K. P. Yohannan

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Moran Mor

Athanasius Yohan
Metropolitan of the Believers Eastern Church
Native name
Yohannan Kadippiaril Punnose
ChurchBelievers Eastern Church
Predecessorposition established
Successorvacant
Orders
RankMetropolitan
Personal details
Born(1950-03-08)8 March 1950
Kerala, India
Died8 May 2024(2024-05-08) (aged 74)
Dallas, Texas, U.S.
NationalityIndian
DenominationBelievers Eastern Church
SpouseGisela Punnose
ChildrenDaniel
Sarah
OccupationMetropolitan Bishop of Believers Eastern Church
Alma materCriswell College

Athanasius Yohan (born K.P. Yohannan, 8 March 1950 – 8 May 2024)[1][2] was the founder and president of GFA World formerly known as Gospel for Asia,[3] a large non-profit missions organisation with a focus on India and Asia. He was also the founding Metropolitan Bishop of Believers Eastern Church[4][5] (formerly Believers Church) with the religious title and name of Moran Mor Athanasius Yohan I.[6] Yohannan authored over 200 books on Christian living and missions.[7]

Biography[edit]

Early life and education[edit]

K.P. Yohannan[1] was born in 1950 and raised in a St. Thomas Syrian Christian (Mar Thoma Syrian Church) family in Kerala, India. At age eight he became a follower of Jesus. He was 16 when he joined the Operation Mobilization (OM), an evangelical missions movement, and served them for eight years in the Indian subcontinent.[8] He continued to have close working relationship and friendship with the late George Verwer, OM's founder. Through an invitation from W.A. Criswell, Yohannan moved to the United States in 1974 for theological studies at Criswell College (at the time Criswell Bible Institute) in Dallas, Texas.[9][10][11] He graduated with a B.A. in Biblical Studies, becoming the school’s first international student to graduate. Eventually he also was conferred an honorary degree of divinity by Hindustan Bible Institute and College in Madras, India.[8] Though his degree was honorary, he often used the title of "doctor" when in the United States.

KP Yohannan with former Prime Minister of Nepal, Madvah Kumar Nepal

Ministry[edit]

Six months into his undergraduate degree, Yohannan[12] became an ordained clergyman and served in the clergy of a Native American Southern Baptist church for four years near Dallas, Texas. In 1979, Yohannan and his wife Gisela started an organisation known today as Gospel for Asia, based in Carrollton, Texas until 2014, when it moved to Wills Point, Texas. In the first year, they helped provide financial support and training to 24 missionaries.[13][11] In 1979, Yohannan resigned from his church to devote attention to full-time mission work. In 1981, he started a chapter of Gospel for Asia (GFA) in Kerala, India, and in 1983 created an Indian headquarters in Tiruvalla.[9] GFA supports over 50 Bible colleges in various countries.[9][14]

Family[edit]

Yohannan was married to Gisela,[15] who served with him in Operation Mobilization. They met in 1973.[9] In 1974, they were married in Germany, Gisela’s birth country. They have two children, Daniel and Sarah.

Name change[edit]

In August 2018, Believers Eastern Church announced that bishops and leaders in the church would take up "ecclesiastical" names in church duties, and Yohannan henceforth would be known as Moran Mor Athanasius Yohan Metropolitan with respect to church duties.[16][17] Across the Western world, he continued to go by K. P. Yohannan as an author, speaker and missionary statesman.

Believers Eastern Church[edit]

Believers Eastern Church is self-described as "evangelical in nature and outlook, oriental in worship, democratic in function, and orthodox in governance and character" and has congregations and parishes worldwide. The church has an episcopal governance. Believers Eastern Church adheres to the biblical faith taught in the historic tenets of the Apostles Creed, the Nicene Creed, and the unbroken line of the “one, holy, catholic and apostolic Church.” [18] The church holds Christ as the head of the Church (Col 1:18); accordingly it is governed by a committee of Bishops, the Synod, with one central Bishop holding the honorary title of "first among equals". Believers Eastern Church is administratively based in the state of Kerala in southwestern India. In 2015, the church reported it re-organized into 33 dioceses, decreasing from the 36 dioceses reported by Smith in 2009. According to Believers Eastern Church, its membership includes over 3.5 million people in 10 countries speaking a hundred languages. The Church currently has 30 Bishops, and the current Metropolitan Bishop is Athanasius Yohan I.[16]

Print and radio[edit]

Yohannan was the author of 39 books published in the US and over 200 books published in India.[8][19] His books include Revolution In World Missions.[20]

