Stories | Beyond

Arrested For Choosing Jesus

Apr 1, 2026 | South Asia, Stories

Sharan* and his family became followers of Jesus less than two years ago. Before Jesus, they worshiped idols and brought offerings to the temple, even though they were not allowed to enter it and sit with the higher caste peoples or the priest. As Nai caste (haircutter caste), they are considered a polluting people. Being Hindu was hard, but they didn’t know another way.

One Friday, as Sharan and his wife walked to the market, they heard singing. Curious, they entered the home to observe the group. They listened to a Bible story and a Discovery Bible study discussion. Sharan was deeply impacted by the prayers. They prayed for the sick and things happening in the village. Everyone was praying. Sharan wondered what kind of god allowed everyone to pray.

After attending the meetings for several weeks, Sharan and his wife said, “We, too, can invite people to our house to listen to stories and pray to this amazing God.” The neighbors who came were impressed that everyone was invited. Everyone could have chai and eat together, sing and pray together. There were no caste barriers among themselves or between themselves and God.

Sharan and his family became followers of Jesus. They never went back to the temple. “There is nothing good for me back in Hinduism,” Sharan said. And he found that as he prayed about everything, life improved. “What an amazing God!” he thought.

But when high-caste villagers noticed that Sharan didn’t go to the temple anymore, they were unwilling to tolerate his new life. They persuaded officials to keep him from his harvest and arrest him.

During Sharan’s imprisonment, God’s people provided for his family. Sharan’s father was impressed, “We are not alone. These people help us. This is not just talk.” Sharan’s family continued hosting prayer meetings and sharing about Jesus. No one walked away from Jesus.

Six weeks later, Sharan was freed from jail. Village leaders were sure he would deny Jesus to return to his old job, but Sharan had another idea. He decided to try disciple-making full-time for three months.If God would provide work for his wife and father during that time, Sharan would continue. If not, he’d go back to his old job.

Sharan gave himself to disciple-making, faithfully telling people about Jesus and passing along the trainings his mentor shared with him. In this way, he discipled 19 families. After three months, 11 families were baptized. A few months later, the remaining eight were baptized.

At the end of three months, Sharan had discipled 19 lost families to Jesus. Within the next few months, all 19 families obeyed the Lord in baptism. And God provided work for his wife and father. Through the network of churches that has now reached seven spiritual generations and the business, God is providing all their needs. Sharan’s life is a testimony to all of what God can do.

God is building His church in the places we least expect it. Praise the Lord!

*pseudonym

Obedience Unleashed: Multiplication God’s Way

Mar 25, 2026 | South Asia, Stories

In the Gospel of Luke, Jesus shares this parable: “No one tears a piece of cloth from a new garment and uses it to patch an old garment. For then the new garment would be ruined, and the new patch wouldn’t even match the old garment. “And no one puts new wine into old wineskins. For the new wine would burst the wineskins, spilling the wine and ruining the skins. New wine must be stored in new wineskins.” — Luke 5:36–38 (NLT)

One of our teams reflected on this passage and what it means for seeing a true movement of God. They realized that if they want to witness entire regions transformed by the good news of Jesus, they must be willing to think differently about disciple-making. That means letting go of traditions or structures—old wineskins—that hinder people from coming to Christ.

It means anchoring their ministry fully in God’s Word and embracing new ways—new wineskins—that align with wholehearted obedience to Jesus. They’ve seen this paradigm shift bear incredible fruit among their teammates in South Asia. As these workers release tradition and focus on the authority of Scripture, God is doing amazing things.

Earlier this year, the team received a message from Nuh*, a faithful disciple-maker. Nuh joyfully announced the baptism of an entire family who had believed and repented. Six people were baptized that day—by Nuh himself.

During the next morning’s coaching call, the team celebrated this Kingdom breakthrough. But they also gently challenged Nuh with a question: “According to the Great Commission, who is called to baptize?”

Nuh answered, “All disciples who follow Jesus.”

They responded, “Exactly—so why is it that only pastors baptize in your context?”

Nuh admitted that it’s simply the way it’s always been done in his culture. The team encouraged him to compare this tradition with the authority Jesus gave to all His disciples. If Jesus commanded all of us to go, make disciples, baptize, and teach obedience, why limit baptism to only pastors?

They spent three hours together reading Scripture, wrestling with the tension between cultural norms and God’s Word. In the end, Nuh was convinced. But he had another question: “If I don’t baptize everyone myself, how do I pass on the authority to others?”

The team replied, “If we want to make true disciples, we must model and assist others in walking in obedience to Jesus. What do you think you should do?”

Together, they formed a simple and powerful plan: Nuh would gather the new believers, teach them what Scripture says about baptism, then model it by baptizing the first person. That person would then baptize the next, and so on—each one stepping into their God-given authority to obey and make disciples.

On the next call, Nuh shared how freeing this experience had been. No longer feeling the pressure to do everything himself, he had empowered others to obey Jesus fully. The new disciples—who had both been baptized and baptized others—felt strengthened and confident in their faith.

And the fruit? These new believers have already gone into neighboring villages and begun forming new groups among the lost.

