What is Peniel? Where is Peniel?
Genesis 32:22-30 (ESV)
22 The same night he arose and took his two wives, his two female servants, and his eleven children, and crossed the ford of the Jabbok.23 He took them and sent them across the stream, and everything else that he had. 24 And Jacob was left alone. And a man wrestled with him until the breaking of the day. 25 When the man saw that he did not prevail against Jacob, he touched his hip socket, and Jacob's hip was put out of joint as he wrestled with him. 26 Then he said, “Let me go, for the day has broken.” But Jacob said, “I will not let you go unless you bless me.” 27 And he said to him, “What is your name?” And he said, “Jacob.”28 Then he said, “Your name shall no longer be called Jacob, but Israel,for you have striven with God and with men, and have prevailed.” 29 Then Jacob asked him, “Please tell me your name.” But he said, “Why is it that you ask my name?” And there he blessed him. 30 So Jacob called the name of the place Peniel, saying, “For I have seen God face to face, and yet my life has been delivered.”
God calls Jacob out of the house of Laban (his father-in-law's house) and asks him to return to his father's land in Canaan. Jacob leaves and but at the same he is scared to meet his own brother, Esau but inorder to obey's God command Jacob leaves to go back to his father's land. Jacob stays in his camp by himself and sends everyone across the stream as he anxious about next in his life. That evening he had A Man in his camp wrestling with him and they fought all night. When the day broke THE MAN ( GOD) wanted to leave and Jacob knew it was time to ask for the blessing for the fighting he did all night and Jacob said that he would not leave till GOD blesses Jacob. Indeed GOD blessed him and said that he was no longer Jacob but he shall be Israel. Jacob named this place PENIEL - " For I have seen God face to face, and yet my life has been delivered."
In 1969 God rescued Rev. Pr. Mammen Joseph from the bondage of deep Catholic Faith and political activities to carry on with His work in the North East India and the neighbouring countries. In obedience to the call he moved out of his hometown Kerala to North Bengal. Ever since the Lord gave a burning vision to Rev. Mammen Joseph, Peniel Gospel Team is striving to reach out the poorest people with gospel and help them to bring up the living standards for a holistic development in Jesus Christ.
Rev. Mammen Joseph is the eldest son of his family. He has a brother and three younger sisters. He was first in his family to receive Christ as his Savior and King. The day he believed in Christ Rev. Joseph says he got a call to leave his home town and move to the north-east India where there none have heard about gospel. To get a theological training he joined a Seminary in Kerala and after his graduation he left for North India to learn hindi and to explore and extend his vision. Once he came to North India and learnt the North Indian languages he worked towards God's call in his life. He travelled and explored different regions of the North-east India. He started his travel from Delhi and came to Kolkata and then he travelled further towards the northeast and finally reached Siliguri in 1976. He came to a village in Siliguri called Bagdogra and found peace in his heart and he knew this was the place where God wants him to be. This was the place where the first church by Rev. Mammen Joseph planted and he named his first church Peniel.
Over the years God has blessed this pioneer missionary and helped him reach the north east region and the surrounding regions. Today Peniel Gospel is a church planting organisation with more than four hundred churches and two hundred missionaries who are working in some of the remote areas of the Northeast India. Peniel Gospel Team also works among the children, homeless and provides adult literacy training in different remote villages.
There is a great need in the field and Peniel Gospel Team wants dedicated men and women to come and join for the unreached in Northeast India..
22 The same night he arose and took his two wives, his two female servants, and his eleven children, and crossed the ford of the Jabbok.23 He took them and sent them across the stream, and everything else that he had. 24 And Jacob was left alone. And a man wrestled with him until the breaking of the day. 25 When the man saw that he did not prevail against Jacob, he touched his hip socket, and Jacob's hip was put out of joint as he wrestled with him. 26 Then he said, “Let me go, for the day has broken.” But Jacob said, “I will not let you go unless you bless me.” 27 And he said to him, “What is your name?” And he said, “Jacob.”28 Then he said, “Your name shall no longer be called Jacob, but Israel,for you have striven with God and with men, and have prevailed.” 29 Then Jacob asked him, “Please tell me your name.” But he said, “Why is it that you ask my name?” And there he blessed him. 30 So Jacob called the name of the place Peniel, saying, “For I have seen God face to face, and yet my life has been delivered.”
God calls Jacob out of the house of Laban (his father-in-law's house) and asks him to return to his father's land in Canaan. Jacob leaves and but at the same he is scared to meet his own brother, Esau but inorder to obey's God command Jacob leaves to go back to his father's land. Jacob stays in his camp by himself and sends everyone across the stream as he anxious about next in his life. That evening he had A Man in his camp wrestling with him and they fought all night. When the day broke THE MAN ( GOD) wanted to leave and Jacob knew it was time to ask for the blessing for the fighting he did all night and Jacob said that he would not leave till GOD blesses Jacob. Indeed GOD blessed him and said that he was no longer Jacob but he shall be Israel. Jacob named this place PENIEL - " For I have seen God face to face, and yet my life has been delivered."
In 1969 God rescued Rev. Pr. Mammen Joseph from the bondage of deep Catholic Faith and political activities to carry on with His work in the North East India and the neighbouring countries. In obedience to the call he moved out of his hometown Kerala to North Bengal. Ever since the Lord gave a burning vision to Rev. Mammen Joseph, Peniel Gospel Team is striving to reach out the poorest people with gospel and help them to bring up the living standards for a holistic development in Jesus Christ.
Rev. Mammen Joseph is the eldest son of his family. He has a brother and three younger sisters. He was first in his family to receive Christ as his Savior and King. The day he believed in Christ Rev. Joseph says he got a call to leave his home town and move to the north-east India where there none have heard about gospel. To get a theological training he joined a Seminary in Kerala and after his graduation he left for North India to learn hindi and to explore and extend his vision. Once he came to North India and learnt the North Indian languages he worked towards God's call in his life. He travelled and explored different regions of the North-east India. He started his travel from Delhi and came to Kolkata and then he travelled further towards the northeast and finally reached Siliguri in 1976. He came to a village in Siliguri called Bagdogra and found peace in his heart and he knew this was the place where God wants him to be. This was the place where the first church by Rev. Mammen Joseph planted and he named his first church Peniel.
Over the years God has blessed this pioneer missionary and helped him reach the north east region and the surrounding regions. Today Peniel Gospel is a church planting organisation with more than four hundred churches and two hundred missionaries who are working in some of the remote areas of the Northeast India. Peniel Gospel Team also works among the children, homeless and provides adult literacy training in different remote villages.
There is a great need in the field and Peniel Gospel Team wants dedicated men and women to come and join for the unreached in Northeast India..