MARG Network

Transition is the word I would use to describe the essence of my experience as a discipleship entrepreneur who functions at the discipleship periphery. I would have never dreamed that would be the case but how to deal with change in a healthy way has been the most important, and difficult, thing I have had…

There is no simple formula that explains human relationships. Why some relationships seem natural and easy while others are strained and difficult cannot be easily understood, and certainly cannot be worked into a universal formula. Relational complexity only increases when extending beyond two people to group dynamics. These rather obvious observations need to be front…

How many people do you see in this picture? Most people would say, “one”. But if you are going to succeed as an Alongsider, you should get used to seeing at least a hundred people in this picture. Parents, grandparents, aunties, uncles, neighbors, siblings, cousins, bosses, and classmates are all the invisible forces that govern…

One of the more unexpected discoveries I have made as I experience life at the discipleship periphery is the frequency and intensity of discouragement that all of us feel. Being a disciple and extending discipleship to others “out here” can be a heavy burden to bear. Most of us go through nagging seasons of fear…

“What must I believe in order to be saved?” “That Jesus died for your sins.” Those are the usual evangelistic questions and answers. Both are sub-biblical. Let’s look at one evangelistic encounter that is close to this question and answer, in Acts 16:31-32. (The jailer in Philippi brought out Paul and Silas) “and said, ‘Men…

Can you remember when the Good News message of Jesus really made sense to you? What do you remember? How did you feel? For me I remember experiencing peace, understanding, love, forgiveness, acceptance, and hope. Naturally, we would want others to experience something similar in a relationship with Jesus. But what if what is Good…

In one of my favorite photos, I am shown in the arrival area of Los Angeles International airport (LAX) surrounded by 18 Indians who have just arrived to begin their studies at a local university. The students were all coming to study electrical engineering or computer science master’s degrees. Sixteen were on one flight and…

Being an Alongsider requires paying close attention to others, and cultivating a deep understanding of their thoughts and feelings, worldview and interests.   Jesus in Action   Jesus was a master of relationships, and the account of his timeless dialogue with the woman at the well is very instructive in this context. I will comment…

In this article I am using “Christian” as it is used in India–one born into the Christian religious community. My use also includes non-Indians (i.e. Americans, etc) who follow Christ. This article is based largely on Dr. J. Paul Pennington’s chapter on Cultural Separatism in his book Christian Barriers to Jesus.   Many Christians, including…

Is faith fixed or fluid? Is faith a journey or a point? What does it mean to follow Lord Jesus in the various seasons of life? In an upcoming session at the Rethinking Forum, we plan to explore what it means to live in the freedom of Lord Jesus when our faith shifts, when we…

In North America, we are pretty far removed from what life was like in biblical times. Everything from our customs, daily habits, and even mindset make it very hard to put ourselves in the cultural context of the Bible. However, that’s not true everywhere. The majority of the world population and the majority of Christians…

Central Kerala is the one place in India that there has been a lasting mass movement to Christianity among a high caste group. The Syrian Orthodox Church and its evangelical offspring, the Mar Thoma Church, trace their origins to the apostle Thomas. The group came under the influence of the Eastern Orthodox Church and from…

When a satsang is demonstrated to Christians who are interested in walking alongside Hindus, many respond with the following questions: Can I get the song list from this? Can you teach me how to lead a satsang? Can we practice breaking the coconut so I know how to do it? Once equipped with the resources…

Editor’s Note: We are excited about the recent release of Dr. Paul Pennington’s book, “Christian Barriers to Jesus”. You can get a copy through the William Carey Library, Amazon, Pothi (India Only), and even Walmart :-). Follow with Paul here.    Dr. Paul Pennington has written a valuable book about the Christian-Non-Christian interface in India….

