Pray & Fast for Christian Influence Upon India's Media and the Progress of the Gospel Among India's Unreached

Science popularizer, Carl Sagan, once referred to the media industry as a “celebration of ignorance.” He echoes American humorist, Will Rogers, who quipped, “All I know is what I read in the papers, and that’s an alibi for my ignorance.”

In 1962, President John Kennedy stated, “A nation that is afraid to let its people judge the truth and falsehood in an open market is a nation that is afraid of its people.”

Someone else has said, “Whoever controls the media controls the mind.”

Today, in India, millions of minds are deliberately being influenced by lies, ignorance and the absence of truth.

In recent months, 60 Indian journalists have disappeared for daring to criticize the Indian government. Indian bureaucrats have increased pressures upon writers and reporters who take seriously Indian constitutional guarantees of freedom of speech. Not long ago, a well-known Indian intellectual was assassinated in his home after he publicly dared to call into question the worship of idols.

With its secular values, Hollywood exerts a tremendous influence over America’s youth. In India, the world’s largest lm production studio is found in Hyderabad. Both lm industries peddle world views opposed to the gospel of Jesus Christ. Since 60% of India’s population is under 25, we face a battle for the minds of the next generation.

What can we Christians do about this? We do not have the billions of dollars (or rupees) to counter such massive, anti- Christian industries, but we do have God, who has given us the gift of prayer.

Jesus invites us to pray for big things: “If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. My Father is glorified by this, that you bear much fruit, and so prove to be My disciples” (John 15:7-8). Paul tells us that God is “able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think” (Ephesian 3:20).

Our problem is not that we ask God for too much, but we insult Him by asking for too little. Do we really believe God is greater than the largely pagan media industry? Do we really believe God has called Christian men and women to become salt and light in media and communications? Then we must let our prayers reflect this conviction.

I invite you to join with us this February as we pray for India’s media industry and India Gospel Outreach’s role in helping to enlarge Christian influence in the media to influence young minds for the true and living God of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

Pray also for the progress of the gospel in India’s states.

Pray, knowing that our God is able. Pray, and expect great things from God.

T. Valson Abraham

Below, population figures come from India’s 2011 census. Christian population figures come from Operation World, from best estimates of Christian workers in those areas. Find states and territories on the map at the bottom of the page.