South Asia | Beyond

From Fear to Freedom

May 15, 2025 | South Asia, Stories

*Sanjay and his brother recently traveled to Haryana to meet with some key leaders, gathering at *Laksha’s home. Laksha, who is from a high caste, has been an active disciple-maker within the movement for about six years. She and her team are witnessing remarkable growth, particularly among high caste individuals and women. In her district, there are around 36 house churches.

During the meeting, Laksha shared that it’s easy to assume that people from high castes are proud and resistant to the gospel. However, when she encounters those who have become disciples of Jesus, she sees how deeply God has transformed their lives. Before knowing Jesus, their lives were difficult, marked by fear and uncertainty. Laksha and her team invested months of effort, often visiting these homes for eight or nine months, continually sharing the gospel, casting vision, and leading Discovery Bible Studies.

Now, these new believers have found truth and peace in God’s Word. Laksha shared how she encouraged them to disciple others, and now they are spreading the gospel themselves.

Laksha also told the story of Suresh, a man from a nearby village. His family had been tormented by a demon, causing great strife in their home. Laksha prayed over the family multiple times in the name of Jesus, and eventually, they were delivered. Despite the villagers’ skepticism, with some even saying, “What can Jesus do? He can’t help or heal this man,” Jesus answered Laksha’s prayers. The demon left, and Suresh and his family were restored. Since then, seven new house churches have emerged in that village, with many of the former skeptics being baptized.

*pseudonyms

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Passing on the Torch of Faith

Apr 30, 2025 | South Asia, Stories

*Sanjay, a partner in North India, shared this inspiring report about how young people share the gospel and make new disciples in his context.

Our focus for the last year has been on equipping young leaders (ages 18-30) to actively engage in ministry. These leaders fall into four distinct categories, each bearing fruit in unique ways:

College Students (all castes and degrees):
These student leaders start Bible studies and house churches on their campuses. They boldly share the message of Jesus with their classmates, living out their faith by “sharing as they go” each day. Through their obedience, they create disciples among their peers.
Day Laborers (illiterate or semi-literate):
Among working youth, Bible studies and house churches are springing up in fields, chai stalls, and even while shepherding goats. They share stories about Jesus during their daily routines, “demonstrating that anyone, regardless of education, can participate in the Great Commission.
Music: Music is a common cultural thread in many parts of India. Musically inclined youth gather for jam sessions that often begin with a simple prayer. Over time, they incorporate bhajan-style worship, singing Psalms in a call-and-response format. These sessions deepen relationships, spark prayers for others, and lead to Bible studies. Many house churches have been birthed through this creative and relational approach.
Sports: Parks and playgrounds become mission fields as youth gather to play sports like badminton, cricket, and football (soccer). Before each game, they pray for strength and safety, which intrigues their Hindu friends. These simple prayers open doors for conversations about Jesus. Over time, Hindu players ask for prayers and even learn to pray themselves, leading to deeper spiritual exploration and eventually Bible studies. This simple yet effective strategy has also resulted in new house churches.

What incredible news! These young leaders are living out the command of Jesus in Matthew 28:18-20, taking up the call to make disciples of all nations. The torch of faith is being passed to the next generation, and they are carrying it boldly and faithfully.

*pseudonyms

RELATED STORIES

THE LORD SAID, IT’S TIME!
Arjun* went to visit a house church near his village. As this dedicated disciple-maker walked read more …

BREAKING BARRIERS WITH THE GOSPEL
Sharitha* was the house helper of movement catalysts Ethan* and Nicole* while they lived in India. read more …

WOMEN IN INDIA …
*Mahima was already a dedicated disciple-maker before attending the meetings, but something in her heart read more …

Poisoned for Making Impact

Apr 24, 2025 | South Asia, Stories

Nadal served in Rishikesh alongside a local leader and comes from the saphera (snake charmer) caste. A few years before, he struggled with addiction to alcohol and drugs, but through Jesus, he found freedom and transformation.

Since then, Nadal had become a remarkable leader. He established over 150 house churches. His ministry led many in his community to Christ, breaking free from addictions and destructive lifestyles.

However, Nadal’s life-changing impact had drawn opposition. A local drug dealer, angry about the growing number of transformed lives, lured Nadal to his home under false pretenses. He pretended to congratulate him for his changed life. Instead, the dealer served Nadal poisoned food, leaving him hospitalized in critical condition for many weeks before Nadal passed away. This brings the number of martyrs in India up to 12 for 2024.

Please pray for strength and peace for Nadal’s family. Pray that they would remain steadfast in their faith. Please also pray for the Timothys and house churches Nadal has mentored, that they would continue to stand bold and unshaken in their mission. Finally, let’s lift up his persecutor in prayer, that just as Saul became Paul, this man too would encounter the living Jesus and be transformed into a powerful witness for the Kingdom.