Editor’s Note: We’ve featured this book earlier, but wanted to also share this review from HL Richard.    Disciple Making among Hindus: Making Authentic Relationships Grow by Timothy Shultz (Pasadena: William Carey Library, 2016) reviewed by H. L. Richard This book is short and in simple and clear English directly makes its points; yet it…

Songs have been an essential element in the life of the individual disciple and in the life of the local congregation. Songs stir up a person’s heart to adoration of God. They also have a powerful influence on gathering a group of people together and developing a unified spirit of worship. The Bible clearly reflects…

During most of my time walking alongside international students from all over the world, I have told others how wonderful it is to not have to worry about learning another language. Since international students have to demonstrate proficiency in English prior to coming to the U.S., I can communicate with them in English. I had…

As I visited an older Sikh gentleman in my California city we discussed a number of topics, but were focused mainly on the Bible, Christ, and his Sikh family and traditions. He was familiar with Christianity from his days living in Punjab, India, and was very positive about it. He even seemed to portray himself…

  Editor’s note: This article was written by Swami Dayanand Bharati, a Hindu sannyasi who follows Muktinath [read below] as his guru. This article was written for another publication in 2009, but has been edited and republished here with permission. You can see more of Swamiji’s writings here.   Hindus and the Bible is a…

As Christians first interact with Hindu believers practicing their faith in contextual ways, some see a problem with it. When bhaktas chant, wear a tilak, light lamps, etc., some people begin to question whether it is ‘right’. For these people, they feel it would be much safer to stay with the default version of Christianity,…

Recently I read an article from Hinduism Today where the Hindu author described a fairly common Christian practice at universities. Christians are taught to befriend Hindus and then try to get them increasingly connected to Christian activities, then Bible studies, then eventually conversion. “The subtle conversion program,” he opened, “which Christians call ‘friendship evangelism’ is…

  In The Other One Percent: Indians in America, published late in 2016, three Indian American professors make a case that the immigration of Indians to the U.S. is unmatched in history by any immigrant group coming to any country in the world. Their data and observations confirm what many experience as they encounter increasing…

As with most things when Christians walk alongside Hindus, the use of scripture is as complex as it is vital. It is complex because Hindus interpret what they read in the Bible without any Christian assumptions. But it is vital because their experience of Jesus needs to be clarified by the truth of the gospel…

The term ‘bhakta’ means ‘devotee.’ I use the term ‘Jesu Bhakta’ to refer to a devotee of Jesus who follows Jesus on a path in accordance with traditional Hindu beliefs and practices. There are many statistical and sociological research studies of this phenomenon.1 Some estimates say there are around ten million nationally. Jesu Bhaktas primarily…

The following is a slightly edited excerpt taken from HL Richard’s article entitled “Cultivating Reticence” (available here).   This paper is suggestive rather than prescriptive and seeks to introduce a change of perspective in those who seek to convey biblical teaching to Hindus. Four core issues in biblical understanding will be briefly considered. Thinking and…

Over the holidays, a friend called me and asked if she could say “Merry Christmas” to a Hindu business client. She was worried that she might unknowingly offend him.   Another friend wrote and was puzzled what to say to a Hindu work colleague who regularly visits synagogues, churches, and Hindu temples. The colleague was…

This is a summary of Herbert Hoefer’s article entitled “Rooted or Uprooted:  The Necessity of Contextualization in Missions” (Int’l. Journal of Frontier Missions, July-Sept. 2007).   In a previous article, I discussed the authorization the first church council gave for contextualization. Yet, we see in the biblical account that this decision did not settle the matter…

Hindus are a very socially tolerant and forgiving people. Many alongsiders can tell endless stories of how they have been forgiven for a major faux pas. However, like all people, there are certain things that are harder to swallow than others. Most of these will look like simple cultural differences on the outside, but that…

Many in the traditional churches of India and the West have been offended by the celebration of the Maha Prasad among Jesu Bhaktas. This criticism has arisen because of a fundamental misunderstanding of what the Maha Prasad is. It is not a celebration of the Lord’s Supper; it is its own thing.   Christian Views…

