Courier: Perspectives
Asia: India
Little Flock Discipleship School is a “ring” of fellowships in Uttar Medabari, Alipurduar District, West Bengal, India. In 1985, Little Flock was established as an evangelical church organization to carry out the Great Commission in the northern part of West Bengal. However, as the ministry spread, the need to train, equip and send disciples into unreached regions became apparent. The first batch of Little Flock Discipleship School with 12 disciples began in April 2010 in a rented house in the village called Bamanpara. By 2024, the 14th batch is being completed, adding another 24 to the 201 disciples who have been trained.
Little Flock is part of India United Missionary Church (BJCPM-Bharatiya Jukta Christa Prachar Mandali) and runs in partnership with Nappanee Missionary Church. It is a member of the Global Mission Fellowship.
Little Flock is situated at the foot of the Himalayan mountains, surrounded by beautiful scenery – forests and rivers, mountains and tea gardens – reaching out to seven Indian states and bordering on three neighbouring countries: Bhutan, Nepal and Bangladesh.
We have set up the four following objectives:
- #1 Transform disciples into Christ-like character.
- #2 Equip disciples with Scripture.
- #3 Impact lives through effective disciples.
- #4 Multiply disciples.
Our ministry wings include a discipleship training centre; discipleship training workshops; child development centres (schools for socially, economically and politically marginalized children with free tuition and provided meals); basic computer training centres; prayer and counselling centres; blood donation camps; eye camps; children’s festivals.
After studying in Little Flock’s training school, students have a bigger vision to learn and serve. They have gone on to health training or theological colleges. Other organizations and denominations send their grassroots workers for training for the mission field.
Here are some case histories:
Social and spiritual transformation
Transformed from drug addiction through the power of the Holy Spirit while training in Little Flock in 2018-2019, Saikhoram Reang went back to his village Gaurangapara, Tripura. He was filled with vigour to work among the poorest of the poor children deprived of basic food, school, education and parental care.
Little Flock helped him establish a child development centre. Children are taught songs, skits and artwork, both biblical and secular. The school has brought dropouts back into education, now at the high school level.
Since 2020, Saikhoram Reang and his team have been a great blessing to educate, feed and spiritual enlighten 71 children.
From timid man to fearless missionary
When he joined Little Flock in 2014, Bibek Narjinary was extremely timid and introverted. But his life was radically transformed.
Seeing his motivation for mission work, Little Flock sent him to study in a theological college. After the completion of his master’s degree, he committed his life to establish a school for the most underprivileged children in the Nornoso forest village of Karbi Anglong, Assam.
This place has no road, electricity, school, market or church for 400 children and their families. The community is alien to the gospel. “I am ready to die for the sake of the gospel here,” says Bibek Narjinary.
Untouchable spirit of faith and grace
Dimasa tribes in North Cachar Hills, Assam, are vehemently opposed the gospel. Christians, a micro group, are considered “untouchables.”
But Gobilal Ponglo, who was discipled at Little Flock in 2010, returned to his village and has stood rock solid in his faith in spite of persistent persecution from his neighbours. He has been instrumental in forming a couple of house churches and has started a child development centre in the village.
This is not easy place to practice Christian faith, but God has been so good and so gracious to protect them.
A trainer for transformation
Discipled at Little Flock in 2011, Kripa Joy Reang also works as a passionate missionary in the North Cachar Hills. His gift is to establish new mission stations in the remotest pockets of the region.
On one of his mission ventures, he met Samson Reang in Dasta, South Tripura, who was running a tiny nursery school for poverty-stricken refugee children. Kripa Joy Reang discipled him for a bigger work. As a result, Samson Reang has established a Victory English School with a hostel and a chapel.
This school is an agent of social, educational, economical and spiritual transformation where 200 students are studying from nursery to Standard 5.
Beyond the borders
Amrit Kujur, an Adivasi man, discipled in 2010, has been instrumental in assisting the Little Flock missionary in East Nepal. Amrit Kujur has formed house fellowships in Tokla tea gardens.
Growing faith in the forest
Another Adivasi evangelist, Chotelal Oraon and his wife Filmita Oraon continue to work to establish God’s kingdom among the forest villages of North Bengal Since were led to Christ and discipled in 2010, they have established two churches.
In Lothabari village, where they started a fellowship house, there is now a small church building to serve the congregation.
India has witnessed renaissance among the majoritarian religion in the last decade. We have seen a lot of challenges in doing mission work and encountered persecution. So we have a paradigm shift in mission strategies. One-to-one sharing of the gospel and training lay members to carry the mission is crucial. Discipling believers to develop Christ-life character is a necessity. We take an apostolic approach by training native leaders to share the gospel in the remotest places. We believe in being the agent of social, economic and spiritual transformation for eternal purpose.
And we pray continuously.
Through the work of Little Flock, churches are being revived to disciple believers and spread the gospel of Jesus Christ in unreached areas. And the young generation Christians are catching up with the vision.
We thank God for opportunities to spread the good news of Jesus Christ in these regions and countries.
—Reverend Asit Basumata serves as a principal at Little Flock Discipleship School in India. He has a Master of Divinity and has worked as a professor at the Pax Christiana Bible College in Chennai and as a project coordinator for an HIV/AIDS project. He presented about Little Flock Discipleship Schools along with Mr Gyan Mochary, executive of Little Flock and president of Literacy International India, in a GASN webinar, 10 September 2024.