One80 Podcast
Episode 47 Transcript
Thilak Pappu, Raised by a Guru
This transcript may have errors that veer from the original One80 Podcast audio, found here: https://one80podcast.com/
Thilak Pappu: and so I pray morning and evening and just asking. And I was getting tired of idle worshiping. Nobody told me to leave idols. I am getting tired because I am praying, but nobody’s there to listen.
Ryan Henry: We’ve got an exciting show for you today. Thilak grew up in India and he was raised by a Hindu swami and led worship at the Hindu temple. But something was wrong. All the poetry, the prayers, the dancing. and the meditation, the idols. They weren’t pointing him to God.
Thilak wondered where the true God was. He found who he was searching for at the communion table. His search was over. Welcome to Thilak’s One80.
Margaret Ereneta: were so excited to have Dr. Thilak Pappu here today with us. He hails from India. Dr. Pappu, thank you so much for joining us today to share your 180.
Thilak Pappu: I’m so glad to be with you.
Margaret Ereneta: We wanna get into your story, but first we like to start with a random question. So my question for you is, what is the funniest pet name you’ve ever heard?
Thilak Pappu: Well, I grew up in a village, so somebody put their dog name after George Bush.
Margaret Ereneta: Did they call it George Bush? Like when it was being bad they just said, George Bush, stop?
Thilak Pappu: That’s right That’s what they called him.
Margaret Ereneta: That is so funny. and the village that you came from, let’s get into that too. so what village did you grow up in?
Thilak Pappu: Kerala, southern tip of India village
Margaret Ereneta: So Kerala is a, that’s a state.
Thilak Pappu: yeah In
southern tip of India.
Margaret Ereneta: Okay. How many Christians are there?
Thilak Pappu: I would say 20%
Margaret Ereneta: 20%. Oh, that’s a good percentage.
Thilak Pappu: And 20% rest of them are Hindu.
Margaret Ereneta: Okay, so it’s only 60% Hindu. You just think of India as just being a Hindu nation.
Thilak Pappu: The Apostle Thomas AD 52, came to Kerala
So we have that history.
Margaret Ereneta: Okay. were there more Christians in the past or less Christians than now?
Thilak Pappu: it is growing. Christianity in South India I mean
Margaret Ereneta: Okay. So what was your family life like growing up?
Thilak Pappu: Well, my father was a communist follower, He was a leader we were eight I’m the youngest one in the family. family, they all Hindus. So not much a Hindu practice home because my father was a communist.
Margaret Ereneta: So he wasn’t allowed to practice religion as a communist.
Thilak Pappu: allowing, even give important that is a there So life, was totally different than all my siblings.
Margaret Ereneta: so the rest of your family were not devout Hindu either.
Thilak Pappu: No, my other was
kind of, she used to take us to the temple. The rest of my siblings, they, they never cared the Lord
Margaret Ereneta: So they didn’t, practice their Hinduism, but you said you were wired differently than your siblings. Can you tell me about
Thilak Pappu: I so to my dad because I’m being the youngest one, and I had, you know, close father, so asked so I
questions where is God? Where is heaven? Where is hell? reason is that, you inside of me and somebody just conscious, just saying, there is a creator who created everything.
You know, you cannot be just like that. This question, I asked my dad when I was eight years of age, so there was that eternity in my heart. Longing To see God. So without even anybody telling me, lifestyle was to get up in the morning, take a shower and go to the temple nearby, then do the puja prayer, then go to school from my school.
I come to the temple and do the prayer and all that. Then going to school, that was my routine when I was growing up because I sense that that eternity, this was lacking something. I want to know the Lord, I want to know the creator.
Margaret Ereneta: So you. Trying to do that within Hinduism, you were being a devout Hindu even though your siblings were not and your parents were not.
Thilak Pappu: Correct.
Margaret Ereneta: Walk us through what that’s like. I know you said a little bit about being at the temple and praying. What, was it like to you practicing Hinduism as a child?
