Missions in India

Winston Kumar grew up in the minority, a Christian in India. It’s a background he tries to share with Americans as he pursues financial support from churches in order to go back as a missionary.

He’s currently an intern at Trinity Baptist Church in Denver City and has started traveling around to different churches presenting his mission and hoping for some financial support. Recently he stopped at the Tabernacle Baptist Church in Crane to share his testimony of faith and show people a bit about the country of India, where the people are predominantly Hindu or Muslim.

Kumar said some superficial similarities exist between Hinduism and Christianity, such as a Hindu god coming back in a white horse, similar to the Christian second coming of Jesus Christ. However, at the core, the values are different. Hinduism believes in multiple gods, while Christianity believes in one.

Hinduism has three ways to get to heaven: devotion, knowledge and works.

"That’s where you may have heard of karma before," he said.

He said that the caste system still reigns in India, with different classes of people having different levels of respect in the society.

"A lot of congregations want to learn more about that system. The caste defines you as a person," Kumar said. "The untouchables are at the very bottom and have absolutely no rights, but that’s wrong because God loves everybody."

For Kumar, that makes the message of Christianity a welcomed one by those in lower castes (he himself grew up in a higher caste).

"It’s attractive, but many attracted to Christ just add him to their existing pantheon of gods. We have to really explain that Christianity is about one God," he said.

India is a country where expressing Christianity could mean persecution, particularly in the Indian state of Orissa on the eastern coast.

"Christians in America haven’t really paid the price for salvation, but in India, it isn’t always safe. It is in some areas but not all," Kumar said.

He said that makes for very dedicated followers, something he noted is different here in the states.

"In Denver City, there are 15-plus churches, but how many people actively come to church out of those who say they are Christians?" he asked.

It’s his desire to go back to India after serving in social work and visiting again last December to make contacts within the Christian community to scope out how to conduct a successful mission. That mission would involve helping the current Christians to organize churches while helping the various needs of the people as a well.

Kumar converted to Christianity based on the work of a missionary and hopes to raise enough money from different churches to go back to India by early 2012. As an independent Baptist, he raises the funds for mission work himself instead of relying on a mission board like the Southern Baptist Convention has.

"I think there is a lot of accountability with the face-to-face contact from supporting pastors. They can see where the money is going better," Kumar said.

The Rev. Steve Pierson, the pastor at Denver City’s Trinity Baptist Church, said Kumar is interning at the church as part of his final steps in studying with Baptist Bible Fellowship International, a mission training organization. All the money raised goes to the organization to help ensure accountability. BBFI even pays the missionary’s taxes while overseas.

Pierson said Kumar’s wife is out of the church in Denver City, making the match a good fit. He said he’s impressed with his efforts to go back to India, especially since Kumar spent seven years of his life preparing to be a missionary.

"He’s a very interesting guy, speaks five languages and has a master’s degree. He’s doing everything he can to serve God in India. That’s what it all boils down to really," he said. "If he’s going to be effective, he needs enough funds to be self-supporting."

Tabernacle Baptist Church pastor the Rev. Lyndel Lee said the Crane church is very focused on foreign missions, supporting work in roughly 20 countries.

"I was really impressed with Kumar and what’s unique is how prepared he is to go back to India," he said.

He said India is a fairly closed continent, which makes it hard for foreign citizens to stay in India for very long. But, Kumar’s background in India means he can stay for longer periods of time, leading to a bigger impact.

Lee said he thinks mission is incredibly important.

"There was once a time we never heard of the gospel, and we need people like Kumar to take the gospel into all the world," he said.

TO SUPPORT

>> If you are a church interested in hearing Kumar speak or to inquire about how to help, call Trinity Baptist Church in Denver City at 806-592-3003.

CASTES

Levels of classes or "castes" in India (much diminished in importance today, but still a powerful influence):

>> Brahmin: Priests and teachers, the highest group.

>> Kshatriya: Warriors and rulers.

>> Vaisyas: Merchants, farmers, artisans…similar to American middle class.

>> Sudra: Working class.

>> Untouchables: This group doesn’t even really belong in the caste system and is considered an outcast, the lowest of the low.

Both the Sudra and Untouchables are considered lesser castes and those in these groups can’t learn the Sanskrit language or read the religious Veda texts.

Source: http://www.beyondbooks.com/wcu91/3g.asp