{Nagaraj and Miraj were part of the Mumbai ICoC. They were asked to be Shepherds of the Mumbai ICoC but they refused. After doing their best to revive/change things out there, they left the church and came to Chennai to be part of the Chennai Christian Church. Nagaraj was the Chief of the ‘Western India Institute of Aeronautics’ in Ahmedabad. He resigned his job and moved to Chennai along with his family. They were restored in the Chennai International Christian Church. Raja}

Matthew 28: 19 – Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.

Nagaraj and Miraj getting restored!

Nagaraju Myakala reports:

I, come from a Hindu background and became a disciple in December 1992. Life was great for some time. I was working for the Indian Air Force. I used to stay in Mumbai. I served in the office during daytime and evenings went serving God in the ministry. In 1994 I got married in the church. After two years, in 1996 I got a transfer to Chandigarh, in North India. I was posted there for six years. Since there was no church in Chandigarh I would go with my wife to New Delhi to attend the Sunday Service.  There we met Raja and Debbie. They were responsible for discipling me and my wife Miraj. They loved us wholeheartedly and took care of us.  In 1996 my son Stephen was born and in 1998 we adopted a baby girl whom we named as Sarah. Since there was no church there, with the help of Raja and Debbie we started a church.

In 2001 I got a transfer to Baroda in Gujarat which is located in the West of India. There too  we had no church. Raja and Debbie no longer discipled us now, since the region had changed. We tried to start a church there but were not successful. We were there for 4 years but the journey with God slowed down. Sin crept in and I started drifting away from God. I believe that’s the reason God wouldn’t bless us.  I not only started to give but also started to take bribes at work.  Also I started watching pornography on the net and this hurt my relationship with God and my wife. From 2001 to 2009, for 8 years my spiritual life only went down with no discipling from the scriptures. My lukewarm life style was not challenged and my compromised living was accepted by all. I couldn’t confess my sins to anybody in the church because I heard many disciples discussing about others’ sins. I didn’t want my sins to get exposed. After many change of locations due to my job, I took up a private job in Ahmedabad and left my wife and kids in Mumbai. This was to chiefly punish my wife by making her feel lonely. My life was so unstable.  I couldn’t trust anybody or take help. In October 2008, I really got tired of my sinful life and decided to move to Chennai and speak to Raja about all my sins and get rid of it.  But I couldn’t do that because I thought if I confess my sin I will not be able to continue in it again. I’ll have to stop everything therefore I remained silent but I always felt guilty. Once I was invited for a party given by my friend along with all the top officials.  Everyone came and the men started having drinks. I did not join them but was very much present in the party.  During the party I felt very guilty that being a disciple what am I doing here? Then I decided no matter what happens I will move to Chennai and take help from Raja because he always kept in touch with me no matter where I was and encouraged me to do great things for God.  I resigned my job and moved along with my family to Chennai. I confessed all my sins and got restored along with my wife. My family is happy here. My children got admission in a good school. I believe God will bless me also with a job in Chennai so that we all can be together and serve God. I am really excited to be in Chennai. The day I came all were there to welcome me. I met all the brothers and was really excited to serve God once again whole heartedly. I have started evangelizing again and have started studying the Bible with people. Once again I am back on my mission. I am looking forward to saving many souls in any part of India. Read more »

Our God-given privilege — to be fishers of men!

Now it came to pass that a group existed that called themselves fishermen. There were many fish in the waters all around. In fact, the whole area was surrounded by streams and lakes filled with fish. And the fish were hungry. Week after week, month after month and year after year those that called themselves fishermen met in meetings and talked about their call to fish, the abundance of fish, and techniques of fishing. Year after year they carefully defined what fishing means, defended fishing as an occupation, and declared that fishing is to be the primary task of the fisherman. These fishermen built large, beautiful buildings for local fishing headquarters. The plea was that everyone should be a fisherman and that everyone should fish. However, one thing they did not do… They did not fish!

In addition to meeting regularly, they organized a board to send out fishermen to other places where there were many fish. A board was formed by those who had great vision and courage to speak about fishing and to promote fishing in far away streams and lakes, where many fish of different colors lived. Also, the board hired staff, appointed committees, and held many meetings to decide what new streams should be considered. But the board, the staff and committee members did not fish. Large, elaborate and expensive training centers were built, whose original and primary purpose was to teach fishermen how to fish. Over the years, courses were offered on the needs of fish, the nature of fish, the psychological reaction of fish, as well as how to approach and feed fish. Those who taught had doctorates in fishology, but the teachers did not fish, they only taught fishing. Furthermore, the fishermen built large printing houses to publish fishing guides. Presses were kept busy day and night to produce materials solely devoted to fishing methods, equipment and programs to arrange and encourage meetings to talk about fishing. Seminars, conferences and jubilees were also established to schedule special speakers on the subject of fishing.

