Trained to be Arrested
Gospel for Asia
02/06/09 KARNATAKA, INDIA (ANS) — Not many graduations include advice on dealing with the police. But that was practical counsel for a group of 29 young people graduating from Gospel for Asia’s Karnataka, India, Bible college last December. After three years of intense Bible training, these students were ready to start serving as full-time missionaries.
A GFA district leader spoke at the graduation. Giving an accurate picture of the life ahead, he offered practical ways to carefully work within the culture and dangers likely to be faced. He encouraged the students to stay sober-minded and prepared to go through struggles. Because of the increasing persecution in their state, it is very probable that each new missionary will be confronted by police at some point-possibly even arrested. The speaker outlined how to deal with police in these situations.
Other GFA leaders spoke as well, encouraging the graduates to build relationships with those on their mission fields. They shared from experience how to obtain land for future church buildings, provide Jesus Wells and recruit young people for Bible colleges. Each graduate also had a chance to share college experiences. At the end of the ceremony, leaders prayed for them and committed them to the Lord’s work.
As the young people filed out of the meeting room, they were walking toward their new life as missionaries. They didn’t wait long-most started moving to their new places of ministry that same afternoon.
Please pray for these young missionaries to adjust and thrive in the places God has put them. Please pray that their ministries will touch hundreds of lives.
