On May 17, 2006, Good News Productions, International dedicated a third regional center in India. The celebration brought approximately 150 people from four countries and seven major language groups, including Hindi, Telegu, Tamil, Cannara, and Malayalam. At least five well-known Indian Christians involved in composing and recording music for the Tamil movie industry were there. GNPI’s Executive Director, Rich Sheeley, and Continental Director for India, David Lall, were in attendance for this celebration. “I really believe that this will be the busiest of all our studios in India,” David shared. This was more than just a ceremonial day; three songs had already been recorded by the time the crowd began to leave at the end of the day!
The Church of South India (an umbrella organization over 37 different Christian groups in that area) provided the building where the studio is located. Many of the Christian leaders from these groups attended and are eager for this regional center to begin production. Although equipped for very basic video production, the Chennai regional center will initially be an audio production studio.
Southern India is home to the Yanadi people group. This group has approximately 600,000 people and until recently was unreached with the Gospel. Bennie Vedannyangam, founder of the Christian Mission of South India, has been working with a team of 26 preachers to reach these people. So far, they have planted 36 churches among the Yanadi. Bennie said he plans to bring teams of Yanadi people who have become Christians to the studio to record their music. He said, “. . . without any doubt these recordings will speed up the evangelism process. It will be the first time their unique style of music has been recorded.” They will include scripture and, in accordance with their cultural style of storytelling, share short messages based on Bible stories.
E. K. Durairaj was among the evangelists from South India who attended the dedication. He and a team of preachers have planted 55 Tamil-speaking churches. He plans to utilize the new studio by bringing choirs from these churches and recording them, interspersed with preaching. This summer 3,000 children are expected to attend VBS in that region, the majority coming from Hindu families. E. K. would like to give the children copies of the choir/preaching CD to take home to their parents. He said, “The studio will help proclaim the Gospel and bring people to Christ. It will be a very effective instrument to get the Gospel inside homes we cannot otherwise get into!”
There is no doubt that God has a plan for this regional center. Please pray for Good News Productions, International as we follow God’s leading, to expand and plant new centers.