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FOUNDER

Rev. J. Sylvester one of the great stalwarts of the Pentecostal Movement in North India during the early nineteen forties went to be with the Lord on Feb. 16th, 2002. He was born in a humble family on Dec. 10th, 1919 in a small village of District Manipuri, U.P. His father was a Hindu convert from Rajasthan who served as a Bible teacher in Manipuri with the Presbyterian Mission. .As a young man Rev. Sylvester moved to the city of Allahabad for higher education. He joined Ewing Christian College and later obtained his B.Sc. degree from the Allahabad University. During his tenure as a student he worked in different capacities from a labourer to a librarian. It was during these days that he was saved under the ministry of Bux Singh. He received a mighty call to serve the Lord. At the same time he was selected for the Edinburg Medical Scholarship to study medicine in England. He refused and preferred to follow the vision the Lord had given him. Many people discouraged him from making the decision but by faith he chose between the two and never looked back. He was filed with the Holy Spirit and preached the whole counsel of God in an era where there was much opposition to the move of the Holy Spirit.

In 1943 The Allahabad Pentecostal Church was established in a rented hall in Civil Lines. The hall was originally a stable for horses and carriages owned by an Englishman. The Church building is still the place of worship after all these years and stands as a ringing testimony of the grace of God. Rev. J. Sylvester served the Church as a true shepherd pastor never leaving the flock. He served as an honorary pastor and instead of receiving from the Church he gave of his own tithes and offerings. Without a break for 58 years he served as the pastor and was loved by his flock.

Beside his strong commitment to the local Church his vision for the lost extended to the unreached and his heart burned for evangelism. Out of this vision was born India Good News Associates, of which he is the founder. From this association there were many facets of ministry that went forth. India Bible Training Institute was established in 1975 with a clear vision to train rural evangelists. The efforts of this training have resulted in over 900 self-supporting assemblies in the rural & tribal sectors of North India. Rev. Sylvester was also a radio speaker and for many years preached the Gospel in his weekly programmes of Aradhana and Rahe Najat. These programmes were aired from Radio Sril Lanka and FEBC.

He was the co-founder of Doon Bible College and served as its Chairman for many years. He also served as Chairman of IBRA and was directly associated with FEBA Bangalore and Delhi as chairman and advisor. In Kohima, Nagaland he was the founder of Kohima Bible College. Rev. Sylvester was also a convention speaker and hundreds have been blessed and healed through his ministry. God gave him the opportunity to minister in Pakistan, UK, Sweden, America, Philippines and Singapore for the Glory of God.

There are many more areas of service that he performed and all for the extension of God’s Kingdom. One of the greatest hallmarks of this great man of God was his life of faith. He served the Lord without pay and stored all His treasures in Heaven. He lived for Jesus till the end. We thank the Lord for such a ringing testimony of uncompromising steadfast faith. He was a man of principle who walked by faith and not by sight. He was a man who stood firmly upon the Word of God and sought to please God and not man. He has left much fruit that remains and an example for us to follow. We pay tribute to one who lives in the great cloud of witnesses of which we are surrounded. Such a life well lived for the Lord exhorts us to lay aside every sin that would so easily beset us and run our race equally well for the Glory of God. Though we feel the loss of such a great pillar of faith we rejoice that as an over comer he is a pillar in the temple of God.

Him that overcomes will I make a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go no more out and I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God.. (Revelation 3:12)