INDIAN EVANGELICAL MISSION

Historical Background
The evangelical fellowship of India in 1954 was constrained by the holy spirit to place before the
Indian Christians their responsibility for world evangelization; as a result of this concern the
Indian evang3lical overseas mission (EIOM) was instituted to send Indian missionaries to work
overseas and to channel financial support to them the whole effort being indigenous. A young
graduate of south India Bible institute.‘ Bangrapet, Mr. Mvkuttapuramm was adopted as its
missionary in Kenya, east Africa, and he was supported by the IEOM for a time. The Sunday
school children of Mysore city were among the first givers for this missionary through the
evangelical fellowship of India (EFI), which had its headquarters in Mysore in the early fifties.
For sometime, the IEOM was involved in work among overseas Indians in Kenya, Africa but for
various reasons the mission became inoperative.

The birth of IEM

It was a clear crisp morning of 15th January at Devlali of Maharastra eight men; all Indians sat
facing one another grappling with the awesome-challenge of the bold new venture. Dr. K
Tirumalai. M. I. Ben Wati, Rev. Subodh Sahu, Mr. J. Victor Monogaram, Mr. B.A. Prabhakar,
Mr. John Richard, Mr. Theodore Williams and Mr. Augustine Salins, all attending the annual
conference of the evangelical fellowship of India, and all leading stalwarts of that fourteen year
old organization had net together to consider an important decision the launching of a b rand new
mission called Indian evangelical mission.

Gods Instrument
Perhaps it was Theodore William more than any other whose spirit the lord had been inspiring at
this time. As a university student in Madras, h had met the lord Jesus in a beautiful life.
Transforming experience. Later the south India Bible institute in Bangorpet made his to become
a mission minded men by involvement in the missionary prayer band in that institute first as a
student and then as a faculty adviser. His eyes were opened as never before to the surprising
needs of those who had never heard the Gospel. One of his first survey trips took him to a hilly
area in his own state of Tamilnadu during the Christmas vacation of 1959. The following year
and later, that same year, the tribals in Orissa, he had seen enough on that trip to these states to
be convinced that all he had heard about the spiritual needs of the unevengelised was appealingly
true. Something had to be done. With all these extraordinary memories he came to Devlali to
attend the Annual conference of the EFI in January 1965. When the IEM

Objective and Basic principles of IEM

The mission has a two-fold objective to take the Gospel of Jesus Christ to the un-evangelized
area in India and abroad, and to plant churches among un-reached people. Its aim is ‘a church
among every people group and gospel to every person’. To challenge Indian Christians to
realized their responsibility for world evangelization and to recognize their partnership with
other Christians in the world in fulfilling this task.

To motto of the mission is found in Isaiah 54:2 Enlarge… stretch forth… spare not… it rests on
three pillars… vision. Faith and Sacrifice. The mission is indigenous, inter-denominational and
evangelical.

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IEM and the church
The IEM is an interdenominational missionary society. It does not seek to establish another
denomination or to compete with the existing denominations. It does not enter into any area
where any church is actively working. Where there is an evangelical church or denomination in a
nearby are, the congregation form and will be- linked with it in consultation with the IEM board.
In areas where there is no church, the mission will encourage the believers to form themselves
into worshipping congregation. The missionaries and the believers in that area will together seek
the Lord’s will and agree together upon the form of church order and government that they desire
and any linking they want in consultation with IEM board.

The structure of IEM

IEM was never given an overall, detailed pattern nor did they attempt to make at the beginning.
The structure development along with thee growth of the work this mission functions smoothly
and efficiently because God has enabled the leaders to discover this plan together.

IEM Society
The IEM society is composed of thirty members chosen from different parts of India to ensure
the widest possible representation. They meet at least once in a year and the finance secretary for
approval will present the finance report. This body also elects the new board members. A society
member may serve for 3 years. After which s/he has to step down for one year before being
eligible for reelection.

The board
The board is comprised of nine members selected by the society from among the members.
Board members may serve for three years and is eligible for re-election only after s/he has
stepped down for one year. The board is responsible for the overall policies and perhaps of the
mission. The members of the board fro among their number select the chairperson of the board
every year.

The general secretary is approved by the board, for a period of 5 years and is eligible for re-
appointment. Immediately following the five-year period. He is the chief executive officer of the
society and coordinates the work and program of the society. He is ex-officio member of the
board without voting rights.
The central secretaries are seven in number. Each carries responsibility for planning co-
ordination and implementing the program of his/her particular department, in consultation with
the general secretary. They are the key personal in the mission, lack carrying heavy
responsibility in their departments having a will-structured program, not static but fluid and
workable.

Ministries of Indian evangelical mission

The IEM is involved in various types of ministry to fulfill its two objectives mentioned above.
These include evangelism and church planting. Bible translation. Adult literacy health care work,
Developments work. Teaching training. And communication including audiovisual production, it
also challenges Christians to be actively involved in missions through missionary meetings and
conferences conducted in co-operation with the local churches.

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Field ministries
Field ministries of IEM include evangelism, church planting, Bible translation literacy, health
care, social development projects such as hostel for tribal children etc. and leadership training.
At present IEM have 29 fields in 14 states and one union territory in a total of 27 districts.
Ministry is going among 46 people groups. IEM works in partnership with other agencies, at
present IEM, have 7 fields outside of India namely South Africa, Thailand, Philippines,
Malaysia, United Kingdom, West Asia and Paupua New Guinea.

