Strategies To Effectively Evangelize The Modern Urban South Asian Diaspora
STRATEGIES TO EFFECTIVELY EVANGELIZE THE MODERN URBAN SOUTH ASIAN DIASPORA
Acknowledgements
CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION
1.1 Statement of Thesis Inquiry
1.2 Significance of Research
1.3 Methodology and Research Approach
1.4 Assumptions and Parameters
1.5 Aims and Objectives
CHAPTER 2 UNDERSTANDING THE MODERN URBAN SOUTH ASIAN DIASPORA
2.1 Modern South Asian Diaspora
2.1.A Who is a South Asian?
2.1.B Why is the term South Asian used?
2.1.C Map of South Asia
2.1.D What is the South Asian Diaspora?
2.1.E Introducing the Modern Urban South Asian Diaspora
2.2 Evangelization in the Urban Context
CHAPTER 3 CURRENT TRENDS IN THE EVANGELIZATION OF THE MODERN URBAN SOUTH ASIAN DIASPORA
3.1 Mentoring Deficit in the Youth Generation
3.2 Mass Evangelism
3.3 Maharajah Complex
3.4 Ethno-Linguistic Group Exclusivism
CHAPTER 4 CHALLENGES ASSOCIATED WITH THE EVANGELIZATION OF THE MODERN URBAN SOUTH ASIAN DIASPORA
4.1 Rise of Major Religions
4.1.A Hinduism – Mysterious Inclusive and Missionary
4.1.B Hindus – A Social System, A Cultural System, A Belief System
4.2 Caste And Persecution
4.3 Impact of Modern Lifestyles and Stress on Families
CHAPTER 5: STRATEGIES FOR THE EFFECTIVE EVANGELIZATION OF THE MODERN URBAN SOUTH ASIAN DIASPORA
5.1 Power of New Media – The Internet
5.2 Networking and Partnerships among South Asian Christians
5.3 Urban Missions - Foreign Mission
5.4 Contextualization of the Gospel
5.4.A Contextualize ion of the Theology of the Gospel
5.4.B Jesus Our Sat Guru – the Perfect Master/Teacher
5.5 Sports Evangelism
5.6 Small Group and One-to-One Evangelism
5.7 South Asian Culture – Film, Food, Dance and Music
5.8 Illustrative Case Story: Ram Gidoomal
CHAPTER 6: CONCLUSION
FOOTNOTES
BIBLIOGRAPHY
APPENDIX
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
I would like to thank Dr. TV Thomas, Director of the Centre for Evangelism & World Mission based in Canada who believed in me when I was a nobody – an unknown person from the backwaters of Singapore - carrying this God-birthed vision for evangelism to the modern urban South Asian diaspora. I am eternally grateful to what you have done for me. You have been a mentor and friend par excellence.
I would also like to thank Dr. Ross Hastings for journeying with me through this project during a very difficult period in my life. Your feedback and encouragement kept me focused and moving towards the goal of completing this Master of Applied Theology.
I humbly and lovingly thank my wife Dr. Balbir Kaur Chaal, who inspired me to soar like an eagle in the good work that God had begun in my life. You saved what little we had and invested it into a theological education that will be a blessing to many. I could not have gone through this refiner’s fire process without your constant encouragement.
Lastly but most importantly, I thank God for appointing me for this mission work to the South Asian diaspora for which the zeal of the Lord burns day and night.
“Not To Us, O Lord, Not To Us,
But To Your Name Be The Glory And Honor,
Because Of Your Love And Faithfulness.”
Psalms 115:1
Chapter 1: INTRODUCTION
1.1 Statement of Thesis Enquiry
Christianity came to India in the first century A.D. and is believed to have been brought by the Apostle Thomas,1 a disciple of Jesus Christ but it remained confined to a small ethnic group in the southern part of the country. By the end of the twentieth century, after two hundred years of British imperialism in South Asia, most South Asians now perceive Christianity as a religion of the white Westerners. At this same time, some twenty million people of South Asian origin had left India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Nepal, or Pakistan and settled in different parts of the urbanized world, forming a diverse and significant modern South Asian diaspora. 2
This modern urban South Asian diaspora speak many different ethnic languages and most of them are comfortably conversant with the English language. This modern urban South Asian diaspora includes predominantly Hindus, Muslims, Sikhs, Buddhists, Animists, Atheists and to a lesser extent Christians, Jews and other South Asians of obscure newly formed religious affiliations.
Many South Asians in the diaspora left South Asia reluctantly to seek economic opportunities which were lacking at home. 3 While the early South Asian diaspora were generally highly educated and fluent English speakers and entered the middle and upper socio-economic brackets, ongoing modern South Asian diaspora immigration has considerably widened the socio-economic spectrum. Further, new South Asian diaspora immigration continues even as earlier immigrants have settled and raised a few generations of South Asian diaspora people with unique identities and cultures. This is the story of their often painful experiences in the diaspora, how they constructed new social communities overseas and how they maintained connections with the countries and the families they had left behind.
Fast forward to the twenty-first century which is characterized by massive migration of people groups, dynamic change, urbanization, modernization, post-modern thought patterns, the information age and revival in ancient religions and tensions in worldviews. The world today is unimaginably complex. Globalization has further created an increasingly interdependent world and pluralistic society that challenge and engage all of us including the spheres of Christian mission and evangelism.
Focusing primarily on the modern urban South Asian diaspora, we will explore current trends in the mission and evangelization of the modern urban South Asian diaspora and seek to highlight the challenges and strategic opportunities in evangelizing this modern South Asian diaspora in the urban context.
In particular the book Missional Church by Guder et al has been a helpful guide to this paper. Mission in Guder’s terms, does not have an international focus and is always centered in the local culture. For this reason, I agree with Guder distrusts of the application of successful church models from one location to another since this lock-stock-and-barrel application is always an affront to the local culture. The book Missional Church is not primarily a book about missiology. Guder does not resent a theology of missions but rather Missional Church is a study of ecclesiology, a church that is defined by its being, not its doing! 4
The church – especially the missional church is the triune God’s primary means for the mission of the world. I believe that Missional Church is key to evangelism and mission. Missional Church effectively lays a framework for missional thinking to equip churches to seriously view the fact that North America [and by default any major city where the South Asian diaspora lives] is now itself a mission field. The book presents a biblical based theology that take seriously the church missional context, missional challenge, misional vocation, missional witness, missional community, missional leadership, missional structures and missional connectedness and draws out the consequences of this theology for the structure and institutions of the church. 5
Guder also speaks in strong terms of being a witness to the world not only in terms of the gospel but also in terms of the human calling of Genesis 1 and 2. Guder’s understanding of the Kingdom of God is broader than salvation for a life in heaven: it is humankind having dominion and exercising God’s creative ministry in His creation. Thus the workplace, the marketplace, cyberspace and home place are important to Guder not as points of evangelizing, but points of living Christianly as gathered and scattered witnesses for the Kingdom who is both called and sent by God. 6
I wish to show in this paper that the missional church and Christian South Asian diaspora has a significant role to play in world evangelization and God, the Lord of Mission has birthed strategies and plans for the effective evangelization of the modern urban South Asian diaspora in this present day and age.
1.2 Significance of Research
What is so significant about the modern urban South Asian diaspora?
As Vinay Lal succinctly puts it, “the global South Asian diaspora has become part of world culture with its cross fertilization of ideas and emergence of new cultural forms and practices.” 7
The global South Asian diaspora, Vinay Lal contends is “increasingly being viewed as an important and intrinsic part of the story of late modernity and humanity’s drift towards globalization, transnational economic and cultural exchanges, and hybrid forms of political, cultural and social identity. These are but fragments of a story that is now beginning to be told of a comparatively small diaspora that has indubitably become a part of world culture.” 8
He further adds on the powerful influence of the modern urban South Asian diaspora:
South Asians have transformed the face of the country that once colonized them and in ‘Balti Britain’ chicken tikka masala has become, and not a moment too soon in a country notorious for its own impoverished culinary traditions, the national dish. In the 1990s, Trinidad and Fiji both saw the emergence, though scarcely without misgivings on the part of considerable segments of their population, of prime ministers of Indian descent. Meanwhile, software engineers were bringing Indians into the top echelons of the American corporate world, and graduates of the Indian Institutes of Technology were being courted the world over. Even Bollywood, which always had a global presence in the southern hemisphere, now seems poised to encroach upon territory that Hollywood took for granted. 9
With over 1.5 billion people in South Asia and about twenty-five million in the diaspora,10 people of South Asian origin play a major role in the world today. Many multi-nationals companies see it as a powerful emerging market for a knowledge-based economy, a pool of resource talent and rich cultural ideas.
Today’s modern urban South Asian diaspora create transnational identities, 11 bringing with them and often maintaining a home-based context for social identity, and yet also finding that the diaspora context creates new contexts and new identities. This is particularly significant as the South Asian diaspora move into new roles and responsibilities in the host nations. This paper will examine the issues of identity and evangelism strategy through the illustrative case story a South Asian diaspora Christian - Ram Gidoomal from the UK whose story can be found in Section 5.8 of Illustrative Case Story.
In South Asia, especially in India, the world’s major religions converge. It is the birthplace of the world’s oldest religions – Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism and Sikhism. This region is also host to the largest Muslim population outside of the Middle East and a growing Christian population. 9 Not only do the world’s major religions converge in South Asia, there is a powerful lobby in the West to these self-organized religious communities among South Asian populations of the diaspora that further fuel the revival of these ancient religions.12
According to Ebe Sunder Raj, former General Secretary of the India Missions Association:
India is home to approximately 450 million Hindus. In addition, nearly 300 million people of lower castes have been classified as Hindus by the Census of India since1931, but since they do not practice the Brahminical religion, they are not properly called Hindus. In India we find the world’s largest block of accessible Muslims, about 123 million, as well as 22.2 million Sikhs, 6.5 million Buddhists and 3.8 million Jains.13
South Asia is also known as a land of immense complexity and diversity. In some sense, it would be naive to use a qualifying term such as “South Asian” to define what is found among one particular people group in South Asia. Multiple languages, people groups, religions, castes, and regions make South Asia one of the most complex regions in the world. In addition to its complexity, South Asia is in the midst of tremendous change, which adds to the challenges of reaching South Asians with the Gospel, whether in the South Asian diaspora or in the sub-continent of South Asia. 14 There are those like Robin P who contend that South Asia more like a continent. 15
Robin P. contends:
South Asia is really more like a continent than a nation, with 222 languages spoken by more than 10,000 people each including 18 official languages, 25 scripts, and immense cultural differences between north and south, between west and northeast, and between urban, village and tribal. 16
If we could have the Church understand one thing about the modern urban South Asian Christian diaspora, it is that it has vision and hope. The modern urban South Asian Christian diaspora has begun to seek its spiritual and cultural identity and is organizing itself to be more mission minded than ever before. She is potentially capable and gifted from above to engage in urban missions in the diaspora context, even in the most difficult of circumstances. The modern urban South Asian Christian diaspora is willing to suffer and sacrifice and she will be greatly encouraged if she finds churches beside her as fellow servants willing to suffer and sacrifice along side her.
