Special Report: The Lord’s Work in Nepal
Robin Compston
The work of Pastor Samuel Rai in Nepal is on a large scale, both in terms of the number of churches involved and the variety of ministries that Samuel is engaged in.
A history of reformed Gospel work in Nepal
As a teenager, Samuel Rai joined the Maoists in Nepal, and was soon put in charge of 14,000 schoolchildren to promote the Maoist cause. Even at an early age they recognised his leadership skills.
Converted through the witness of a colleague at work, he moved to India to avoid trouble resulting from his previous Maoist activities. There Presbyterians appointed him as an evangelist in Sikkim, where he planted churches.
Samuel studied at the London Reformed Baptist Seminary in 1992 and 1993. Following his return to Nepal he found himself having to stand up for the truths he had learnt while at the Metropolitan Tabernacle. He felt isolated at times, but this did not stop him holding on to his convictions for the reformed faith, and for Baptist theology and practice in particular.
On returning to Nepal he was supported by the Tabernacle, and took up his work again of planting churches across the country. Since that time he has planted 95 churches: some in the cities, such as Canaan Baptist Church in Pokhara, where he remains the senior pastor; many others in remote hill regions, especially in the east of Nepal where he grew up (working as a trekking guide in the mountains for some time).
About 60% of the churches are in Animist, tribal areas; 40% in mainly Hindu areas. (Animism is the belief that non-human entities—including animals, plants, rocks and rivers—contain a spiritual essence, and may be worshipped.)
In addition to these 95 churches, another 100 churches have been helped and their pastors trained.
All of these are Reformed Baptist churches based on the 1689 Confession of Faith. All are taught the ethos of evangelism and church planting. Samuel presses the duty of personal witness, urging an evangelistic practice of profession-to-profession (that is, teachers speak to other teachers, drivers to other drivers, etc.)
Many local churches hold stocks of Gideon New Testaments (in Nepali and English), plus books from the Metropolitan Tabernacle and others, translated into Nepali.
A visit to Nepal
Our tight schedule was carefully arranged by Samuel, but we were allowed time off on the first morning when Samuel and Mangali took us up into the hills above the city for breakfast. From there we could see Pokhara far below, spreading out up a number of valleys that lead away in every direction from the central lake.
In recent weeks the clouds had kept the mountains hidden, but on this day, as Samuel put it, “the mountain was open”, and we had a clear view of the Annapurna Mountain range to the north.
A morning at Emmanuel School
Following breakfast we were taken to Emmanuel School, where we arrived in time to see the children on parade, moving in coordinated fashion at a drum signal given by one of the children: an indication of the disciplined approach to schooling.
The school (which operates in English) was founded by a believer from India. When he was told he had not long to live, he looked for someone who was sound in the faith to take on the work, and settled on Samuel.
A school principal and management committee look after the running of the school; Samuel gets a weekly email update, and attends board meetings every three months.
All the teachers are believers and there is a strong Christian ethos—many have agreed to work at the school as volunteers or missionaries, with a modest allowance for the next two years until the school is profitable. Teachers also meet for prayer. The school has security guards, security cameras relayed to a control room, and a fleet of school buses.
There are 276 private schools in Pokhara. Two years ago, Emmanuel was ranked 84th. It is now 15th, and Samuel hopes to reach the top of the rankings.
The children are invited to attend nearby Emmanuel Church (planted by Samuel). The vision comes from Samuel. This reminded us of the Marshmans’ schools supporting William Carey’s mission work in India.
Saturday – the Nepali Lord’s Day
The next day, Saturday, we gathered at Canaan Baptist Church for worship. Saturday is the official day of worship for all religions in Nepal, and Christians adapt to meeting on this day; Sunday is a normal working day.
The church was founded by Samuel in 1994, and he remains senior pastor, but now has the assistance of Pastor Mitra Rai (not a relative), allowing Samuel to travel across Nepal and encourage the many churches he has planted.
The church meets early for prayer, followed by a morning school for children and then the main service. The service was two hours long, orderly and serious with enthusiastic but reverent singing, accompanied by a keyboard.
