India 3
January 23rd

“I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live forever!”

Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies”.(John 11:25,NIV)

》 Country Profile

Continent | Southern Asia
Population | 1.44 billion (144,179,000)
Area | 3,287,263 km² located south of the Himalayan mountain range in South Asia, and is the 7th largest country by area
Capital City | New Delhi (32 million people)
People Groups | Total 2,373 Groups
Hindu: 37% (including Chamars 3.9%, Yadavs 2.9%, Brahmins 2.5%, among 297 groups) 
Bengali: 15% (including Shaiks 5%, Mahishas 5%, among 167 groups),
Telugu: 5.4%, Marathi-Konkani: 5.3%, Rajasthan: 5.3%, Tamil: 4.6%, Gujarati: 4.1%,
Mongoloid and Others: 3%
People Groups Unreached | 2,135 (95.1% of the population)
Offical Language(s) | Hindi, English
Total Languages | 456
Bible Translations | Completed 82, New Testament 84, Partial 32
Religions | Christianity 5.8% (Protestant 2.3%), Hinduism 74.3%, Islam 13.6%, Buddhism 0.7%, Other Religions 5.6% Evangelical Christians 2.2% (34 million)

》 About India

India has a long history of religion, starting with the Aryans, who introduced the caste system and practiced Brahmanism. Over time, Brahmanism mixed with Buddhism and local religions, evolved into Hinduism.
Christianity was introduced to India in AD 52  by Saint Thomas, who arrived on the Kerala coast in South India. In 1706, missionaries from Halle University in Germany translated the first Tamil New Testament and began localizing the Christian mission. Later, in 1793, William Carey, known as the “Father of Indian Missions,” started working with the Bengali people in North India. Carey and his fellow missionaries translated the Bible into six languages over a span of 30 years and the New Testament into 23 more languages.
In 1830, Alexander Duff, a Scottish missionary, opened doors for evangelism among the upper class. In 1865, a significant revival took place among the lower caste communities through the work of American Baptist missionaries John Clough and his wife. In 1877, there was a mass conversion among the Dalits (formerly known as “untouchables”).
After India gained independence from Britain, South Indian Christians began committing to missions in North India during the 1960s. Over 80,000 South Indian missionaries are now serving in the north, with an increasing number of local missionaries joining the work since 1991. However, Christianity is still sometimes seen as a foreign religion due to India’s colonial history, and Christians face persecution from followers of all major religions.
Persecution has intensified since 2014, when Narendra Modi, an advocate of Hindu nationalism, became prime minister. Under his government, the pressure on Christians has grown, and 11 of India’s 28 states have passed anti-conversion laws. As a result, persecution against Christians has increased, and many missionaries are being forced to leave due to new visa regulations.

》 Scripture Focus

》 Prayer Points

1. India has now surpassed China as the country with the largest population in the world. As a result, India is becoming an attractive market and a hub for production, replacing China in some areas. Statistics show that 70% of India’s population is under 35, and half of the population is under 24 years old.
Despite a long history of missionary work, India remains as one of the most spiritually darkest countries in the world due to the strong influence of the Hindu worldview, which is often associated with idol worship. Although there are efforts to train Indian pastors, many still lack a deep understanding of the Bible. One-third of the world’s remaining unreached people groups (around 2,000) are in India. Therefore, India is a key place for completing the mission of evangelism.
Let us pray for the church to unite in the gospel. Pray that the church in India will be equipped with the gospel of Jesus Christ and prayer, becoming a pathway for salvation for the souls trapped in darkness.

2. Praying for the Persecuted Church in India. Since the BJP (Bharatiya Janata Party) came to power in 2014, two-thirds of foreign missionaries have been forced to leave India due to visa issues. Hindu nationalism has been on the rise, leading to increasing violence and threats against Christians every year. The BJP-led government in 11 states has passed anti-conversion laws, which have resulted in the arrest of about 520 Christians. There have also been numerous attacks and violent incidents targeting Christians across the country.
Extremist groups are increasingly disrupting church services and prayer meetings. Let us pray for the safety of the church, believers, and missionaries facing severe persecution and discrimination. Pray that the church in India will stand strong in their faith, holding onto the Word of God, and boldly share the gospel. Pray for wisdom and the filling of the Holy Spirit, so they can continue to live out their faith and spread the gospel. May the Indian church be strong in the faith, trusting in Jesus Christ, the resurrection, and the life.

3. Pray for the Indian Gospel Prayer Alliance (IGPA). The Indian Gospel Prayer Alliance (IGPA) is a group of pastors who came together through participating in and serving at Good News Camp. Through them, news about the Good News camp is being shared with local Indian pastors and disciples, and many are joining the camps. The IGPA meets every Monday evening to pray and study the Word of God together.
Pray that through this group of believers, the gospel of the cross will spread across India, especially in the six major cities (Delhi, Mumbai, Hyderabad, Kolkata, Chennai, and Bangalore). Pray that Good News camp will be held in each region in the local language. The Bible tells us to “keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace” (Ephesians 4:3). Let’s lift up this group of believers to the Lord and pray that their meetings will grow in unity through the gospel and prayer.

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