India prayers (cont.)
• Training for Christian workers is an urgent need.
• The life and health of the Church depend on pastors, teachers, evangelists, and missionaries. Many new believers come to faith through large rallies, healings, or miracles, but have few opportunities for Christian discipleship. Most leaders and pastors received very little preparation for their work.
• Pray for the formal training institutions. India now has over 100 degree-level seminaries! Many are evangelical. Bible schools number over 1,000. Many teach practical skills (such as church planting) in addition to theology. Training centres for indigenous workers (to train church planters) now also play a significant role. But much more is needed. Pray for creative, effective models to reach the country’s pastors and leaders with Bible teaching.
• All Christians need training to be effective ambassadors for Christ in their society. The Indian Church must learn to have greater impact in the workplace and in national life. Currently most Indians associate Christianity with the deprived and lower classes of society (80% of Indian Christians come from Dalit or tribal communities). The gospel has not yet made a significant impact on business, politics, arts, or culture.
• Christian missions, church planting, and research initiatives in India have all grown and matured since the 1960s, when foreign groups largely controlled much of this work.
• Over 1,000 Indian mission agencies send out 100,000 church planters, evangelists, and social workers. Tens of thousands of new congregations now exist as a result! A truly Indian Church follows Christ, and lives out the gospel. Over 500 Indians serve as missionaries in foreign countries.
• Networks like the Indian Missions Association (IMA) encourage cooperation and fellowship. Several agencies collect data on each state, city, language, and people group of India. The Church has never before had such clarity about the unfinished task of evangelism! Pray for mature leaders, good member care, and cooperation for the gospel’s sake.
• Only 1,000 expatriate missionaries serve in India. Many find it difficult to obtain visas. Business and medical visas provide good opportunities for workers who authentically serve in those areas.
• The All India Christian Council serves all denominations, with over 5,000 agencies, NGOs, denominations, and institutions that work for human rights, social justice, religious freedom, and protection of minorities. Unity now grows where there was a spirit of division.