India (MNN) — For the fourth year in a row, India is in the 2022 World Watch List’s top 10 countries with the worst Christian persecution.
The pandemic made life even harder for Indian Christians. Many were denied aid and struggled to provide for their families.
But God is using these same believers to be His agents of love and compassion to their non-believing neighbors. Mission India equips native Christians to carry out Gospel outreach, and Erik with Mission India says they’re excited for 2022!
(Photo courtesy of Mission India)
“In spite of all these crazy things that are happening in the world, from pandemics to cyclones to persecution, we just strongly believe that God is going to proclaim His love and grace throughout that entire nation,” Erik says.
That word “proclaim” is Mission India’s focus this year. Among India’s 1.3 billion people, 95% are unreached with the Gospel — they have never heard the saving message of Jesus Christ.
As Romans 10:14b says, “…how can they hear without someone preaching to them?” (NIV)
Erik explains, “In 2020, a lot of doors were closed — at least we thought. As Mission India, we retooled our network of partners in India and we did Relief Kits where we help families of four survive with four weeks of food and provided vitamins and masks and different things.
“As many remember, 2021 was the worst part of the pandemic for India. So we retooled our network again from our regular programs — Children’s Bible Clubs, Adult Literacy Classes, and Church Planter Training — to do relief for months and, again, providing relief to families that needed it.”
(Photo courtesy of Mission India)
Through these Relief Kits, Mission India and their partners saw God opening doors to reach people and communities they might not have otherwise. Families were encouraged and even got connected with local churches.
Mission India’s other programs are still ongoing, though many look different with Covid-19 precautions. Their Children’s Bible Clubs, Adult Literacy Classes, and Church Planter Training have changed the lives of countless people by exposing them to the Gospel!
Erik says, “This year in 2022, we look expectantly and we say that all these closed doors that now are open…we want to go in and just proclaim the love of Jesus Christ. We’ve been doing that for over 40 years, but [we are] really putting emphasis on that word ‘proclaim.’ We want to stand with Christians in India as they proclaim the Gospel and support them in prayer and through giving.”
You can give to Mission India here and support Indian Christians proclaiming the Gospel in 2022!
Then pray for these believers, that they would be filled with the Holy Spirit as they share their faith.
“We firmly believe at Mission India that prayer is the first work of missions. So regardless if you can give financially or not, prayer is one of the most powerful tools in our arsenal of how we can bring God’s Kingdom here to Earth and specifically in India.”
Sign up to become a prayer partner with Mission India!
Header photo courtesy of Mission India.
