Women in India Fearlessly Sharing the Gospel

Women in India Fearlessly Sharing the Gospel

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The Listening Movement held its first Women Leaders meeting where several women gathered to learn, share and encourage each other. These stories are the fruit of that meeting.

Mahima* was already a dedicated disciple-maker before attending the meetings, but something in her heart shifted afterward. She works as a government-employed bus driver, but spends her free time leading Discovery Bible Studies (DBS) with new families. She started a DBS with three women in one village, and since then she has helped establish 46 house churches, and 146 people have received baptism because of Mahima’s Bible studies. She is driven by the belief that access to God’s word and obedience to the Scriptures is what transforms lives.

Another leader, Daya*, encouraged his wife, Shanvi*, to step into the Lord’s work. At first, Shanvi was hesitant, feeling nervous about speaking in front of large groups. She shared, “When I meet with people personally and talk to them, I can work better.” This personal approach has proven to be highly effective for her. Staying within their state, Shanvi connects with women, conducts Discovery Bible Studies, and shares Bible stories. By meeting one-on-one, she shares the Word in a way that resonates deeply with those she encounters. Shanvi has connected with 97 women from nine different villages in her state, spreading the Good News. She travels to meet people and desires that everyone come to know the Lord, which is why she dedicates much time to each woman. 

Radhika* works alongside her husband to spread the gospel, undeterred by the challenges they face. The couple has endured significant persecution for their ministry, having been captured two or three times by members of the RSS (Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, a militant right-wing Hindu nationalist  organization in India) and physically assaulted on at least one occasion. They’ve also received death threats warning them to cease their work. Despite these dangers, they remain steadfast in their mission.

Radhika oversees 96 house churches and collaborates with 17 women leaders, whom she trains and meets with monthly. She reaches out to those troubled by demonic oppression, struggling with addiction, and women suffering from domestic abuse. She actively seeks out such families, offering prayers and sharing the Lord’s message. Her work primarily focuses on low-caste nomadic communities, where she brings hope and the Good News of Jesus.

Shakila* was once shy and fearful, convinced that sharing the Good News of Jesus was beyond her ability. However, after attending a women’s training session and receiving encouragement from her husband, everything changed. Now, Shakila goes from home to home in her village, inviting others to listen to Bible stories and engaging them through Discovery Bible Studies. She currently oversees 28 DBS groups, and seven of the families she has discipled have been baptized.

Pray for Mahima, Shanvi, Radhika, Shakila, and others who courageously share the Good News despite the constant threat of arrest, physical assault, and even death.

*pseudonym

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Stories that Open Doors

Stories that Open Doors

Partners in Southeast Asia are working to bring Bible stories into local dialects that still have little or no access to the good news. 

What begins as Bible translation is becoming much more. It opens doors for people to hear and  respond in their heart language.

One team in particular has embraced this work with urgency. They are translating story sets into three dialects spoken by some of the most unreached communities in their country. As the stories take shape, they are not only being written down. They are also being shared, discussed, and lived out.

Recently, a team member named Mr. T* had an opportunity to sit down with a respected teacher from the majority faith in his community. What followed was both unexpected and deeply moving.

Mr. T shared, “Last Saturday, my team and I spoke with two religious teachers. As we shared the good news, one of them, Mr. W*, chose to believe and become a disciple of Jesus. Just a few days later, he was baptized.”

Afterward, Mr. W struggled to find words for what he had experienced. Then he said something that stayed with everyone who heard it.

“I have never felt love like this before. Jesus the Messiah is like air, water, and blood in my body. I do not want to know Him only as the vine. I want to know Him all the way to the roots, so that I can be strong in my faith and bear much fruit.”

In a place where access to Scripture has been limited, God is making Himself known through faithful translation and courageous witness. Pray for Mr. W as he grows in his new faith and begins to share with others. Pray for Mr. T and his team as they continue translating and telling these stories. Ask that many more would hear, understand, and respond with the same deep hunger to truly know Jesus.

*pseudonym

BUILDING BRIDGES OF HOPE
A simple app developed by our Southeast Asia team to distribute Discovery Bible Study (DBS) story sets is transforming lives in a region ripe for harvest. 
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JOURNEY TO DISCIPLESHIP
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GIVE UP YOUR WAY
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When God Sent Rain

When God Sent Rain

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It was late and dark when Luke* and his team arrived at the village mission house in Northeast Asia.

With the first light of morning, they noticed the forest above the village; dry, diseased, and dying. For three years, the region had endured severe drought. The land was so parched that deep cracks split the ground. Luke hadn’t realized, when planning this trip to plant trees, that the village had been suffering under such conditions.

Some young herders told him that the local shaman had even impaled five pig heads on stakes in an attempt to summon rain, but nothing changed. The heavens remained silent.

During the first week, *Strongwell, a disciplemaker, led a house church gathering where the Spirit of God brought deep conviction. Luke himself confessed and renounced his fear of losing a future visa platform and resolved to boldly proclaim Jesus, whatever the cost. Their national partner, *Eternal Treasure, admitted that he too had let intimidation silence his witness for Christ. The team gathered around him, prayed, and encouraged him to stand firm. That very afternoon, the local stamp governor met Luke and the team at the village well house and openly declared that the people were free to choose Jesus.

A few days later, Luke sat with the vice governor. Curious about their presence, she asked why they had chosen her village. Luke told her the Holy Spirit had led them there to demonstrate God’s love. Addressing rumors that he was prospecting for gold, Luke replied, “I don’t want your gold. I’ve already found the greatest treasure in Jesus.”

