Make Jesus known in Asia this Christmas

This December, you’re invited to be part of a series of joy-filled outreach events taking place across Asia. A network of passionate believers from India, Bangladesh, Thailand and Cambodia is coming together with the collective vision to reach as many people as is possible with a Christ-centred message of hope. And with plans for a series of Covid-secure festivities, celebrations and outreach events throughout December well underway, the only thing missing is you!

In Ben’s words:

“I don’t have to tell you what kind of depression people have been in this year. Whether people have been affected by Covid-19 or not, there is another virus which is going round, which is fear. Only faith can cancel fear. And faith, which is the hope of eternity, is the message people long to hear.

People in India are thinking, ‘If I go out, I may contract Coronavirus. But if I stay in my house, I’ll definitely die of hunger.’ They want to know, what is the hope in all of this? And this Christmas, all our outreach programmes are focused on that: Christ in me, the hope of eternity.”

Ben’s team are planning hundreds of small events, starting from 1 December and led by fellowships of around 10 to 15 people in a socially distanced manner.

The events will include cultural presentations, dancing and singing. “The people we’re reaching out to have never experienced things like this: re-enactments of the Nativity, singing Christmas songs, seeing children getting involved – in the villages it’s a huge thing,” says Ben.

Christmas cake and tea will be shared, drawing people into fellowship and community. Ben hopes the generosity people see in his team will reflect the generosity and kindness of God. Tracts and Bibles will also be distributed to those who have questions about the meaning of Christmas.

Last year, Ben saw an amazing 600 new small fellowships starting because of similar Christmas outreach events.

In Rev Ashim’s words:

“We are using this Christmas project to bring glad tidings to people in the Tea Garden areas and to people in the hill tribes.

During our Christmas programme, we will teach them Christmas songs and explain to them how God loves us and has come to be with us.

Some of the people live in very sad conditions, now we have opportunity to make them glad. We will let them know about Emmanuel – God with us. Many have emotional pain and fear because of the Covid-19 situation. We want to bring them hope and love in the name of Jesus Christ.”

Most of the people Ashim’s team hope to reach are from Hindu and Muslim backgrounds, or follow different tribal belief systems. The majority of them have never heard the gospel of Jesus. In the next five years, BBCS hopes to plant 20 new churches and invite many thousands of people into a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ. The team want to share the story of Jesus’ nativity in 50 villages. This ‘birthday’ celebration, complete with songs and gifts, will also give the chance for believers from Muslim and Hindu backgrounds to share their testimonies.

“We will bring them food and soft drinks,” adds Ashim. “We will distribute gospel tracts, and after the Christmas programme we will do medical camps there later in the year”.

In Rev Jlalduha’s words:

“The Christmas season is one of the best times for doing evangelism in Cambodia. People are aware of Christmas as one of the important festivals of Christianity, without knowing the reality about Christmas and its background.

Taking advantage of this special occasion, we plan to gather the parents and friends of local students (both Christians and non-Christians), providing lunch or dinner with a Christmas gift and an invite to a proper worship service or fellowship. Here, we’ll tell the living story of Christmas. Besides this, we’ll have a Christmas outreach ministry to the village.”

The team at Horaios Baptist Church will share the message of Christmas through a sermon, drama, a dance group and the singing and teaching of Christian songs.

There will also be a charitable Christmas gift of food, cloths and other items to rural villages where there aren’t yet any Christian believers. The area has been specially chosen as one where there is no Christian presence. Jlalduha’s team would love to build bridges, fellowship and community there, paving the way for more outreach opportunities in 2021.

In Prateep’s words:

“It is a traditional event for us in December to go preaching the gospel to many unreached fields. Yearly, many of our local churches and associations and TKBC departments reach out to the working fields and unreached marginalised areas, to proclaim the good news of Jesus Christ our Lord.

Why? Because Thailand needs the gospel. Only one per cent of the Thai population is Christian, and that’s counting all denominations of Christianity and Roman Catholicism. Though the majority of Thais are Buddhists, Thai people hunger for peace and salvation.”

“The events we organise provide the opportunity for the community to come together,” explains Prateep. “This has been an extremely difficult year for many people. This may be one of the only occasions where they can relax, laugh, and have some food and fellowship. We will provide cultural dances and Christmas songs in our native language. There will be a short drama to demonstrate God’s love for people.”

Prateep believes this will be the first time some of the people in surrounding areas hear the name of Jesus. The planned events will give people the opportunity to ask questions, and those who believe the chance to be baptised. It’s hoped that these new believers could become the nucleus of a church plant.