Sri Lanka

            After the Tsunami of 2004 hit the region of South Asia, Calvary Chapel Saving Grace’s Senior Pastor Trent Douglass went with a team to the country of Sri Lanka to bring relief and the Gospel.  Pastor Trent had previously had a heart for the people of this little island off the south-eastern coast of India.  It was a blessing to actually be with them to help in this time of desperation.   After providing relief, preaching the gospel and seeing the people saved, he wondered what would happen to these new babes in Christ?  Who would care for them?  Who would disciple them?  He asked the Lord this question as he left these people and came back to the states. For two years he prayed for God to provide a leader in Sri Lanka who he could work with to help these people. Through God’s providence, Pastor Trent was introduced to a small humble Sri Lankan man named Pastor Bernard at a Calvary Chapel mission’s conference in California. Pastor Bernard has lived in many countries, the latest of which is Australia where He was saved.  While in Australia he was introduced to Calvary Chapel and became a pastor at CC Sydney.  God gave Pastor Bernard the vision to go back to his people and bring them solid Biblical teaching, but he didn’t know how he could do it. When God brought these two pastors together, they knew God was preparing the way for them to work together for the Sri Lankan people. In January of 2007, these two pastors met up again, this time in Sri Lanka with a team of others interested in ministering there. This team met together with the local leaders including Pastor Barnard and prayed about the vision that was being confirmed in their hearts.  All were sure that God was beginning to do a great work in the hearts of the people of Sri Lanka.

Overview:

            Of the people of Sri Lanka less than 1% would be a people who are considered to be true believers in Christ. The team we met with has an incredible zeal and passion for God.  God’s love shines brightly in their relationship and dedication to God and each other. Their humility, hospitality and their hunger and thirst for God puts many westerners to shame. They are wonderful brothers and sisters in the Lord with great callings on their lives.  They desire to see their country won for Christ and people set free from the of sin and dead religion. The one thing that stops these people from reaching this goal is that they have little Biblical knowledge. Just as having knowledge with no love or zeal brings forth death, it is also dangerous to have zeal without knowledge, as we see very clearly by looking around our world today. Our friends in Sri Lanka are hungry for God and are tempted to accept anything that comes their way that resembles Christianity. They are susceptible to any false teacher who comes along. They are so Biblically mal-nourished that they cannot properly discern the difference between teachings from Chuck Smith and other solid teachers and Benny Hinn. The Faith Movement, Prosperity Doctrine, and general Super Charismatic beliefs riddle Christ’s body there with false teachings that keep our brothers and sisters from growing in their faith and reaching their people.

Vision:
To establish a Calvary Chapel Bible College in the capital city of Colombo in order to teach, train and equip the native saints in Sri Lanka.  From this we hope that these people may be able to fulfill the ministry and calling that God has placed on their lives. We hope to see native church planters, pastors, teachers and evangelists go out and reach the un-reached multitudes of Sri Lanka.

Pastor Rob Douglass

You therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. And the things that you have heard from me among many witnesses, commit these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also. ~ 2 Tim 2:1-2
           
Behold, I say to you, lift up your eyes and look at the fields, for they are already white for harvest! And he who reaps receives wages, and gathers fruit for eternal life, that both he who sows and he who reaps may rejoice together. For is this saying is true: 'One sows and another reaps.' I sent you to reap that for which you have not labored; others have labored, and you have entered into their labors.
~ John 4:35-38