Thilak Pappu: my, was, I a and I as But, when I asked you know, is God? And I used to ask so many questions and he really tired. Finally he found a guru Swami three in Kerala. So he took, there. So I grew up for many years, he was an excellent orator teacher about Hinduism with moral life. The same time he was an instant poet. So as he was giving lecture, used to come up with songs. So as a group, we used to put that into music, and then we clap hands and all kinds of on to the monastery. when the guru thinks that everything is out of his control, there was a calling bell in his hand.
He used to press that button and make a sound. Then, uh, when all hear that sound, they all used to be flat on the floor, unconscious. we sprinkle water on their faces. they revive again. We can do it to sing then hear his messages. That went on for many, many years.
Margaret Ereneta: So I’m just going to fill you in here. The Guru is leading a poem slash maybe prayer. Reading this poetry and his students, all these people are dancing. He rings this bell and he has like complete control over them because they fall unconscious. And then he wakes them up again. They revive and they go on and on with their singing, dancing lecture and poetry just wanted to make sure you heard that.
Thilak Pappu: In the end I said, I wanna know my God when I was 17,
Thilak Pappu: Kerala, I went to North India. That’s another chapter of my life.
Margaret Ereneta: Well, let’s explore the guru a little bit more So, what was going through your mind during those years when you were studying under this guru and doing these practices? So you were not feeling closer to God, but, what else was going on in your mind during that time?
Thilak Pappu: The guru says that he was the incarnation of another guru. Some people consider him as god incarnate but he was a human being.
He was just like anyone else. I was just thinking how this human being can be my God, the creator of this universe. So I had that longing to know the creator inside saying he’s a good but he’s the not the creator of the universe. didn’t create anything
Margaret Ereneta: And so did he think he was God?
Thilak Pappu: Well, he used to, uh, tell people that he’s kind of incarnation. Another god, another guru, you know? So he has divinity, that power you know, bow down before prostate before him, you that’s the way worshiped I and my dad to monastery, the guru was sitting on the throne and the legs straight.
And so my father used to prostrate before and kiss his feet. my turn comes. So I used to do the same
Margaret Ereneta: So you’re worshiping a person? Wow.
Thilak Pappu: More of a giving that respect.
Margaret Ereneta: Okay. So You didn’t think of it as worship. You just thought of it as respect.
Thilak Pappu: It was total surrender to this, guru type, you know? But now I don’t, I don’t bow down to this anymore. One good thing this guru taught me was do not worship idols.
Margaret Ereneta: Really?
Thilak Pappu: Idols not God. But irony is take my picture, and burn incense, front of that picture. Don’t, don’t take other idols, but take my picture.
Margaret Ereneta: Wow.
Thilak Pappu: He used to promote himself as a god and guru we need to worship idols.
Margaret Ereneta: So did you actually leave your family home and like live with him or just check in with him from eight to five? Or how did that work out when your dad gave you over to the guru?
Thilak Pappu:My dad uh, myself, we both used to go every Sunday from morning to evening. We all, know, with him in that monastery, every three months we used to have five days uh, meditation.
Margaret Ereneta: Okay.
Thilak Pappu: Meditation. Thats 24 7. There’s a three group of people.
They divide their time. Three or four group of every three months, five days we were with him. Totally. Then every Sunday.
Margaret Ereneta: Wow. you did spend a lot of time with him, but over time you, were questioning his claims to be not a God, but incarnate of another human, which was a belief in, in your form of Hinduism. Is that like hylomorphism where, people regenerate or a different thought where that he thought he was this person.
Thilak Pappu: We accept him so well because we, we believe we need a guru to take you to God. a master guide. So people accepted him as a guide,
Margaret Ereneta: Okay. But not necessarily as a reincarnation, but he claimed to be the reincarnation of a person, but people just accepted him as the way to, to God,
Thilak Pappu: We thought he had some divine power, answering our prayer and that kind of thing.