The modern urban South Asian diaspora is significant, not only because it represents part of an evolving world culture and a cross-section of the world’s major religions, but a vast mission field whose evangelization will have a positive multiplier effect to the billions of souls in South Asia and beyond.
1.3 Methodology and Research Approach
This paper will be organized from materials from South Asian historical and sociological texts including studies on South Asian culture, literature, stories, personal essay, film, internet searches [websites, blogs, on-line journals, newsletters] as well as small-circulation journals and books primarily written by a new generation of South Asian Christian scholars and lay people.
I will also draw upon a network of local and global community contacts with Christian, Hindu, Sikh and Muslim organizations of the South Asian diaspora developed over the years in my work as founder of South Asian Connection, an online portal for South Asian Christians.
I will examine the causes and significance of South Asian diaspora migration and the impact on individuals, families and communities that illuminate the experiences of South Asians who live in various cities of the diaspora. I will also explore the importance of the new media, contexualization of the gospel and the power of stories among the South Asian diaspora.
It is important to understand that the South Asian people group is extremely diverse in language, religion and culture while at the same time there is some common ground in evangelistic approaches.
1.4 Assumptions and Parameters
This paper would assume to be biased towards the South Asian Indian diaspora. This is because they are the largest South Asian diaspora group with more published articles and collected data than any other South Asian people groups.
1.5 Aims and Objectives
In this paper, I shall attempt to:
1.5. A Identify the modern urban South Asian diaspora
1.5. B Critically evaluate the current trends to evangelize the modern urban South Asian diaspora
1.5. C Highlight unique challenges and opportunities in evangelizing the modern urban South Asian diaspora
1.5. D Recommend effective strategies to evangelize the modern urban South Asian diaspora. These evangelism strategies are broad in scope and not exclusively only for western missionaries working among the modern urban South Asian diaspora, but inclusive of missionary churches working among the modern urban South Asian diaspora, indigenous South Asian churches working among the modern urban South Asian diaspora and mission training institutes preparing missionaries to evangelize the modern urban South Asian diaspora.
CHAPTER 2 INTRODUCING THE MODERN URBAN SOUTH ASIAN DIASPORA
2.1.A Who is a South Asian?
A South Asian is a person whose ethnic roots originates from the South Asian countries of either Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldive Islands, Nepal, Pakistan or Sri Lanka. According to the United Nations population census survey of 1999, 17 there are approximately 1. 5 billion South Asians, out of which twenty-two million are in the diaspora.18
2.1.B Why is the term South Asian used?
The term South Asian was officially adopted by the United Nations in 1993, 19 because it was an inclusive term that described the people groups from South Asia who had a common identity and shared culture. There was a common vocabulary to be used instead of confusing and sometimes incorrect terminological references like Asian, American Indians, British Asians, East Indians, Indo-Canadians, American Indians, West Indians, North Indians, South Indians or other regional terms. The designation "Indian" especially in the United States is scarcely acceptable, since what is now known as "Native Americans" is also known as "Indians". The term "Asian American" while widely used is misleading because it refers primarily a to people group from the Far East or South-East Asia. In the United Kingdom, Indians appear to tolerate being lumped together with Africans and Caribbean people as "Black" or with the Chinese as “Asians” or as in South Africa, South Asians prefer to be called “colored.”
South Asian as a vocabulary term has gained international acceptance and is recognized as the proper vocabulary to be used to refer to the people groups originating from the South Asian countries of Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldive Islands, Nepal, Pakistan or Sri Lanka.
2.1.C Map of South Asia 20
Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldive Islands, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka.
2.1.D What is the South Asian Diaspora?
It is with respect to the Jewish people that the word 'diaspora' is used. Diaspora is a biblical word and Greek technical term, occurring three times in the New Testament to describe the Jewish communities outside of Palestine.21
Diaspora suggests the idea of dispersion, scattering or fragmentation from its source. The conditions that make for a diasporic community are admittedly complex, but there is a real and presumed link between the diasporic community and the 'motherland' or 'home' - the land from which they left and to which the possibility of return always subsists. 22 It thus appears perfectly reasonable to speak of a South Asian diaspora, as it does of the Chinese Diaspora, the African Diaspora, the Palestinian Diaspora or the Jewish Diaspora.
Hence, the South Asian diaspora are people of South Asian descent originating from either Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldive Islands, Nepal, Pakistan or Sri Lanka and living elsewhere now. 23
In the book Catalyst for Change, 24 the writers present a diverse spectrum of the South Asians diaspora:
What do suicide bombers, millionaires, cutting-edge technologists, fusion musicians and families under pressure have in common? They are all part of the twenty-two million strong South Asian diaspora, with unique experiences of the mix of cultures and religions and the potential both for conflict and reconciliation. 25
The twenty-two million South Asians in the diaspora is increasing exponentially as global migration of skilled and unskilled South Asians occur especially to the developed world of Europe, North America, Japan, Australia/New Zealand, the Middle East and other developing countries. Large concentrations of the South Asian diaspora are also to be found in South-East Asia, the Far East, South Africa and South America. 26
The largest South Asian diaspora group is in the US numbering close to three million people followed closely by the UK with about two million. New York, Chicago, London, Los Angeles, Vancouver, Durban, Toronto, Kuala Lumpur and Dubai have high percentages of South Asians among its city population. 27 After more than three decades of ministry, Dr. T.V. Thomas, Director for the Centre of Evangelism & World Mission observes:
In my ministry travels I have had the privilege of observing the South Asians of the diaspora seized the opportunities for change. Growing up in Malaysia, I realized that the growth of the rubber industry as one of the pillars of the economy was because of immigrant workers from India. What would the economy of Uganda, Kenya, Malawi, Tanzania, Mozambique, Mauritius, Fiji Island have been pre-70s if not for South Asian traders and businessmen? How would the Middle East thrive without outside manpower? A large percentage of the contract workers is from South Asia. Driving around in the cities of Dubai or Abu Dhabi will make you feel like you are in a South Asian city. 28
From his extensive studies of the South Asian diaspora, Dr. Thomas analyses that the people of any diaspora have unique opportunities for change and can be a catalyst for change in their communities. 29 In the same book, Catalyst for Change, the joint authors list a number of distinctives about diaspora people which is also true for the South Asian diaspora.
Diaspora people are open, diaspora people are flexible, diaspora people are risk takers. diaspora people are mobile, diaspora people are innovative, diaspora people can be a bridge between divided communities. 30
2.1.E Understanding the Modern Urban South Asian Diaspora
The word, “modern” is derived from the Latin, modo meaning ‘just now’. It originally meant something new, recent, current or contemporary. It refers to a period concept as well as a philosophical mentality - modern ideas, patterns of thought, philosophies and their expression in art and literature. “Modern” expresses the consciousness of an epoch that relates to the antique past in order to see itself as the result of transition from the antique to the new. Therefore, “Modern” seems to appear and reappear exactly during those periods in European history when people became aware of some new changes dawning against a vague backdrop of an ancient order receding. 31
Modernity was a tremendous force that swept globally from Europe in different forms – healthcare, education, government, military, science, technology and through markets. From Europe, it has spread to the rest of the world. 32 Modernity was introduced in India through the British colonial government and Christian missionaries. While the former introduced it to the Brahmins and upper-castes, the latter spread it among the poor and the oppressed. 33
Vinay Lal in his critique argues that the arrival of the worldwide community of South Asians upon the world stage has happened for a much longer period than they have been in the West. South Asians have settled in South East Asia, especially Indonesia, the Middle East, parts of Africa and a host of other countries for a long time with little or no historical documented records. Paying due tribute to the Indian Ocean trading system, Vinay Lal writes:
The presence of Indians abroad can be attested to from the days of remote antiquity. Early Indian migration, such as to Ceylon and South East Asia, owed its origins to the impulse of Buddhist missionaries, and the well-known Hindu kingdoms of South East Asia in the medieval period continued to attract labor and craftsmen from India. Long before the Mediterranean trading routes were established in the early modern period, the Indian Ocean trading system facilitated the migration of Indians to the east coast of Africa, South East Asia, and the area that is now encompassed under the term Middle East. 34
The origins of the modern South Asian diaspora lie mainly in the subjugation of South Asia by the British in the nineteenth century and its incorporation into the British empire. South Asians were taken over as indentured labor to work on sugar, tea, rubber and spice plantations and to construct roads and railways in the far-flung parts of the empire in the nineteenth-century, a circumstance to which the modern South Asian populations of Fiji, Mauritius, Guyana, Trinidad, Surinam, Malaysia, South Africa, Sri Lanka, and other places attest in their own peculiar ways. Over two million South Asian men fought on behalf of the British empire in numerous wars and some remained behind to claim the land on which they had fought as their own.35
In the 20th century, while some South Asians continued to immigrate to communities that had been established in the 19th century diaspora, others struck out for new destinations, in the U.S., Canada, the UK and European countries, and later Australia, and the Middle East.36
In the post-World War II period, the dispersal of South Asian labor and professionals has been a nearly world-wide phenomenon. South Asians provided the labor that helped in the reconstruction of war-torn Europe, particularly the United Kingdom and the Netherlands, and in more recent years unskilled labor from South Asia has been the main force in the transformation of the physical landscape of much of the Middle East.
