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Before He was Pastor


26th April 2010

Udyan Venkatesan wasn't always a Gospel for Asia-supported pastor. In fact, he wasn't even a Christian. He was raised in a place dominated by worship of false gods and goddesses. The home he grew up in had various shrines to deities that he and his family regularly worshiped.

His parents worked as laborers to take care of him and his six siblings. But one day, his parents both fell ill and had to stop working. Udyan and his siblings were left with no one to care for them.

He and some of his older siblings had to quit school because there wasn't enough money to pay their school fees. They moved to another village where two of his older brothers found jobs as laborers.

Days went by, and Udyan and his family were still stuck in the same situation. But then Udyan met Kishore, a Bible college student, and got to hear the Gospel message for the first time. Kishore invited him to a church service, and when he attended, Udyan felt immense peace flood his heart for the first time in his life. He decided he would start attending church regularly.

His family members fought against him in his decision, but Udyan continued to go. It didn't take long for him to fall in love with Christ and give his life to his Savior.

Udyan's family started to see the change in his life, and God's blessings even spilled over into their lives, which softened their hearts. They all eventually came to know the Lord as their Savior, too, and were delivered from the bondage of witchcraft and evil spirits. They stopped going to temples and cleared the idols out of their homes.

Later, Udyan enrolled in a Bible college where he learned more about God's Word and trusting Him. During his time at the college, he struggled with physical hardships and multiple battles with sickness, but each time, the Lord heard his pleas and healed him.

When he graduated, Udyan joined the mobile team ministry for a time. Later he became the pastor of the church he now leads, which has about 110 believers.

Today Udyan is committed to serving the Lord and helping others see past the idols to the God who died for them.

  Learn more about film ministry teams, like the ones Udyan was part of before becoming a pastor.