“From Sonship to Leadership: The Story of a Gospel Movement Leader in Sri Lanka”

In Sri Lanka, a nation marked by religious diversity and cultural complexity, Gospel contextualization is not just helpful, it’s essential. For Naresh Sathiyaseelan, the Movement Leader of City to City Sri Lanka, this mission is deeply personal. Raised in a Hindu home amid hardship and rejection, he encountered Jesus through the unexpected kindness of a neighbour. That moment sparked a transformation and a calling: to help others meet Christ in ways they can truly understand.

“We’ve had 500 years of Christianity in Sri Lanka, yet less than 2% of the population identify as Christian,” he says. “Something has to change and I believe it starts with how we communicate the gospel.” Through City to City Sri Lanka, he and his team are equipping church planters, training gospel coaches, and translating resources to serve Sinhala, Tamil and English-speaking communities. With multiple intensives, incubators, and coaching cohorts already completed this year, the movement is growing, rooted in grace, contextualised to culture, and led by local leaders with a heart to see the gospel take root in every corner of the nation.”

Naresh Sathiyaseelan: My Journey

I come from a Hindu background and grew up in a middle-income home. My father struggled with alcohol, which led to a lot of financial hardship. When I was five, my parents decided one of us, three kids, should live elsewhere. I was chosen to live with my grandmother in Jaffna.

I remember being excited about the train ride, but when we got there, my grandmother seemed cold and strict. I told my dad I did not want to stay, but a few days later he left me there. That was probably my earliest memory of feeling abandoned and unwanted.

Growing up with her was tough. She was old, and I had to take care of both of us. I felt like a servant, not a grandson. When she passed away, I was 11 and moved back to Colombo, but I did not speak Sinhala or English, only Tamil. This was after the 1983 riots, and people quickly labelled me a “Tiger” (the Tamil rebel group). I was rejected at school, by my peers, even by my own siblings, who did not have much of a relationship with me anymore. All of that built up a lot of anger and insecurity. I was rebellious and carried a deep sense of worthlessness.

But then, something shifted. After my O-Levels, when we were still struggling financially, a kind neighbour started reaching out to me. She called me “son”, a word I had never heard directed at me before. She talked to me, spent time with me, and eventually invited me to church. That is where I heard about Jesus, and it changed everything.

I gave my life to Christ and felt peace and purpose for the first time. I went back to school, did well, passed, and started working immediately. I studied at the Chartered Institute of Marketing, began learning English and, by 25, I was heading a marketing department. At 28, I was headhunted by Ingram Micro to be the country manager for Microsoft products. It looked like success, but looking back, I know now that it was driven by something deeper.

That drive came from my early experiences of rejection. I thought, If I do not perform, I will not be accepted. So I performed at school, at work, even in ministry. I was trying to redeem myself through success.

Eventually, I felt called to ministry. I had a burden for young people, probably because of what I had been through myself. But even in ministry, I brought the same patterns. I worked hard to earn the approval of my pastor and even God.

Then in 2021, everything changed again. I went through the City to City intensive, and during the Gospel Renewal module, I began to understand what sonship really means. Before that, I was living out a self-redemption story, trying to earn love and acceptance. But for the first time, I truly grasped what Christ had already done for me — that I am loved, not because of what I do, but because of what He has done.

Since then, I have been learning to work from a place of rest. That shift from striving to sonship has been the most significant transformation in my life.

A Call to Reimagine the Mission

If I had the opportunity to speak directly to pastors or ministry leaders in Sri Lanka who have not yet grasped the need for contextualisation, I would start by asking a simple question:

“Why is Christianity, after 500 years in Sri Lanka, still under 2% of the population?”

We have tried everything - evangelism, outreach, church planting and yet the numbers have not changed. If we keep doing what we have always done, we cannot expect different results.

At the very least, this should make us stop and reflect. Something has to change, and that something, I believe, is how we present the gospel.

For instance, think about the concept of sin. It is central to how we preach the gospel, but in Buddhist thought, “sin” does not even register. It is not part of their framework. So when we talk about sin, it simply does not reach the heart.

So how do we reframe the gospel so that it resonates deeply, not by changing the message, but by changing how we communicate it? That is the question we all need to wrestle with. And I believe contextualisation is the key.

What Does a Gospel Movement Look Like in Sri Lanka?

The more I sit with the gospel, the more I sit with people, listen to them, and talk with them, especially the younger generation, I am beginning to see something very clearly.

For me, a gospel movement in Sri Lanka centres around inner healing. Sri Lanka is a nation that has suffered deeply, and I do not think there is a single person in this country who has not experienced suffering and pain in some form. I am not talking about minor inconveniences; I mean real, systemic, generational pain.

Even today, one in four Sri Lankans lives below the poverty line. And recently, I read that 60% of school-going children in Sri Lanka are battling mental stress. The top four reasons are social media, domestic conflict, physical abuse, and pressure to excel.

