From Jim Ruiz, Author of Megashift, and Rodrick

My friend Rodrick Gilbert died last summer. Then about four months later, he visited me at my home – very much alive. Here's his story:

Rod is the leader of a network of house churches in India, centered around New Delhi. At last count, his people had brought 26,000 Hindus to faith in Christ. Because of this, I believe, he is constantly in the crosshairs of the dark forces in that spiritually troubled land.

Last summer, Rod and his wife went to visit relatives north of Delhi in a rural area, and while they were walking back to their car, his wife was bitten by a poisonous snake. They rushed her to a hospital, but the anti-venom they had was expired, and she died.

To say that Rod was in shock doesn't begin to cut it. He actually died of a broken heart – not once, but twice. (Never let it be said that Christians can rise above all the griefs of this life.)

The doctors were able to bring him back with the usual shots and paddles on both occasions, but a few days later he died again, and this time nothing worked. He was gone.

They put his body on a gurney, rolled it into the hallway, and called his two children to come and take one last look at their father. His daughter Srishti, about 12, is one of the most delightful girls I've ever met. His son Adesh, 3, is a remarkably sturdy young man of faith.


Adesh would not accept Rod's death gracefully ... or at all. He started climbing up on the gurney to pray for his daddy. The nurses pulled him off, saying, "No, no, you'll knock it over."

But Adesh strongly insisted. He climbed up the side of the gurney, lay down beside the body, threw his arm across Rod's chest, grabbed hold of the farther arm, and prayed for his resurrection.

A few minutes later, without treatment, Rod came back from death.

And...from Rodrick's latest report: Rodrick Gilbert (rod@vsnl.com)

New contacts

It is significant for us in this ministry to have the number of new contacts, because we usually target on making one contact in one neighborhood or village who is essentially a parson of peace. The number of contacts is quite close to the number of neighborhoods targeted. Our effort is to further disciple this person and mobilize him/her to plant the house church, with the multiplication being it’s end goal. We had 203 new contacts made which totals 1485 contacts in all.

Muslims trained

We had 87 people trained from Muslim background. These were some time ago persons of peace who have now been baptized. We have a total of 752 such people trained on Biblical basics with Q uran being the sideline reference.

Baptism

We believe no matter how hostile the paradigm may be, it is unfailing commandment of the Lord to have people baptized. We had 132 baptisms which makes a total of 1342 baptisms among Muslims.

Church planting

Our Lord has been good to us and by His grace we had a total number of 234 churches planted as on Jan 2006. We ran a special project of Love Neighbors, (April 2005 – March 2006) when 127 new churches were planted which exceeded the project goal of 100 new churches. We had 26 new churches plated during Jan to March 06. As per latest report we had 27 new churches planted during April – August 2006, which makes a total of 287 churches to date. The table above gives an overview of the distribution of the status and progress of church planting in various areas.



Leaders trained

Our vision is to envision, train, equip and mobilize the harvest force existing on the mission field. One of the regular activities of our master trainers is the research networking and training those get interested. We have conducted several seminars where we have seen 277 new leaders trained which totals to about 920 leaders, many of whom are tentmakers.

Literacy

Our teams have found literacy to the Muslim children, as most effective means of penetration, after spiritual warfare methods of healing and deliverance. We have seen about 61 new children trained during the period of this report which make a total of 892 children being benefited.

Case study

Lucknow

Lucknow is predominately Muslim city which was a later chosen to be the center of operations by British. The city is still the capital of the state Uttar Pradesh which has given India the largest number of Prime Ministers during the democratic period of the nation. For the entire period of Muslim and British rule the life style revolved around the pivot of luxury. People were overtime engaged in constructing magnificent luxury buildings, poetry, dance, music, cooking, embroidery, painting, decoration, fabrics, and hunting. Presently the downgraded political standards have turned the city into a hub of organized crimes.

The city has a considerable percentage of Muslims who have quite an equal proportion of both Shiaits and Sunnis. This reality has kept the city under constant tension of riots, as it carries a history of multiple riots between Hindu – Muslims and between Shia and Sunnis themselves, resulting in massive human slaughter in the streets.

The work in Lucknow dragged for some time as one of our master trainers Anil went to work with another organization and we had team crisis. We also lost the touch with about 18 contacts made in his field. God was so good to us and as a replacement we have seen the work advance faster than it ever has been.

We have brother Guddu come here as a replacement who was poisoned by some Muslims in Chandauli. People after having poisoned, threw his by the road side thinking he was dead. He laid there for the whole night. Next morning police found him and admitted him in the hospital as he was still unconscious. Later they traced his sister’s phone number form his pocket who came over to take care of him. He was paralytic for several months but God has healed him and is using him effectively.

Rev. George Robinson is also working with great commitment in the area. Both the teams have seen about 42 baptisms and 7 churches planted in various parts of the city.


1) Testimony - Sagir Ahmed is native of Kasai Bara, Lucknow. He was suffering from cancer from last three year's and now as the result of prayer God healed him from his cancer. He has six members in his family, out of which two have taken baptism including him, and the others are ready for baptism.

2) Testimony - Mohammad Ishak his native of Safedabagh Lucknow. His right hand was paralyzed from past eight year's. As a result of one week of continues prayer God healed him. He and His wife including children's they are ready for Baptism.


Humbly Presented by

Rodrick Gilbert

Love Neighbors Seminar

August 22 – 24, 2006


The Delegates

We conducted a special consultation in Delhi where we had 65 delegates participate from various states of North India. The focus of this seminar was to gather the baptizing church planters preferably from Muslim Background most of whom met the Lord though our own ministries.

Resource persons

We had Marco Gmur from Switzerland with a team of 6 members, Greg Watt. Dr. Gene Davis, Dr. Victor Chaudhrie and Rodrick Gilbert facilitating the consultation.

The sessions

The delegates were given most of the time, to share how they came to the Lord, what they went through after their life in faith, and how God has been using them in what they are doing. It was a real humbling experience to hear see and feel the richness of the Spirit of God in shaping the broken and shattered lives.

The resource persons shared from the Word, reports of What God is doing Worldwide. They also ministered the delegates by praying for them and by sharing the scriptures.

Dr. Victor Chaudhrie introduced the Communion system of the First Century Church apart from much other input.

The results

We saw the Spirit encourage the delegates, challenge them for greater vision, clear the understanding of scriptures in many areas.

We were also able to discuss the strategy for reaching the population of over18 million Muslims living in India.

The team was much empowered in spirit through prayer.


Humbly Presented by

Rodrick Gilbert