Climbing higher each year on the World Watch List from Open Doors USA is the Hindu nation of India, where The Tide® has been broadcasting Gospel programming since 1978. In fact, of the four nations on the 2018 World Watch List where The Tide reaches believers, India is the highest at No. 11. Director Don Shenk said that for more than 70 years the ministry has shared the hope of Christ worldwide, but over the past several years, more and more desperately need that hope as they face persecution in their home countries—simply for trusting in Jesus.
“It is extremely discouraging to see India continue its trend of climbing higher on the annual World Watch List,” Shenk said. “Most of us in America will never know trepidation for stepping outside with our Bibles in hand or fear being baptized in a public place. Yet these are realities for Christians in India and many other countries around the world. We pray daily for the pastors, radio broadcasters and Christians in these areas where persecution for their beliefs is often an everyday occurrence.”
In India, which falls under the “extreme persecution” category on the World Watch List, most of the persecution for Christians comes from a variety of Hindu radical groups and organizations, according to Open Doors. These radicals are intent on cleansing the nation of both Islam and Christianity and employ violence to this end. Usually, converts to Christianity experience the worst persecution and are constantly under pressure to return to Hinduism.
Even in the face of this persecution, however, The Tide helps pastors baptize new believers in regions throughout India, although locals report that “it is very hard to conduct any meeting. There is opposition and threats to hold any meeting.”
The Tide ministry in India is complemented by effective discipleship activities including literature distribution, Bible correspondence courses, seekers conferences (discipleship seminars) and a radio distribution project called “Radios for India.” This combination of ministry elements has proven to be extremely effective in changing lives throughout India and planting churches where believers can be nurtured in their faith and through which whole communities can be drawn into the Kingdom of God.
Listeners in persecuted countries like India are able to hear The Tide Gospel programs through the generosity of donors who give just $40 toward radios and media players. For more information, click here. With almost a quarter of the world’s population living within the current range of The Tide radio programming, and nearly 7,000 languages spoken in the world today, the opportunities are tremendous.