Story number 1 for 28 Apr 2003

(India)–We begin today in India where persecution against Christians is now having an impact on ministry. That’s the word from the Bible League’s Jay Kumar. Kumar says an anti-conversion law in the state of Tamil Nadu has scared churches. “When the ordinance was passed of course a lot of churches kind of canceled their programs with us. The church kind of had to regroup and figure out what they had to do to advance the Gospel. A lot of them are still moving forward and preaching the Gospel and I think there’s only been one reported case where they’re actually trying to enforce the law.” However, Kumar says the news isn’t all bad. “The church across India is determined to have the Gospel spread and I don’t think the government would be so opposed to it if there wasn’t some progress to the Gospel. So, opposition often signals to us that we’re making some forward progress.” Kumar says there are still 500-thousand villages without an evangelical church. He’s praying that will change soon.