Four Good Shepherd Community Church (GSCC) congregations in North India began 2009 with rejoicing as they completed construction on new church buildings, largely funded from their own offerings. Church members are thrilled to have permanent places of worship.

These congregations started as small fellowship groups that gathered in homes. As numbers grew, the believers faced space and location inconveniences, but suitable rental properties were not available. So church members collected building funds and recently the following groups opened the doors to brand new worship centers.

Bihar

Three GSCC church buildings were dedicated in the state of Bihar in North India. The church buildings are small structures built using bricks and mud for the walls and temporary sheeting for the roofs. There is no paint on the walls and a simple table serves as the altar inside each building. Still, the thirst and passion for God is palpable among the church members.

Uttar Pradesh

In the state of Uttar Pradesh, a small but freshly-painted building stands as the GSCC church. Pastor Ram works with GSCC members who thirst for God's Word. Many churchgoers live in two local slums, surviving on a meager daily income in overcrowded slums with poor hygiene. To come together and worship God as a congregation is encouraging for these believers. Pastor Ram says, “Until the building became a reality, the work remained fractured, lacking coherence, as there was no adequate place for everyone to meet. Now all of us meet together in the church.”