Mathai Outreach and new Hope Churches of India

Early Christian life and Ministry in India

Evangelist and Evangelist Evangelist Ipe Mathai is a native of Pandalam, located in South Central area of the southern
state of Kerala in India. His family was Evangelical Christian and was involved in local outreach ministries to the poor
and lower class Harijans living in the area. However, Evangelist Ipe Mathai himself had not yet accepted the Lord
Jesus Christ and had to struggle through rebellion, bondage and addictions in his early life. But God delivered him
powerfully in an evangelical meeting at the family house on December 22 nd, 1969 when he accepted Jesus Christ as
his Lord and Savior and got water baptized with a spiritual awakening. However, Evangelist Ipe went through a rough
season of his early life in Christ when he lost vision in his left eye and contracted a physical ailment that rendered him
into a frail ‘skin and bones’ condition when he was working in Hubli-Dharwar, located in the southern state of
Karnataka. He was taken back to his home in Pandalam in 1971 when he was unable to perform his regular work
duties. During that time, some travelling Evangelists came to his home and laid hands on him and prayed over him.
He received miraculous healing and soon recovered back to good health, but the partial blindness of the eye
remained. He was Baptized and filled with the Holy Spirit.
In late 1971, Evangelist Ipe returned to work in Hubli, Karnataka where he started witnessing for Christ and preaching
the Gospel, although he had trouble with one eye with partial bleeding and trauma. He had to face persecution
because of his witnessing for Christ and that eventually cost him his job and he was terminated from work in 1972.
From there he went to Kumbakonam in the southern state of Tamil Nadu and started working there in health care for
a meagre income. He married Susie in the same year and they lived in a little hut in Kumbakonam. There Evangelist
Ipe started ministering to people and soon God worked miracles through him by the power of the Holy Ghost. Many
people accepted Jesus Christ in that region.
Evangelist Ipe applied for US visa in 1972 to pursue his medical profession and got accepted. However, he contracted
hepatitis and was hospitalized for a long period. A visiting American Evangelist, John Osteen prayed over him and he
recovered quickly, on-time before his start-travel date to US would have expired. He later travelled to New York that
year and started work in health care. His Wife and young daughter Elizabeth joined him subsequently.
In New York Evangelist Ipe started ministering with Church group to the Hippies while he continued his job in the
health care sector.
In 1978 Evangelist Ipe became a US citizen. The same year he went to his hometown in India to bring his crippled
Mother. He held a prayer meeting in the courtyard of the house in Pandalam and invited many poor, sick and
destitute people. Many received Jesus Christ and news of the miracles spread in the town.
1st Mission Trip and First established Church in Bangalore, Karnataka

In 1980 Evangelist Ipe went to India on his first Mission trip. He organized meetings in a slum area of Ulsoor in the
city of Bangalore, Karnataka through a Bible School student that he was sponsoring – Johnny Kutty. Evangelist Ipe
stayed in a small Hut in the slum locality. The Ministry was to municipal laborers and scavengers. Many of these
people received Christ and was healed and delivered from various sicknesses, bondages, drugs and alcoholism and
demonic oppression. Thus, the ministry was established in Bangalore. Evangelist Ipe spent atleast 1 week every year
visiting Bangalore for several years until 1988 when he purchased land and started building the Church. It was
eventually completed in 1993 and was registered as the Full Gospel Church of Karnataka. When Evangelist Ipe
established this Church he was earning $7 per hour and used his earnings and savings to set up this Church. He
hadn’t received any outside support for this mission.
Evangelist Ipe heard Gods voice
In 1987 after finishing his college degree in the US, Evangelist Ipe started his own health-care business in Texas. His
business activities flourished but alongside he was focused also on what God wanted him to do – to reach to people
in India. In 1993, Evangelist Ipe heard Gods voice in a vision. He told him to go back to his people in India.
Church in Pandalam, Kerala

