How Can We Reach India?
June 30, 2021
George Phillip, TWR-India leader, shares the beautiful story of THRU the BIBLE’s Home Groups
In a populous country like India, with only a miniscule percentage of Christians, the need to reach out and engage people in the Word of God is immense. The Word has power, and THRU the BIBLE has the Word in numerous Indian heart languages. THRU the BIBLE’s Home Groups were formed to make the Word available in a localised setting so that the maximum number of people could benefit.
Home Groups enable thousands of people to grow in the Word by discovering, discussing, and exploring the truth together and, in the process, have fellowship with one another in the comfort of a home at a time and day convenient to all. Each group is like a small community working towards building life together in true love and a Christ-centered relationship. They support each other in prayer and, as a result, innumerable miracles have happened.
Home Groups grow and multiply rapidly.
In almost every group, every member is trained to be a leader and look for opportunities to form their own groups. Everyone is encouraged to glorify God through their lives. Since the small groups are less visible, they receive less government resistance. Presently, Christian activities and meetings in India are not encouraged and are met with violence, oppression, and persecution. Meetings in homes don’t attract attention and are safe to a great extent.
Home Groups teach the Word.
In a country with few Bible resources and even fewer Bible teachers, digital audio players loaded with THRU the BIBLE provide a systematic study of the Word in all of India’s major languages and several dialects.
Everyone is being equipped to discover the biblical truths so that in due course they can emerge as leaders and teachers of the Word. The model is simple and has proved to be a success among new believers as well as oral learners.
Home Groups encourage fellowship.
Since the groups are small, everyone knows your name and feels like they belong. It’s a beautiful feeling to know you are loved and cared for. Since there are no caste, cultural, economic, or denomination barriers, people feel safe to confide.
How would you like us to pray?
- Pray the production and distribution of the THRU the BIBLE study in 124 languages will go out unhindered.
- Our strategic plans for the next three years have been finalised, and we are excited to see the next level of growth. However, we are reminded that unless the Lord builds the house, the builders build in vain (Psalm 127:1).
- Pray we can break new ground and produce the Bible study in many more new languages and disseminate the audio content in areas we have never tread, extending the reach even to the most remote village of this nation.
Thank you—we need the fervent prayer support of our partners.
From India's TTB Home Groups
I am a Home Group leader. Never did I imagine that one day I would lead a Bible study with people in my village. I began to listen to the Bible study in my language from the day I received the audio player. Your study of the Word of God is easy to understand but also gives me the context of each narrative. The applications are helpful, and I can already see a lot of changes in me. God’s Spirit brought to light bad habits in my life that I didn’t know existed. The Word is working in the lives of my group as I see them grow spiritually. This could never have been possible without your enabling. God bless you abundantly. From Karunesh (Hindi)
TTB’s Home Group has helped me grow in my spiritual life and prepares me to share the Gospel boldly with my community. I’ve now started three more Home Groups because many are keen to join. We each are being strengthened by God’s Word. From Hasuben (Gujarat)
Our Home Group is listening to the study of the Gospel of John. Each verse is insightful and began working in my life. John 15:12 stands out specifically. I never felt I needed to love my neighbors and lived a rather self-centered life. Now, I have begun to love people, and help them as I can. My neighbors noticed a difference in my life, and I gave the credit to the Home Group and understanding what God expects of us. From Asow (Assamese)