Margaret Ereneta: Okay. So you are questioning this guru. You’re questioning, if he is really who he claims to be. Does he really have this divine power? And then what did you do about.
Thilak Pappu:I didn’t ask anything, but in my heart, I was just, asking, I came here, this monastery to, to meet my God, the creator of this universe, and this guy is not the creator. There must be somebody. So that kept on I enjoy singing and I enjoy the messages and all that. kept on going to the monastery every Sunday until I was 17.
Margaret Ereneta: And then what happened when you were 17?
Thilak Pappu: I left Kerala, south India, my hometown. Then I went to Bihar to join with my two brothers to find a job. I lost my guru back in, uh, Kerala. So I asked people around if there is any religious group of people seeking God because I knew that I need a guru. I want to know I want with those who want to know God. So somebody told me about Sai Baba. That’s another cult. Very famous, lots of followers, correct. Sat Baba.
Margaret Ereneta: Okay.
Thilak Pappu: they’re also, I became choir conductor, that I learned from the monastery. the I love sing and conduct songs, we had a Saturday meeting and Sunday meeting And then, uh, all night sometime the same time I joined with another Kerala cult known as Ayappa Temple that’s very famous in Kerala. That’s, idol. call, an ipa is, incarnation of Shiva
So thousands people, go to this mountain barefoot climbing and they carry the offering, on their head they need to climb this mountains. I did this two times
Margaret Ereneta: Why?
Thilak Pappu: Because I want to God I want to experience of, for my sins. So people believe that when they go your sins will be forgiven because there is a river that you need to take a bath and the river will cleanse your sins. Then you meet this God Ayappa. That’s a, blissful experience. glorious in your life there are millions of people go every year to this temple.
Margaret Ereneta: I’m curious why they didn’t wear shoes.
Thilak Pappu: That was a culture it was a kind of tradition that you are taking that much pain to climb these mountains for your own salvation.
Margaret Ereneta: Okay. Wow.
Thilak Pappu: And while we climb we recite, you know, songs Chantings.
Margaret Ereneta: So climbing this mountain, you did it more than once. How? did that feel for you?
Thilak Pappu: I did two times.
Margaret Ereneta: Okay.
Thilak Pappu: You cannot just go to the mountain. You need to have 41 days of Fasting. Every day you need to go to temple morning and evening until you go and visit this big temple. So you go with that 41 days of preparation.
Margaret Ereneta: Okay, and so did you meet God there?
Thilak Pappu: No. There was a big river known as Pamba River so people, they have to take a total dip in the river. Then they go and see. The load, you know, so that that river was polluted water. So I took a dip. There are the thousands of people are deep so I took a dip. Then I just came out from the water.
I said, my sins are cleansed outside this. So I was asking to myself, what about my sins inside, outside is clean. Okay, what about inside? That question. Stayed until I came to know Christ.
Margaret Ereneta: So it just just lingered there. You didn’t have an answer to that question.
Thilak Pappu: I had many, many questions.
Margaret Ereneta: Wow.
Thilak Pappu: When I was in, Bihar, I was instrumental to build a temple back in Northern Dan Bihar. I didn’t do much of physical work, but I know some contacts. So they provided, iron ore and cement and all these things, so we brought the idol, Ayappa, from Kerala to Bihar. the priest said he needs seven unmarried men to carry this idol to the inside of the temple. In, Bible terminology, the of holy of holies.
And I was one to carry this idol.
Margaret Ereneta: And this is the most precious part of this whole Hindu temple. So that’s why you’re referring to like the Holy of Holies, like where God actually rests. So the Hindu God would be resting there supposedly.
Thilak Pappu: Correct. The priest said he needed, seven people. So I was one and I was privileged. So we took that idols and we put it inside. And that night I was just thinking, I want to go and see the idol again. So I approached my priest, I said, you know, I want to see and see the idol one more time. Then the priest said, Thilak, you cannot go because that’s our god. I said, wait a minute. I was the one who picked up the idol last night and put it in the
Now you that it’s our. Yeah, he said, I chanted some, you know, mantras. And that became our god.
