Rev. Dr. Marcus Devasahayam is the elder son of late Rev. D. Thomas Walker a senior Pastor and founder of “Elim A. G. Church and the “Elim Missionary Movement” in Madurai. Now he is serving as a Senior Pastor of the Assemblies Of God Church at Baroda in the Gujarat State, India. He serves the Gujarat State Assemblies of God Pastors as an Executive Presbyter, and working with North Central District of the Assemblies of God of North India as an Executive Committee Member. He is also serving the Elim Missionary Movement as a Mission Director.
He holds Master degrees in Theology and Education and a degree in English literature as well. He has done his M.Th. in Religion and Philosophy. Now he received his Doctorate from International Institute of Church Management, which is, affiliated with International Institute of Church Management of New York, NY, USA and accredited by AAATI (American Accrediting Association of Theological Institution, NC, USA), which is also, is a member of ACEA (Apostolic Council of Educational Accountability, CO, USA) awarded Doctorate in Ministry. He earned this after fulfilling all the requirements for the certificate and serving the Lord for nearly twenty years in the pastoral ministry. He is currently doing his research thesis in two different areas one in the Sociology and the other in Education.
Rev. Marcus is supported in his ministry by his wife Ebun Jasperin (Married on 12th Dec. 1988) who has a Masters in Education and completed Bachelors in English literature. Currently she is working with the Assemblies of God North India in the capacity of a Preacher, in recognition of her contribution she has secured a “License to Preach” from A. G. North India. She is also working for the “Program for Environmental Awareness in Schools” as a Coordinator for the State of Gujarat. She is also contributing to this web-site publication of the “baroda bible club” when ever it is needed.
God has blessed them with a son Silas Packianathan 13 years old (born on 28th Jan. 1990) who is now in school in the 7th standard and a beautiful daughter Ida Pricilla who is seven years old (born on 20th July 1995) is now doing her 2nd STD.
Childhood: Pastor Marcus was born to Mrs. & Mr. Thomas Walker on 05-Sep-1962, his parents are committed Christians who always had the anointing of God. Even before Rev. Marcus was born to them they had a promise from the Lord that they would be blessed with a boy and in faith they decided the name for their boy. His Father D. Thomas Walker was working with Southern Railway resigned his Job to the serve of God. He served as Presbyter for Salem and Dharmapuri District of Tamil Nadu Assemblies of God. He also served as the Mission Director of A.G. Tamil Nadu. And also worked as the Crusade Director for Paripooranna Jeevan Crusades". His commitment to serve God was revealed when he sold his house and built the church with that money. Currently he is supporting Sixteen Missionaries in the North India through his Church in Madurai "Elim A.G. Church". His Mother, Mrs. Suseela Thomas is a very prayerful woman with astounding faith in the Lord and his word, Though she was a teacher by profession she spent most of her time working to spread the word of God and her ministry were among children and women .His elder sister Evangeline is literate with M.A., M.Ed. and a teacher by profession was married to a full time servant of God a Pastor. C. Mattews who is in Kubokonnam near Tanjore. His second Sister Amy Shanthi is married to Mr. Alwin Timothy and living in Chennai. His brother Immanuel He is the General Secretary of the “Elim Missionary Movement and coordinates the mission works with his wife Dr. Ajentha Immanuel. His next brother Pastor. Corban Singh who was helping his father in the pastoral ministry has taken the leadership of the Madurai Elim Assemblies of God Church along with his wife Bella after the death of his father. The Last brother is Enoch Satiyasatchi is a software engineer working in Bangalore.
The pastoral work of Rev. Marcus started in the early years of his life while he was studying in the secular college; he assisted his Father in the pastoral ministry at Madurai from 1980. Then from 1983 he became an Associate Pastor while he was doing his Theological studies in Bangalore. He pioneered a Church for the glory of the Lord from 1986 as a Full time Pastor. Later he was Ordained as a Full time Pastor from Tamil Nadu Assemblies of God in 1991. after his Ordination he was lead into serving the Sunday School in the capacity of overseer for the entire Salem-Dharmpuri District in addition to his Pastoral responsibility, after successfully completing his tasks Rev. Marcus was given a bigger responsibility of serving the youth first in his district then later in the position of Youth General Secretary and this position extended his leadership to all the Assemblies of God churches in Tamil Nadu. His willingness to serve God in all capacities brought him yet another opportunity to serve God with another great responsibility to uplift Christian Lay people through the A.G. Extension Bible College Centers, for Salem-Dharmpuri Districts he served as Coordinator.
Rev. Marcus was called into Evangelical work in the year 1991 and this was initiated when he was invited to preach the word of God by a couple who had been recently married and had moved to Gujarat which is situated in the Western Part of India, this location was a place where the word of God had not been preached to the extent that people were not aware of Christ and the eternal life Christ had to offer to his Children. Being led by the spirit Rev. Marcus brought the word of God to them in a few Evangelical meetings and the result of these spirit filled meetings were, 86 individuals for the first time accepted Jesus as their Savior and were baptized.
Being a committed servant of Christ, Rev. Marcus was always being nudged by God for a much deeper commitment, this was clearly revealed to him one day when he was reading the word of God, he was lead into the writings of Paul in Romans 8.18 where it is stated that whatever sufferings we undergo in our present situation is not worth comparing to the Glory that would be revealed in us. As he kept pondering on these revelations by the Holy Spirit, he was clearly led into the life of our Lord Jesus Christ during his walk in this world, which was not without suffering, this is spoken in Mat. 16.21, 17:12, Mk 8:31, 9:12 Lk. 9:22, 17:25, 22:15, 24:26, Acts: 3: 18, 9:16, 17:3, 26:23. Apostle Paul says in Phil 1:29 that believing in Christ could sometimes lead to suffering, which he had experienced, the final words of leading for Rev. Marcus came to him when he read Rev 7: 9 to 14 where it is stated that Who are they in heaven? From where they come? And it continues to state that These are those who have come out of the great tribulation, as he continued reading he was also assured in vs17 ...God will wipe away their tears. These truths brought Rev. Marcus to his knees and as he prayed he asked God to take him out from his comfort zone and enable him to suffer for Kingdom of Christ.
This was a major decision at that time because the Bible College was calling Rev. Marcus to join them as a Professor. But God led him to Gujarat where he was accompanied by his family leaving all the comforts behind to support this man of God in his pursuit to follow Gods calling, The whole family set foot in Gujarat on 12th April 1992 to support Rev. Marcus who had made three Mission trips to South Gujarat to spread the word of God and he was very much aware that the Assemblies of God had no presence if the form of a Church in these remote areas, but the wonderful working of God used Rev Marcus to establish 18 churches until today. God led him to Baroda now called Vadodara in Central Gujarat where he established yet another church and he continues on this mission in Jamnagar, Kutch, Jalod, and Dahod. Today their goal is to support 100 Evangelical worker for Christ by the end of this year 2003, these Evangelists are being trained in two specific areas of the truth, one is to be ready for the second coming of Christ and the most important is to equip them with a deeper understanding of the word of God. That they may get qualified by passing the exams and other requirements to become local Pastors. There are now 106 Churches and the Pastor's get their education in the word of God through their life and ministry.