Robertson in India

"We have heard numerous condemnations of hate speech, but do we exempt hate speech when it is done in the name of God or religion, even quoted from a sacred book?"
-- The Ethics of Proselytizing

Evangelism
CBN News Sr. Reporter
Robertson in India: Many Receive Hope and Freedom through Christ

CBN.com – NEW DELHI, India - Last week, Pat Robertson took the message of hope to the world's largest democracy -- India. Many in the Indian audience were also blessed with miracles.

With no prepared notes to rely on, and just the Holy Spirit, Pat did what he does every day in America and has done so countless times around the world, share the message of the love of Jesus Christ.

On this Friday night, with the help of an interpreter, that message found its way into the hearts of Indians who had gathered in their nation's capital city of New Delhi.

The venue was the famous Ram Leela Stadium, an Indian word meaning the "playground of the Hindu gods." But on this night, the ground belonged to those who had raised their hands to accept Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior.

It was also a night for those who were looking for a miracle and wanted to be set free from the bondage of sin and disease.

Many came forward to testify to what God had done in their lives. One man said he had been tormented for years by voices in his head. Our CBN News camera caught him on the ground crying out to God for help.

He said that when Pat had a word about people being delivered from evil spirits, he jumped up and claimed that word for his life.

A Hindu woman said she had chronic stomach bleeding but believed God had healed her too.

Several men came that night with severe back and leg problems. They left leaping and jumping and praising God!

Pat was invited to India to share the Gospel by one of this country's most prominent evangelists, Dr. D.G.S. Dhinakaran.

Pat is no stranger to India. For years, he has used CBN and Operation Blessing to minister God's love to countless Indian people. And today he is praying that more will be touched by this love.

Pat said, “I feel that these most beautiful people, they are so hungry for God. You know this is the largest democracy in the world, over a billion people, and perhaps this would be considered the most religious country on earth. But they are looking for the wrong God. I believe they are open to Jesus, and my hope is to see 100 million Indians come to the Lord Jesus Christ in the next few years.”

And that has CBN's WorldReach office in Hyderabad, India, working around the clock to reach those people with the Gospel.

Kumar Periasamy manages CBN's office in India. He says that through CBN's television shows, medical and humanitarian projects, many are encountering the unsearchable riches of Jesus Christ.

Kumar commented, “We are hearing about transformation in whole societies, where people are open to the Gospel and many are coming to know the Lord.”

And now CBN is launching a new effort to reach one of India's most oppressed people groups who are known as the Untouchables, or Dalits.

Pat stated, “There are 300 million of these people [who] have been condemned to the lowest kind of poverty and degradation, primarily on the color of their skin. And I believe that they want to know the answer, that they are not doomed by false religion to a life of just degradation and misery. So we are making a major, major thrust to the Dalits, that they might here the Good News of the Gospel.”

Meanwhile, India is facing unprecedented changes. Unlike ever before, so many now have access to material wealth. Many have seen the world and yet they are not satisfied.

On almost every street corner, one can find spirituality on sale. But Pat says only one message can bring people here and find eternal peace.

Pat remarked, “The thing that is important is God, the author of all the Earth took on flesh and He loved people so much that He became flesh, and He died as a human being, and rose again. That message transcends all cultures and all religions, and I think it will win the hearts of the Indian people."

And it did on this night in New Delhi. More than half of those in attendance gave their lives to Christ.

Pat invited them to receive the Lord, saying, “Tonight, if you want to serve the Lord, I want to you to stand up where you are and I want to pray for you.”

And before leaving the stage, Pat said a special prayer, blessing those who were willing to stand in the gap for their nation.