Becoming a Christian in a Shame Culture

September 4, 2025 By Amazing Facts

India is a religiously diverse country with a population of 1.45 billion people. Eighty percent are Hindu; the rest are Buddhist, Jains, Sikh, Muslim, or Christian. Christians make up the third-largest group, yet it has become increasingly challenging to share the gospel in India. The constitution guarantees the freedom to profess, practice, and propagate one’s religion, but the daily reality is very different. Most states have enacted anti-conversion laws that make it difficult for individuals to change their faith.

Like many Asian cultures, India has a shame/guilt culture that emphasizes family and tradition above everything else. Pleasing the family and upholding its honor is paramount. Converting to Christianity comes with an extremely high price tag, making it a true miracle anytime someone gives their life to Jesus. Their family usually rejects them, and sometimes even tries to kill them for disgracing the family. They are kicked out of the caste system and lose their support structure.

But we praise God because your prayers and faithful co-laboring support are making it possible to reach hundreds of people with the hope of the gospel. God has been doing many amazing things through you.

You released a Daniel and Revelation series in Telugu on YouTube last fall. Many people have responded positively.
More than 270 people attended revival meetings you hosted at the Bamanpukur SDA Church. A pastor from one of the Sundarban Islands attended with a few of his church members. He said, “We learned a great deal about prayer, the Holy Spirit, belief, sin, Jesus Christ, the work He has done for sinners, and many other things that were unknown to us.”
The Amazing Facts India staff that you equip attended a camp meeting in the beautiful Garo Hills in northern India in January 2025. The attendees, most of whom are hardworking farmers, eagerly spent their hard-earned money to purchase our truth-filled materials.
A massive Christian gathering was held at the cricket stadium in Hyderabad in October 2024. Thanks to your prayers, Amazing Facts India obtained permission to translate The Richest Caveman book into Telugu. We distributed over 1,000 copies of Pastor Doug’s life-changing story to attendees!
You helped host an evangelistic series in the small village of Ibrahim Patnam in Vijayawada. About 250 people attended opening day. By the end of the meetings, over 1,000 people were crowding into the church and listening through the open windows.
Over 1,000 people have contacted the call center over the last six months to request our free offers, ask for prayer for themselves or their family members, or to request Bible studies.
You helped strengthen the faith of church members across India with Amazing Facts materials.
You trained and equipped 56 disciples to serve as colporteurs selling our truth-filled literature throughout India.
You made it possible to design the 27 Amazing Facts Study Guides for publication in Urdu, the primary language of India’s Muslim population.

Thank you for your heartfelt commitment to rescuing the billions in India from Satan’s grasp. Your faithfulness is shining the light of truth into the darkest corners and bringing revival to India’s Sabbath-keeping Christians!

From Hindu to Christian

It is exceedingly difficult to become a Christian in India, so every new believer is a miracle. Pavan is one of those miracles. Coming from a Hindu background, he gave his life to Jesus this past May.

Pavan comes from a Hindu background but began searching for purpose in his life. About three years ago, he heard about Jesus Christ and started trying to learn more. In December 2024, he came across the “Prophecies of Daniel and Revelation” series, which Amazing Facts India had recorded in Telugu and posted on YouTube.

Pavan watched the series repeatedly, thrilled with what he was learning. He carefully checked the Bible for confirmation of everything he learned. Then he heard about an Amazing Facts Bible seminar at a church near him that you made possible. He knew he could not miss these meetings!

We were thrilled to have Pavan join us for each of the meetings and decide to be baptized by immersion. He wrote a letter stating that he was doing this of his own free will, without coercion or force, and invited several Amazing Facts team members to join him in the baptismal waters as brothers in Christ.

It was a beautiful experience to see someone from a Hindu background let go of the pagan beliefs and superstitions and discover the joy of forgiveness in Christ. Thank you for making this moment possible!

A Devotional Gift

Ramdass, an 82-year-old man, lost his wife to cancer seven years ago. Since her passing, his life has felt incredibly empty. He missed the genuine love he shared with her. His wife was a kind, soft-spoken, and loving woman who led a life of sacrifice, especially considering her husband’s temper. Despite not knowing anything about Christ, she bore his shortcomings with Christ-like love.

Burdened with guilt over how unkindly he had treated his wife, Ramdass wished his own life would end. Then, a Christian friend gave him a Bible and told him that God could provide him with true peace.

Ramdass was intrigued and began reading the four Gospels. He found solace in learning about Jesus Christ and His sacrifice for humankind, but he had many questions.

One day, he came across an Amazing Facts program on television. He was thrilled to find that many of his questions were being answered through the broadcast. One of his most pressing questions was: “Why would God create Satan and allow this world to fall into sin, knowing that humanity would suffer under temptation and trials?”

Pastor Doug’s sermons resonated deeply with him, especially the ones about God’s love for both heavenly and earthly beings. He began to find the answers he sought. In time, he developed a profound love for Jesus and slowly began to let go of his grief over his wife’s death.

For the past two years, Ramdass has been faithfully following Jesus. He longs to share the love of Christ with others, though his health is declining.

Please keep Ramdass in your prayers as he continues to seek God’s peace, and pray that his children may also come to accept Christ as their personal Savior.

India Prayer Needs

Thank you so much for all you are doing to make the work of God in India possible. God is working mightily through your prayers and compassionate gifts to reach hungry souls in India with the gospel. In the coming months, please pray earnestly for: