lord guided them so and a 3-day programme named, “Protestant Reformation Convention,” was planned for 27-29 October, 29th being the Reformation Sunday. About 100 representatives from various Churches and organisations gathered for a Preparatory Meet in Bengaluru on 8 July. I spoke to them for about an hour. Everyone committed to work hard during the next three months to mobilize participants for the October Convention. Over 300 Pastors announced this Inter- denominational and Interorganisational Convention to their congregations. With a genuine burden the volunteers worked hard. God honoured their selfless endeavour and brought 1800 Christians on the first evening, 2200 for the second day, and 2500 for the third. My topics for the three evenings respectively were, “Five Slogans of Reformation,” “Six Old Paths,” and “Sevenfold First Love.” My friend Mr. E.D. Chelladurai translated the Talks from English to KANNADA. This programme was nothing short of a visitation from God. The conclusion of my first Talk, in mp3 format, as an appetiser, is there on my website with my Online Letter of 15 November. All the three Talks in full length will be shortly available as audio CDs and DVDs.
  • Over 1200 believers in and around the city of Erode in Tamilnadu experienced an unusual shower of God’s Word through His Spirit on 22 July in the Bible Lovers Meet. People who used to come to evening meetings leisurely at seven, started gathering from five thirty. God quenched the thirst of the participants through a 3-hour Bible teaching. The title of my Talk was, “Questions which answer our Questions.” This is the 4th in this Series. The first set of Questions were meditated on 10 Sept in Nagercoil, the second set on 11 Sept in Palayamkottai, and the third on 4 Dec in Nazareth last year. These are available as mp3 CDs, directly in Tamil. (Online Letter, 1 September 2017).
  • A full day Fasting Prayer was organised by Brother Mohan C. Lazarus of Jesus Redeems in Tiruchy on 15 August. Dr. Anburajan of Palayamkottai and I were the cospeakers with Brother Mohan. The purpose of this Meet was to pray for the Christian Hospitals and the Christian Schools and Colleges in India which are losing their original vision. I challenged the participants concerning the Educational Institutions, and Dr. Anburajan about the Hospitals. God poured out His Spirit of grace and supplication on the about 7000 participants. Pray much for Brother Mohan whom God is using unusually to get His people on knees for holy intercession for various needs of the Church and the Nation.
  • The Kannadiga Christians of the city of Hubli and around rejoiced greatly when my 832-page book, “Bible Treasures,” was released in KANNADA on 9 September. I was there with eight of our friends from Tamilnadu. The BYM Missionaries of Karnataka joined us. Nearly 400 fulltime Christian workers were given a free copy of the book. Pray that God would use this valuable book to influence the pulpits of Kannadiga Churches. Praise God that as of now this book is available in five languages: English, Tamil, Telugu, Hindi and Kannada. How God has blessed a small beginning!
  • For the first time in my 54 years of pulpit ministry I had the privilege of ministering God’s Word in the Holy Convocation of the North Indian Assemblies of Brother Bakhtsingh’s ministry in New Delhi from 28 Sept to 1 Oct with over 1500 believers. Missionary Manivannan accompanied me and he addressed a youth meeting. I spoke on the theme, “Prophet, Priest & King.” It was on the triple ministry of Christ and the Christians. The Talks were translated from English to HINDI. God willing, I will write these three Talks to be published as a booklet. It will be both doctrinal and devotional. The fellowship with the dear family of Mr. V.K. Williams and the Elders was enriching.
  • Following the Protestant Reformation Convention, 27-29 Oct, Bengaluru, we had an evening programme called, “Reformation Day Celebration” in Trivandrum on Oct 31 which is the Reformation Day. Around 600 Christians from both Pentecostal and non-Pentecostal Churches had come. Here also I spoke on the Five Slogans of Protestant Reformation (Sola Scriptura, Sola Fide, Sola Gratia, Solo Christo, Soli Deo Gloria). The 2-hour Talk was translated from English to MALAYALAM by my friend Mr. I. R. Benjamin Moses. Pray for this brother who is a busy preacher, now suffering from a heart ailment.
  • We had a time of praise to thank God when my 200th Episode of “Sound Doctrine” in HINDI was telecast as the last one in this Series on 19 October. My friend Mr. Sudhansu Kadam from Nagpur presented these lessons on my behalf directly in Hindi, blessing the Christians of 12 northern States, week after week from 2014. Praise God for providing for the huge expenses of the English-Tamil Telecast from 2008 to 2013, and the Hindi Telecast from 2014 to 2017.
  • Besides these preaching engagements, the hand of the Lord was real on me in the literature ministry also. The 180-page book, “Bible Holiness,” was published in English and in Tamil in May. This is a compilation of the practical messages I preached in 1993 in Germany. Last month the 132-page book, “Old Paths,” was released in English and in Tamil. This contains the six theme Talks I delivered in the Old Paths Retreat, Karaikudi, Oct 2010. With a burden to bless the Roman Catholic friends with the Gospel, I published a 20-page pamphlet, titled, “Message from Mother Mary,” in English and in Tamil. It’s opening the eyes of many. The other language editions are underway. You will be excited to know that the English version of my 432-page Daily Devotional, “Better Everyday,” is now it its 27th edition and the Tamil in its 23rd edition. The other eight versions are regularly reprinted. The tens of thousands who read and reread it year after year testify to its freshness. Glory to God who alone is worthy!
  • All my materials, printed and audio or video recorded, are posted then and there on my website (stanleyonbible.com) for FREE downloading. Getting God’s message out to bless His people is my only passion.
  • The able assistance of our daughter, Evangeline, to me is a great blessing. This year has been a ministerially eventful year for her also. The Christian Counselling issues taught this year through workshops and TV interviews have been in the areas of Geriatric Care, Adolescent Issues, Depression, Christian Parenting, and Differently Abled. The Lord also opened doors with Sarah Tucker College, Palayamkottai, Scott Christian College, Nagercoil, and a couple of Churches where she conducted one day Seminars. She is preparing to teach on Terminal Illnesses, Suicide and Trauma for 2018. Our granddaughter, Vivilia, is in her 7th Standard.

