India–New Prosperity, Persecution, Opportunity
During the past seven years, my wife and I have spent about fourteen months in India. As I think about India, several impressions fill my mind. India is changing economically. In the past many Bible college students came with very little clothing and no financial ability. Today most have good clothes and are able to pay something toward their education and many have computers and cell phones.
There is constitutional religious freedom in India, but in small towns and villages there is little evidence of law and order when it comes to religious freedom. The present strong (radical) dominant political party encourages (whether on purpose or not) and emboldens persecution and church burnings, even in areas which seldom see such events.
There continues to be great boldness among Christians who are glad to join teams of summer evangelism, even in areas of likely opposition. This kind of evangelism becomes more dangerous each year. This calls for financial support and special prayer, especially during the months of April and May.
There is a common feeling among Christian ministry leaders that the ruling party may cut off funds from outside the country at any time. Some of this has already happened under the guise of misuse of funds or improper reporting. The government imposes very strict accounting practices on these ministries, and I am not sure whether the closed ministries have violated government guidelines (or not). Regardless, such governmental practices are too easy to instigate in India as well as other countries. In the light of this, it is perhaps prudent to invest in ministries now before it is too late. This, too, is an important prayer request.
As India improves economically, more and more young people are being drawn away from Bible college to money-making opportunities. There are still many, however, who are yielding to the Lord for missionary and church planting ministries. They need financial support and prayer support to remain faithful to fundamental biblical doctrines and scriptural separation.
The door is still open for teachers, especially those with advanced degrees, to teach short-term block courses in all areas of biblical training. There is a great need for English teachers as well. The work is very rewarding. It provides great opportunity to influence the future of biblical ministry in the country, which, by the way has the most unreached people groups. Furthermore, teachers must teach in English! Because of India’s many languages, English is the only language that can be effective in most Bible colleges and seminaries. The only language that students can communicate in with each other is English. Usually, in a class of twenty students only three or four students speak the same mother language. In many cases, teachers need only to pay for their travel, the colleges provide housing and food.
Finally, I believe there is no better place to invest time and means. India offers great opportunity for new eternal friendships.
John Mincy was a church planter in Singapore and California and is now pastor emeritus of Heritage Baptist Church in Antioch, California.
Photo by Martin Jernberg on Unsplash
Thank you sir your great contribution to the Indian Christianity. Your preaching, teaching, financial and prayer support became great blessing for ministry in India. Thank you sir for your great understanding of challenges of evangelistic ministry in India. We thank the Lord for raising up His men still and reaching the unreached people in the midst of great opposition.