There are other prayer meetings in the week, and a ‘cottage meeting’ in a home for evangelism.
Looking out across the congregation, it was apparent that there were more ladies present than men. This is a feature of the churches in Nepal, and is due to many of the younger men going overseas to work because of the scarcity of jobs. They send back significant financial support to both their own church and sister churches.
Radio Apostle FM
On Sunday, Samuel had arranged for an interview to be conducted on Radio Apostle FM, an addition to the original schedule.
Eleven years ago, a young Christian, Anil, had a vision for a Christian radio station to spread the Gospel. He invested about $60,000, and received government approval, subject to certain restrictions and close scrutiny.
However, Anil was killed in 2023 in a plane crash and his father asked Samuel to take over the station so that his son’s work would be continued. Samuel bought it for a ‘little money’ and has recently purchased a new 500kw transmitter for £6,000 to replace the previous 100kw one (government approval was needed).
The radio station is currently in a top storey rented flat with an unlikely, enormously tall radio tower on the roof. Seven staff are employed by the radio station.
Samuel supplies 21 programmes a week: a daily sermon in Nepali, Gurung (the major language of Pokhara) and English, plus a morning and evening message based on Spurgeon’s ‘Morning and Evening’.
Samuel preaches in Nepali and one of the teachers from CMTC preaches in Gurung. The English sermons are from Dr Masters.
I was to speak for an hour and to answer ten questions notified in advance – What does the term ‘Gospel’ mean? Why is it important in Christianity? How do the four Gospels differ in their perspective on Jesus’ life?’ etc. All this was handled in conversational-style interaction while being interviewed by one of the staff of Emmanuel School.
Broadcasts by the station currently reach 30% of Nepal, and are transmitted as far as India (they are blocked by China). In the future they could hook up with another FM station to expand the reach with the further hope of broadcasting to the Nepali diaspora.
Canaan Ministerial Training Centre
The Canaan Ministerial Training Centre (CMTC) is a big part of Samuel’s work. It was built in 1997 on land which the Tabernacle helped to purchase. Already by that time there were 16 local churches resulting from Samuel’s church planting activity, many in rural areas, but some also in the cities, each with their own pastor.
A course offering practical theological training to these men was urgently needed. The training is currently oversubscribed, and men are placed in either a 10-month or 5-month course according to their circumstances.
Older men, with little education, are generally offered the longer course. Samuel will only take men if they are recommended by their own church and their mother church, and there are others able to preach in their absence.
The course is residential and each applicant must sign a document of terms and conditions. These include a ban on discussing politics and on denominational conflicts.
Samuel has produced a manual on Reformed Baptist practice, which covers things like leading worship, how to prepare a message, engagements, weddings, funerals and church discipline. The men are presented with a copy on graduation.
After each course unit they have a test to see how much they have understood. This is not a pass/fail test. If they have not done well, they are given the answers and told to memorise them.
Some of the men are 65 years old and have been pastoring for 40 years. They often know a lot, but don’t know how to put things together. The tutors try to keep things simple, teach them how to put things in order, and help the men to exercise their gifts.
Samuel explained that he and the other teachers see themselves as guides. There is a focus on Bible Study, the regulative principle and ‘honourable worship’. The men preach practice sermons while at CMTC.
Samuel has developed text books and work books for the men, and re-uses lectures. He teaches from the Baptist Confession of Faith, and the catechism. He teaches systematic theology, homiletics from Berkhof 1 (learned at the Tabernacle), the need to interpret Scripture by Scripture, expository preaching, and a survey of the Old and New Testament using Halley 2 (translated into Nepali). Pastor Mitra teaches pastoral care, and another teacher speaks on evangelism.
The Metropolitan Tabernacle gives an annual grant to cover the principal expenses of this vital training centre.
CMTC Conference 2025
The CMTC conference began on Monday and lasted three days. It was attended by the graduating students, but many others came. About 80% of the pastors attending were from the hill country, one travelling many miles from West Nepal.
We witnessed the considerable organisation that goes into this event—attendees had personal lanyards with names and, in some cases, photos.
