Indian minister speaks about Christian life in his home country

As Priestly Balasingh describes his life as a Christian in India, many people in Western countries are given the opportunity to realise the greatly contrasting lives of living as a Christian in many countries in the modern world. In India, where only about 2% of the population is Christian, Christians often face persecution and discrimination. According to Priestly Balasingh who spoke with The Free Lance-Star, being a Christian could cause someone to lose a job or student scholarship.

"It depends on which state you live," he said. "Some are hostile and others are friendly." In some states of India, evangelism can be considered a crime. Fortunately for Priestly Balasingh who is minister of Hope Lutheran Church in Bangalore, India, there are no written state laws that ban Christians or evangelism. However, there have been instances when members of his congregation were discouraged from evangelising by government officials.

Balasingh is the third generation to be a Christian in his family, who first converted to Christianity when missionaries visited his family's area in 1895. In 1987, Balasingh was ordained and has been ministering ever since, in an often tough and humble environment.