Bible translation and literacy ministry

Bible translation and literacy work provides the demonstration of practical love and service,
which can prepare people to hear the Gospel. It will provide many opportunities for good news.
Encounter and personal witness even where it does not provide such opportunities literacy for
those how really wants. It is likely to be valuable humanitarian service. Literacy facilitates.
People to use translated scripture portions, poverty elevation language matter, economically and
to gain prestige.

Need of Bible translation and literacy work

According to the linguistic survey of India, there are 1652 languages and dialects in India. There
are about 370 people groups with more than 5000 speak who have their distinct languages. At
present we have few Bible in 45 languages and New Testament in another 41 languages. Portions
of scripture are available in 85 languages the translation of New Testament is in progress in 70
languages. According to the survey conducted by Indian mission. India needs another 200
translation to provide for all people groups.

Many people in rural areas and especially tribal people are illiterates and have been deprived of
even basic education. Literacy work is aimed at such people. Each minority people groups have
their own languages and it is their basic human right to use it in their daily communication as we
do. Literacy is not just reading, writing and acquiring numerical skills. It is also learning to
communicated, acquire problems solving skills and learning to take wise decisions whenever
needed. It’s Christ’s love that compels them and his definite call that sustains the missionaries in
this work.

Impact of Bible translation and literacy work

Through the Bible translation in Koya language, the younger generation understood the value of
the language, after receiving the Koya New Testament the local churches became very strong.
The same response was received when Garwali New Testament. Mr. Immanuel Christian and
Mrs. Sheela Christian in Utter Pradesh did translation in 1998, as a result of literacy work in
Khamman district (Andhra) more then 200 have become literates.

In Bastar district of Chattisgarh IEM missionaries are helping along with state government out---
for the Madiya Tribe to be literate fully before 2010. In Andhra the missionaries are taking
initiatives to print culture wedding songs, and books on riddles. Alcoholism, childcare, cultural
science, health, education, girl child and moral stories, IEM strongly believes that there will be a
great impact on the people through Bible translation. And literacy works in a short period.

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Medical work
Medical work is a real means to associated with the local people and good media to
communicate the Gospel, medical care is a libertine work that unshackles the people fro physical
illness and super strides belief. Medical ministry in IEM is playing a supportive role to plant
churches on the mission field.

Need of the medical work

In the remote villages people are suffering with difference kinds of sickness. In our country most
of the villages do not have any medical facilities. They are exploited by so called local witch
doctors and unqualified medical workers, physically and morally, in the name of local gods and
goddesses. The local priest used to take advantage of the innocent people demanding many
things in order to heal their sickness, diseases range from simple infections to tuberculoses,
malaria is also a common in mission fields in North Indian.

The formation of medical work in IEM

By seeing the above-mentioned needs IEM decided to state medical ministry. the medical
department of IEM was organized in 1984 with Dr. Vinod Shah as the medical secretary and Dr.
Diana Srinivsagam as medical officer. To look after the health needs of the missionaries as well
as believers, from 1985.IEMstarted small clinics in Dangs of South Gujarat, mavarpalli, banga in
karma district of Andhra Pradesh, duademiema of balstar, Chattishgarth, navargam of
Maharastra, Bargur of Tamil Nadu and Siroki in Rajasthan.

Development work
IEM have 8 hostels for tribal children in following mission fields. Dangs field (South Gujarat)
Nasik field (Maharastra) Koruku fields (Maharastra) two hostels in Ho field (Orissa) two hostels
in Krishnagari field (Tamilnadud). The tribal children are sent to near by schools for the
education and other provisions. Such as food, clothes and materials are sponsored by IEM.

Church ministries
The church ministries departments are involved with funds out the prayer and financial support
for the mission. The state secretaries, associate secretary, honorable associate secretaries, area
coordinator and area secretaries are having important role for this departments.

Training department
This department is mainly involved with the training of new missionaries, sending missionaries
to the different Bible colleges and conducting service training for missionaries for the
effectiveness of mission. Under the personal secretary mission New Delhi office staffs are
working with the departments. The training includes classroom study of linguistic, anthropology
basic health, Bible survey, missions and missionary methods and practical work like village
visitation, evangelism learning cooking etc.

Communication department
It involves in the publication work of IEM, IEM publishes a monthly magazine called
“Outreach” which gives the news about IEM work to the readers, sponsors and well-wishers, this
monthly magazine is available in light vernacular languages (Tamil, Malayalam, Hindi,
Kannada, Telugu, Oriya, Marathi and Gujarat), this department had published many books

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written by Rev. Dr. Theodore Williams and other writers. It also published books and booklets
on mission and evangelism in English and other major Indian languages.

Finance and administration department

Finance and administrative departments are the other departments that also have equal
responsibility. Kike other departments, since mission is growing these departments are necessary
to run the mission smoothly. Finance secretary is the in charge of this department. Maintaining
accounts sending salaries, for missionaries, sending receipt for the donors are some important
ministries of finance department. The administrative secretary does the whole administration s/he
deals with handling property of IEM land registration, vehicle and building maintenance and the
like.

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