Indians, Pakistanis, and Bangladeshis began to come to the UK as factory workers in the 1950's and 1960's. By the mid-1980's South Asian composed more than half the non-white population in the UK. Some South Asians also settled in Australia after that country began to reverse its previously discriminatory policies in the 1960's. On the European continent, South Asian professionals were drawn to Austria and Germany. Because of liberal policies on granting political asylum, Germany was a haven for Tamil refugees fleeing from the conflict in Sri Lanka. 37
The modern South Asian diaspora today constitutes an important and in some respects unique force in world culture today. In the International Indian Journal, 38 the writer contends that ‘the modern South Asian diaspora began in conditions of extreme adversity’, 39 and it is incumbent upon us not to allow the accumulated narratives of Silicon Valley miracles, 40 the masculinization of Hinduism among diasporic populations in the Anglo-American world and the musings of Salman Rushdie to monopolize our understanding of the South Asian diaspora. 41 As Vinay Lal brilliantly summarizes, ‘the global South Asian diaspora has become part of world culture with its cross fertilization of ideas and the emergence of new cultural forms and practices.’ 42
2.2 Evangelization in the Urban Context
Missiologist Darrel L. Guder points out that the term evangelization implies both an activity and a process and is the preferred term rather than evangelism. It is not an “ism.” Evangelization is a respected, comprehensive concept, much preferable to the ill-defined “reaching the unreached” slogan which is part of today’s popular evangelical jargon. This is the work of God through the agency of the Holy Spirit. It is not audience manipulation, and there is no place for deceptive techniques in the work of God. 43
Evangelization proceeds from God. It is God who persuades the sinner, prepares the ground, and sends His people in witness to extend His message of reconciliation in a needy world. God is the author of every movement toward Christ. Evangelization is the presence of the people of God - the called-out ones who belong to God and who also carry out His mission in the world by proclaiming the Gospel in word and persuading the people to discipleship in Jesus. 44
As Carl E. Braaten further adds:
It lies within the nature of the Gospel to call people to reach beyond their own tribe, language, culture, class and borders, to demonstrate in action the catholicity of the Church born of the Messiah and His Spirit. 45
At the beginning of the twentieth century, a little over ten percent of the world’s population lived in cities, but this scene changed drastically towards the end of the century. John Palen notes that “today, we are on the threshold of living in a world that for the first time will be numerically more urban than rural.” 46
Urbanization, globalization and massive movement of people groups to the developed and developing urbanized centers of the world will be a challenge for the Church and her future missions. Since urbanization is perceived to be an irreversible trend, it is imperative for the Church to be informed and properly equipped to respond to the challenges and opportunities for evangelism.
A number of missiologists have pointed out the great importance of the city for the Church’s mission. David Barrett claims that the churches are losing the battle to disciple the cities though there is great potential. Barrett contends that ‘the world’s cities have entered a whole new era of multiracial, multiethnic, multilingual and multi-religious pluralism.’ 47 The Roman Catholic missiologist Buhlmann concurs that ‘whether we like it or not, urbanization is a pronounced trend in modern society, and this demands appropriate reaction from the Church.’ 48
Roger Greenway, an urban missiologist of the Reformed tradition not surprisingly, asserts the priority of urban evangelism:
Cities must be regarded as the modern frontiers of Christian mission. If we fail to win the cities, we shall have failed indeed. Cities are strategic, therefore we must ask what our Christian strategy should be in the cities. If we are to reach the cities first, as the apostle Paul did, we must first understand the city and its peoples. 49
In his study of ministry in an urban context, Charles Hinton makes the startling revelation that there is a growing urban people movement to Christ in Singapore today. In contrast to previous group conversion movements which were primarily rural, Singaporeans are urbanities sharing a common race, culture and social class. Their turning to Christ has caused the Church in Singapore to expand from one percent of the population in 1959 to more than seventeen percent today. 50
In the book, Missional Church - a Vision for the Sending of the Church in North America the authors have confronted the understanding of what it is means to be ekklesia in a post-Christian historical-cultural context with its pluralistic posture, resistance to the uniqueness of the Christian gospel and slide to post-modernity. This is aggravated by the loss of the church’s dominance in numbers, power and influence within the North American society. Darrel L. Guder, in particular has been helpful in drawing attention to the growing divide between what Scripture calls the church to be and the way in which the church actually functions and imagine itself. Starting with the observation that the church in the West has effectively shunned missions, the authors undertake to develop the concept of the church that starts from the salvific mission of God. In order to bridge this divide, Guder proposes that the church recover its true calling as the representative of the reign of God in a post-modern culture. 51
The thesis of this book propose that the answer to the crisis of the North American church will not to be found at the level at the method and problem solving. The real issues of the Christian church are spiritual and theological, that is missional identity and missional purpose of the church. Guder urges North American missional thinkers and church leaders to re-hear the gospel narrative and allow it to inform and shape their identity and mission. Guder challenges the church to maintain its link to the inauguration of the Kingdom of God. He asserts:
If it was Jesus” announcement of the reign of God that first gathered the fledgling church in to community, and if that church grew and matured around the way that reign found meaning and hope in His death, and resurrection, then the church must always seek its definition with the reign of God in Christ as its crucial reference point. 52
However, the North American Church, largely influence by the Reformation, has weakly informed its identity with this announcement. The message of the ‘reign of God has become secondary to the ongoing programming of church activity and ‘church’ has become defined by traditions which are quite unrelated to the Kingdom teaching of Jesus. In addition, the reign of God has become separated from the message of ‘personal salvation’ particularly in Evangelical circles. This, in essence, further serves to reinforce the individualistic tendencies of church life.
Guder notes that this reign of God is similar to the Hebrew understanding of the shalom of God, which is depicted throughout the Old Testament as peace, wholeness, justice, completeness, fullness, reconciliation and celebration. This understanding of shalom according to Guder is the resulting consequence of God’s redemptive work in creation.
May the Lord of the Harvest grant that the millions of South Asians dispersed in the cities of world increasingly experience the presence of Christ through the birth of numerous missional congregations that radiate the life of Jesus. The vibrant emerging South Asian churches in New York, Chicago, Vancouver, Singapore, Jakarta, Toronto, London, Hong Kong, Kuala Lumpur, Dubai, Oslo, Durban, Sydney, Melbourne and in many major cities of the US, at the present moment shows the greatest capability for leading the way. May South Asian diaspora Christians become more sensitive to the leading of the Holy Spirit as they usher the South Asian diaspora of diverse religious persuasions into the Kingdom of God. The South Asian diaspora people are not closed but open to new ideas and ways of life so that there are always opportunities for the church to influence and transform them. The mission of the local churches in the urban context then is to develop vibrant, worshipping and witnessing communities.
CHAPTER 3 CURRENT TRENDS IN THE EVANGELIZATION OF THE MODERN URBAN SOUTH ASIAN DIASPORA
From my observations there are several current and disturbing trends in the evangelization of the modern urban South Asian diaspora.
3.1 Mentoring Deficit in the Youth Generation
Youth are such a great potential for reaching their generation but this potential is not tapped by leaders of the Christian South Asian diaspora. Generally there is a great neglect of the potential of the youth generation for effective evangelism. This is true from my first observation of youth evangelization of the modern urban South Asian diaspora in Singapore, Malaysia and Vancouver, Canada of which I am conversant with. Most indigenous South Asian churches and missionaries in these locations have not maximized the potentials of the youth. They have done very little to mentor, motivate or mobilize South Asian youth. They could easily adopt youthful concepts, images, music, sports and leisure or even plug into cyberspace technology and thereby immerse themselves into the worldview of the youth. Instead, most South Asian churches and missionaries have traditional and conventional perceptions about these youth and do not tap into their potential to transform their present generation.
3.2 Mass Evangelism
Mass evangelism is the current popular trend actively promoted as an evangelism strategy in the evangelization of the modern urban South Asian diaspora, whether in New York, Dubai or Kuala Lumpur, despite its well-documented limitations.
Mass evangelism is the attempt to proclaim the Good News to a large number of people simultaneously--whether in Gospel meetings or evangelistic campaigns, whether with print or film and whether by radio or television.
A case in point is the recent Dr. Paul Dhinakaran’s Evangelistic Crusade held from May 2-4, 2008 in Singapore. After a one-year massive organizational framework relying on the big name of the Dhinkakaran family, involving most of the South Asian churches in Singapore and spending a budget of half a million dollars there was meager spiritual harvest from the crusade. The turnout was disappointing with about 6,000 people in attendance for all three nights in a stadium with a capacity of 45,000. In view of the large financial resources expenditure, the poor attendance and the lack of sustained added disciples to the Church, I believe that the modern urban South Asian diaspora churches in Singapore missed the unique opportunity to make a lasting impact. In Singapore, the Religious Harmony Act has proven to be a barrier to evangelism and it results in hardly any outreach happening. Hence the South Asian churches are conditioned to think of evangelism as merely "a special event." Outreach has become sporadic rather than being a persistent and personal soul-winning thrust of a local congregation. South Asian churches in Singapore should adopt sophisticated strategies in reaching people in a multi-faith and religiously pluralistic context by adopting personal, small-group or even face-to-face evangelism which was the prevailing practice among the first century disciples.
Mass evangelism can be a powerful means of Gospel proclamation to a community or a city but if cross-cultural impositions is imported simplistically into large heterogeneous cities, and confined exclusively to a series of public speeches, it is probably counter-productive, relatively ineffective, and an inefficient use of resources. Its limitations are real and its results must be measured in context against the investment of time, money, and effort. Mass evangelism has value as one-among-several possible strategies. The same method may be very effective at one time, in one place, with one people but quite ineffective at another time, in another place, with another people. 53
3.3 Maharajah Complex
Most modern urban South Asian diaspora leadership style can best be described as ‘maharajah complex’ – a king of the jungle and authoritarian leadership style with a lack of ministry participation, partnership or empowerment of the congregation. This ‘maharajah complex’ leadership style hinders a high level of ownership for the evangelistic mandate and is a negative motivator for people to be trained with evangelistic skills. In light of this most South Asians Christians repeat a favorite saying “Pastor Ji knows everything! Any problem, ask the Pastor!”
Leadership is such a critical gift to any organization and especially to the Church. Darrel Guder highlights the importance of Christian leadership that equips people in the North American context. His observation coincides with the shortcomings and weaknesses of the current trends in the evangelization of the modern urban South Asian diaspora where the Church leadership is not empowering or equipping or even uses the incarnational approach as a mission model. 16 God became flesh and taking the likeness of a man, He felt what we felt and walked how we walked. The gospel presented in such a way demonstrates to society that the gospel is responsive to real life’s needs and concerns.
3.4 Ethno-Linguistic Group Exclusivism
This approach to evangelization of the modern urban South Asian diaspora is largely focused exclusively to a group ethnically and linguistically different from others. One example of the ethno-linguistic group exclusivism and outreach is among the Tamil language churches in Singapore. Through my involvement in Indian Christian Network in Singapore, I am aware of a particular South Asian congregation which has been in existence for sixty years. The evangelistic strategy in this church is concentrated particularly only to Tamil speaking people. Over the years this church has experienced stagnancy to declining growth. The only gain in numerical growth of this congregation is attributed to biological growth through childbirth to members or through migration of Tamils from overseas to Singapore.
