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THE STATE OF TRAINING
IN SOUTHEAST ASIA
25+ YEARS AS A MISSIONARY
By Thomas Kane
After a major military operation, an after-
action report shows successes and failures and
shows where improvements are needed. If we
consider the evangelization of India as a major
operation, then we should be able to look back
and see successes and failures and to see where
improvements are needed. The concentration
of this article is on India and an unnamed
country but should have application across
Southeast Asia (SEA).

There are many Bible institutes, colleges, and
seminaries across India and the unnamed
country. Many provide a free education with
no cost to the students for tuition, books, food,
and housing. Surely, this type of evangelization
operation should show great success.

This is the big picture, the strategic picture, but
we also need to look at the tactical situation
as well. This is where the individual fights the
battle. The Strategic Situation
(A view of missions from an overall perspective)
The history of Christianity in India begins in
52 A.D. when the Apostle Thomas is believed
to have arrived in the country. For the purpose
of this article, we will start in 1881 and move
forward. The percentage of the population that was
Christian in India in 1881 was 0.7 percent.

The chart below shows the percentage of the
Christian population in India up to 2021 and
is based on each subsequent ten-year census.

Two and three-tenths percent of the current
population of India equates to around 32
million Christians in India. As a comparison,
in the United States around 45 percent of
the population claims to be Christian (167
million). In contrast to the percentage of
Christians, Hindus make up 80 percent of the
population and Muslims make up 14 percent
of the population.

These percentages tell part of the story but there
are other factors that explain more about the
static and declining numbers. Many Christians
in India hold beliefs and engage in practices
not traditionally linked with Christianity.

The Percentage of Christians in India who
1. believe in Karma (the belief in fate) is 54%;
2. believe in the Ganges River (its purifying
power) is 32 percent;
% of Christian Population in this Area
16



3. believe in Reincarnation (the rebirth
of a soul) is 29 percent;
4. celebrate Holi (a Hindu festival for
Krishna) is 25 percent; and
5. wear a Bindi (a decorative mark worn by
Indian women) is 22 percent.

Indian churches most often identify with lower
castes and poor people. Lower-caste Christians
are more likely to believe in
1. Evil Spirits—51 percent,
2. Dark Magic, witchcraft—28 percent, and
3. Evil Eye—33 percent (a superstitious
curse or legend, believed to be cast by a
malevolent glare).

Most countries in SEA are filled with many
forms of contrasts and contradictions. In the
midst of all these contradictions, there are
several strategic needs of the country.

2. Many Indians will go their entire lives
without hearing the truth of Christ.

3. One-half of the population never finish
school. 4. One-fourth of the population cannot read
or write.

5. India has 18 major languages and 1,600+
dialects (many without the preserved Word
of God).

6. Christ is seen as a “foreigner’s” God.

7. There are few ministries for the disabled.

8. Certain areas have great persecution against
Christians. 9. Christians are excluded from many of the
social services available to Hindus.

10. Education is many times rote memorization
rather than critical thinking.

11. There is much corruption and black money.

12. Women, not men, are the spiritual heads of
the households.

1. One-third of the unreached people groups
of the world are in India.

How can we reach India and the unnamed
country? Strategically—we cannot—only God
From a strategic view, things are not going well.

It could be said that the state of Christianity all
over the world is not going well. In a striking
comparison, the percentage of Hindus in the
country is dropping as well.

The Strategic Needs of India
and the Unnamed Country
Number 1, 2022
BIMI 17