In a major update to the ‘Calvary Temple Church’ controversy, the Minority Welfare Department of Andhra Pradesh has issued orders to demolish the Church and associated premises located in the Namburu village, Pedakakani Mandal, Guntur District. The orders have been issued following thorough investigations exposing illegal operations being conducted within the church. As per the initial information, only structures that are in function without legal permission will be demolished.
The controversy erupted in November 2024 after a formal complaint was filed against the church alleging that its operations were conducted without legal permission from government departments like the Panchayat Raj, Revenue, Police, and the Noise Pollution Control Board. The complaint was filed with the Prime Minister’s Office in which it was also mentioned that Pastor Dr Satish Kumar looted people through tithes without paying taxes.
A proper investigation was conducted into the matter after which it was found that the church operated illegally and also converted Hindus to Christianity by distributing groceries to the poor and spreading fake claims.
**Calvari temple actively converting around 3 thousand hindus every month to Christianity**
— Devika Journalist (@DevikaRani81) October 26, 2024
Foreign origin news channels are claiming that …calvari Temple in Hyderabad run by paster Sathish is actively converting around 3 thousand hindus every month to Christianity… so far… pic.twitter.com/6zSDcA5hBb
In October, it was reported that the Calvary Church, led by Pastor Dr Satish Kumar from Hyderabad, converted around 3000 Hindus every month to Christianity. The Pastor who operated the “Mega Church” called Calvary Temple, notably claimed that they had done over 3.5 Lakh Hindu conversions to Christianity so far and had plans to establish 40 Calvary-like Churches across India in the next 10 years.
On 26th October, a video by the CBN News (The Christian Broadcasting Network Inc) went viral on social media platform X which talked about Calvary Temple’s conversion activities. Later on 28th October 2024, the Legal Rights Protection Forum (LRPF) shared on social media platform X that following orders from the Kakinada District Collector, revenue officials had confiscated the Calvary Temple which was a digital church branch operated from Hyderabad.
#BIGNEWS:
— Legal Rights Protection Forum (@lawinforce) October 28, 2024
Following orders from the Kakinada District Collector, revenue officials have confiscated the Calvary Temple, a digital church branch operated by Pastor Satish Kumar from Hyderabad. pic.twitter.com/KL8rCKUIPA
About Calvary Temple India
As reported earlier, Calvary Temple India was founded by Dr. Satish Kumar in 2005. He is often described as a “widely respected” pastor, author, and international speaker, credited with visionary leadership and “integrity.” Yet, such titles raise questions when examined against the backdrop of his missionary activities. Pastor Satish’s emphasis on “biblical standards” appears strategically tailored to increase his following, especially given his goal of aggressive conversions in India. Though he claims to embody humility and accessibility, his methods suggest a calculated approach to influence and control under the guise of humanitarianism.
The growth of Calvary Temple has been praised extensively on its website, with claims of having 400,000 members. Such rapid expansion of the church raises serious concerns about its reliance on resources and the tactics used to influx funding to target vulnerable Hindus. Calvary Temple also claims the church was constructed in just 52 days. When considered alongside initiatives like Calvary Bible College and Calvary Hospital, as well as the free meals provided, it appears to be less about philanthropy and more about building a religious empire.
Pastor Dr. Satish Kumar has grown notorious due to several of his activities though Christians consider his activities as a huge service to the community. The news report by CBN exposed the modus operandi of the missionary group’s operations as it claimed that it converted around 3000 Hindus every month. Though Christian media celebrated this as a mark of success, it highlights the controversial overreach of the church.
Exploiting vulnerability under the guise of charity
Calvary Temple’s conversion practices target vulnerable Hindus, exploiting their poverty and economic instability under the guise of charity. CBN reported that every Sunday, Calvary Church offers three free meals to attendees. The number of attendees dining at Sunday mass reaches up to 50,000, amounting to 200,000 free meals monthly. In addition to free food, the church also offers free medical services, marriage arrangements, and funeral arrangements, as calculated measures to lure Hindus into conversion.
The Pastor had earlier said that the church has already established 11 satellite churches and had plans to build 40 mega-churches across India within the next decade.
It is further crucial to note that the Church has in the past alleged that “Hindu extremist groups” often attack them. As noted earlier, Hindus have been making massive efforts to stop forced conversions conducted under the guise of free meals, medical treatment, or miracles globally. But, every time the church has been getting a free pass probably due to massive connections and international funding.
International funding, furthering US interference
Calvary Temple India’s funding details are not available on their website. However, our search revealed that they received substantial funding from the UK-based Christian Vision on two occasions. In 2020, they received £74,467, and in 2021, they received a whopping £727,394 from Christian Vision.
The Pastor also has a history of meeting then-Vice President of the United States, Mike Pence to discuss the importance of protecting religious freedom. A post by Pence in 2018 revealed the connections of the Calvary Church. Notably, when the Pastor said that he enjoyed religious freedom in India, he met US leaders allowing them to interfere in the religious matters of the country.
The US has particularly interfered in India’s internal matters concerning religious freedom for decades, especially since Prime Minister Narendra Modi took office. The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) publishes annual reports on India that often target Hindus and the current government, alleging discrimination against minorities.
Inspiring to meet with Dr. Satish Kumar – pastor of Calvary Temple Church in Hyderabad, India. We discussed the importance of protecting religious freedom with faith leaders including Dr. David Jeremiah, Dr. John Ankerberg, Steve Green, Mart Green, and Dr. Jerry Johnson. pic.twitter.com/8efaTPtFub
— Vice President Mike Pence Archived (@VP45) May 8, 2018
Notably in 2020, Pastor Satish was heard saying that he managed to stay out of the government’s radar by not using words like conversion or forced conversion. He claimed that the government was happy that the church was providing ‘free food’ to the poor. Interestingly, during a pandemic, they claim to have distributed 700 tons of food and medicines to the needy. It is not hard to guess how they have used this “noble” cause for luring vulnerable Hindus.