India (MNN) — Evangelist Sammy
Tippit has just returned from preaching evangelistic meetings in Punjab,
India. "The crowds almost doubled
every night. The follow-up from those meetings of people who did
respond–they've already baptized 2,600 people–because that's a public
statement: 'Now I am a Christian. I am a follower of Christ.' It was really exciting to see the
response."
Tippit, on the invitation of Pastor
Nazir Masih, pastor of the First Baptist Church of Chandigahr, traveled to Punjab
in the middle of November to preach at a "Festival of Peace" near Amristar. There, Pastor Masih and other church leaders
in the region worked together to conduct
evangelistic meetings with Tippit.
Tippit says people are hungry for
the Gospel. Pastor Masih echoed that,
adding, "They are very open to God's Word." Young people came from the First Baptist
Church of Chandigahr and performed dramas and interpretive dance routines
during the final night.
Despite the turmoil, persecution,
and terrorism in other parts of the country, Tippit says, "We actually had political leaders, who were non-Christians, who came to our meetings and
condoned our meetings and said, 'This is good. We're glad that you're
here. We believe that you have something
to offer, and this is going to help our people.'"
Pray that the movement would
continue. With the overwhelming response,
local pastors are making plans for the discipleship of the new believers. "The churches are growing in size, but
they're also multiplying. We need to pray for that to continue. What they were looking for in these meetings
that I held was sort of a 'momentum builder,' with people coming to Christ.
Now, they want to take it to another level."
Pray that the seeds of the Gospel planted in these meetings will take root and result in genuine faith in Christ.
