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Bakht Singh Funeral - Part 3
Bakht Singh

Bakht Singh Chabra (1903 - 2000). Indian evangelist, church planter, and Bible teacher born in Joiya, Punjab (now Pakistan), to a devout Sikh family. Educated at Punjab University, he studied agricultural engineering in England (1926-1928) and Canada (1929-1932), embracing a Western lifestyle, including smoking and drinking, while rejecting his Sikh roots by shaving his hair. Initially hostile to Christianity—once tearing a Bible apart—he converted in 1929 in Winnipeg after reading the New Testament, influenced by Christian friends John and Edith Hayward. Returning to India in 1933, he began preaching as an Anglican evangelist, later becoming independent, sparking the 1937 Martinpur revival, a pivotal movement in Indian Christianity. In 1941, after a night of prayer in Chennai, he founded Hebron Ministries, establishing over 10,000 indigenous churches modeled on New Testament principles across India and South Asia. Singh authored books like How I Got Joy Unspeakable and Full of Glory and held annual “Holy Convocations” in Madras, Hyderabad, Ahmedabad, and Kalimpong, drawing thousands. Married to Rama Bai at age 12 in 1915, little is recorded of their personal life. His contextualized gospel, blending Indian spirituality with biblical truth, earned him the title “Elijah of the 21st Century” in Indian Christendom. Singh’s words, “I have never asked any man for anything, but the Lord is richly supplying all my needs,” reflect his faith-driven ministry. Despite Parkinson’s disease in his final decade, his legacy endures through Hebron’s global network and writings, praised by figures like Ravi Zacharias.
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This sermon reflects on the life and ministry of Brother Buxing, an esteemed evangelist, Bible teacher, and modern-day apostle in India. It highlights his dedication to street preaching, emphasis on prayer, condemnation of societal evils like dowry and caste system, and his impact on the Christian community through initiatives like Vacation Bible School and the All India Holy Convocation. Brother Buxing's unwavering faith, courage, and commitment to the Great Commission serve as an inspiration for believers worldwide.
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They are divided into groups according to their ages. The children are taught from a very young age to carry their own Bible. The purpose of open air street preaching is to reach the common people on the streets, to show them the way of salvation by singing with traditional Indian instruments, quoting scripture verses, distributing Christian literature, holding banners and loud vocal preaching. The street preaching would begin and end with prayer and the members would kneel on the road as a public testimony. To supervise the street preaching, Buxing used different modes of transportation like bullock cart, scooter or van. There is a famous saying in 1950s that in Hyderabad, road traffic stopped during only two occasions. Once when the Nizam of Hyderabad used to pass through the street and secondly when the open-air preaching passes through the streets. Even in America, Buxing started street preaching after the Sunday worship service. The weddings are conducted in a simple manner. The bride and bridegroom are to pray at the wedding. Matchmaking is the responsibility of elders. Buxing strictly condemned dowry and caste system among believers. The All India Holy Convocation is an annual event held for nine days to encourage and to have fellowship with believers from India and abroad. Around 15,000 people attend the Convocation and are fed and lodged for free. It is conducted purely on faith basis, which still poses a mystery to many Christians. In 1964, Sister Abyss, sitting left to Buxing, started Vacation Bible School. Every year, around 1,500 children attend VBS. In 70s and 80s, other churches in Hyderabad were inspired to start VBS in their own local churches. In due course of time, almost all churches in India started conducting VBS during holidays. On the last day, small children sing before the seniors wearing crowns, then go for street preaching. Children are taught to kneel down for prayer, even on the road, not feeling ashamed for the Lord. Watched service is conducted from 10 in the night till 6 in the morning. Yearly promise card for the church and individuals are given separately to pray and claim the promise. In the year 1983, Brother Buxing appointed six apostles, Brother Dasan, Brother Philip, Brother Martin, Brother Lazarus Sen, Brother Amrita Raj and Brother Koshy. Since 1968, Hebron Messenger is published fortnightly, giving the news and activities of the churches in India and abroad. Brother Buxing has since published 21 books during his ministry. Robert Finlay, President Christian Admission has said, I have never seen a man who has a greater knowledge and understanding of the Bible than Buxing. All our Western preachers and teachers seem to be children before this great man of God. J Edwin Orr, British Church historian stated, Buxing is an Indian equivalent of the greater Western evangelists as skillful as Finlay and as direct as Moody. He is a first-class Bible teacher of the order of Campbell Morgan or Graham Scroggie. To this day, Buxing is a foremost evangelist and preacher in India, Asia and the United States. Brother Buxing never wanted to start a new denomination or church. His vision was to remind the church of their God-given evangelistic mandate, going into all the world and preach the gospel. Buxing was an evangelist, Bible teacher, prophet and a modern-day apostle who was respected and appreciated by the Christian community both in India and around the world. He feared no man and spoke out courageously as the Lord had commissioned him. He was a man of faith. Buxing taught not just through the word but through life. He lived to what he preached. Yet to see a man of this caliber with stern faith, man with no guile, a faithful steward of the gospel and an apostle of the present times and a man full of love for the Lord. Brother Buxing is an example of what God can make out of a mere mortal. Brother Buxing was promoted to glory on September 17, 2000 at 6.05 in the morning in the premises of Hebron.
Bakht Singh Funeral - Part 3
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Bakht Singh Chabra (1903 - 2000). Indian evangelist, church planter, and Bible teacher born in Joiya, Punjab (now Pakistan), to a devout Sikh family. Educated at Punjab University, he studied agricultural engineering in England (1926-1928) and Canada (1929-1932), embracing a Western lifestyle, including smoking and drinking, while rejecting his Sikh roots by shaving his hair. Initially hostile to Christianity—once tearing a Bible apart—he converted in 1929 in Winnipeg after reading the New Testament, influenced by Christian friends John and Edith Hayward. Returning to India in 1933, he began preaching as an Anglican evangelist, later becoming independent, sparking the 1937 Martinpur revival, a pivotal movement in Indian Christianity. In 1941, after a night of prayer in Chennai, he founded Hebron Ministries, establishing over 10,000 indigenous churches modeled on New Testament principles across India and South Asia. Singh authored books like How I Got Joy Unspeakable and Full of Glory and held annual “Holy Convocations” in Madras, Hyderabad, Ahmedabad, and Kalimpong, drawing thousands. Married to Rama Bai at age 12 in 1915, little is recorded of their personal life. His contextualized gospel, blending Indian spirituality with biblical truth, earned him the title “Elijah of the 21st Century” in Indian Christendom. Singh’s words, “I have never asked any man for anything, but the Lord is richly supplying all my needs,” reflect his faith-driven ministry. Despite Parkinson’s disease in his final decade, his legacy endures through Hebron’s global network and writings, praised by figures like Ravi Zacharias.