Those interested in my India trip, I’ve arrived safely and we just finished our first full day. No, I didn’t lose my passport in the airport like Bill Martin. I one-upped him and left it in a cab. Miraculously, we ran it down across town and got back to our home base in a motorized rickshaw. On Bill’s previous advice, I gave a substantial tip.
Chennai India is huge— 6 to 7 million people. The traffic is heavy, the streets are dirty, the people are friendly (especially cab drivers). We attended a seminar today put on by the new church planting network. About 40 young Indian pastors (and pastors in training) were in attendance to receive some of their first formal training ever (on Covenant Theology today, no less).
I talked with several during a break, and one baptized six former Hindus in August. The church is growing fast here, almost at the same rate as in China. A couple reasons are given: First, with increased wealth, the class system has broken down somewhat. There has been something of a revolt in the bottom class, and they are realizing they can be free from the caste system (thus having opportunities to improve their position in life) by leaving Hinduism. Unfortunately, sometimes their answer is Buddhism, but often they turn to the church.
Another reason for the growth of the church is that Hinduism does not have real answers to many of life’s difficult questions. Why is their suffering, for example? How good is good enough? What guarantee do I have to a better reincarnation? Christianity offers a rational system of thought for many who are searching and using their minds in India.
I was most struck today by the Indian national leaders who presented their vision to us for hundreds of new churches in the next 10 years. They had such excitement in their faces, such enthusiasm, such energy, such zeal for the glory of the Lord. I believe I am exactly where God wants me to be, but do I have such a heart and attitude?
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