Reflections from India
Now that I’ve been back for 2 weeks from the teaching trip I was part of in the state of Orissa/Odisha, India, I’d like to share some quick reflections with Dojo readers.
So why India of all places?
I’ll let Good Shepherd’s Senior Pastor (and the leader of our trip) Talbot Davis explain…
So what in the world were Chris Thayer, James-Michael Smith and Talbot Davis doing in India over the last couple of weeks? Quite a lot, actually.
We spent time connecting with our partners in that exotic land — the Orissa Follow Up Ministry & Bible College in the Balasore region and the Love Your Neighbor network in the remote Kandhamal district. With both groups of village pastors and church workers, we tried to bring the best of how we know to invite all people into a living relationship with Jesus Christ. So Talbot taught about sermon series, sermon design, & healing ministry; Chris gave insights into New Testament history; and James-Michael was his usual brilliant self in teaching all about Genesis Chapter One and God’s covenant with Israel.
…
So because our investment with these Indian partners is so large and because we’re in it for the long haul, we want to spend some time addressing some core issues with all the people of Good Shepherd. Issues like Why India? Why This Part Of India? and What’s Next?
Why India?
A couple of years ago, we decided to go “narrow and deep” in our approach to international missions. What do we mean by that? Well, instead of giving support to a large number of missionaries serving in an array of places around the globe (that’s “wide and shallow”), we opted to move to the model of investing heavily in a few leaders in a specific locale to maximize ministry impact in that one place.
Our criteria in selecting a place centered around three issues: 1) it had to be a country where Christianity was NOT a majority religion; 2) we wanted to partner with local ministries already doing good work; and 3) we needed liaisons we could trust.
India fit the profile on all three counts. Out of a population of 1.2 billion, for example, only 2.5% are Christians. Most Indians are loyal Hindus with its pantheon of gods and goddesses; in fact, Hinduism dominates Indian culture and national identity. The people of that land are deeply religious already . . . they simply worship the creation rather than the Creator. Our experience there parallels Paul’s in Athens: ”For as I walked around and looked carefully at your objects of worship, I even found an altar with this inscription: TO AN UNKNOWN GOD. Now what you worship as something unknown, I am going to proclaim to you . . . “ (Acts 17:23).
In addition, our exposure to the leadership of Bishop Hrudaya in Balasore and Sushant Naik in Kandhamal convinced us that vital ministry was already occurring even in the face of long odds. Finally, our connection to these two was facilitated by PR Misra who job with Advancing Native Mission is to connect indigenous ministries in need of resources with churches in the Western world who have resources. PR’s brother JR Misra is a long time part of the Good Shepherd family.
Why This Part Of India?
Out of all the places in India why are we focused on Odisha? It’s a state that almost none of us have ever heard of — yet it has 41 million people which would make it the most populous in the USA!
We go narrow and deep in Odisha for two compelling reasons:
1. The ministry of Bishop Hrudaya and the Orissa Follow Up has shown particular effectiveness at reaching the people Indians call “Untouchable” and leading them to faith in Christ. It’s a beautiful concept, really: Christians love those into the kingdom those whom Hindus literally will not touch. I visited one of these “Dalit” villages in 2011; it was a great joy to see that same pastor at this year’s leadership seminar.
2. Our Kandhamal partners are at Ground Zero of persecution against Christians in India. In 2008, a wave of Hindu extremists destroyed the homes of over 200 Christian families, killed 40 church members and leaders, and displaced hundreds of others. The persecution continues four years later, although in ways that don’t get quite so many headlines. The Kandhamal Christians literally fear for their lives as they gather to worship. So we have the great privilege of partnering with Jesus’ people who are re-living the persecution that is the backdrop of the book of Revelation — with the same kind of courageous faithfulness to which that book calls us.
By the way in one of our 2011 visits to a Kandhamal village church, we held an impromptu healing service. The pastor told us at this year’s seminar that a man for whom our team prayed had his hearing restored that day. Living relationship indeed!
What’s Ahead?
