For most of his life, Krishna had never heard of Jesus. His parents were devout Hindus in India and worshipped deities daily. He hoped to make his parents proud and help them financially, so Krishna got his education. He traveled to find work, but his difficult job as a construction worker didn’t provide enough money to pay for his daily needs, certainly not enough to send money home.
A Bible League-trained church planter introduced the Gospel to Krishna while he was living away from home for work. At first, he showed no interest, but the Lord continued to work in Krishna’s heart.
“I’m so glad God touched my life,” he says. “I was against anything that did not conform to my beliefs and traditions.” He accepted Jesus and became a dedicated student in a Project Philip Bible study.
When he returned home, Krishna shared the Gospel with his family. He was met with severe resistance. His family tried to force him to recant his faith, but Krishna refused. His father became violent and beat him, then forced him to leave their home.
Krishna now has a steady job and attends church regularly, but sadly he has not reconciled with his family. “My life went through a lot of ups and downs,” he says. “Now I can see God shaping my life. He has filled me with joy.”
Robert
Robert (third from left) is a pastor and a government employee in India. He was raised in a nominal Christian home but didn’t hear the true Gospel until he was 30 years old. “I always considered myself saved even though I did not know Jesus and had not had any experience of salvation,” he says. But once he learned about true salvation, he gave his life to God and became a dedicated servant of Christ.
In 2018, Pastor Robert enrolled in Bible League’s Church Planter Training to learn how to continue sharing the Gospel in his community. His church implemented Project Philip Bible studies and he has watched his attendance grow ever since. Church members began preaching the Gospel to family and friends, and now several small Bible studies are happening across his village. Even non-believers are asking for Bibles and Bible study materials.
Everywhere he goes, Pastor Robert starts prayer meeting groups. But his passion for sharing the Gospel is met with backlash. Locals began reporting him to the government, saying a government official was involved in forced religious conversions. In India, strict anti-conversion laws often hinder evangelism efforts like those of Pastor Robert. Several times, he has had to present his case in court, proving that he is not forcing his religion on any of the meeting participants. If he is ever found guilty, he could be jailed. He is risking his livelihood and his freedom for Jesus.
Pray for Strength
So often, the stories on the news gloss over the true reality of being a believer in an area opposed to Christianity. Let’s join in prayer for these individuals, for the people who are endangered, abandoned, ridiculed for their faith.
Pray for the families of the persecuted, those who are left behind when a father is jailed or who have a front-row seat to seeing a parent being beaten for their faith. Pray also for those doing the persecuting, that God would soften their hearts and turn their souls to Him.
These brave believers are not alone. They are members of the body of Christ, and we stand with them.