Praise the Lord!
I am Pastor Shiba Mahananda from Odisha, India. I received the Gospel in the year 2025.
I was born into a very poor Hindu family. We were deeply devoted to Hinduism and never missed any puja or worship of Hindu gods. My father was a daily laborer and a heavy alcoholic. Because of this, many times in my childhood we went to bed without food, as we couldn’t afford our daily bread.
After failing my Class 10 exams, I moved to Sambalpur, Odisha, in search of work. At the age of 14, I started working in a hotel washing dishes. I worked there for six months. One day, my mother called me, crying and asking me to return home. Being her only son, she missed me dearly.
In 2025, after returning home, I began working with my father as a laborer. During that time, I met an evangelist who shared the Gospel with me. He told me, “Jesus Christ is the only Lord and Savior. He came over two thousand years ago and died for you and me. If you believe in Him, you will be saved.”
He gave me a small tract that told the story of a young man named Premalal, who believed in Jesus. That testimony touched my heart. I was deeply moved and started to believe in Jesus Christ. I began attending a small church in Sonepur, about 10 kilometers from my village. Every Sunday, I continued attending church and started praying and reading the Bible at home.
One day, the church pastor visited my home, and my parents found out that I was attending a Christian church. After the pastor left, they asked me, “Do you believe in Jesus? Are you following Christianity?” I replied, “Yes, I believe in Jesus. I love Jesus and I will follow Him, because He is the only true God and Lord.”
They responded, “No, don’t do this. We are Hindus, and we have many gods. We cannot leave them.”
I said, “I can leave them, because I now understand that they cannot bless us or save us. Only Jesus Christ can give us salvation.”
That day, my parents were so upset that they refused to eat. Despite this, I continued going to church, riding a broken bicycle. Slowly, the entire village came to know that I was leaving Hinduism to follow Christ. My uncle (my father’s brother) became very angry. He even tried to kill me. One day, he attacked me in public with a large knife, but by the grace of God, I was saved.
I kept praying and decided to reappear for my Class 10 exam. By the grace of God, I passed with a second division after failing twice before. I was overjoyed and cried, giving thanks to the Lord. My faith grew stronger—I knew then that Jesus Christ is truly the living God.
In 2007, I enrolled in college and later completed my graduation. During that time, I continued to pray and asked the Lord to use me in His ministry. After graduation, I joined a Bible college and completed a Bachelor of Theology (B.Th) program.
In 2015, I returned to my home village and began sharing the Gospel with my family and relatives. By the grace of God, Jesus performed many miracles and healings through the ministry. As a result, my parents and relatives also came to Christ. Today, my entire family believes in Jesus Christ. We are now living a blessed life, filled with joy, salvation, and the presence of the true and living God—Jesus Christ, who is the Way, the Truth, and the Life (John 14:6).
About My Ministry
Mission Statement: We are humble servants of the Church of Jesus Christ, committed to supporting small and self-sustaining ministries in Odisha. Our mission includes:
Church planting
Leadership training
Evangelism
Helping the poor
Children’s ministries
Jesus Film projects
Media and digital outreach
Ministry among leprosy-affected communities
As we continue to serve, we face many financial challenges. We are prayerfully seeking donors and ministry partners to join us in fulfilling the Great Commission. Your support would be a tremendous blessing.
Bible Verses We Stand On
Habakkuk 2:14 – “For the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea.”
Matthew 28:18–20 – “And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, ‘All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.’ Amen.”
Ministry Contact Information
The Salvation Church
At/P.O. Raxa, Via Ullunda
District: Sonepur, Odisha, India – 767062
Support & Donations:
PayPal: smnewvision@yahoo.com
Email: smnewvisionministries@gmail.com
Mobile: +91 99375 37342
WhatsApp: +91 77518 54888
Thank you for your prayers, support, and partnership in the work of the Lord.
In Christ’s service, Pastor Shiba Mahananda