Contrasts in Christianity

Lately, on Sunday evenings, my family and I haveyour need for God. If everything seems to come
been listening to talks by KP Yohannan. He's thesimply by signing checks, you may forget that
president of Gospel for Asia which supportsyou are at every moment totally dependent on
native missionaries in India and other parts ofGod."
Asia. I'm impressed by his immense passion and- C.S. Lewis
conviction for what he does. In following GospelBut how different is the Christian life for someone
for Asia over the last few years, I've seen howliving in a place like India?
successful they are at reaching people in remoteThere is a caste of people in India known as the
areas and improving their lives, while providing theDalits or "untouchables", which is below the four
gospel message. They're very effective at whatcaste system - they aren't even considered a
they do.caste. They have no rights, must perform the
In listening to KP and reading about themost inhumane jobs, and spend their lives in
missionaries that GFA supports, the contrasts ingrinding misery. For most, the only chance for a
Christianity between America and Asia areglimmer of hope is the gospel message brought
startling. The American view of Christianity isto them by a GFA missionary. And the message
very much based on what it gives to theof Christ's love may be all they ever get, because
individual. I hear a lot about improved lifestyles,Christians are persecuted relentlessly in many
increased income, overcoming financial issues, lotsareas of India. For many, the decision to accept
of materialism - how becoming a Christian hasand practice Christianity may be a death
helped people obtain the American dream. Thesentence.
materialism of American society carries over in toIn reading the stories of GFA missionaries and the
how Christianity is viewed. Not every Christian orpeople they help, two things that always stand
church in America fits into this description, butout are the gratitude they have for God's grace,
just take a look at the so called mega churchesand the price they pay for their faith. I hear
and television evangelists and you'll see what Iweekly of Christians in India being kidnapped,
mean. The image many of them present remindbeaten, arrested, even murdered. Many are cast
me of a multi-level marketing campaign.out of their families and left homeless. They pay
The true message of the bible doesn't seem toan incredibly high price but stand true in their faith.
be reflected in many churches. The obsessionChristianity provides them with a hope they never
with making the church grow as large anddreamed they'd have, they realize that it's the
impressive as possible overshadows the simplegreatest gift, and will never sacrifice it.
message that should be getting across. ChristianityTo me, they're a living example of what the first
has become a business. My wife and I even pulledcentury Christians must have been like that
our son out of a Christian school because moneysuffered under Roman rule. Without their
seemed more important to the school thanfortitude, the message we have today may have
Christianity - the Christian image has become anot made it this far. They carry out the great
marketing tool. It's packed up, presented, and soldcommission at what ever cost is required.
like the latest self help program. The veil of" Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing
American prosperity has blurred the truethem in the name of the father, and of the son,
message of Christianity.and of the holy ghost:
" One of the dangers of having a lot of money isTeaching them to observe all things whatsoever I
that you may be quite satisfied with the kinds ofhave commanded you: and, lo, I am with you
happiness money can give and so fail to realisealway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.