India (MNN) — When John DeVries visited India in 1971, he was overwhelmed by the poverty and spiritual darkness. Like the prophet Jonah in the Old Testament, DeVries prayed, “God, I will serve you anywhere you want, just please don’t send me back here again.”
But then he felt a heart-change that could only be from the Holy Spirit. In 1978, DeVries founded Mission India to begin helping local believers reach their communities with the Good News of Jesus Christ.
Now, Mission India is praising God for 40 years of Gospel outreach in India this year!
(Photo courtesy of Mission India)
Erik* with Mission India says since DeVries’ founded the ministry, their partnerships and programs grew. “We implemented the Adult Literacy Classes in 1984, then Church Planter Training in 1985, and then Children’s Bible Clubs we implemented in 1990. So over the course of these years from ‘78 until now, we’ve just seen so many people come to Christ through the partnerships we have in India and the three programs we have.”
Mission India is looking forward to growing in partnership with the Church in India as a way to promote indigenous missions.
“We’re definitely always looking for new ways to reach those in India. We are adding new elements to our programs often. So when we see needs and we think we can help solve those needs in communities, we add those elements.”
Erik says he has been personally moved by how God is working through their programs to change lives in India for eternity. “My favorite aspect really is the holistic transformation that our programs provide communities — not only our worshipping groups and churches planted and people coming to know Christ through the programs, but they’re…physically and emotionally being taken care of.”
Ephesians 3:20-21 are key verses for Mission India, especially in 2018. It started with John DeVries’ emphases on this portion of Scripture for the ministry:
“Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.” Ephesians 3:20-21 (NIV)
“Our big theme this year is ‘immeasurably more’ and we’re trusting God that despite the persecution and the pushback in India that He will do immeasurably more.”
(Photo courtesy of Mission India)
Please come alongside Mission India in proclaiming the truth of Ephesians 3:20-21 for their ministry this year.
“We just ask that you join with us in prayer for ‘immeasurably more’, not only in 2018 but beyond, that God would do immeasurably more than we could imagine in India. We trust that the goals even we have as a ministry would be just amplified in immeasurably more than what we pray it will be.”
Click here to learn more about Mission India and how you can support their outreach.
(Header photo courtesy of Mission India)
*Name changed for security purposes.