Margaret Ereneta: Wow.
Thilak Pappu: Again, it came to me can man make God if you take an idol, a rock and put it somewhere and if you can chant some mantras, can that idol become your god? So that answer also, I didn’t get it from my, my priest, but that all lingering in my, my mind.
Margaret Ereneta: Okay,
Thilak Pappu: Can man make God
Margaret Ereneta: But you didn’t find the answer right?
Thilak Pappu: Life continued in Bihar. I had rudraksha, I had beard, well respected. I used to conduct songs, so people consider me kind of small guru, And everything was going so well that time I was 17 and my sister she was 18 she went to the pond in our home, back in Kerala to take a bath. and she had epilepsy and she fell face down and she died.
Margaret Ereneta: Oh,
Thilak Pappu: She was my best friend. All of a sudden my best friend, my sisters no more, When I heard that news that she died, that just broke my. That shattered my life because until that time, we never experienced death in our family. At that time. I stopped all my religious activities
Margaret Ereneta: Okay.
Thilak Pappu: And I asked this four questions, what is life all about? Where is my sister? Why am I born here and where am I going?
Margaret Ereneta: Wow, you were such a deep thinker.
Thilak Pappu: Yeah. So I wrote it down in a sheet of paper. Then I went back my guru and I said, my you know, please give me answer to this, questions, and he read and he said, we are human being. This is our destiny, that we are born here and we will die.
So that was the end of his answer. I was not happy. And I just came back to, Bihar. Then I start continuing temple Plus I was working there. But by this time, the Lord has been working in our family. I have a brother in California, He became a believer through OM, Operation Mobilization.
Margaret Ereneta: Wow. Praise God.
Thilak Pappu: Praise God, when he was 17, I was only four year old. So when, when he became a believer, he was the first believer in our, village. He came know the Lord in the university.
So this brother got kicked out from our home when I was 4 year old. For 10 years. My parents never allowed him to visit us. from Kerala, he joined with OM and he served the Lord with them for seven years. Then he went England there, Bihar us, three siblings, my two other brothers and myself, and he gave me Bible. And after looking at my lifestyle, he said, my brother, Jesus is Lord. Bible is God’s word. You pray and you read, God can reveal to you. But in my heart, I said, forget you. I receive the book. But in my heart, I said, Who cares about this Western God? Because until that I thought Christ was foreign, uh, born in America or in England,
Margaret Ereneta: Christ was born in England or America? Oh, okay. what else did you think about Christianity at that time, other than Christ was born somewhere else?
Thilak Pappu: it’s a foreign, England. That’s another religion. I am a Hindu. I will die as a Hindu. So I don’t need any western God or western religion.
And he gave me the Bible and I received it.
Thilak Pappu: Then I gave it to my sister-in-law and I said, I have my Bhagavad Gita have some other books to read, so I don’t care about this. Again, the emptiness and longing, started to increase in my life I have a sister and she became a believer.
Margaret Ereneta: So where you were a little closer to home, another sibling became a believer too.
Thilak Pappu: But by now my mother also came known Lord. has been working in our family since my, brother came know the Lord.
Margaret Ereneta: that’s really cool to see. Like the waves,
Thilak Pappu: that. now is a believer following the Lord. My came know the Lord. Only my oldest brother, a Hindu. He’s
Margaret Ereneta: Wow. Out of eight siblings.
