A story about how an imprisoned Indian church planter leads 15 people to faith in Jesus while behind bars

My wife and I came to Christ joyfully in the middle of 2020.

Later, I met forty people in a small community nearby and shared the Gospel with them. All forty of them came to Christ! They asked me, “Why don’t you teach us more? Please keep coming to our place.” Still, I continued to face threats and attacks for sharing the Gospel.

The Lord has spoken to me time and time again with these words, “I have chosen you to suffer for me.”

My wife is the one who first heard of the SOM India church planting network, and she told me about it. I sensed the Lord calling me to participate in the training.

I went through the church planting school in 2021 and continued sharing my faith. Since September 2021, the intensity of the persecution increased, and many people told the police lies about me.

Imprisoned Indian Church Planter Enduring for Christ 

One day, a group of twenty to thirty people beat me, and they pushed me and pulled me here and there and said, “Tell us that you will not come here again. Otherwise, we will kill you.” They also told the new believers, “Do not meet with this man.”

After locals gave many complaints to the authorities, the police called me out and said, “There is a strong case against you, and you need to go to jail.” They put the chain handcuffs on me and dragged me to the police station.

When they put me in jail, I walked in willingly to follow God as they took me inside. Walking behind bars, I felt more at peace. I saw people in the same room with me inside the jail, and the one thing I desired was to talk to them.
I prayed, “Lord, help me to connect with the other prisoners so they will be friendly with me.” So, I started talking with them every day. Then the police came to know, and sometimes they secretly came to watch.

When the police inquired about other people, the fellow prisoners told them that I was talking to them about Jesus. The police said, “So you came here inside the jail to convert our prisoners and want to bring your God to the jail? What is your problem? What is wrong with you?”

I said, “Sir, you know why I am here in this prison because I am talking about Christ. I am doing nothing here except talking to them. They want to listen. They are asking me questions, so this is the result.”

Seizing Every Opportunity in Prison

Every day was a joyful day, but they had to keep changing me from one cell to another because I kept talking about Jesus. But the more cells I went to, the more prisoners I could share with, and the more people received Christ. They even brought a man to come inside and make a Hindu sacrifice because they thought I had polluted all the cells when I was sharing Christ.

I can remember fifteen people responding to the Gospel inside the prison! After my release, the guards released two prisoners from the jail, and they are now coming to my fellowship.

I am thankful to the SOM India network. When my information got to them, they were quick to pray, advocate, get a lawyer, and deal with the case. After seventeen days, I was out. I thank the Lord for being part of the church planting network of ministry leaders.

Imprisoned Church Planted Expanding the Reach

I’m praying for 1,000 leaders, and God will give us the strength to stand up and stay strong.

Daily, I remind the people in my fellowship that we may be killed or die, go to prison, or be forsaken, but Jesus does not forget us. My wife is responding stronger in faith than I. My wife tells me, “If they burn our house or drag me or harm my body, I will always stand with you and the vision.”

Pray for the leadership expansion, growth, and continuous standing in the persecution. I want more leaders to be trained up and persevere in the persecution. Please pray for me so that I will keep my faith and run the race.