Barefoot Missionary Initiates a Church Planting Movement among Indian Tribes

AIMS News: Posted 10/1/2005

Editor's Note: The Church Mobilization Pastors Training (CMPT) began as a joint effort between Hindustan Bible Institute (HBI) and AIMS in 2003. To date, more than 1,000 pastors have been trained through this program. Our partners at HBI in India recently shared this report with us. 

After the second phase of the cross-cultural Church Mobilization Pastors Training (CMPT), "Gyan" and his wife began to minister in a Bhojpuri-speaking Chamar village in northern India. After two short years of ministry, members of the tribe now desire to become church planters among their own people.

Considered as "untouchables," the lowest cast in India, the Chamar are not permitted to enter village temples and are forbidden from sharing drinking wells with other communities. With almost no rights, the Chamar cannot even own land. They often work as leather tanners and cobblers. More than 3 million Bhojpuri-speaking Chamars live among Indiaís 26 states.

After finding a house in a remote village, Gyan and his wife studied the Bhojpuri language. Within six months, they were able to communicate effectively with the people in the village. They began to teach the children how to read and write.

The village leader, "Adesh" watched Gyan and his wife build relationships with his people. He met with Gyan every day and listened as the missionary shared the Gospel with him. God opened his heart, and this village leader accepted Jesus Christ as his personal Lord and Savior.

Adesh was overjoyed and wanted to share his experience with his family and friends. After Gyan taught him how to share the Gospel, he told his son, a leader of a neighboring Chamar village, about Jesus Christ. To Adeshís delight, his son became a believer.

These leaders set the example for their villages. Several Chamar began to meet regularly with Gyan for discipleship. As a result, five of them decided to enroll in the CMPT so that they can become church planters among their people in northern India.

Today, a church planting movement is beginning among Bhojpuri-speaking Chamars in northern India. Praise the Lord!

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