Thilak Pappu: When this brother came Bihar. He gave me this Bible and just neglected I continued temple all that. I My sister is a nurse sister is in it takes four days go to New Delhi in a train So my, my sister didn’t said, Why to drop said I will come, because I was anywhere trying to from this run away of that I was just emptiness feeling. To go find a place, find new friends, maybe have a new life I will have a
So I joined with my sister and , came to uh New Delhi. When I New Delhi, This is the heart of India, the capital big building. I said, I’m not going to back to Bihar go gonna stay in New Delhi. This is a great place And I found temple Temple Ayappa Temple I told them went and who I am and what I can do, conducting songs, and they were so happy. So I used to conduct songs Friday, Saturday, Sunday weekend. You know, when devotees come to pray,
Margaret Ereneta: Okay, so you’re, the songs are during prayer, the songs are leading the prayer. Okay. Just curious.
Thilak Pappu: And that time I had a job with a contractor, job in the airport. So I used to go to the airport and do the job, and then come home I had one small room, very, very small room. That was my kitchen. that was my bedroom. That was dining room. I rented that place and that room was full of idols.
You know, I bought pictures. So even though I don’t have money to buy rice, I used to buy incense to burn incense, morning and evening, praying and crying out, who are you, where are you?
And all that.
Margaret Ereneta: So that’s, that’s what you were praying. you weren’t praying, I worship you, Shiva, or whatever gods, you were asking God these questions that were stirring in your heart.
Thilak Pappu: yeah, I bought all the pictures from the street the idols, the photos on the, on my wall.
And so I pray morning and evening and just asking. And I was getting tired of idle worshiping. Nobody told me to leave idols. I am getting tired because I am praying, but nobody’s there to listen. There’s no answer. then one day my sister came, from hospital to my room and I asked her, do you know any religious people? They don’t worship idols.
they don’t have any, any pictures. They don’t pray to idol. She said, yeah, why didn’t you come to our prayer meeting? We don’t worship idols she’s a believer. So next week, one Saturday evening, she took me to this prayer meeting, in a small room in New Delhi, maybe 25, 30 people were sitting there It December 31st India. Believers get together and they thank the Lord for the previous night, and by thanking the Lord they enter into the new year. That’s a tradition in India.
so I went to this house for this kind of prayer meeting. I saw these people were sitting there and thanking and praising the Lord and Then, when I, when I saw these people were sitting and thanking the Lord, praise the Lord, I noticed that there is something these people have, which I do not have. people are different. And the joy and the peace of God was so evident I said they have something which I do not have. not have. Next day was a Sunday. They took me to a church. I’d never been to a church before. That church was in a home and I didn’t have my breakfast. So in the church at the communion time, there was a big bread, passing. So people were just taking a little bit. And when it came to my side in front of me, I just took a big grab and I ate because when you go to temple, you get prasad.
That is the food sacrifice to the idols that is for everyone. You can eat So I thought maybe the Christian people, they give prasad. So I just took some and I, I ate it, so it was bread. So I was thinking, I need to have some water to drink. Then I saw that somebody was bringing, something in a cup. So that was the grape juice, the wine for the communion. So when the, the grape juice came front of I just grabbed. Then somebody grabbed my hand, said, no, it’s not for you. I was a little offended because when you go to temple, this is for everyone. Then later they explained to me, the meaning of this communion, and this is for the believers.
Thilak Pappu: You know, the meaning of the, grape juice, the wine, and the bread. I was happy. So after the church service, they took me to somebody’s home This was kind of turning point to my life
At mealtime, there were four brothers were there and they shared the gospel with me. Mainly the cross of Christ, Christ’s death on the cross for my sins. And when they explained the cross of Christ, Christ dying for my sins, that made sense to me.
Margaret Ereneta: you explain what they said?
Thilak Pappu: Well, Christ for you sin because you are a sinner. You are born in sin if you believe in Christ. And he can give you peace, joy, purpose, and eternal life. And I was looking for all this peace, joy, and purpose and eternal life and the forgiveness of sins.
