<< back to Meetings Report Card
 The crusade in Ludhiana, India was a first for the state of Punjab. This great state has less than a 1% Protestant Christian population and has been in great need of a true move of the Spirit of God to present the testimony of Christ. In this meeting history was made as great inroads for the gospel were achieved.
As Dr. Houtsma went into this meeting the atmosphere of resistance to the testimony of the Lord had been mounting. Throughout the nation on several occasions efforts were made to prevent the Indian people from giving testimony of healings they had received from the Lord Jesus Christ.
 Ludhiana was no exception. Anti-Christian elements blocked intersections, attempted to set the grounds on fire and pressured the police to not allow testimonies of healings during the crusade. On the first night they simply said testimonies could not be taken on the platform, so Dr. Houtsma went down on the grounds in front of the platform and took testimonies demonstrating the power of God.
This battle went back and forth throughout the meeting, and ultimately the police closed the meeting on the last day. Nevertheless over 100,000 people had gathered for a single service. People throughout the region were touched and tens of thousands called out to Jesus for the forgiveness of sin.
 As the battle for religious freedom escalated an appeal was made to the Minority Commission of the Central Government. Here a decision was made that helped to establish religious freedom for Christians throughout the nation. Their statement declared that the Christian community has the right to hold their own meetings, that people may attend of their own free will, and that the police cannot prevent them from giving testimony of healings etc. in these meetings. In fact the Christians do not need police permits for these kinds of meetings.
 This is a great breakthrough on a national level for India! One interesting story comes from Christian Life Church in Novato as a member of the church had gone to the local hospital to have his appendix removed. While there, he spoke to an Indian nurse about how his church had prayed much for India. She was from the Punjab and became very interested as he shared how God had moved in healing and salvation in Ludhiana. As it turned out her parents live in Ludhiana and she called them to ask about the meeting. They declared that they had become Christians and that nearly half of their village had been healed in these meetings. When she returned to the hospital the next day she was excited and telling all of the visitation of God in Punjab.
|
