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
Persecuted but Not Abandoned
By Dave Arden What a great joy and honor to meet face-to-face with our persecuted brothers and sisters in India. While the SOM USA team was in India for November graduation, we met two Sewing and Discipleship School leaders. This instructor has raised many Sewing and Discipleship leaders over the years. In her region, she serves as an advisor and counselor to hundreds of workers. Opposition Is the Soup of the Day When a woman receives Christ in rural India, “The surrounding villagers turn their back on us,” Sewing and Discipleship leader said. Consider the barbs of mistreatment that so
Church Planter in India Refuses to Run
From Hiding to becoming a Thriving Part of the House Church Network Born into a Hindu community, SOM India church planter spent many years without knowing the power of Jesus’ name. His family of origin was clouded for decades by death. Of nine children born, six died due to illness and dark circumstances. His mother was a village Hindu prophetess who proclaimed her divinity. Yet despite hours of chanting Hindu prophecies, she was not able to revive any of her six dead children. When his next brother became ill, the family was in despair. His suffering increased, and his body
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