Yohannan's radio broadcast "Road to Reality" was heard on over 900 radio stations in the US, Canada, UK, and Australia.[8] He has also been heard on the Athmeeya Yathra (Spiritual Journey) daily broadcast for the past 25 years. This is broadcast in 14 nations in 113 Asian languages. Athmeeya Yathra now includes a television station and print media.[10][21]

Gospel for Asia[edit]

Gospel for Asia is among the world's largest missionary organisations, adhering to Yohannan's belief in the efficiency and efficacy of “national missionaries”, or missionaries that are native to the nation or culture they serve. The organisation’s primary mission fields include those that live in the “10/40 Window”, referring to the longitudinal coordinates of areas in west Africa, India and east Asia.[9]

K.P. Yohannan visiting slum in India

Yohannan credited his early work in his native India as inspiration for his focus on the poor and underserved in this region. He states:

“In my head I knew all the answers, and Bible became the tool of the trade for me that I would use to teach and preach and I was doing very well. People liked my sermons, but finally I said to myself, ‘I’m not the same person I was when the Lord called me to serve Him. I’m not the same person that I was that walked on the streets of North India weeping over the lost and perishing millions and stayed up all night praying and weeping over a world map. The Lord was gracious enough to talk to us very lovingly, and I realized that he wanted me to go back to America and speak to the ‘Body of Christ’ about the possibility of seeing countries like India, Burma and Bhutan, turn to Christ if only they would become unselfish in praying and helping these brothers by becoming senders.”[11]

From its inception, Gospel for Asia has held to Yohannan's conviction about operating national missionaries. The ministry discourages direct missions from outside countries or people-groups, instead training and equipping missionaries from within distinct cultures. To accomplish this, Gospel for Asia claims to have over 56 Bible schools in 10 countries, training over 9,000 ministers. In all, Gospel for Asia claims to have trained over 16,000 national missionaries.[22][11]

In addition to training national missionaries, Gospel for Asia includes other ministries such as Child Sponsorship (formerly Bridge of Hope), Jesus Wells (clean water wells), Bible translation, radio and television broadcasts, disaster relief and refugee camp aid.[23][24][25]

Death[edit]

On 7 May 2024, Yohannan was hit by a vehicle while on a morning walk in Wills Point. He died the following day from cardiac arrest.[26][2][27]

Controversies[edit]

Income tax raid[edit]

In November 2020, the India Income Tax Department raided the residence and offices of KP Yohannan, seizing Rs 57 Lakh (5,700,000 Indian Rupees, about $78,147 US) from a car boot.[28][29] The Ministry of Home Affairs had barred the Believers Church and three other associated N.G.O.s from accepting foreign funds. It was claimed in 2008 that the church received over Rs 1,000 crore (10,000,000,000 Indian Rupees, about $137,100,000 US) in foreign funds over an 18-year span.[30]

Court rulings in India[edit]

The operations of Gospel for Asia and Believers Church were scrutinised after Believers Church purchased a 2,268-acre (9.18 km2) rubber estate in Kerala, India.[31][32] Opponents claimed the church had diverted foreign funds to amass land for itself and for uses other than declared purposes.[33] It was further alleged that the rubber estate, which Believers Church purchased from Harrison's Malayalam, Ltd., was on government leasehold and therefore not saleable.[34] Hence, Believers Church was accused of illegally holding government land. At a later time, Harrison's Malayalam was accused of forging their land title, leading to continued debate about the legality of the sale.[35]

Former Ernakulam District Collector M.G. Rajamanickam, who was appointed as Government Special Officer to confiscate illegal and excess estate lands under the custody of various companies, had issued an order in May 2015, confiscating the 2,268 acre of land from Believers’ Church." However, the ruling has been appealed and now is further complicated by the local government's desire to build an airport on this estate, as reported by local news outfits.[36] However, it also was reported that "The government does not need permission from K P Yohannan to set up airport in the Cheruvally estate, BJP national executive member V Muraleedharan said."[37]

Yohannan says that the claims were politically motivated and that the workings of Gospel for Asia and Believers Church are transparent.[38] Further, the rubber estate is an investment to help fund social services among underdeveloped communities[32][39] and not a personal land grab as opponents have claimed.

