Two Heart Attacks and a Church Plant with Nirmal Andrews | Planting Portland
Thomas introduces Project Portland’s podcast about church planting and interviews Nirmal, a friend from their sending church near Atlanta who is preparing to sell his house and move to join Daniel Reid’s church planting team in Atlanta.
Nirmal shares his background (born in Dubai, raised Indian, moved to the U.S. for grad school), his upbringing in a Syrian Orthodox tradition, and how he came to faith through an evangelical campus ministry retreat in college. He describes years of hidden sexual sin, discipleship and growth through baptist churches and the Navigators influence, and how confession, Scripture, accountability, and Oakland Heights’ discipleship and training helped bring victory and a Bible-centered worldview, including embracing the King James Bible.
Nirmal explains how mission exposure, two heart attacks, and conviction from Scripture led him to surrender and commit to the Atlanta plant, emphasizing obedience even when turnout is small and asking prayer for health and fruitful disciple-making.
00:00 Project Portland Intro
00:20 Meet Nirmal Andrews
01:10 Portland Visit Update
01:58 Nirmal's Background Story
03:59 Growing Up Syrian Orthodox
07:55 College Conversion Moment
10:30 Pentecostal Years And Doubts
12:27 Auburn Discipleship And Struggle
14:46 California Double Life
15:43 Atlanta Turning Point
20:07 Finding Oakland Heights Baptist Church
22:11 King James Bible Breakthrough
23:54 Truth Anchors And Growth
26:07 Anchored in Scripture
26:39 Discipleship Training Track
28:12 Called to Plant Atlanta
28:16 Argentina Breakthrough
30:46 Portland vs Atlanta Decision
31:59 Heart Attacks and Surrender
33:45 Bible Guidance to Go
40:38 Early Church Plant Reality
42:21 Obedience Over Outcomes
44:23 Final Prayers and Sendoff
About Project Atlanta:
Project Atlanta is a church planting initiative out of Oakland Heights Baptist Church and led by pastor Daniel Reid. Their team is assembling and they intend to plant a new church in the city of Atlanta in 2026.
About the Planting Portland Podcast:
Planting Portland is a Christian podcast about church planting, ministry leadership, discipleship, evangelism, missions, and life in the Pacific Northwest.
Hosted by Thomas Harding, each episode features pastors, missionaries, church planters, and ministry leaders, discussing the challenges and opportunities of planting and growing gospel centered churches in Portland, Oregon and beyond.
Whether you are a pastor, missionary, ministry student, church planter, or faithful church member, Planting Portland provides practical insights and biblical encouragement for advancing the Gospel in today's culture. Learn more about our church planting work in Portland, Oregon at projectportland.org [projectportland.org].
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