If you have a passion for spreading the Gospel, India is one of the most critical mission fields — and now is a key time to support Mission India as they touch kids’ hearts.

(Photo courtesy of Mission India)

Raina Miller with Mission India says, “Giving Tuesday falls during our 10-Day Children’s Bible Club matching challenge, so it’s a great time to take advantage of that…. Every dollar that you give to 10-Day Children’s Bible Clubs is currently being doubled — so $1 is doubled to reach two children with the good news of Jesus!”

India is home to 1.4 billion people, and 96% have never heard the Gospel. Mission India works with local Christian partners for these Children’s Bible Clubs — even as believers face intense persecution.

“India is actually the 11th most dangerous nation in the world for Christians,” Miller explains. “There are people who are ostracized from their communities, they are facing violence, they’re facing intimidation in all different forms for following Christ…. And yet, we’re finding that the more persecution increases, the more the Church grows.”

(Photo courtesy of Mission India)

You can donate to Mission India’s 10-Day Children’s Bible Clubs today at www.missionindia.org/double.

This Giving Tuesday, help make an eternal difference for children in India.

Miller also asks, “Pray that the kids who are reached through the Bible Clubs that are being sponsored during this match would have their hearts changed in a way that pushes them to lead others to Christ as well. [Pray] that it just creates a domino effect where the kids reached through this match then go on to reach entire communities!”

Header photo courtesy of Mission India.

John Pudaite, President of Bibles For The World (BFTW), says, “The [Indian] government came out for the first time with a blanket statement saying that any organization that has been involved in illegal activities will not be renewed, and this includes illegal religious conversion activities.”

In 2021, organizations were required to submit FCRA renewal applications by the end of December. Nearly three years later, thousands of renewal cases are still open and awaiting a decision. The tightening FCRA restrictions could harm these cases.

“Out of the 3,000 or so cases that are still pending, I would estimate that 80-90% of those are Christian churches and ministries,” Pudaite says.

(Photo courtesy of Bibles For The World)

The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has outlined 17 reasons for denying or canceling FCRA registrations. These include accusations of forceful religious conversions, diverting funds for anti-development activities, links with radical organizations, and failure to file annual reports. NGOs whose operations are deemed to affect “social or religious harmony” are also at risk of cancellation.

For BFTW and others, the uncertainty makes it hard to coordinate long-term ministry.

“It’s very difficult to work with partners and try to do any kind of planning for any types of projects or extended outreaches or whatever it may be…when you’re never sure if you’re going to be granted the FCRA registration. You’re just kind of living every three months at a time,” Pudaite explains.

Respond This Giving Tuesday

Children in India read the Bible in their heart language. (Photo courtesy of Bibles For The World)

Today marks Giving Tuesday in the United States, and Christians worldwide are encouraged to act. Generous giving today to ministries like BFTW can help sustain their vital work amidst growing restrictions.

BFTW continues to distribute Bibles, support education, sponsor children, and provide healthcare for the people of India in Jesus’s name.

Click here to support BFTW’s critical ministry!

Additionally, Pudaite asks, “Pray that the Christians here, especially those involved in running organizations that have been receiving foreign contribution, may be strong through this time….  Pray that the government may look at these applications as objectively as possible and see the good work that is being done by so many organizations here that are benefiting the poor [and] disadvantaged people here.”

Header photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons, https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:State_Bank_of_India,_Chandni_Chowk.JPG

Greg Yoder, Executive Director of Keys for Kids, says, “We literally have kids that want to know spiritual truth in Pakistan – Christian and Muslim families! And the only thing holding us back is not having the funds.

“It just got me thinking, wow, we have the cure. If we had the cure for cancer, we would be providing this and money would be flowing in. But we have the cure for eternal life, and yet we don’t have the funds.”

(Photo of a boy in Pakistan with a Storyteller, courtesy of Keys for Kids Ministries)

Keys for Kids has translated Storyteller content into Urdu for distribution in Pakistan. Many Pakistani kids have to work to help provide for the family and they are unable to read. Biblical audio stories are a critical way to connect with these children and their families and introduce them to Jesus.

