Mission India spotlighting Karnataka state for ministry this month

By October 24, 2017

India (MNN/MNI) – The state of Karnataka in India is comprised of about 61 million people, roughly three times the population of Florida. Yet, nearly 95 percent of the people in Karnataka are unreached with the Gospel — over 57 million people. Less than two percent have accepted Christ.

Erik* with Mission India says, “Every state is different, just in the United States every state is different. The demographics are different. But Karnataka is up there in terms of the unreached and the small number of Christians in that state.”

(Graphic courtesy of Mission India)

Mission India has been serving in the country since 1984. Their ministry focuses on three different outreach programs: Church Planter Training, Adult Literacy Classes, and Children’s Bible Clubs.

This month, Mission India partnered with all their teams to focus on fundraising efforts that will spur the spread of the Gospel in the state of Karnataka.

“We are looking at how do we raise the money and the funds quickly to start training church planters so that they can go on their own to start planting churches in their local communities in Karnataka. At the same time, we’re looking to raise resources for our Adult Literacy Classes, and that means training leaders to go into their local communities in Karnataka and reach those who are illiterate and call them out of illiteracy and poverty. Thirdly, with the Children’s Bible Clubs, you’re training up young leaders to go in and help educate the boys and girls in Karnataka and share the good news with them.”

Erik explains, “Between those three programs, our hope and our goal and our prayer is that those numbers will be higher than two percent Christian and the unreached number would go down as a result of our fundraising efforts.”

A Karnataka Story of Spiritual Transformation

God is definitely moving in the state of Karnataka, and Mission India has witnessed it. For example, they shared this story about a young girl and her family, and how Mission India’s Children’s Bible Club in Karnataka changed their lives for eternity.

(Photo courtesy of Mission India)

Nanda’s parents struggled to feed their four children in the state of Karnataka, even though they both worked hard. But, when Nanda’s uncle approached them asking for money during an emergency, they couldn’t say no. They borrowed the money he needed, adding to their financial burdens.

As an 11-year-old, Nanda was concerned about her family, and meanwhile, she herself was struggling in her studies.

Then, Nanda joined a Year-Long Children’s Bible Club that had started in her village and found much-needed hope. She was used to worshiping oxen and other gods, so Nanda felt like her world was turning upside down when she learned about Jesus. She loved the story of Jesus feeding 5,000 people with five loaves of bread and two fish, and began to expect Jesus’ miracles in her own life!

Nanda received Jesus as her Savior and continued attending her Bible Club enthusiastically. Her studies improved, too—she did so well on her exams in school that she received a scholarship!

Her transformation was so evident that her mother noticed the difference. Recognizing that it was all thanks to God’s mercy, Nanda’s mother received salvation, too! The family became happier, and even their financial burden was eased: although Nanda’s uncle wasn’t able to repay the money he had borrowed, the Lord blessed the family with new streams of income.

Now, the family asks for prayers that their entire village would experience the everlasting joy of Jesus by receiving salvation.

The Great Commission in Karnataka

Go to Mission India’s website here if you’d like to give, and in the note mention that it’s for the state of Karnataka! Or you can call them at 877-644-6342 to make a donation over the phone.

“A gift of any size is going to make a significant impact in a state where Jesus isn’t known at the scale that Karnataka has. So by giving a gift in the month of October and partnering with us, you’ll be able to help us share the Good News through our three programs in the state of Karnataka.”

But more importantly, please lift the state of Karnataka and Mission India’s ministry to the Lord in prayer.

“Be praying for the leaders that we’re training there to be going into the state and local communities. The persecution level, all those things are just heightened in the state of Karnataka. So just be praying for the courage and the wisdom and the love and the grace to just be flowing over these leaders,” asks Erik.

“Secondly, just be praying for the people who are going to be coming to these programs — the children, the adults, the future church planters – that their hearts and their minds would be open to further deepening a relationship with Christ or for the first time hearing the Good News and being able to respond and move toward a relationship with him.”

 

*Name changed for security purposes.

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