ABOUT
REHOBOTH MINISTRIES INTERNATIONAL
MISSION & HISTORY.
Rehoboth Ministries developed as an outgrowth of the personal ministry of Rev. Kantharao Meesala. He was saved from an orthodox Hindu religious background and began a life of personal evangelism, church planting, training national missionaries and pastors, and taking care of orphan and destitute children in 1963.
Rev. Meesala realized that more people could be reached and more churches could be planted with more people involved. In order to facilitate this spiritual multiplication, Rehoboth Ministries was formed.
Rehoboth Ministries India formed and registered in India in 2001. In 2011, Rehoboth Ministries International was formed as a 501(c)(3) organization in the United States.
Their goal in the next eight years (by 2028) is to see 600 churches planted and become self-sustaining. They commissioned their first American missionary in 2020.
OUR NAME.
Rehoboth, meaning in ancient Hebrew "abundant room" or "broad place" is the name of a well dug by Isaac, son of Abraham, in the land of Canaan as mentioned in Genesis 26.
Isaac encountered conflict over two other wells which had belonged to his father. With Rehoboth, however, there was no conflict. "Here," Isaac said, "the Lord has made room for us, and we shall be fruitful in the land" (Genesis 26:22).
Rehoboth Ministries founder Rev. Meesala encountered numerous and diverse conflicts throughout his personal Gospel ministry.
Although many challenges remain, he has at last found room in Vuyyuru from the Lord, where the ministry can be fruitful and flourish in the land.
WHAT WE BELIEVE.
Rehoboth Ministries International, Inc., has the following Statement of Beliefs.
1. GOD
There is one and only one living and true God. He is an intelligent, spiritual, and personal Being, the Creator, Redeemer, Preserver, and Ruler of the universe. God is infinite in holiness and all other perfections. God is all-powerful and all-knowing; and His perfect knowledge extends to all things, past, present, and future. The eternal triune God reveals Himself to us as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, with distinct personal attributes, but without division of nature, essence, or being.
GOD THE FATHER
God as Father reigns with providential care over His universe, His creatures, and the flow of human history according to the purposes of His grace. He is all powerful, all knowing, all loving, and all wise. God is Father in truth to those who become children of God through faith in Jesus Christ. He is fatherly in His attitude toward all men.
GOD THE SON
Christ is the eternal Son of God. In His incarnation as Jesus Christ He was conceived of the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary. Jesus perfectly revealed and did the will of God, taking upon Himself human nature with its demands and necessities and identifying Himself completely with mankind yet without sin. He honored the divine law by His personal obedience, and in His substitutionary death on the cross He made provision for the redemption of men from sin. He was raised from the dead with a glorified body and appeared to His disciples as the person who was with them before His crucifixion. He ascended into heaven and is now exalted at the right hand of God where He is the One Mediator, fully God, fully man, in whose Person is effected the reconciliation between God and man. He will return in power and glory to judge the world and to consummate His redemptive mission.
GOD THE HOLY SPIRIT
The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of God, fully divine. He inspired holy men of old to write the Scriptures. Through illumination He enables men to understand truth. He exalts Christ. He convicts men of sin, of righteousness, and of judgment. He calls men to the Saviour, and effects regeneration. He cultivates Christian character, comforts believers, and bestows the spiritual gifts by which they serve God through His church. He seals the believer unto the day of final redemption. He enlightens and empowers the believer and the church in worship, evangelism, and service.
2. THE SCRIPTURES
The Holy Bible was written by men divinely inspired and is God’s revelation of Himself to man. It has God for its author, salvation for its end, and truth, without any mixture of error, for its matter. Therefore, all Scripture is totally true and trustworthy. It reveals the principles by which God judges us, and therefore is, and will remain to the end of the world, the true center of Christian union, and the supreme standard by which all human conduct, creeds, and religious opinions should be tried. All Scripture is a testimony to Christ, who is Himself the focus of divine revelation.
3. HUMANITY
Humans are the special creation of God, made in His own image. He created them male and female as the crowning work of His creation. The gift of gender is thus part of the goodness of God’s creation. In the beginning people were innocent of sin and were endowed by their Creator with freedom of choice. By their free choice the man and woman sinned against God and brought sin into the human race. Through the temptation of Satan humanity transgressed the command of God, and fell from their original innocence whereby their posterity inherit a nature and an environment inclined toward sin. Therefore, as soon as they are capable of moral action, they become transgressors and are under condemnation. Only the grace of God can bring humans into His holy fellowship and enable men and women to fulfill the creative purpose of God. The sacredness of human personality is evident in that God created humans in His own image, and in that Christ died for people; therefore, every person of every race possesses full dignity and is worthy of respect and Christian love.