As Paul once wrote in the face of persecution: “That is why we never give up. Though our bodies are dying, our spirits are being renewed every day. For our present troubles are small and won’t last very long. Yet they produce for us a glory that vastly outweighs them and will last forever! So we don’t look at the troubles we can see now; rather, we fix our gaze on things that cannot be seen. For the things we see now will soon be gone, but the things we cannot see will last forever.” — 2 Corinthians 4:16-18

*pseudonyms

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New Seeds of Faith in Unreached Areas

Mar 3, 2025 | South Asia, Stories

Frank and his team have been praying for their friend, Job. Through many conversations and a personal experience with Jesus, Job decided to follow Jesus last summer (read about Job’s conversion story here). Job has slowly been sharing his faith with his family and friends, including Samuel. At the end of the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan, Samuel downloaded a Bible app in his language and expressed interest in hosting a discovery group with Job in his bookstore. They are currently looking for a third and fourth person to join them.

In another village where Frank works, Kartik and his wife, Pari, invited Samir and his father, Nuh, to visit a friend who lives in a distant village where there hasn’t been any gospel work. (Read that story here.) While in the village, Kartik and Pari shared their testimony about their recent journey to faith in Jesus. They explained how they put their faith in Jesus after their young daughter was miraculously freed from demons. This was the first time the village chief and the villagers had heard about Jesus. They were amazed and wanted to know more.

Later, Nuh visited Ramzi’s village. Ramzi had severe high blood pressure, irregular blood sugar levels, and intense shaking. His neighbor told him that Nuh could pray for him. Interested in receiving prayer, Ramzi invited Nuh to his home. With Ramzi’s whole family as an audience, Nuh prayed for him in Jesus’ name. Immediately and miraculously, Ramzi’s symptoms improved. Now, Ramzi and his family are eager to listen to stories about Jesus together.

Soon after Ramzi’s healing, he told his friend Adil, who also had health issues, about what happened. Adil asked Ramzi if Nuh could come pray for him too. Nuh visited and prayed for Adil, who also received healing. Praise God!

How you can pray for these new disciples:

Pray for Job and Samuel’s friends and family to become interested in discovering more about God, and join the new discovery group.
Pray that discovery groups will start in this new village where Kartik and Pari shared their testimony. Pray that their family will continue to grow in their faith.
Please pray for discovery groups to start in both Ramzi’s and Adil’s homes.

*pseudonym

Heal the Sick and Proclaim the Nearness of God’s Kingdom

Feb 19, 2025 | South Asia, Stories

In Luke 10, Jesus gave His disciples a strategy for reaching the lost. In verse 9, He instructed them, “Heal the sick who are there and tell them, ‘The Kingdom of God is near to you.'” In South Asia, we witness disciples of Jesus fulfilling this command as they reach out to the lost, heal the sick, and proclaim the nearness of God’s Kingdom.

From Hating God to Loving Him
*Richard, a disciple-maker, shared how three generations of discovery groups began among Muslim families. “It all started with one family, *James and *Elizabeth. I befriended them and prayed for Elizabeth, who was ill. I invited them to learn more about Jesus. Initially, James wasn’t interested; in fact, he said he hated God. However, when Elizabeth was healed, she told her husband, ‘See, I was healed, so now we should give this a chance.’ After witnessing his wife’s recovery, James decided to start listening to the stories of Jesus. Both James and Elizabeth were amazed by these stories and noticed a real transformation within their family.

They then decided to share what they were learning. James and Elizabeth spoke to a distant relative about the changes in their family and shared some stories of Jesus. This relative was also captivated by the stories and experienced their own miracles, eventually passing the stories on to a neighboring family. Now, we have three generations of Muslim families studying the word of God and experiencing Jesus for themselves.”

A Baby is Healed
One effective way to enter a new village and share the good news is by meeting a need. In *Highland Village,access to clean water is crucial. While disciple-makers *Gia and *Paul were in Highland Village discussing water filters with families, they met *Raj and his parents. Raj, an eight-month-old baby, had been ill for a long time. Gia and Paul prayed over Raj and assured his parents, “Your child will be healed tomorrow,” promising to return the next day.

When Gia and Paul visited Raj’s home the following day, they found a happy and healthy baby who had been healed by God. This miracle has sparked interest among Raj’s family and many others in the village, who are now eagerly awaiting devices with recordings that tell the stories of Jesus in their native language. Through this miraculous healing, God is opening doors for the people of Highland Village to know Jesus for the first time.

After Being Sick for Years, *Alta is Healed
Disciple-maker *Paul shared another inspiring story about a woman named Alta who had been suffering from frequent bleeding for many years. Despite consulting local doctors, Alta found no relief. Paul shared the message of Jesus with her, and she believed. He prayed for her and she was healed—the bleeding stopped completely! Now Alta, along with her family, is eagerly awaiting a device with recorded Bible stories to help them grow in their new faith.

*pseudonym