What makes Glad Tidings India and India Bible Literature different from most Mission Organizations?

• Proven Track Record rooted in Experience - Over 50 years experience in ministry in India through founder/missionary, Dr. William Scott. India Bible Literature is run on the ground in India by indigenous leadership with 15-40 years tenure, trained and mentored by Bill Scott and others. They work only with proven and trustworthy partnerships within India.
• Donations leveraged into Self-Sustaining Ministries - All donations used to purchase Bibles in 17 Indian languages which are sold at affordable prices. Proceeds are reinvested in other ministries of IBL:
  • Training & Equipping Evangelist Church Planters
  • Conducting Bible-based literacy classes
  • Assisting Christian school expansion
  • Vacation Bible Schools for children
  • Providing individuals & churches with income generating enterprises which encourage self support
• Low Overhead - We seek to keep to our policy commitment of Money for Ministries, not Organizations by maintaining a very lean organizational structure in the United States, thus keeping overhead low and allowing more funds to go directly to ministry in India. Currently, staff members maintain home offices and our staff consists of one full-time staff member (the President), one part-time secretary, one part-time contracted staff member to handle the financial work, and founder, Dr. William Scott, who works without remuneration. Given additional funds, ministry in India could increase fourfold without increasing overhead or adding staff.
• Indigenous Strategy - The uniqueness of our partner ministry in India - India Bible Literature. Initially founded and directed by Drs. William and Joyce Scott, it is now entirely indigenous, controlled and administrated by Indians residing in India. The Executive Director is assisted by a Management Committee, whose five members have been with India Bible Literature from 15-40 years. All of them, like the former packing boy Velu, who is now the Executive Director, began in the organization at lower levels and have advanced to leadership positions.
• Grassroots Directed - Areas for ministry and targeted people groups are selected by the local churches in India which also carry out the ministries they are led by God to do. Churches submit requests to India Bible Literature who filters and prioritizes them. India Bible Literature then makes them known to partners for funding, such as Glad Tidings India and provides accountability within India for ensuring the proper usage of all funds received.

The Self-Sustaining Cycle: Leveraging Donations into Increased Ministry

Every donation to Glad Tidings India made in the USA acts as seed capital infusion and purchases Bibles for distribution. The proceeds from the Bible sales to locals then fund a series of ministry activities. For example, one gift of $300 given to Glad Tidings India is enough to produce 100 Bibles in an appropriate Indian dialect. These Bibles are sold and produce a revenue equal to the funding of 200 children to attend Vacation Bible School for two weeks, or enough to cover tuition for 12 adults to attend Bible-content literacy class for 10 months, or sufficient funds to purchase one rickshaw for a man to begin a self-supporting business for his family. All of these are real examples of where the funding goes when one gives to Glad Tidings India.

Thus, Dr. Scott has built a ministry model that is now run by local responsible Indian staff that not only puts the Word of God into the hands of the people, but then multiplies the economics and ministry effect in an efficient, proven way. The very low overhead is due to Indian believers running all but the USA fundraising. This fundraising is conducted in accordance with a policy of low overhead controlled by a Board of Directors in the USA. All of this ministry is run by the equivalent of 1.5 full-time employees (Dr. Scott now volunteers his time at no cost).

The OPPORTUNITY: Since the infrastructure to leverage has been developed over the last 50 years by Dr. Scott, additional funds received in the USA will go directly to buying Bibles translated into a dialect, sold to those hungry to learn (there is almost unlimited demand), and ministries will be started, expand, and become self-supporting. Funds go to the right place with the right outcome.

Leveraging the Word to Help

All done in India by nationals for nationals

Short-term Objectives, 2006-2010:

Based on the Leveraged model now employed by nationals Glad Tidings India desires to:

1. Provide at least one million Bibles within India by 2008. This allows founder, Dr. William Scott, to complete his initial vision for ministry in India.
2. Develop a short term mission vision ministry trip (2-3 weeks), 'Adventure Missions', as a primary means of promoting a desire to reach India through individuals who visit. Goal - 2 trips per year (by end 2006).
3. Develop a Program to allow for 3-6 ministry internships by western believers partnering with India Bible Literature. This has a threefold purpose - to provide ministry skills helpful to India, to challenge the individuals to a life of missions, hopefully to India, and to raise up the new volunteer and supported workers needed to continue and expand the ministry of Glad Tidings India. Goal - 2 per year starting in 2007.
4. Develop a base of 10 churches to provide people for the short-term ministry trips in a sending partnership with Glad Tidings India and India Bible Literature (by end 2006).
5. Develop a Network of supportive Pastors who will share about Glad Tidings India's ministry with other Pastors -- in place by end 2006.
6. Develop Major Donor support for specific projects using Board network during 2006.
7. Membership in ECFA, Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability, in Fall 2006.
8. Increase the size of the Board of Directors with 2 new additional members by end of 2006.