The controversies about the estate purchase have been cleared by the Kerala, India, High Court. The findings by Rajamanickam in his report were completely rejected by the court. The court came down heavily on the government and the officer for playing "robin hood" [40] with the owners of the estate. A long standing controversy for Believers Church comes to an end with a clean verdict from the high court of Kerala.[41][42]

U.S. Federal lawsuits[edit]

In 2017, there were two RICO anti-fraud lawsuits active against Gospel for Asia[43], naming Yohannan and other Gospel for Asia leaders as defendants.[44] One of these lawsuits went to arbitration and the other was settled after three years in which both parties agreed that “all donations designated for use in the field were ultimately sent to the field.”[45] Gospel for Asia denies any wrongdoing.[46]

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b "Home". kpyohannan.org. Archived from the original on 9 January 2019. Retrieved 28 December 2018.
  2. ^ a b "Believers Church Metropolitan KP Yohannan passes away". Retrieved 8 May 2024.
  3. ^ Wooding, Dan. "Gospel for Asia's K.P. Yohannan a Quiet Revolutionary". Crosswalk.com. Archived from the original on 14 March 2012. Retrieved 17 January 2012.
  4. ^ "An archbishop's spiritual factory – Indian Express". archive.indianexpress.com. Archived from the original on 10 November 2016. Retrieved 14 November 2020.
  5. ^ "KP Yohannan, Metropolitan of Believers Church". www.believerschurch.com. Archived from the original on 26 April 2018. Retrieved 25 April 2018.
  6. ^ "Moran Mor Athanasius Yohan I Metropolitan". Archived from the original on 15 June 2023. Retrieved 21 June 2023.
  7. ^ Eternity, Living in the Light of. "About Dr. KP Yohannan Metropolitan". Living in the Light of Eternity. Archived from the original on 6 November 2019. Retrieved 6 November 2019.
  8. ^ a b c d "About K.P. Yohannan". Gospel for Asia. Archived from the original on 22 January 2011. Retrieved 6 April 2011., Gospel for Asia
  9. ^ a b c d e Bergunder, Michael (2008). The South Indian Pentecostal Movement in the Twentieth Century. Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing. ISBN 978-0-8028-2734-0.
  10. ^ a b New Release Today, A Division of NRT Media Inc. “K.P. Yohannan Author Profile and Bibliography.” Archived 7 March 2016 at the Wayback Machine 1 September 2014. Retrieved 30 March 2016.
  11. ^ a b c d Wooding, Dan. “K.P. Yohannan’s Long Road To Helping India’s ‘Broken People’.” Archived 7 March 2016 at the Wayback Machine ASSIST News Service. 14 July 2006. Retrieved 30 March 2016.
  12. ^ "Dr. KP Yohannan – Founder and Director of Gospel for Asia". Dr KP Yohannan. Archived from the original on 19 December 2023. Retrieved 7 May 2024.
  13. ^ Van Rheenen, Gailyn (1996). Missions: Biblical Foundations and Contemporary Strategies. Zondervan. ISBN 0-310-20809-2.
  14. ^ Philip, Shaju (17 June 2008). "An archbishop's spiritual factory". The Indian Express. Archived from the original on 7 May 2024. Retrieved 30 January 2012.
  15. ^ Bland, Vikki. "Yohannan: Persecution is Part of the Deal". Crosswalk.com. Retrieved 17 January 2012.
  16. ^ a b "Episcopas of Believers Eastern Church Take Up Ecclesiastical Names". 15 October 2018. Archived from the original on 28 December 2018. Retrieved 28 December 2018.
  17. ^ "K.P. Yohannan Gives Himself a New Name". Archived from the original on 16 November 2020. Retrieved 14 November 2020.
  18. ^ "BEC Faith and Beliefs". www.bec.org. Archived from the original on 25 November 2020. Retrieved 30 November 2020.
  19. ^ "Books by K.P. Yohannan (Author of Revolution in World Missions)". www.goodreads.com. Archived from the original on 28 November 2019. Retrieved 6 November 2019.
  20. ^ Yohannan, K.P. (2004). Revolution in World Missions. Gospel for Asia. ISBN 1-59589-001-7.
  21. ^ Athmeeya Yathra Official Website. “Athmeeya Yathra TV: About. Archived 16 April 2016 at the Wayback Machine Retrieved 30 March 2016.
