Church communities are growing in South Asia despite persecution. OMer and UK native Henry* visited South Asia and saw the joy and freedom in Christ of the believers there, and the multiplication that is taking place through house-church fellowships.
South Asia is home to diverse landscapes and some of the most densely populated countries in the world. In one of these countries, Jesus followers make up around 0.5 per cent of the population and often face economic, social and/or physical persecution.
Despite the intense challenges, the Church is slowly growing. OMer Henry* (UK), works at the Asian Centre in London and counts several people from South Asia among his close friends. While living in Singapore in 2018 and 2019, Henry met South Asian construction workers, including Abdul*, striking up a friendship that remains to this day and visiting Abdul’s home country twice. Now based in the UK, Henry made a third visit at the beginning of 2024. The later visits were in a personal capacity, and included many days with Abdul, who is both a close friend and mentee. “We pray for each other every day through prayer requests sent to each other,” Henry said. “If possible, we study the Bible together online too.”
Poverty in the country can affect Jesus’ followers disproportionately due to economic and social persecution. Henry met with Jesus followers who could not grow their businesses or fully afford their children’s education because their neighbours refused to trade with them. “Few people will buy the pastor’s products because everybody knows he runs a house church,” Henry said.
Despite this persecution and hardship, Jesus followers, like Abdul, are generous with their limited resources. For example, in Abdul’s village there was a young boy with cancer, and his parents had no money for the medical fees. Hearing about the situation, Abdul sold his laptop to pay for the medical fees for the boy. “I find this remarkable,” Henry said. “Nobody sells their laptop.”
There are more extreme cases that cross over into physical persecution. Believers may need to flee or leave their homes when they decide to follow Christ. Islam is very much a part of national identity, so choosing to follow Jesus is seen as “rejecting your whole society.” Henry knows one South Asian Jesus follower in the UK who people tried to drag into a mosque, and had to escape a beating after giving out Christian tracts. “I know people who know people who have just disappeared,” Henry said.
‘Doing what you can’
Jesus followers in South Asia persevere despite these struggles. “Abdul has a major pastoral role working with other young local Christian leaders. I didn't know how significant this was until I went and spent the two weeks with him in March this year.” Henry visited different ministries including primary schools established by individual Jesus-followers. He noted, “A lot of what God does is not melodramatic. It's just ordinary acts of kindness, doing what you can that will bless others whenever and wherever you can.” One man in South Asia who had worked in Singapore is now running four different house-churches.
These were particularly inspiring to Henry. “I didn't know about South Asian house-churches at all. The ones I saw met in a large room around and on an enormous bed. We just sat cross-legged on the bed, learnt from the Bible and prayed and sang — though not too loud, as the neighbours objected. When I visited, I would share Bible verses and teach. It was a particular joy to wake up in the morning hearing the pastor’s family already worshipping together.”
Henry says it’s “an enormous privilege” to be a part of what is happening in South Asia through encouraging, equipping and mentoring Jesus followers. “There's a sort of multiplication change going on, from me through Abdul, to the young leaders, to the new believers.”
The power of prayer
Abdul took Henry to a long, beautiful beach in his home country. “It's very impressive,” Henry told him, “but why have you brought me here?” “This is where I come to pray when I run out of money,” Abdul said. “You can see for miles, the beach is perfectly straight and there are no cliffs, just infinite space of sand, sea and sky. This is where I see the glory of God: in the sea, the beach, and the waves and the wind.”
Across the world, God uses the ordinary to accomplish the extraordinary, and South Asia is no exception. As God’s Spirit continues to work in the area, Jesus’ followers will need support and prayer from their brothers and sisters around the world.
Please pray with us that God will continue to awaken hearts to Him in South Asia. Pray for the persecuted in the country and around the world to persevere (Hebrews 12:1-3). Connect with those who can aid them in the ways we have prayed for. We thank Jesus for the freedom of the New Covenant (Matthew 11:28-30), and pray that Jesus followers around the world will live safely in the continuing freedom of Christ.
*name changed