*pseudonym

A Story of Unwavering Faith

Mar 18, 2026 | South Asia, Stories

In North India, among the Baghel and Kumhar communities, a faithful disciple-maker named Rohan lived out that truth.

Rohan* boldly shared the good news of Jesus in places where His name was barely known. He led with courage. He served with love. And then he paid the ultimate price, Rohan was martyred for his faith by local opposition.

Rohan left behind a grieving family… including his daughter, Shantha*. But grief did not have the final word. The body of Christ stepped in, surrounding Rohan’s family with prayer, care, and provision. And something unexpected began to happen.

As news of Rohan’s death spread, villagers began to ask questions. “How could someone be killed just for doing good?” As people learned he had been killed simply for serving the Lord, many responded with shock and sympathy.

Rohan’s family remained firm in their faith. Their forgiveness… their perseverance… their hope became a living testimony.

Men and women who had never heard of Jesus began attending Bible discovery groups. Some chose to follow Christ—drawn not by argument, but by a faith refined through suffering.

Slowly, people gathered to learn more—joining Bible discovery groups, encountering Jesus through the quiet witness of a family who chose faith over fear.

Today, Shantha carries her father’s legacy forward. She is a bold disciple-maker and trainer—equipping others to take the gospel even further.

What persecution meant to silence, God used to multiply.

Watch the video below.

*pseudonyms used

Sharing Jesus Stories in the Market

Mar 11, 2026 | Stories

As Amy* looked at the group of women gathered around her in the humid, wet market, studying Bible stories together, her heart was deeply moved. The noise of vendors calling out and customers bargaining filled the air. It was hard to believe how it had all begun.

Not long before, Amy had been walking through the same marketplace, quietly praying and asking God to lead her to someone who wanted to know Him. As she passed stall after stall, her eyes were suddenly drawn to a woman named Diwi*, who was selling vegetables.

After a friendly conversation, Diwi began sharing about some of the struggles she had been facing in her life. Amy listened intently, then asked if she could tell Diwi a story from the Bible about Abraham—one that might encourage her as she faced these difficulties. Diwi agreed.

As Amy shared the story, Diwi listened closely. When the story ended, her eyes were filled with tears. She was deeply moved by Abraham’s willingness to trust God and follow Him wherever He led. Seeing her response, Amy gently asked if there was anyone else who might want to hear the story as well. The next time they met, Diwi brought a friend.

Other women working nearby noticed the small gathering and became curious. One by one, they began joining the group. Before long, a faithful circle of women vendors met each week in the market to listen to stories from God’s Word and learn about His love for them.

What began as a simple prayer walk through the marketplace had become a place where women now gather regularly to hear about the God who sees them, knows them, and calls them to follow Him.

Pray that these women will continue studying the Bible and come to believe in the One who knows and loves them.

WHEN CHURCH LEFT THE BUILDING
A workshop on “simple church” stirred something deep in *Jin. The idea was beautifully uncomplicated. Church could happen anywhere read more …

A BOLD WITNESS
*Yeng is Khmer (most Khmers are Buddhist) who comes from a big family. Her husband, Pouch, is blind; her 97 years old mother-in-law and three grandsons read more …

CHURCH SIMPLIFIED
During an early morning taxi ride, Amy* struck up a conversation with the driver. It was obvious that Mr. Wu was a Christian read more …

When Church Left the Building

Mar 4, 2026 | Stories

Don’t miss the video, scroll to the bottom of the page..

A workshop on “simple church” stirred something deep in *Jin. The idea was beautifully uncomplicated. Church could happen anywhere—without walls, without pews, without formality. For months he prayed and wrestled with what that might look like in his home town in Taiwan.

The answer came to him in a place he already loved—the campgrounds of eastern Taiwan.

Jin and several close friends often escaped there twice a month. They were outdoor people who preferred hiking boots to dress shoes, and open skies to sanctuary ceilings. What if church could meet in a campground?

So Jin began showing up with intention. Tucked in his backpack were a short Bible story, a thoughtful discussion question, and one or two simple praise songs anyone could sing around a fire. After breakfast, he and his friends casually invited nearby campers to pull up a chair and join them.

It started small. Just a few curious neighbors lingering by the campfire.

Jin would chat, listen, and build connections. Then he would pose a question, one that everyone could answer from their own experience. As the group warmed up, he would share a Bible story and ask a few simple follow-up questions. Conversations deepened. Needs surfaced. Laughter mixed with vulnerability.

Before long, Jin would offer to pray, lifting up the personal requests that had been shared and speaking a blessing over every camper gathered there. They closed their time singing together, voices rising into the open air. It was becoming a church! Simple, authentic, and alive.

The first to respond to the invitation to follow Jesus was one of Jin’s closest friends. His wife watched quietly at first, taking it all in, until she too chose to follow Jesus too.

Soon, the couple began facilitating the Bible discussions themselves. Jin walked alongside them for a season, coaching them in Bible storytelling and worship, until they felt confident to facilitate on their own.

Today, they are training others to bring this same simple expression of church to more campgrounds. What began as a small circle around a fire is multiplying into a growing movement of people meeting Jesus under the wide Taiwanese sky.

Pray that this simple, uncomplicated way of sharing Jesus would spread like wildfire, that many would become disciples who make disciples.

*pseudonym

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