Because our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ has commanded us to preach the Gospel to all nations of the world, Asian Indian Ministry has taken responsibility to reach out to Asian Indians who have immigrated to the United States; especially those in the Chicago area. According to the 2007 census, there are 500,000 Asian Indians living in greater Chicago. Most are business people, professional workers and computer technicians. Still more are coming every day. Many are people who do not know Christ. Some are hostile to Christianity. These people bring their idol gods with them and they build their Hindu temples or they convert church buildings for their idol worship. All Christians in America have the great challenge of reaching these Asian Indians with the saving Gospel of Jesus Christ. With the power of the Holy Spirit, Asian Indian Christians living here in Chicago have accepted the responsibility under the leadership of this ministry and have taken on this great challenge.

I would like to share several examples of how we are reaching fellow Asian Indians here in the Chicago area. Recently, while I was talking to a Hindu friend about the Gospel, he told me that I did not know anything about the greatness of Hindu spirituality. I humbly recited a prayer from the Hindu Scriptures and asked him to explain to whom that prayer belongs. He told me the names of some gods. But the teachings and works of Hindu gods do not provide meaning for this simple prayer. I said the meaning of the prayer is this: “Lead me O Lord, from ignorance to knowledge, from darkness to light, from death to life.” And then from the Gospel of John, I explained to him about Jesus Christ - how He is the Light that leads us out of the darkness of sin, how He is the Truth who gives us the knowledge to know truth and spiritual wisdom and how He is the Life who brings us into eternal life, which they call mukthi or moksha. He then grabbed my New Testament and told me he wanted to read it. This is an example of how we are reaching our Hindu friends one by one

Here is another example: Two weeks ago while it was bitter cold, I went with a friend of mine to a Dunkin Donuts shop to have a cup of coffee. An Indian man was at the counter. I offered him a New Testament and asked if he would read it. He told me that he did not want it. I said, “It is free for you.” He raised his voice, “I don't want it!” I kept quiet then, but my friend said to him, “If you offered me a free coffee and I said 'No' to you, what would you think?” He said, “You are a fool.” Then my friend said, “We are offering you a free book that gives life, comfort and peace and you don't want it?” The guy smiled at us and said, “OK, I will take it.” I told him to not just take it, but that he should read it. He said, “OK.” As we finished, I said that we would come back the next week and if he had not read the book, we would ask for it back. The following week we were there again. He brought the book to us and we thought he was giving it back. He was tapping on the book with his right hand as he said, “I am reading, every day, this book; I will not go to my bed without reading; it gives me peace of mind.” Wow, what a great job! We are amazed to see such work of the Holy Spirit. We spent some time with him, talking about Jesus Christ.

This is the ministry that we ask you to support with your prayers and with your contributions. We are not looking for large numbers in our Sunday worship. We are looking for people to find Christ. Some of the people who brought idols from India, when they return to India are now taking Christ back with them to their relatives and neighbors. We praise God that today Christians in India have increased to 6.5%. When I was in India fifteen years ago, Christians were only 2.5% percent of the Indian population. Moreover, according to Indian Evangelical Mission, there are more non-baptized Christians in India regularly attending Sunday worship than baptized Christians. That's why, in some parts of India, the Hindu fundamentalists are very angry and are persecuting Christians. God is working in many Asian Indians, even in those who do not want Him, and He is bringing them to Christ and to the Light of the Gospel

Bethesda Lutheran School is doing a wonderful job of giving admission and providing considerable help with fees to the children of these kinds of families. These children learn about Christ in their early years and become lovers of the Bible. Our prayer is that they will continue to follow the Holy Spirit's guidance in the saving knowledge when they grow up. I recommend that all of our Lutheran Schools follow this model, give admission to such children of non-Christians, and provide them significant help with their fees.

Asian Indian Ministry is committed to reach Hindus and Muslims of India who are living in the Chicago area, with the Gospel of Christ. However, we are facing extremely limited financial resources. We need your prayerful support and financial help to continue this great work of Christ. Our English District LCMS has agreed to match all gifts to this ministry, up to a total of $8,000.00. Along with a gift now, would you please prayerfully consider a yearly gift.
WE WISH YOU A HAPPY AND PROSPEROUS NEW YEAR 2009 May the Lord bless you and give you His Spirit to use for His kingdom.

Please make your check payable to: Bethesda Lutheran Church. On the Memo line write: AIMS (Asian Indian Mission Society). Mail your gift to: Asian Indian Ministry, Bethesda Lutheran Church, 6803 N. Campbell Ave, Chicago, IL 60645. Thank you for your support!