The gospel is the answer because only the gospel can renew everything. It not only saves souls but heals hearts, restores identities, and transforms cities. It reaches into the depths of trauma and shame, bringing grace where there was brokenness, and life where there was despair.

Creating Safe Spaces for the Gospel to Take Root

One of the biggest barriers to gospel transformation in Sri Lanka is not just spiritual; it is cultural. Gossip and mistrust run deep, even within some Christian communities, making vulnerability almost impossible.

Recently, I was invited by a well-known Buddhist family (who have recently become Christians) in Kandy, not to talk business but to listen. They opened up about their pain and struggles, but also their fear of becoming a subject of gossip. “If anyone finds out, we are finished.” Even in small groups, they did not feel safe to share. “People talk,” the wife told me. “That is just how it is.”

This is exactly why we believe gospel-centred communities are so vital. Not just Bible studies or gatherings, but safe, grace-filled spaces where people can be honest without fear of judgement. My wife and I are intentionally building this kind of culture. We know it is slow work, but we believe it is the way real transformation begins.

Building Trust in a Culture of Suspicion

In a context where collaboration often raises eyebrows and offers of help are met with scepticism, building a gospel movement in Sri Lanka has required more than vision. It requires trust.

When we first started, there was a lot of pushback. In Sri Lanka, people often ask, “What is your agenda?” whenever help is offered. So when we approached denominations offering free training for church planters, the first response was usually, “What is in it for you?”

It took time to build trust. As a pastor myself, I have also had to be careful. Some leaders wanted to join us because of issues in their own denominations, but I have had to say no. I did not want the movement to get caught up in politics.

Over the last three years, we have worked hard to build genuine relationships. Now, leaders join us voluntarily, without needing to leave their churches. Many have stepped up to serve simply because they believe in the vision. And today, I can honestly say there is a strong sense of trust among city church leaders, and they can see that we are here for one reason: gospel impact.

Strengthening Local Leaders for Sustainable Kingdom Impact

Through City to City Sri Lanka, we have seen encouraging momentum among young leaders, especially through the Tamil Intensive, where fifty participants (church planters and observers) gathered for gospel renewal and training. Many are in their thirties, and some are preparing to take over their fathers’ churches. It is a sign of God at work.

We have also launched a monthly incubator group for ten young church planters to grow in grace and vulnerability, something many cannot find in their denominational spaces. It has become a model for a gospel-centred community that we hope to replicate across the country.

At the local church level, we are running a two-year leadership training focused on character, integrity, and capacity. And we are committed to living this out personally, leading with transparency and aligning our lives with the gospel we preach.

Highlights of 2025

Completion of the Tamil Mini-Intensive:

We launched the Tamil Mini-Intensive last year, and we just completed the final session, finishing a full cycle. I really thank God for that. At first, we hoped to use translated material from India, but that did not work out. So we ended up translating and contextualising everything ourselves, a real team effort. We broke it down into ten subjects, spread over several months to give space to prepare. Now, with just a few sessions left, we are ready to run a full two-week Tamil Intensive. That feels like a big milestone.

Launching Coaching Initiatives:

Another big highlight has been growing our local coaching team. With so many intensives and church planters, we saw the need for more on-the-ground support. Earlier this year, Roger Bray, our Coaching Director, ran our first coach training, and a second one is coming up soon. This is a big step towards raising local coaches, and it is exciting to see it taking shape.

Training the Trainers:

We have also been intentional about equipping trainers from within our own network. We want to build local resources from local leaders. This year, Anand Mahadevan, our Training Director, led a trainer boot camp, and he has been consistently involved in coming in before every Tamil Intensive to help us review material, coach us on how to present it, and give valuable feedback. That has really elevated the quality of our training.

Gospel in the City – Sinhala Launch:

Another exciting development is the Sinhala version of Gospel in the City. The material is ready, and we are planning to launch it this November, the first time we will run it in the Sinhala language. That is a significant next step for us in reaching broader communities.

Final Reflections and Hopes for the Future

Next year, our big focus is launching the Sinhala Intensive, similar to what we did with the Tamil Mini-Intensive. We are starting with ten translated modules in the first quarter and hope to complete the full cycle by the end of the year.

This is a major step, since Sinhala is the majority language in Sri Lanka but is not spoken elsewhere. Unlike Tamil churches, Sinhala churches do not have access to resources from India, so there is a big need, and this will be a crucial step forward for both the church and the nation.

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As Naresh reflects, the story of gospel renewal in Sri Lanka is still being written — one relationship, one church, and one city at a time. It is a reminder that lasting transformation comes not from programmes or strategies but from the faithful work of God through His people. Please keep him and the entire CTC Sri Lanka team in your prayers as they continue spreading the gospel movement across the nation of Sri Lanka.