Going Back to the Bible, Sri Lankan Christian Shares Gospel with Buddhists

Seventy percent of Sri Lanka's people are Buddhists, and Buddhism is given "foremost place" in the nation's constitution and laws. Officially, there is religious freedom for people of other faiths, including Christians. Yet new believers in Christ often face pressure and persecution from family members or their local community. Mayukha Perera, managing director of Back to the Bible Sri Lanka, joins VOM Radio this week to share about the challenges facing persecuted Christians in Sri Lanka and about his work sharing the gospel with Buddhists and preparing new Christians to face persecution. Mayukha encourages Christians to be deeply rooted in Scripture and to know that persecution for following Christ has been commonly endured by believers for centuries. Their response to that persecution is key: Perera has seen Buddhists drawn to know more about Jesus after seeing Christians stand firm in their faith despite persecution. Mayukha explains the work he and others do with Back to the Bible in Sri Lanka, including sharing the biblical gospel through radio broadcasts and resources, equipping believers to understand and apply scripture, and training church leaders in a country where 85-95% of pastors have no training in biblical leadership. "We want to get the people into the Word," says Mayukha, "and get the Word into the people." Learn how Back to the Bible prepares pastors and leaders for persecution and how they share the gospel lovingly with people of other faiths. Listen as Mayukha explains stumbling blocks in the Buddhist religion to the gospel and offers advice as you share Jesus with Buddhists you know. He'll also share specific ways to pray for Sri Lanka this week. Never miss an episode of VOM Radio! Subscribe to the podcast. Or listen each week—and receive daily reminders and specific ways to pray for persecuted Christians—in the VOM App for your smartphone or tablet.