Meet Jitendra Nayak from INDIA
by Jitendra Nayak
Jitendra with many believers in a village after a vision-casting meeting on Discipleship
Jitendra and Sanju with Joylyn and Jenny
I am Jitendra Nayak from Battingia, Mallikapodi, G. Udayagiri, Kandhamal, Odisha, India (yes, that’s a long name for the place I live!). Even though I was born and raised in a “Christian” family, I never set foot inside a church while growing up, because my parents didn’t go to church. They participated in Christian festivities but did not hold to tenets of the Christian faith. This engendered a profound sense of desolation and an aching loneliness within my heart. I sensed an intangible void within me. However, emptiness began to change when I encountered individuals from a neighboring village. They engaged with me in conversation and graciously presented me with a New Testament in my native language.
Over the days that followed, my conversations and camaraderie with my new friends deepened significantly. They even inquired whether I would be interested in attending evening prayer meetings, which I did regularly. Subsequently, my friends proposed the idea of my studying the Bible at a Bible School.
In 2003, during my ministry, I had the privilege of meeting Sanju, my future wife. We are now graced with two lovely daughters: Joylyn (20) & Jenny (14).
Ministry among members of a tribal community in Odisha
Upon commencing my studies at Bible School, I found myself amidst a week devoted to fasting, prayer, and spiritual introspection. From the outset, pastors delivered impactful sermons rooted in Romans 5:8 and Ephesians 2:4, fervently encouraging attendees to surrender their lives to Jesus. I was convicted of Christ's atoning sacrifice for my sins and sincerely confessed my wrongdoings, inviting Jesus into my heart. Consequently, my life was transformed, and I experienced and a tremendous sense of joy and serenity.
Later, I discerned God’s call to vocational ministry and to become His devoted disciple of Christ and catalyst for discipleship. Soon thereafter I enrolled in seminary, where I earned a Bachelor of Theology degree and Master of Divinity degree. After my studies I embarked on a journey of church planting.
In memory of a martyrs from Odisha
Needs are great - spiritual and physical
In 2021 I discerned God’s call that compelled me to serve my community, specifically the Odia-speaking population in the eastern part of India. By the grace of God, I have been fortunate to establish four churches there within a remarkably short span of time.
Disciple-making has been a paramount pursuit in my Christian life, and through divine providence I had the privilege of encountering an extraordinary individual named Bart Physioc. My personal journey in discipleship underwent a profound transformation after meeting Bart. He became my mentor, taking me through the Step-by-Step Discipleship Process. After finishing my initial training I continued on to complete requirements necessary for ministry as an Associate with Disciplers International. I am now taking 14 Disciples through the Step-by-Step Process. This experience is taking my spiritual journey and my service to the Lord to unprecedented heights. With the invaluable support of Pastor Bart and Disciplers International, the Step-by-Step Guide has been translated into my native tongue—Odia. I am now confident that I will advance at an accelerated pace in my disciple-making endeavors like never before.
Group discussion with men about theStep-by-Step Discipleship Training Process
India boasts a staggering population of 1.4 billion yet, lamentably, only 2.3% believe in the true God revealed in the person of Jesus Christ. Most of the 28 million Christians are fervent devotees of Christ but, regrettably, they have not been properly discipled. This lack of spiritual formation may contribute to the very low percentage of Christians, despite nearly two millennia of a Christian presence in India. May God raise up a multitude of disciple-makers who are dedicated to igniting the gospel in every crevice and corner of India where the message of Christ has yet to take root.
Our discipleship training teams are learning how to dig into God’s word, experience new life in Christ, and serve others according to the example of Jesus – a ministry that was pure, simple, and life-changing. We are goal-oriented individuals committed to bringing to others the good news of Jesus' finished work on the cross and honoring the Lord in all we do. Jesus declared Himself to be “the Way, the Truth, and the Life” (John 14:6). By joining ourselves to Jesus through God’s grace and our faith, we are learning to walk in ways that are more and more pleasing to God step-by-step and day-by-day.
