Inside North India

North India is a diverse place. It’s a land of packed cities and vast dense plainlands, of traffic, bureaucracy, ritual, spices, vivid colors, and rich smells. The cities are hectic, urbanized places where the rich live well and the poor live in ever-growing slums. There, a unique mix of contemporary and ancient India exists, of modern thinking and ancient instincts. By contrast, the rural areas depend largely on agriculture to subsist and here, untouched by economic development and contemporary thought, ancient Indian culture and religion still thrive.

Culture and religion are intertwined. Although other religions are practiced, Hinduism influences many aspects of life, both unifying and diversifying the country. While some holidays and traditions are observed by all four Hindu castes, each of the castes and thousands of sub-castes have different deities, traditions, and family customs.

North India is home to 500 million people – most of whom do not know Christ.

Spirituality and piety are common in India. Very rarely does someone claim not to believe in a higher power. The powers they worship, however, are those in the Hindu pantheon, the Allah of Islam, or the varied gods of Sikhism, Jainism, Buddhism and animism. Christians account for only 0.1% of North India’s population, making it one of the least reached regions of the world.

However, with 500 million people calling North India home, 0.1% is still five hundred thousand people calling Christ Lord. Despite the cultural dislike and suspicion of Christianity there, the gospel is advancing.

For believers, it can be difficult living among people who view their faith as the ‘Western religion’ left over from the British Raj. The temptation always exists to quietly practice without sharing the Good News. This fear of rejection has sadly resulted in pockets of nominal Christianity, especially in urban areas.

However, the growth of the Church in India shows that not all Christians are shrinking back. Over the past two decades there has been a slow but steady establishment of faithful, Bible teaching churches in urban areas, and a growing conviction among young Christians there to study God’s word.

In the rural regions, response to the Gospel has been great particularly among the Dalit, or the lowest Hindu caste, which is not even counted among the major four. Thousands of rural churches have sprung up as people there have repented and believed in Christ. In a country where religious freedom is legal, but conversion difficult or even illegal at times, this is very encouraging.

AP is considering expanding our work to include India. God is worthy of India’s praise and we desire to see many there saved from their sins through His Gospel, just as in the other places we’re working.

AP has a friend in India who has helped us know how to better pray for the people there. Please join us in praying for India, as well as for us as we possibly begin work there.

• Pray that the believers in India would be bold and willing to take risks in sharing the gospel despite persecution.
• Pray that God would soften the hearts of government leaders in regions that have laws making conversion difficult, so the laws can be changed and Christians can bear witness without fear.
• Pray that God would raise up theologically sound, passionate Indian men to be pastors who exemplify what they teach and believe.
• Pray that God would make a way for theologically faithful teaching in India to help equip pastors to teach the Bible.
• Pray for our friend, who is a church planter in North India. Pray that God would bless his work.