From Cobra Worship to 1,600 Churches: The Miracle in Southern India

The Question That Changed Everything

Ramesh was raised in the heart of Karnataka, India, in a family that worshipped the Cobra snake. As a boy, he accepted this as truth—but as a teenager, a nagging question took root: “How can a dangerous snake do anything good for me?”

Seeking answers, Ramesh’s mother eventually pointed him toward a missionary visiting their village. That encounter didn’t just answer his questions; it redefined his life. Ramesh was born again and soon felt an undeniable call to gospel ministry.

A Partnership Ordained by God

Today, Ramesh is joined by his wife, Esther, who grew up in a legacy of service—her father still ministers to those suffering from leprosy. Together, they have built a Christ-centered life, raising their twin daughters while working tirelessly to expand God’s Kingdom.

Their ministry reached a turning point 20 years ago through a partnership with an American pastor. What started as a small seed of 40 house churches has grown exponentially. Through a "multiplication mindset"—where every pastor is trained to raise up the next generation of leaders—those 40 churches became 80, then 160, and today, a network of over 1,600 local churches with 60,000+ believers.

The Hunger for the Word

I first met Ramesh in 2017, and what I witnessed captured my heart. I saw a hunger for the Word of God unlike anything I had ever experienced in the people of India. On one trip, our team baptized 30 new believers and provided theological training for 170 leaders.

However, the growth is outpacing the resources.

Many of these congregations meet under trees. We recently visited a church of 50 believers who have no building; when it rains, they are forced to cancel worship. For just $20,000, we can help them purchase land and construct a permanent home for a congregation like this.

The Vision: 50,000 Churches by 2050

India is home to 1.5 billion people, yet only 1% are evangelical Christians. There are 50,000 villages in every state that still have no gospel presence.

Ramesh and his team have a bold vision: to plant 50,000 churches by the year 2050. To help meet this challenge, we formed Advance the Nations, a non-profit dedicated to standing in the gap for our brothers and sisters in India. The ministry is continually expanding, into Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Kerala, and even the northern state of Kashmir.

How You Can Stand With Us

We cannot all go to India, but we can all play a vital role in ensuring the gospel continues to flourish. We are looking for 1,000 partners to commit to a monthly gift. Your support changes lives directly:

$15/month: Feeds one widow.
$35/month: Provides a home, food, and Christian education for an orphaned child.
$100/month: Enables one church planter to focus on full-time ministry.

Our immediate goal is to raise $8,500 per month to sustain this rapid growth and reach the unreached.

Join the Movement

India has long been a spiritual stronghold of Satan, but Christ is building His church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.

Will you join us? It takes just five minutes to set up a recurring monthly gift that will yield an eternal harvest.

Partner with us today at:https://www.advancethenations.org/give Advancethenations.org

Grace to you,

Brian Stigall Chairman, Advance the Nations