Thirty-Three People Were Baptized in Punjab State
We praise God for what
the Lord is doing in the different states of North India.
Last month (March), thirty-three people obeyed the Lord by
being baptized in water. All of them were within different
churches of Punjab state. Our Evangelism director Joy Varghese
conducted the services, in these diverse areas.The baptisms
that were conducted were in the following areas:
In Jalalabad Tehsil
(a small village) 14 people were baptized. Most of them were
from Sikh and Hindu backgrounds. Prior to the service; a special
prayer meeting was conducted and about 100 people gathered.
Pastor Joy Varghese shared God’s Word and Biju Padavth
led with songs.
Missionary Wislon Masih is ministering in this village with
his family and it is a new mission filed. Wilson Masih who
came from a Hindu background has a great passion for souls.
Currently about 50 people are coming for the worship service.
Please continue to pray for the ministry.
In Mamdot,
13 people obeyed the Lord in water baptism. Many of them who
took baptism came from non-Christian backgrounds. Prem Masih
Bhatti is working here. He explains the story of a Hindu lady
who accepted Christ.
Shanti’s
Life Story
Shanti, (a 45-year-old
lady) was a strong Hindu and ardent devotee. In the course
of time, one of the neighbors began visiting Sahnti’s
home regularly and sharing the gospel. The neighbor was a
member of Missionary Prem Mashi’s church. Eventually,
Shanti invited the church to conduct a prayer meeting at her
home. At that meeting, God’s Word was preached in great
power, and the Holy Spirit convicted Shanti of her lost state.
She accepted Christ as her personal Savior and Lord. The same
day she removed all her idols and dedicated her life for the
Lord. The change the gospel brought in Shanti’s home
and life is truly amazing. Others who were baptized were from
the Nandgarh and Chandigrah areas, where Mukhtiar Masih is
serving as missionary.
The Punjab
state is preeminently a Sikh area (the people who
wear turbans). There are about 16 million Sikhs in Punjab,
a relatively prosperous state of 24 million people sharing
a border with Pakistan. Sikhism is a different religion. Punjab
was fighting for independence in the 1980’s through
the1990’s. About 25,000 people died in the war, even
the Indian Prime Minister, Mrs. Indira Gandhi, was assassinated
during the conflict. The Christian population in Punjab is
less than 2%. So there is a great need of reaching these areas
with the gospel. Pray for the state of Punjab and the various
needs of the ministry.
Whole family accepted and baptized in Sikandrabad,
UP State
One of the church members met a non-Christian
man who worked in a Southern state of India. He had heard
much about Christianity, but did not know Christ. Even though
he had a flourishing business, he was not happy with his life.
Then in the course of time, the businessman had the chance
to meet with the believer from missionary Sis Ram’s
church who shared about salvation through Jesus. Later he
was introduced to missionary Sis Ram. During the first meeting
with the missionary the businessman had many questions and
doubts about Christianity. One of the questions asked was,
if Jesus can change lives, why do so many Christians drink
alcohol? (In India, many people (especially the Hindus) consider
Christianity to be a religion of the West where drinking wine
and alcohol is a common custom. Hence the Christians in India
who follow this Western religion were considered to have a
free and depraved lifestyle). Sis Ram understood that the
businessman was misinformed about the Christian religion and
gave him clear answers from the Bible, and he was satisfied
with his answer. He opened his house for Bible study. God
began to work in his life. He accepted Jesus as his personal
Saviour and Lord. God began to work in his family too. Before
long the businessman obeyed the Lord in baptism along with
his wife, mother, son and two daughters. Currently, they are
the regular members of this church.
Pray for an Unraeched People Groups in North
India “The Bagri”.
India has many unraeached people groups who are not yet reached
with the Gospel. Here are the details of one group settled
in North -West of India.
People name Bagri
Population 1,899,100 (2000)
Language Bagri
Main religion Ethinic religionist
Christians Less than one percent
Scripture in their own language None
Jesus Film None
Mission Agencies None
Persons who never heard the Gospel 86%
(Sources: Bethany World Prayer Center, 1997)
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