Scripture texts to be used in the lectures were sent ahead, translated, and printed in a smart booklet. Substantial meals were provided on time by a team of volunteer ladies, who also attended the lectures. Lectures given in English were translated in Nepali by a very competent translator.
This was the 45th group to graduate. On graduation each student was given a collection of translated books, some by Dr Masters, some by other reformed writers, and some written by Samuel himself.
Translation of literature is another very important part of Samuel’s work: recent translations include Body of Divinity by Thomas Watson. He organises a team of people to do this, and healthy stocks of books lie ready to distribute in various rooms.
On this occasion 23 men graduated. At the end of the conference the men gathered around Samuel, for whom they obviously have great affection. He is confident with them, at ease among them, is recognised as a teacher, and inspires much loyalty.
Samuel told us that he is happy and satisfied in the work God has given him to do. He rejoices to see so many souls saved and he has good friends.
The Deborah Training Centre for women
Alongside CMTC is a further building housing another of Samuel’s ministries. The Deborah Training Centre gives young girls and widows an opportunity to learn a skill by which they can earn a living. Mangali plays a large part in this work.
All the trainees are Christians, and most of them are young ladies from poor families, lured overseas with the supposed offers of work, but in fact in danger of being trafficked into prostitution.
There are also some widows, who are not respected in Nepali culture (and often blamed by Hindu in-laws for the death of their husbands), and a few pastor’s wives being helped to become self-supporting. Pastors in remote areas recommend them to the centre.
They receive training in sewing and are given a sewing machine on completion of the course. They also receive training in hygiene and health care, as well as Bible training.
The hope is that these ladies will become evangelists on their return and speak to those they meet about the Lord. Over 1,000 have received this training.
Samuel said that before attending they often feel helpless, but through the training become ‘women of purpose’, understanding that the Lord has a purpose for their lives. We met a former Deborah lady in East Nepal who has become a pillar of her church.
Additional training centres
In addition to CMTC Samuel has set up further training centres in other places.
The Spurgeon Ministerial Training Centre in East Nepal allows the many pastors in that area to study part time in a local centre.
Pastors come for three days a month. They sleep at the centre and arrange the catering among themselves.
Samuel teaches them and sets homework based on the books. He will, for example, give a copy of Body of Divinity and set 100 to 200 questions on the book. (Samuel has developed a number of Q&A workbooks.)
The men work on these at home and bring their answers to the next training session, where Samuel will go through the answers. They are expected to study for two hours a day.
Other ministries in Nepal
There are other sides to Samuel’s work about which it is not possible to say much here: for example, his relief work following natural disasters such as the earthquake in 2015.
He has also started an orphanage, Glory Grace Children’s Home. Over the years Samuel and Mangali have adopted 13 orphans, many from Tibet; eventually they formed the orphanage because they couldn’t manage so many in their home.
The orphanage has 18 children (orphans, semi-orphans and very poor). The families who seek to place their children must agree to Christian rules and worship. These children study free of charge at Emmanuel School.
A visit to remote churches
We had asked to see some of the local churches planted by Samuel in more remote areas, and so when the conference was over we set off for the east of Nepal.
Samuel has recently employed a driver, Ram, since he is no longer able to drive safely himself due to leg problems. Ram has an uncanny way of spotting potholes at a distance, and slowing down just in time!
Dogs are considered to be divine by Hindus, and many live on the streets. When driving through towns, they are found sprawled in the middle of the road, sunning themselves, and cars have to navigate around them.
Now that he is a passenger Samuel turns the car into an office, and is constantly calling up pastors across the country or organising visits and training of the men. The regular support provided by the Tabernacle is used in part to fund his constant travels.
Visiting the cave people
On the way to the east we stopped for the dedication of a new church building—there is constant building work going on to provide for all these newly planted churches.
Pastor Govinda of Aasha Baptist Church is from the cave-dwelling people. Aasha Baptist Church has planted five churches in the hills. Pastor Govinda is very active, connecting the Chepang people to the outside world and serving as a mediator.
The older generation are illiterate. The cave people are Animists, and there is a lot of consumption of alcohol.
