Online Discipleship and Prayer Groups Thriving in India

Sarita and Raj have never met in person, but their similar experiences as Christians living in India have brought them—and hundreds of others—together online.

Using India’s most popular social networks, ReFrame Ministries’ partners in India have been starting small online discipleship groups of about 40 people each. The groups began about two years ago, as the COVID-19 pandemic began.

“Our team members share links to our audio programs and offer to pray for group members,” says ReFrame’s Hindi ministry leader, “the members also pray for one another, offer encouragement, and invite their own contacts to join the groups.”

For Sarita, the online community of ReFrame’s listeners has become a place to share her prayer requests.

As the only Christian in her family, and as a young person, Sarita doesn’t often get the opportunity to go to church. Her parents don’t like when she attends, and she recently moved to a new part of the country. Still, she’s been listening to ReFrame’s Hindi ministry programs for many years, and depends on the online listener community to pray for her.

Recently, she came to the group with a desperate prayer for her young nephew, who was in the hospital with a fever and severe stomach pain.

Just a few days later, she sent a follow up message. “My nephew is out of danger and he’s being discharged from the hospital,” she wrote. “Praise Jesus for his grace and mercy.

Raj too knows the difficulties of being the only Christian in his family. Shortly after joining one of the WhatsApp groups, he shared his story.

“I was a morally corrupt person, but God forgave me and gave me a new heart,” he wrote. “I thank God for bringing me in touch with your audio programs.”

Raj also joined the group to ask for prayers and advice on how to share his faith with his family members, none of whom are Christians.

“Please pray that Jesus will work in their lives and that your messages on radio touch their hearts as it has touched and saved me.” 

As the Christian Reformed Church spends a year in prayer together, may you be encouraged by these stories of Christians on the other side of the world who are also praying for one another.