In 1993 Evangelist Ipe set up a tent outside the Pandalam family home and started conducting meetings there. There
were miracles, signs and wonders that took place in those meetings. The local authorities were trying to stop
Evangelist Ipe from preaching since he was now a Foreigner. Evangelist Ipe connected with Peter John a local Pastor,
who then took over responsibility to run the newly established Church in Pandalam since 1995. Peter continues as
the Pastor of this Church till date.
Churches in Wayanad, Kerala
1993 was truly seen as a commitment year to what God told Evangelist Ipe to do. He set up small home group
Churches in North Kerala in Wayanad district in the Sultan Bathery area where some of his cousins lived. Eventually
God helped him establish 3 Churches in the area. The ministry was predominantly started in the Forest area near
Sultan Bathery. A Pastor from the Church in Pandalam, Kochumon Mathai started visiting and ministering in Sultan
Bathery and further established the Church. Evangelist Ipe provided them with a Jeep through which they could
travel frequently and preach the Gospel to people in central Kerala. Eventually 5 stations or prayer groups of the
Church was setup in areas in Wayanad.
Mathai Outreach Ministries setup in 1997
In 1996, a Pastors conference was held at Houston. Evangelist Ipe got a new awakening and vision to start an
Outreach Ministry in India. He went to India and registered the Mathai Outreach Ministries in 1997. He held a Pastors
conference in Pandalam immediately after. God started working miracles, signs and wonders in that conference.
Pandalam is known to be a famous center for Hindu pilgrims and so is considered as a very important area for them.
There was persecution from the local religious fundamentalist group leader. He came to attack the Pastors
conference, But God worked a miracle on this leader. He repented and cried out to God and accepted Jesus Christ as
his Savior. Evangelist Ipe rented a Prayer Hall from a large Denominational Church and started the Pandalam Church
meetings in 1997. He had a vision about performing 100 baptisms in that Church. In the first year, God enabled the
Church to baptize 109 people into Jesus Christ – vision fulfilled. The Church continued to grow and over 350 families
were participating by the year 2000. In 2001 a new Church building was built as the Lord provided funds and
resources to Evangelist Ipe. Sister Dodie Osteen, founding Pastor from Lakewood Church in Houston provided funds
to procure a vehicle for the Pandalam Church. Mathai Outreach Ministries was registered as a Society in 1998 in
Kerala. Meanwhile it was also registered as Mathai Outreach Ministries International in Houston as a 501c non-profit
organization.
Church in Gudalur, Tamil Nadu

In 2003 a Church was built and setup in the Forest Mountainous region of western Tamil Nadu in the town of
Gudalur. In that season, the ruling government of the state was anti-Christian and wanted to block many Christian
missions from establishing Churches. God gave Evangelist Ipe a vision to start the Church among this persecution.
There was stiff opposition from local area Pastors from established Churches. But Evangelist Ipe persisted and build a
2 storey building and registered the Church which grew with many families and new believers being added there
among lower and upper caste Hindus and even Muslims.
Ministry and Churches of Maharashtra

