Sabbath, July 4, 2026 Church Expansion in Chennai, India Chennai, formerly known as Madras, is the capital and largest city of Tamil Nadu, the southernmost state of India. It is located on the Coromandel Coast of the Bay of Bengal. According to the 2011 Indian census, Chennai is the sixth-most-populous city in India and forms the fourth-most-populous urban agglomeration. Incorporated in 1688, Greater Chennai Corporation is the oldest municipal corporation in India and the second oldest in the world after London. It has a center for trade and commerce with about 15,000 industries and is a major center for medical tourism, being termed “India’s health capital.” The city also houses a major portion of India’s automobile industry, hence its other name, “Detroit of India.” Chennai was the only South Asian city to be ranked among the National Geographic “Top 10 Food Cities” in 2015 and has been ranked ninth on Lonely Planet’s best cosmopolitan cities in the world. The population of greater Chennai is now over 12 million, currently increasing at a steady rate of 2.34% per year. The city is home to a diverse population of ethno-religious communities. As per census of 2011, the majority of Chennai’s population was Hindu (80.73%) followed by 9.45% Muslim, 7.72% Christian, 1.27% others and 0.83% professing no religion or religious preference. As of 2019, 40% of the 1.788 million families in the city live below the poverty line. As of 2017, the city had 2.2 million households, with 40% of the residents not owning a house. There are about 1,131 slums in the city, housing more than 300,000 households. All kinds of people dwell here, and all need to hear the everlasting gospel of Jesus Christ in these last days. Due to challenging economic factors, we have not been able to complete the construction of a church in Chennai within the time anticipated. Now, with the work underway, we have also recognized the need to expand the project with additional construction of pastor’s quarters, a conference hall, and Sabbath school classrooms for children. To accomplish this, we definitely need to appeal to the kind generosity of our beloved churches around the world. It is our solemn request to our brothers, sisters, and youth please to offer your largehearted donations for this project. Thank you in advance, and may the Lord richly bless you all. Your brothers and sisters in Chennai