11,000
Hear the Gospel and 512 Christian Leaders Changed in
Gujarat, India
The minarets of Muslim mosques dot
the sky. Below them a mass of humanity goes about
their business by every means possible. Cows wander
the streets, day workers straggle home after another
brutal day in the sugar cane fields, and nearly
every person you see is hostile to the Gospel of
Jesus Christ
A trip into Gujarat, India is like stepping into
another world. The Indian state is completely
dominated by the Hindu caste system. It is the least
evangelized area in India, a nation that has fewer
Christians per capita than almost any nation in the
world. Persecution of Christians, while illegal
under the nation’s constitution, is pervasive
throughout the area and is often supported and
encouraged by government leaders.
This is what five team members from Reaching Souls
International experienced as they traveled to
Gujarat, India in October 2007. Dustin Manis, Brian
Gleason, Rev. Blake Western, Dr. Al Tedder and his
wife Jane joined with Alpha Ministries in their
Village Impact ‘07 Conference.
The team had the opportunity to train pastors,
evangelists and other Christian leaders in subjects
like Bible Study, Discipleship, The Preeminence of
Jesus Christ, Lifestyle Evangelism, and Godly
Leadership. Attending the conference were 360 men
and 152 women.
The experience of holding a training conference and
crusade in India is incredibly different from what
we are used to seeing in Africa. Much of the
teaching was done in tents made from colorful Indian
fabrics. Men and women gathered and listened
earnestly to the precious training that will help
them as they face the daunting task of evangelizing
a nation that is hostile to the Gospel of Jesus
Christ.
Because of the hostility towards Christians in the
area, open air meetings were held at night.
Christian preaching and teaching in the markets and
open areas is not allowed, so the strategy is for
local Christians to invite their unsaved friends and
family members to attend the night time meetings.
The Lord blessed these evangelistic meetings held
under the night sky. The three meetings were
attended by 11,000 people. The team saw 47 salvation
decisions during the project.
Our projects in India present a different challenge
than what we experience in Africa. Throughout Africa
we are reaping the harvest sown by decades of work
by Reaching Souls International and other mission
organizations. In India we are still very much in
the sowing stage of the evangelistic work.
The opportunity for Christ to accomplish a powerful
work is there. A solid base of Christian leaders,
pastors, and evangelists is being laid through your
partnership with Reaching Souls and our work with
Alpha Ministries.
It is our vision that in the years ahead, we will
see a time of harvest in India akin to the harvest
we are currently experiencing in Africa. Your
support in this work is critical. Reaching Souls was
able to provide $22,000, through your gifts, to this
Village Impact Conference. Because of the limited
opportunities available to Indian Christians to
receive training, and the stifling persecution they
experience, the chance to fellowship with other
Believers in Jesus Christ is invaluable. Each man
and woman left the conference strengthened and
encouraged to continue their important work for the
Kingdom of Jesus Christ.