They have big families, often nine or ten children. There is strong disapproval of children born outside marriage, with ‘honour’ killings of unmarried mothers, but girls marry young even though the official minimum age for marriage in Nepal is 20.
Into the mountains
We made our base in the east in the city of Dharan. Several churches are in the mountainous area to the north of this city, and we set off the next day to visit a series of them.
This was more extreme driving than we had done before; roads were in some places so rough that our four-by-four vehicle was reduced to one mile an hour.
Twice we were held up because a bulldozer was needing to clear the road and dig a path through where a landslide had blocked it; there were precipitous drops to the side of the road.
On one occasion we passed a man ploughing in a field just below the road, wielding a switch in his hand with two oxen yoked to a single-furrow plough.
Our first stop was Mahima Baptist Church, pastored by Durga Limba, an older man, who came to the conference in Pokhara. He served in the Nepali army for 3½ years and was a drunkard.
After he came to the Lord he was arrested for preaching, sentenced to six years in prison, but released after six months. In 2006 he came to study at CMTC and five years later was fully convinced of reformed theology.
He started Mahima Baptist Church in the low hills, where he was helped to construct a simple building; the church is fully independent. Pastor Limba seeks to reach out to the surrounding community.
Local church plants
We visited a number of other churches in the region. Samuel is very clear about the independency of the local churches.
On average, church plants become independent after two or three years. Samuel commented that they must become independent or they will never grow.
He only allows the founding church to be referred to as the ‘mother church’ for a limited time, and then the ‘daughter churches’ must become independent local churches.
He has no control over their finances, church government or church discipline. He supplies books, trains pastors in reformed theology, and gives advice.
He does not baptise converts in the church plants nor lead the Lord’s Supper: this is the duty of their own pastor.
The local churches own their own buildings and appoint trustees. Samuel advises them to use a lawyer to properly register land and property. The original landowner signs it or gives a thumb print. In the past they have had situations where a Christian donates land to a church, but later their relatives try to claim it back.
The churches hold an Annual General Meeting each year, where they talk about plans for the year, what needs to be corrected, and mission work.
Nearby churches support each other with free labour, and Samuel coordinates funds from outside.
An enlightened approach to the support of pastors
There were piles of New Testaments in the village churches we visited. Samuel has a burden to see a copy of the New Testament in every home in the hill country, and the village pastors are engaged in this work.
Samuel vigorously advocates for conservative worship. He speaks often about the need for ‘honourable worship’, and this is what we witnessed.
There is a keyboard in his church, and there was fervent unaccompanied singing at the conference at CMTC, and at other churches we visited. We were told that some churches in the mountains have guitars, played with care to keep the tune, but most don’t use an instrument.
Many older believers in the hill country are illiterate and congregations are encouraged to memorise the words of hymns.
Samuel’s approach to the support of pastors is an enlightened one. He does not like to give money to the pastors, but tries to set them up to be self-sufficient.
He will give them maybe five goats, and within a few years they have a flock from which they can sell animals for meat to earn an income. Or he gives a milking buffalo, or banana plants or dragon fruit, which will establish them.
They live a simple life and this is enough to get by in a village community. Those in towns he helps set up with barista equipment. He does, however, provide help to put up church buildings.
Persecution
There is persecution of Christians in Nepal by Hindus; some instances of this have been very serious.
Just before we visited, two pastors were threatened and attacked in a village. Their faces were blackened as a mark of shame.
Close friends of Samuel were nearly killed in east Nepal the previous Christmas. It was claimed they had been attacking Hindu culture.
If Christians are threatened by Hindus, they report the matter to the police. Samuel is well connected with politicians, human rights and social groups, and campaigners for justice and equality.
Thanks to the Lord for the work in Nepal
The Lord is at work in this land, and the scale of the work is remarkable.
For Samuel Rai, to serve the Lord in church planting and in the training of pastors is the most meaningful way to spend life here below.
We thank the Lord for what he is doing among his churches, and we pray that many more will come to faith in Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour.
1 Louis Berkhof (1873-1957), Dutch-American theologian and author of Systematic Theology
2 Henry Halley (1874-1965), American minister and author of Halley’s Bible Handbook