Lausanne World Pulse – Themed Articles – Inside India: Where Are the Indian Missions in Influencing the Indian Diaspora around the World?

By John Amalraj
March 2009

Mahatma Gandhi realized his life’s calling when he was living as a “diaspora” outside the country. Gandhi, like many other Indians, went to London for his higher education studies and graduated in law. Later, he and his family moved to South Africa, where he could practice law and build his career. It was in South Africa that Gandhi realized his calling to be a leader of the masses. It was in the diaspora setting that his experiments with truth started. After his success in South Africa, Gandhi returned to India and eventually was handed the baton to lead the Indian Independence movement. India has never been the same.

Thousands of Indians migrate to different parts of the world for better prospects in education, career, and quality of living. In a globalized world, the choice to migrate to other countries is not a difficult one. Many countries actively look for skilled immigrants who will help build their economy; Indians, like those of other ethnic communities, seize this opportunity. The growing Indian diaspora in recent times have become very influential in their adopted countries. This trend is likely to increase in the coming years as India’s booming economy continues to grow and politically takes its rightful place in global affairs.

Major denominational churches in southern India, like the Marthoma Church and the Church of South India, have sent pastors to serve the flocks who have migrated to other countries. In most places, the purpose has been to provide pastoral care to their own congregations. In a few exceptions these congregations have made attempts to reach out to their own communities who are not yet followers of Jesus Christ. A few have even tried missions (e.g., Marthoma Church Youth in Chicago, Illinois, USA, is involved in mission trips to Mexico; a Tamil congregation in Singapore is involved in mission trips to Cambodia). Pentecostal and charismatic groups have been more involved in mobilizing others in their diaspora community to follow Christ.

Pandita Ramabai of Mukti Mission was challenged to follow Jesus and be involved in missions during her overseas visits. Brother Bakht Singh, who established an indigenous movement of churches across the country, decided to follow Jesus while completing his higher studies in the West. There are many more Indians who have been influenced during their lives as diaspora and are now actively involved in missions.

Influencing the Indian Diaspora in this Generation
It is in this context that we have to ask the question: How we can influence the Indian diaspora to be discipled to follow Jesus Christ in our generation?

Most Indian mission organizations have long been pre-occupied with the task of reaching the unreached within Indian political boundaries. The least mission leaders have done in involving the Indian diaspora is to raise funds that will support the mission work in India. This is often done by kindling the sentiments of the Christian diaspora community to gratefully acknowledge their roots by contributing their surplus income to meet the mission needs in India.

John Amalraj is executive secretary and national director of Interserve India. Previously, he served with the India Missions Association (IMA). He has helped coordinate IMA leadership training programs for mission leaders, facilitated think-tank meetings on mission issues, networked with mission organizations across the country, and mentored a team of staff in the mission center in Hyderabad.