Decades of Commitment Bearing Fruit in Trinidad
When Beulah and Siddhant first arrived in Trinidad with World Team in 1980, there was only one church among the East Indian community in Trinidad. Over the past four decades, they have been able to help plant several reproducing churches on the island, leading to many lives being reached by the gospel.
The many churches that Beulah and Siddhant have had a role in planting have since been released to the national leadership in Trinidad. These churches now have pastors, deacons, and elders all working together to share the gospel.
The church in Trinidad has faced many difficulties in recent years that have slowed their growth, and lockdowns they have faced due to the current coronavirus pandemic have been particularly challenging.
“One-on-one contact and fellowshipping has completely stopped,” shared Siddhant. “Everything is done via Zoom. Our people are trying their best, but there are so many hindrances.”
Despite that, God continues to make waves in the communities they are serving. Buelah shared stories of the movement she has seen in her online Bible studies, mentioning several women of different faith backgrounds who are showing interest in God’s Word.
“In simple terms,” Siddhant said, “church planting is to proclaim the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ and to prepare the leaders to give to other people what we have given them. That is what we do.”
“We have a Hindu-background believer that we met out of the blue when we went to buy fabric for our masks,” said Beulah. “I told her that we are missionaries from India, and she said ‘Wow, that’s so good, I want to be baptized!'”
“I am discipling her on a weekly basis and praying that the Lord will help her understand what being Christian really means.”
Beulah and Siddhant are encouraged as they see God work in unique ways during this time. Siddhant was able to share evangelism and discipleship lessons with believers from around the world last summer.
“We are in the third lockdown,” shared Siddhant. “But in the midst of all that, we have been able to reach out to people and lead some to the Lord over WhatsApp, phone, and Zoom meetings.”
“Just a few days ago, we got in touch with one man again, and right away he told us he has started reading the Bible,” said Siddhant. “We had been praying that God will appear to people in visions and dreams. We are in touch with him and he is seeking the Lord.”
Beulah and SIddhant have dedicated decades of their lives to planting churches among the unreached, and Siddhant was excited to share what that process of church planting looks like.
“You are going to an unreached people group with a message of hope and peace,” he said. “We don’t even call it the gospel in the very beginning because people may not know what the word ‘gospel’ means. But when we talk about general terms like ‘good news’ and ‘peace with God’ they begin to develop interest.”
“Then we talk to them about what God has done. When we talk about the blood of Jesus Christ, they begin to listen.” The early stages of church planting progress as these new believers are discipled and equipped to share the gospel with others.
“We start training them and tell them more about Christ and what he can do,” Siddhant shared. “When they are ready to transfer what they have received to other people, then we call them leaders.”
These new leaders then start the same process they were just brought through by other believers. They begin to share the gospel with more people, bringing them to Christ and gathering with them regularly. “That’s when we call them the church.”
To hear the full 30 minute interview with Siddhant and Beulah, listen to the Acts of Faith podcast on SoundCloud or wherever you listen to your podcasts.
To see the video of the interview, which includes a video created by Siddhant and Beulah about the history of their ministry, watch it now!