Joshua Daniel Rungsung: From Addict and Atheist to Pastoral Leader

About Joshua

During our first ministry trip to India, we led the Spiritually Healthy Leader workshops in two remote cities in the far northeastern sector of India: Imphal (Manipur province) and Jaigaon (West Bengal). The workshops were arranged in partnership with PALSET (Pastors and Leaders Skill Enhancement Training), a leadership nurture ministry led by pastor Joshua Daniel Rungsung.

We were met in Imphal by a member of the PALSET Alumni Team. He explained that Joshua was in neighboring Nagaland teaching at a pastors’ conference and would join us shortly. Joshua had encountered an ‘uprising’ enroute to our location. He chose to remain and help calm the conflict. We prayed for his safety and began the workshops on schedule. By the second day Joshua joined us. We were pleased to meet a man of God who had surrendered himself to serve Jesus humbly and wholeheartedly, even putting himself at risk.

Joshua has a deep love for the Lord, humility, integrity, and a strong desire to equip leaders across his country, beginning with this remote region of India. The gospel first arrived in Manipur in 1896. Today there are hundreds of Christian churches in the region, but little ongoing strengthening for pastors once they finish their formal pastoral training. Joshua’s burden is to give God’s leaders strong foundations and experiential learning that can be applied immediately with lasting positive effect.

Joshua holds a bachelor’s degree in theology and a master’s degree in divinity. He and his wife Pamyaphi are blessed with a daughter, Berachah, and a son, Yunzat. We are pleased to introduce you to one of God’s leaders in a country with a population of 1.252 billion people who is making a difference in the hearts and lives of His people.

Joshua’s Story

I grew up in a nominal Christian home. I discovered that I was born out of wedlock and never met my biological father, which pushed me into a life of bad choices. For 15 years I was addicted to drugs and alcohol. I experimented with black magic, occultism, eastern religion and atheism.

All the while, my mother and grandmother were praying for me.

At one of my lowest points, I was so deep into heroin, alcohol and marijuana that I was almost beaten to death in a confrontation in a bar. It dawned on me that I would die if I did not find Christ.

I began to search the scriptures. My decision to avoid all my drug buddies meant I was ridiculed, but I wanted to live. I knew that without Christ and His word, that would be impossible.

I began to serve the Lord as a domestic worker, cook, helper – and finally as a pastor of a university fellowship in Delhi. From then on, God continued to open ministry doors. I have served in various capacities as evangelist, teacher, pastor, and administrator, venturing out in various parts of India, Nepal, Bhutan, and Myanmar to plant churches and speak.

The Lord put a burden in my heart for the pastors and leaders, especially those serving in villages and remote areas who are untrained. That burden led to the birth of PALSET (Pastoral and Leadership Skill Enhancement Training) in 2011. We held the first PALSET training in Imphal, Manipur, India near the Myanmar border. PALSET has also sponsored trainings in Jaigaon, West Bengal (a border town to Bhutan and not far from Eastern Nepal) to serve the pastors and leaders there.

2015 led to a unique development in the ministry of PALSET. We partnered with 30 60 100 Ministries who led pastors in the Spiritually Healthy Leader workshops.

One of my colleagues shared, “This first section of the three-part series is so helpful. There is no sense in doing ministry unless we are spiritually healthy.” We are looking forward to the second training at 2016 PALSET, which will allow local pastors in this remote part of India to grow scripturally, deepen spirituality, develop skills, cultivate stewardship, and become true servant leaders.

You can connect with Joshua and PALSET on Facebook.

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