…for 2013 and beyond, we’ll send at least two teams to Odisha a year. Small teams of committed staff and dedicated laity; teams who can provide medical expertise, discipleship training, children’s ministry, and, of course, encouragement & equipping for village pastors.In addition to that human capital, we who have such financial resources will be sharing with our brothers and sisters who have almost none. It’s already begun: we’ve funded the repainting and restoration of the Odisha Follow Up facilities and we supplied 30 pastors with brand new bicycles. Now they won’t have to walk from village to village as they offer Christ.
Our options are wide for future resourcing:
1. A series of bore wells that our Christian leaders will make sure to offer to their Hindu neighbors. “Living Water” they call them.
2. Motorized transportation for pastors who supervise village pastors.
3. Salary support to bring these indigenous missionaries above the subsistence level in providing for their families.
4. In the long run, we’d love to provide and staff a medical van which would be used to bless villagers — Christian and Hindu alike — with the gift of life and health.
You can see photos from the trip HERE if you haven’t already.
JM’s Reflections from the trip…
Here are some brief thoughts as I sit here back at home in one of my favorite lunch spots, thinking just how removed I am from where I was 2 weeks ago. They are in no particular order and are in short bullet point format ranging from the trivial to the profound and everything in between:
- Indian food is REALLY good! But only if you’re okay with spicy dishes and picking out bones from any meat or seafood you come across! 🙂 It’s also interesting that the portions, even among the lower income folks we ate with, are huge. The plates looked like hubcaps filled with rice, vegetables and brightly colored sauces. But at the same time, the drink sizes were tiny! Plates like hubcaps and cups like thimbles! India is most definitely not the land of the Big Gulp. My favorite dish was Prawn Butter Masala, btw.
- Persecution. The next time I hear someone in America talk about being “persecuted” by things like their town square not putting up a Nativity at Christmas, their child’s school not allowing public prayer before a football game, or the Ten Commandments not being displayed in a courtroom somewhere I may have to smack them (in love, of course!). I just spent 2 weeks with Christians who were beaten, whose churches and homes were burned to the ground by angry rioters, and one whose father was killed for his faith in Jesus. Yet these same Christians stayed and ministered not only to their scattered and fearful congregations…but they also welcomed a number of the perpetrators into their homes and churches, eventually leading a number of them to faith in the very Gospel they so recently persecuted! Of course, you don’t have to take a trip to India to realize that “persecution” for the Gospel is almost non-existent in America…but it sure does hammer home the point if you ever do!
- Driving in India, like in many crowded developing countries, is an absolute adventure! If you’ve ever ridden “Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride” at Disney World it’s a lot like that. Honking the horn is not a sign of anger; it’s the expected response when approaching anyone 0n the road from behind, as rear-view mirrors are almost never used. Yet despite the crowded and unpredictable conditions, we saw only 2 fender-benders the entire time we were there (which is about half of what one would see driving around any major U.S. city with 1/10th the traffic!). Drivers there are much more aware of the road and of one another…because they have to be! I think drivers here in America pay far less attention to these things (because, after all, it’s rare that you’ll need to watch out for cows, scooters and semi-trucks all on a one-lane street in the heart of a neighborhood here in the States!), and thus get in many more accidents. That’s my theory, anyway. 🙂
- Spiritual warfare is a reality. The first week we were there, I felt more darkness and oppression than I’ve felt in years. Anxiety, fatigue, depression and fear rocked me to my core–particularly just before I was to get up and speak. The Bishop and our liason, PR, shared with me how this was very common among many foreign Christians who visit…some even beginning to feel it as soon as they enter Indian airspace on the plane. I’m not obsessed with figuring out the spiritual/demonic forces everywhere I go, nor do I believe every difficulty a Christian faces is due to demons. But I absolutely believe in the reality of the demonic and the reality of spiritual warfare, particularly in cultures so open to supernatural idolatry (as opposed to Western idolatry, which rejects the spirit world as superstition, yet is every bit as consumed with worship of self and material gain).
