Does Jesus live in this village?
	Monday evening Byron, Doug, & I went to Rhome to hear Paul Renganathan’s report on his work in India. Numerous things impressed us about that work. The city of Chennai, in which he works, has a population of nine million! Yet that is just a drop in the bucket. The nation of India has over a billion people – so if you removed the entire population of Chennai, there would still be over a billion people left. The majority of the population of the whole country is Hindu, and fully 40% of the native population has never even heard the name “Jesus,” much less are they making any attempt to be disciples of Jesus. Paul told us of one incident when a group of Christians was going into a village to evangelize. As they entered, they inquired, “Do you know Jesus?” One person shook his head “no” and said, “He doesn’t live in this village.” Of course that person thought that the group was trying to find where a man named Jesus lived, and he knew there was nobody by that name in this village.
	But that story made me stop and think – if people in our own community have never been taught the gospel of Christ, how will they know that Jesus lives in this village? I suppose that almost everyone we see around here from day to day has at least heard of Jesus and may have some passing familiarity with Him. But have we shown them Jesus by the way we treat them? And have we made any serious effort to teach them about what Jesus did for them at Calvary, and what they must do to benefit eternally by it?
	As Paul pointed out, we and many other Christians are doing some things to alleviate the suffering of the people in India; but that suffering will continue until the Gospel is proclaimed far and wide. When people understand the truth, they will not allow cows and rats to eat the grain that ought to be feeding their children. But the same holds true here at home. When people understand & obey the gospel, they will no longer squander their income on cigarettes & alcohol & lottery tickets while letting their children suffer.
	The benevolent assistance that Christians provide in India melts hearts and opens doors for making disciples. Thousands are hearing the truth and turning from their idolatry to serve the true and living God. Just the example isn’t enough – teaching by word must go along with it. That is also the came here at home. Let’s demonstrate to our community that Jesus lives here. Let’s show our neighbors that Jesus lives at our house. And let’s teach people right here at home the truth of the gospel so that they, too, will have opportunity to believe and obey.
	--Joe Slater (Justin, TX)