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

Although persecution placed Pentecostals in Rajasthan in an oppressive context, it
has served as a great inspiration for them to work with more passion and vigour.
The Church Father Tertullian’s words ‘the blood of the martyrs is the seed of the
church’ has become a slogan for Pentecostals in Rajasthan, as in many parts of the
nation and persecution has played a major role in stimulating church growth in
Rajasthan.
Another significant role of persecution is that it has become a Pentecostal
inspiration for ecumenism. As will be discussed in detail later, persecution has
brought unity among Christians in Rajasthan. It has strengthened their fellowship
in various levels. It has fostered unity within each church, among various
Pentecostal denominations, and also between Pentecostals and other forms of
Christianity.
Above all, persecution has turned out to be a Pentecostal inspiration for changes
in missiology. Almost all Pentecostal leaders have agreed that the change in the
situation has prompted them to make changes in their mission theology and
practice. Many said that certain issues in the state, such as persecution and the
introduction of anti-conversion law, forced them to think and act differently.
Many leaders quoted Jesus’ saying: ‘… be wise as serpents and harmless as
doves.’ 141 Previously, they had been looking down on people of other faiths as
people ‘destined for hell,’ but have now begun to regard them as ‘friends and
fellow citizens’, ‘fellow travellers’ seeking truth, ‘pre-Christian neighbours’ and
141 Mathew 10: 16, NKJV. Most Pentecostals use the KJV. One of the most prominent leaders
stated that, ‘all the versions except KJV, whether old or new, are perversions’.
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