  22. ^ Houston, Rickey. “Loving Your Neighbor: A Guide to Developing and Sustaining Community Service Projects.” Archived 7 October 2016 at the Wayback Machine Liberty University Baptist Theological Seminary Doctor of Ministry Thesis, March 2013. Retrieved 30 March 2016.
  23. ^ Wooding, Dan. “Jesus Wells bring ‘living water’ to thousands in India and South Asia.” Archived 7 October 2016 at the Wayback Machine ASSIST News Service. Retrieved 5 March 2016.
  24. ^ Hearth, Katey. “Jesus Wells deliver redemption and safety.” Archived 7 March 2016 at the Wayback Machine Mission Network News. 22 September 2014. Retrieved 5 March 2016.
  25. ^ Christian Today. “5000 Jesus Wells Bringing Clean Water Across India and South Asia.” Archived 7 March 2016 at the Wayback Machine christiantoday.com. 19 March 2014. Retrieved 5 March 2016.
  26. ^ "Latest Updates on Athanasius Yohan I Metropolitan". Believers Eastern Church. Retrieved 9 May 2024.
  27. ^ "Kerala-based church's founder KP Yohannan dies in Texas after accident". Indian Express. Retrieved 9 May 2024.
  28. ^ "സംസ്ഥാന വ്യാപകമായി ബിലിവേഴ്സ് ചർച്ചിൻ്റെ സ്ഥാപനങ്ങളിൽ ആധായ നികുതി വകുപ്പിൻ്റെ റെയ്ഡ് - YouTube". www.youtube.com. Archived from the original on 13 November 2020. Retrieved 12 November 2020.
  29. ^ "ബിലീവേഴ്സിൽ ഐടി പരിശോധന രണ്ടുമാസം നീളും; സഹകരിക്കുമെന്ന് സഭ | Believers Church – YouTube". www.youtube.com. Archived from the original on 18 November 2020. Retrieved 12 November 2020.
  30. ^ "Kerala: Income Tax raid at home, offices of Believers Church's KP Yohannan; 'Rs 54L cash, phones seized'". www.timesnownews.com. Archived from the original on 9 November 2020. Retrieved 12 November 2020.
  31. ^ "Cash scanner on evangelist". The Telegraph. Archived from the original on 10 June 2008.
  32. ^ a b "Cheruvally Rubber Estate". Believers Church. Archived from the original on 8 August 2014.
  33. ^ "Probe on into functioning of Gospel for Asia, HC told". The New Indian Express. Archived from the original on 28 July 2014.
  34. ^ "God's own country". The Telegraph. Archived from the original on 1 August 2008.
  35. ^ "Forgery case filed against Harrisons Malayalam staff". The Hindu. Archived from the original on 26 February 2014. Retrieved 20 July 2014.
  36. ^ Chandran, Abhilash (18 November 2016). "Smooth take-off unlikely for proposed Erumeli airport". The New Indian Express. Archived from the original on 22 June 2023. Retrieved 7 May 2024.
  37. ^ "'Yohannan has no stake in Cheruvally estate' | Thiruvananthapuram News – Times of India". The Times of India. Archived from the original on 18 May 2017. Retrieved 6 June 2017.
  38. ^ "An open letter to fellow Christians from K.P. Yohannan". Archived from the original on 29 July 2014. Retrieved 20 July 2014.
  39. ^ "Dr. K. P. Yohannan, Metropolitan Bishop, Believers Church, Kerala calls on PM". Archived from the original on 24 August 2017. Retrieved 15 July 2016.
  40. ^ "Kerala High Court sets aside order taking over Harrisons Malayalam Co's land". The New Indian Express. Archived from the original on 26 April 2018. Retrieved 25 April 2018.
  41. ^ "Kerala High Court restores 30,000-acre plantation land to Harrisons Malayalam". @businessline. Archived from the original on 4 January 2024. Retrieved 25 April 2018.
  42. ^ "Harrisons case setback may cost Kerala government dear in Erumeli airport project". The New Indian Express. Archived from the original on 26 April 2018. Retrieved 25 April 2018.
  43. ^ McCleery, William (18 February 2016). "Gospel for Asia sued for fraud". Biblical Recorder. Retrieved 9 May 2024.
  44. ^ Torres, Mike (5 June 2017). "Arkansas couple accuse ministries group of fraud". Legal Newsline. Archived from the original on 17 June 2020. Retrieved 17 June 2020.
  45. ^ Zylstra, Sarah Eekhoff. "Gospel for Asia Settles Lawsuit with $37 Million Refund to Donors". News & Reporting. Archived from the original on 27 December 2019. Retrieved 6 November 2019.
  46. ^ "Letter from George Verwer and Statement from GFA Board". Gospel for Asia. Archived from the original on 3 August 2016. Retrieved 27 July 2016.

External links[edit]

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