Source: www.MNNonline.org
Date: December 5, 2024
India (MNN) — With India expanding regulations for the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA), Indian church partners are apprehensive about the wording for “illegal religious conversion activity.” Any NGOs in India deemed as pursuing this type of activity will lose foreign funding under the new FCRA guidelines, which dropped on November 11.
John Pudaite, President of Bibles For The World (BFTW) says, “It really depends on how they interpret that and what they say has to be illegal religious conversion activities. That’s kind of a judgment call: What is legal religious conversion and what is illegal religious conversion?”
Eighteen of India’s 28 states have anti-conversion laws on the books – often used to target Christian ministries and converts from Hinduism.
Since the announcement of new FCRA regulations, AC Michael, head of the Federation of Catholic Associations of the Archdiocese of Delhi stated that telling Indian Christians to “stop propagating their faith is a direct infringement” on India’s constitutional religious freedom.
For BFTW’s part, Pudaite says, “Fortunately, our primary partners in India have not had any difficulty or charges filed against them that they’re involved in illegal religious conversion activities.”
Despite the challenges, India’s need for the Gospel is urgent, with 1.3 billion people who still don’t know Christ. Pray for wisdom for faithful Christian ministries representing Jesus.
On a practical note, Pudaite also asks, “Pray that the organizations here may find ways to be self-sustaining!”
Learn more about BFTW’s critical Bible ministry in India.
Header photo of a church in Hyderabad, India. (Photo courtesy of Paul Silvan via Unsplash)