OUTREACH AND CHURCH PLANTING MINISTRY
AMONG
BENGALIS ( BANGALI )
A brief Description
of the Bengali people:
Bengalis are identified as an ethnic group of people who are
distinguished from other ethnic groups
by their culture and language Bangla.
The route of Bangla language is SANSCRIT, one of the ancient languages
of the world. Bangla is the mother tongue of five hundred million people and it
is the 4th major language in the world. The racial identity of Bengalis is much
closer to the Aryan race. The term
“Bengali” is a broad umbrella, shelters Muslims, Hindus, Christians and
Buddhists. Bengalis have a long heritage
and cultural pride. Majority Bengalis of
the world live in South Asia, especially in Bangladesh
and the neighboring state of India,
West Bengal and other North Eastern states. Outside the Indian sub-continent Bengalis are
living in Middle East, all over Europe
especially in UK,
USA and Canada.
Demographic report about the Bengali Immigrants in the United States and New England:
Since 1975, large number of Bengalis from Bangladesh
have been coming to the United States
as immigrant. Bengalis are living in all
over the Unites States, mainly in New York , New
Jersey, Connecticut,
Massachusetts, California
and in other Southern States. Around one
million Bengalis are living in the United States. They are the fith largest immigrant community
in USA and
among South Asian immigrants they are third largest group. Around 13,
000 Bengalis live in New England, more than 8000
live in Massachusetts. 6000 Bengalis live in greater Boston
area. In Greater Boston area main
concentration of Bengali population is in Cambridge. More than 4000 Bengalis live in Cambridge. Bengalis who are from Bangladesh,
majority of them are Muslims. There are
many Bengali Hindus living in this area who are mainly from West
Bengal ( India
). But, the Bengali Christian population
in Greater Boston area is very microscopic in number. Bengalis who live in Greater Boston area are
identified more closely by their cultural heritage than by their religious
background. There are few Bengali
Associations in this area.
Bengali Muslims are
the largest unreached people group in the world and Bengalis are the most
unreached people group in the Unites States.
Bengalis are among 110 language groups in Boston. There is a great need and opportunity to
reach out this ethnic group. The task is
very challenging.
Church Planting Ministry among
Bengalis in Greater Boston area:
Among 6000 Bengalis in Greater Boston area, there was not a
viable Bengali Church. No initiative was taken before to reach out
this unreached people group. With
complete guidance of the Holy Spirit and with a vision to reach out this
unreached people group through the reading of the book of Isaiah 54: 2 the
Bengali Ministry was launched by a Bangladeshi Pastor Paul S. Biswas in June
2003. After doing survey and net
working, lot of contacts were made from the Bengali community in Boston
area. Initially it was mainly friendship
evangelism. A small Bible study group
was formed with five Bengali believers and the group used to meet twice a month
at different places. New members were
added with the group. Few prayer groups
were formed among the members of Cabridgeport
Baptist Church
who had passion for unreached people groups.
These people are faithfully still behind the task. Without the support of any local Church the
work could not grow. With that
motivation Cambridgeport Baptist
Church came forward to support the
work. The main emphasis of the Bengali
Ministry is outreach and Church planting.
Boston Bangla Church (BBC)
History:
The year 2005 is marked as the great year of blessing for
the Bengali Mission in Boston.
A small Bible
study group was formed and it was growing
spiritually. Group members were strongly
motivated to become disciples of Jesus.
So, the group decided to start regular worship service.
With the vision of
reaching out Bengalis in Greater Boston area and in all over USA,
Boston Bangla Church (BBC) was planted on January 8, 2005. Boston
Bangla Church
is the first Bengali congregation in New England. Opportunities are more but the task is very
challenging.
The Vision:
To spread the Gospel
of Jesus Christ among all Bengali people in America.
“ Enlarge the place of your tent, stretch
your tent curtains wide, do not hold back; lengthen your cords, strengthen your
stakes” (ISAIAH 54: 2).
Our Mission Statement:
To plant self- sustaining and
reproducing Churches among Bengalis by making disciples and sending them out to
minister the Gospel to other Bengalis
Target Groups:
Professionals and Students.
The Main Focusing Area: The Greater Boston
Our activities:
1. Organizing
outreach Bible study group among our non Christian Bengali contacts and forming
more prayer groups to motivate the Churches in this area for partnering this
outreach ministry among Bengalis.
2. Distributing
Bengali Bible and Gospel literature through personal contact.
3. Placing
Bengali Bible especially the Kitabul Mokaddos (The Bengali translation of the
complete Bible in Islamic terminology) and the Injil (New Testament) at the
international language section in public libraries.
4. Sreet
evangelism.
5. Prayer
walk
6. Offering
seminars on Islam and Hinduism
7. Equipping
strong teams
8. Building
up relationship with Bengali community through intercultural get-together
meetings
9. Arrenging
Interfaith Dialogue with Muslims and
Hindus
10. Net working
with other South Asian Churches in New England,
organizing consultation meetings on Church planting net work.
.
Needs:
- More
prayer partners (by the end of 2007 our goal is to have hundred prayer
partners)
- More
Ministry Partners from the local Churches
- More
workers and their support