My Faith. My ​Kinsmen

I want to see Indian Americans come to believe, know, and love the gospel of Christ.

Is this okay? I mean – the ‘Indian’ part?

I grew up in Philadelphia, so much of who I am is shaped by the culture of this great city. I love the Eagles and I bleed green. From fatty cheesesteaks to Rocky Balboa, I am throughly Philadelphian. But in a broader sense, much of who I am is because I am an American. This country has given me ideals, language, art, education, friendships – and yes, corndogs!

So I am American. But I am also Indian.

If I were honest, there’s not much outside of my brown skin (or the use of my right hand as an eating utensil) that would mark me as being ‘Indian.’ I wish I was more connected with my Indian culture, but the reality is that I am probably more American than Indian in everyday life (I don’t even own a Toyota or Honda!). And yet, I have this deep desire to see those who share my Indian American experience to come to faith in Christ.

Is this distinction okay? Is this working backwards from bridging cultural and racial divides in America? Isn’t there now neither Jew nor Greek since we are all one in Christ?

I think Paul had a similar burden:

“[Romans 9:1] I am speaking the truth in Christ—I am not lying; my conscience bears me witness in the Holy Spirit—[2] that I have great sorrow and unceasing anguish in my heart. [3] For I could wish that I myself were accursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my brothers, my kinsmen according to the flesh…[10:1] Brothers, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for them is that they may be saved.”

Do you sense Paul’s anguish for his own people? His desire for them to know Christ was so strong, so deeply rooted, that if he could, he would give up his own inheritance in Christ for their sake. Paul’s ministry was primarily to the Gentiles, and yet he had this intense burden for those he shared a cultural identity with to be saved.

It is hard to describe and yet it is plainly experienced, that we have a profound connection to our ‘kinsmen according to the flesh.’ And for many Christian Indian Americans, the burden that Paul shares for his own people is one that we share for our own. Many of us can relate to Paul’s burning desire to see his people come to faith in Christ. Many of us long to see friends, family members, and even those we don’t know who are our kinsmen to realize that Jesus saves! That Jesus can free them from sin. That Jesus offers true and eternal life that is not fleeting. And in a unique way, we are able to relate with these brothers and sisters because they share many of our own experiences, good and bad, which we hope could open a door to relate the gospel in palpable and relevant ways.

It is this dual desire to reach both our own people as well as anybody and everybody. Paul was in the synagogues every Sabbath, trying to persuade both Jew and Greek (Acts 18:4). He was testifying to his own people and to the Gentiles of repentance and faith in Jesus Christ (Acts 20:21). He did not ignore the Gentile, nor did he abandon the Jew. While our contexts and callings may vary, what good news it is that Jesus’ blood was shed for the ransom of people from every tribe and language and people and nation (Rev 5:9).

And so like Paul, we too desire and pray that our kinsmen might believe, know, and love Jesus.