An Introduction to India

Many nations (people groups) make up India's 900,000,000 people. Some 3,000 people groups in India speak at least 1,652 languages. Beyond the complexity of language exists different religions, varied cultures and a society divided by caste --together creating a grid of barriers to the spread of the Gospel.

The Blessing Promised to All Peoples of India Blessed to be a Blessing May God be gracious to us and bless us and make his face shine upon us, that your ways may be known on earth, your salvation among all nations. God will bless us, and all the ends of the earth will fear him (Ps. 67:1-2, 7)

A Blessing to All Nations Over and over in the Bible, we see our God-given purpose -- to be a blessing to all peoples and nations. While it sounds simple, the task is quite complicated in reality. Consider that India alone is comprised of 3000 diverse people groups.

Most missionaries work among tribal and outcaste groups. The Hindu core, which makes up 63% of the population, is significantly neglected by missionary workers.

A Caste Story "Pay what you owe. Settle your account or I shall sit at your doorway and starve. At my death my ghost will haunt you all the days of your life." An empty threat? No indeed. It is by these threats that Charans make certain that those who owe them will pay up. This is, in fact, a prototype of the hunger strike so often used by Ghandhi and others in modern India. The force of the threat lay in the certainty that it would be carried out. And Hindus believe that the ghosts of departed Charans are particularly malevolent. The curse of a Charan was regarded as so effective throughout history that its members were enlisted to accompany the army to curse the enemy.

But turning to their more genteel side, the Charans are highly regarded as genealogists. With Hinduism's thousands of castes and complicated rules and prohibitions, no one but a caste genealogist

could prevent one from marrying someone from a forbidden caste. In addition to guaranteeing the purity of the union, these genealogists record births, deaths and all essential events of life for their Hindu clients.

When one contemplates the task of bringing the gospel to India, its castes, the thousand and one forces that bind and blind, one could easily say that winning the Hindus to Christ is hopeless. And indeed it is, except our Lord said, "Go. And I will build my church and the gates of hell will not prevail against it." Lord, penetrate the stony hearts of every caste, especially the Charans. Draw them to you by Your undying love and truth. --Ted Laziki Global Prayer Digest, October 1994 Vol. 13, No. 10

The government for the purposes of developing the socioeconomic conditions of the masses has divided the castes broadly into 4 categories: Forward Class 19% High Caste Hindus: Brahmin, Kshatriya and Vaisya. Backward Class 44% Low Caste Hindus: Sudras Scheduled Class 13% Outcaste: Untouchables Scheduled Tribes 10% Adivasi, tribal peoples Vasantharaj Albert, India Prayer Diary, 1994. Madras, India

Caste: A system that perpetuates the racial superiority of Brahmins (High Caste) and other higher castes over the majority. Fundamental to Hinduism, it pervasively influences all religious and social structures in India. Caste discrimination is forbidden by the constitution, but is socially important for over 80% of the population. There are an estimated 6,400 castes. Each functions effectually as a separate group because of the high social barriers that separate them. Patrick Johnstone, Operation World, 1993.

Barriers The Indian church is thriving in some people groups but may not spread beyond that group. Why? Because of barriers such as language, culture, and caste. Furthermore, most Christians lack the vision to reach beyond their own group.

Cross-cultural mission work is required to penetrate each people group and start a church that can then make the Gospel available to the whole group.

Breaking Barriers Most people groups in India have not had a chance to hear and do not have access to the Gospel. The purpose of missionaries is to go where the church is not present rather than expand the church where it already exists. Some so-called mission work in India is really evangelism and is growing the church in an already- reached people group. This is good, but it does not directly affect unreached groups.

How to be a Blessing Will you be left out of God's global plan to reach all the people groups? Make your life count. Allow yourself to be available as you seek His will. Give up small ambitions, and give an all-out effort to the remaining task -- establishing a church for every people by the year 2000!