So sin the temple. I went, the mountain. I climbed that all for the forgiveness of sin and my guru taught me about the sacrifice, from the monastery. So I knew the concept of sacrifice. So when they explained to me that Christ, the perfect man, perfect person, God came down, sinless person who is dying on the cross for you, sin to save you. And they said, it is up to you. If you believe you will have eternal life, peace and joy. When I thought about it, I’m not going to lose anything. Let’s try, I said, I’m willing. I need that peace, joy, and the purpose. They said, okay, let’s and kneel down and pray this prayer. Now I know it was sinner’s prayer.
So I prayed that, sinner’s prayer: Lord forgive me. I am a sinner. I remember that you died on the cross for my sins come in to my heart. So that sinner’s prayer.
Margaret Ereneta: Wow.
Thilak Pappu: after that these four brothers were sitting there and they said, why can’t we pray for Thilak right now? So I was still kneeling down and they start praying when one man start praying and I was experiencing like somebody was lifting a heavy burden from me
Margaret Ereneta: Wow.
Thilak Pappu: And they didn’t know what I was experiencing. When the second person was praying the same thing, the third person was praying the same thing. When the fourth person prayed, felt I felt and I sensed that somebody was lifting the burden I was kind of tied up. Somebody just set me free from that, trap and the peace and the joy of God just descended upon me at that very moment. this, this happened 34 years ago.
Margaret Ereneta: Praise Jesus.
Thilak Pappu: Praise Jesus. That’s right. And I believe this happened only yesterday, that kind of vivid memory I have. So the joy and the peace of God just descended upon me. And I thought maybe Christian God is true, God.
Thilak Pappu: Next four months, I didn’t go to church because it is so hard to leave your Hindu practice home temple and tradition. So in that four months time, I noticed there is some change taking place. My vocabulary start changing. I used to curse in Hindi, bad language, every other word. Nothing is coming out. I said, what’s wrong with me? Then I notice that I have a conscious now in the business, in the airport and in If I do wrong, I couldn’t sleep. My conscious really pricks me, bothers me. So I asked, what’s wrong with me?? Then just dawned onto me, I remember that four months ago, I accepted Christ as my Lord and my savior. He’s transforming my mind.
Margaret Ereneta: You’re not doing anything. Like That’s amazing.
Thilak Pappu: He is just changing my life and I can feel God is no more far away. I can just talk. Well, then I said to my sister-in-law, please send me that old Bible. I got it. So she sent me that Bible to new.
Margaret Ereneta: I bet she was overjoyed to send that to you.
Thilak Pappu: yeah yeah when I start, read the word that just filled my emptiness. that longing I had. The more I got to know Christ. I said, this is my Lord. This is my savior whom I was looking for.
Margaret Ereneta: amazing.
Thilak Pappu: my brother is in California, I’m in New Delhi, and I took baptism. I was growing in the Lord. I wrote to my brother and I said,
I became a believer. I read Bible and I want to go to a Christian college where I can study Bible and MBA business, become a businessman. Then he said, well, you can come to us and I can help you out to get a visa and I will help. So this was in 1986. As soon as I got the visa, from the American Embassy and I just came out and I said, India, you will never see me again. don’t want I landed in, uh, Fresno. I went to Fresno Pacific College in California. That university is owned by some Mennonite Brethrens. They are very mission-minded people. there some American people came to my life and they start discipling and I start to grow in the Lord and they noticed something that, that something is in my life Why don’t you go to this conference known as Urbana Conference in Chicago.
and they helped me to go. So I went there 87 Urbana, 87, 19,000 students were sitting there
Margaret Ereneta: Yeah. Yeah.
Yep.
Thilak Pappu: First day, Dr. Billy Graham was preaching from Isaiah chapter six, whom shall I Send, who will Us for After preaching? He said, whoever wants to be used by the Lord serve the Stand And I could hardly understand English that but I understood every word, what Billy Graham
Margaret Ereneta: Wow. Wow.