Such ethno-linguistic group exclusivism is ineffective to evangelism in the modern urban South Asian diaspora. Unfortunately, this approach is actively promoted and replicated among all the South Asian people groups of Christian origin where the modern urban South Asian diaspora is found. This approach has proven ineffective for evangelism because in pluralistic and culturally diverse contexts, ethno-linguistic group exclusivism holds little importance to the primary needs for acculturation and survival in society.
CHAPTER 4 CHALLENGES ASSOCIATED WITH THE EVANGELIZATION OF THE MODERN URBAN SOUTH ASIAN DIASPORA
At this present juncture of time, the evangelization of the modern urban South Asian diaspora has given rise to uncertainties as well as promises with the accomplishments enumerated earlier. I shall now concentrate on the challenges of evangelizing the South Asian diaspora with reference to the revival of Hinduism and Hindu consciousness while making only a very brief reference to Buddhism, Islam and Sikhism.
4.1 Rise of Major Religions
South Asian communities all over the world are showing signs of susceptibility to a resurgent and militant Hinduism, Islam, Sikhism, Buddhism and the revival of ancient religious practices like yoga, karmic concepts and Vashtu theology. These resurgent and revival of ancient religious practices among the South Asian diaspora communities might be assisting in transforming the nature of religious faiths in South Asia itself, especially in India. Even though Hindus in South Asia are willing to accept the idea of a pluralistic Hinduism, Hindus in the South Asian diaspora appear to know the meaning of Hinduism better than the Hindus in the 'motherland.' Likewise, South Asians in the diaspora routinely invoke Hindu civilization with a self-assurance that in South Asia would be both mocked and contested. 54
In his book, “A Biblical Approach To Indian Traditions and Beliefs” Dr Joshua Raj argues that, contrary to historical Hinduism, recent Hindu books use terminologies such as heaven and hell, the Hindu trinity of Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva and even atonement through repentance. Such Christian theological terminology is finding their way into Hindu vocabulary and religious thought. South Asian Christians need to study the contexts in which these terminologies are being used as these terminologies may not have the same meaning as understood in classical Christianity. It is likely that further development of Hindu thought will occur as Hinduism confronts Western education. 55
4.1.A Hinduism – Mysterious, Inclusive and Missionary
Hindus tend to think of Christianity as an authoritarian religion, which lays down dogmas as essential, and demands unconditional acceptance of them as prerequisites for salvation. This attitude has received considerable encouragement from the writings of Dr. S. Radhakrishnan, Hindu philosopher and first President of India. He has criticized Christianity for the tendency to fix its doctrinal categories and postulates that the absolute character of theological doctrines is incompatible with the mysterious character of religious truth. 56
The modus operandi of Hindu religious fundamentalist organizations like RSS, VHP and Bajrang Dal are aggressive and militant. Their insolent arrogance has been on the offensive and they promote and define their faith. They declare that Hinduism is now a missionary religion. 112 Exponents of popular and philosophical Hinduism have been thinking that the days of Christianity are over. The World Congress in Hinduism has affirmed that “our mission in the West has been crowned with a fantastic success. Hinduism has now become the decisive world religion and the end of Christianity has come near. Within another generation, there will be only two religions in the world, Islam and Hinduism.57
4.1.B Hinduism- A Social System. A Cultural System, A Belief System
When we ask the question, “What is Hinduism?” there are three statements that we need to take note of. Hinduism is a social system. Hinduism is a cultural system. Hinduism is a belief system. These three systems together make Hinduism what it is and these systems are so deeply intertwined that it is impossible to separate the social system of Hinduism from its cultural or belief system. This is something unique and special about Hinduism.
The elements of the belief system in Hinduism range the religious spectrum. There are those who believe mainly in spirits and in the spirit of their ancestors referred to as animistic Hinduism. There is popular Hinduism which is the belief in various gods and goddesses. There is also Hindus who believe in the Hindu trinity of Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva, and their female consorts of these gods subservient to them. Some Hindu sects are totally against idolatrous beliefs and have no gods at all, except belief in a supreme being of the universe. Lastly, there are Hindus who believe in lesser local deities associated with various villages. 58
Hinduism does not have a founder and neither does it have a creed. To be a Christian, one must believe in certain truths concerning the revelation of God. To be a Muslim, a person must repeat a certain creed, but Hinduism does not have any specific creed to believe or repeat. Hindus do not think in terms of belief in one God. They think in terms of believing in all the gods there are. You can believe in anything, or you may refuse to believe in many things. And yet, you can be a Hindu, provided you are born into a Hindu family and you are willing to acknowledge that the Vedas are given by the revelation of God. 59
A person may believe in the existence of God. He may deny the existence of any god whatsoever. That is immaterial. One is immediately faced with rather astonishing diversities within Hinduism when the concept of God is discussed. 60 As Sharada Sugirtharajah explains:
The Hindu tradition is replete with a wide variety of images of the Divine. The Supreme is seen as a personal God, as a transcendent Being, as immanent within each person as Antaryamin - inner Controller, and in all creation. Images of the divine as lord, king, judge, master, father, mother, husband, friend, beloved and as creator, preserver and destroyer of evil, find expression in scriptures, mythology, art, iconography, music, dance and worship. The Divine is also described in terms of its plethora of attributes, such as love, wisdom, knowledge, beauty, power, and also in abstract categories such as pure consciousness, pure being. 61
The challenge for South Asian Christians in the evangelization of the modern urban South Asian diaspora is how to remain faithful to the spiritual experience and knowledge of Jesus Christ while at the same time presenting a credible apologetic of Christianity in response to the complexity and mysterious nature of Hinduism. How can the Christian faith compatibly intersect the South Asian worldview of culture, belief and society while remaining faithful to the truth claims of Christianity? Our Christian theology, generally considered as the articulated reflections on God, Christ and the Church, must adequately address the questions that Hindus are seeking.
4.2 Caste And Persecution
One of the changes I have observed in the last few years is the growing resistance and animosity among Hindus, Sikhs, Muslims and Buddhists against Christianity - a challenge that is unique since South Asian people are known for their tolerant religious views with a favorite mantra that all gods are the same and all roads lead to 'God'. Hindus, Muslims, Sikhs and Buddhists increasingly see Christianity as a major Western threat that will destroy South Asian social, cultural and religious identity. Compounded with this animosity, Muslims and Hindus constantly vision themselves as co-sufferers under European Christian colonizers. However, when it comes to Christianity, all religious faiths see this battle as South Asians versus Christianity.
Never before in the history of South Asia and of the South Asian diaspora has the average South Asian thought and functioned as he does today. Superstition, visiting of temples and pilgrimage are on the increase. 62 The Hindu Brahminical religion continues to have its diabolic hold on the masses through ritualism and varnashrama dharma - caste system – a fundamental social stronghold in Hinduism. Traditionally caste divisions are related to occupational groupings and endogamous marriage arrangements. However, when combined with religious ideas of purity and social practices of hierarchy, it has become for many an instrument of discrimination and oppression.
Robin P. asserts that even though caste discrimination is forbidden by the Indian Constitution, caste has been used as an instrument of discrimination and oppression. He writes that caste strongly influences social behavior and thinking for over 80% of the population, including many Christians. At a recent UN conference on racism in Durban, South Africa, Indian Dalit leaders argued unsuccessfully for the identification of caste discrimination as a form of racism in the Indian context. 63
John Richards, Associate International Director of GCOWE 95 for the AD2000 and Beyond Movement expresses optimism with respect to the evangelization of the South Asian diaspora:
Obstacles and opposition abound. Religious and political intolerance are gaining ground. The massive blocs of Hinduism, Islam and Buddhism have yet to be penetrated in a marked way. Those ministering to Muslims are few and far between. Response from high-caste Hindus has been meager. Militant Hinduism is on the rise. Social ills are skyrocketing. In short, the winds of adversity are blowing stronger than ever before. But we fear no such
winds. After all, the Gospel has always flourished under pressure. Christ is building His Church. The Lord God Omnipotent reigns! 64
This challenge is encouraging because, despite the fact of caste oppression and persecution, the numbers of Christians has increased and they as a community of believers are making a significant impact on the worldview of Hindus, Muslims, Sikhs and Buddhists. There is more conversion to Christianity among all religious, socio-economic and educational classes than ever before with many of them having a sense of ownership of the mission of God. This is especially true of first generation converts and those South Asian Christians who are followers and disciples of Jesus Christ. However, the fear of caste persecution, ostracization, the cost of discipleship and even death threats has postponed many decisions for Christ.
4.3 Im
CHAPTER 5: STRATEGIES FOR THE EFFECTIVE EVANGELIZATION OF THE MODERN URBAN SOUTH ASIAN DIASPORA
5.1 Power of New Media
Bill Gates has created ‘windows of opportunity for the gospel.’67 South Asian Christians in the diaspora and in South Asia itself should be at the strategic leading edge of this internet technology that has caused a paradigm shift in how most of us order our lives, work and play. The optimum use of this electronic media for the spread of the Gospel should be encouraged, especially in novel ways like web evangelism, chats through the Internet, YouTube videos, blogs, online dating sites, FaceBook or other social networking sites, online counseling, city-wide South Asian web portals targeting a specific people group, interest group or web portals offering just plain practical help with a link to a Christ-centred focused strategy. The South Asian church at this present age and time must have a mission paradigmatic shift to utilize the power of the new media as an opportunity to effectively evangelize the broad spectrum of South Asians who are connected on the internet.
The internet has become an integral part of the lives of people all over the world and has bridged the gap of access to information between Western societies and those in developing countries. South Asians are at the forefront of nations where urban youth are embracing the internet as a medium of communication, information, entertainment and social interaction often times with greater enthusiasm and speed than their counterparts in Western countries.
The internet has and is opening doors of opportunity to sharing the gospel in majority Muslim, Sikh, Buddhist or even Hindu countries and most powerfully in the South Asian diaspora. There is a need to publish more targeted online articles on spirituality and testimonies of South Asian Christians in a safe way for people to explore Christianity. These testimonies of South Asian Christians who have had a personal experience with the Lord Jesus Christ and who stand as a powerful witness in adverse circumstances could be published in websites. The genius of the internet is a public online platform which can be both secured personal and at the same time anonymous. It is one-on-one and at the same time one-to-many form of interactive communication. Unlike other mainstream media, the Internet allows people of all ages, races and countries to freely share ideas, opinions, stories and experiences and has an incredible power to influence the lives of the emerging generation, especially the educated and urban youth. 68
Internet evangelism is basically the use of the world wide web or the internet for evangelism, including cross-cultural mission in a relevant, real and radical manner. It is not just limited to web pages or blogs, but includes internet chat, email, helpful resources and materials, articles, links to training and recommended books, principles of online evangelism, downloadable power points, video clips that missions, bible colleges and churches can use to create a ready-made seminar about online mission.
