“Your team coming here is like a hurricane or an atom bomb going off. Your team has been a powerful force bringing the presence of God and changing things.” Our new friend “Ruth” was giving us her impression of our visit to northeastern Kashmir, a place “no one wants to come to.” In this primarily Buddhist area with less than 300 Christians we were able to minister in a Moravian church that is over 150 years old. During the Sunday service the presence of God came sweeping through the room. People began to weep, wail and cry out to God in intercession.   Once again, we stood, not moving, not speaking…just watching God do what no man could do. Then there were many healings and deliverances as Jesus came to visit His people.

This was our last stop on an 18 day prayer journey beginning in Punjab, continuing to Jammu, Srinagar and then across Kashmir to Leh Ladakh. We ministered in local churches, prayer walked many Hindu and Buddhist temples, Muslim Mosques, and several Hindu high places. Each place we went, we carried God’s presence. In one Hindu temple representing 33 million gods a Hindu priest actually bowed his head as I prayed in the Spirit. We also made many house visits praying with and encouraging believers.

Traveling with us were some dear Indian friends who have a large ministry of over 25,000 house churches in central India. It was our prayer that God would give them a vision and burden to expand their ministry into the north where there is less than 2% Christian population…and that is exactly what God did. My friends and I spent many hours praying, talking about vision and strategy to work together in the north. The Lord is expanding His territory!

On our next trip 5 Rivers will conduct Leadership Conferences in 6 cities, releasing the presence of God and bringing unity to the pastors. Then our friend will come 3weeks later and work with these same pastors conducting a conference on church planting and multiplication. He will work to train and equip them to expand their ministries and to plant multiple house churches. We rejoice that God is expanding this brother’s ministry where it is desperately needed. A ministry not led by Westerners but by Indians who can have the greatest impact among their own people.

While in northern Kashmir, we ministered with a pastor in an area that is 99.9% Muslim. In a population of 1.3 million they estimate there are less than 4oo Christians. There has been great persecution in this area. Pastors have been beaten, western missionaries driven out, churches have been burned and Christian schools have been shut down. It is a very difficult place to be a Christian. It is in this area that we have been invited to return to conduct revival services. All of the Christians in this area will be invited to gather for a 3-day conference. It is our prayer that God will pour out His Spirit during this time. We pray that the people will receive new courage, faith, victory and hope for the future. This conference will be later in October. We especially feel that this time in Kashmir is very strategic and are asking for even more intercessors to commit to pray for us during this time. Would you consider being one of them? Please contact us for more details.