After one stirring seminar on the “Necessity of Fishing,” two young fellows left the meeting and went fishing. The next day, the first fellow reported he had caught a hundred fish! It turned out to be just a “fish story.” The other young man actually did catch two outstanding fish! He was honored for his excellent catch and scheduled to visit all the big meetings possible to tell how he did it. So he quit fishing in order to have time to tell the experiences to all other fishermen. He was also placed on the fishermen’s board as a person having considerable experience.

Now it is true that many of the fishermen sacrificed and put up with all kinds of difficulties. Some lived near the water and bore the smell of dead fish. They received the ridicule of some who made fun of their call to fish and their fishermen’s clubs. They even wondered about those who felt it was of little use to attend meetings and talk about fishing. After all, were they not following the Master who said, “Follow me and I will make you fishers of men?” Imagine how hurt some were when one day a person suggested that those who don’t fish were not really fishermen, no matter how much they claim to be. Yet it did sound correct. Is a person a fisherman, if year after year he never catches a fish? Is one following, if he is not fishing?* Read more »

“Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation. Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved!” Mark 16:15-16

A capacity crowd of over 300 enjoys the incredible fellowship dinner for the Global Leadership Conference!

Go Into All The World was the theme of this year’s Global Leadership Conference and Campus Congress, as the evangelization of the nations in this generation is the motivating and unique vision of the SoldOut Movement Churches. The Conference began with the 314 participants from over 20 nations joining the City of Angels Church for Sunday morning worship on August 2, 2009. Read more »

“On one occasion an expert of the Law stood up to test Jesus. ‘Teacher,’ he asked, ‘what must I do to inherit eternal life?’ ‘What is written in the Law?’ he replied. ‘How do you read it?’ He answered: ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind and love your neighbor as yourself…’ Jesus replied, ‘Do this and you will live.’” Luke 10: 25-27

The AMS Ministry serves at the Los Angeles Food Bank for the Day of MERCY!

In a well known interaction, an “expert of the Law” asks Jesus, “What must I do to inherit eternal life?” Jesus responds by referencing two Scriptures – Deuteronomy 6:5 and Leviticus 19:18 – inferring that to receive eternal life, the Law of the Lord demanded (1) total devotion and commitment to God and (2) love for our neighbor. To illustrate the Scriptures, Jesus tells the Parable of the Good Samaritan. Then, Jesus asks the “expert of the Law,” who was “the neighbor” to the man who fell into the hands of robbers? The “expert of the Law” responds, “The one who had MERCY on him.” Then, Jesus commands him to “go and do likewise,” thus guiding him on the path “to inherit eternal life.”

What moves me about this passage is that the “expert of the Law” was supposedly righteous, because he knew and taught the Law of the Lord. The Samaritan, on the other hand, was considered little better than a pagan and despised by the Jews. Jesus uses this irony to drive home the point that knowing the Word of God was not the same as obeying the Word of God. In other words, one can be religious and not inherit eternal life! In the parable, the two religious men – the Levite and the priest – avoided the battered man, “the neighbor,” who was left beaten, stripped and rendered helpless on the side of the road. In contrast, the Samaritan stopped what he was doing and where he was going to care for his neighbor, who was in dire need. The two religious men who chose to ignore him – by going to the extent of crossing on the other side of the road – avoided not only observing their neighbor’s pain and suffering, but also the guilty feelings for not ministering to his needs. It was out of compassion for his neighbor, that the Samaritan showed his love and obedience to God. Read more »

“Go into all the world” was Jesus’ last challenge to the faithful eleven. Before most of them would die for the cause, the Spirit – through Paul – confirms their obedience, “All over the world this gospel is bearing fruit and growing… This gospel has been proclaimed to every creature under Heaven.” (Colossians 1:6, 23) The great commission was not only the motivating vision for the first century church, but also it is our dream for the twenty-first century church! Biannually, the SoldOut Movement Churches celebrate a Jubilee where all the disciples in God’s new movement from all over the world strive to come together in Los Angeles. In the alternating years, a Global Leadership Conference convenes in different cities. (Lord willing, in 2011, we will meet in London, England!) This year, we are focusing on campus ministry and have called a special Campus Congress. Prayerfully, our college students worldwide will draw closer to God and to each other, thus forging relationships that will last a lifetime, and knit God’s movement with the bonds of love. For Sunday Worship on August 2, 2009, the Global Leadership Conference and the Campus Congress will meet with the City of Angels Church. In the evening, there will be a delicious banquet for all the participants of the Conference and the Congress. Monday, we will meet in separate seminars. Tuesday morning, we will all be back together for the Men’s and Women’s Programs and the concluding inspirational charge to “go into all the world!”

