Who We Are?

Our Founders

Michael  Fernandes & Shvetha Shetty
Founders – AWAKE Ministries

AWAKE Ministries was founded by Michael  Fernandes and Shvetha Shetty, whose lives are marked by personal brokenness transformed by a deep, life‑changing encounter with Jesus Christ. Together, they carry a shared calling to awaken hearts to God, lead people into an intimate relationship with Him, and equip the Church to live fully surrendered lives.

Michael Fernandes – Founder & Lead Pastor

Michael Fernandes was born and raised in Goa, India, within a Roman Catholic background. His early life was deeply challenging, marked by trauma, instability, and personal struggle. By his teenage years, Michael found himself battling addiction, homelessness, and a profound sense of hopelessness.

At the age of 19, during a live‑in Christian meeting, Michael experienced a powerful and unmistakable encounter with God that became the turning point of his life. What began as skepticism turned into repentance, surrender, and a personal revelation of Jesus Christ. This encounter marked the beginning of a lifelong journey from religion into a living relationship with God.

Following this experience, Michael devoted himself wholeheartedly to seeking God through prayer and the study of Scripture. God began to shape his calling, heal deep wounds, and use him despite personal weaknesses—including a severe stutter that once limited his confidence.

Michael’s early ministry began through house prayer meetings, where he stepped out in obedience despite fear. Through these gatherings, many experienced healing, deliverance, and spiritual renewal.

In 2010–2011, AWAKE Ministries was formally established in Goa with a clear mandate: to awaken the Church from spiritual slumber and draw people into a deeper walk with God.

Since then, Michael has served as a pastor, evangelist, and teacher, leading outreach meetings across India, organising pastors’ conferences, and ministering in healing, deliverance, and prophetic encouragement. In 2018, the ministry expanded into the United Kingdom, where AWAKE Ministries continues its outreach and church‑planting mission.

Shvetha Shetty – Co‑Founder & Lead Pastor

Shvetha Shetty was born and raised in a non Christian family and grew up experiencing deep emotional pain, rejection, and brokenness. In 1998, at the age of 20, she attended a Christian service where she encountered the love of God and received a revelation that Jesus Christ had died for her. In that moment, she accepted Him as her Lord and Saviour.

As she continued to walk with the Lord, Shvetha grew steadily in faith, dedicating herself to prayer and the Word of God. God restored her heart, renewed family relationships, and gave her a clear calling in ministry.

After her marriage to Michael Fernandes, Shvetha stepped away from her professional career as an accountant to serve the Lord wholeheartedly alongside her husband. Today, she plays a vital role in AWAKE Ministries, ministering with compassion, wisdom, and strength.

Together, Michael and Shvetha lead AWAKE Ministries with a singular passion: to see lives restored, hearts awakened, and believers drawn into a genuine, intimate relationship with God. From Goa to the United Kingdom, their journey stands as a testimony of God’s redeeming power.

All glory and honour belong to the LORD.

pastors

About Us

AWAKE Ministries is a Christian ministry founded with a clear calling: to awaken hearts to God, revive the Church from spiritual slumber, and lead people into a deep, authentic, and life-transforming relationship with Jesus Christ.

Born out of personal encounters with God and years of prayer, obedience, and service, AWAKE Ministries exists to move people beyond religious formality into a living, intimate walk with God. We believe that true transformation flows from knowing God personally and living in obedience to His Word.

The ministry began in Goa, India, and over the years has grown through evangelistic outreach, church planting, discipleship, and pastoral ministry across different regions of India. In 2018, AWAKE Ministries expanded its outreach into the United Kingdom, where the work continues through evangelism, teaching, pastoral care, and the planting of new churches.

Our work includes:

  • Outreach and evangelistic meetings, preaching the Gospel and praying for the sick
  • House prayer meetings and discipleship
  • Pastoral care and teaching to equip believers
  • Church planting and leadership development
  • Reaching the unreached with the message of salvation
  • Community outreach through acts of compassion, including food distribution, clothing drives, and charitable support
  • Visiting homes, hospitals, care homes, and prisons (where permitted) to offer encouragement, prayer, and practical help

At the heart of AWAKE Ministries is a passion to see lives restored, families strengthened, and communities healed through the love and power of Jesus Christ. We seek not only to proclaim the Gospel, but to live it out through service, compassion, and integrity.

AWAKE Ministries is led by Michael Fernandes and Shvetha Shetty, whose own journeys of restoration and faith continue to shape the vision and direction of the ministry. Together with a growing community of believers, they remain committed to serving God faithfully and advancing His Kingdom wherever He leads.

Vision Statement

The vision of AWAKE Ministries is to awaken hearts to God, revive the Church from spiritual slumber, and lead individuals into a deep, authentic, and life-transforming relationship with Jesus Christ. We seek to see lives restored, families strengthened, and communities healed, while planting Christ-centred churches and reaching the unreached with the Gospel, equipping believers to live holy, purpose-driven lives rooted in intimacy with God and obedience to His Word.