South Asia January 2025 Field Report
January 26, 2025
Ara Goh – Supporting entrepreneurs globally to grow in faith and purpose
January 30, 2025
From Forgetting God to Finding Help to Get on Track
I worked as a program manager for a government agency in an Indian city and later as a project manager for a Christian-owned business. When the COVID-19 pandemic struck, I collaborated with skilled professionals from the medical, social, entrepreneurial, and government sectors to provide critical resources and address complex challenges. By God’s grace, we saved many lives.
While I’ve always been a highly skilled administrator, I can honestly say that success caused me to lose my way. Amid the excitement of delivering exceptional healthcare solutions, I forgot God. I became so consumed with solving people’s problems that I neglected my quiet time with God, my family, and my biblical foundation.
During that challenging period, my desires, plans, goals, and gifts failed to align with God’s will. Reflecting now, I realize I was doing things for God instead of doing things with Him. I lost sight of the fact that true fulfillment comes from enjoying the presence of God and fully surrendering to Him. I found myself going everywhere and nowhere. This sums up my situation before I came in contact with the people and programs of GTP.
Praveen and the other participants of the CIM seminar on biblical governance
In September 2024, I attended a biblical governance seminar hosted by the Christian Institute of Management (CIM). There, I met Dr. Gary G. Hoag, President & CEO of GTP, who was the guest speaker. One statement from the seminar deeply resonated with me: “If Christ were truly the center of the ministry, we would all focus on doing what Christ desires. However, when each of us acts as if we are the center, it leads to all kinds of problems.”
That statement exposed my problem: I had placed myself at the center instead of Christ. After the seminar, I approached Gary. I told him that I felt like a car stuck at an intersection. I knew I was heading in the wrong direction and needed guidance. It happened that Gary needed transportation, so I gave him a ride, and we continued our conversation.
At a restaurant in his hotel, I shared with him that I felt lost and all over the map, but that the GTP seminar alerted me to rebalance my priorities to find renewed energy. Filled with excitement, I told Gary that I wanted to promote the teaching to others that impacted me. He advised me to “go slow to go fast” and recommended I enroll in The Choice, a GTP on-demand course based on his book, The Choice: The Christ-Centered Pursuit of Kingdom Outcomes.
Praveen attending The Choice, a GTP on demand course, with fellow stewards around the world
Going through The Choice course was life-changing. I discovered the difference between the “common path” and the “Kingdom path”—a modern representation of the wide and narrow paths Jesus described in Matthew 7:13-23. On the wide path, I saw myself: production-driven, striving to do things for God, and relentlessly pursuing maximum productivity. This approach had left me physically exhausted, damaged my health, and reduced my effectiveness.
The busyness of trying to produce results rather than pursuing faithful activities caused me to overwork and to lose sight of stewardship of my health, my giftedness, and even my capacity to serve others. In the course, I learned temptations to resist and practical steps to take to position my life and ministry for fruitful kingdom outcomes.
The course also encouraged me to prioritize an eternity-oriented mindset over earthly concerns. I began valuing relationships over results, empowering others in every area of life, and intentionally inviting them into the life of Christ.
This journey helped me embrace the importance of maintaining a “spiritual plumb line to God.” It required building a safe spiritual foundation by fearing the Lord, drawing near to Christ, and trusting Him as the ultimate source of direction and purpose.
Praveen with Dr. Gary G. Hoag, Dr. Mercia Justin (GTP Country Coordinator for India), and Ms. Rebecca Nilanjana (GTP Regional Facilitator for South Asia) in January 2025
After completing The Choice, I reordered my life around faithfulness, trusting God to produce fruit through my life. I now set aside regular time for fasting and prayer and ensure that work commitments do not interfere with my responsibilities in my local church. This healthy approach has inspired others to join me in these practices.
By God’s grace, these changes have transformed my life, my church, and my community. I have helped the ministry strike a balance between teaching the Word and serving through deeds. We have moved from being passive believers to active disciples, enhancing both our reputation and impact within our community.
As I continue this journey of personal renewal and spiritual service, I encourage others to seek God’s presence, surrender fully, and embrace both faith and stewardship in their personal and professional lives. With renewed joy and focus, I now serve my church as an administrator and volunteer as a GTP Church Ambassador. I cherish my relationships with GTP staff, course moderators, and other volunteers.
When Gary returned to India in January 2025, I eagerly shared how God had been working in my life. He introduced me to other GTP volunteers in India and invited me to share my story. I enthusiastically accepted because I want everyone to experience the transformation offered by GTP courses and resources.