As word-of-mouth spreads, the demand for more Storytellers is growing!

Christian partners in Pakistan tell Keys for Kids they literally can’t keep Storytellers on the shelves, they go so quickly.

“As we’re hearing these stories from our friends there…they said, ‘We don’t have any more in inventory in the Urdu language,'” Yoder says. “I’m thinking to myself, ‘Why? Why is this?’ It’s simply, we don’t have the money. That’s the bottom line.”

The ministry knows one Pakistani pastor who says he could easily distribute 600 Storytellers per month, if only he could continue to get them.

Yoder explains, “One hundred and fifty people generally, on average, will listen to a Storyteller…. I mean, think about that – 600 [Storytellers] times 150 is 90,000 people; 90,000 people times 12 [months] is one million people!”

If just 20 churches, businesses, or individuals gave $500 a month to Keys for Kids, one million people in Pakistan would hear the Gospel over the next year.

Keys for Kids also plans to translate Storyteller audio content into Pashto for distribution in neighboring Afghanistan.

Give any amount today at the Keys for Kids website!

Yoder also asks, “Pray that somehow, beyond whatever we could ask or imagine, God would provide funding in the most amazing way, that we could see not only Pakistan but Afghanistan reached for the Gospel.”

Header photo courtesy of Keys for Kids Ministries.

This Giving Tuesday, what better mission to support than one sharing the Gospel with unreached kids?

(Photo courtesy of Mission India)

Mission India is raising support for their 10-Day Children’s Bible Clubs in India, and there’s a unique opportunity to stretch your dollar even farther for the Great Commission in this key country.

Regan Miller with Mission India says, “We actually have friends of Mission India that have offered to match gifts toward 10-Day Bible Clubs, up to $550,000.

“One dollar normally reaches one child with the Gospel through this program, which is already incredible. But with the match, $1 is doubled to reach two children!”

India has the most unreached people groups in the world. So it’s no surprise “many of these kids that we’re reaching through this program have never heard of [Jesus] before,” says Miller. “So they’re hearing about Jesus for the first time and it is so cool to see how that changes their lives and changes their families.”

Where else can you do that much with just $1?

(Photo courtesy of Mission India)

Miller says, “If you want to impact 200 kids, you give $100! If you do the math, it’s just crazy to see how far your gifts can go.”

Give to Mission India’s matching challenge here!

Your gift means Indian children like Afreen get to hear about Jesus Christ’s love in a 10-Day Bible Club — maybe for the first time in their lives.

Miller says, “She got to go through a gift of $1 from somebody, just like the dollar that you can give now during our matching challenge. She loved it…and at the end of the 10-Day Bible Club, she responded to the Gospel and received salvation!

“She still lives in this community where it’s not accepted to be a Christian in many homes, so she actually has not yet told her parents that she believes in Jesus. Even though her parents don’t know, and even though she thinks they might not agree with her decision to follow Him, she is choosing Jesus and that’s really exciting.

“We are just praying with Afreen that she can witness to her parents and that she can boldly proclaim her faith and that her parents will come to know Him too.”

Please pray also for Mission India’s leaders to have wisdom and guidance as they launch Bible Clubs across India.

Header photo courtesy of Mission India.

Mission India operates 10-Day Children’s Bible Clubs across India, sharing the Good News of Jesus Christ with kids who have never heard of Him.

Now is a critical window of time to get involved! Starting today through December 31st, Mission India is featuring a $540,000 matching challenge for donations to their 10-Day Children’s Bible Clubs.

(Photo courtesy of Mission India)

With Giving Tuesday tomorrow in the United States, maybe you’re trying to think of where to send your financial gift that will make a significant Gospel difference. This is it!

Normally, just $1 will send one child in India to a 10-Day Bible Club. But during Mission India’s matching challenge, every donation will be matched by a generous donor up to $540,000. So $1 would cover attendance at a 10-Day Bible Club for two kids!

