The network was initially assembled to invite unbelievers into their homes to show them evangelistic television broadcasts by Billy Graham. "It would create a warm personal environment and then the local believer who was welcoming everyone into their home, would share their testimony and invite people right then to follow Christ," says Book of Hope's Chad Causey.
The movement grew so that at least 800,000 homes were holding these small groups. "Millions of people came to the Lord through this," Causey says.
The network decided in 2006 to expand their ministry to evangelism and discipleship for children. This Easter will be their first outreach that will see the Book of Hope's "GodMan", broadcast nationwide. The film is actually call, 'The Hopegiver' in India.
Book of Hope envisions a potential viewing population of 400 million over 14 channels this Easter.
The process of introducing local trainers in the network to Book of Hope's program will be a process. Book of Hope's representatives will share Book of Hope's ministry and free ministry tools with the local network. "What we want to do is mobilize local believers, someone who lives right down the street from you to invite you to their home to invite you into their life to share Christ with you and then don't go anywhere," says Causey.
As children are brought to Christ they need help understanding the claims of Christ and the true meaning of being a disciple. "One of our primary goals is to connect them with community so that as these things work through in their heart and their mind they have people to reflect with and understand what it means to be a follower of Jesus," Causey said.
With increasing friction between Christians and non-believers in India this small group ministry is the most effective way of evangelism. Causey says, "Its far better to let the Gospel work like seed in the ground that starts growing roots quietly underneath the surface and starts bringing forth the harvest. Ministry has to be done that way. It honors Christ and its fruitful and it doesn't put your partners in as much jeopardy."
Book of Hope wants to provide tens of thousands of churches with their contextualized, effective, resources. He says, "We don't want to make this hard, it's easy. The yoke of Christ is easy to communicate to a young person- that Jesus loves them, that he has plans for them, that he created them."
Causey adds, "So many different things that are clamoring for the attention of young people and it's so easy for them never to hear the gentle quiet voice of Jesus saying come and follow."
