How the great work in India Began

It was the beginning of the end of the 1963 and there appeared a series of advertisements in the classified columns of The Hindu, an English language daily that came out of Madras city. This newspaper was and still is being widely read in India. The ads were about a Basic Bible Course which one could take in the comfort of his or her own home.

Bro. Joshua Gootam picked up that ad and began to take the course from J.C. Bailey, a missionary of the Lord’s church who had just come to India from Canada. He was living with his parents in Ganti village at that time. It was a remote village. Brother Bailey soon sent him the first two lessons of the Basic Bible Course. They were more or less an introduction to the Bible and some of the facts therein that he knew already. But it was the next set of the lessons that got his attention and interest. They were entitled “The Three Dispensations of God’s Will to Man” and “Christians Are Not Governed by the Old Testament”. He had gone through a Scottish missionary boarding school and devoutly attended the Brethren Church all through the High School and had come to the conclusion that one could never understand the Bible. To him, if the Old Testament said one thing, there appeared to be an exact opposite in the New Testament. That was so until he read the Bible alongside Ira Rice’s Basic Bible Course

The lessons on the three dispensations and Christians not being under the Old Law kind of made the pieces in the jigsaw puzzle fall into the place. Suddenly he realized that this was the absolute truth. His excitement knew no bounds. He wanted this truth to be made known to all people in his home state of Andhra Pradesh in south India.

At that time, there were 60 million people in the state of Andhra Pradesh who spoke telugu. He wrote to this man, J.C. Bailey, in Madras, to send him the 27 lessons in the course all at once. He offered to translate that course into telugu free of cost for him and he could do whatever he wanted with the telugu manuscript. Brother J.C. Bailey sent him a telegram which said, “Come here, I need you”. And to make sure that he goes to him, he has sent Rs 20 by money order. The train ticket from his home to Madras was only Rs 17 and he figured he would still be left with Rs 3 more. Hence he went to Madras.

Knocking on the door of 19 Annex, Aspiran Garden, Madras – 10 early one morning to his dismay and pleasant surprise, one giant of a man-a white man – opened the door for him, put on his hand towards him and said, “I am J.C. Bailey”. Bro. Bailey was 59 and Bro. Joshua was 19. But he took me in, made me eat with him at the same table and sleep on a bed. The Baileys brought their air mattresses at that time from Canada. Try as might, he couldn’t sleep on those things. They were too soft and bumpy for him. He finally told him to get him a mat so that he could sleep on the floor.

But every day and night they both discussed and argued the Bible they knew. Bro. Joshua wanted to prove him wrong. But every one of his questions, he would get a reply asking him to open the Bible and read what it says. Bro. Bailey let the Bible answer all of his questions positively and firmly, so much so that he realized it was futile to argue against the truth.

On the third day of meeting Bro. Bailey, he told him, “Here I am, take me and baptize me for the remission of my sins.” So, on the 9th February 1964, early in the morning Bro. Joshua Gootam was born into the Lord’s family in the waters of Bay of Bengal. Thus the first member of the Lord’s Church from the state of Andhra Pradesh was ushered into the kingdom of Our Lord. Now almost 50 years later there are more that 5 million members of the Lord’s church in India and about seven to eight thousand congregations throughout this land. The church is the most strongest in Andhra Pradesh with the most members and congregations. The Lord’s church has its representation in almost every state of India. Isn’t it wonderful that such glorious work was started because of the curiosity of a young man was aroused and his quench for truth was satiated by Basic Bible Course which was well written by Bro. Ira Rice!

How Bro. Bailey Came to India

Bro. Ira Rice Jr., was on his way to Afghanistan in 1962 to meet with George Gurganus and Dale Larsen, then President of the York College, to figure out how to get the gospel into that benighted land. He developed influenza flying over the Bay of Bengal and had to stop at Calcutta, too sick to continue. On the ram-shackled bus into town, he overheard a conversation between two Canadian missionary sisters, one of whom had been naturalized as an American Citizen.

“I just can’t stand this old Indian Government!” that one had said – explaining to her sister that she applied for a missionary visa and they had given her only a tourist visa requiring her to leave in 30 days. “That’s what you get for becoming an American.” Her sister replied; “I came in on my Canadian Passport and I can stay as long as I want to.” It was this that he learnt that the way for the gospel to get into India was through Canada, not the USA. As soon as he was well enough, he wrote to his best preacher-friend in Canada, Bro. J.C. Bailey, asking him to check on it.

He wrote back that he didn’t believe a word of it but would check back. About 90 days later Bro. Bailey wrote again, saying it was a fact – that he had just received word from the Indian High Commission in Ottawa that Canadians could indeed go to India on their Canadian passport and stay as long as they wanted to. Hence he wrote to Ira saying,” I am looking for a man” to which Bro. Ira replied, “You are that man”. Bro. Bailey protested saying, “I am not the man. I am 58 years old and have been preaching 40 years in Canada. You need a younger man”. Bro. Rice replied, “Life begins at 58. You have had the most glorious career of any preacher in Canada; however, if you will go to India, you will win more souls to Christ within the next five years than all in those 40 years in Canada combined.”

