SEND! magazine Second Half 2008: No Speed Limit

No Speed Limit

Bicycles Move the Gospel Faster—and Farther

Sandeep Kishan sees spiritual need every day on his mission field in Haryana, India—and despite the sometimes rough terrain, he considers it a privilege to bring Christ's message of freedom to those enslaved to the powers of darkness. Now that God has provided him with a bicycle, he is joyfully traveling to even more unreached areas.

When Murari Tuhin and his wife Kavita showed up at the village church, Gospel for Asia missionary Sandeep Kishan saw a familiar sight: two faces worn down with worry, but carrying a spark of one last hope. Sandeep invited them inside, eager to fan that spark into the full-blown flame of new life in Christ.

Murari had spent many sleepless nights hovering at Kavita's bedside, his hope for his wife's recovery growing fainter as each doctor shook his head at her mysterious illness. Murari, too, was plagued with an affliction—not with something physical, but with a lack of peace. Years had gone by with no relief from either of their sufferings.

"Before getting my cycle, my ministry was 20-kilometer speed. Now, it's 70- and 80-kilometer speed." —Sandeep

But one day Murari heard good news: There was a man in his village who could pray for them both. And when they stepped inside Sandeep's church, something strange started happening that explained why the doctors could never cure Kavita—a demon began manifesting itself.

Sandeep recognized the spiritual attack on the couple, and he fervently prayed late into the night for their deliverance. That's when God broke through the powers that had gripped Murari's family for years. Murari realized that he had no hope of rescue without Jesus, and he and his whole family gave their hearts to Christ.

'A Church in Every Empty Place'

When Sandeep started his ministry as a native missionary, he knew from meeting people like Murari that the hurting lives around him were numerous. He wanted to do everything he could to reach them all.

"My burden for this place is that I want to see a church in every empty place where there is no church," Sandeep says.

But he had few options for ways to reach surrounding areas. Transportation was the same as in many remote areas of Asia: mostly nonexistent.

Knowing that people would probably not be coming to him, Sandeep needed to travel to them. Leaving villages unreached was not an option. So he initially spent a lot of time walking.

After he had an established ministry in his village of residence, Sandeep began praying that the Lord would enable him to do more. He and the believers in his church prayed, he saved money, and God provided the remainder of the funds through a GFA friend in the West for a much-needed solution to his transportation problem: a bicycle—and with it, a way to carry out his vision.

"Before getting my cycle, my ministry was 20-kilometer speed. Now, it's 70- and 80-kilometer speed," Sandeep rejoices.

The bicycle has not only made his travel easier, but also made it possible for him to minister in the way that works best for him.

His routine is to visit a village, meet and talk to people, and share the Gospel with those who will listen. When enough people are interested, he starts a small fellowship.

"I have over three times more range now for my ministry," Sandeep says. "And if someone calls me with a problem, I can say, 'Okay, just wait; I will be there soon.' "

Starting these fellowships in a spread-out area helps make the Gospel accessible to more people, as villagers can talk to those who have become Christians. People who are sick, hurting inside and struggling with troubles gravitate toward these small gatherings of new believers and are usually the first to listen. Like Murari, those who have nothing left to depend on cling to Sandeep's every word of hope.

His Assistant

With his bike, Sandeep can visit these groups much more easily. He is also free to conduct meetings with them later in the day than before, because now he can get home faster and safer in the dark.

"If I didn't have a bicycle, I don't think I could have started two [recently planted] churches," Sandeep says.

Although he still must deal with hot and cold, wind and mud, bugs and dogs, having a bicycle is an enormous blessing compared to walking everywhere. Sandeep often rides four to six miles—one way—to surrounding villages where he has started fellowships, both to disciple the new Christians and to do more outreach.

And once a week, he also travels to a brand-new area to introduce the Gospel and eventually start a fellowship group. With the help of church members—including Murari—who join him, he shares the Gospel with about 200 people during each outreach.

Even while his muscles ache and he wipes the sweat off his forehead pedaling mile after mile across the Indian terrain, Sandeep is thrilled that his ministry is reaching lives with God's love. People are coming to Christ in areas that are—in his world—the ends of the earth.

"My bicycle is like my assistant," Sandeep beams. "It's like my co-worker. My bike is going to play a great role in fulfilling this burden."