India Ministry Report – Odisha Provinc

2026 India Mission Report

Expanding Our Support Across South Asia

Ministry Overview

Our partnership in India centers around the ministry of Pastor Prem Singh, who serves in the city of Bhubaneswar in the state of Odisha. This province is located in the North Eastern part of India. This region is widely recognized as one of the most heavily persecuted areas for Christians in India. Despite this, Pastor Prem leads a growing and impactful ministry that extends far beyond the city into remote and often unreached regions.

In addition to pastoring a local church, Pastor Prem carries a unique national mandate—travelling throughout Odisha and across India to strengthen pastors, plant churches, and bring the Gospel into areas where access has historically been limited.

 Leadership Background

Pastor Prem, along with his wife and two daughters, faithfully serves in Bhubaneswar. His calling is marked by both pastoral leadership and apostolic outreach into difficult regions.

He shared with me a vision God placed in his heart—to carry the Gospel into the remote mountainous regions of Odisha, many of which are deeply resistant to Christianity. Each time he returns to these areas, he senses a renewed confirmation of God’s hand upon his life and mission.

Pastor Prem has a strong connection to Canada, having attended Bible school at WIBI and lived there for seven years. During that time, he developed a close relationship with Bill Annis, President of Faith Christian Fellowship Canada. Despite coming to Canada and enjoying himself here, he felt the call on his life was to reach his people in Odisha.

This relationship between FCF Canada and Pastor Prem continues to this day. Pastor Prem holds his ministry credentials with FCF Canada, which has consistently supported and strengthened his work over many years. Pastor Bill has also personally traveled to Odisha multiple times to invest in and encourage both Prem and other regional pastors.

 History & Development

Pastor Prem’s ministry has grown into a network of churches and leaders across Odisha and beyond. Through consistent travel, discipleship, and leadership development, he has been instrumental in:

• Planting more than 17 churches 

• Establishing strong relationships with pastors across the province and nation 

• Building a network of spiritual covering and encouragement for leaders in persecuted areas 

His ministry functions both as a local church in Bhubaneswar and as a broader missionary ministry reaching into remote and often hostile environments.

 Mission & Vision

The heart of Pastor Prem’s ministry is to bring the Gospel into unreached and resistant regions while strengthening the Church through leadership development and discipleship.

His mission is marked by:

• Advancing the Gospel into remote areas of India

• Equipping and encouraging pastors 

• Building strong, self-sustaining local churches 

• Creating a network of unity among leaders across India 

This vision reflects a deep commitment not only to evangelism, but to long-term spiritual stability and growth.

 Current Work & Impact

During my visit, I was able to witness firsthand the reach and effectiveness of Pastor Prem’s ministry.

We traveled deep into the Kandhamal region—one of the most heavily persecuted areas in Odisha. This journey involved:

• A 5-hour drive to a base location 

• Followed by an additional 2-hour journey into remote areas 

In Kandhamal, we ministered at an orphanage that houses approximately 60 children. This was especially meaningful, as in 2020 our church in Twillingate helped fund beds for this very orphanage. Seeing those beds in use and meeting the children brought that partnership full circle.

While there, we held a pastors’ meeting attended by 48 pastors, 35 of whom are directly under Pastor Prem’s leadership.

 Ministry Engagement

During the pastors’ gathering, I was invited to teach on:

• Living by faith in God’s provision 

• The biblical principles of giving, tithing, and receiving 

• The connection between generosity and supernatural increase 

The response was powerful. Many pastors openly shared how the teaching challenged them personally—especially in the area of practicing what they preach regarding giving.

We also prayed for the sick. One pastor suffering from kidney pain testified immediately that the pain left his body following prayer.

Beyond the meeting, ministry continued in multiple settings:

• Visiting villages where churches burned in the 2008 massacre but have since been rebuilt.

• Praying for individuals, including a young man who had been paralyzed for 11 years and began to regain strength in his legs and even took physical steps of faith in our presence. 

• Ministering in a rural church during a storm, continuing the service by flashlight after power loss and seeing individuals respond to prayer for healing, including a woman instantly healed of neck pain.

Back in Bhubaneswar, I ministered in:

• A vibrant slum church filled with faith and receptivity 

We conducted a second pastors’ gathering of over 40 leaders, many of whom had fled persecution. In that meeting, I shared the mission and heart of Faith Christian Fellowship Canada and I taught on the centrality of Christ—encouraging pastors that true transformation comes from seeing Jesus clearly and preaching Him faithfully.

I concluded my time preaching on Palm Sunday and again on “Holy Monday” at Pastor Prem’s home church.

 Cultural & Ministry Context

The ministry in Odisha operates within a deeply challenging environment shaped by both religious and legal pressures.

In 2008, the Kandhamal region experienced a violent outbreak in which an estimated 50–100 Christians were killed, churches were burned, and many were persecuted for their faith. The effects of this violence are still felt today.

Christian believers in this region often face:

• Social rejection and discrimination 

• Limited access to education and employment, simply because of their faith

• Ongoing hostility in rural areas 

Additionally, India enforces anti-conversion laws in over 12 states, including Odisha. These laws restrict evangelistic activity and can carry severe penalties, including long-term imprisonment.

Hinduism, as a dominant religious system with many deities, shapes the cultural landscape, and Christianity is often viewed as a foreign or disruptive influence.

Despite this, the Church continues to grow—often quietly, but powerfully.

 Strategic Importance & Opportunity

Pastor Prem’s ministry represents a frontline Gospel presence in one of the most spiritually and socially challenging regions in India.

His work is uniquely strategic because it:

• Reaches remote, unreached communities 

• Strengthens pastors who are under pressure 

• Builds sustainable churches in hostile environments 

• Extends influence across an entire province and beyond 

The combination of local leadership, trusted relationships, and long-term partnership makes this ministry highly effective and worthy of continued investment.

 Partnership Invitation

This trip reinforced the importance of standing alongside leaders like Pastor Prem who are faithfully advancing the Gospel under difficult conditions.

I invite you and your congregation to prayerfully consider partnering with us through ongoing missions support. Your support directly enables:

• Pastor and leadership development 

• Church planting in unreached regions 

• Practical ministry to vulnerable communities 

Together, we can continue to strengthen the Church, expand the reach of the Gospel, and bring lasting hope to some of the most challenging regions of the world. Jesse Knight, Pastor FCF Canada Board of Directors