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The subcontinent of India lies in south Asia, between Pakistan,
China and Nepal. To the north it is bordered by the world's highest
mountain chain, where butte valleys cover the northernmost of
the country's 26 states. Further south, plateaus, tropical rain
forests are bordered by palm fringed beaches.
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Side by side with the country's astounding
topographical difference is its cultural diversity, the result
of the coexistence of a number of religions as well as local
tradition. India's culture has been enriched by successive waves
of migration which were absorbed into the Indian way of life.
It is this variety which is a special characteristic of India.
Its physical, religious and racial variety is as immense as
its linguistic diversity. Underneath this diversity lies the
continuity of Indian civilization and social structure from
the very earliest times until the present day.
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Although
India occupies only 2.4% of the world's land area ( 2,973,190 sq
km - slightly more than one-third the size of the United States)
it supports over 15% of the world's population [1,065,070,607 (July
2004 est.)]. Multitudes of world’s religions are represented
in India; it statistics are as follows: |
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Hindu 81.3%, Muslim 12%, Christian 2.3%,
Sikh 1.9%, other groups including Buddhist, Jain, Parsi 2.5%
About 70% of the people live in more than 550,000 villages, and the
remainder in more than 200 towns and cities. |
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| By tradition, Christianity
is said to have arrived in India with
Apostle Thomas, who spent some years in South India and possibly
died there. However, others believe that the first missionary to
arrive in the country was
Apostle Bartholomew. Historically, Christian
missionary activity started with the advent of
Francis Xavier
in 1544. He was followed by missionaries from Portuguese Denmark,
Holland, Germany and Great Britain.
In November 1793 William Carey, an English Baptist missionary along
with his wife and children arrived at the mouth of River Hooghly.
He was an extraordinary man who preached as well as practiced the
principle “EXPECT GREAT THINGS FROM
GOD, ATTEMPT GREAT THINGS FOR GOD.” There were years
of discouragement, debt, disease, deterioration of his wife's mind,
death, but by the grace of God -- and by the power of the Word --
Carey continued and conquered for Christ! When he died at 73 (1834),
he had seen the Scriptures translated and printed into forty languages,
had founded a college at Serampore and had seen many lives changed
because of the love of Christ but still majority of India spiritually
remained in darkness.
Ever since and before the time of William Carey, numerous foreign
and native missionaries have been attempting to take the marvelous
light of Jesus Christ to the darkest nooks and corners of India.
Since 1968 through various modes and methods Independent Baptist
Ministries of India (IBMI) is steadfast in “
REACHING THE UNREACHED WITH THE GOSPEL OF CHRIST” in
India and abroad. Even though winning souls is the primary objective
of this ministry; planting Churches for worship and edification
of the saints, training people to carry on the Great Commission
of our Lord Jesus Christ, propagating the Gospel and fundamental
doctrines of the Word of God through Crusade Teams, Literature Ministries
and Correspondence Courses are also part of our goal.
Our earnest desire is that from Kashmir down to Cape Comerin and
from Mumbai City to old Kolkotta every person should hear “Neither
is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name (but
the name of Jesus Christ) under heaven given among men, whereby
we must be saved.” Acts 4:12.
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May God bless.
Sam Thomas
President
Independent Baptist Ministries of India. |
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