Inquiring Minds Want to Know About Alpha Ministries in Asia

Q: What is Alpha Ministries?
A: In 1965, God led Pastor Mathews Cherian, a young pastor from Kerala in South India, to take his wife and son 2,000 kilometers north to Gujarat State, to begin a pioneer work in virtual spiritual desert. He was among the first evangelical missionaries with a vision and burden for planting churches in Gujarat. Through much sacrifice, prayer, and perseverance, they established a Native Missionary Outreach that is ministering to the physical and spiritual needs of many souls. That Native Missionary Outreach is known as Alpha Ministries.

Q: What is Alpha Ministries’ strategy for reaching North India and 10/40 window?
A: The missionary task is not the conversion of every Indian to Christianity but rather the confrontation of every Indian with Jesus Christ. The size and diversity of India makes it impossible for anyone ministry or organization to reach its entirety Alpha Ministries is concentrating among the twelve key unreached North Indian states  trained native church-planters are working in these states

Q: What is the primary purpose of Alpha Ministries?
A:To help fulfill Christ’s mission mandate in  Acts 1:8 to reach cities through evangelism...  to reach whole regions through church planting... and to reach the world through mission sending as well as to encourage and strengthen evangelical Christianity in nations where Christians are persecuted or few in number.

Q: What is India like?
A: India is a country of amazing statistics! India is a country one third the size of the United States, but its population of 1 billion is nearly four times that of the U.S. This is India, where an estimated 25 million people are homeless, where 171 million people still don’t have access to safe drinking water, where the largest number of illiterate adults is found in the world (an appalling 290 million people – more than the combined populations of US and Canada), where there are less than five doctors per 10,00 people ( Few of whom serve the rural areas of India) and where in every element, from clothing to food to religion to architecture to climate to terrain to lifestyle, India is a virtual grab bag of diversity.

Q: What are the major religions in India?
A: India has over 1.5 billion people. The majority is Hindus, 11% are Muslim, and less than 4% are Christians. Of these less than 1% are Bible-believing evangelicals.

Q: It is true that India was one of the first lands to hear the Gospel?
A: Yes! It is believed that Thomas, the apostle of Jesus Christ, came to India in AD 52. There are undeniable evidences to show that apostolic waves reached South India in the first century.

Q: Why is India still “the unfinished task”?
A: Thomas’ legacy has resulted in a large number of Christian churches in South India. The pioneering work of Dr. William Carey in the 19th century resulted in church planting along the northeast coast of India. However, only a minority of India’s one percent Bible-believing evangelicals is targeting the unreached and untold millions in North India. The Apostle John in his great vision of heaven in Revelation 7:9 wrote, “… I beheld, and lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindred, and people and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb.” These nations and kindred and peoples must surely include the thousands of unreached people groups in North India.

Q: Why North India?
A: North India is strategic to the spread of the Gospel on the Indian subcontinent. The largest number if unreached people groups in India make their home in the North.

Q: What is being done in North India?
A: Amidst all the varying beliefs there is a Christian voice – Alpha ministries, is a Christ centered, Bible-based ministry targeting the unreached millions in North India.

Q: What are native church-planters?
A: Native church-planters are those who work in their own culture to evangelize their own people and plant churches where no church exists. These native church-planters they know the language, customs, and culture and live at a level similar to that of the people whom they serve.

Q: Why Native church-planters or Missionaries?
A: Native church-planters are usually better equipped culturally to begin building relationships with an unreached people group. Consequently, evangelism, church planting, and discipleship may be accomplished much more quickly than with Western missionaries. Native church-planters are also a highly cost-effective means of sending the Gospel to many of the unreached people groups in India, because they are able to live at a much lower cost than Western missionaries.

Q: How many native Church-Planters Alpha Ministries support?
More than 504 are on the fields. Approximately 314 of these native church-planters have no regular support, but are evangelizing and planting churches in their own regions with the few resources they currently have.

Q: How does Alpha Ministries select and train native church-planters and ministries across Asia and the 10/40 window region?
A: Native Church-Planters are biblically equipped to carry the good news of Christ’s love and compassion to the unreached in Asia and the 10/40 window. The Lord uses a variety of methods to train those who shepherd His people. Among those we work with there are those who have learned the deep things of God through imprisonment, persecution, suffering and years of service. There are those who have earned degrees from Bible colleges and seminaries, some of them here in the US. There are those who through self study and years of fellowship and mentoring have arrived at a place of leadership. Many have gone through a combination of the above. Yes, they are well trained. Just as important, is the call for service that is on their lives. The tremendous growth of the church through evangelism in India, for example, has produced an abundance of young believers who want to plant and pastor churches. It is crucial that we help those who are called of God and have been trained by Him to instruct these young disciples in the Scriptures and in the ways of God. The goal is to raise up mature disciples capable of winning, building, training and sending others.

Q: How do you choose the overseas ministries that you work with?
A: The ministries that we work with exhibit the following characteristics: They are evangelical in nature and true to Scripture. They have an established ministry which includes a substantial measure of pioneer gospel work among unreached people groups. They can provide accountability for how they handle finances. They are able to effectively communicate the challenges and activities of their work.

Q: How I can help a Native Church-Planter?
A: you can help sponsor a Native Church-Planter on the field. There is an urgent need for those who will commit to a monthly pledge of $50 to $120 for supporting an Indian evangelist. Support needs vary by location and circumstances. Those who work in cities require more than those working in rural villages. Likewise, those who are married with children require more support than those who are single. You can help provide the needs of a native church-planter for as little as $50 per month.