Bartholomew* with Mission India says, “With these 10-Day Bible Clubs, it’s basically Vacation Bible School on steroids. We want to hit this matching challenge of $540,000 because if we do, over 1 million kids will be able to attend a Children’s Bible Club coming up next summer.”

The 10-Day Children’s Bible Clubs are operated by local Indian believers who pour into these kids with God’s love — teaching them Bible stories, singing Gospel songs, and providing a safe place for fun and friendship.

Every year, more and more Indian kids are starting relationships with Jesus Christ through these 10-Day Bible Clubs.

(Photo courtesy of Mission India)

But it doesn’t just change the life of that child. “The more kids that will be allowed to go to these 10-Day Bible Clubs, the generational change that you are giving the opportunity to in the nation of India is…just amazing,” Bartholomew says. “They go back to their families and tell their families about Jesus. As they grow up, they lead their families in the ways of Jesus.”

If you want to support Mission India’s 10-Day Children’s Bible Clubs during the matching challenge this Giving Tuesday, click here to donate!

Whether or not you are able to give, now is also a critical time to pray for the nation of India. So please, pray for these kids!

Bartholomew says, “India is one of the youngest nations in the world…. So we would just ask that people would pray over these children as they go through struggles of poverty, lack of education, lack of really a home life, that you would just lift them up in prayer that they would find peace and confidence and support and grace through the love of Jesus.”

*Last name omitted for security purposes.

Header photo courtesy of Mission India.

But what about those who don’t yet know Jesus? What are you willing to do to get the Gospel to unreached people?

Mission Aviation Fellowship (MAF) uses aircraft to fly into remote and unreached areas with aid, resources, medical transports, and spiritual hope.

(Photo courtesy of Mission Aviation Fellowship)

Nathan Jones, MAF’s media marketing coordinator says, “MAF was started just over 76 years ago, by former World War II pilots, and we use small specialized aircraft to reach isolated villages around the world. We’re in a bunch of different countries in Asia, in Africa, as well as in Latin America. We use small specialized aircraft to make it accessible for isolated villages to be impacted by the love of Jesus.”

Giving Tuesday is tomorrow in the United States. It’s a day when people come together and give generously to non-profits and ministries during the holiday season. MAF has a goal this Giving Tuesday to raise $80,000 for the ministry!

“It’s our largest goal that we’ve ever put out since we started doing this in 2012,” says Jones. “And we’re going to be sharing some stories, we’re going to be having some fun on our social networks, and hopefully, bringing in $80,000 to bring people help, hope, and healing.”

(Photo courtesy of Mission Aviation Fellowship)

One impact story is about Liku, a man from a remote village in Papua, Indonesia. Because MAF flew to his village, Liku got to hear the Gospel for the first time.

Jones says, “When we opened an airstrip a couple of years ago, he was one of the guys that came to know Jesus and became one of those that are just so on fire for helping his brothers and sisters who live in Papua come to Jesus and come to find life abundant.”

Click here to learn more about supporting MAF for Giving Tuesday!

And as you give, please pray. Ask the Lord to bless MAF’s ministry and give new believers like Liku a passion for sharing their faith.

Header photo courtesy of MAF.

Have you thought about what nonprofits you want to support this Giving Tuesday?

(Photo courtesy of Mission India)

If you want your funds to have an incredible impact for the Gospel, what better place to reach than India! One-third of the world’s unreached people groups live in India. And according to the Joshua Project, only two percent of India’s population are Christians.

Mission India has a unique opportunity starting Giving Tuesday, November 30th through December 31st. Every dollar donated to their 10-Day Children’s Bible Clubs in India will be matched up to $364,000.

What is the 10-Day Children’s Bible Club? Bartholomew* with Mission India explains, “For those in US culture and Western culture, that is basically a Vacation Bible Club. So it runs for 10 days. Kids come and join, they sing songs, they’re encouraged, they’re supported by the leaders, and they get to hear the Gospel. They get to hear about how much Jesus loves them.”

