In October 1946, Ed Stevens, a General Baptist foreign missionary, arrived in Guam to share the gospel with the people who called it home.  Ed and his wife would go on to serve on Saipan and Chi Chi Jima also, until Ed died on a ship en route to Guam for medical treatment on September 20, 1952.  We have set aside the third Sunday of September every year to remember his example of faith and missionary commitment with an annual offering for international mission work.  This year, Ed Stevens Sunday is September 21.

Ed was born in Boonville, Indiana on January 23, 1917.  He accepted a call to ministry and was ordained by United Association Presbytery in September 1945, and appointed by the Foreign Mission Board to serve on Guam in July 1946.  Ed arrived via steamship October 6, 1946, and led the first service on Saipan on April 4, 1948.  Ed Stevens was the first General Baptist missionary to die while serving on the mission field.  We remember the sacrifices Ed and Gertie Stevens made to serve as pioneering missionaries for the General Baptist movement.

This year, the Ed Stevens mission project is dedicated to the General Baptist work in India.

India has a population of 1.252 billion people, and only 2.3 percent claim Christianity as their faith.  Most Indians have never had an opportunity to hear the good news of the gospel.  Pray for our missionaries and national workers as they minister in a hostile Hindu environment.  Pray that Indian Christians may demonstrate true spirituality and life transformation to their culture.

General Baptist outreach is targeted in two areas of South India:

Kakinada/Pithapuram in the state of Andhra Pradesh, which has a population of 84 million.  Only 1.51% are Christian, and General Baptists have been working to spread the gospel to those in this area since 1982.  Ministry in this area is under the direction of Dr. Prakash and his wife, Jemima.  Their work in Andhra Pradesh includes operating 10-15 Dorcas Sewing Centers, Grace Home for widows, holding pastor’s retreats to provide proper training to those leading churches, a witnessing group called Bible Women, and a bedding and clothing ministry for those who cannot afford their own.

Siddipet in the state of Telangana boasts a population of 35 million.  The General Baptist work here is headed by Jessey Vemula and his wife, Brittany who work to raise the 1.2% Christianity rate.  The work begun by the Vemula family now includes the Good Shepherd’s Children’s Home, Lydia Sewing Center, audio Bibles for illiterates, a Jesus Film ministry, digging water wells, and the Timothy Initiative that trains pastors and church planters to do effective ministry.

The offering goal this year is $50,000, to help fund the purchase of a badly needed mission vehicle for use in each of the India mission areas to help transport equipment for ministry and food and clothing for distribution in the slums and remote areas.  These funds will also be distributed to the child care ministry, sewing centers, and poor widow ministry.  To be a part of the 2014 Ed Stevens Day, mail your contributions to International Missions, 100 Stinson Drive, Poplar Bluff, MO 63901.  You can also use our online form to give.

Be a part of spreading the gospel in India.  Help the 2014 Ed Stevens Day Campaign reach it’s goal of $50,000 to help support the work that God is doing in such a hostile environment.