IPC EBENEZER is a church planted, nourished and invigorated by the all-sufficient God Almighty. Our short history bears the fingerprints of God’s grace throughout. Ebenezer is a special word taken from the Bible that simply means God has helped us thus far.
In 1991, three believers C. George Mathew, AbrahamOommen and Thankachan Daniel met for prayer and fellowship with a common burden to take the Gospel to the labour workers’ residential camps in Mussafah. All three of them were non-ordained members of IPC Abu Dhabi. At that time, Mussafah was a predominantly industrial district of Abu Dhabi a 30-minute drive from the city. Their prayerful efforts made it possible to rent a room for prayer gatherings. Weekly meetings were regularly held, usually on Saturday, and attendance increased gradually. Meanwhile, the fellowship was recognized as an outstation ministry of IPC Abu Dhabi.
As time passed, several other believers got involved in the ministry, among them Jacob Samuel, Kurian George, James Chacko andM. A. Cleetus. A significant aspect of this fellowship was the intermittent rotation of members owing to the unpredictable job market of Gulf countries. When someone left, the Lord brought in another to take his place. This continues to be true of our church today. In a similar fashion, the fellowship was forced to change prayer rooms and each time, the Lord’s provision was experienced afresh.
In 2002, eleven years after a humble beginning, it was decided that the Lord’s work in Mussafah needed a greater focus. By then, Mussafah had been transformed into a township with a newly built residential area called Shabiya. C. George Mathew and family shifted residence from Abu Dhabi to Shabiya. A Shabiya-based worship service was started in November 2002, in addition to the existing camp meeting. All the believers continued to gather for the main worship service of IPC Abu Dhabi every Thursday.
C. George Mathew and Jacob Samuel, already leading the Mussafah ministry, were ordained as associate pastors of IPC Abu Dhabi on 29 th November 2007. The next milestone came in 2008 when a formal request was placed before the General Body Meeting on January 29 th for the formation of a separate autonomous fellowship in Mussafah. The approval led to the establishment of IPC EBENEZER and the first worship service was held on the 31 st of January 2008. The church was later affiliated to the IPC UAE region and the Abu Dhabi Pentecostal Churches’ Congregation (APCCON).
The problem of a permanent worship-place bothered us whenever we lost a rented facility. The Lord stood with us in our difficulties and imparted strength to move on. This is when we were invited to participate in the construction of the Brethren Church Centre, which came as God’s answer to our prayers. We moved into the newly constructed halls of the B.C.C. in March 2011 with hearts full of gratitude and praise.
Meanwhile, under the initiative of P.A. Varghese, the camp ministry has spread out over various labour camp colonies such as ICAD, Mafraq and Baniyas. Weekly camp meetings are now conducted on Friday, Saturday and Sunday.We also have an additional worship service in the city at the Evangelical Church Centre every Monday. Dedicated believers persist on the same model of pray-and-reach for Gospel work in these areas, as at the birth of this ministry in 1991.
IPC EBENEZER is gratefully proud to be a part of God’s plans for Abu Dhabi.
Mission & Vision
As IPC EBENEZER moves from milestone to milestone, it is evident that the Lord sustains the work He has begun of His own will. His caring love refreshes us in our weariness and spurs us onward to our goal. We have been picked to make a difference. Manmade enterprises rise and fall, but the counsel of the Lord stands forever.
In the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. It is our priority to spread the Gospel in every possible capacity, giving special attention to the labour camps of Mussafah and other suburbs of Abu Dhabi. We foresee a great awakening in this part of the Middle East with a fulfillment of the Biblical prophecy that the Lord will be worshipped in â€every language and tongue’. Hence, our prayer is for the peace and revival of the nation.
At the same time, we are in-line with the Biblical call to holiness in every believer’s life. Apostle Paul wrote thus: (Christ) we preach, warning every man, and teaching every man in all wisdom; that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus.