"Be born of the water and the Spirit," witnesses prominent educationist, Dr. Pinto

"I am a born-again Christian," said Dr.Pinto, a well-known educationist, proudly, who was invited by YMCA, New Delhi, to share his testimony with his Christian brothers and sisters on Saturday.

Dr. Pinto was the Sheriff of Mumbai in the year 2000. A renowned educationist and environmentalist, he is the Chairman of St. Xavier's schools, the founder of Ryan International Schools and also started Radiant Schools in Mumbai, Delhi and Patna to provide children of construction workers and slum dwellers, school education without fees.

Dr.Pinto came to know the Lord intimately when he was 47 and the spirit of God touched him when he read the Gospel of John from within his heart and asked the Lord to come into his life. What happened thereafter is a glaring example of the power of the Holy Spirit, which indeed drives him on the path of truth and righteousness and imbibes in him the keen desire to serve humanity.

His goal "Let a thousand schools and colleges bloom and make better citizens" is purely Biblical.

Dr.Pinto, who came all the way from Mumbai to be the guest speaker and share his testimony and the Word of God, said that he became an educationist and wanted to revolutionize the education-system in India. During his tenure as the Sheriff of Mumbai, he tried to bring the churches and the Christian community together. Though a firm believer in the power of prayer, it was only when he received a Bible from a friend as an Easter gift and read the Gospel of John, that he began to develop a personal relationship with the Lord and became a born-again. Giving up his worldly ambitions, he gave his life and time to serve the Lord and be His witness far and wide.

"When I received the Bible from my friend, I had asked him, 'it is so beautiful; where should I keep it?" Dr. Pinto said. "But my friend replied, 'you should not simply keep it but you should read it."

"Yes, my friend," he continued as he shared his testimony with the audience. "Every Christian should go through the Bible once again and be a born-again. Everyone should announce the good news of Christ. And, as you hand over a Bible to someone, the Holy Spirit starts working and opens up the heart of one who is searching for love and truth and guide him to the Lord."

"Two verses in the Bible have affected me greatly and have been planted deep in my heart" Dr. Pinto reflected. "The first is ‘Jesus declared, "I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again' (John 3:3) and the second is 'Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me' (John 14:6). Truly, if you not only want to know the Lord but also want to know from the Lord, one must accept Jesus as His Savior and be born of water and the Spirit."

Some of the prominent Christians who gathered for the Prayer Breakfast were Jag Mohan Chhabra, Chairman of Christian Emphasis and Raymond Miles, Vice-President of YMCA, New Delhi.