Pray for India

The very first edition of the 30 Days of Prayer for the Muslim World was produced in India in 1992. Since that time, the Christian population in India has officially remained static at around 2.5% but non-government-led research indicates significant growth. Certainly, most of the Christian work in India is conducted by the Indian Church, foreign efforts being increasingly subdued by a hostile government.

Some researchers report that the Christian population in India is closer to 4% – a small minority, still, but in a nation with the second largest population in the world, that places India among the top 25 countries with the most Christians.

Islam is the second largest religion practiced in India, accounting for 15% of the population. That equals about 200 million Muslims, making India the nation with the second largest Muslim population in the world (the first is Indonesia).

Indian Christians have faced incredible challenges and significant loss in the last year as Covid-19 raged through their communities. One pastor in northeast India described how his team responded during the pandemic by finding new ways to servestruggling Bengali Muslim communities around them.

When their usual work was disrupted by lockdowns, they responded by sourcing food, accommodation and assistance for thousands who fled to their home villages. As a result of their commitment to serve, they saw new fellowships emerge among some of the most challenging Muslim people groups in Bengal, new believers were baptised, and more openness has been reported among previously unreached communities than ever before.

How to Pray

• Pray for peace in India…ongoing conflict particularly between Hindus and Muslims stifles other progress and development. (Romans 15:13)
• Pray for Muslims in India – there are still many unreached groups – to have opportunities to hear the Gospel, and that they will be open to the Message of Christ. (2 Peter 3:9)
• Pray for Christians in India to contribute well and wisely to blessing India and modelling Christ to the nation. (Philippians 4:8-9)