(Editor’s Note:  The annual Rethinking Forum conference is happening this July 16th to 18th, 2026, in Los Angeles, CA!  Sign up now to lock in an early registration discount before prices rise.  A few things to note:

• Both in-person (overnight lodging and commuter) and digital (Zoom) registrations are available.  
• Everyone who registers (both digital and in-person) will have access to recordings of the sessions after the conference.
• A number of fun things are planned this year, including a catered Indian buffet and exciting evening activities including the fourth annual RF town hall!

We hope you will decide to join us at the 2026 Rethinking Forum!)

What is the Rethinking Forum Like?

Last year, I attended the Rethinking Forum (RF) in person for the first time. Having previously watched RF online, I really looked forward to being in person and learning from men and women who have being walking alongside Hindus for many years, and in many diverse contexts. Having moved into a South Asian neighborhood about three years ago, I have found the Rethinking Forum and MARG Network community I have met to be a rich source of learning and support for me as I grow as an alongsider. Here are three things that deeply impacted me during my first Rethinking Forum.

Tone of Humility and Curiosity 

First, the most impactful thing about my experience at RF was the tone of humility and curiosity. With the theme of “Hindus and the Church” at the 2025 Rethinking Forum, you can imagine that the wide range of theological convictions among the participants could easily spark disagreements, but that was not the case at RF. The tone of curiosity and humility from the beginning set the stage for honoring everyone’s journey and background, whether they’ve been on the journey for months or years. No one claimed to have the right “strategy” to adopt. There were no wrong questions to ask, and “I don’t know; you’ll have to pray and discern what the Lord is inviting you into” was an acceptable and honoring answer.

This tone of humility and curiosity has carried over into my relationships with my Hindu friends. It’s helped me to ask better questions and enter into their cultural customs as a learner with authenticity. I find myself quick to listen and slow to speak as my Hindu friends share their spiritual journeys. It’s opened doors for them to be curious about my own spiritual journey as someone who is devoted to Lord Jesus. 

Range of Diverse Experiences and Topics

Attending RF was like going to a buffet (in fact, we had an Indian buffet as one of the meals!). Like a buffet table covered with many different kinds of foods to feast on, RF offered a very wide spread of topics and people to learn from. And with the beautiful diversity of the Hindu world, there were a lot of diverse contexts represented! There were people in attendance who were newcomers like myself, as well as people who have been alongsiders for over forty years. There were Indian Christian pastors, expats from India, Hindu Yeshu bhaktas (literally, “devotees of Jesus”), international students, and people immersed in Hindu diaspora communities both in the US and across the world. I heard a wide spectrum of presentations, just some of which are listed below so as to give a snapshot of the many conversations that took place:

• • • Eight “Field Reports” of Different Churches Walking alongside Hindu People
    • My Story as a 2nd Generation Hindu in America – Family and Following Jesus
    • Challenges that Indian Christians and Indian Churches Face in Relating with Hindus
    • Things Christians Say that Are Offensive to Hindus
    • Alongsiding as Hindus Create New Jesus Worship Materials

Like a buffet, there was much to take in, and it left me feeling very “full” with many ideas to take back to my neighborhood of Hindu friends. Hearing testimonies expanded my imagination of how Jesus reveals Himself and invites Hindus to follow Him. RF has helped me see how experience, as opposed to mere dialogue, can be meaningful in the life of my Hindu friends. I am growing in being a non-anxious witness with my friends as they discover who Lord Jesus is for themselves. 

Part of a Global Community

Lastly, being together matters. Attending RF deepened friendships with fellow alongsiders in my city and began new connections with others scattered around the world. I found comfort and reassurance that I’m not all alone as I live in this little bubble that is my neighborhood by myself. I get to be part of this grander, beautiful, global tapestry of people who desire to see the Lord Jesus worshipped throughout the Hindu world. 

I highly recommend attending the Rethinking Forum. You will be stretched and encouraged, and you will walk away with gratitude and in awe of the glorious, mysterious, transforming power of Lord Jesus in the Hindu world.