Indian believers desperately need discipleship — but the time is short
December 16th, 2025
In India, many people are coming to Christ after experiencing signs and wonders. Now, these believers urgently need to be discipled to help them stay strong amidst growing persecution and false teaching.
Why Indian believers need discipleship
Mark Sudhir, CRI India Coordinator, explained that many Indian believers are untrained in how to read their Bibles, listen to the Holy Spirit, or have a personal relationship with Jesus. As a result, there is often no change to their lifestyles after conversion. It also makes them susceptible to the large number of cults and false teachers who preach in the name of Jesus in India.
Indian believers pray together at a Set Free! Retreat
According to Mark, there's another reason why the Indian Church needs discipleship — increasing persecution. Christians in India have freedom of religion according to their constitution, but not in practice. In reality, pastors are regularly arrested for praying publicly, church services are mobbed and vandalised, missionaries are often denied Visas, and false rumours are spread about the Church.
This persecution has given us greater urgency to bring Church Renewal International (CRI) into India, as we don’t know when their doors will be completely closed.
Bringing renewal to the Indian Church
To support these Indian believers who are facing opposition and lacking discipleship, CRI is ministering with the help of our four CRI India coordinators. These coordinators are our “boots on the ground” in the country, leading mentoring groups, translating materials, and running retreats.
A group of Indian pastors attend a CRI presentation
As a result of this work, Indian believers are learning to have a personal relationship with God and hear his voice, find freedom from their sins, and study the Word more deeply. These practices help their faith remain strong in the face of the great persecution and deception that is happening in India.
Watch Mark give a firsthand account of the challenges Indian Christians are facing, why he feels urgency to expand CRI in his country, and how CRI is discipling church leaders.
December prayer request
The time window to minister freely in India is closing fast. Pray for our coordinators to have wisdom, favour, and courage as they work to expand CRI.