When she mentioned the new road to their village, Luke used the opportunity to explain: “Broad is the road that leads to destruction, but narrow is the path that leads to life. Jesus is the only way, the truth, and the life.” When she lamented the dying forest, Luke spoke candidly: “Repentance is necessary for the curse to be broken. I will pray for rain and wait for God’s answer.” Impressed by his boldness, the vice governor awarded Luke and his team a medal for their service to the community.

The next morning, the Spirit led Luke up the mountain above the village. There, in plain sight of the people, he prayed for rain, rain of mercy and grace, knowing it is God’s kindness that leads to repentance. That same morning, a villager who had clung tightly to his idols the day before publicly burned them. By afternoon, God answered Luke’s prayer with a downpour of heavy rain. Luke immediately lifted his voice in thanksgiving, praising God openly for the gift of rain.

The team also renovated the village water well. They dismantled the old tank, installed a new one, insulated the well house with Styrofoam, reinforced the walls with sheet metal, and cemented the roof. While the automatic dispensing system was offline, Luke and his team joyfully served water by hand. As each villager came to draw water, Luke reminded them who had truly provided it. When they thanked him for praying, he responded, “Give thanks to God.” Together, the villagers lifted their eyes to heaven and said, “Thank you, God!”

Luke and his team planted 40 trees during this trip. Pray that those trees would take root and grow strong—standing as a living testimony to God’s faithfulness. Ask God to bless Luke and his team as they plant not only trees but also seeds of His love in this remote mountain village. Pray that through their relationships, many villagers would choose to follow Jesus and become disciples who make disciples. Finally, pray for wisdom and discernment for Luke as he engages with government officials—that he would be granted the same kind of favor Daniel found with King Darius.

*pseudonym

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Kingdom Opposites: Choosing What God Said Instead

Kingdom Opposites: Choosing What God Said Instead

Juni* remembered the accident in fragments. One moment she was driving her motorbike down the road, and the next she was lying injured on the roadside. The world around her was blurred and unsteady. She could feel arms around her shoulders. An elderly Muslim woman was holding her and quietly weeping. Nearby, voices called out as people rushed to move her motorbike from the road. Other women gathered close, their faces filled with concern.

Then, almost instantly, two of her local disciple-making teammates were beside her. They gently cleaned her wounds and checked her injuries, bringing calm into the chaos.

Hours later, Juni was back home, resting. Her jaw ached, her leg was badly injured, and her shoulder throbbed with pain. When Reina*, a disciple-maker, visited, Juni was able to sit up for a while. 

Together, they slowly talked through the events of the day, not just to remember what had happened, but to listen for what God might be saying in the midst of it.

As Juni reflected, something deeper began to surface. The accident itself was not the only thing weighing on her. Old thoughts, once healed but not fully silenced, began to rise again:

“You are a burden.”
“You are not capable.”
“You should give up and go home.”
“You are letting others down.”

These were not new voices. They were familiar accusations that had taken root during earlier wounds in her life. In Juni’s moment of vulnerability, they tried to reclaim their place.

With gentle guidance, Reina invited Juni to name the thoughts and feelings she was carrying. Then she asked her to bring those honestly before the Lord. One by one, Juni chose to turn away from the lies she had believed and to reject their hold on her heart.

Next came a different question. What was God saying instead?

Juni began to search for truth in her Bible. She wrote down words from Scripture that spoke of God’s care, His presence, and His faithfulness. Where there had been accusations, she now spoke truth. Where there had been doubt, she chose trust.

Reina also asked her to remember where she had seen God at work, even in the midst of the accident. And as Juni reflected, she saw it clearly. In the arms of a stranger who cared for her. In the quick response of her teammates. In the protection that spared her life. In the presence of God that never left her.

This simple process helped Juni walk through four intentional steps. She recognized the thoughts that questioned God’s goodness. She repented of the ways she had agreed with them. She renounced the lies that had shaped her thinking. And she reclaimed those places with the truth of God’s Word.

Juni chose to do the hard work of healing. She leaned into the Lord, not only to continue serving, but to be transformed. In the midst of pain, she encountered a far deeper freedom.

For those longing to see multiplying movements of new disciples, this kind of inner transformation matters. As we walk in dependence on the Holy Spirit, God shapes us even as He works through us. And through lives marked by humility, honesty, and obedience, others begin to see what it looks like to follow Jesus in a real and lasting way.

*pseudonym

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A Mother’s Prayer, A Son’s Healing

A Mother’s Prayer, A Son’s Healing

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Devika’s* heart was burdened with pain and fear for her young son, Dalip*. As a child, he suffered a fractured hand, which required hospitalization. He began to show signs of mental distress, and his condition worsened over time. 

Desperate and anxious, Devika searched for hope but found none, until one day, everything changed.  A Jesus Film screening was being held in her village, and Devika decided to attend. There, she heard a message of peace and hope: “Cast all your worries upon the Lord, for He cares for you.” The film portrayed Jesus’s Sermon on the Mount teaching and featured scenes of Jesus healing the sick and setting people free from evil spirits.  Devika was deeply moved by what she saw.

After the screening, a group of disciples visited with Devika. They shared more about Jesus, about His call to make disciples, and how to walk in obedience to His Word. That encounter marked the beginning of a powerful transformation in Devika’s life. She put her trust in Jesus and began to follow Him.

Together with other disciples, Devika began praying earnestly for Dalip. She prayed that he would be healed in Jesus’ name. Miraculously, Dalip was physically healed!  Her faith grew, and the family continued in fellowship, growing stronger in their walk with God. Over time, Dalip experienced mental healing as well. 

Soon after Dalip’s healing the whole family was baptized. Their story of despair and hopelessness is now a testimony of God’s healing power and his redeeming love.

*pseudonym

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