IICM in Varanasi, India
More than 60 pastors, church planters and Sunday school teachers from throughout northern India met in Varanasi, India for the Institute of Children’s Ministry. Many of the participants had traveled many miles. Some had traveled by train for more than two days.
For five days (February 18th through February 22nd) Ryan Green, children’s pastor at Summerville Family Worship Center, and Kathy Creasy, International Director of Children's Ministries, provided training in the areas of spiritual formation, leadership and administration, classroom management, 
discipleship, outreach, and creative ministry techniques. The highlights of the Institute included a significant ministry by the Holy Spirit after teaching on ministering to children in the anointing God has provided as well as an opportunity for participants to create their own visualized lessons for use in their outreach ministries.
The Institute promises to have significant impact on ministry to children in northern India. Among pastors and church planters who attended, all stated that they would return to their ministries and begin the development of ministry to children, either in the local church or as a village outreach. The Institute also promises to produce a harvest of believing children. When participants were asked to claim a specific number of children they would reach during the coming year, the total number was over 6000 children.
At the close of the Institute the team and ten Institute participants conducted an outreach to children in a small village outside of Varanasi. 75 children of the village were sitting on the ground under a tarpaulin waiting patiently for our arrival. Many of these children were Hindu children who had never been exposed to teachings about Jesus. The children excitedly participated in games, songs, and a Bible drama then listened attentively as one of the Institute participants shared a visualized message of Romans 5:8, the message of the cross. At the invitation many children raised their hands saying, “Yes, I admit my sins and believe in Jesus as the one who died for my sins.”
Kathy Creasy shares, "I want to express my appreciation to the Summerville Family Worship Center for sponsoring this Institute and to the leadership team of TellAsia Ministries for organizing and promoting the Institute. Above all, I want to thank God for His work in bringing light into the spiritual darkness of India’s children."