As travel is becoming more and more possible, we have begun traveling to different areas of the country. We started off our travel in early September with a trip to Bangalore and Hosur, visiting with quite a few conference officials. They were delighted to see all the materials we translated and made available in the largest three languages.
At Lowry College, we met with the president and the youth pastor and shared the materials we have for children and young adults. A local dentist invited me to do the ribbon cutting at the opening of his Christian Resource Center book store in a commercial space below his clinic.
We also traveled to Pune, where we met with the union president and the Oriental Watchman Publishing House. We were able to receive the first copies of the Amazing Facts Tracts that are being printed there in Telugu and Hindi. While there, I was able to release The Great Controversy, newly translated into Tamil.
We met with a well-respected pastor, teacher, and translator about being the presenter for a 24-program evangelistic series titled “The Prophecies of Daniel & Revelation” that we will produce in 4 languages. He has agreed to present the Telugu programs. Another pastor has also agreed to present the English programs.
Hope Channel India has two studio locations in India. One is in Chennai, and the other is in the Spicer Campus. We met with the studio manager and finalized the dates to record the 24 English and 24 Telugu programs over two weeks during November.
I am excited about this upcoming project. We will broadcast it through social media and connect many churches to reach a large section of the country. December is typically the month when revival meetings are held. However, as most churches are still closed, there will not be many meetings scheduled. We plan for this series to fill the gap and be an excellent way to reach many people and let them know that Amazing Facts is here in India.
What Is Our Approach?
Back some 150 to 200 years ago, missionaries preached a message of damnation if changes were not made. Instead of teaching the love of God, the practicality of the gospel, and letting hearts be changed through the work of the Holy Spirit, they fought to tear down idols. They fought the strange cultural practices and traditions that did not fit with the “white” or “western” version of the gospel.
I have come to realize that the view of Christianity of many in India is not Christian, that it is a religion that spreads hate. Many Protestants preach, “We hate your idols, we hate your strange practices, so you must change or be burnt in an everlasting hell.” If that was the only picture of God that you were given, what conclusions would you make about the character of the Christian God? As a true Christian, Bible following group of people, we have a massive obstacle in front of us.
This year, we have broadcasted a total of 270 sermons in 4 languages. The contacts made from the broadcasts have generated about 1,100 pieces of literature sent out for free to people all around India.
A few weeks ago, an email was received from a 15-year-old Muslim boy who had just signed up for the Correspondence Study Guide course. He wrote, “I really don’t have basic Bible knowledge, because my parents are Muslims, so they want me to be Muslim just like others. But I knew that Islam is not the true religion, and my research has shown me Christianity is the true religion, so I became a Christian in my heart.”
A Sunday pastor watched the sermon entitled, “Is Sunday Really Sacred?” He called in and stated that his “mind was really disturbed.” “Is this the truth? Is Saturday the Sabbath and not Sunday? I want to study with you to know more because if this is the true day for worship, then I’m ready to change, and if my church won’t join me, I’ll leave them and start a Sabbath church.”
There are so many people seeking for the truth. We are to be a light on a hilltop. Though the pagan world around us views all of Christianity as the same, we should stand out, not only in message but also in our method.
The Hindu religion is one of continual fear. They always live in fear that if they don’t pray enough to a specific god that he will curse them. They also fear that if they pray too much to any god, another or other gods will curse them.
Please continue to pray for India’s people searching for truth, that through our television broadcasts and materials, they may be reached. We don’t know how long we will be permitted to stay in India, or in what ways the Gospel will spread, but our desire is to proclaim the three angels’ messages to every one of the 1,402,308,000 people in India.
AFICOE ONLINE
In August, we began offering the AFCOE Online program, Amazing Disciples, at a special rate of 1600 Rupees, which is about $20 so it would be more affordable to the people in India who are wanting to learn more about how to give Bible studies and be workers for God. Praise the Lord, we signed up over 80 people in just two weeks! One student wrote: “I started with the Week 1 of Amazing Doctrines & it has provided awesome insights which most of us might have forgotten. Thank you for making this available at an affordable price.”
Requests Worldwide
A few days ago, I got in contact with someone who had contacted Amazing Facts in the USA by email. He is a Sunday church youth member wanting to have the Amazing Facts study material to give out to the other youth in his church in the Telegu language, which is one of the main languages spoken in the south of India.
The following day we sent him 20 sets of the first five Study Guides, The Day of the Lord magazine, and Steps to Christ. A few days after they received the book, they took pictures and made a video of them opening the box and sent it to us. This youth member was excited to receive the material. I was able to talk to his father, who said that his son appreciated us sending everything he had asked for and that he would start preaching from the material sent. One day he called and told me: ‘Brother, if you want to conduct any evangelistic meetings in my town, we will give you our full support, we will take care of everything.
A small act of kindness by sharing some free books easily opens the door to do evangelism in many churches, and this testimony also teaches us that many people like him who are yearning to know the truth.
We actually have received requests from all over the world for the translated Amazing Facts materials. Through our website and other avenues, we have been in contact with people in Australia, Canada, and both East and West coasts of the USA. They have been asking us to send materials to different parts of India in various languages. Two other people have also reached out to us from Pakistan and Sri Lanka requesting materials that we have been able to send to them digitally.
God’s Preacher
A young man enrolled in our Amazing Facts Bible School correspondence course. He received the first three Study Guides, but due to COVID-19 the rest never came. Since his village’s pastor was away, he said he could preach in his place and share God’s word using only the Amazing Facts Bible Study Guides. So we sent him the rest of the guides to give him more material for preaching.
People are ready to share what they learn from God’s Word and through Amazing Facts material, but they need something in their hands to deliver the message of truth. Thank you for all your contributions to place free materials in the hands of many people who are ready to study and share.
Online Pastoral Training
Through our TV ministry, literature evangelism, and the sharing of Amazing Facts resources, many non–Adventist pastors, members, elders, and women Bible workers are getting connected to us. They have many Bible questions and doubts regarding difficult Bible passages, truths, and prophecies. Among these, I have selected about 40 less-educated, untrained, honest-minded pastors, elders, and Women Bible Workers and offered them a short-term pastoral Bible training through Amazing Facts India.
From April to August 2020, we laid the first level Bible foundation for them through Bible studies and Whatsapp messages, sharing Amazing Facts literature. We have just started a 50-session ‘Online Pastoral Training’ through Zoom, which will last 3 months. Their questions are being answered and they are interacting well. 
They are happy and excited about the new truths they are learning.
Your Chance
Presenting the gospel of Jesus Christ to India’s dear people is challenging. Your financial gifts allow us to continue broadcasting sermons in four languages and expand printed materials to more languages.