Evangelist gets global acclaim

A Papua New Guinean is fast becoming an internationally-acclaimed evangelist. He is Dr John Johnston Pande of Western Highlands province. Dr Pande has travelled the world and preached the gospel of Jesus Christ in many countries, including non-Christian nations like India. Dr Pande is the founding president of the American-based Global Changers Fellowship International Ministries.


Dr. Pande was welcomed during one of his recent visits to India

The ministry, which he founded in 2006, is rapidly growing and is now active in all corners of the world today after just three years of its existence.“The ministry has people coming from every corner of the globe. I did not know that when I was growing up I would be leading a global ministry and travelling the world.

I would like to thank God for saving my life at a young age and those that stood by me during my young life as a born-again Christian,” he said. Dr Pande started his pastoral career at the PNG Bible church in Mt Hagen from 1991-93 after graduating from the Pacific Bible college in the province where he did his theological studies and graduated with a bachelor of theology degree.

The Mt Hagen church was the largest congregation when Dr Pande was the pastor there.In the middle of 1993, he felt God’s calling for him to do further studies. He swiftly answered that call and was originally accepted in three colleges but chose God’s Bible College in Cincinnati, Ohio, USA, where he completed a B.R.E degree programme in 1995.

The following year he enrolled at Cincinnati Christian University where he did graduate studies and obtained a masters degree in Christian education and another masters in ministry in 1999. The soft-spoken Hagener went on to complete his doctorate degree in philosophy, possibly a first by a Papua New Guinean, at the Evangelical Christian University in Louisiana in 2000. Dr Pande is from the little-known Kopi-Nokpa tribe of Korobal village near Mt Hagen.

Dr. Pande was preaching to the wounded souls in India during one of his visits

He returned to his beloved PNG in summer of 2000 after his extended studies in the US. He then pastored the Mt Hagen church and spoke at revivals, conventions and crusades right across PNG and in many other churches and schools.“While serving there the doors closed on me and God began to speak to me about world missions and the battle fields in the inner cities of America and the world.

I listened to God’s voice and was commissioned by God to lead a global ministry in these end times,” Dr Pande revealed. He again left for the US to take up his new position that God had appointed him to lead the global ministry, touching the lives of the untouched and baptising new believers. Dr Pande said he had travelled to countries like India and started a sister fellowship there in 2006. That fellowship is booming with 12 new cell churches in south India. The Global Changers Church where Dr. Pande is a senior pastor is located in Cincinnati, Ohio, USA. For more information, click here

By DAVID MURI of The National

*** It is interesting to see lots of Papua New Guineans reaching high to impact lives of people in different ways in the mist of the dilemmas that Papua New Guinea is facing. There are so many Papua New Guineans achieving greater things for themselves, for their families, and exposing Papua New Guinea to the outside world.

We are not as bad as what others presume us to be and therefore we are proud of our heritage and will continue to paint a good picture about Papua New Guinea no matter where we are. We can take a little step each day forward to change the face of Papua New Guinea.

For those who are hanging loose and don't know where to go; please, find a church and be part of the body of Christ. You'll only realize your calling when you join with Christ. You'll only find solace and comfort in those that have a common goal in serving our Lord.

Dr. Pande is a great man of God and I am glad that I come to know him over the years. Our conversations each day and the Melpa language that we use is a welcoming testimony of what good friends can become when you're miles and miles away from home, especially our sweet home 'Kange Land' (Mount Hagen).

I wish Dr. Pande, his family, and the ministry God's immense blessings and good health in the years ahead to witness and enhance the Kingdom of God.