WORDS OF TRANSFORMATION

(A quarterly newsletter of Transforming Leaders in Asia Educational Trust for private circulation only)

Volume 14

October 2015

Issue 3

From the Executive Director

Dear friend,
Its time to prepare for the Advent Celebration, the Christmas, and the New Year
program. At the heart of each event, evangelical leaders desire to impact the
participants with the message from the Word of God. Delicious food, great singing, powerful skit, and a large gathering may be our intentions but above all we
know these events would need good exegesis of the Word of God. Last month I
was greatly disappointed by the two sermons that I heard. In the first, the
speaker distorted the parable in Luke 10:30-33 and suggested that the low cast
Samaritans are better than priests and the levis. Hence, Jesus considers Dalits
(low castes) better than the upper castes. The other preacher took the text from
Rom 10:9-10 and began to refer how confessing and believing different promise verses from the Bible
as MANTRAS saves a person. The preacher concluded that a repeated recitation of certain bible verses
would make a person either rich, receive healing, or pass exams. Pulpit gives opportunity and freedom
to every believer to say what they sincerely desires to say. But sometime they can be sincerely wrong.
Not only the pulpit, but also through other ministries: Counselling, Bible Studies, Christian writing, Seminars and Workshops, one can either bring blessing to people or misguide them. If we are expecting a
holistic transformation through all these ministries, then we must expect right exegesis of the Word of
God everywhere. This is our dream through TLA Educational Trust. We invite you to join us in this
dream. - Rev Dr. A. K. Lama
Radio Production Team Training Program, Dehradun
Technological revolution has multiplied electronic and electrical gadgets in
the market. But radio continues to be ever relevant and useful for ministry
as it has no political and geographical boundary. A special training called
Production Team Training Program for radio ministry was held at Gaweylon, Dehradun (17-22, Aug., 2015), organized by Good Books Educational
Trust, Ranchi.
The chief facilitator was Mr. Christopher Singh (Director of Training), Radio
Worldwide. The week long training was focused on Roles of Radio and
Media, Writing for Radio Programmes, Interviewing skills and feature
production and Radio Magazine Programme.
Rev. Lee De Young (Vice President, Words of Hope) and Rev. Dr. A.K. Lama
(Managing Trustee, GBET) were the other resource persons who took up
the Bible Study sessions. A total of 24 delegates came for the training programme.
The training programme had both theory and practical aspect, well blended. Whatever was taught during the day had a follow up assignment at
night. There was complete activity all around the campus, from the lecture
hall to the recording studio. One of the memorable moments was when
each teams recorded magazine programme was being evaluated on the
final day, after listening to them together. The stand out benefit every
delegate took home was on the creative aspect of making radio programme.

Pastors and Leaders TrainingBalinong, TBCA

Balinong, a beautiful village in Changlang District, Arunachal Pradesh, hosted the pastors and leaders training conference (13-16 Oct., 2015). More
than 90 Church leaders came for the training program, jointly

Contents in this
issue
1. Brief report on
radio production
team training
program, Dehradun.
2. Brief report on
Pastors and Leaders Training at
Balinong organized by TBCA,
FLF and TLA.
3. Brief report on
pastors and leaders training program, Bhutan.
4. Brief report on
JNC EU Retreat,
Pasighat.

organized by TBCA, FLF and TLA. The purpose being to strengthen

the pulpit ministry of the Church. The resource persons of the conference were: Rev. Dr. A.K. Lama (How to Prepare Expository Sermon),
Rev. Dr. Mark Hettrick (The Art and Craft of Preaching) and Rev. Dr.
Rex Rogers (Building Leadership Virtues).
Rev. Wanglong Simai (Executive
Secretary, TBCA) gave the following comments after the training
programme. He says, regarding
expository preaching, I believe
and I accept that it is very important for the Church today,
because we need Gods word to be
expounded, taught to the people
and through that only the members of the
Church will grow
in their faith, and
that faith will
transfer into action for the transformation of the
family, Church
and society.
Another leader
affirmed that the training on
expository preaching is so useful
because many pastors do not go
deep into the text but preach
shallow sermons, because of
which they sometimes misguide
people. Further, she said, I have
learnt how to exposit and go to
the background, know the situation of the text...to read, read and
read the text before preparing my
sermon. These two leaders summed up the voices of the rest of the
delegates. Everyone committed to go back and make a difference in
their preaching ministry.