(Photo courtesy of Mission India)

Mission India has two different programs for their Children’s Bible Club — a 10-Day version and a Year-Long version.

Many kids who attend the 10-Day Children’s Bible Club go on to become involved in the Year-Long Children’s Bible Club.

“It’s a good feeder and it’s a way to continually support and grow those children educationally, spiritually, and emotionally beyond just the 10 days,” Bartholomew says. “We already have that built in.”

It also allows local Indian churches to really invest in these kids and their families!

“A lot of these 10-Day Children’s Bible Clubs actually are supported by the local church partners that we have. So these churches are going in the community and providing 10-Day Bible Club experiences for children, but also, it’s served as an outreach to the local community to the families.”

Normally, it costs just $1 to send one kid to a 10-Day Children’s Bible Club. However, Bartholomew says, “With this match, that’s actually $2. So two kids get to go for every dollar. It’s a really powerful program that we have been seeing so much life change come through.”

Go to Mission India’s website here to learn more and to donate on Giving Tuesday!

Header photo courtesy of Mission India.

*Name changed for security.

It’s been hard to wait. But now, Wycliffe Bible Translators USA is supporting the Saare Bible translation team as they work on the book of Luke.

(Photo courtesy of Wycliffe Bible Translators USA)

Tomorrow is Giving Tuesday in the United States, and Wycliffe wants to raise $20,000 for the Saare Bible translation.

Click here to support Wycliffe for Giving Tuesday!

If you donate tomorrow, Wycliffe’s Melissa Stillman says, “Your generosity on Giving Tuesday provides workshop training for the Saare translation team members. That equips them to translate God’s Word in a way that is clear, accurate, and natural. It paves the way for Scripture to be translated and then published in print, audio, and digital formats so it can have the greatest reach and impact.”

But your dollars don’t stop there. “With the book of Luke serving as a movie script, your gift will also make it possible to be in a production of the ‘JESUS’ film — something the Saare people eagerly look forward to because their neighbors have had it,” Stillman says.

“For the first time, the Saare will meet Jesus through Scripture in a language that speaks to their hearts. And through the ‘JESUS’ film, they’ll see Him.”

The Saare people are sandwiched between Christians in southern Nigeria and another prominent religious group in the north. About 30 percent of the Saare people are believers, and they often face opposition for their faith.

Emmanuel, a member of the us-Saare Bible translation team in Nigeria. (Photo courtesy of Wycliffe Bible Translators USA)

Stillman says, “They consider it to be a spiritual battleground so they really want God’s Word to encourage believers and have the ability to share their faith with others. That will also enable their church to grow deeper and wider as they have Scripture.”

The Saare Bible translation team is also personally invested alongside their supporters.

Stillman recently spoke with Emmanuel, one of the translation team members. “He believes in the work they’re doing so much that their translation team actually gives as well to the work. That was so inspiring to me. He actually wanted me to share with people who are participating in Giving Tuesday that he prays they will also be richly blessed by God and never regret giving or praying.”

In addition to giving, please pray for the faithfulness of Saare believers, encouragement for the Bible translation team, and that a Saare Bible translation would lead many more to relationships with Jesus.

Header photo courtesy of Wycliffe Bible Translators USA.

Universities across the U.S. have faced financial trouble as a result of COVID-19, and many colleges around the world are no different. Marianne Smith of Bethlehem Bible College in Palestine explains that the university was particularly hard hit because of its sources of income.

“About 30% of our overall income is locally generated, and that comes primarily from tourism. The shutdown in March [has] not opened up [for tourism] yet, [and] probably won’t be opened up until sometime next year,” she says.

Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem (Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons)

With this in mind, Smith hopes that Giving Tuesday can help. Giving Tuesday is a movement started in 2012 that encourages people to do good. It is recognized the Tuesday after Thanksgiving and is the perfect time to give to people and nonprofits in need.

Smith hopes gifts this year can help the university compensate for the shortfall in tourism income so they can continue their unique mission.