Thilak Pappu: when he said stood up, so I just stood. Then again he said, those who stood up, come down. I’m going to pray for you. So I just came down. There was 500, 600 people. We were standing in front of Billy Graham and he start praying. When he start praying again, the Holy Spirit of God broke through my life and said, do you remember that? You will never go back to India? Yes, You are You are taking the gospel to your own
I was only 25 that time I said, Lord, here is my life. I totally surrendered my life
Margaret Ereneta: Wow.
Thilak Pappu: I changed my major from business. I went to San Jose Bible College. Then, , I got married to my wife, Linny. The Lord blessed us 31 years of married life four children, and we are so happy. after my Bible college, I still want to go back to India, but I was not that much equipped. Then my brother told me, there is a seminary in South Carolina. They have a church planning and evangelism track. Why didn’t you go and study there and then, prepare. So we were in Columbia, South Carolina. I did my MDiv in evangelism and church planning after my seminary graduatewith OneWay Ticket children. we went back to North India to serve the.
So we are in Arianna Guang next to New Delhi last 26 years. that’s our home. And planted many churches, shared the Lord with so many people. I’m not into pushing people to receive Christ. I’m, here to tell people that if you are a seeker, if you want to know the truth, if you have time,
I’m here to share.
Margaret Ereneta: Mm-hmm.
Thilak Pappu: And the Lord gave lot of opportunity. Many people at the verge of suicide came to know Christ. Divorce, they came to know Christ. Marriage was saved. Separation, a alcoholism, many alcoholic came to know Christ.
so many people in North India, they, got saved. They became followers of Christ. So we are so glad
Margaret Ereneta: Okay. from what I understand, Dr. Papu,
Thilak Pappu: you have your doctor in ministry and you spent a lot of time, studying how to reach Hindus.
Well, what do you recommend that, that we do? how are Hindus different than we might expect when we want to share the gospel with them or, walk alongside them, be light to them? How are we light to Hindus?
But somebody said, what’s the point of cutting a person’s nose first, then a rose flower to smell. There’s no point. What I’m is that we condemn them and we just kill them and we just ridicule them. Oh, you are a you’re a idol worshiper, and da da da da You know? So we need to go slowly sympathetically. We need to
share the
Margaret Ereneta: Okay.
Thilak Pappu: Go very slow. God is at work. Even before you reach. is at work, but we should not condemn them. as soon as you meet,
that’s
what we do.
Margaret Ereneta: And we do that by saying, you worship false idols, you’re going to hell.
Thilak Pappu: you go to hell. That’s what you know, something we, we start, there is a time to say that truth. Also, you need to say it in love. Why the people always crowded with Jesus, because what’s coming from his mouth was so compassionate, so caring and loving.
So we need to approach these people with love and care. Do not condemn them and don’t expect a result in immediately though I’m going to make him a Christian. It’s up to the Lord. But you are there to share the gospel. Good news. And we must share the good news as good news. Go slowly. here in, north America, there are lots of Hindus,.
They’re open. I’m just encouraging my Indian Christians and the American Christians to meet with them. Go and visit them. Your neighbors, your doctor, are three, million. I, believed some, 38% of doctors Indians
Margaret Ereneta: Wow,
Thilak Pappu: 450 temples they are building temple every day in, in even Silicon Valley in San Jose, Santa Clara.
Margaret Ereneta: They’re a hundred temples, so we need to approach them because the Lord brought them here in this country, mm.
Thilak Pappu: we need to share the, the gospel. Some of the festival they celebrate, like Diwali, holy and all that. We cannot say right away.
This is a pagan festival. You cannot, for some people they say Thanksgiving gathering, diwa means a family. But there are some, rituals that we don’t need to participate. We can tell them slowly, so that they will understand
Margaret Ereneta: But you said that, Hindus are unique in that they’re very open, right.
Thilak Pappu: very
much,
Margaret Ereneta: so they’re approachable for a conversation. It just can’t be pressuring them into the gospel and into conversion. But we can walk alongside, um, Hindus are very open and open and we need to recognize that and not be afraid of talking to them, even approaching them about hearing about their faith, like having faith discussions from what you’re saying, like they’re okay with.
