January 2020

Around 2006 when we were in India teaching The Elijah Challenge with our Indian co-worker Pastor Simon Haqq, the huge Hindu Festival called Kumbh Mela was approaching on the calendar. Below is what Wikipedia says about Kumbh Mela:

“Kumbh Mela is a mass Hindu pilgrimage in which Hindus gather at the Ganges, river Godavari and river Kshipra, where bathing for purification from sin is considered especially efficacious. The festival is billed as the biggest religious gathering in the world. In 2001, more than 40 million people gathered on the main bathing day at Allahabad, breaking a world record for the biggest human gathering. The Ardh Kumbh Mela is celebrated every six years at HARIDWAR…”

At that time I suggested to Pastor Simon that Elijah Challenge-trained workers can be stationed at the Ganges River there in HARIDWAR to heal the sick among the multitudes of Hindus who will be coming to bath there for purification from their sins. After they are healed, they can be told about Jesus Christ who can forgive their sins through his death on the cross. Thus they would not need to bathe in the Ganges, but instead put their faith in Christ as Lord and Savior. Although they were not able to do this, Pastor Simon and his Elijah Challenge-trained workers nevertheless put their hands to the plow in Haridwar preaching the gospel and healing the sick according to Jesus’ commands in Luke 10:9.

According to Pastor Simon, The Elijah Challenge Church is today the fastest growing church in the Hindu stronghold of Haridwar. There are 300 believing families in 26 villages in Haridwar. Once a month they gather in a single location to worship our Lord. 

 

Turning to Jesus

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In Haridwar especially, there is persecution from the Hindus against the believers.

Hindu hardliners protest Jesus statue as persecution against Christians persists

So in the video below we see the Holy Spirit moving in their midst as they gather to worship our Lord Jesus Christ—for Whom they are willing to suffer.

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