Nepali Christians face intense persecution
Arjun shared his inspiring journey of faith with the GCR team as we sat on the rooftop of a building in Kathmandu. The panoramic view of the city stretched out before us, with buildings and apartments surrounding our location. The sounds of cars and dogs barking on the street below mingled with our conversation. Despite the cloudy and breezy weather, we could still catch a glimpse of the foothills in the distance. Dressed in a blue and white flannel shirt and a green camouflage jacket, Arjun spoke with great passion.
Today he is a Christian evangelist in Nepal, filled with enthusiasm for the future of God’s kingdom. But it wasn’t always so. As one of the first believers in his tribe, he experienced many challenges after choosing to follow Jesus. These difficulties included persecution from his Hindu community and a lack of access to God’s Word.
In rural Nepali villages, religious persecution is often more intense. Arjun’s Christian conversion in particular was met with fierce opposition—and rejection—from his family and community. “My mother found out that I became a Christian. She cried. She said, ‘You are no longer my son.’ My brothers and other members of my tribe excluded me and told me I was no longer allowed to eat with them,” recalls Arjun.
As Arjun looks back on his first experience with persecution in Nepal, he notes that his perseverance allowed him to see the fruit of his labor years later. “When I became Christian in my family, I was the first believer,” Arjun shares. “And now, there are 71 members in my [extended] family. In my village, there was not one single believer, let alone a single fellowship. Now, there are six fellowships there.”
Believers in Nepal lack access to the Bible
In these persecuted areas—including geographically isolated villages—scarcity of Scripture is especially challenging in Nepal. “Even if you have money, Bibles are not available to buy everywhere,” Arjun explains. Not only is access to Scripture lacking, but owning a Bible can paint a target on a believer’s back as Hindu radicals look to persecute Christians, and government-sponsored anti-conversion laws are increasingly enforced.
How is Christianity growing in Nepal?
Despite such persecution, the church in Nepal continues to grow. And one of the key tools used by Nepali church leaders and evangelists is a small piece of technology that fits in the palm of your hand: the audio Bible. These solar-powered, pocket-sized devices bring Scripture to life for those who can’t read, lack electricity, or need subtle access to God’s Word.
In a country where roughly 23% of adults are illiterate, the spoken Scriptures are vital. “For those who are illiterate, who cannot read or write, it is a really powerful tool for them,” Arjun explains. “It brings hope, especially in places where people are isolated with no [church] facilities,” he says. “This can be a friend to them. It is their Bible—their Word they can hear.”
Beyond personal use, the audio players are sparking impromptu evangelism. “They say to their friends, ‘I have an amazing tool, you can listen!'” Arjun reports. “They just open it, then the next person [joins], then another person. Already a little fellowship has started, just from this device.” Arjun has made it his mission to distribute these audio Bibles to as many Nepali Christians as possible, especially in rural areas like his home village where the Word is difficult to come by.