Maharashtra in West-Central India is a large state and is known to be the most prosperous industrially and
agriculturally progressive region, especially in the western part of the state. Mumbai is the state capital and the
commercial capital of the country. Many Christian missions were established in various cities and regions of the state.
However, God gave Evangelist Ipe the vision to setup Ministry in a relatively low Mission-activity area in north central
region of the state. The connection to start this ministry came through a relationship with Kochumon Mathai, a
denominational Pastor in south Kerala. God worked a miracle through Evangelist Ipe to touch this Pastors heart to
break free from Religion, denomination and follow Jesus Christ and do His will. He left his local Church and house
provided by them and the benefits and perks that came with it and went to Maharashtra to start ministry in 2001. It
was tough initially as the people in the region spoke a totally different language. But God started working through
him. In 2003 Evangelist Ipe and Sister Susie visited his mission area in Jalna-Aurangabad in central Maharashtra. In
the first visit God worked a great miracle. The area was in severe heat and drought and the Mission team prayed for
rain. Overnight there was significant rain-water filled the dry water bodies. This miraculous event set the momentum
to start ministry there. Many signs, wonders and miracles took place as the Holy Spirit moved mightily and many
people came to the Lord. This became a new focal area for Evangelist Ipe to invest into. God helped him invest in a
Tent and he started Tent meetings in the area. Evangelist Ipe visited the region twice each year and spend weeks of
ministry among the villages in Jalna and neighboring districts.
In 2006, Ipe met with John Varghese who was the Director of Billy Graham’s Crusade organization, My Hope
headquartered in Pune in western Maharashtra. He had about 120 Pastors operating with Him. John’s contract with
My Hope Ministries was coming to an end as the unit was winding up its mission work in the region and God
connected him with Ipe supernaturally to help in setting up a Church group in the town of Srirampur in north
Maharashtra. Thus, John Varghese took leadership in the region and utilized his established network to start small
church groups in the surrounding towns and districts in a predominantly rural setting. The Church in Maharashtra
grew rapidly and became the focal point for Mathai Outreach Ministries over the years and continues to prosper until
today. Pastor John Varghese passed in a tragic accident in the summer of 2010. Since then the leadership has been
taken over by Pastor Deepak Shelke who is also the current overseer of the New Hope Churches of India across the
country and supports Evangelist Ipe in communications and networking with all the Pastors. Pastor Deepak Shelke
also travels widely with Evangelist Ipe and Sister Susie when they travel to various Ministry Outreaches across India.
The main Churches in Maharashtra are located in Shrirampur, Rahuri, Nevasa, Daund and Pune-Pimpri.
Churches in Orissa

In 2008 there was severe persecution of the churches located in the eastern coastal state of Orissa. Many churches
were burnt, and local Christian villagers had to flee to the forests and mountains nearby to avoid being killed. Pasto
John Varghese from the Maharashtra churches visited Khandamal district in Orissa during that time to provide aid
and support the persecuted churches, Christians and Pastors. In 2009, Evangelist Ipe went to Orissa and established
an Orphanage to support children displaced and orphaned during the persecution. He appointed Pastor Baira Dighal
and 35 other Pastors who started operating in that area. Mathai Outreach Ministries built 8 Churches in Orissa in the
subsequent years. 4 New Churches and 4 which were partly destroyed by persecutors and re-build. Ipe also spend
time Ministering in the region in 2013 and 2017. The Churches continue to successfully operate under Pastor Baira
Dighal’s regional leadership.
Registering New Hope Churches of India
In 2010, Evangelist Ipe registered the New Hope Churches of India, in India and bought all the Churches across the
country to operate under that name.
Church in Nepal

In 2008 Evangelist Ipe went to Nepal without any pre-planned meetings. He met brothers Anil Singh and Sunil Singh
in Kathmandu. Sunil was a worship leader in a local Church, while Anil lived and worked in New Delhi with his family.
During Evangelist Ipe’s visit Sunil Singh was sick and he had a chance to pray for him. Sunil recovered from his illness
and this established a local connection with people from Nepal. In 2012, Sunil came to Kerala and Evangelist Ipe
supported him for a Bible School. They communicated further about his brother Anil’s Ministry in Delhi among the
Nepali workers and laborers who serviced the Military officers’ residences. Evangelist Ipe started supporting Anil
Singh in a significant way and thus established a Church in Delhi.
Church in Delhi-Gurgaon

Delhi is the capital of India. Pastor Anil Singh and his family manage the Church, which is located in the Military
quarters area, ministering to the workers of Nepali origin who live in the servant’s quarters of the Military officers’
residences. The Church established in 2012. Many evangelical meetings were held in the capital city since 2012 and
Pastor Anil played a role in travelling with Evangelist Ipe also to other neighboring states to minister and translate for
him. Anil Singh is supported in Ministry by his wife Divya Singh. Since 2017 the ministry connected with Pastor
Surendra Singh who runs a Bible College in Delhi. He is now coordinating the efforts for the National Pastors
conference in February 2019 to be held in New Delhi.
Evangelist Ipe also connected in 2017 with Evangelist Vincent Bangera who is residing in Gurgaon on the outskirts of
Delhi close to the International Airport. Vincent has an outreach ministry in Jharkhand and is connected to several
Pastors there, many of whom are currently being supported by Mathai Outreach Ministries. These Pastors are
ordained by MOM.
Churches in Punjab

