Our Story

It was only supposed to be for a season—a makeshift solution amidst Covid’s travel ban, which sent missionaries and foreign teachers home indefinitely.

India’s tiny population of Christian pastors was left completely cut-off, with little—if any—training or resources to spread the gospel.

We couldn’t abandon these brothers.

Man wearing a green face mask standing on busy street with shops and pedestrians, some wearing masks, in an urban market scene.

Fall 2020

In the midst of the Covid lockdowns, Pastor KP was faced with an unprecedented challenge: how to continue providing in-depth Bible teaching to pastors in rural India, who were isolated and in need of guidance.

Man in a white shirt with a microphone headset, giving a presentation or speech inside a room with a window showing greenery outside, standing near a laptop on a stand, holding a clipboard and gestures with his right hand.

Before the pandemic, American pastors would travel to India to teach for short stints, but lockdowns shut down travel entirely.

KP’s vision and need eventually found their way to Ed Stych and Chuck Myers, two American believers and leaders within their own churches.

“Though neither of us had formal seminary training, we were ready to step up,” said Stych. “I half-jokingly called our project ‘Two Men and a Bible,’ but we leaned on our experience — Chuck with his years of part-time pastoring and me with my 35-year commitment to small-group Bible studies.”

Suggesting that technology could be the best temporary solution, the three designed conferences for local Indian pastors who could attend in-person with KP facilitating, while Ed, Chuck, and soon—third teacher, Tim Brown— and led in-depth Bible studies from the other side of the world via two-way video conferencing.

Four individuals participating in a virtual meeting, with a conference room of people in the background, one person speaking, and the others listening or looking at their screens.

January 2021

Interest was immediate, and growth was explosive.

50 pastors attended the very first conference, and numbers grew rapidly each month, with some as large as 200 attendees within the first year, and over 300 attendees as the largest 3-Day annual family conference.

We quickly began to have to extend individual invitations and limit attendance due to costs.

But when word spread among the community of Christian pastors about our conferences, some pastors invited themselves.

One day a dozen pastors showed up outside the conference center after we had started the first session. A center employee said the men refused to leave, desperate to be admitted.

Many of the men had traveled hundreds of miles by train or bus, hoping they could talk their way into the conference.

We told KP to let them in, and that we would find a way to pay for them.

Another time, we were about two hours into our teaching when KP was told that five women were outside the center’s gate asking to be allowed into the conference.

These women (who are not pastors and had not been invited) had traveled 250 miles on their own just for the chance to be let in.

“These women are dedicated and passionate about preaching the Gospel to children and widows,” said Pastor KP. “They heard about our conference from our pastors who were trained in the previous conferences. They have seen a huge transformation and drastic spiritual growth in the pastors’ lives and ministry. Therefore they took a step by faith to attend our conference, hoping to catch that spiritual anointing spark from our conference teachings and fellowship.”

These are not standalone instances.

But how could we ever turn away even a single soul that desperate for the gospel?

A man sitting at a desk reading and writing in a book during a classroom or seminar setting with other attendees in the background.

Present

Today, The India Pastors Project sponsors and leads 1-2 conferences every month with 100-300+ pastors attending each conference, including a yearly Family Conference. And now, as trainings for local, Indian Conference Leaders increases, the ripple effect has surpassed more than 10x what we could have ever done on our own as a team of four.

We can’t thank you enough for joining this beautiful story with us through generosity & faithful prayer.

With your help, we never will have to turn away anyone waiting outside the gates.

All Glory be to God!

A large conference room filled with mostly men seated at tables, listening to a speaker at the front. A large screen shows a virtual speaker in a library background.

“The project was supposed to be temporary. But by God’s goodness and a family of faithful donors, the impact has been anything but.”

— Chuck Myers, Co-Founder & Teacher

Two men are standing in front of a large projector screen displaying a video call with a man in a library. One man is bowing with hands pressed together; the other is smiling and clapping. There are decorative balloons and a keyboard in the room.

The Team

Ed Stych

Co-Founder & Teacher

Ed Stych is a retired journalist and former small-business owner with a long-standing commitment to biblical education. After serving as a leader in Bible Study Fellowship (BSF) for more than three decades, he continues to lead small-group studies in the Charlotte area. He and his wife, Anne, have three children and three grandchildren.

Chuck Myers

Co-Founder & Teacher

Chuck Myers is a pastor at Trinity Fellowship Church in Hickory, N.C. He has held many jobs over the decades, including owning a printing company and serving as the executive director of Hickory Cover Bible Camp. He currently works in the home inspection industry.

Kranthipaul Somavarapu (“Pastor KP”)

Local Leadership & Facilitation

KP serves as the India-based liaison between TIPP and Indian pastors. He has been pastor of Christ’s Glorious Church in Anakapalli, India, since 2007.

Tim Brown

Teacher

Tim Brown is a retired aerospace electronics engineer and longtime Bible teacher, having served as a pastor in small churches for over 30 years.

“Each transformed life makes every session, every conference, and every moment worthwhile. Because, in God’s economy, a single soul is worth every ounce of effort.”

— ED STYCH, Co-founder & Teacher

We’re Built On

Leveraging Every. Single. Dollar.

1

When the difference between an entire village hearing the gospel or not is only $11, you can’t help but treat every dollar with the utmost care.

Local Leadership & Guidance

2

We believe collaborating with local leaders—who know their culture, customs & community better than we ever will—is the best way to empower a nation and create sustainable change.

Real Relationships

3

The India Pastors Project training conferences are so much more than a gathering. They’re the formation of a global family—one we’re endlessly honored to be a part of.