Revolution in World Missions

Conclusion. Bihar, the northern Indian state known as the graveyard of missions. How can I ever forget the summer months I spent there with Operation Mobilization Outreach Teams. We were driven out from many villages and stoned for preaching the gospel. That was in 1968. Made up of primitive villages with 75 million inhabitants, Bihar is said to be one of the most unreached regions in the world. In 1993, Gospel for Asia began a Missionary Bible College in Bihar to train and send out missionaries to this spiritually needy area. Brother Simon Kujur was one of the young people who attended. In all of our schools, we strongly encourage our students to pray and seek God's face as to where he wants them to go when they finish their training. While he was studying at the Bible College, Simon prayed that the Lord would guide him to a place where he could reach the lost and plant at least one local church. The Lord placed a special burden on his heart for a specific group in Bihar, and after his graduation, Simon was sent there to serve and reach these souls for whom he had prayed. Three years later, he had already established five churches. All this began with a conversion of one lady named Manjula. Over the years, Manjula had earned the reputation of a holy woman in her village. Many villagers became her followers and came to her for counsel. They would bring gifts and sacrifices to her because she was a priestess of the goddess Kali and Durga. She had the reputation for doing many miracles, even causing sickness and death through her powers. When Simon arrived in that area, people told him about Manjula and the powerful woman she was, with all her magical powers and these powerful goddesses on her side. But then Simon heard that three years before, Manjula had become ill and now was totally paralyzed from the neck down. This young brother realized that this situation was God's appointed opportunity for him to preach the gospel to her. Despite the danger to his own life, Simon set out to visit Manjula and talk to her about the Lord Jesus Christ. It was only on his way that he learned more about her story. For weeks, many pujas, or ritual prayers with sacrifices, had been carried out for her healing. Hundreds of her followers obeyed her careful instructions to petition her favorite goddesses on her behalf, but nothing had healed her. Recognizing that she must be under attack from evil spirits more powerful than she could handle, she decided to approach even stronger witch doctors to conduct elaborate rituals for her healing. But again, there was no deliverance or hope. It was at this time that Simon came to her area. When he arrived at her home, he began to witness to her about the Lord Jesus Christ. She listened carefully and told him, For three years I have tried everything to appease these angry gods, but they don't answer, and now I'm confused and terribly frightened. Simon asked Manjula, If Jesus would heal you and make you well, what would you do? Without hesitating, she replied, If your Jesus Christ can heal me and make me well, I will serve him the rest of my life. Simon further explained to her about the reality of God's love and how Jesus Christ, the only Savior, could set her free from sin and save her from eternal damnation. God, in His grace, opened Manjula's eyes to see the truth. She decided to call upon Jesus to forgive her sin and save her. Simon knelt beside her and prayed for Jesus to heal her. As he prayed aloud, he also fervently prayed in his heart, Lord Jesus, this may be my only opportunity to see this entire village come to you. Please, Lord, for your kingdom's sake, touch her and heal her. Your word says that you will work with me, confirming your word, and that your miracles would be a sign for these people to believe in you. As Brother Simon finished praying for Manjula, the power of the Holy Spirit and the grace of God instantly touched her, and she was delivered and healed immediately. Within a few hours, she was running around shouting with joy, Thank you, Jesus! Thank you, Jesus! Thank you, Jesus! Hearing the commotion, a large crowd gathered in front of Manjula's house to see what was going on. There she was, a woman who had been paralyzed for three years, now completely healed. With tears running down her face, she was praising Jesus and shouting his name. Manjula became the first individual in her village to believe in Jesus. The following week, more than 20 people gave their lives to Christ and were baptized. Manjula opened up her house for these new believers to come regularly and worship the Lord Jesus Christ. Just like in Acts 19, when the Ephesian church had its beginning, all evil practices and rituals were completely eradicated, and there was a whole new beginning for this village. Simon began to preach the gospel in the neighboring villages as well, and even more people began to come to the Lord Jesus Christ. Hearing about these events, our leaders from the training center asked Simon if he would visit missionaries in the nearby regions and help them establish churches. Simon began to travel, and now, as a result of his ministry, four more churches have been planted and several new mission stations have opened up. Simon believes this is only the beginning, and that even more will happen with thousands in this area turning to the Lord. Not long ago, I talked with Simon's leader and asked him, What is the secret to Simon Kajur's ministry? What is it that causes the Lord to use him so effectively? Simon's leader replied, Many of our brothers on the mission field are experiencing the same thing. This is harvest time. Then he told me something about Simon's life. When he was studying in our Bible college, every morning he would get up early and spend at least three hours with the Lord on his knees in prayer and meditating on God's word. When Simon graduated and went to the mission field, he didn't cut back. Instead, the amount of time he spent in prayer increased. Simon doesn't talk publicly about any of these things, but very quietly and humbly goes about preaching the gospel. Through his life, hundreds are turning to Christ. Today, just in India alone, nearly 500,000 villages remain without a Christian witness. Add to that countries like Bhutan, Myanmar, Nepal, the entire subcontinent, where millions and millions live in darkness, waiting for someone like Simon to come and bring the light of the gospel. Romans chapter 10 verses 13 through 17 says that if these multiplied millions sitting in darkness call upon the Lord Jesus Christ, they will be saved. But how can they call on Jesus if they don't believe in him? And second, how can they believe in Jesus if no one has ever gone to tell them about him? Finally, you and I are asked this question, how can a person like Simon go unless someone has sent him? This is the question we must answer. Today, God is calling us to become senders of missionaries who are waiting to go to these unreached villages. We have a God-given privilege to link our lives with brothers like Simon, to see our generations come to know the Lord Jesus Christ. I encourage you to seek the Lord and see if he is asking you to help support one or more of these native missionaries. If he puts this on your heart, let us know of your decision. You will receive the photograph and testimony of the missionary you are praying for and supporting. It often takes around $90 to $150 a month to fully support a native missionary. But with as little as $30 a month, you can begin to help support one of these missionaries, sending him to an unreached village that is waiting to hear the good news. Through your prayers and support, you can help him effectively communicate the gospel and establish local churches. Suppose you are the one who is privileged to pray and support Simon Kajar as he serves in Bihar. Someday, in eternity, you will stand before the throne with Simon, his family, and the thousands who have come to know the Lord through his life and ministry.