You may ask how all these activities are financed. I do not actively raise support. I work on the Pauline principle of sowing spiritual blessings for people and reaping their material things (2 Cor 9:11). All contributions are voluntary. At the end of each financial year there’s a balance of seven or twelve baskets full! This is used to “send portions for whom nothing is prepared” (Neh 8:10). Thank you for your love and support.

I request your prayers for my physical wellbeing also. I am now 70. Though the Cardiologists guaranteed only 15 years after my open heart surgery in 1996, God is adding more years. I’m living on extended time. My other setbacks are vertigo, piles, backpain after spinal surgery, renal stone, and so on. God’s grace is sufficient for me, and His strength is made perfect in my weakness (2 Cor 12:9). As guided by the Lord, I have not accepted any outstation preaching assignment for 2018. He leads me to spend all my time in writing because there is so much of what I’ve received from Him which I have not documented yet. Therefore please don’t invite me for any programme.

As I was reading the stories of the Protestant Reformers I was challenged by their boldness and sacrifice. I was reminded of what the aged Paul wrote to young Timothy: “God has not given us a spirit of fear but of power. Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony of Jesus Christ” (2 Tim 1:7,8). Get actively involved in Personal Soulwinning, Neighbourhood Evangelism and Missionary Outreach. Spend each day of the year in the light of eternity.

With Season’s Greetings from me and Evangeline (45), and our fulltime Colleagues: Brothers K. Gunasekaran (65), D. Charles (62), G. Parthiban (47) and T. Chinnu (27),


13 Church Colony
Vellore 632 006, India
Tel: 00 91 98437 07600, 98430 11943

Yours,
R. Stanley
<stanleyonbible@hotmail.com>
<evangeline@stanleyonbible.com>

 

 


For Remittance Online: R. STANLEY, Account No. 10545862765, State Bank of India,
Branch No. 7274, Vellore 632 006, Tamilnadu. IFS Code: SBIN0007274;
SWIFT Code: SBININBB473.
Please do inform m e with details after any remittance.