Alongside

This was something that happened pretty early in my ministry life. I was working with the Jesus film project in a city in South India;  supervising few of the teams there. Being a novice with no idea of cross cultural realities but full of enthusiasm and energy the only thing that was in my mind was do something for God. It was one of those days when a well known Pastor in the city approached and asked me if we can screen a Jesus film show in a village in the outskirts of the city where his church was involved in outreach.  We agreed and on that day I went along with the pastor for the show. There were around 200 people who had gathered for the show and the villagers were pretty excited, that evening we saw many people coming to know Jesus and accepting Him. This was late night and after the show one of the village elders wanted all of us to have dinner in his house before we leave. We wanted to somehow get back home but to our dismay the pastor accepted the offer, so we ha...

Missions is going through a paradigm shift, a field that has been  in the last 40 years  predominantly played by the big and small mission organizations, churches and  mega churches , evangelists, tele-evangelists and full time missionaries till now, is going through a silent but distinct shift to the common lay believer. Recently I was listening to the transformational story of a young engineer from a non-Christian background and he told me that he came to know Jesus and became his follower because one of his team members who was a follower of Jesus, lived out Christ in his work place. His life, words and attitude attracted this engineer to him and that guy took the initiative to introduce Christ to him. This is happening all around us in rapidly increasing frequencies especially in the work places, in IT and other professional sector, in business domains and among students in schools and colleges where the disciples of Jesus are becoming witnesses of the L...

We are inching closer to the end of another eventful year with some of us still wondering, “What! So fast! It seemed just like yesterday that we began the New Year.” As 2015 rushes past us and as we are ushered in to another new year with no idea of what is in store for us, there are things that have happened this year that has shaken us, tugged at our hearts and few things that have  encouraged us but most of it has been shocking, disturbing and painful. Unimaginable violence, bloodshed and destruction to the scale that has not been witnessed since the last world war has passed before our eyes as if in a silver screen. Hatred, intolerance and fanaticism is alarmingly rising in societies that has lived in harmony and togetherness for decades. Millions of people have been killed in wars, terrorism and violence mainly related to religion and fundamentalism last year. Thousands have been uprooted and displaced from their countries and their homes to become refugees fleeing to un...

Humanity where is thy heart, seeing you don't see, hearing yet don't hear, The cries of men dying in hundreds, tortured, slit and murdered,  Wailing women raped, enslaved, degraded beyond animals, Children maimed and killed, eyes filled with fear and dread, far away from home and security,  Blood flowing in streams, innocent blood of people who wished  a simple life and small dreams,  Yet torn apart and destroyed for no fault of theirs, humanity where art thou, don't you see!  Murderers with blood dripping from their hands, roaming like wild hordes of hyenas, Eyes blood shot with cries of Gods who needs to be defended and satiated by the blood of innocent humans,  What kind of a God is he who needs a defence from mortal humans, What kind of a God is he who offers paradise in return for a fellow creatures life, Does God delight in the blood of His own creation, does he delight ...

Wow! This is a word that we women (guess some men too) are sometimes so caught up with. Trying to be the perfect girl, teenager, lady, wife, daughter-in law, mother and what not, has always been the dream of many . And if you are any thing like me then its just another impossible dream like many others. I have read umpteen number of books on 'How to' but all that it sounded in my ears while reading them was "BORING". My! it does ring quite loud too. Sorry, maybe it just too much information for me to handle. You know, as a person I just like to see the books not that neatly aligned,love to wear that crumpled shirt or build a tent under the dining table for my kids to play with.I  just love to live life just as it comes. But alas the world doesn't go that way. You need to be in time for meetings,you are expected to be prim and proper and not climb trees when you are forty, sent kids to school on time, take care of meals, keep a good house, fulfill all your family ...

The recent hue and cry over conversion has managed to garner national attention. Conversion has become a contentious issue with re-conversions and a sudden suspicious call being given by some parties for a national debate on it and passing an anti-conversion bill all across India. Why is it such an emotive and contentious issue? Why is there so much insecurity and fear when the word conversion is mentioned? Freedom of religion is enshrined as a fundamental right in our constitution, the right to practice, profess and propagate any religion of our choice is a fundamental right of every citizen in this country. There are specific laws in the Indian penal code against any misuse or fraudulent means or forceful conversion. Over and above this to bring a blanket ban on conversion is infringing on the individuals fundamental rights and it goes against the secular and democratic credentials of this nation. To paint all conversions happening in this country as induced and fraudulent is...

One of the earliest memories of Christmas deeply etched in my memory is the Christmas celebration at my ancestral home. My grandfather would organize a big celebration on the Christmas day, starting off the day with an early church service followed by the festivities culminating in a big meal. Many of my relatives would be invited, the house would be filled with uncles, aunts and cousins running around. But the most memorable aspect of the day was that he would not forget to invite all the workers and helpers who had been involved with him in some way or the other over the years. Most of them were from the lower strata of the society, they would come as whole families, they were given gifts and new dress and were treated to a sumptuous meal. He would oversee all this with a large heart and at the end of the day he would slump into his reclining chair with a look of satisfaction and fulfillment written all over his face Very early in my life this was ingrained in my psyche that C...