Registration for both the Global Leadership Conference and the Campus Congress is $95. Registration for most participants will be administrated by the church leadership in each of our congregations. However, if you are not a member of one of our congregations and would enjoy attending, please email Michele Williamson for more information at michele@caicc.net or call 503-320-7760. Accommodations for these days, is the responsibility of each participant. The Sheraton is offering an incredible deal of $129 per night for the nights during the conference, as well as three days prior and three days after this event. To receive this discount you may register online at: Click Here for Reservations or call 1-800-325-3535 and ask for the Global Leadership Conference rate. Let us pray that this historic gathering will greatly accelerate the evangelization of the nations in this generation! And to God be the glory! – Kip McKean Read more »

Love Out Loud!

2009 Women’s Day Report – Elena Garcia McKean

The amazing sisters that helped make our 2009 Women’s Day a huge success! (Elena McKean, Vicki James, Michele Williamson, Ashley Woody, Summer Reneau, Jeanne McGee, Tracy Harding and Therese Untalan)

Hear the cry, tearful eyes.
Can’t deny and wish it all away.
Will the pain ever change?
Love out loud!
Let your loving be your voice.
Love out loud!
Together we can make some noise.
Love out loud! Without fear.
Sing a song and let the whole world hear.
Love out loud!
Be His hands, be His feet,
be the people we are called to be.
Take His love to the streets.
Show compassion to a soul in need.
This is the time to break the silence and,
Love out loud!
       Jaci Velasquez

Gil is baptized by the brothers of the North Region!

The 2009 Women’s Day and our Latin (Spanish-speaking) Women’s Night were amazing! With the 100 sisters of the City of Angels Church, the Lord blessed us with 250 in attendance! The following are only a few of the heartfelt words on the response cards from both visitors and members: “Very touching! Great fellowship! God was in our presence!” “A wonderful heart-opener! Feels like sisters I can trust through the love of God.” “This has been a great experience listening to other women’s trials and how they were able to overcome and stay motivated. I hope that I can be the same way soon.” “The speakers were fabulous! Thanks so much for the honesty and the glory to God.” “I loved it! Thanks Elena – I am sobbing silently and want to study the Bible with other women.” “I could really connect with all the women. I definitely would like a personal Bible study!” “Great experience! I really believed I was here because God is calling me back home.” “Wonderful! Elena did an amazing job on the lesson! I loved her vulnerability and how she shared her life. I can’t wait to live the rest of my life for God!” “I loved it very, very, very much!” “I am praying that our dream as a movement to plant churches in every nation will be fulfilled so that all the women of the world can share moments like this!”

The Lord blessed the City of Angels Church with six baptisms this past Sunday! (left) Visiting from our sister church in Curacao are Claudette and Denise! (right)

Jaci Velasquez’s spiritual song – Love Out Loud – was the inspiration for the theme of this year’s Women’s Day. Special thanks to our very own Tracy Harding – who is leading our sister church in Portland with her husband Ron – for traveling all the way down to LA to sing this song for us! Also, thanks to Bety Garcia – who leads the Latin Ministry in Chicago alongside her husband Juan Carlos – for singing incredibly at our Latin Women’s Night! I would also like to express my gratitude to Therese Untalan for emceeing the entire program! Finally, thanks to all the brothers: Kip, Victor Sr., Victor Jr., Johnny, Gabe, Michael, Fred and especially Rob Onekea, who designed our invitations and recorded the keynote message and the sharing.(www.caicc.net)

Our 2009 Women’s Day had an incredible attendance of over 250 women!

