India (MNN) — The chief minister of India’s second-largest state says he’ll seek the death penalty for those involved in forced conversions.
Speaking at a recent public meeting in the Madhya Pradesh capital, Mohan Yadav equated forced religious conversions with the sexual abuse of minors, saying both deserved the death penalty.
Yadav’s comments make following Jesus even deadlier in a Hindu nationalist state known for anti-Christian violence. Darrel Templeton with MegaVoice says, “As some listeners might know, India is now the 10th most dangerous country in the world to be a Christian.”
This South Asian nation also has some of the world’s most significant Gospel needs. “India has the largest unreached people groups as far as population,” Templeton says.
“The Church in India has taken ownership for reaching the unreached in India.”
(Photo courtesy of MegaVoice)
MegaVoice produces solar-powered audio Bibles in thousands of languages. More about that here. MegaVoice partners are doing significant work in India.
“They’re on target to complete 40 more (projects) between September and the end of this year,” Templeton says.
“So, 40 people groups, by the end of this year, will have access to the Bible for the first time in their language. For the most part, these are completely oral communities.”
While believers celebrate the work set to finish this fall, they’re also desperate for help. Templeton says partners implored him for assistance during a recent in-person meeting.
“I said, ‘Okay, what do you want us to do?’ and they said, ‘Well, we need more audio Bibles, but we can’t raise enough money in India.’ So, they have committed to raise $7 per audio Bible, and MegaVoice has committed to help raise the (remaining) $15,” Templeton says.
“We want to give away at least 1,000 audio Bibles for each of these people groups at the dedication of the Bible… so, 40,000 audio Bibles by the end of the year.”
Header and story images courtesy of MegaVoice.