In 2011, Evangelist Ipe connected with Thomas Cherian who was at that time a Bible School teacher in the Doon Bible
School located in Dehradun in Uttarakhand in North India. Thomas Cherian was interested to partner with Ipe to
teach the Pastors under the ministry. Thomas Cherian also took Ipe to meet with his parents who live in the Northern
Himalayan state of Jammu & Kashmir. Thomas Cherian’s Parents run a Church in Jammu town. While Ministering in
Jammu, Evangelist Ipe met with Gill who was in the army. Gill is from Gurdaspur in Punjab, and his son, Pastor Rajesh
Gill and his wife, Evangelist Katherine Gill run ministry in Gurdaspur and Amritsar areas close to the India-Pakistan
border. This meeting established a new connection for Evangelist Ipe and Sister Susie to visit Punjab and minister
there. Thus started a new relationship with the state of Punjab where Mathai Outreach Ministries setup the New
Hope Churches of India in Punjab under the leadership of Rajesh and Katherine Gill. They are supported by their
children Nancy Masih, Blesson Gill and Gresson Gill besides further support from the Gill family home Church in
Fatehgarh Churian. They have established over 30 stations in the region so far and the Church in Punjab multiplied
and prospered over the years.
Church in Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh

Uttar Pradesh in North India is the largest and most populous state in India. The city of Ghaziabad in located very
close to the Eastern part of the National capital, Delhi. In 2012, Evangelist Ipe connected with Pastor Vijendra Singh
with the help of Pastor Anil Singh. Vijendra Singh and his family run the Church among the laborers and small
business folks. Evangelist Ipe has been to this area a few times and held meetings in their Church.
Pastor Vijendra is also doing outreach work in Nepal and Jharkhand. Mathai Outreach Ministries is supporting several
Pastors who are ministering in these areas.
Churches in Jaigaon, West Bengal

In 2015, Evangelist Ipe and Sister Susie visited Churches in the Northern state of Bihar. Later they visited Churches
and connected with Pastors in Jaigaon which is a town in the beautiful Hill area in Northern West Bengal state,
located in the bordering areas of the country of Bhutan. This connection was established by Pastor Anil Singh’s wife
Divya Singh, who is from Darjeeling. The objective was to support Churches rebuild their roofs. This helped establish
Church network with Mathai Outreach Ministries in West Bengal.
Evangelist Ipe also visited neighboring country of Bhutan and networked with Tika Acharya, who was recently saved.
Evangelist Ipe is hoping for future network for Church in the region.
Churches in Gujarat
In 2017, Evangelist Ipe connected with a family relative based in Ankleshwar in the western state of Gujarat.
Ankleshwar is in the very industrial corridor between Mumbai and South-Central Gujarat in the prosperous western
belt of India. Thomas Pappy is a local Evangelist who supports small and medium sized churches and ministries in the
villages near the city of Surat in south Gujarat.
In 2017 Evangelist Ipe started supporting some local Pastors in the area and established a ministry outreach there. He
got the opportunities to visit and minister in the local villages in 2017-2018. Evangelist Palubhai is the leader in the
region and the churches are located in Songadh and Navapur in South Gujarat – around 100km from the Industrial
city of Surat. There are 10 Churches under the New Hope Churches of India.

Church in Chhattisgarh

In 2018, Evangelist Ipe connected with Evangelist Archana who runs a Church near rural area outside Bilaspur in a
northern Chhattisgarh in Central India. Chhattisgarh is known to be a large tribal dominated state with much mineral
resources and related industries. The Church needed a roof and Evangelist Ipe supported them to re-build. This is a
new connection for the ministry and establishing the Church in the region is part of the ministry vision.
Ministry in Jharkhand

Mathai Outreach Ministries supports several Pastors who are operating in the Eastern state of Jharkhand. This is a
state with a large Tribal population and is also one of the richest state for Minerals resources. The Pastors located
here are connected to pastor Vijendra Singh from Ghaziabad Church and Evangelist Vincent Bangra from Gurgaon.
They have outreaches here and many of these Pastors are ordained through Mathai Outreach Ministries.