The founder and director of Gospel for Asia has been honored during a special service in Dallas. Dr. K.P. Yohannan, an influential Indian Christian leader and the metropolitan of the Believers Eastern Church died in May.
Bishop Daniel Timotheos, his son, opened the ceremony, setting a tone of remembrance and gratitude before introducing Prestonwood Pastor Jack Graham, who described Yohannan as a “spiritual leader and humble servant of Christ.”
Jack Graham, pastor of Prestonwood Baptist Church, noted that Yohannan was “the only person at Prestonwood that has ever preached in Crocs. I am grateful that this unforgettable man, minister, missionary, came into my life, and I know you feel the same.”
Sarah Johnson and Pastor Ernest Best paid tribute through song, with Best delivering a touching rendition of “Amazing Grace” in the Muscogee (Creek) Native American language, celebrating Yohannan’s wide-ranging and diverse influence.
Esther Punnose, Yohannan’s granddaughter, remembered him not as a renowned evangelist but as a doting grandpa, recalling how he would give the family chocolates and check in daily during her own bout with a serious illness. “He would tell me, ‘Pray and believe you will get better,’” she recalled, “‘and by faith God will answer you.’”
She concluded her eulogy with a quote from Yohannan: “Maybe it doesn’t seem like anyone ever watches or appreciates you, but your king is always watching you. Do it all for him.”
Author and former pastor Francis Chan emphasized what he saw as Yohannan’s extraordinary spiritual depth. “Here’s a person who was doing exponentially more than I was, yet he maintained a deep communion with Christ,” Chan said. “He could look at me and tell me that he loved me, and that example was what I’m striving for now, this deep, deep walk with Jesus.”
Chan concluded the service with a prayer from the Apostle Paul’s letter to the Ephesians, asking for strength and a deeper understanding of Christ’s love for all present.
Yohannan died after being hit by a vehicle as he was walking near the ministry headquarters.
–Alan Goforth | Metro Voice