Today’s Leader of Faith
Bro V CHRISTOPHER
Home Call : 18 March 2007
Faithful God Servant, Evangelist, Soul Winner.
Bro. Vardhanapu Christopher (1928-2007), a servant of God of great renown, was well known in the Godavari districts and among the fellowship. Since the time of his salvation, he preached the Gospel with a great burden for perishing souls. With this burden, he won many souls for the Lord. In the fellowship, the first church in the East and West Godavari districts was established in Bhimavaram. In this church, as a disciple of Bro. Aravindam, he inherited the ministry, laboured faithfully, and many were blessed by the fruits of his toil and service. He was a man of great humility, believing that suffering hardships for the Lord was good, and he led an exemplary life as a lowly and humble servant of God. He always warmly welcomed everyone with joy and treated all who came to him with respect, regardless of whether they were young or old. He was a fatherly figure, offering spiritual and practical counsel to many in need and guiding them back to God. In this manner, many received spiritual blessings through him. In Bhimavaram town, he was a servant of God, respected by all, regardless of church or denomination. Thus, everyone could see the love of Christ in him. As a part of his faith-based ministry, he knew nothing but to depend entirely on the Lord for his family’s needs, never revealing anything to anyone at any time. For example, in recognition of his academic excellence, the government awarded him five acres of land in Guntur as a gift, but he relinquished it for the sake of the Lord’s ministry. In this way, remaining steadfast in his faith and commitment, he lived faithfully unto the end.
Bro. Christopher was born on May 22, 1928, in Gummaluru, a village near Palakollu in West Godavari district, to Vardhanapu Venkanna and Subbamma. As he was in God’s divine plan, though raised amidst idol worship from a young age, he had a deep longing to know the true God from his childhood. In 1945, having lost his peace of mind due to such thoughts, he decided to end his life. Before doing so, he went to meet his friend. There, through the words of Isaiah 41:9-13 from the Bible, he was convicted, surrendered himself, confessed all his sins before the Lord, and with a broken and contrite heart, immediately accepted the Lord Jesus Christ as his personal Savior. He was completely filled with divine peace and was delivered from his lost peace of mind. He pursued his education in Palakollu and completed his Craft Teacher Training in Guntur with top honors. From 1946 to 1956, he served as a teacher in Rajahmundry, Deverapalli, and Bhimavaram. Throughout this time, he tirelessly preached the gospel without ceasing. In early 1953, following the gospel campaign and revival meetings conducted by Bro. Bakht Singh in Bhimavaram, he was among the more than 100 people who publicly testified through the waters of baptism and was added to the fellowship. Later, in 1956, he and his family received the Lord’s call for full-time ministry. In obedience, he resigned from his job and began serving the Lord faithfully. His ministry at Zion Prayer House in Bhimavaram was of great significance.
Bro. Christopher was married to Sis. Salomi Rose Padmamani on June 8, 1949, in Gummaluru. She was the third daughter of Chikile Vandanam and Sundaramma from Yendagandi village in West Godavari district. They were blessed with eight children, four sons and four daughters: 1. Jayasheela, 2. Stephen Christopher, 3. Hannah Mani, 4. Paul Christopher, 5. Immanuel Christopher, 6. David Christopher, 7. Dorcas Mani, 8. Kezia Mani. Additionally, they were blessed with 11 grandchildren and 8 great-grandchildren. Among their children, three sons and one daughter (Stephen, Hannah, Paul, and David) were called to Glory, while the rest, one son and three daughters (Jayasheela, Immanuel, Dorcas and Kezia) continue in the Lord’s service. Their entire family is devoted to the church, particularly in the ministry of music.
Bro. Christopher had a deep burden for perishing souls and fervently preached the gospel wherever he worked. Notably, in Deverapalli, he would climb trees and proclaim the gospel using a tin sheet megaphone. Unable to tolerate this, Hindu extremists plotted to kill him, but the Lord miraculously protected him from their attempts. He preached the gospel in many places, especially in Bhimavaram, where he would proclaim it every morning through a trumpet. During those times, many students who came to study were saved and inspired through him, later taking part in the ministry. In those days, even when there was no food to eat, everyone lived together with great joy, warmth, and brotherly love. Despite hardships, they supported the education of poor students. Many who received spiritual blessings through him, such as S.D. Krupavaram, Satyavedam, Satyanandam, Madhu, P.J. Dasan, Dasu, Nehemiah, Livingstone, Jackson, and P. Joshi, were strengthened under his guidance and became well-known in their ministries. He was unparalleled, without an equal, in expounding the Word of God. In Bible study, he would dwell on a single verse for months, continually teaching it in fresh and profound ways. Moreover, his teaching style was simple yet captivating, making it so appealing that believers from denominational churches in Bhimavaram would come to hear his second message after attending their own church services. To support the ministry, several renowned foreign preachers, including A.J. Flack, George Verwer, Kennedy, and Teeson, along with great men of God like Bro. Bakht Singh and his team, visited Bhimavaram with gospel trucks, ministering there and the surrounding areas. Bro. Christopher also travelled across various parts of Andhra Pradesh, strengthening many congregations through his ministry. The Zion Prayer House, established by Bro. Christopher, was dedicated in 1986 by Bro. Bakht Singh. On this occasion, Bro. Aravindam and all of Bro. Bakht Singh’s co-workers were present. Since the dedication of Zion Prayer House in Bhimavaram, by the grace of God, Holy Convocation Meetings have been continuing without interruption to this day.
In 1979, while working at the Bhimavaram Municipal Office, I used to attend the Zion Prayer House in Bhimavaram. Though I was very young at the time, the way Bro. Christopher welcomed me, the warmth he showed, and his experiential love remain etched in my heart to this day. Despite being a great servant of God, his humility was a true reflection of “the love of Christ”. I can say that such love has become rare in today’s times.
Bro. Christopher suffered a brain stroke in October 2003 and was bedridden for four years until his death in 2007. No matter what circumstances arose in his life, he faced them bravely, holding steadfast to the joy of salvation and his unwavering faith, and received the Lord’s call at the age of 79 after 51 years of fruitful and faithful ministry.