When permission was given by Government of India to Chikkala's Trust in 2005
to receive foreign funds (under Foreign Currency Regulation Act) to support Baer
Christian Hospital, the Trust was asked not to spend any of these funds for religious
purposes. Hence, Trust funds are not being used for Tabernacle School of Evangelism.
In 2007, one wing of the old Baer Hospital facility was sufficiently renovated to
house a lecture hall. The Tabernacle School of Evangelism was founded. A goal of
the hospital project is to hold up the name of Jesus Christ and fulfill, through
services of mercy, the Great Commission to bring the Gospel “to all nations.” This
school of evangelism will assist in the training of those who will serve as evangelists
and Christian trainers throughout the district around Baer Christian Hospital. The
Tabernacle School qualifies men and women to carry the saving message of Jesus Christ
into their towns and villages. The life-giving message of Christ is at the heart
of all that Baer Christian Hospital desires to accomplish through its services to
the people of Chriala.
Attending the Tabernacle School of Evangelism were 15 students in 2007 and 12
students in 2008. The staff salaries come from the offerings of English worship
Service and funds from Chikkala family but not from funds of Chikkala's Trust or
CMAE. Rev. Peter Gera of Andhra Pradesh Bible College sends his college professors
to teach occasionally. Rev. George Murdaugh and Dr. Jerry Rausch of Oak Road Lutheran
Church also taught in this school.
A special HIV/AIDS seminar was conducted by the school in January 2008. Mr.
Frank and Mrs. Joanne De Marco (a Wife and husband team) of Minnesota Teen Challenge
developed and taught this Biblically based HIV/AIDS curriculum. The first part of
this course dealt with causes, spread, myths and prevention of HIV/AIDS. The second
part discussed the opportunity of the Evangelists to reach out to people affected
by HIV and explain the salvation through belief in saving Grace of Jesus Christ.
The students were provided with brochures explaining all the above points in local
language and self-explanatory color pictures. The cost of entire course, travel
of teachers from USA, printing of brochures etc. was borne by Mr. Bob Saffrin, a
friend of Rev. Peter Gera. Using the same study material and brochures another session
was conducted by Dr. Nathaniel F. Chikkala to impart the same knowledge to about
fifty local pastors.