- “The darkness has not overcome it…” Despite the spiritual darkness found throughout the land, the faith of many followers of Jesus in India shines brightly! Rather than withering under the persecution they experienced, the churches in Kandhamal have flourished. While they often lack a building to meet in, they share the love of Jesus and the transformative power of the Holy Spirit with their neighbors, friends, and family members in their homes and through reaching out to serve those most in need. This is one of the reasons why the early Church thrived in the Roman Empire. Despite persecution, the message of the Gospel broke down barriers between the nobility and the slave. Today this same unity among Christians in India can be seen in the breaking down of barriers between the Brahman and the Untouchable. And like the early Christians in Rome, Indian Christians are bearing much fruit and having an impact that far outweighs their minority status.
- Indigenous is more effective when it comes to long-term ministry. Sending missionaries to a foreign culture is a good thing when the need is there. But empowering and supporting indigenous ministries should be the long term goal in carrying out the Great Commission. To the degree that Christianity is seen as “Western” (which is ironic since the Gospel is thoroughly Eastern!), it will be dismissed by many in non-Western cultures who see it as inseparable from Western imperialism aimed at eradicating their culture. Sadly, this has been the case in many places throughout Church history…but the blame lies with the messengers rather than the message. From the very beginning God has desired to reach all peoples, nations, languages and cultures and the Gospel is most beautiful when seen in its fullness and diversity of expression across cultures, languages, and ethnic boundaries. Our way of doing Church in America is not the standard by any means. The Church in India (and elsewhere around the world) has as much to share with us as we have to share with them. That’s what made this trip so special to me. I shared what I had with them and they shared what they had with me. Iron sharpened iron. The Body of Christ functioned as a body and all parts were blessed and strengthened.
I want to give a special thanks to Good Shepherd’s Missions Pastor, Ron Dozier (my friend and former colleague) and to my two teammates, Talbot Davis (GS’s Senior Pastor and my friend/former boss!) and Chris Thayer (GS’s Director of Discipleship and the man who does a fantastic job heading up the ministries I used to oversee!). No matter how great a mission team is, usually at the end of 2 weeks serving side-by-side you are ready to not be around them anymore–However, this was not the case at all on this trip! Talbot and Chris were a blessing to travel and serve with and while I very much wanted to be back home at times, it was never because I was tired of being around them!
I’m also thankful for our liason in India, PR Misra, and the heads of the ministries in Odisha (Bishop Hrudaya at Orissa Follow-Up and Sushant and Elias at Love Your Neighbor). They were the epitome of hospitality and warmth and I look forward to spending more time serving alongside them in the future.
Most of all, I’m thankful for the hundreds of Indian pastors we met and spent time with who serve faithfully in the face of persecution, poverty, illness and extremely difficult conditions throughout Odisha. These brothers and sisters have faith that I can only hope to emulate and they burn brightly for Jesus in a land of over 330 million gods. Because of their faithfulness and dedication, lives are being changed, untouchables are being touched, families are being loved, and communities are being transformed throughout India. How beautiful are their calloused, worn and battered feet!
One final thing I would ask is that you consider supporting Disciple Dojo financially, if you are able, so that I can continue writing, developing resources, and teaching the Bible. I would like to produce versions of my DVD studies that can be translated into the Oriya language and used by Pastors and church leaders in Odisha. However, I can only do so through the support of those who believe in this ministry and are blessed by it. If this is you then I would welcome your financial contribution of any amount. Checks can be made out to “Disciple Dojo, L3C” and sent to:
Disciple Dojo
13623 Christian Tyler Ct.
Charlotte, NC 28278
Even though Disciple Dojo is an L3C corporation, and thus contributions by individuals are not tax-deductible, the needs are still there. So I ask you to consider how you might help me meet them.
Thanks to everyone who supported me on this trip and I hope it is just the beginning of an ongoing and fruitful relationship between Disciple Dojo, Good Shepherd, and the ministries in Odisha.
Blessings from the Dojo,
JM
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