Our 2009 Women’s Day had an incredible attendance of over 250 women! (above)

After coffee, orange juice and some tasty pastries, the English program began with the Taylor Swift song – Change – sung by Ashley Woody. Immediately following, there was not a dry eye as we watched the KNN video, The Prodigal Daughter. Adding to the moment were the powerful testimonies by Michele Williamson, Vicki James, Summer Reneau and Jeanne McGee! Then after a short fellowship break, we were moved by Tracy passionately singing the theme song. Having been touched by the words of the song, we heard the speech – Love Out Loud. I had three points: Cry Out Loud, Sobbing Silently, and “LOL.” In the first point, I shared several dark moments before I was a disciple, where I “cried out loud.” Then at 17, I was confronted with the true Jesus, who “cried out loud during His days on earth.” (Hebrews 5:7) Most impactful for my conversion were His very last words on the cross, when He cried out, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” and “It is finished.” (Matthew 27:46; John 19:30) On the second point, I preached about the sinful woman of Luke 7, who silently sobbed as her tears fell on Jesus’ feet. After drying Jesus’ feet with her hair, Jesus commended her in front of all the dinner guests, “Her many sins have been forgiven – for she loved much.” Truly, when we realize how much we have been forgiven, we will love much and remain faithful to God – no matter what happens!

Visiting from our sister church in Curacao are Claudette and Denise!

On the last point, I shared that since I am “technologically challenged,” I am still slowly learning how to text! However, I have learned that one abbreviation used commonly in texting is “LOL,” which means “Laugh Out Loud.” As Jesus’ disciples, I encouraged the sisters to change the meaning of “LOL” to “Love Out Loud!” Jaci Velasquez’s words expressed “LOL” so beautifully, “Be His hands, be His feet… Take His love to the streets.” I challenged both fall aways and non-Christians to seek a Bible church, where the life matches the doctrine. Only in a church where discipling – spiritual life training and mentoring – is taking place on a daily basis will the standard of Jesus’ life be sustained. God’s plan is for women to disciple the women in a congregation. (Titus 2:3-5) Having a dynamic women’s ministry in our church has helped me through many challenges in my life! In tears, I then shared that the greatest pain in my life over the past five years has been seeing Jesus’ warning of Matthew 24:9-14 become a harsh reality, “The love of most will grow cold.” I pleaded with everyone to turn to Jesus and once again, “Take His love to the streets.”

To close my lesson, I read, “Together we can make some noise. Love out loud! Without fear, let the whole world hear!” Dear sisters of the City of Angels Church, God has brought us together through all our prayers, preparations and hard work to make this Women’s Day such a special one! Now let us believe that the City of Angels Church, this deceivingly dark city of Los Angeles, and the “whole world” will be a different place, when we, as women “without fear,” “LOL” – Love Out Loud! To God be the glory!

Fan Into Flame

Guest Editorial: Roger Parlour – Shepherd

(Roger and his wife Kama are good friends and exemplary disciples, who serve as shepherds in our sister church in Chicago. This is Roger’s account about Bombay, India – presently known as Mumbai. KM)

“But you, O Lord, are exalted forever. For surely your enemies, O Lord, surely your enemies will perish; all evildoers will be scattered. You have exalted my horn like that of a wild ox; fine oils have been poured upon me. My eyes have seen the defeat of my adversaries; my ears have heard the rout of my wicked foes. The righteous will flourish like a palm tree, they will grow like a cedar of Lebanon; planted in the house of the Lord, they will flourish in the courts of our God. They will still bear fruit in old age, they will stay fresh and green, proclaiming, ‘The Lord is upright; He is my Rock, and there is no wickedness in Him.’” Psalm 92:8-15

Roger Parlour pictured with his wife – Kama, daughter – Brittany and his son – Joel.

Several weeks ago, while my 21 year old son Joel was rummaging through some old cassette tapes that I keep in the attic, he came upon a message simply entitled, “The Bombay Report.” Since the Chicago Church is presently very involved in the support of our dear brother and sister Raja and Debbie Rajan in Chennai, India, this tape caught his eye. He called me several days later and told me it was imperative that I listen to it. I agreed, but never did. A month later, I was having a discipling time with one of my best friends, Chris Broom. He pulled out a portable tape player and insisted that I listen to it and tell him what I thought. I turned on the tape player and immediately a young, excited, fired-up disciple came on and proceeded to give an update on the ministry and work going on in Bombay, India in 1987. Initially, I didn’t recognize the young preacher who was speaking. After a few minutes I thought I recognized his voice, but I couldn’t put a name to it. At the 10:06 minute mark in the tape, he mentioned the names of his wife and son – Kama and Joel – and I was shocked! The speaker was me! That young, fired-up, zealous, reckless, unhindered man of God was me… over 20 years earlier! A flood of memories rushed through me of the month I had spent in Bombay back in 1987. It was during a campaign, where people from all over the world came into the city of Bombay to do nothing but eat, drink and sleep evangelism for one month – to help that young church move forward powerfully! Read more »