Thilak Pappu: Yeah. I disciple some people from India through Zoom, so I’m just asking them every week what’s happening in. to know what’s happening in India in order to make an icebreaker with this family, not just share the gospel. You know, right away, slowly turn that conversation into a spiritual conversation they are very open, they are religious people.
Hindus, I play table tennis. So I look for Indian people, those who play table tennis.
I play with them. Then sit them and talk about, Hey, where are you from? What’s your name?
So Slow
approach.
Margaret Ereneta: that’s very helpful. What could you recommend that we read a book or a resource on reaching Hindus.
Death of a Guru by
Thilak Pappu: Maharaj, that’s available.
Margaret Ereneta: friends, we will link that book in our show notes. If you’re curious is there anything else you want our listeners to know about reaching Hindus?
Thilak Pappu: Well, they can always contact me through my email
Margaret Ereneta: Great.
Thilak Pappu: Go to the universities or go to the neighborhood and your friends, you invite them for a meal.
Don’t say anything about Christianity. Just have a prayer before the meal. In that way, you break you get to know your neighbors.
Great.
Margaret Ereneta: I have a last question for you.
Knowing what you know now, go back to the young Thak and, what would you tell him when his sister died you had those hard questions? What would you tell him today
Thilak Pappu: when I became a believer I had so many questions, and these brothers the believers they knew Bible Immediately, they were giving me answers from the Bible.
Now all my answer is right
Margaret Ereneta: Yes.
Thilak Pappu: I tell people, you don’t have, Bible buy one and start reading all the questions will be answered in the Bible
Margaret Ereneta: so someone who’s searching can literally think of a question, , and read the Bible and find the answer. God will reveal
Thilak Pappu: You, need
Margaret Ereneta: to
Thilak Pappu: be open,
sincerely, I’m seeking Lord,
Speak to me. It’s amazing how the Lord uses people, testimon.
Margaret Ereneta: Well, I wanna thank you so much for your time and sharing your story with us.
Thilak Pappu: glad. Thank you
me having I really enjoyed you can reach out to me anytime. Pray for
Margaret Ereneta: Thank you. And we’ll put Lux contact information too in the show notes so you can reach him too with your questions. Thank you so much.
Thanks so much for listening. Today, we talk about those show notes a lot. If you don’t know. Where to find them, you just select aye. On your pod player.
Margaret Ereneta: Today’s sendoff is from a special guest who is bringing you one way’s heart Bible for the nations, which equips believers to learn and share. Share God’s word. This helps those. Those in countries where a physical Bible is restricted. Or for people who can’t read and even for christians here It’s a useful way to share god’s word From your heart when sharing with others Learn more at heart bible.com. I want you to picture Picture walking along the streets of carola People on their way to the mountains And maybe the IARPA temple And this story could be the natural part a conversation with the hindu like from your heart Like he’s not opening a Bible but he’s telling the story from his heart please enjoy
Heart Bible Paralytic: After some days, Jesus returned to Capernaum and it was reported that he was at home, so that a great crowd gathered to hear him and there was no room in the house, even at the door. Now they came bringing a paralyzed man carried by four men, but they couldn’t get near to him because of the crowd, so they climbed up to the roof of the house and made a hole and lowered the man down before Jesus.
And when he saw their faith, he said to the man, son, your sins are forgiven. Now, there were some scribes seated there, and they were questioning in their hearts, why is he saying this? He’s blaspheming. No one can forgive sins, but God alone. Now, Jesus perceived in his spirit that they were questioning. So he said to them, why do you question these things in your heart?
What is easier to say? Your sins are forgiven or rise? Take up your bed and walk, but so that you may know that the son of man has authority on earth to forgive sins. And he turned to the man and said, son, rise, take up your bed and go home. And immediately he stood up. And took his bed and walked out in front of all of them so that they were all amazed and they glorified God by saying, we never saw anything like this.