Land of the Kruds

150 million Muslims in India

Where else in the world can you find over 150 million Muslims as the minority
Map of India

religion? Only in India! Where else can you find over 400 different Muslim people groups, based on occupation, geographical location or shade of Islamic believe? Only in India! (Watch the MPG video for more…)
India is Accessible

Yet even with these facts considered, many Christians around the world seem to ignore or give scant attention to, the needs of this huge group of Indian Muslims. We can also say that the Muslims of India are perhaps the largest accessible Muslim population in the world. This is due in part to India’s pluralistic framework and secular constitution. Opportunities for open Christian witness abound and there are open doors for many kinds of Christian ministry.

Islam was introduced to India by conquest and grew through the successful efforts of Muslim missionaries and high birth rates. Today India is the second largest Muslim nation in the world.
Hour of Opportunity in India

Some of the largest Muslim people groups in India include the Bengalis, the Biharis, Jat, Pathan, Julaha, Shaikh, Rajput, Kashmiri, Ansari and the Labbais.

Having read this article, so far, we could conclude that there must be hundreds, if not thousands, of Christians sharing the love of Christ regularly with their Muslim neighbours in India, right? WRONG!

Alas, as of this date there are perhaps not more than 150 workers (including both Indians and expatriates) in full time witness to Muslims. There are some very encouraging developments happening, however, with more unity between churches and organisations reaching Muslims in India. There are also continued reports of Muslim leaders receiving visions and dreams of Jesus!

It is the hour of opportunity for the Muslims of India – may we not miss it!
Prayer for the Muslims in India:

* Pray for the religious freedom in India to continue. It is under threat from certain groups in the nation.

* Pray that the Muslims of India would each have an opportunity to hear, and see, the Gospel in a culturally relevant way.

* Pray for the many large indigenous Indian Missions organisations, that they will “tithe” some of their people for Muslim work.

* Pray for continuing and new training initiatives to train workers and church planters for Muslim ministry.
Background on India (World Factbook)

The Indus Valley civilization, one of the oldest in the world, dates back at least 5,000 years. Aryan tribes from the northwest infiltrated onto Indian lands about 1500 B.C.; their merger with the earlier Dravidian inhabitants created the classical Indian culture. Arab incursions starting in the 8th century and Turkish in the 12th were followed by those of European traders, beginning in the late 15th century.

By the 19th century, Britain had assumed political control of virtually all Indian lands. Indian armed forces in the British army played a vital role in both World Wars. Nonviolent resistance to British colonialism led by Mohandas GANDHI and Jawaharlal NEHRU brought independence in 1947.

The subcontinent was divided into the secular state of India and the smaller Muslim state of Pakistan. A third war between the two countries in 1971 resulted in East Pakistan becoming the separate nation of Bangladesh. Despite impressive gains in economic investment and output, India faces pressing problems such as the ongoing dispute with Pakistan over Kashmir, massive overpopulation, environmental degradation, extensive poverty, and ethnic and religious strife.
Languages of India

English enjoys associate status but is the most important language for national, political, and commercial communication; Hindi is the national language and primary tongue of 30% of the people; there are 14 other official languages: Bengali, Telugu, Marathi, Tamil, Urdu, Gujarati, Malayalam, Kannada, Oriya, Punjabi, Assamese, Kashmiri, Sindhi, and Sanskrit; Hindustani is a popular variant of Hindi/Urdu spoken widely throughout northern India but is not an official language.

Muslim clerics want evangelistic work restricted in Algeria

Algeria (MNN) — Disconcerting news is coming from Algeria and Afghanistan.

Glenn Penner of Voice of the Martyrs’ Canada says Islamic scholars there are calling for a crackdown on Christians. “This head of the Islamic Association is claiming that a convert gets paid over seven thousand dollars if they become a Christian. So all you have to do is start spreading these lies around enough, and the government might say, “We probably should do something about this.’”

Penner believes the Islamists are spreading misinformation to stir nationalist sympathies. As to whether this will curb evangelism, he says, “They take what is a very innocent act and give it serious implications. For those who are in the ministering in that country, both nationals and expatriates, certainly they’re going to be looked at with more scrutiny and suspicion. We need to be praying for them that they’ll continue to operate with integrity and yet continue to operate fearlessly as they try to win men and women to Christ.”

* Pray that those to whom they reach out will see Christ in them.

* Pray that Roshan will be able to reach out to his persecutors.

source:
Greg Yoder, Executive Director
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