A PROGRESSIVE VISION | colin-lambert

A PROGRESSIVE VISION FOR THE VAIPHEI CHRISTIAN CHURCH (VCC) AND REACHING THE STATES OF NORTH EAST INDIA

MISSION STATEMENT:

To work with God in bringing a Holy Spirit revival to Manipur and the rest of the North East Indian States which will see them significantly won to Jesus Christ as prophesied in Joel 2:28-32. To see beyond the nation of India and to be world focused as success and opportunities arise.

PRINCIPLES OF FULFILMENT (GENERALLY):

To provide a basis of ministry freeing the Holy Spirit to move sovereignly in revival across the States of North East India and world-wide.
The VCC and the people of the surrounding States are best suited to reaching their own nation.
Where possible the VCC should be self-supporting investing in its’ own ministry.
It is acknowledged that short term welfare based financial assistance may be needed in the short term, before the VCC can be self-supporting in its’ own right.
Financial support from other nations should have a major focus of being developmental rather than welfare based.
Revival presents the need for a functional Bible College to assist in the raising up and training of leaders to further fan the flames of revival. The Bible College will be established in accordance with the principles of fulfilment here stated.
The ministry of the Bible College graduates will structure their ministry on the pattern of the successful VCC model of self-funding through developmental loans.
To obtain international support through development loans enabling all VCC ministry to be self sufficient.
Although the VCC shall from time to time use its’ own resources for bible distribution, given the numbers of people coming to Christ and the need for bibles, ongoing external funding may be required to fulfil this goal.
To establish a vibrant local church in Imphal, the capital city of Manipur.
To work with other churches outside our denomination and see the release of the Holy Spirit in their ministry.
To partner with Capture and Release Ministries Inc. in Australia.

PRINCIPLES OF FULFILMENT (BIBLE COLLEGE):

BACKGROUND:

There is 90% unemployment in Manipur. We are dreaming if we expect students to be full fee paying over the life of a three year course. A Bible College that relies solely on international support will be either ineffective, or controlled by the source of funding. If that funding stops, then more than likely the Bible College will also stop. Therefore, even the Bible College should work at being self-funded in the long term.

STEPS:

To conduct a foundational three month intensive Bible College course: Certificate in the Basics of Ministry.
To expand the certificate qualification to diploma and degree levels of subseqent study.
To provide regional business development loans generating a future income for a group of graduates.
A co-operative will be formed by a regional group of students where revival has already taken place. The income generated will enable their future ministry to be self-sufficient. This will be subject to a clearly defined arrangement. Students must submit a business plan for the success of their co-operative venture. Bible college fees will also be repaid from the projects.
Students will contribute $150 towards their course fee as an investment into their future ministry. The balance of $350 to be repaid from the income generated by development loan projects.
A macro loan in the vicinity of up to AU $10,000 may be given to a successful group of graduates. This poses an interesting challenge for the graduates to work together after their course and be successful in both business and ministry.
Students will be expected to follow up with additional intensives over the life of their ministry.
Additional mentoring support provided by the VCC will be given to students throughout the life of their ministry.
To conduct fee paying seminars to the body of Christ through Bible College seminars.
The selection of Bible College candidates will be those most likely to have Holy Spirit inspired ministry. More than likely they will be from areas already experiencing significant revival.
Note the Bible College also accepts female candidates. A greater preference is given to husband and wife teams but selection isn't exclusively chosen from these.
To enable the children to be looked after properly, husbands will complete the certificate course first followed by the wives. Therefore the campus is confined to one gender only at a time. It won't be co-ed.
Over time, we aim to be a self-funded Bible College however, at first this may not be possible due to the initial set up costs involved. The mix of teachers should be both international and indigenous to give a broad based frame of reference to students. The running costs of the college are immediately reduced because rental isn’t required. The building is owned outright. Good local teachers will be paid appropriately to ensure continuity of tenure. In the short term, it is envisaged that international teachers will be self-funded and will be assigned to teach parts of the curriculum on the basis of their time availability.

We build on the base God gives us. The curriculum has been written for the certificate and diploma course. In March 2016, we will start our pilot program for the certificate course for ten male students from the town of Saitol. IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO CONTRIBUTE BY MAKING A DONATION PLEASE REFER TO THE DONATE PAGE. IF YOU CAN TEACH COME ON AN EXCITING TRIP AND HELP US. Now is a very vital time.

ORDINATION AND AFFILIATION:

After the three month course, Bible College students if willing can undergo an ordination process. Nine months after completing the Bible College course and after their progress in ministry has been assessed, ordination under the covering of the VCC denomination can be given. All ordination certificates are issued subject to a ministerial code of conduct and must be surrendered if those terms aren’t met. One of the requirements is a commitment to ongoing training at Harvest Faith Bible College Imphal.
Through ordination and affiliation strong links of fellowship can be developed with cross pollination of ministry within the VCC.
Once ordained, ministers can be released into other denominations however Bible College fees are expected to be paid in full even if a development loan hasn’t been given to the student.

This structure provides a self-sustaining model because as development loans are paid back, they can be reinvested and given to new beneficiaries, assuming the success of the business ventures. As a denomination we are about to see an explosion of new churches.

ESTABLISHMENT OF A VITAL LOCAL CHURCH:

The VCC Central Church operates from the Diplomat Centre in Imphal. It has only been established for a short time. However, once the Bible College is established the students will conduct local outreaches and invite people to attend the church. From this we will grow a dynamic and vital church from which we will plant other churches across Imphal and Manipur.
We will seek to actively win significant leaders in Imphal and Manipur to Christ and so doing expand our circle of influence and self-sufficiency.

BRINGING REVIVAL TO THE BODY OF CHRIST GENERALLY:

We are currently experiencing a wave of revival amongst denominational churches. We are finding that the Pastors often aren't willing to have our ministry, but the people are and they insist that we preach in their churches. To be clear we don't force ourselves on anyone and we love our brothers and sisters from every branch of the body of Christ. Essentially we have a peoples mandate for ministry. I believe our experience is very similar to what Jesus faced in His earthly ministry.

The people are seeing the mighty move of God as the Holy Spirit falls upon people. They are also starting to tell others which is the purpose of the baptism in the Holy Spirit. They are interested in having an intimate relationship with God the Holy Spirit more than submitting to the man made doctrines of men. As they tell others hungry for a move of God, new church pulpits open up to us.

UPDATE: Interestingly, the leadership of the mainline churches are now increasingly for us as they see and receive reports about the revivals that are taking place across their churches.