For Wesley Chatla of Andhra Pradesh, India, the last few months have involved many evangelistic opportunities. Wesley is a church planter with the Christian Bethel Baptist Gospel Fellowship in Andhra Pradesh and the pastor of two churches.
His churches attended two retreats together: one just for those churches, and another with every church in the Christian Bethel Baptist Gospel Fellowship. Around that time, his church baptized 22 people. Three more people are now attending a baptism class.
Wesley also took part in his town’s Christmas celebration, which “went well” only “by the grace of God,” he says. Nearly 3,000 people—including business owners, shopkeepers, and shoppers—attended the celebration, held in the center of four roads. Wesley preached at that event.
“Weather forecasts showed an 80 percent chance of rain that evening and a cyclone for the next four days,” Wesley says. “But miraculously, [there was] no rain until the program was over.” After the program, rain and strong winds began overnight; schools and colleges shut down the next day. Wesley is thankful that the delayed rain meant that “a lot of unbelievers got to hear the Good News.”
At a later time, he shared the plan of salvation at an open-air gospel meeting and a graveside service.
Aside from these evangelistic opportunities, Wesley attended a pastors’ leadership seminar. “It was a great joy to see the pastors coming together and learning new things,” he says.