Gospel for Asia founder KP Yohannan dies after being hit by a car

Multiple sources report that Gospel for Asia (GFA) founder KP Yohannan died of cardiac arrest after being hit by a car while walking near the GFA headquarters near Dallas yesterday.

According to a statement from Gospel for Asia, which was recently renamed GFA World, Yohannan died of “sudden cardiac arrest at a hospital in Dallas, Texas, where he had been treated since his accident.” The ministry announced on Tuesday that Yohannan was “involved in a car accident” and asked for prayers.

Kadapilaril Punnoose (KP) Yohannan also served as city bishop of the Believers Eastern Church (BEC), an Orthodox denomination that counts 15,000 churches worldwide with 3.5 million members. The church’s North America Diocese is based at GFA World’s headquarters in Wills Point, Texas, 50 miles east of Dallas.

According to a report in the New Indian Express, which quoted BEC spokesman Father Sijo Pandapallil, Yohannan had been “on a morning walk” at 7 a.m. on Tuesday. The article said Yohannan was “on a county road that had no sidewalk.” He was hit by a vehicle, but “there is not much clarity about the accident,” the article said.

Yohannan was reportedly flown to a hospital where doctors operated on his lungs. He was reportedly admitted to the intensive care unit under medical observation after the operation.

The Roys Report (TRR) contacted the Kaufman County Sheriff’s Office regarding full details of the accident. A spokesman said the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) was “handling the accident” and local officials had no information.

TRR reached out to Texas DPS for details about the accident but did not receive a response.

We also reached out to GFA World and Believers Eastern Church but received no further details.

GFA World said online that news of the ministry’s founder’s death was accompanied by “deep sadness and grief.” An online statement from BEC used the same language.

Financial scandals tarnish Yohannan’s legacy

Yohannan founded Gospel for Asia in 1979. GFA World is an evangelical Christian mission and humanitarian organization with branches in 10 countries, primarily in Southeast Asia.

In 2019, the organization settled a class action lawsuit alleging misappropriation of hundreds of millions of dollars in donations. GFA paid $37 million as part of a settlement with U.S. donors but admitted no wrongdoing.

Believers Eastern Church (BEC) was founded in 1997 as part of Gospel for Asia and has since become a separate legal entity.

BEC emerged when congregations of two indigenous denominations – the Church of South India and the Church of North India – wanted to embody Anglicanism in the subcontinent, the BEC website says.

In 2003, after his consecration as Bishop of the BEC, Yohannan took the name Athanasius Yohan I, in honor of Saint Athanasius and Saint John (Yohan).

In November 2020, the Income Tax Department of India searched the residences and offices of Yohannan and BEC in search of evidence of tax fraud.

At that time, the Internal Revenue Service said it had received credible information that Yohannan and his various trusts were illegally using tax-exempt foreign donations to support the poor and needy in personal and real estate transactions.

Authorities found unexplained cash worth about 60 million rupees, or about $807,000, during the search, including more than $518,000 at a place of worship in Delhi, The Hindu reported. The outlet also said that nearly $77,000 worth of rupees were found in the trunk of a car near the church’s headquarters.

BEC, which has its global headquarters in Kerala, India, has provided regular updates on a BEC website addressing the accident and its aftermath.

The Gospel for Asia statement concludes: “We praise God for giving his servant the strength to run his race faithfully and with much perseverance to the end” through his unfailing passion and service for his Savior Millions of lives will be changed forever.”

“May God welcome him into the embrace of the saints. Christ is risen! May his memory be eternal!”

This is a developing story and will be updated as more details are released.

Freelance journalist Josh Shepherd writes about faith, culture and public policy for various media outlets Points of sale. He and his family live in the Washington, DC area