Mailing Address: 4E, Purbasa Apartment, Chachal Road, Six Mile, Guwahati, 781022 Assam

Page 1/2

Report on Bhutan Training

TRANSFORMATION

Nestled on the foothills of some beautiful mountains in Bhutan, Dalsingpara town and the surrounding
towns like Jaigaon are covered by the lush green tea gardens. The scenic beauty provides an ideal
location for the Pastors and Leaders training program (1st 5th Sept., 2015). Around 80 pastors and
leaders came from Bhutan for the program. The features of the program were: Developing skills on
preparing and preaching expository sermons (Dr. A.K. Lama); Basics of Biblical Counselling (Dr. Asangla Ao); How to do Inductive Bible Study (Mr. Lee De Young) and Developing Leadership Virtues
(Johnson Raih). Under the leadership of Kunsang, the training program was successfully carried out.
It was a delight to see all the delegates come with a thirst for the Word of God. The training aimed at
equipping the pastors and leaders to be skillful Biblical expositors and Counselors. During the debriefing
time, many of them said that the training program encouraged them to read the Word of God more
and more so that they will become a good shepherds. They were convinced that the Word of God
should speak for itself.
Mr. Karma Tenzin, the one time Olympian, who represented Bhutan in Archery at Barcelona (1992) and
Asian Games in China (1990) said, previously I aimed at the bulls eye for my arrow to hit. After the
TLA training programme, I am encouraged as a pastor, now my vision is to spread out the Word of
God to all the 20 districts of Bhutan. I am very happy to have come and attended this training.
Another landmark achievement of the training program is the formation of the Drukpa Educational Soci-

Another landmark achievement of the training program is the formation of the Drukpa Educational Socie-

ty (DES). The vision statement of the DES states, We visualize every person in Bhutan intellectually,
morally, spiritually mature and transformed with the wisdom of God so as to serve their family, society,
and their country. Some other important highlights were: The wonderful worship sessions led by Mrs. Sam Lalparlian and Mrs. Aren, and their
children. The extra-ordinary hospitality shown by Kunsang and his wife Aren to the resource persons is unforgettable.

Ministry Diary

Report on Pasighat JNC Evangelistic Retreat

The Jawaharlal Nehru College EU (Pasighat) conducted their annual Evangelistic Retreat from 1-3 Oct., 2015 with the theme, Alive in
Christ (Eph. 2: 5). More than 80
students attended the retreat. The
greatest joy was to see many of
them stand up to give their lives to
Christ. In fact, all the campers went
back having made some kind of fresh
commitment to God (rededication,
commitment to prayer and reading
Gods Word).
Johnson Raih was one of the resource persons during the retreat camp.
He took up the doctrinal sessions on Humanity and Sin and Salvation,
and the three evening devotions. During the debriefing time, many students shared that though they come from different religious background,
they experienced love and acceptance. They shared that whatever they
have learnt at the retreat will not go down the drain. Instead, they look
forward to start reading the Bible for themselves.

Dr. A. K. Lama:
1.
2.

Hindi Writers Workshop in Agra (Oct 27-30)

Pastors & Leaders Expository Preaching Seminar in Balinong
(Oct 13-18)
3.
BTGMI Board/Staff Retreat in Grand Rapids (Sept 23-29)
4.
Words of Hope Board in Grand Rapids (Sept 18-20)
5.
Bhutan Leaders Training in Dalsingpara (Sept 1-4)
6.
GBET AGM in Ranchi (Aug 28)
7.
GBET Production Team Training in Dehradun (Aug 17-22)
8.
Ministry in Udhampur (Aug 23-24)
9.
UESI AGM in Ranchi (July 10-12)
10. BWA in Durban, SA (July 22-26)
Mr Johson Raih:
1.
2.

3.
4.

Directed Pastors & Leaders Expository Preaching Seminar in

Balinong (Oct 13-18)
Ministered in EU Camp in Pasighat (Oct 1-3)
Attended the Langham Preaching Seminar (Sept 14-17).
Attended the ICMA (India Christian Media Association) at

THANK YOU :
1.

Thanks for being our prayer partners and well-wishers

2.

Thanks for being our faithful Alumni.

3.

Thanks for your donations.

Upcoming Programmes
1.

PRAYER NEED

2.

1.

A pastor in Arunachal Pradesh needs a lap top computer and

a printer. Pray with us for his needs.

3.

2.

TLA Educational Trust is looking for a suitable land for Training/Retreat Center. Please pray for the need.

4.

Dr lama in EGF Jahrkhand Conference (Nov

13-15)
Dr Lama in Leaders & Pastors Conference in
Ranchi (Dec 1-4)
Dr Lama in the EBC Annual Conference in
CCpur (Dec 10-13)

Johnson will minister in Guwahati University EU

Advent Christmas (08-11-2015) and at a Bible
Camp in Yingkiong, Arunachal Pradesh Sept
10-13)

For more information write to the mailing address given

below or email to: ak.tlaministries@gmail.com
Mobile No: 09435400893

Mailing Address: 4E, Purbasa Apartment, Chachal Road, Six Mile, Guwahati, 781022 Assam

page 2/2