For Nabhith and Gulzar, and also these young men, Bible college involves not only studying but also sharing the love of Christ in unreached villages and sometimes even leading fellowships.

Some churches in Asia, like the one Nabhith and Gulzar helped build, are merely temporary buildings.

Two Bible-college students in their year of practical ministry, Nabhith Mehra and Gulzar Chopra face opposition from people in the village where they serve. After they finished constructing a temporary church building, some villagers began speaking out against it, threatening the fruit of their hard work.

The people of this village, who come from several different tribes, worship false gods and live depraved lives. Many spend their time consuming alcohol and fighting one another. Living in a remote area, they lack education and largely depend on farming for their livelihoods. But through Nabhith and Gulzar’s ministry, three families chose to follow Jesus, and a fellowship sprang up. To accommodate this new fellowship, Nabhith and Gulzar constructed a temporary church building with the help of two new believers and three film-team missionaries. The day after they completed it, some of the villagers warned them that they should not have built a church in this village.

Later, the film-team missionaries began screening a film about Jesus, only to face more opposition. Some young people, members of a political faction, called a meeting. There, they wrote a letter forbidding Nabhith and Gulzar from visiting homes and proclaiming the Good News. They tried to force Baasim Gupta, Nabhith’s brother-in-law and a new believer, to sign the letter, which stated that the two missionaries must stay in Baasim’s house. They threatened to beat Nabhith, Gulzar and the film-team missionaries if they did not comply.

The next day, the villagers held another meeting to discuss demolishing the church. Thankfully, God turned this bad situation to the believers’ favor: The leaders of the village prohibited the church-opponents from destroying the place of worship. But in spite of this injunction, the angry villagers still seek ways to demolish the building.

Many of the new believers have been struggling with fear and discouragement as a result of this opposition. Some GFA state leaders visited them to encourage them and pray with them. Please join with them by interceding for the following:

  • that God will change the hearts and minds of those opposed to the church and, ultimately, bring them to salvation.
  • that God will uplift the new believers and help them to remain strong in their faith.
  • that in spite of opposition, the church will continue to grow in this village.
  • that God will protect Nabhith and Gulzar from danger and persecution.