The Conception and Birth of Maharashtra Village Ministries (MVM)
The story of Maharashtra Village Ministries (MVM) begins not with an official launch or strategic planning, but with a quiet stirring in the hearts of a few young men, deeply burdened by the lostness of rural Maharashtra. Its conception took place in the late 1970s, during the time when the Union Biblical Seminary was located in Yavatmal. As part of their practical theological training, students were regularly sent to nearby villages to engage in evangelistic outreach. For many of these villagers, it was the first time they heard the Gospel—that Jesus Christ could free them from guilt and fear, and offer a new life of peace and hope.
These simple visits soon turned into something deeper. The students were profoundly moved by the openness of the people and the spiritual hunger they encountered. Yet they realized that mere visits were not enough. New believers needed someone to stay, walk alongside them, and nurture their faith. With prayerful consideration, the students pooled their own pocket money and supported one among them to remain in the village full-time to follow up, disciple, and share life with the people
This humble act of obedience and sacrifice marked the conception of Maharashtra Village Ministries—not as a structured organization, but as a response to God’s call birthed in prayer, faith, and compassion. One student willingly responded, choosing to live among the villagers and serve cross-culturally, setting aside personal ambition for the sake of the Gospel. This initial step of surrender was the seed from which the entire ministry would grow.
Between 1977 and 1980, the vision quietly formed, and by 1981, MVM informally began to take shape. The early years were marked by grassroots involvement, field-based engagement, and a strong dependence on God’s provision. There was no grand strategy—just an unwavering conviction that the unreached people of Maharashtra deserved to hear the good news of Jesus Christ. The ministry was built upon foundational values: faith, prayer, the Word of God, and sacrificial living.
As the work expanded slowly but steadily, there came a need to give it some legal and administrative identity. In 1986, MVM was registered as a society, and in 1987, as a trust—both in Yavatmal. Yet even with these formal steps, the heart of the mission remained unchanged. It was never merely about structures, but always about people, the Gospel, and obedience to Christ.
From its very conception, MVM has carried a vision to reach the remote villages of Maharashtra with the Gospel in both word and deed. It is a mission that was not born in a boardroom, but in the simple faith of students who believed that God could use them to make a difference. And God did. The ministry, sustained by prayer and sacrifice, laid a foundation for what would become a lasting and fruitful mission movement in rural India.
Even today, as MVM continues to grow and serve, its story finds meaning in those early days—in the faith of a few, the cry of the unreached, and the call of God that brought them together. What began as a mustard seed has become a tree bearing fruit in season.
To God be all the glory.
Rev. Dr. D.B. Kulothungan
D.B. Kulothungan ("Kulo"), BD (Senate of Serampore, 1982), is the Founder General Secretary of Maharashtra Village Ministries (MVM) and General Superintendent of Shalom Free Methodist Conference. He and his wife Faith mentor and mobilize first-generation disciples, passionately equipping Christ-like servant leaders to reach the remotest villages of Maharashtra.
Mrs. Elizabeth Faith Kulothungan
Sis. Faith, with a Masters in Psychology and Christian Studies and a PG Diploma in Mass Communication, has been serving as a cross-cultural missionary with Maharashtra Village Ministries for 33 years. She is a writer, counselor, and speaker passionate about equipping families, women, and leaders through teaching, worship, and training.