Joseph Vijayam, the managing director of Olive Technology, a computer software company with offices in Hyderabad, India and Colorado Springs, Colorado, USA writes about the incredible opportunities of the power of the new media on the online ministry called Mahalife.com. 69 He argues that the significant changes to the social habits of the youth that the internet presents is an effective strategy for evangelism, especially as a hub for online counseling and discipleship. Mahalife.com suits the tastes of South Asian audiences in its expression of content and flavor while at the same time being world-class in terms of presentation. Mahalife.com is a rapidly growing ministry that is attracting young people who are especially seeking online and telephone counseling. Many young South Asian people are reading the gospel, seeking counseling and responding to its message from the safety and convenience of their homes, transcending all barriers to gospel proclamation. The content and presentation style make it user friendly, relevant and attractive to South Asian youth and young adults. By working in collaboration with several youth ministries in South Asia as well as in the South Asian diaspora, Mahalife.com is able to quickly connect seekers in real time with a person in their city or town who can build a one-on-one relationship with them. 70
Mahalife.com reaches isolated seekers with the message of the gospel of Christ in a context that is familiar to them and relevant to their situation. Those who respond to the gospel by surrendering their lives to Christ are connected with believers and are encouraged to become a part of the local church. With eighty thousand hits per month, resulting in over one million hits per year, Mahalife.com has the potential to reach many young people of South Asian origin and beyond with the good news of Jesus Christ. Over one thousand people are expected to seriously seek Christian counseling and connection with believers directly through Mahalife.com over a period of one year. 71
What makes Mahalife.com unique, in comparison with other evangelistic ministries targeting the emerging generation, is the fact that it leverages on a medium which is especially well-suited for personal counseling. The key to the success of Mahalife.com as a new media is the fact that it draws young people to Christ via a focused targeted online evangelistic outreach to the present and next generation of South Asian young people.
Another example of the power of the new media is South Asian Connection, a registered society in Singapore with one of its stated objectives to maintain a godly online presence for South Asian Christians. South Asian Connection, with its website URL http://www.southasianchristians.com was birth in prayer in 2004 and today touches a global annual online audience from about 192 countries, according to the updated statistics from Google Analytics on 10th January 2009. 72
People arrive at the South Asian Connection website because of purposeful behavior either by clicking on a link or through a key word search from computer search engines. Thus, internet visitors to South Asian Connection are there with purpose and already have some interest. They are screened, pre-approved and pre-selected. We are not dealing with apathetic people or highly resistant people but with people who at least have some interest in the Gospel. We are ministering straight to the people we want to be ministering to and already interested in what we have to say, and this is the biggest advantage of internet missions. 73
Religion seekers from all religious affiliations are not just hits or visitors, or statistics, they have names like Kumar, Singh, Bob, Shanti or Mohammed. They are real people, have real names, live in real countries and have real needs. When we lead one of them to Christ, they can lead someone else to Christ because they are real. They are just as real as people in the street and they come to a website seeking answers to their questions. They are very curious about Christianity. Are our websites seeker-sensitive? Are our websites even vaguely aimed at these enormous community of curious people? 74
The harvest field in this new paradigm of the internet age is online. It is right there - people seeking Jesus online. Christian mission agencies need to get the point: there are four hundred million people with spiritual questions who are just a mouse click away from salvation. Our websites need to be harvest fields of the twenty-first century utilizing the power of the new media as one of our most strategic tools for evangelism. Religion surfers can hear the Gospel online, just as they can hear it from a book, a tract or a pulpit, and give their lives to Christ. The right reason for a mission website is to get spiritual results through maybe a decision to follow Christ, a spiritual inquiry, a call to discipleship, helping a person out of a cult, training a leader or whatever reasons the point of contact is. Each website has to be asking, “What spiritual results do I want to get for Jesus Christ out of this website? 75
When we think about the things that have been spiritually transformative in our life, we are usually not naming books and sermons; it is usually people we know, people who have had a personal impact on us. But through the power of the new media, in terms of blogging and also in terms of internet groups, webcam discussion boards, chat rooms and social networking sites like FaceBook, there are other interesting dynamics at play. The anonymity of the internet enables people to be more open than they would normally be with an optional relationality. With a focused exchange of information over the web and with a developing unmediated face-to face trust relationship, the anonymous individual is no longer merely a URL or an e-mail address. Through the ministry of South Asian Connection, we have personally met many anonymous individuals – virtual visitors to our site – who have now become an active part of our ministry.
In a recent study about bloggers and blogging, the writer cites that 70% of blog readers are influential, that is, people who are articulate and networked - the 10% of America who set the agenda for the other 90%. Every blogger blogs because they have something to say and they have a reason why they blog. What started out as a metaphor for online journaling or online diary has now become a tool for individual communication which allows the fostering of transparency. Now blogging has given voice to the individual. A blogger can instantly put his voice out, and if he has something to say and it shows up on people’s radar, he can influence the world. We have seen the impact of blogging in politics, in media and certainly in evangelism. 76
South Asian churches, leaders and mission organizations should think positively, innovatively and creatively to evangelize the South Asian diaspora using the potentials of the new media. They should not be threatened, intimidated or even question its effectiveness as a strategy of evangelism as a new day has dawned on us through the internet revolution, which incidentally is fifteen years old this year!
5.2 Networking And Partnerships Among South Asian Christians
At the present moment in time, a whole new generation of visionary, Spirit-led South Asian Christian leaders are mapping strategies to complete the evangelization of the diverse South Asian people groups, not only in the South Asian sub-continent –pin code by pin code - but also in the South Asian diaspora. In almost every country of the world where the South Asian diaspora has called these new lands their homes, I, along with key leaders of the South Asian diaspora, personally know of South Asian churches and organizations networking in effective partnerships to win the South Asian people group for Christ using all types of ministries including culturally acceptable evangelistic methods. From the sat-sangs [true fellowships] of the Sindhi churches in Jakarta, Indonesia to the sports ministry among the Malayalee Christians in the US or even the music ministry of urban South Asians in London, UK to the door to door evangelism of South Asians in Durban, South Africa – one thing is certain – evangelization is top priority.
The mission to the South Asian diaspora is witnessing a new day. With missional leaders and mobilization of the laity, millions of brown feet South Asian Christians are incarnationally carrying the liberating gospel of Jesus Christ in its diversity and urgency unheard of maybe a decade ago. South Asian Christian diaspora leaders met in Northampton, UK in 1996 to set up an international network to encourage South Asian Christians in the diaspora to seize the unprecedented opportunities to share the good news of Jesus Christ with the 1.5 billion South Asians around the world. 77
The International Network of South Asian Diaspora Leaders (INSADL) 61 jointly chaired by Dr. TV Thomas and Ram Gidoomal of South Asian Concern sums up networking and partnerships among the South Asian Christian diaspora:
The INSADL consultation identified key challenges and opportunities - building an inclusive South Asian identity that proactively bridges traditional division between communities, preparing the next generation for their distinctive contribution, maintaining unity among Asian followers of Christ, promoting ‘intentionally inter-cultural churches’, defending religious freedom and democracy, caring for persecuted churches, rediscovering authentic South Asian models of discipleship and spirituality, remembering large unreached people groups in the diaspora, engaging the areas of business, politics and the media with excellence, credibility and transparency. 78
Ram Gidoomal further adds that though the ‘diaspora is a place of risk-taking and innovation,’ 79 there are opportunities to be seized. He elaborates that London is in many ways the South Asian diaspora’s hub, with nearly two million South Asians in the UK and within its intersecting economic, political and social links. Ram Gidoomal recounts that in the 1980's, a personal revelation struck him when he replied to his colleagues saying, 'What do I have to do with South Asia now? I was born in Africa, now I'm in Britain. Why are you asking me to get involved in a South Asian mission?' His colleagues reminded him of his unique South Asian heritage and the unique entry point he has as a non-resident Indian and it was only then that he understood a broader Kingdom of God context. This potential of his heritage in terms of ancestry and common identity is not something to put away or be ashamed of, but something that can be used to build the Kingdom of God in a unique way. 80 Ram Gidoomal then helped to pioneer South Asian Concern, a UK registered charity to serve the South Asian community through different avenues - business, development, health and to help develop leadership among South Asian Christians. Over the past fifteen years or so, Ram Gidoomal has written “Sari 'n' Chips” and other books, helped set up South Asian Development Partnership, and in his personal and corporate capacity mobilized other South Asians with the reminder to think in South Asian terms in evangelizing the modern urban South Asian diaspora.
5.3 Urban Missions - Foreign Mission
The urban Church has a unique opportunity to minister to some of the most needy people including the South Asians present among its city and suburban populations. Beneath the veneer of affluence, careers, education and material wealth, many South Asians suffer from psycho-social, emotional issues and issues of injustice or even physical disease that warps and dehumanizes their lives. There is a family fragmentation due to multiple factors and a sense of powerlessness leading to failure and despair. Urban South Asians are people with many non-financial related problems and often regard themselves as failures with guilt and shame and the need to keep time honored family traditions amidst change and tensions.
Thomas Hopler, formerly a foreign missionary and now working in urban United States, voices the frustration of many with respect to urban missions. In his opinion, he says that the need for missions in the city is perhaps as great as the missionary needs overseas:
"Why are so many personnel and millions of dollars invested overseas while little concern is expressed for the cities of our own country? 81
David Hesselgrave further declares that cities are an extensive and needy mission field and he adds that it is strange that the evangelical Church is not ready to reach out to the urban mission field of America, especially when one realizes that it is in fact foreign missions. He says:
Any community of people without an accessible church--whether they reside in North America or South Africa--is a mission field. 82
The greatest challenge before the urban church is to learn to minister to its total community. By so doing, it will become aware of the changing character of the community. If a church does not mirror the people in its community, it will ultimately die. 83
The evangelical Church must reassess its priority of ministries. According to Acts 1:8, the priority should be first, Jerusalem and Judea; second, Samaria; and third, the uttermost parts of the world. It appears that urban Christians have tended to ignore or avoid urban evangelism. And with reverse missions happening in most cities of the world because of people movements, the mission field is not next door but right at the door step.
