(Editor’s Note: This wonderful essay addresses a common experience for many Alongsiders when speaking of Jesus with Hindus. We had mentioned in the most recent Diya newsletter, sent last week, of an article coming soon. This is it! If you’re not receiving our Diya newsletter, you can sign up at the link on the bottom of this page.
This issue, and many others like it, will be discussed at this year’s Rethinking Forum in Los Angeles, CA, now happening in just three weeks! To learn more and to register, go here: 2026 Rethinking Forum.)
I’m sitting inside Kartik’s* (name changed for this story) cubicle at his office. A place I have been many times over the course of our friendship. We met at the CrossFit gym across the street. We have enjoyed several tough workouts together, and a bond has been forged. What began at the gym has grown toward a deeper friendship. We have met outside the gym many times, attended parties or celebrations together, I have met his wife and family, and we have even gone on a group trip together. Throughout our friendship I have shared about my devotion to Jesus in various ways and invited him to explore faith with me. We have done pooja (literally, “worship”) to Jesus, sang bhajans (literally, a “devotional song”), and prayed in His name.
Kartik is a very respectful and reverent person. He studied in the UK and became very familiar with Jesus. From the first time I shared my experiences with Jesus he said solemnly, “I always bow down to any god. Be it Jesus or anyone.” As our relationship has grown and I have shared more and more, his response has remained consistent. Two nights ago (from the time of this writing) I shared a very detailed and thorough explanation of the message of Jesus. I concluded with, “We, of course, have talked about Guru Yeshuji a lot of times. Do you want to join me in really following Jesus?” He looked at me slightly surprised and responded, “of course! I am already following Yeshuji.” It was an answer I somewhat expected, but it didn’t stop a familiar question from bubbling up to the surface. That question was, “Uh oh, what now?”
Anyone who comes alongside Hindu friends will quickly discover that there is much to learn. Relational expectations, cultural nuances, and effective communication all need to grow and develop. Being an alongsider is truly a joy and privilege, but it will always require a learner’s mentality and a posture of curiosity. Even with our best foot forward, we often find ourselves unsure about the next step. But there is good news: this is totally normal and a part of the journey!
Given my recent experience with my friend Kartik, let’s explore this question: What do we do when our Hindu friend says, “Yes, of course, I am following Jesus!” but we are confident they have not yet fully grasped the meaning of Jesus’ message and the invitation to follow Him?
What do we do when our Hindu friend says, “Yes, of course, I am following Jesus!” but we are confident they have not yet fully grasped the meaning of Jesus’ message and the invitation to follow Him?
I personally have experienced this many times. It has often left me feeling confused and unsure where to go next. The hope for this article is to give some insight into why this may be happening and a potential response.
Grey is the new ‘Black’
If your home culture is a more ‘western’ or ‘individualistic’ culture like mine, you may tend to view the world from a more black-and-white perspective. We conceive many aspects of life in binary terms. The answer is ‘right or wrong’, the story was ‘accurate or inaccurate’, a person is a ‘believer or a unbeliever’. We, of course, can grasp the concept of ‘grey’ but our tendency is to assign things to either ‘black or white,’ ‘in or out,’ ‘right or wrong’.
People belonging to more ‘eastern’ cultures often have contrasting tendencies. They rarely are concerned with the abstract. They are often more concerned with relational equity and harmony. They typically value the concrete relationships in front of them more than the abstract concepts behind them. When they value your friendship, they try to relate to you on your terms. They seek to attach themselves to what you care about. So when they accurately perceive that your devotion to Jesus is important to you, they may say it’s also important to them. There is no intended deception from your friend. They genuinely value your friendship and opinion. They want to affirm the relationship by agreeing with you and maintaining relational harmony. They are happily living in the ‘grey’ even if you are desperate for the black and white. This can be one reason as to why your Hindu friend declares ‘Of course I am following Jesus!’ when you have your doubts. But take heart! It is a very good thing when your Hindu friend values your relationship. You clearly are doing something right!
Reverence for All and All for Reverence
Another reason you may have this experience is that most Hindus are very reverent. They often genuinely respect any scriptures, hymn books, philosophies, or religious figures. More than once, my non-Jesus-devoted Hindu friend has been offended in front of (or for) me by Hollywood media depicting Jesus in a disrespectful way. Several times I have seen a Jesus bhajan book accidentally fall to the ground and my Hindu friend frantically snatch it up and place it to his forehead as a sign of respect. Hindus really care and are very reverent.
