SOM India
India is the least reached nation for the Gospel in the world. It is currently in the top ten nations of persecution against its small minority of Christians. In 2011, SOM-USA assisted the first church planting school within the SOM International network. In 2012, the SOM-India Director established SOM-India with a heart to serve persecuted Christians and advance the Gospel.
Ladies’ sewing discipleship schools were also established, training widows in the skill of sewing and biblical discipleship.
As of 2023, there are twenty-seven church planting schools and twenty-seven sewing discipleship schools operating twice a year, commissioning these leaders to reach the remotest areas of India.
Meet the Director of SOM – India
- This pastor was healed of terminal liver disease. Two days later, he and his family gave their lives to faith in Christ.
- He preached the Gospel to others for three months before receiving his first Bible.
- At age 16, he left home by faith to preach the Gospel full time. He only had the clothes on his back, a tattered Bible, and the equivalent of $3.00 USD.
- He walked over 40,000 miles, witnessing Christ to thousands in unreached villages from 1992 to 2001.
- The SOM–India Director is fluent in seven languages.
- He currently oversees an exploding network of over 40,000 house churches.
- He has a team of leaders multiplying leaders alongside him to help spread the Gospel throughout India.
Latest News from SOM India
Killed at Church, the Nightmarish Reality
Sacred to Jesus' followers is the gathering and connecting as a close family of believers each week. The adoring worship of God is the embodiment of life, experienced in joy and love as we hear the very words of Christ. From an American mindset, the idea of being murdered at church is a nightmarish reality that most of us struggle to wrap our heads around. Still, believers in numerous persecuted countries worldwide have higher odds of getting killed at church. Recent Attacks on Sunday Resulting in Killing and Kidnaping Consider the two Christians who perished on May 5, 2022, in
Imprisoned Indian Church Planter Leads Fifteen to Christ
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
Reaching Unreached People Groups in India
Few countries in the world offer immense opportunities to share the Gospel like the country of India. With over 2,400 unreached people groups, the diverse country speaks hundreds of languages and has a booming population of nearly 1.4 billion. However, the vast majority of India has no connection to Jesus Christ, and the spiritual needs far exceed what we can put into words. Here is how SOM is reaching unreached people groups in India. SOM India has a well-established relationship with the work in India, providing training for over 6,000 workers in half the states. At the May graduation, the
Building the Church in India: A Church Planting Vision to Transform the Subcontinent
Church Planting Vision Transforming the Subcontinent of India Leading Like Christ Series By David Witt This series has been my delight to share our global directors' Christ-like leadership insights and styles. Today, I reflect on the SOM International Director of India. He is passionate about growing the church in India. I see these qualities of Jesus in this leader: Mighty visionary Empowering leader Humble servant Christ-centered follower Faithful steward Courageous warrior. As an entrusted vessel of the Holy Spirit, he is an inspiring evangelist who shares Christ with anybody, anytime, anywhere. He has a unique God-given gift of speaking many
21st Class of India Students Graduate with Gladness
Students take an Oath to Gladly Surrender Everything to Jesus Praise God, the 21st class of students in India commissioned out from twenty-two church planting schools and sewing discipleship schools in November 2021. Excitement and enthusiasm filled the 869 students as they looked to the opportunity to reach out and start a new ministry. Students take an oath to surrender to be faithful until death if necessary during the commissioning. As Jesus speaks, “Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life” (Revelation 2:10b). Gladness through Persistent Threats Abounding Back Home Many of the
Church Planter Reports on Two Weeks of Captivity in India for “Forced Conversion”
Church Planter Accused and Arrested for "Forced Conversion" Witnesses to Captors Falsely accused of the "forced conversion" of a tribal Hindu family, a church planter in India shares his testimony of spending two weeks in jail while witnessing the love of Christ to the guards and trusting in Jesus despite the worst of times. The prison guard asked me right away, 'Why do you suffer for a god not born in India and who never visited India? We have millions of gods to worship, and if you worship them, you will not have criminal charges on you nor be