Bro. Bailey’s India work did not begin in Madras, but in Maulai Phudmawri, Shillong, in the state of Assam. After working there for some months, however he decided another part of the country might be more productive; so he moved down the east coast all the way to Madras, in the southern part of India.

Bro. Bailey’s work in India

Bro. Bailey came to India about 20 times during 1965 to 1988. He taught many lost souls, went to remote villages of Andhra Pradesh, conducted gospels meetings and baptized 100’s of souls for the Lord’s church. He became sick many a times travelling and living in those remote places but he didn’t cease spreading the Gospel. He ate what was fed to him and drank want was given to him. But he spread the gospel and preached to everyone that heard him speak.

Bro. J.C. Bailey & Sis. Mrytle Bailey and Bro. Joshua Gootam

Bro. Bailey Preaching and Bro. Joshua Gootam translating into Telugu in 1978

Ministerial work of Joshua Gootam in Early Days

From Nov 1964 to Dec 1974, Bro. Joshua Gootam worked in Bombay City for ten long years and started the Lord’s church there. Between 1965 and 1974, he ran the Basic Bible Course in Bombay and was able to bring 1000’s of men and women to the Lord and his church. The church in Singapore was gracious to send these lessons in bulk in Bombay.

Bro. Joshua Gootam Preaching in a Congregation in Bombay

Radio Programmes

Bro. J.C. Choate had the idea years ago of preaching and teaching the gospel by Radio. He had invited Bro. Joshua Gootam to tape-record literally hundreds of 15-minute sermons in Telugu language and that others had been invited to do the same in four or five additional languages.

The Indian government being dominated by Hindus, India would not allow these sermons to be broadcasted from Indian soil. Therefore, Bro. Choate had crossed over to Ceylon and had bought short-wave, radio time there to broadcast the programs back across the Bay of Bengal and the Cormandel Coast into India. Therefore, now for many years, these broadcasts have been heard all over India – more especially in the Telugu.

Bro. J.C. Choate with Bro. Joshua Gootam recording radio lessons in New Delhi, 1977

Bro. Joshua Gootam tape-recording radio lessons

Bro. Joshua Gootam tape-recording radio lessons

Bro. J.C. Choate with tape-recording lessons

Preaching and Teaching

Bro. Joshua Gootam worked with many missionaries that came to Kakinada to spread the gospel. In the early days of the ministry, Bro. J.C. Bailey had a helper in the form of Bro. Charles F. Scott. He visited Kakinada and conducted gospel meetings and taught to many the word of truth.

Bro. Charles F. Scott preaching and Bro. Joshua Gootam translating into Telugu.

Bro. Joshua Gootam, Bro. J.C. Bailey and Bro. Charles F. Scott

Bro. Joshua Gootam, Bro. J.C. Bailey and Bro. Charles F. Scott singing

First Church building constructed

Bro. Joshua Gootam was very instrumental in bringing his father Bro. Apparao Gootam into the true gospel of Christ, the Church of Christ. He also was able to convert him to being a true Christian. Bro. Apparao Gootam was also excited about the gospel to spread among the many lost souls. He would also go to villages and preach and teach the Gospel. His ministry covered the area near Ganti, a remote village in Andhra Pradesh. He had already retired working as a school teacher and had many helpers to help him achieve the tasks. He always cherished the joy of spreading the gospel in the way of tracts and literature.

Bro. Apparao Gootam distributed tracts to Hindus who came to observe a festival that occurs once in 12 years in 1979.

Bro. J.C. Bailey and Bro. Joshua Gootam decided that it was time that a church building to be constructed for the Christians in the Ganti area. Hence they were able to purchase a land in that area and construct the first concrete building for the Churches of Christ. The building was dedicated for His service in the year 1975.

Bro. Apparao Gootam at the doorsteps of Ganti Church of Christ

Subsequently in 1985 the old building was demolished and a new one was constructed next to it. The local congregation meets there.

Gospel meetings in late 80’s and early 90’s

Another pioneer preacher from Fort Worth, Texas Bro. Perry B. Cotham worked with Bro. Joshua Gootam very closely and conducted gospel meetings for a week every year in the late 1980’s to early 90’s. Bro. Perry B. Cotham taught, preached, and converted many lost souls. He also was instrumental in publishing many of his tracts into Telugu and providing them for free among the lost souls. Bro. Perry also visited many a churches to spread the gospel.

Bro. Perry B. Cotham preaching and Bro. Joshua Gootam translating

Bro. Perry B. Cotham and Bro. Joshua Gootam visit to Bagbazar Church of Christ in Nepal

Satyavani Church of Christ church building constructed

By 1988, the Church of Christ in Andhra Pradesh has grown to be of 25 years. Bro. Joshua Gootam was preaching for over 25 years and Satyavani ministries of Radio programmes, Bible Correspondence Courses had been in circulation for already 20+ years. There was a great need to have building that will be totally dedicated to evangelistic works of Joshua Gootam through the churches of Christ. In 1988, Bro. J.C. Bailey raised funds to buy a piece of land in the heart of Kakinada near the Town Railway station and dedicate to the evangelist work of the Lord. Foundation was laid by him in the year 1989.

Foundation stone laid by Bro. J.C. Bailey for Satyavani

The building was dedicated by him one year later in the year 1990.

Stone dedicating the church hall by J.B. Trotter in Dec, 1990.

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