Why We Joined The Chennai International Christian Church

{Nagaraj and Miraj were part of the Mumbai ICoC. They were asked to be Shepherds of the Mumbai ICoC but they refused. After doing their best to revive/change things out there, they left the church and came to Chennai to be part of the Chennai Christian Church. Nagaraj was the Chief of the ‘Western India Institute of Aeronautics’ in Ahmedabad. He resigned his job and moved to Chennai along with his family. They were restored in the Chennai International Christian Church. Raja}

Matthew 28: 19 – Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.

Nagaraju Myakala reports:

I, come from a Hindu background and became a disciple in December 1992. Life was great for some time. I was working for the Indian Air Force. I used to stay in Mumbai. I served in the office during daytime and evenings went serving God in the ministry. In 1994 I got married in the church. After two years, in 1996 I got a transfer to Chandigarh, in North India. I was posted there for six years. Since there was no church in Chandigarh I would go with my wife to New Delhi to attend the Sunday Service.  There we met Raja and Debbie. They were responsible for discipling me and my wife Miraj. They loved us wholeheartedly and took care of us.  In 1996 my son Stephen was born and in 1998 we adopted a baby girl whom we named as Sarah. Since there was no church there, with the help of Raja and Debbie we started a church.

In 2001 I got a transfer to Baroda in Gujarat which is located in the West of India. There too  we had no church. Raja and Debbie no longer discipled us now, since the region had changed. We tried to start a church there but were not successful. We were there for 4 years but the journey with God slowed down. Sin crept in and I started drifting away from God. I believe that’s the reason God wouldn’t bless us.  I not only started to give but also started to take bribes at work.  Also I started watching pornography on the net and this hurt my relationship with God and my wife. From 2001 to 2009, for 8 years my spiritual life only went down with no discipling from the scriptures. My lukewarm life style was not challenged and my compromised living was accepted by all. I couldn’t confess my sins to anybody in the church because I heard many disciples discussing about others’ sins. I didn’t want my sins to get exposed. After many change of locations due to my job, I took up a private job in Ahmedabad and left my wife and kids in Mumbai. This was to chiefly punish my wife by making her feel lonely. My life was so unstable.  I couldn’t trust anybody or take help. In October 2008, I really got tired of my sinful life and decided to move to Chennai and speak to Raja about all my sins and get rid of it.  But I couldn’t do that because I thought if I confess my sin I will not be able to continue in it again. I’ll have to stop everything therefore I remained silent but I always felt guilty. Once I was invited for a party given by my friend along with all the top officials.  Everyone came and the men started having drinks. I did not join them but was very much present in the party.  During the party I felt very guilty that being a disciple what am I doing here? Then I decided no matter what happens I will move to Chennai and take help from Raja because he always kept in touch with me no matter where I was and encouraged me to do great things for God.  I resigned my job and moved along with my family to Chennai. I confessed all my sins and got restored along with my wife. My family is happy here. My children got admission in a good school. I believe God will bless me also with a job in Chennai so that we all can be together and serve God. I am really excited to be in Chennai. The day I came all were there to welcome me. I met all the brothers and was really excited to serve God once again whole heartedly. I have started evangelizing again and have started studying the Bible with people. Once again I am back on my mission. I am looking forward to saving many souls in any part of India.

Hope my life encourages others too to make a decision to confess, repent and join the movement of God.

Nagaraj and Miraj along with their kids, Stephen & Sarah.

Miraj Myakala reports:

I,come from a Muslim background and became a disciple in May 1993. What convicted me most was, Jesus died on the cross for the forgiveness of my sins.  When I was young I was abused and therefore hated men. After one year of becoming a disciple I got married in the church. It was great to get married to a disciple but bitterness and hatred towards men entered my marriage too.  I always looked down on my husband and enjoyed pointing out his mistakes. He taught me to cook, many times I never used to pray and read the bible but he was patient and encouraged me to pray and read my bible daily. My past life was horrible and being fully aware of it, he never doubted me or brought that in our marriage I still  never respected him. God gave me the best man but I never loved him. This bitterness also crept in between me and our daughter who was adopted. I had a very bad relationship with her. When she was very young I ill treated her. Many a times I lost my temper with her and in anger beat her up. I poured out all my frustrations and failures on my daughter and she could’t do anything about it. She was very small. Today when I see anyone with a small child I remember all the days when I ill treated my daughter.  I never confessed what I actually was .In my heart I knew that if I die I will not make it to heaven. I had a good relationship with Debbie but I never confessed to her also because I wanted to look good in her eyes.  I wanted to come to her but I couldn’t because my husband was not ready to change church. I could  not speak to anybody about my life or what I felt what is happening in the church because I felt that the pattern of discipling had totally disappeared. If we would initiate for discipling it would take place otherwise we were left alone which hurt me a lot. Yes I do agree that we drifted away from God but there was nobody to reach out to us out of their way.   I didn’t have the courage to travel all alone from Bombay to Chennai and settle down there and get my life right with God. I waited patiently for God to work and persevered with my husband and finally today I am here and am excited to be a part of the Chennai Christian Church. When I landed in Chennai I was so tensed that how will I manage with all the luggage but when I reached the station, Raja and Debbie with all the other brothers and sisters welcomed us at the station. They took care of everything.  They searched a house for us which was very good and also helped us in getting admission for our kids in a good school. Till our house hold articles came we stayed in their house and there I learnt many things. I always appreciated Debbie for being a hard working woman. Nothing stopped her from doing what is right and she was always motivated to live for God. Even today she remains the same and is a great example to me. I see her as a great wife and a great mother. Being with her I learnt to be submissive to my husband, apologizing for the mistakes done and loving my children. Her life encouraged me to confess all my sins and getting back to God. I also wanted to repent of my bad relationship my husband and my daughter.  I apologized to my husband for all the times when I hurt him and put him down and also apologized to my daughter for not being a good mother to her.  One thing I know, is that I am learning to come closer to God and to my family. I am back on my mission for which God has chosen me and am looking forward to save many souls through our family. To God be the glory. Amen.