An Intentional Institution

Bethlehem Bible College is a very strategic institution, beginning first with its location.

“We operate from Bethlehem and the West Bank, so all of Palestine, and then we also have additional online programs that reach out to Arab students around the world,” Smith says.

The university is also unique because of the accessibility it offers students.

“We are the only Bible college that teaches in Arabic, so we’re pretty much it [for] people that are working in Palestine and among other Arab students around the world.”

Rainbow in Bethlehem (Photo courtesy of Ami Tesler via Unsplash)

Another part of being a strategic university is remaining aware of the history of the area and local believers carry.

“Most people think that all of the Christians in Palestine are Muslim converts, [but] they’re not,” Smith says.

“The description of the Day of Pentecost [says] that there were Arab speakers in the crowd. [Palestinian Christians] are the forerunners of the faith. They’ve been [keeping] the light of Christ burning for the last two millennia, [which is] pretty remarkable.”

How to Help

You can support Bethlehem Bible College by donating to their Giving Tuesday campaign here. Smith emphasizes that this time of year is vital for the university like many nonprofits.

“Bethlehem Bible College receives approximately one-fourth of our yearly income between November 15 and January 15 every year, so starting with our Giving Tuesday campaign [and] going through [the] end of the year. We rely on those funds to operate next year,” she says.

To learn more about Bethlehem Bible College and how you can be praying for the students and staff, visit their website.

Header image courtesy of JESHOOTS.COM via Unsplash

But serving as a bookend is Giving Tuesday on December 3 — a day for people to give generously to ministries and non-profits as an outpouring from thankful hearts.

Wendy Nagle with Global Disciples encourages believers to consider how we can give this coming Giving Tuesday to advance the spread of the Gospel.

“As far as Giving Tuesday, studies show that the Lord has provided resources to this generation that are sufficient to accomplish the Great Commission to reach every tribe, nation, and tongue. We are just believing and encouraging your listeners to imagine along with us — what would happen if the global Body of Christ strategically reflected God’s love with Giving Tuesday?”

Once you’ve decided to give, the choice of where to send your funds can seem overwhelming. With so many ministries out there advancing the Great Commission, which ones should you support?

First, you can responsibly give by looking up ministries on GuideStar USA. GuideStar is a service reporting on US nonprofits and their programs, financials, and operations.

Next, Nagle offers these additional tips: “Be intentional. As you look at opportunities to give, give to where God has placed your heart and your call.

“Then pray strategically. How can you best give on that day?

(Photo courtesy of Global Disciples)

“And finally, give generously. God doesn’t call us to give simply from our abundance, but from scarcity as well. And certainly, every dollar on Giving Tuesday can be part of a transformational message around the world.”

Global Disciples is a platinum-level GuideStar participant with a commitment to transparency. Their ministry partners with churches in 57 countries for discipleship-mission training, small business training, and leadership training.

Giving to Global Disciples means helping them partner with these churches. In their training programs, Global Disciples allows seed funding for a maximum of three years, and they cover up to 50 percent of the training cost.

“So the opportunity of investing in Global allows for a partnership that is literally matched two-for-one by our partners who are working with us in those 57 countries,” Nagle says. “It’s an investment with an amazing return, and it’s a return with eternal consequences.”

(Photo courtesy of Global Disciples)

Every year, Global Disciples sees tens of thousands of people start relationships with Jesus through their church partners.

To partner with Global Disciples financially, click here!

Then, whether you donate regularly or on Giving Tuesday, commit to following-up your dollars with prayer.

Nagle asks, “As we’re moving into more and more restricted regions, [pray] for wisdom — wisdom for the partnerships in those areas, wisdom for clarity, and wisdom for how to appropriately manage security related to those areas.”

Pray also for the Body of Christ this Giving Tuesday to give from an outpouring of generous and thankful hearts to the Lord.

“A generosity day — and specifically a generosity day where we can focus on the Great Commission — is an amazing opportunity to honor God and allow thanksgiving to pile up in His column.”

Header photo courtesy of Leone Venter via Unsplash.