a contextual missiology of the spirit - eTheses Repository ...

extraordinary spiritual experiences that take place among people, particularly the
less privileged tribal communities. Medical facilities are not available in every
place, and transportation is not easily accessible. Even today there are villages
where there is no means of transport. People have to carry their sick for several
miles to get them into a vehicle. In such situations, healing ministry by
Pentecostals is very appealing. Miraculous healings have resulted in the
establishment of many Pentecostal churches. The FFCI church established by
pastor Heeralal near his house in the Jhadol district, after he was healed from a
paralytic disease, is the best example of this. 93 Many individuals who have been
healed from serious sicknesses have become missionaries. Coma Bhai, the pastor
of Kanbai FFCI church, is another example. Therefore, as Paul Mathews, the
senior pastor of the largest Pentecostal church in the state, has suggested, most
Pentecostal churches in Rajasthan should be regarded as ‘healing communities.’ 94
Pentecostalism in Rajasthan can be understood as the fulfilment of the longing of
early Christian missionaries for spiritual gifts. As mentioned earlier, the daunting
challenges and the mounting needs of the people in Rajasthan caused the
missionaries to seek after supernatural gifts. 95
Personal evangelism by Pentecostal individuals and households is one of the most
remarkable characteristics of Pentecostalism in Rajasthan. The observation of
93 Cherian, ‘Contribution of Churches,’ 117-18.
94 Paul Mathews, interview by author, Udaipur, Rajasthan, 25 May 2006. Paul Mathews is the
senior pastor of the largest Pentecostal congregation in Rajasthan.
95 The early medical missionaries found it difficult to treat the increasing number of sick people in
the villages. Dr. James Shepherd, the most effective medical missionary to Rajasthan, took charge
of the Ajmer hospital before he moved to Udaipur. He was surprised to see the large number of
patients with various diseases coming to his dispensary for treatment. According to the 1874
mission report, throughout that year an average of 600 new cases were treated every month quite
apart from the 1100 existing cases. Even today, treating 1700 patients in a month is an enormous
task for many less developed villages of the state. See Carstairs, Shepherd of Udaipur, 66.
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