4. SALVATION
Salvation involves the redemption of the whole man, and is offered freely to all who accept Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, who by His own blood obtained eternal redemption for the believer. In its broadest sense salvation includes regeneration, justification, sanctification, and glorification. There is no salvation apart from personal faith in Jesus Christ as Lord.
5. THE CHURCH
A New Testament church of the Lord Jesus Christ is an autonomous local congregation of baptized believers, associated by covenant in the faith and fellowship of the gospel; observing the two ordinances of Christ (Baptism and the Lord’s Supper), governed by His laws, exercising the gifts, rights, and privileges invested in them by His Word, and seeking to extend the gospel to the ends of the earth. Its scriptural officers are pastors and deacons. The New Testament speaks also of the church as the Body of Christ, which includes all of the redeemed of all the ages, believers from every tribe, and tongue, and people, and nation.
6. LAST THINGS
God, in His own time and in His own way, will bring the world to its appropriate end. According to His promise, Jesus Christ will return personally and visibly in glory to the earth; the dead will be raised; and Christ will judge all men in righteousness. The unrighteous will be consigned to Hell, the place of everlasting punishment. The righteous in their resurrected and glorified bodies will receive their reward and will dwell forever in Heaven with the Lord.
CORE VALUES.
Transparency.
Honesty.
Loyalty.
A never-ending Commitment to the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
Meet The Team
Sastry Meesala
Dr. Sastry Meesala is the Vice President of Rehoboth Ministries International, Inc. He is married to Paige Kathleen. They met at seminary while Sastry was finishing his Ph.D. Sastry and Paige are called to full-time missionary work and faithfully serve the Lord with RMI. After finishing college, Sastry did his Bachelor of Theology, Post-Graduation Diploma in Islamic Studies, Master of Arts in Global Leadership, and Master of Theology (Th.M.). During and after his studies, he worked as a church planter and Bible teacher in India. He has planted a church among Asian Indians in Irving, Texas. In 2019 Sastry earned his PhD in Missions & Islamic Studies. He is a preacher, teacher, theologian, writer, trainer, church planter, prayer warrior, and evangelist. Sastry oversees the work of Rehoboth Ministries International, Inc.
Paige Kathleen Meesala
Mrs. Paige Kathleen Meesala is the wife of Dr. Sastry Meesala and is a native of Texas. Paige earned her Bachelor of Science Degree in Social Work and Master of Arts Degree in Biblical Counseling. She worked previously as a university campus missionary in Texas, was a missionary in East Asia, and has traveled to many countries. She has previously worked among refugees in the United States and has taught in an English as a Second Language program. She is a great Bible teacher, counselor, and administrator. Together, Paige and Sastry represent Rehoboth Ministries International, Inc, globally.
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
By God's kindness, Dan became a Christ follower at the age of 5. Throughout his life, he has been actively involved with the local church; he has taught Christian education classes to children and adults of all ages.
Dan's commitment to evangelism and discipleship began in earnest in college, when he was involved with Campus Crusade for Christ. Ever since, Dan has been involved in a lifestyle of evangelism and discipleship. He's been on mission trips to Asia, Central America, and Africa.
Dan earned his bachelor’s degree in history and English with a minor in education, and has an M.Div. from Princeton Theological Seminary. He lives in Irving, Texas with his wife Stacy and sons Noah and Joshua. He serves as the full-time chaplain at Dallas Life Foundation, a large homeless recovery center in downtown Dallas. Dan delights in teaching others the excellencies of God's word. His "super huge impossible prayer request" is "10 in 10": that God would save 10% of Indians in 10 years.
Keith is a retired pastor from Texas. During Kieth's 22-year pastorate at Duncanville's First Baptist Church, Sastry became a special part of the church and the Brister family. In 2018, after his retirement, Keith & his wife moved to Auburn, AL, to help their son plant a church. They have recently returned to Texas.
During the early years of development of the RMI vision, Keith visited Sastry’s home in India. He fell in love with Sastry’s family, their ministry and the people of India. With the growth and development of RMI, Keith has served as Chairman of its Board.
Keith and his wife, Vicki, have two children, both serving the Lord faithfully. They also have five grandchildren. Keith enjoys fishing, cycling, bird-watching and all things outdoors.
