Bishop Rt. Reverend Dr. John Philipose

John’s vision of making an impact on the people of India never wavered. His favorite verse being Isaiah 6:8 “Also I heard the voice of the Lord saying, Whom shall I send, and who will go for us? Then said I, Here am I; send me.” 

The impact of just one.  Just one rock thrown into a pond creates ripples that extend ever outward. Just one sack lunch in the hands of Jesus fed 5,000 people. And just one life in the hands of God touched thousands of people on the other side of the world. That one life was John Philipose.  

A native of India, John traveled to Oklahoma to attend Midwest Christian College in the late 1970’s. While at Midwest, he learned firsthand about local church ministries, serving at Antioch Christian Church in Oklahoma City and was ordained there in 1977.  But his passion was to return home someday, and lead the people of his home country to the hope found in Christ. 

In those early days at Midwest, God planted a dream in John’s heart.  There are over 1 billion people in the nation of India and only 2% are Christians. John dreamed of establishing a Bible College in his home country that would train more men and women for Christian service.  If just one Kingdom worker can make a difference, he reasoned, just think about the difference hundreds or thousands of Kingdom workers could make.  So, while John was a student at MCC, God began to orchestrate events to make that happen.  In 1979 John was able to secure the purchase of land back in India for the college. And after graduating in 1982, he returned home to India to begin construction on India Christian Bible College.  Just 2 years later in 1984, the first classes were held.   

John continued his schooling, eventually earning a masters and a doctorate in ministry as he prepared to prepare others.  Finally, in 1987, India Christian Bible College was able to graduate its first class. And in the years since, the college has sent out 34 more graduating classes, with over 3,000 graduates.  Those 3,000 plus alumni have gone back into their communities to serve as evangelists and pastors. The Bible college teaches missions so many of the college’s graduates have gone to other countries, including nearby Burma and Nepal to share the gospel.  Just think, if each of those 3,000 graduates influences a thousand people in their lifetime for Christ, that’s 3 million lives touched.  Like ripples from a rock thrown into a pond, John Philipose has touched lives, that touched more lives, that touched more lives.  Ripples, going outward.   

John spent nearly a decade building the college and once it was up and running, while he continued to serve as its president, he turned his attention to his next ministry endeavor - planting churches.  In 1992, he started the Christian Church Ministries in Kerala, India.  And since 1992, that ministry has planted 74 churches.  And over the last 30 years, thousands of lives in those churches have experienced the love of Christ.  The ripples kept growing larger.   

In recent years, John and his wife Annie had turned their attention to even more ministry endeavors. They were involved with tribal ministries for the children of the forest in Karnataka.  They’ve sponsored a nursing home for deserted widows.  Provided funds to purchase medicine for destitute patients in the hospital. And they’ve worked with the meals program to provide food and medicine for gravely ill patients in hospice care. Even going so far as to purchase a cemetery in which to bury those who had been abandoned by their families after accepting Christ and becoming a Christian. 

When John started his ministry, he did not have a single soul – he was starting from scratch.  Now, what brought John great joy was knowing that he had developed leaders who will continue even after his time.   

John Philipose.  You have been a student of the bible, a teacher of the bible, a preacher of the bible, and a teacher of preachers of the bible.  But most of all, you’ve been a servant of the God of the Bible. And by placing your life in God’s hands, just like a sack lunch of 5 loaves and 2 fish, your ministry has been multiplied beyond what you could have ever asked or imagined.  And the ripples will just keep going.   

You are missed by so many., But you have fought a good fight, you have finished your course.  Henceforth there is laid up for you a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give you at that day: and not to you only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.

Well done, good and faithful servant. Well done!