Kalagara Subba Rao (1912-1981): Christo-Centric Avoidance of Church and Christianity K. Subba Rao was a Kamma from Andhra Pradesh. He grew up as a cynic against religion and led a rebellious life against religion and religious leaders. He managed to get an education and a job as a teacher, and married in 1937. His dissolute…

Manilal C. Parekh (1885-1967): Moving beyond the Church, Christianity and Christo-Centrism   Manilal C. Parekh was a Gujarati from a family that was traditionally Jain, but his father converted to Vaishnavism and Krishna bhakti. Through a friend he became attracted to Christ by reading The Imitation of Christ. When he learned about Keshab Chandra Sen…

Editor’s Note: We have adopted the term ‘Alongsider’ to describe someone who wants to help Hindus explore what devotion to Jesus means. The foundation for this term comes from a paper written by HL Richard, which in turn was based on a paper by John and Anna Travis. You can read HL Richard’s complete article…

Narayan Vaman Tilak (1868-1919): A Christo-Centric Move beyond the Church and Christianity When Ramabai published the first collection of Christian bhajans she included a few of her own publications but relied mainly on the work of Narayan Vaman Tilak. Tilak grew up under the influence of the Marathi bhakti saints, known to the world through…

Editor’s Note: This continues our series on biographies of Hindus of the past who joined the Indian church. Living with the Tension of Conflicting Heritages Pandita Ramabai’s story is widely known, but has also been surrounded with myths and exaggerations. This brief account will try to clear some of the fog and raise some of…

When we think about making new friends cross-culturally, it is important to come into the relationship as a learner. You have to put everything aside that you already know or think you know as you step into this new friend’s life. I am reminded of how Jesus approached Zaccheus in Luke 19. Zaccheus was a…

Can you live as a bhakta of Jesus as part of a group that worships other gods? Does your very presence in these worship contexts compromise your devotion? Can you participate in family and community religious functions even when others know you don’t believe as they do? Is it better to feign participation to avoid…

Editor’s note: We are starting a series of five brief but very interesting and significant biographies of Hindus from the past who joined the Indian church.    Kali Charan Banurji (1847-1907): Restarting the Church in the Hindu Context Kali Charan Banurji was a Kulin Brahmin Bengali who was born in Jabalpur in M.P. where his…

Whether it’s the family next door, a new coworker at the office, or a mother you see routinely at the local library, many people have trouble making an initial connection with newcomers, especially if that person is from a different culture. You want to be polite, but you can’t seem to get much beyond “Hello.”…

Editor’s Note: This article is one of the best answers to the very tricky question, “What is Hinduism?” It is a great foundation for any Alongsider’s understanding. It originally appeared in the Journal of Advent Mission Studies and is republished here with permission. Richard, H.L. “Counting Hinduism.” Journal of Adventist Mission Studies. 9 no. 1…

What Commands to Obey? The Bible is full of God-given commands. There are 613 commands in the Pentateuch, all of which are taken seriously by pious Jews. But Christians have tended to dismiss the ceremonial and civil laws, with only the moral Old Testament laws accepted. “Christ is the end of the law” (Rom 10:4)…

As the gospel has moved into different cultures, it has adapted. The core message of Christ puts on flesh and blood and incarnates in different ways into different societies.   Christianity in North America Most modern evangelical North American churches have these hallmarks: The defining criteria of community is geographic location Teaching is systematic and…

You don’t know anything. This is the single most important mantra to keep in mind when you are walking alongside Hindus. With every interaction, you start at zero. Every person is unique and has an individual story. What you learned from a previous interaction may have absolutely no application with the current person you are…

  I recently visited some Indian students at their campus. Many Indian students live in apartments close to their college or university because dorms are relatively expensive. Also (and potentially more important), dorms don’t normally have individual kitchens that can be used for cooking Indian dishes, which is essential for life far from home. I was…

Over the past few years I have talked with a number of believers who wanted to engage with Hindu co-workers, neighbors, or students. Many of them get acquainted and then rush into a Bible study as soon as possible. Within a short time, the friendship diminishes and the relationship has no foundation. The urge to…