The Beginning of ICF

Indian Christian Fellowship started from a vision that God gave Pastor Varughese Mathew in 1987 while working as a pastor in Kerala State, located in the southeastern part of India. The Lord asked him why couldn't he go to a place where the Gospel was not reaching the people and where missionaries were unwilling to go.

Immediately Pastor Mathew responded telling the Lord, "God, I no longer belong to myself and am yours and will go wherever you guide me".

Pastor Mathew and his wife began praying to know the Lord's Will, during which time He began revealing His plans about the ministry He wanted them to undertake.

After receiving a clear vision and being "fully persuaded" about their future ministry, Pastor Mathew and his wife moved to Port Blair in the Andaman Islands in 1988 to start spreading the Gospel and planting churches.

But, they arrived in Port Blair penniless, with no funding from outside organizations and no jobs or personal source of income. The Lord Jesus was their "source".

There were many days of trial and testing when they had no food to eat and had no milk for their eight month old daughter, but had to put black tea in her "milk" bottles. In addition, there were incidents of abuse, assaults and threats from Hindu fanatics.

But, they trusted the Lord and He always gave them the faith and mental strength to carry on the ministry without fear.

Today, there are a total of 13 churches, the Bethany Bible College, and the Calvary Children's Home with 50 to 60 homeless, neglected, abused, and orphaned children.

What others thought Impossible, the Lord Jesus Christ made Possible. Praise the Lord for His provision, goodness and guidance.

But the work continues. Pastor Mathew's vision is to reach all the 546 villages of the Andaman & Nicobar Islands with the Gospel of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.