Southern Asia Division

Bangalore, India

Bangalore already has six million people and is growing rapidly. It is also expected to expand in population significantly in the next six years. There are already 99 high technology companies situated in Bangalore, which is the same number that are in the San Francisco Bay area of the United States. Three new high technology firms are locating in Bangalore every two weeks. In the past year they have produced more than 100,000 new jobs and the multiplier in the economy is 600,000 new jobs.

It is said that 500 people a day move to Bangalore from Kerala, another 500 from Tamil Nadu, and another 500 from Andhra Pradesh. These migrants make the city a very fruitful source for evangelism and church planting. Further, the income of Bangalore is expected to grow far faster than any other part of India, similar to the way Canton has grown in China.

We have a conviction that we need to plant new churches in Bangalore very rapidly not only so that we can gain new members there, but also to place our work in India on a more solid financial ground that will help us in reaching out to the other cities in India in the future.

We are targeting the planting and construction of three new congregations and church buildings in Bangalore through this offering.

Ron Watts
president, Southern Asia Division