I was born in an orthodox Christian family in India, where my grandfather was in the business of making church bells and temple lamps. This was a big business and these items were supplied to different parts of South India. My father, Pr. P.G. Thomas was a central government employee with a transferable job. We were well taken care of and there was no hunger for God.

Family Salvation

My father was posted in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala and in 1980 my mother was suffering from an incurable illness. During this period, someone guided my parents to a church. God worked through Sis. Mary Kovoor and her husband who ministered in Thiruvalla, Kerala. My mother experienced healing in her life and both my parents gave their lives to the Lord Jesus Christ.

Salvation of Pastor Shine Thomas

My life took a turn in Calcutta in 1985 when my family had to move there as part of my father’s job. In Calcutta we went to the Buntain Memorial AG Church. In May 1987, I accepted Jesus Christ as my Savior on the final day of a Vacation Bible School in the AG Church when Pastor Mark Buntain gave the altar call. In June 1987, I obeyed the Lord in water baptism. Later we moved to Bangalore in 1990 and in 1992 God filled me with His Holy Spirit, with the evidence of talking in tongues, vision and prophesy. It was then that I stared rooting myself in Christ.

Marriage, Family, & Work

In September of 2000, I got married to Glory Shine from Bangalore. We were well settled in our career. Glory worked as a Quality Manager in a company and I was working as a Team Lead in another company in Bangalore. God blessed us with two children, Samuel P. Shine, presently pursuing his Graduation program and daughter, Grace Ann Shine doing her 9^th grade.

Pioneering of City Harvest AG Church

In February of 2003, our family moved to the HBR layout, Bangalore. We started a small prayer at our house with my wife and our 2- month- old son, Samuel. After finishing our work, Glory and I visited homes and did prayer walks all around our home. God gave us souls and we had a couple of people coming over for Bible studies on Saturdays by April 2003. By God’s allowance and grace, I started City Harvest AG Church as a morning service with 20 people in September of 2003. The church continued to grow in strength and number. The demands of ministry were so high that I had to leave my job for full-time ministry in 2007. Eventually, Glory too left her job and pursued the call of God in 2009.

God blessed the church’s attendance and membership. City Harvest AG Church has 5 Sunday worship services. I am also presently serving as the Presbyter of the Central District of South India Assemblies of God, India.

Rev. Shine Thomas

City Harvest AG Church, Bangalore
E-mail:[email protected]