Lalith Perera, a lay preacher is the founder of the Risen Lord Community.

Once an atheist, determined to disprove the existence of God, Lalith Perera’s life changed when he was baptised in the Holy Spirit in 1976 through the Catholic Charismatic Renewal in Sri Lanka.

Though being a cultural Catholic his entire life, Br Lalith says he had doubts about Catholicism by the time he was 15 and was a convinced atheist by age 19. By the age of 23, he was addicted to alcohol and cigarettes. During his university days in Sri Lanka he would stand outside churches and accost people as they came out, telling them there is no God.

It was the experience of the baptism of the Holy Spirit that completely transformed his life 180 degrees and defeated all his addictions. To the complete shock of his family, this transformation led him to start serving the Lord full time in 1984. He went on to study theology and later founded the Risen Lord Community in the late 1980s.

The year 2000 was a significant milestone for Br Lalith and the Risen Lord Community. Though being actively involved in serving the Lord through CRL, by the year 2000, Br Lalith Perera hit a crisis. It was at this time that Br Lalith visited the Divine Retreat Center Potta, Kerala, India for a retreat where he had a second major "encounter" of the Holy Spirit. The Lord called him to once again completely surrender to His will and trust that the Lord will guide him and take care of his family.

By abandoning himself and his family to the Lord’s will, the Lord moved in a new way. The CRL prayer meetings conducted by Br Lalith received a mighty anointing. The Community started witnessing miracles such as healings and conversions and many lives were touched. The meetings began to attract thousands of people.

Br Lalith Perera married Sr Mercia in 1980. Together, they felt the calling of the Lord to bring baptism of the Holy Spirit to the whole Catholic Church to renew and deepen the faith. They have 2 sons, both married. As a family, they are committed to serving the Lord through the CRL Community.

The Risen Lord Community currently has growing prayer communities in the UK, Australia, USA, Canada and Singapore.