Almost all of your Hindu friends have heard of Jesus in some way. Typically, Hindus agree that he is a positive character. They know that many people take Jesus’ name, and they generally think highly of him. So when we invite our friends to consider ‘following’ Jesus, they may be surprised and confused by the offer. In their mind, ‘following’ means simply agreeing with the positive teachings and values they have heard about Jesus. Of course they agree with Jesus’ teaching about loving the poor. Of course, they assent to a simple and humble life. These are also celebrated values in Hindu society.
As you ask your friend to consider this path, they may be thinking, “How could I not agree with Jesus? I want to be good to people and show respect. Why is my friend even asking me this question?” When we say ‘follow Jesus,’ we mean lordship. Your Hindu friend might be hearing ‘fanship’. To them, it may seem the invitation is to be a fan of Jesus, not a committed devotee. Again, there is no intentional deception on either side, just a difference in meanings for the English word “follow”.
When we say ‘follow Jesus,’ we mean lordship. Your Hindu friend might be hearing ‘fanship’. To them, it may seem the invitation is to be a fan of Jesus, not a committed devotee.
These two explanations represent two common reasons why this happens. What can we do about it? How can we move forward with our Hindu friend and communicate better?
Take Them At Their Word
When I first became an alongsider to Hindus, a mentor gave me some really helpful advice. He explained that typically in a western-centric ministry environment, we think of ministry as: sharing the gospel message, inviting our friend to put exclusive belief and trust in the God of the Bible through Jesus, and processing that message and invitation until our friend clearly and cleanly puts her exclusive faith in Lord Jesus. At that point (and only at that point), the discipleship process begins. In that worldview, evangelism and discipleship are distinct, mutually exclusive processes. Evangelism happens at the beginning, and only when evangelism successfully ends in a person’s salvation does the discipleship process begin. My mentor explained, however, that when we come alongside Hindus, those two processes are actually intertwined and entangled together. I remember his helpful punchline was “exclusivity is a discipleship issue, rather than an evangelism issue”.
With this in mind, I began to take my Hindu friends at their word when they tell me, “Yes, I am following Jesus”. I knew my Hindu friends very likely do not mean ‘absolute, exclusive devotion to Jesus and the God of the Bible.’ But I did consider it a very good sign and an invitation from my friend to continue our journey towards Jesus. I started treating them like a devotee to Jesus before they may actually be disciples of Lord Jesus.
You may be wondering, ‘What does this exactly look like?’ My suggestion: keep spending time building the relationship (sharing meals and chai times, visiting their home, accepting invitations to visit their family, etc.) Keep sharing the simple message of Jesus in many different ways using concrete examples and illustrations. Encourage them to explore and discuss the Scriptures with you. Ask them to help you understand what the Scriptures are saying. Encourage applying the Scriptures to your everyday lives. Encourage them to pray in the name of the Lord Jesus during your poojas or kirtans. And finally, encourage them to invite other people in their life to join you both in the journey towards Jesus.
As you do these things alongside your friend, you will be touching all the major categories of discipleship (word, prayer, fellowship, and outreach). You really are discipling your friend! Even if they are not yet a committed, exclusive devotee of Lord Jesus. Even though this process of overlapping discipleship and evangelism may feel strange to you, I’ve found it to be highly effective and enjoyable! This can lead to many hours of learning, growing, and understanding for all people involved. It will inevitably give your friend much more clarity about what it means to follow the Lord Jesus. And, as you continue in this process, your friend may respond in one of two ways.
The first is that as it becomes clear what it means to be fully devoted to Jesus as a bhakta (literally, “devotee”, with a very similar meaning as disciple), your friend may choose to exit the process. This is okay. They are deciding for themselves that they do not actually want to be Jesus’s disciple, rather than you deciding this or withholding it from them. The second way is that your friend may continue to respond favorably to the increasing commitment! They may realize with more clarity what Jesus’ invitation to them is. As they tell others about their faith journey, explore the Scriptures for themselves, and experience the presence of God in their life they may take God up on His offer. They will understand what it means to truly love and follow Jesus.
Conclusion
Walking alongside Hindus really is a joy and a privilege. The fact that it requires humility, a posture of learning, and adaptability is what makes it so. We will encounter many situations where we just don’t know what to do. When our friends mistake our invitation to Jesus, we don’t need to worry. Instead, we can remember that they value our friendship and demonstrate that by agreeing with our beliefs. That our Hindu friends naturally have a lot of reverence for any religious figure, including Jesus. And finally, we can remember that when they tell us they are following Jesus, we can take them at their word and begin the discipleship process along with them. As the process continues, the relationship will grow, and clarity about their commitment to Jesus will come.
