撰文／印度圣工小组｜圣灵月刊316期-2004.01｜主题／生命教育
第一颗种子
The First Seed
福音由两组不同的人传至印度。第一组被称为真耶稣教团，而第二组则是本会，真耶稣教会。
The Gospel was preached to India by two different groups of people. The first group is known as True Jesus Mission. The second group is that of the True Jesus Church.
真耶稣教团的沿革及进展
History of True Jesus Mission and their Development
Zaccheus S.Ponniah在大约1930年间抵达当时的马来亚‧霹雳区的怡保工作，他原本是一位Church of South India的信徒，在居留马来亚期间，他接受了全备的福音并受洗成为本会的信徒。之后借着神的大能，他行了两件医病的神迹，在1931年7月18日，他被按立为真耶稣教团的执事。1932年借着异象，他把耶稣基督的福音带回在印度南部的Madathupatti,Tirunelveli的家乡，借着神的带领与能力，在方圆300哩（480公里）的范围之内成立了6所教会。
Zacchaeus S.Ponniah had come to Ipoh, the Federal Malay State of Perak, Malaya around 1930 to work. During his period of stay, he accepted the complete gospel and was converted and baptized into our church in Ipoh from another Christian denomination, known as CSI or Church of South India. After conversion, it was reported that through the Lord he had performed two great healings. On 18th July 1931, Zacchaeus Ponniah was ordained a Deacon of the True Jesus Mission in Ipoh. In 1932, through revelation, he brought the Gospel of Jesus Christ back to his native in Madathupatti, Tirunelveli, south of Tamil Nadu state, India. With the guidance of God and the power of the Lord, six churches were established within 300 miles.
当福音在迅速广传时却爆发了第二次世界大战，使得他们与马来亚教会失去联系。这群信徒曾在1950年代尝试与本会在中国上海的总部联系，却因总部已搬迁而未能如愿。当中印边界的争执渐趋紧张，双边的关系变得僵持不下。因此，要联系在中国的教会成为不可能的事，虽然如此，他们仍然持守住原本的信仰而且未和其他教派联系，在这段期间，他们是自治及自养的。
As the gospel spreads, came World War II. After the War, contact were lost and severed with Malaya. Attempts were made later by this group of believers to contact "The True Jesus Mission General Board" in Shanghai, China in the 1950s but they were not successful due to the fact that then the "Board" was no longer situated in Shanghai. As the "Border Conflicts" between China and India escalated, Diplomatic ties between the two countries was severed. Further attempts to contact with the churches in China were made impossible. Despite this, they had kept to themselves and had no contact with other Christian denomination. They were self-administered and self-finance.
尔后信徒流散到四方，如Tamil Nadu及柯啦喇（Kerala），并在那里落叶生根、传扬福音，教会在多个座落山丘上的茶园地带被创建（尤其是柯啦喇）。但缺乏真理的根基，所传的教义在长久的岁月中逐渐变质，他们随即成为迷羊。
Members were later scattered to other parts of Tamil Nadu and Kerala states. They brought the gospel to these new places that they settled in and churches were established in various tea plantation estates located on the hills（especially in Kerala）where they worked and lived. However due to non-contact with us, and their weak foundation in the Truth, some of their teachings changed over the years. They became the lost sheep.
在1996年末，一位住在巴玛附近的真耶稣教团的信徒发现了在巴玛的真耶稣教会，心生好奇，他即到本会询问，借着主耶稣的带领，和我们失去联系达60年之久的真耶稣教团终于在1997年再度与我们相逢。
Near the end of 1996, a member from the True Jesus Mission who stayed near Pammal came across the True Jesus Church in Pammal. Through curiosity he came and enquire about the church. Through this, through the guidance of the Lord, the True Jesus Mission whose contact with us was severed for about 60 years was resumed in the year 1997.