Emil Brunner states that ‘as fire exists by burning, the church exists by mission.’ 84 The urban church is inseparably linked to mission. Mission is not merely an activity that the church engages in, but is integral to the very nature of the church. Mission lies at the very center of all God’s concern. Missionary evangelism is more than just good and right activity, it is partnership and fellowship with the living God, for He is a missionary God. 85
Mission is the dynamic relationship between God and the world. Those who actively become involved in this vision of His redemption will understand themselves as sent individuals or groups. Mission then is everything that relates to the whole task of the whole church to bring the whole gospel to the whole world. 86
In missio dei theology the primary references is to the purposes and activities in and for the whole universe. In missio dei theology, a radically theocentric view of mission is taken and mission is viewed as God’s own work and the triune God is the subject of mission. In mission, the first actor is God.
The sending of the church to the world is continuation of the Father’s sending of the Son and the Holy Spirit. David J. Bosch in “Transforming Mission: Paradigms Shifts in Theology and Mission” reframes the doctrine of the mission of God as:
The classical doctrine of the missio dei of God as the Father sending the Son, and God the Father and Son sending the Spirit was expanded to include yet another ‘movement’: Father, Son and Holy Spirit sending the church into the world. 87
The urban church has a responsibility to develop effective strategies to reach the South Asians in their midst. Urban church planting must include establishing ethnic churches that may well have congregations speaking in a language other than English, at least for some time to come. Ethnic urban communities should provide excellent service opportunities for all types of ministries and especially to new immigrants. Thriving ethnic churches should be the source of manpower for reaching the great number of émigrés who have come and will continue to come to the cities of the world. Similarly, well-established urban South Asian churches ought to be an important key to evangelizing the South Asian people in their midst with the Great Commandment and Great Commission of our Lord Jesus Christ and so usher in the Kingdom of God to the South Asian people groups.
5.4 Contextualization of the Gospel
Christianity is an Asian religion and has its roots in the East. 88 It sprang up as an offshoot of Judaism and Jesus Christ, its Jewish founder was born in Israel – a country in Asia and through the Jews and later the Gentiles, the Great Commission of ‘Go and Make Disciples of All Nations’ was proclaimed to the whole world. This is what makes an Indian church historian, Dr. K.M George write:
It is important to note that although governed from the West for a long period of time, the Church was born in the Syrian and Semitic context of Jerusalem. The thought forms, the imageries and the religious writings were all Semitic; the biblical traditions preserve for the Church the authentic primitive spirituality of apostolic times. The history of the early church is basically the history of the Eastern Churches. 89
The gospel of Jesus Christ must be presented to South Asians, whether Hindu, Muslim, Sikh or Buddhist in a form suitable to their culture – not as a western ideal but where they can see their own culture in Jesus. Sadhu Sundar Singh, a pioneer native Indian missionary evangelist, used to tell a story that illustrates the importance of presenting the Gospel in culturally acceptable terms. Sadhu Sundar Singh would say to his hearers, ‘This is what I have been trying to say to missionaries from abroad. You have been offering the water of life to the people of India in a foreign cup, and we have been slow to receive it. If you will offer it in our own Indian cup - in an indigenous form - then we are much more likely to accept it.” 90
There is a need to communicate the gospel so that the worldview of people is totally transformed by the truth encounter with Jesus Christ. A transformation in the worldview will bring lasting value changes and confront the beliefs behind the behaviors of people. 91 E. Stanley Jones calls the contextualization of the gospel process as ‘naturalization.’92
During the British colonial period in South Asia, very little thought was given to cultural contextualization in mission work. The gospel was delivered but it remained Western in its form and shape. For example, the introduction of Western church architecture, the order of worship, and even the styles of worship, are so contrary to the native culture that Christianity continues to be seen as a foreign religious practice even in some part of South Asia now. We are grateful to God for the sacrifices of Western missionaries, but now South Asian Christians must dare to contextualize. Western theology largely lacks Indian or South Asian reflection and the textbooks produced in the West do not address the issues that confront us in South Asia or in the South Asian diaspora.
Yet some South Asian Christian leaders in the diaspora are doing well with contextualization of the gospel. There are a number of South Asian churches, ministries and organizations that have presented a brown Jesus who does not have a white face or blue eyes. Every effort is made to present Christianity in distinctly South Asian terms and images.
5.4.A Contextualization of the Theology of the Gospel
What do we mean by contextualization of the gospel? It is the contextualization of the theology of the gospel; it is interpreting the theology of the gospel. It means that we must communicate the gospel in such a way that people will understand it. The gospel message has to be presented in such a way that it addresses the different needs and concerns represented by a particular people group. Byang Kato defines contextualization as “. . . making concepts or ideals relevant in a given situation. In reference to Christian practices, it is an effort to express the never changing Word of God in ever-changing modes of relevance.” 93
How are South Asian Christian leaders and decision-makers, in the South Asian context, to interpret, practice and present the gospel message to the wide spectrum of cultural, religious and socio-economic needs found amongst the South Asian people in the diaspora? How can the message be proclaimed, faithful to its content, effectively and meaningfully, to these many South Asian cultural forms and context? 94 Veteran church planter, Dr. S. Ponraj appeals with caution for the necessity of contextualization to fulfill the Great Commission,
To relate the gospel meaningfully requires interpreting the gospel, and that involves the hermeneutical task. Despite their sincerity, South Asian Christian theologians have failed to contextualize the gospel and their contributions have not helped the South Asian Church or South Asian missions fulfill the Great Commission. There is always the danger of both syncretism and universalism creeping in whenever people interpret the gospel in the Indian context. However, we have to take the risk. The local believers can do a more effective and meaningful contextualizing work than outside missionaries.95
The Church has a great responsibility to share the gospel with urban South Asians dispersed in the diaspora and understanding them will provide keys for effective communication of the gospel. Dr. J.N. Manokaran in his book, “Christ and Cities: Transformation of Urban Centers” list down a few suggestions for effective communication of the gospel especially to urban Hindus.96
1. Communicating the gospel to urban Hindus is a great task. It is not going to be easy. The urban people are more intelligent than the rural and tribal people and have access to knowledge sources. Communication has to touch their worldview. It is essential to communicate the non-negotiable essence of the gospel.
2. The gospel is not just the presentation of another God for those who have millions of them in their own pantheon. The challenge is to communicate the uniqueness of Christ. Presenting Christ as the ultimate personality who is the Creator, Redeemer, Savior and Lord is a most difficult challenge of Christians.
3. Another challenge is to communicate the gospel without Western trappings. Hindus do not like the Church but they like Christ. For them, Christ is the great teacher or even avatar. This positive attitude should be a bridge for communicating the gospel.
4. With a lot of philosophical ideas in Hindu religion, it may be difficult to find valid arguments for each question raised by Hindus. But Hindus validate personal religious experience. The experience of several Hindus who have known Christ can become a handy tool for communicating the gospel.
5. Many educated Hindus have read the Sermon on the Mount. For them, it represents the highest level of godly life. They want to see the life of Christian being patterned by the Sermon on the Mount. The urban Hindus wish to see the life of Christians which is above the normal that attracts others.
5.4.B Jesus Our Sat Guru – the Perfect Master/Teacher
Many South Asians, especially urban Hindus desire Christians to present Christ in the ‘right way.’ 84 The emphasis on fixed traditional timings and day of worship is unattractive to the urban Hindus. The uniqueness of Christ should be the basis of communication and even welcomed but without the baggage of Western trappings. 97
In God’s wisdom, His plan of discipleship as given in the New Testament is very much in harmony with the thought patterns of South Asians in both its religious and cultural forms. When we read through the Gospels, we find the disciples of Jesus addressing him as Rabbi. In the English translation we have a bracketed interpretation indicating that Rabbi means Master or Teacher. But in India, the proper translation of Rabbi would be Guru. When we look at the religious and cultural history of our land, we see that the concept of Guru is one of the most beautiful concepts we have in our country. 98
There is also the concept of what is called Sat Guru [True Guru] in South Asia. The Sat Guru is one who himself is perfected and has experienced fully the highest spiritual attainments. Therefore, he is able to help someone who has entered into a diksha or a bond of discipleship with him. The student acknowledges the authority of his guru and is attached to him. The proper term of this student is shishya whom the guru helps to liberate from spiritual bondage. Dr. K.M. George explains the biblical roots of this:
I believe that this concept of the master/disciple or guru/shishya relationship that we have in the New Testament is an indigenous concept for South Asians. To be a Christian means to be a disciple of Jesus Christ. The Lord Jesus Christ is the perfect guru because he is God incarnate. He is the perfect guru because he was sinless by birth and sinless by karma. Jesus came into this world to confront evil and the originator of evil and to defeat the power of death. Because Jesus has confronted and overcome evil, he has been given the title of Lord, Kurios. 99
South Asians do not need to follow European and Eastern Christianity. We can follow our own biblical Christianity as thought by Jesus without even being named ‘Christians’ if that helps us to follow Christ. At the end of the day, conversion is not about changing religions, it is not the changing of names or cultures but experiencing a personal relationship with Jesus Christ and following in biblical allegiance to the teachings of Jesus Christ. There are thousands of South Asian secret believers who have became true worshippers of Jesus Christ without even being called Christians. These secret believers are scattered among the various South Asian communities in the diaspora and in South Asia itself.
5.5 Sports Evangelism
Cricket is the national game of South Asia and of the South Asian diaspora. This sport in particular crosses all South Asian people groups and has a large following especially among the men. This sport ministry falls into the category of friendship evangelism, yet has a high sowing opportunity in the spectators. When a cricket match of national or international importance is played, the whole South Asian sub-continent and the South Asian diaspora, wherever they are located, comes to a standstill.
Robin P. recounts the unique opportunity cricket evangelism presented itself in the 1999 Cricket World Cup held in the UK. The excitement of the sport together with media blitzes from television can generate a targeted audience of more than twenty million people watching a match between Pakistan and India. The key issue was how to harness such a huge following for the Good News and so was birth the Cricket World Cup opportunity. After much prayer, visioning and networking, a vertical partnership was formed between Sports Outreach, who had all the sporting contacts and Christian Broadcasting Network, who had the necessary infrastructure and budget to multiply this opportunity to unimaginable levels.92 Robin P adds comments on the incredible global impact:
The result was unbelievable. CBN had more than 100 Cricket matches on big-screen opportunities, with the additional screening of the video, “The Winning Edge.” This was shown on TV and local cable, with more than 100,000 “Get on the Winning Side” videos and a follow-up copy called “The Different Spin.” The next two years found hundreds of inquiries answered by CBN. The greatest achievement was the short testimonies of the cricketers shown during the interval during the India and Pakistan match with an audience of twenty million. 100
The success of the partnership in the Cricket World Cup brought together many other ongoing gospel partnerships that soon spread to countries around the world. The big opportunity for Sports Outreach became a wave that swept through many cities.
