While the church has been growing by leaps and bounds, the persecution to try to stop it has increased dramatically. Just recently, in one northern state, nearly 90 pastors were arrested for converting people to Christianity. The police would break into their homes in the middle of the night, catching them when they were away from their congregations and trying to instill as much fear as they could. With wives and children screaming and terrified, these men were torn from their families and placed in jail to await trial.  If found guilty, they face 7-10 years in prison.

Another thing the government is doing is cutting off the ability of ministries to receive foreign funds. Just recently, one of the largest Christian organizations in the country (CNI church) had the ability to receive foreign funds stripped from them. The government is trying to financially choke ministries and has threatened to confiscate their property as well.

The persecution has become very intense, but in the middle of it the believers are showing great courage and faith.  They are uniting stronger than ever before, taking care of the families of the pastors who have been arrested, praying together, and encouraging one another to stay strong. They continue to preach the gospel fearlessly, fully prepared to pay the price of being beaten or imprisoned. Some have already given their very lives for Jesus Christ.

These men and women need your prayers and support now more than ever. We must continually reach out to them in any way possible to let them know they are not alone. We must be faithful to fight for them through prayer and giving to support families that have lost their husbands and fathers to persecution.

As most of you know, during my last trip to India in June, I was in an accident.  I was on the back of a motorcycle high in the Himalayas when we lost control and slammed into the side of an oncoming truck.  My driver, a recent ISOM graduate with a heart to start a work in this very unreached region, had three breaks in his right leg and I had two breaks in my right femur.

Shortly after my surgery in India, a police investigator came to see me. He is Hindu and has investigated many accidents on that road.  He told me that according to his investigation, my driver had lost control of the bike and had crossed the lane. He said if we had not hit the truck, we would have crossed the lane and gone over the cliff 1600 feet into the river. (In fact, one day before my accident a man on a motorcycle, very near the location of my accident, did exactly that, falling to his death.)

This Hindu policeman was explaining to me that the only thing that saved our lives was the truck we hit and the fact we hit the back tires.  He kept throwing up his hand toward heaven saying, “Only the hand of God saved you. Only the hand of God!”  He was obviously very impressed we had lived! (We say “Thank you, Jesus, for the truck and angelic protection.”)

In the middle of all the pain, chaos of hospitals, ambulances, and surgeons during the next several days, what stood out the most to me was the love of my Indian friends.  At great hardship to themselves, they covered me, protected me, and got me the best help possible every step of the way, often staying with me night and day.  One dear brother held my blood transfusion against his chest trying to warm it up for me.  Another went to a metal shop to have a brace made for my leg so I could travel in the ambulance.

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Three weeks after my accident I was able to stand long enough to preach at an ISOM graduation in North India.  It was a wonderful time as I spoke on “I want to know Christ and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in His sufferings.” Philippians 2:10

Currently we have more than 300 men and women who have fully graduated with a diploma in Biblical Studies. More than 2,600 people are enrolled in ISOM classes now and approximately 500 are due to graduate by the end of this year. The Word of God is being taught, people are being trained for fruitful ministry and the Kingdom of God is advancing in North India!

Before I had left on my last journey a good friend left me a voice message about a prophecy she felt God had given her for North India. It was about rivers overflowing, old dams being opened, unprecedented devastation and flooding. That this was going to happen in the natural but also in the spiritual. I listened to it and thought, “I have no idea what she is talking about!”

Then, as I sat in bed recovering in North India, I looked out the window and the storms came.  And they kept coming.  Streets became rivers, cars began floating away, landslides washed out highways and huge buildings came sliding down the sides of the mountains…and the rain kept coming.  All five of the main rivers in the north were at flood stage.  Dams were opened to release the overflow that brought even more destruction to the towns down river. Once again, I listened to the prophecy and watched it being fulfilled before my eyes.

The Hindu people cried out to their gods, but the temples were being washed away and destroyed. Their gods could not help them.  They said it was worst flooding in known history for this area of India. Most of this flooding happened in a state where Christians are highly persecuted.  It is our prayer that what we have seen in the natural truly would happen in the spiritual.  Please pray that the Kingdom of God would sweep through North India like a mighty flood and millions of people would come to know the Most High God and His Son, Jesus Christ! May the believers in India minister hope to all those affected by disaster.

“I am a little angry with you,” she said. Her voice was low and soft but the look in her eyes told me she was very serious. I sat across from my new friend, the wife of the Anglican priest whom I had stopped in to visit. I had no idea why God had me stop by and visit this man each time I came to his city. We had nothing in common. He was a highly educated priest of a wealthy and highly formal church while I was an American Pentecostal preacher. But, each time I came God would make me knock on his door and have an awkward conversation as we sipped chai.

Now, during one of these visits, his wife had sat down and let me know she was not happy with me. “I am very sorry, did I do or say something to offend you?” (It would not be the first or the last time I did something dumb to offend the Indian culture). “You come here and work with the private churches, but you do nothing to help us!”  If she was trying to hide her negative feelings toward me, she was doing a lousy job of it.

“Help you? I don’t understand. How could I possibly do anything to help you?” I asked, feeling very confused.  “Our churches are dying!” She explained. “We need revival! We need you to come to our churches and preach and pray.  We need you to come help us!” I sat looking at her thinking she must be a little crazy.  Me?  In an Anglican church?  I didn’t even know when to stand up and sit down in those formal services. “But,” I replied, “you know I am a Pentecostal preacher right?” I don’t think I would fit in your churches very well.” “No problem! No Problem! You come and bring revival and everything will be fine!”

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Our Indian pastor friend, Josh (who oversees 14,000+ house churches throughout India) is in the US and will be with us Easter weekend. Looking forward to having him speak at our Gathering, and we will be doing some AZ prayer walking together, both in Phoenix and Prescott. Plans are currently underway for our summer trip. I will be spending approximately 5 weeks in India, including time in Nepal, traveling with US and Indian team members in various states and at different times – two different teams. I am EXCITED to return to Punjab for 8-10 days to continue to help establish the ISOM training points, and looking forward to being with our shepherds once again, as well as praying throughout new territory.