在这7年当中，印度宣教部（IMC）和联总的世界宣教部都积极与他们联系，并在真理上循循善诱，也看到一些进展──他们终于能明白“真耶稣教会”这个名字的意义及所含的真理，因此决定把名字由“真耶稣教团”改为“真耶稣教会”（我们称他们为真耶稣教会在柯啦喇以及南印度的信徒），同时他们也表明愿意归回本会。然而，这必须依据主耶稣基督向本会所显明的真理，及各人对真理的接受与实践来衡量。
In these seven years, India Mission Committee（IMC）and I.A. Department of World Mission（IADWM）have been keeping close contact with them and putting in much effort in guiding them the truth. Some progress was made: they understand the significance and truth in the name "True Jesus Church." From the "True Jesus Mission," they have changed their name to "True Jesus Church" （to differentiate this group from the other, they are known as the True Jesus Church in Kerala and South Tamil Nadu）. They have also expressed interest in returning to the fold. However, the returning to the fold is a personal decision of each individual in the group and it is based upon the acceptance and practice of the Truth as revealed by our Lord Jesus Christ to the True Jesus Church.
真耶稣教会的沿革及进展
History of True Jesus Church and their Development
与上述相同，第一位信徒也是在马来西亚接受福音的。这位名为雅各的印度籍弟兄（他原是其他教会的牧师），当时被双溪大年教会在家庭聚会中所传出来美妙的诗颂声音吸引，随即开始到怡保教会慕道，并于本会接受洗礼。1969年，他把福音的种子带回印度。同年，几位马来西亚的执事前往印度协助传扬福音，并在巴玛以及安巴都成立教会。1977年，福音又传至柯啦喇州并在那里成立教会。福音也传至其他州如Karnataka及Andhra Pradesh。
Similar to the first group, the first believer from this group also received the gospel in Malaysia. In this case, an Indian man by the name of James（pastor of another Christian denomination） was attracted by the beautiful hymns sung by our church in one of the Home Services in Sungai Petani. He went to Ipoh and started to search for the truth and he was eventually baptized in the True Jesus Church. Thereafter, he brought the gospel back to India in 1969. The Gospel was preached there that year together with a few Deacons from Malaysia. Churches were established in Pammal and Ambatur. The gospel was then preached to Kerala State in 1977 and churches were established. The gospel was later preached to Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh States.
在联总以及东南亚宣道中心（SEAEC）的协助之下，早期的印度圣工人员在多处设立了聚会所。这些教会目前由三个行政中心管理，即帕玛（Pammal），安巴杜尔（Ambathur）及柯啦喇。联系处起先设在安巴杜尔，最后迁移至帕玛。
In the initial few years, the Indian workers set up many places of worship with the support of the International Assembly（IA） and the South-East Asia Evangelical Center（SEAEC）. The churches were administered from three Centers: Pammal, Ambatur and Kerala. The Coordination Board was also established first in Ambatur and then in Pammal.
1994年，印度的圣工被交给印度宣教小组负责。从1997年至1999年，我们每年都派一位传道在印度驻牧长达5个月，以协助牧养以及宣教工作。印度的神学训练中心在1999年竣工并于同年举行献堂礼。时至今日，我们仍然持续不断的训练工人、圣职人员、青年以及宗教教育，印度联系处则在2001年被重组。
In 1994, the work in India was passed on to India Mission Committee（IMC）. Beginning from 1997 till 1999 resident preacher was stationed to stay for five consecutive months in India to establish the pastoral and evangelical work. India Theological Training Center（ITTC） building was constructed and dedicated in 1999. Trainings for Preachers, Ministers, Youths, and Religious Education Children are on going. India Coordination Board was restructured in 2001.
至今，印度共有6间教会、2两间祈祷所以及5处聚会据点，信徒人数大约有800位。同时有8位执事、3位传道和4位实习传道。在Tamil Nadu的圣工进展顺利，但在Karnataka以及Andhra Pradesh的圣工进展缓慢，柯啦喇教会的圣工则停滞不前，因他们隶属阿曷玛士（Ahimas），而阿曷玛士已因某些因素被本会除名。
At present there are six Churches; two Prayer Houses; and five Places of Worship in India. Membership stands at about eight hundred. There are eight Deacons; three Preachers; and four Trainee Preachers. Work in Tamil Nadu is advancing. Work in Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh is slow. The work in Kerala is at a standstill due to the church non-attachment to us and their attachment to Ahimas, which was excommunicated from the church.
目前印度联系处借着联总宣教部和印度宣教小组之援助下，将继续带动印度的圣工以竭力达到“自治、自传和自养的目标”。
Today,India Coordination Board（ICB）with assistance from IADWM and IMC will continue to prosper the work there. They will work towards a church that is "Self Administer,Self Propagate and Self Finance."