Doris grew up in a Christian home, as the daughter of a pastor/church elder. She accepted Christ at the age of 12. For years, her parents were deeply involved in Bible translation efforts and literacy support; they supported Wycliffe Bible Translators, and Doris herself worked with Wycliffe for a short time.
She is married to her wonderful husband, "Mr. Ron." She is a step-mother to two adult children and a grandmother to two young adults. Doris has been an income tax professional since 2008; prior to this she served as a church treasurer from 1977-1983, and from 2007 to the present.
She has been involved with Rehoboth Ministries, helping to establish it as an incorporated 501(c)(3) nonprofit. She currently serves as the ministry's Secretary-Treasurer.
Doris prays that God would use Rehoboth Ministries in India far and beyond any and all expectations that anyone could imagine!
Katie Hardy is the proud wife of Daniel and is a stay-at-home mom to their three children: Ben, Luke, and Annie. She has been a follower of Christ since the age of 8 and developed a heart for missions since she was a child. She has always been fascinated and drawn to stories of how God was working around the world and throughout history. Katie is thankful to have grown up in a home and a church where God’s heart for all nations, tribes, and tongues was taught and emphasized.
Katie and her family came to know Sastry through their partnership with RMI. As she began to learn more about the incredible work God was doing through Sastry's family and ministry in India, she knew this was something she wanted to be a part of. Since then, Sastry and the Meesalas have become like family; Katie is blessed to join them in their efforts to reach India.
Katie's “Ephesians 3:20” dream for Rehoboth Ministries International is that God would continue to expand the orphanage ministry so that more vulnerable children would have access to education, love, safety, and most importantly, the Gospel. She believes God will use RMI to help raise up the next generation of believers in India for His glory. It has been a joy for her to see how the Lord has blessed all the work of RMI and she can’t wait to see what God will do in the days and years to come. Soli Deo Gloria!
Larry grew up in the church, and accepted Christ at the age of 13. He met his wife, Ann, at a church retreat, and they have 2 grown children, Lauren and John.
Larry was a deacon at a previous church, and is currently a deacon officer at DFBC. He enjoys serving in that capacity, working in the greeting ministry, and ministering to the church widows. Encouraging others, especially by visiting those at the hospital, rehab or long-term care is a special privilege and joy to him.
Larry has been a realtor/broker, and business owner for forty years. His speciality is residential property management, and he enjoys helping his clients and tenants.
Sastry's occasional sermons at Larry's church, which were evangelistic and very inspiring, reminded Larry of the importance of reaching the world with the gospel. Larry and his family have enjoyed praying for and supporting Sastry, and now Paige, in their many-faceted ministry.
I did not grow up in a Christian home and was indifferent toward God until I was nineteen years old. But I reluctantly went to church after being invited by a friend. During a dramatization called "Heavens Gates Hells Flames" I was fully convinced in an instant that I was a sinner and that I could only know God and go to heaven if I repented of my sin and followed Jesus Christ. My life transformed that night and I became a new creation. I began to grow very quickly as I read the scriptures every day.
A few years later I felt God calling me to ministry. In 2009, a Christian mentor encouraged my wife and me to attend SWBTS. God convinced me of the need to move for schooling and my call to pastor through Colossians 1:25: "Of this church I was made a minister according to the stewardship from God bestowed on me for your benefit, so that I might fully carry out the preaching of the Word of God."
Between 2009 and 2013 I completed the Bachelor of Humanities and then between 2013 and 2016 I completed a Master of Divinity.
While in seminary God called me to begin pastoring a church in Lakeside Village, Texas. I pastored there in a bi-vocational position from 2012 through 2019. God then opened the doors for our family to move to Trinity Baptist in River Oaks in September 2019.
Clint is married to Donna, and they have two children: Andrew & Julianna
Jason is a pastor and church planter in Midland, Texas. He and his family planted Redeemer Church in 2016. Jason has a deep love for missions, teaching, preaching, and church planting, and has preached and trained pastors in many countries, including India.
He graduated from DBU in 2004 with a BA in Biblical studies, 2006 with an MA in higher education, and 2007 with an MBA in Business Management. He has been married to Hannah for 15 years, and they have 3 beautiful kids: Judah, Paisley and Hudson.
Jason met Sastry, and heard about the incredible work God was doing through the Meesala family & wanted to see it for himself. Sastry invited him to visit India, and it changed his life. Since then, he has taken multiple trips to invest in and be blessed by the Ministry of Rehoboth in India.
His prayer is that God would protect the leaders of this movement from the enemy, and that this church planting movement would continue to increase exponentially and be strengthened for generations to come. For the Glory of Christ among the Nations.