These pastors were left in the lurch by the Gospel Asia or BCI Church

Chennai, July 23: Over hundred pastors held protest against Believers Church of India (BCI) in suburban Padappai on Thursday. The pastors accused the Church of amassing wealth and letting them in the lurch. The pastors who had worked with the Church for more than a decade said they left the Church as it was “exploiting” them. However, BCI’s Tamil Nadu Diocesan secretary Mr Johny George refuted the charges leveled by the pastors.
Pastors from different parts of Tamil Nadu who were either sacked or left from the BCI assembled near the state headquarters of the BCI at Padappai and raised slogans against the Church. But the police removed the protestors from the venue and advised them to protest elsewhere. The protestors then went to the office of the Superintendent of Police and handed over complaints seeking action against the Church.
“Nearly 1,400 pastors worked for the BCI across the state for more than 10 years. But the church did not keep the promises it had given when we were inducted into the church. They stopped even the monthly support they provided without prior notice,” said Christu Paul Ravi, one of the pastors who was sacked by the church.
“We were given a lot of promises such as helping the education of our children. They did not keep the promises. When we asked them why they did not keep their promises, we were insulted and even threatened with false cases,” said Simion, a pastor from Theni who was sacked by the church.
However, BCI’s Tamil Nadu Diocesan secretary Mr Johny George told this journalist that the charges were baseless. “The Church has a Constitution. If anyone disobeys the Constitution, they would be dealt with seriously. We train thousands of pastors and don’t compel them to be with us,” he clarified.