Sports partnerships take time and it must be a win-win situation for the organization and the local body of believers with a minimal agenda attached, except friendship evangelism among a targeted group of sports enthusiasts. The vision, purpose and impact of the evangelistic sports partnership within the context of a local body must be re-visited and evaluated. Every meeting allows the local body to own the piece that they want and finally even allow them to dictate the direction of the sports ministry. Such a sports ministry can only happen if the big picture of the Great Commission is kept in mind with a self-ownership of the ministry to the local body of believers. The unique success of sports evangelism is that it touches the lives of men and their families in a non-threatening manner.
Sports evangelism in its diverse forms is an effective strategy to evangelize the modern urban South Asian diaspora. At Punjabi Masihi Church in Surrey, B.C. Canada, volleyball is the game of choice, while at Indaphatfarm.com community of South Asian bloggers in Chicago, USA, no guessing that basketball is preferred over all other sports while at Smyrna Assembly in Singapore, soccer commands respect and sports affinity among kindred brethrens! While the locations may differ, the strategy of friendship evangelism through sports is the reason why these local body of believers exists.
5.6 Small Group and One-to-One Evangelism
The church of the twenty-first century needs missional thinkers and apostolic leadership who can read the Word of God with fresh eyes, relating the story of redemption to the human condition in its present cultural contexts - contexts that are increasingly pluralistic, multicultural and influenced by global trends.
There is a need for an army of missional leaders of ordinary men and women who would be God’s anointed to transform the world through small group responsive evangelism strategies. These proven responsive effective evangelism strategies include friendship evangelism one-on-one, interest group evangelism or even vocational evangelism.
Many creative South Asian small groups in the diaspora understand themselves corporately as a body of people sent on a mission. As agents of renewal, they picture themselves as disciples of Jesus Christ and people of God mobilized in the world, living authentic lives in the places they work, play and connect. This shift is missiological thinking from being clergy dominated to the recovery of the priesthood of all believers has birth many effective missional thinkers today in the South Asian diaspora. 101
Every Christian is a leader in the context where he/she lives, that means leaders in the family, neighborhood, work place, community, society and nation. The mission is to bring the Kingdom of God as a reality into the lives of people –both individuality and corporately. This begins with helping people to have a personal encounter with Lord Jesus Christ. So, Christian leadership is “missional” in nature, essence and expression. 102 Eddie Gibbs, a church growth expert succinctly concludes:
Every disciple of Jesus Christ will exercise some kind of influence on the people around them, they are de facto leaders. A Christian leader is a person with a God-given capacity and the God-given responsibility to influence a specific group of God’s people toward God’s purpose for the group. 103
Steve Uppal, a passionate UK born South Asian pastor and author of Rousing the Warriors writes about the New Testament type church patterns of the priesthood of believers growing organically and spontaneously among the South Asian diaspora. The mobilization of the powerful laity of ordinary men and woman for evangelism and leadership-development is priority for a missional church. 104 You cannot miss Uppal’s pastoral appeal for one-to-one evangelism:
I encourage you that you are not in Church just to attend services. You are there to be equipped for your everyday life so that you can minister for Jesus in the workplace and the marketplace. Many believers in our culture think that it is good enough to attend Church only once a week. We must change our mentality about church. Attending church should not be religious duty. Church is a place to which we come to be refreshed, taught, and empowered, so that we can take our place in the world, and live our lives as true Christians. 105
The deep penetration of a South Asian diaspora community through small group or even one-on-one evangelism requires a thorough preparation. This demands that the entire process from beginning to end be saturated in prayer for the blessing of God. With research and understanding of the local South Asian diaspora community , the small group or even one-on-one evangelism strategy can be focused on relevant needs and issues. The most effective evangelism occurs when those who have experienced salvation tell their friends, neighbors, and relatives. The laity must be empowered and encouraged to share their faith throughout the mosaic of their South Asian diaspora community. This small group or even one-on-one evangelism strategy has been replicated throughout the South Asian diaspora communities from Singapore, to the Middle East to the US with effective results in making disciples for Jesus Christ.
5.7 South Asian Culture – Film, Food, Dance and Music
However unlike South Asian diaspora communities across the world might be, South Asian culture in terms of film, food, dance, dress and music commands an extraordinary and unique allegiance from South Asians of all religious persuasions. The prime element of commonality is the profound homage to the deep socio-cultural structures of South Asian civilization from Bollywood films, to bhangra music, to the sari to South Asian food – whether mild North Indian food or spicy South Indian cuisines.
Most South Asian diaspora communities maintain some sort of link with the motherland through the Hindi feature film, a phenomenon unique to the South Asian diaspora, even among those where Hindi is not spoken. What Hollywood is to the US, the Bombay Hollywood – Bollywood - is to the South Asian diaspora communities of the world. The modesty and wholesome traditional family values of Bollywood films is said to explain its appeal to the South Asian diaspora communities, even opening doors of ministry to the Islamic world!.
In the matter of food, one beholds with amazement how ‘tandoori chicken, dosas, naan, idlis, chicken tikka etc. . .have become the cuisine of choice the world over – food that are entirely synonymous with South Asia and in the preservation of South Asian culture.
The Punjabi people group enjoys dance and music and one popular form of dance that is common in Punjabi churches is the bhangra. It is a boisterous dance that originated as a harvest festival dance and as with other Indian folk dance like kollatam, it has no obvious religious connotation in today’s context. Historically, a dance theme in bhangra or other South Asian dance is a very effective tool for evangelism since South Asian diaspora Sikhs, Hindus and Muslims feel at home at church activities which reflect their culture and tradition.
There have been many successful experiments to evangelize the modern urban South Asian diaspora through explicitly South Asian cultural forms of film, food, dance, dress and music. These include the formation of South Asian Christian dance and drama groups, biblical themes in Bollywood films from actors, actresses and producers that have embraced Christianity and South Asian cultural fashion shows with embedded evangelistic messages. The strategies to evangelize the modern urban South Asian diaspora through these cultural forms is beginning to take a creative, organic life of its own to the glory of God.
Chris George, founder of 7 Mile Road Church – an intentional South Asian missional church plant in Philadelphia, USA - puts it best in his blog entry of a meeting he had in his church. "What happens if we get off mission? What happens if we have the gospel, and we have our church, but we're not missionally engaging our culture?" "We'll die." That was one of the first answers that was shouted out. We chuckled for a bit at how harsh it sounded, and then began to unpack its truth. Someone else added, "We'll become irrelevant." After some conversation, everybody nodded their heads in agreement that irrelevance and death was the eventual fate of any church that was not perpetually committed to missionally engaging its culture.” 106
The mission of 7 Mile Road Church moves outward and is concerned about giving the gospel away. As a missional congregation, they challenge the assumptions made in the current church culture which are usually much more about how to make the church better instead of how to help advance the cause of Christ in the world. Mission is much more than just proclamation. It is a witness to the Kingdom and the inauguration of the reign of God. This would require a relevant form of witness and service in each situation. In doing so, they bring to the community a foretaste of the joy and glory of the kingdom of God. 107
Chris George and his missional congregation openness to change and honesty in sharing their joys, struggles, pain and victories sets the standard for an evaluation of contemporary ministries while always remaining open to how the Holy Spirit may take 7 Mile Road Church in new and unexpected directions. This is truly missional church thinking - hearing the voice of the ‘Sender’ to a body of believers ‘being sent’ into the world to proclaim the Great Commandment and the Great Commission of our Lord Jesus Christ. 108
5.8 Illustrative Case Story: Ram Gidoomal – UK Sindhi Businessman and Politician
The popular conception of a missionary as a pale-skinned, pith-helmeted traveler in a distant, "primitive" land is amazingly hard to dislodge. Ram Gidoomal fits none of these stereotypes. But he is certainly on a mission, if not many missions at once. Having arrived in London as a refugee from India by way of Africa, Gidoomal chose Imperial College for his undergraduate degree, because it was a short bus ride from his family's shop. Today, after building several successful businesses and running twice for Mayor of London, he has built a reputation as a tireless social entrepreneur whose activism encompasses race relations, financial opportunity, and environmental sustainability in Britain and South Asia, as well as Christian ministry among the South Asian diaspora.
Ram Gidoomal is a godly leader, politician, mentor, and a man on a mission and he is portrayed in the following interview: Christ, My Bodhisattva - Interview by Andy Crouch with Ram Gidoomal [*Please see the Appendix Section for full interview] 109
CHAPTER 6. CONCLUSION
Evangelization of the modern urban South Asian diaspora is part of the mission of God. Individuals, churches, institutions and mission agencies should think positively, innovatively and creatively to reach the modern South Asian diaspora in the urban context.
We are living in exciting times and should not be threatened by the challenges of dynamic change, profound and important cultural, linguistic or even religious differences but should be motivated, encouraged and equipped to present the gospel in a relevant and contextualized manner acceptable to the modern urban South Asian diaspora.
It would be simplistic to think in terms of one approach or one set of needs to evangelize the South Asian diaspora in the urban context or even make generalizations that apply to all of the South Asian diaspora. However, there is no denying that there are unique opportunities to effectively evangelize the modern urban South Asian diaspora.
Many South Asian leaders have suggested it would be wise to approach mission and evangelism strategy in a post-modern context on an individual, local or even regional level. They further assert that whatever the strength of the cultural, emotional or even religious ties between the South Asian diaspora and the motherland, their center of being lies elsewhere. In this endeavor, placed as many South Asian diaspora are in an in-between space, Jesus can take that centre as Lord, Savior and Master and so fulfill the mission of God towards the modern urban South Asian diaspora.