Q: Where does my support money go?
A: Your financial gifts will help provide Bibles, gospel literature, children’s ministry, youth camp, VBS’, medical  clinics, lanterns, motorbikes, scooters, bicycles, church buildings, children’s home and vans. You or your church can also help Alpha Ministries relocate a persecuted Christian family to a new area and build them a home.

Q: How do you send gifts to the ministries?
A: In most cases, the ministries have bank accounts in their own countries where funds can be deposited or to which funds may be wired. In some countries where banking is more difficult, accounts may be opened for ministries in the US and the funds are deposited there. In some cases gifts are carried in cash and distributed directly to the ministries for project use. Alpha Ministries staff members have many years of experience in handling financial issues in Asia and the 10/40 Window region. We take careful precautions to make sure that funds sent are successfully received.

Q: What else can I do?
A: Pray for Alpha Ministries! Prayer is the most powerful tool God has given us to accomplish His purposes in India. All indigenous native missions and native church-planters that work with on the frontline in need of your prayers. They fight many spiritual battles, and the prayers of God’s people on their behalf are of immeasurable value. We would be glad to send you our newsletter, AlphaOnCall, to help you pray specifically and to rejoice in God’s specific answers to prayer.

Q: How can I start supporting a Native Church-Planter?
A: Call 1-434-929-2500 or fill out the form on the back page and mail it with a check payable to Alpha Ministries. We will send a photo and testimony of the missionary you are helping to support, and you are helping to support, and you will begin receiving AlphaOnCall newsletter and monthly prayer letter.

Q: Will I be able to visit the mission field?
A: Call our Virginia off for details on our next short-term opportunity. We encourage people to use their spiritual gifts of preaching, teaching, and encouragement to help equip the saints for the work of the ministry through short-term mission trips to North Indian with Alpha Ministries.

Q: Why Alpha Ministries?
A: Alpha Ministries is a biblically faithful, Christ-centered, evangelical mission’s organization based in Gujarat, India. We are one of the few evangelical ministries working among the unreached people groups of North India. When you support Alpha Ministries with your prayers and financial gifts, you are partnering with us in the strategic task of reaching the unreached in North India and the 10/40 Window. We invite you to contact us today to obtain additional details about how you can become involves. Call us at 434-929-2500.

Q: Do you support Americans working overseas?
We understand that God calls some to leave their home country and serve Him where Christ is not yet known. In support of that calling, at the present time, Alpha Ministries serves as a headquarters office for several Americans involved in overseas ministry. In looking at the big picture of world evangelism, we also see that ninety-five per cent of the worlds unreached people groups live in places where westerners cannot openly go as missionaries. The priority of Alpha Ministries is to have a part in reaching those unreached peoples through the strategic placement and equipping of native church planters.  That being the case, our major focus is to advocate for and support native ministries who are engaged in that front-line work.

Q: What about financial accountability?
A: Alpha Ministries is committed to faithful stewardship of funds entrusted to us by donors. We are governed by a Board that meets twice a year to establish policies, set budgets, oversee the organization’s financial practices, and review ministry accomplishments. We obtain an annual audit, which is performed by an independent public accounting firm in accordance with generally accepted auditing standards (GAAS), with financial statements prepared in accordance with generally accepted according principles (GAAP). We provide copies of our current audited financial statements upon written request. We seek to conduct our Lord’s work with the highest standards of integrity and to avoid conflicts of interest.

Q: How do you pay for administrative costs?
One hundred percent of all contributions designated for use on the mission field are sent to the mission field and we trust the Lord to provide for our overhead costs. Alpha Ministries applies 10% of gifts designated "Where Most Needed" or sometimes general use. Alpha Ministries also welcomes contributions specifically designated for staff support and general operating costs. Such gifts are tremendously helpful in enabling us to maintain current support levels. They also allow us to expand our advocacy for the ministries we work on behalf of thus increasing the work they are able to do.

Q:  How can you be sure funds are used appropriately?
A: The foundation of our relationship with overseas ministries is a deep trust based on firsthand experience. We personally know the leaders that we work with. In most cases we have been in their homes and observed how they live. We have watched them handle funds and seen the results that have been produced. The leaders are ready for us to come and visit them at any time to inspect how things are going. When project funds are disbursed, timelines are set for program implementation. In certain cases large project amounts may be sent in installments so that funds are made available when the project is ready for them. Follow up reports are expected and provided. Photos of project activities are frequently available. We make clear exactly what the funds are for so the possibility of misunderstanding is minimized. Accountability procedures as a necessary part of all financial relationships are followed carefully.

Q: What about the Statement of Faith?
A: We believe the Bible to be the inspired, the only infallible, authoritative Word of God. We believe that there is one God, eternally existent in three persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. We believe in the deity of our Lord Jesus Christ, in His virgin birth, in His sinless life, in His ascension to the right hand of the Father, and in His personal return in power and glory. We believe that for the salvation of lost and sinful men, repentance from sin and faith in Jesus results in regeneration by the Holy Spirit and that Jesus Christ is the only way of salvation. We believe in the present ministry of the Holy Spirit, by whose indwelling the Christian is enabled to live a godly life. We believe in the resurrection of both the saved and the lost they that are saved unto the resurrection of eternal life and they that are lost unto the resurrection of damnation. We believe in the spiritual unity of believers in our Lord Jesus Christ.

 Q: Further Questions?
A:  we will be glad to assist you please call 434-929-2500