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To Live Is Christ - 3 Minute Version
K.P. Yohannan

K.P. Yohannan (1950 - 2024). Indian-American missionary, author, and founder of GFA World, born in Niranam, Kerala, to a St. Thomas Syrian Christian family. Converted at eight, he joined Operation Mobilization at 16, serving eight years in India. In 1974, he moved to the U.S., graduating from Criswell College with a B.A. in Biblical Studies, and was ordained, pastoring a Native American church near Dallas. In 1979, he and his German-born wife, Gisela, founded Gospel for Asia (now GFA World), emphasizing native missionaries, growing to support thousands in the 10/40 Window. Yohannan authored over 250 books, including Revolution in World Missions, with 4 million copies printed, and broadcast Athmeeya Yathra in 113 Asian languages. In 1993, he founded Believers Eastern Church, becoming Metropolitan Bishop as Moran Mor Athanasius Yohan I in 2018. Married with two children, he faced controversies over financial transparency, including a 2015 Evangelical Council expulsion and 2020 Indian tax raids. His ministry impacted millions through Bible colleges, orphanages, and wells.
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Sermon Summary
This sermon challenges the notion of blaming the devil for all troubles, emphasizing that our true enemy is our own self-centeredness. It calls for a shift in focus towards selflessness and sacrificial living, inspired by the examples of martyrs like Amy Carmichael. The message urges listeners to reflect on their response to global tragedies and prompts them to consider a lifestyle of fasting, prayer, and commitment to reaching the lost world.
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We blame the devil for all kinds of things. The devil is bad, okay, I understand that. But the poor devil gets blamed for everything under the sun. Yes. The devil is bad, I admit. But I'm telling you something, your enemy, my enemy, more than you realize, is not the devil. It is our own self-centeredness. Yes. And Jesus came not only to save me from my sin and hell, but during my life in this pilgrimage to set me free from my own self-centeredness. The church is so totally disobedient in picking up the cross and willing to lay down their life like Amy Carmichael Jetson and thousands who march the way of the cross and were martyred instead of committing our life for sacrifice and death. We blame the devil for the whole world going to hell. My brother, my sister, I am not here to put you on a guilt trip, intimidate you, get something out of you and run to the next place. That's not my purpose here. But I want to ask you one simple question. When you heard over 100,000 people died in Rwanda in a few days time, when you heard in a week over 100,000 swept away from Bangladesh into the oceans and millions left homeless, where were you? What happened to you the following day? Did your son ask you, mama, why are you not eating today? After three days, your son said, daddy, it seems that you are not eating any food. What happened? Are you sick? And he said, my son, you remember, we watched the news and saw what happened. Yes, daddy, son, I'm so broken hearted over the millions that are perishing that I decided to fast and pray and stand in the gap on behalf of a world that is going to hell and forever without Jesus. That's the only reason. When was the last time you as a family sat down and said, let's talk about it. Half of the world go to bed with empty stomach and naked bodies. Some 80,000 die every day and slip into hell. You and your wife and kids said as a family, when was the last time you made a pact, a discussion and say, we will live as strangers and pilgrims on this earth with sacrifice and commitment and tears and fasting and touch the lost world with our lifestyle and commitment.
To Live Is Christ - 3 Minute Version
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K.P. Yohannan (1950 - 2024). Indian-American missionary, author, and founder of GFA World, born in Niranam, Kerala, to a St. Thomas Syrian Christian family. Converted at eight, he joined Operation Mobilization at 16, serving eight years in India. In 1974, he moved to the U.S., graduating from Criswell College with a B.A. in Biblical Studies, and was ordained, pastoring a Native American church near Dallas. In 1979, he and his German-born wife, Gisela, founded Gospel for Asia (now GFA World), emphasizing native missionaries, growing to support thousands in the 10/40 Window. Yohannan authored over 250 books, including Revolution in World Missions, with 4 million copies printed, and broadcast Athmeeya Yathra in 113 Asian languages. In 1993, he founded Believers Eastern Church, becoming Metropolitan Bishop as Moran Mor Athanasius Yohan I in 2018. Married with two children, he faced controversies over financial transparency, including a 2015 Evangelical Council expulsion and 2020 Indian tax raids. His ministry impacted millions through Bible colleges, orphanages, and wells.