* Footnotes
1. Mathew, C.V. 2003. Mission in Context: Missiological Reflections. Cambridge Press: India. 12
2. Mathew, C.V. 2003. Mission in Context: Missiological Reflections. Cambridge Press: India. 12
3. Mathew, C.V. 2003. Mission in Context: Missiological Reflections. Cambridge Press: India. 17
4. Guder, Darrell L. 1998. Missional Church – A Vision of the Sending of the Church in North America. Wm. B Eerdmans Publishing Co. Grand Rapids, MI, USA. 78
5. Guder, Darrell L. 1998. Missional Church – A Vision of the Sending of the Church in North America. Wm. B Eerdmans Publishing Co. Grand Rapids, MI, USA. 56
6. Guder, Darrell L. 1998. Missional Church – A Vision of the Sending of the Church in North America. Wm. B Eerdmans Publishing Co. Grand Rapids, MI, USA. 24
7. Vinay Lal. Diaspora Purana: The Indic Presence in World Culture
http://www.sscnet.ucla.edu/southasia/Diaspora/indic_presence.html (February 2003), 29
8. Vinay Lal. Diaspora Purana: The Indic Presence in World Culture
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9. Vinay Lal. Diaspora Purana: The Indic Presence in World Culture
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11. Robin P. Power of Connecting http://www.powerofconnecting.net/ViewArticle/(April 2001), 1
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13. Robin P. Power of Connecting http://www.powerofconnecting.net/ViewArticle/(April 2001), 8
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Raj, Solomon R. 2003. The New Wine-Skins: The Story of the Indigenous Missions in Coastal Andhra Pradesh, India. Cambridge Press: Chennai, India
Shah, Ahmad E. 1996. Theology: Muslim and Christian. The Lucknow Publishing House: India.
Shah, Ahmad E. 1996. Theology: Christian and Hindu. The Lucknow Publishing House: India.
Shah, Ahmad E. 1996. Buddhism and Christian Faith. The Lucknow Publishing House: India.
Shah, Ahmad E. 2000. Sikhism and Christian Faith. The Lucknow Publishing House: India.
Stanley, R. 2002. How We Can Evangelize the World in Our Generation Blessing Youth Mission: Chennai, India.
Thomson, Robin. 2002, Changing India: Insights from the Margin. B. R. Publishing Corporation: India.
Tokunaga, Paul. 2003 Guidance for Emerging Asian American Leaders: Invitation to Lead. Intervarsity Press: Downers Grove, Illinois USA.
Uppal, Steve. 2004. Rousing The Warriors: A Prophetic Call To Rise Up And Boldly Advance The Kingdom Of God. All Nations Christian Centre: United Kingdom.
Vinay Samuel, 1999. Keynote Address: Evangelical Response to Globalization: An Asian Perspective”, Transformation, Vol.16. No. 1, January.
W. Storrar. 1960. Vertigo or Imago? Themelios, Vol. 21, No.3 April
Yohannan, K. P. 2001 Revolution in World Missions. International Standard Book: Canada.
APPENDIX
Christ, My Bodhisattva - Interview by Andy Crouch with Ram Gidoomal
http://www.southasianchristians.com/articles/318/1/Christ-My-Bodhisattva---Interview-by-Andy-Crouch-with-Ram-Gidoomal/Page1.html
Ram Gidoomal spoke with the Christian Vision Project's editorial director, Andy Crouch, over lunch at his alma mater where he is now a member of the board of governors with the wide-ranging enthusiasm of someone who has spent his life exploring our "big question" for 2007: What must we learn, and unlearn, to be agents of God's mission in the world?
You come from a Hindu religious background and attended Muslim schools in Africa, yet you became a follower of Jesus during your studies at university.
At the university, I was out of the family context, with the need for something that could make sense of the wider world in which I found myself. I started reading about Jesus. I was intrigued by the strong basis for his historical existence.
In my cultural context, the biggest religious problem is your karma: your karmic debt. What you sow, you reap. You come to this earth with a karmic account, then you die and you're reincarnated, and that depends on how you've done in this life. When I read about Jesus' death on the Cross, it wasn't so much the sacrifice for sin that struck me as the sacrifice for karma. The Christians I met spoke of sin in this life, but that was meaningless to me. Karma was what mattered. So I decided, When they talk about sin, I think of karma, and I believe Jesus died for my karma, so I am going to accept him on those terms.
As my mother and others in my family challenged my faith, I found that biblical concepts were only helpful if they were properly translated. My mother would say, "Jesus is a swear word. They use it in the shop every day. Why do you follow this man?" She had followed a guru called Ramakrishna Parmahansa from India; then she switched to a guru named Radha Soami. One of the functions of a guru is to give you a mantra, but when she went to the initiation, some people got the mantra and others didn't. She felt some of those who were refused were more deserving than her, and that troubled her.
So when she came to stay with us after our first child was born, she opened one of the Bibles that we had strewn all over the place, and she happened upon this verse, "Whoever comes to me, I will not cast out." She said, "Your Bible is very strange! 'Whoever comes to me'—define whoever!" She had a hard time believing that Jesus would never refuse anybody. But that's the case, I said, because he's the sanatan sat guru.
Sanatan is a Sanskrit word meaning "eternal"; sat guru means "true living way." You can put John 14:6 in brackets after that! He is "the way, the truth, and the life." Guru is a living way. There are lots of sat gurus, but try to find a sanatan sat guru. No guru claims to be sanatan. Then she said, "Tell me more about this guru, who will love everybody." So I said, "Not only is he a sanatan sat guru, he paid for karma. He paid our karmic debt."
There must be many perplexing things for someone who comes to faith as an outsider.
I recall my first visit to church here, my first church ever, St. Paul's Onslow Square. I went to the evening service, so none of my friends or relations would see me going. The first thing I looked for on walking in was the shoebox. I wanted to take my shoes off: This is holy ground, and you're asking me to come in with my dirty, filthy feet and go into the presence of God? This is not right; this is not holy. I must take my shoes off. But they told me there was no place for shoes. So I went to sit on the floor, in the proper position of respect, and the usher said to sit on the wooden bench. Then the organ blasted out, and I thought, Who has died? Because organ music was just for funerals in my mind. It was an alien experience. There's a whole lot of unlearning to be done in asking how we can communicate the message of Jesus with simplicity [in a way] that will take these barriers away.
In the end, I've found I've been able to use my skills in business to help start some of these translations. We've produced a series of books and CDs that connect with the South Asian experience. Fortunately, I was able to pay for publication, because in the early days, not many Christian publishers were willing to take on a book that talked about Jesus as the bodhisattva who fulfilled his dharma to pay for my karma to negate samsara and achieve nirvana!
Your family's story is part of one of the great diasporas of the 20th century.
More than 50 members of my family have come to Christ. We are all Sindhis. There are very few Sindhi believers in the world and the majority that have come to Christ, maybe 10,000 out of 20 million, came to Christ abroad, in the diaspora.
This diaspora has largely followed economic opportunities. If you look at the early church and its growth, it also followed trade routes. The gospel was spread from port to port. Well, who paid for those boat trips? Business people.
What opportunities do you see for business as mission?
Business gives you access, geographic access as well as access to relational networks. As an Asian businessman, I have access to people and networks around the globe.
Then, of course, successful business that is generating value and adding value is able to resource and fund others who want to engage in business as mission. Romans 12:2 has really struck me. The goal is to do business in a way that is not conforming to the world's patterns. In global business, there is often corruption. There's no accountability, no transparency. As a Christian, if you're willing to be transparent and accountable, then you're demonstrating a different way of doing things. You're bringing alive Romans 12, which says, "Don't be conformed to the pattern [of this world], but be transformed, and then you will know the will of God, which is your spiritual worship." If we do the work of discerning what transformational business looks like, that is worship.
Business is a uniquely global endeavor. Just on Sunday, I was preaching at my local church and a guy in the congregation came up to me and said, "I'm a New Zealander, I'm working in a salmon business in Chile, and I'm here [in London] just for today, on my way to Norway to see the business owners." There's no other field that so closely matches the global nature of God's mission.
You've also become an advocate for socially responsible investing.
I chair the London Sustainability Exchange, which is all about promoting sustainability in London. On the business side, I chair Henderson Global Investors Sustainable and Responsible Investment Advisory Committee, which manages more than 1 billion pounds, and we look for ways to invest that are socially and ecologically sustainable.
When our family landed in London as refugees in the '60s, there was a place in our neighborhood of Southall called Minet Park. It was an absolute dump. Cars burned, tires dumped—there was a stream flowing through, but you wouldn't even have known it. But in recent years, in an area of Southall where the vast majority are Hindus, Muslims, and Sikhs, a Christian pastor set up a team, went to schools, mobilized kids, and over a period of several years cleaned up the park. I had the privilege of cutting the ribbon to open it. Suddenly, there were families with their children walking through the park. We even spotted the first orchid. It was transformed.
You ran for mayor of London twice, representing the Christian Peoples Alliance.
In each election, more than half of my funding came from Hindus, Muslims, Sikhs, and Jews, as well as people of no faith. We made it clear that we are not the exclusive Christian voice. We are a Christian voice.
In the first election, the British magazine New Statesman created a website called fantasymayor.com. They put on it the policies of the Conservative Party, the Liberal Democrat Party, the Labour Party, the Green Party, independent candidate Ken Livingstone, and me. They didn't tell you which policies were whose. They just gave you 15 policy questions about what you wanted in a mayor for London. Education, housing, policing, crime—you ranked what you were most passionate about. Then they told you which candidate's policies best matched your preferences. The Christian Peoples Alliance came out on top with 24 percent. On the other hand, when asked whom they would vote for, 56 percent of visitors to the site named Ken Livingstone and only 3.5 percent named me. What that told me is that people out there want Christian values, but they don't know it.
In that election, we beat all the minor parties in the mayoral vote, including the Greens. I was also a candidate for the London Assembly, and the votes I got would have been enough to secure a seat. But in a change I supported, the rules were altered to require that a party receive at least 5 percent of the vote—in order to keep the far right-wing British National Party out. So a change designed to protect against racism, a change I still support, meant that not a single Asian in a city of 1 million Asians was elected to the London Assembly.
After two elections, people say to me, "Oh, Mr. Gidoomal, you never became mayor."
That's not the only reason I ran. In the very first public meeting held in Toynbee Hall in East London, each candidate was given three minutes to speak. I asked myself, "What would Jesus do in this situation?" Then it became clear to me. In East London in 1990, the life expectancy of a baby was five years less than the life expectancy of a baby born in the more affluent borough of Westminster. In 2000, ten years later, the gap had widened to six years. So I spoke as passionately as I could about the need to address the gap between rich and poor.
The next day a newspaper said, "Ram Gidoomal's policies for the carless, the homeless, and the jobless are more radical than anything Labour has produced." At ten o'clock that night, as my wife, Sunita, and I were getting ready for bed, I turned on the radio and Frank Dobson, the Labour Party candidate, was being interviewed. They asked him, "Mr. Dobson, what are your top three priorities for London?"
What he said was different from his earlier speech, essentially stating his priorities were "the carless, the homeless, and the jobless." You had influence even without having power.
How do they define diplomacy?
The art of letting other people have your way. [Laughs.] To me, it's all part of Christ's mission: being part of the game, part of the action. We should be involved in it all. Source: Christian Vision Project
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